Sept.-Oct. 2013 - Maryland Institute College of Art
Transcription
Sept.-Oct. 2013 - Maryland Institute College of Art
NEWS, EVENTS, & EXHIBITIONS September–October ’13 MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART PRESIDENT LAZARUS IV ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LAZARUS ERA UP TO THE CHALLENGE 3-D PRINTING TAKES OFF AT MICA GLOBAL COLLABORATION WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON CONNECTING COURSEWORK TO THE COMMUNITY STUDENTS, ALUMNI CREATE CUTTING-EDGE APPS On Campus CONGREGATE Art + Faith + Community STEPHANIE GARMEY: Wetlands CONSTITUTION DAY Find up-to-date event details and expanded information at fyi.mica.edu. NEWS SPECIAL SECTION: FRED LAZARUS IV President Fred Lazarus IV Announces Plans to Retire 4 Highlights of the Lazarus Presidency 6 COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT Using Apps to Hack Energy Culture 15 New Program Helps Connect Coursework to the Community 16 Governor and Mayor Visit MICA 21 INNOVATION Digital Fabrication Studio Looks to the Future 12 Cutting-Edge Smartphone Applications 14 GLOBAL MA in Social Design Students Tackle Global Challenges 23 Artists Celebrate the Culture of the Caribbean in Their Work 26 CONNECTIONS Employers Agree on MICA 18 New Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies 28 New Director of Mount Royal School of Art 28 Norman Rockwell Scholars Lead Illustration Class 45 ALUMNI Peter W. Brooke Creates First Mount Royal School of Art Fellowship 23 Harry T. Pratt: MICA History Maker 24 Alumni Applauded for Film and Entertainment Work 45 (this page) Eugene W. “Bud” Leake Hall, part of the newly renovated Founders Green Residential Complex. Located along North Avenue, the residence hall serves as home to two new living/learning communities focused on performing arts and health and wellness. In addition to living space, the building features a performance space, lecture hall, and expanded studio facilities. (cover) The faculty commissioned faculty member Paul Moscatt to create this work celebrating President Fred Lazarus IV’s 10th anniversary at MICA. It hangs in the president’s suite in the Main Building. (Story, page 4) EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS MICA Venues Main Building 1300 W. Mount Royal Ave. Brown Center 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. Fox Building 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave. Bunting Center 1401 W. Mount Royal Ave. The Gateway 1601 W. Mount Royal Ave. Dolphin Building 100 Dolphin St. Jewelry Center at Meadow Mill 3600 Clipper Mill Road Mount Royal Station 1400 Cathedral St. Retrospective Spring Recap Graduate Studio Center 131 W. North Ave. 9/18 29 Lecture: Kerr Houston 9/24 September Lecture: Dona Nelson Through 9/29 Lecture: Julia Denos Through 9/22 39 Through 9/22 Sabbatical Exhibition 39 9/6–9/25 CONGREGATE Art + Faith + Community 37 9/9–11/1 Student Exhibitions 44 9/16 Lecture: Matt Bollinger 40 9/17 Constitution Day 40 10/18–11/17 40 Stephanie Garmey: Wetlands 39 Creative Time Summit MICA Gallery Hours 42 41 38 MICA PLACE Hours 39 By appointment; contact the Department of Exhibitions at 410.225.2280 or exhibitionsdept@mica.edu 42 Lecture: Chip Kidd 43 Twitter: @mica_news 10/29 10/7 41 Lecture: Jered Sprecher 42 10/9 Lecture: Tim Portlock Monday through Saturday, 10 am–5 pm Sunday, noon–5 pm Closed major holidays 10/28 10/1 Lecture: Sherill Anne Gross Juried Undergraduate Exhibition MICA PLACE 814 N. Collington Ave. 10/25–10/26 October Lecture: Katherine Bradford 42 10/23–11/24 9/27–10/13 Faculty Exhibition Lecture: Michelle Hagewood ’02 41 9/26 Ignite Baltimore Lecture: Stephen Rosenthal 10/17 41 9/26 Ashe to Amen: African Americans and Biblical Imagery 36 Foundation Exhibition 10/15 41 facebook.com/mica.edu 41 10/10 Lecture: Joann Hill 42 YouTube: MICAmultimedia LinkedIn: mica.edu/linkedin mica.edu/googleplus President: Fred Lazarus IV Vice President of Advancement: Michael Franco, EdD Associate Vice President of Institutional Communications: Cedric Mobley Editors: Jessica Weglein ’13, Libby Zay, Lorri Angelloz Contributing Editors: Imani Carter, Claire Cianos, Tamara Holmes Designers: Mike Weikert ’05 and Becky Slogeris ’11 ’12 Thank you for your support of MICA and its programs! MICA’s exhibitions and public programs receive generous support from the Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Special Programs Endowment; the Amalie Rothschild ’34 Residency Program Endowment; The Rouse Company Endowment; the Richard Kalter Endowment; the Wm. O. Steinmetz ’50 Designer in Residence Endowment; the Rosetta, Samson, and Sadie B. Feldman Endowment; the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive; and the generous contributors to MICA’s Annual Fund. BBOX—Betty • Bill • Black Box—is named for Betty Cooke ’46 and Bill Steinmetz ’50. Although every effort is made to ensure the completeness and accuracy of Juxtapositions, information does change. We suggest you confirm event details by checking MICA’s website at mica.edu, where you will also find driving directions and a campus map. Events and exhibitions are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. To request disability accommodations, call 410-225-2416 or email events@mica.edu. For more information, to adjust your subscription options, or to submit story ideas or comments, email news@mica.edu or call 410-225-2300. © 2013 Maryland Institute College of Art 04 SPECIAL SECTION President Fred Lazarus IV Announces Plans to Retire After a historic career spanning more than 34 years, President Fred Lazarus IV announced his retirement this past spring. During his time at MICA, Lazarus repositioned the school from a small, regionally known art school comprised largely of students from Maryland to a high ranking, internationally recognized trailblazer with students from 57 countries and all 50 states. Since he began his role in 1978, MICA’s enrollment has more than doubled, the size of the campus has increased more than tenfold, the endowment has grown over 70 times, three research centers have been created, and more than a dozen undergraduate and graduate academic programs have been added. Today, MICA’s MFA graduate programs are ranked in the top 10 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Parade magazine recently promoted MICA’s undergraduate studio arts programs as one of the top two nationwide, and Graphic Design USA named the institution one of the top 20 design schools. As the College prepares to celebrate his legacy, Juxtapositions looks at a few of the many highlights of the Lazarus presidency. For more, visit mica.edu/lazarus. SPECIAL SECTION Reactions to President Lazarus’ Retirement “Fred Lazarus has long been a tireless advocate to advance art and design education, revitalize our communities, and raise awareness about the importance of culture in the lives of every Marylander. ... His leadership has not only helped empower countless cultural organizations, but also strengthened the state’s colleges, arts education in K–12 schools, and even the economy through the thousands of visitors who attend the annual Artscape festival. Because of Fred’s legacy, I know that MICA will continue to attract the most creative students to Maryland to learn and eventually become key members of the innovative workforce that makes Maryland unique.” —Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley “Under the leadership of Fred Lazarus, MICA has become a strong anchor institution, helping to spur new growth and development in the neighborhoods surrounding the college. MICA graduates enhance the diversity of our thriving arts and culture community. They are committed to improving the quality of life for others in Baltimore—in fact, many of our most prominent urban farming initiatives were spearheaded by MICA graduates. These efforts are emblematic of Fred Lazarus’ guiding principles as leader of this great institution.” —Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake “Under Fred Lazarus MICA has set and maintained an extraordinarily high standard for post secondary art and design education nationally and internationally. Its forward edge programs and exceptional faculty and students have made it a clear thought leader and that in turn has raised the quality of education at many other institutions.” —Tom Manley, president of Pacific Northwest College of Art and vice chair of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design “As a mainstay of this city, Fred Lazarus has encouraged, cajoled, and inspired colleagues within MICA and across Baltimore to work harder, dream bigger, and envision a brighter and more vibrant community. He has been a creative and energetic partner in many of Johns Hopkins’ community-focused efforts, and his leadership has catalyzed the kind of lasting change that will benefit all of us for years to come. Very simply, this city is better for Fred’s presence.” —Ronald J. Daniels, president of The Johns Hopkins University 05 06 SPECIAL SECTION Highlights of the Lazarus Presidency (left to right) Jonna Lazarus and Fred Lazarus IV, Board Chair Eleanor Hutzler, and President Emeritus Eugene “Bud” Leake at Lazarus’ inauguration. A crowd gathers outside Mount Royal Station during Artscape. October 26, 1978 July 11, 1982 Lazarus is inaugurated as MICA’s fourth president and 18th leader. At Lazarus’ urging, the first Artscape is anchored on MICA’s campus. The annual event has become the nation’s largest free arts festival. September 21, 1980 The Fox Building is dedicated. (left to right) Hazel Fox, Al Decker, Governor Harry Hughes, and Fred Lazarus IV cut a ribbon opening the Fox Building, named for Charles James Fox 1884. 1985 The Ford Foundation Fellowship Program is launched, an initiative led by Lazarus that increased the number of minority graduate students at MICA by 280 percent. (left to right) Graduate Dean Emerita and Founding Director of MICA’s Center for Race and Culture Leslie King-Hammond, PhD; Fred Lazarus IV; Ford Fellow Tom Miller ’67 ’87; and faculty member Robert Colescott. SPECIAL SECTION George L. Bunting Jr. (center) and his sons outside Bunting Center. MICA students pose for a picture while taking part in a study abroad program. Spring 1998 Summer 1990 Bunting Center, which increases academic space 20 percent, is opened. The building is named in honor of long-serving trustee George L. Bunting Jr. First summer study abroad programs established (in Italy, Greece, and Canada). 1992 1996 The Commons, the first student residence built by MICA, opens and the Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Career Development is established. Lazarus helps found Americans for the Arts and becomes its first board chairman. Fred Lazarus IV leads the audience in a recent toast to Americans for the Arts in the Brown Center. Students socialize outside The Commons. 07 08 SPECIAL SECTION Trustee George L. Bunting Jr. July 27, 2011 (left to right) Fred Lazarus IV and President Emeritus Eugene “Bud” Leake. One of Baltimore magazine’s “Top 25 Moments that Shook Baltimore,” MICA announced its largest gift, a $10 million endowment, from George L. Bunting Jr. and his wife, Anne, to support graduate education. Fireworks blaze at the dedication of the Brown Center. 2000 As the College celebrated its 175th anniversary, the Plan for the 21st Century was adopted, which mandated steps to make MICA the preeminent art college in the nation. October 17, 2003 The Brown Center, named for Eddie and Sylvia Brown, is dedicated. Architectural Record called it the “finest modern building erected in Baltimore or Washington…since 1978.” August 24, 2008 The Gateway student residence opens and is presented with the American Institute of Architects’ Honor Award for Excellence in Design the following year. 2008 The Office of Research is established, and MICA appoints the first senior academic position for research at an art college. The Gateway marks the intersection of MICA’s main campus and the Station North Arts & Entertainment District. MICA’s first Vice Provost for Research Gunalan Nadarajan. SPECIAL SECTION 09 Honoring the Lazarus Legacy A mockup of the Baltimore Design School. (Courtesy Ziger/Snead Architects) 2011 Lazarus co-founds Baltimore Design School and serves as vice-chair of the board. September 2012 Ground is broken on Eugene “Bud” Leake Hall in what is now the newly renovated Founders Green Residential Complex. October 21, 2012 MICA officially reopens its Graduate Studio Center on North Avenue after an $18 million renovation. In response to the April 2013 announcement by President Fred Lazarus IV of his plan to retire next year, the College’s Board of Trustees has established Honoring the Legacy, a yearlong series of activities and initiatives to recognize his outstanding leadership of more than 34 years in transforming MICA into an international leader in art and design higher education. This trustee–led program will involve not only the MICA family but also the greater Baltimore community, as well as many national arts, cultural, education, and community development organizations where Lazarus has also had a major impact throughout his career. In addition to a range of celebratory events and tributes, a key element of the overall plan will be a comprehensive fundraising effort. Under the title The Legacy Fund Campaign, the effort will be focused on three areas that have been a priority to President and Mrs. Lazarus: Access—ensuring that talented students of today and tomorrow can achieve their dream of a MICA education regardless of their own financial circumstances; Graduate Programs and Facilities—securing the resources to sustain the stature of MICA’s graduate programs and seize new academic opportunities; and Community—enhancing MICA’s many community engagement programs in Baltimore and beyond. For more information on supporting The Legacy Fund Campaign, visit mica.edu/give. Breaking ground at Eugene “Bud” Leake Hall. Fred Lazarus IV outside the Graduate Studio Center. 10 SPECIAL SECTION FRED LAZARUS IV’S TENURE BY THE NUMBERS Endowment Full-Time Enrollment $1,000,000 $72,000,000 1978 2012 900 2033 1977–1978 Academic Year Fall 2012 Faculty 96 408 1977–1978 Academic Year 2011–2012 Academic Year Annual Fund Size of Campus (square feet) Number of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs $124,000 $2,500,000 1978 2012 138,000 1,000,000 1977–1978 Academic Year 2013 18 34 1977–1978 Academic Year 2013 7100% increase 126% increase 278% increase 1912% increase 693% increase 89% increase ? like On Twitter: @mica_news On Facebook: facebook.com/mica.edu On YouTube: micamultimedia On LinkedIn: mica.edu/linkedin For the most up-to-date information and additional news, events, and exhibitions as well as videos, photos, artwork, and interactive features, visit: fyi.mica.edu 12 INNOVATION Andy Ta, a technician in the Digital Fabrication Studio, demonstrates how objects are taken from a digital file and turned into a 3-D work of art, as demonstrated by the sculptures on the table in front of him. Digital Fabrication Studio Looks to the Future The advent of 3-D printing, a technology that uses digital data to make practically any shape, has fired up the public’s imagination. President Barack Obama mentioned it in his most recent State of the Union address, and the European Space Agency talks about using the technology to build a base on the moon. From simple plastic toys to controversial applications such as plastic guns, it seems as though nearly anything can be 3-D printed. It is perhaps the most transformative technology in the world, and artists and designers at MICA have it right at their fingertips. As technologies such as 3-D printing have become increasingly popular, MICA has stayed on the cusp of the technological revolution. One of the most dynamic hubs of activity at MICA is the Digital Fabrication Studio, a facility housing 3-D printers, milling machines, laser cutters, a computer lab, and additional tools for creating interactive electronics, located in Mount Royal Station. “We’re committed to hands-on learning, as well as to creative applications of these new technologies,” said Ryan Hoover ’06 (Mount Royal School of Art), the director of fabrication studios who also teaches in the Interdisciplinary Sculpture and Environmental Design departments. Just a few years ago, processes that could take a digital file and turn it into an actual object were difficult to use and prohibitively expensive. Tools and work flows were designed for conventional mass-production manufacturing, and not relevant or accessible for most artists and designers—but now, inexpensively transforming design ideas into concrete reality can take just a matter of hours. At MICA, objects can be printed out of photopolymers, plastics, or a powder-based material similar to plaster. MICA students and faculty members across all disciplines embrace these tools and technologies to create innovative works of art. Most of these projects start either with the studio’s 3-D scanners, which can be used to replicate or modify already made objects, or in the studio’s computer lab, where computeraided drafting takes place. Trained technicians on staff demonstrate how to use the technologies, while also ensuring the lab remains a safe working environment. One artist who could often be found in the Digital Fabrication Studio during her undergraduate studies was Karine Sarkissian ’13 (environmental design), who utilized the technologies for her thesis project. INNOVATION (clockwise from top left) Michael Petrick ’13 (animation) creates work using the Digital Fabrication Studio’s laser cutter; Ryan Hoover ’06 (Mount Royal School of Art), director of fabrication studios, instructs Sharon Kong ’13 (Social Design) on how to use a CNC router; Taryn Delinsky ’13 (environmental design) puts together a piece of work created using the CNC router. “The exposure we have to the machines—especially in an educational institution—is so great,” Sarkissian said. “I loved the variety of things I could make with the machines,” she explained, noting that she used a variety of machines to cut into clear acrylic and engrave detailed designs on paper for her thesis. The experience paid off in a big way when she was offered a job at an architectural firm after graduation. There, she’ll continue to work with 3-D software, CNC routers, and 3-D printers. “It should be exciting as this is a relatively new technology that is booming everywhere. MICA students really have an advantage knowing so much so early in the evolution of 3-D printing,” she added. To ensure students have access to the technologies after graduation, the studio has conducted weekend workshops led by the studio technician, Andy Ta, in which participants build 3-D printers of their own. Amazingly, well-functioning printers can be created out of some basic materials from a hardware store and online, as long as the maker also has access to a 3-D printer that can produce a few specialized parts. For Hoover, this process of replication and recreation is symbolic of the ethos of sharing prevalent in the 3-D printing community, in which many people believe everyone should have access to a product’s design or blueprint. “We are actively engaged in research and development to advance these fields, particularly in the realm of 3-D printing,” Hoover said. “We recognize that we must build upon and spread access to and knowledge of these tools.” The result is that everyone who passes through the studio—including students, faculty, and staff—constantly learns new things. “We teach our students to think critically about these tools, which are reshaping our world physically, socially, and economically,” Hoover said. “While they are learning technical skills for their art and design practice, which are currently in high demand, they are also developing the knowledge to be thoughtful leaders in these new fields.” See inside the Digital Fabrication Studio at fyi.mica.edu. 13 14 INNOVATION Zak Crapo ’16 (graphic design, interdisciplinary sculpture) and Jordan Bradley ’16 (interaction design & art) created the Sendasock app when they were freshmen at MICA. Cutting-Edge Smartphone Applications Created by the MICA Community As smartphones have become increasingly prevalent, members of the MICA community are at the vanguard, using their talents to create mobile applications, commonly known as “apps.” Emily Ragle ’12 (graphic design) has contributed to apps for the Food Network, National Geographic, Fast Company, the Royal Irish Academy, and more. She works for Joe Zeff Design, a firm in New Jersey that designs and develops apps for publishers, corporations, agencies, and institutions. Her role includes everything from coding and design to copyediting and bug testing. “It’s been exciting to be involved in such important projects within a short period after graduating from MICA,” she said. “The College taught me how to collaborate, which is absolutely essential to the success of our studio.” Out of all of these projects, Ragle said the Food Network Favorites app is the one she uses at home most often. “I’m a foodie and I love to cook, so looking at beautiful food photography and having access to great recipes are just a couple of the perks of working on the app, but I think all the apps are interesting in their own way,” she said. Ragle isn’t the only recent graduate to dive into the world of smartphone software. Another group of alumni and their friends—including Andy Mangold ’11 (graphic design) and Anthony Mattox ’11 (interaction design & art)—started Friends of the Web, a Baltimore-based company specializing in building websites and smartphone applications, including the newly designed Wikiweb. “Wikiweb started as an art piece and programming project of Anthony’s,” Mangold said. “It was originally web-based and very simple.” The application allows users to read Wikipedia and visualize the relationship between articles. It also helps users discover new articles through unexpected connections. “We take a normally hidden layer of Wikipedia and turn it into the primary means of navigation, so as you’re reading and exploring you’re also creating a miniature map of a specific corner of human knowledge,” he said. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT While some applications are meant for learning or to increase productivity, other apps are just for fun. In the past four years, during which Charles J. Carr ’07 (graphic design) has worked at Nickelodeon in New York, he has enjoyed creating a variety of apps that support the company’s television programming, including SpongeBob Diner Dash, iCarly Sam’s Remote, The Last Airbender, and Nick Jr.’s A-Z with Moose and Zee. Carr also has a pet project of his own, Z - HEAD, an app he developed with help from his girlfriend, Allison Choi Braun ’07 (fiber), who assisted with background art. The game asks users to take care of a zombie head, an undead companion that will ask to be fed brains but will never die, but instead deteriorates (as zombies do). Users can tap anywhere on the screen to trigger a variety of reactions from the zombie head. “If you tap the nose, for example, you might get a sneeze or a sniff, or a sneeze followed by the zombie licking the glass in front of him. Tap the mouth, and you might get a kissy face or the zombie might stick its tongue out at you,” Carr said. Students have also found themselves creating amusing apps. When they were freshmen, Jordan Bradley ’16 (interaction design & art) and Zak Crapo ’16 (graphic design, interdisciplinary sculpture) worked together to create Sendasock, an app that lets others know when you want privacy in your dorm or apartment. “We designed Sendasock specifically for college students and young adults who live together,” Bradley said. “While sharing living space, for the first time in some cases, there is often a strong concern about privacy and how to leverage that in a healthy relationship with those you live with.” Here’s how the app works: when a roommate wants some privacy, he or she uses the app and “sends a sock.” The user’s roommates will instantly be notified and encouraged to honor the “quick and discrete request,” as the creators put it. To download these apps and others created by the MICA community, visit fyi.mica.edu. A screenshot of Recess!, the app that won Best in Show at the GOOD Design Hackathon 2013. Using Apps to Hack Energy Culture Although some apps take months and even years to develop, others can come to fruition in a matter of a day. Last February, MICA hosted the GOOD Design Hackathon 2013, a conference developed by forward-thinking media platform GOOD Worldwide. This 24-hour challenge asked participants to design a tool that addresses energy problems and makes a positive impact on the world. For several of these groups, creating interactive apps was an innovative solution. Out of eight teams, which included both MICA students and members of the public, the Best in Show award went to Kacie Mills ’14 (graphic design and humanistic studies), Katrinna Whiting ’13 (graphic design), and Kevin Zweerink ’15 (graphic design), who worked with The Johns Hopkins University alumnus Nicholas DePaul to develop Recess!, a desktop app that alerts users to how much time they spend on a computer. “We were interested in making the invisible visible, and we identified computer use time as an ‘invisible’ cost in people’s daily lives,” the creators said. The playful app allows users to efficiently manage their time on the computer by sending reminders like, “Late night, huh? Maybe time to shut down,” and “Bamboo grows six inches per hour. What did you do for the last hour?” It also provides analytics, so users and organizations can become conscious of exactly how much time and energy they waste. Also at the GOOD Design Hackathon, Noah Boyle ’14 (graphic design), Christine Brown ’13 (graphic design), Maria Chimishkyan ’13 (graphic design), and Bryan Connor ’11 (graphic design) won the People’s Choice Award for What’s On?, an app designed to reduce the amount of money spent on electricity by informing people of their energy habits. “We were inspired to create an app which made the benefits of conserving energy easily understandable compared to things like an estimated carbon footprint, which is more abstract and complex to understand,” Boyle said. The app collects snapshots that paint a bigger picture of a person’s energy usage over time. This data is visualized within the app through graphs and charts and made available to share with friends via social networks. “The Hackathon was a great opportunity to work on a fun project with my friends, and a way for me to start building something that has significance beyond being a portfolio piece,” Zweerink said. Since the Hackathon, the group that created Recess! has started its own design company called Something Dangerous, which plans to tackle other real-world issues through design. 15 16 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A tour of Lexington Market, led by Brian Greenan, project coordinator for the Mayor’s Office of Economic & Neighborhood Development. New Program Helps Connect Coursework to the Community MICA is deeply committed to supporting community partnerships providing experiential learning where students and faculty collaborate with communities to address issues and opportunities. This fall, the Office of Community Engagement launches a new Community-Based Learning (CBL) program that works proactively with faculty across disciplines to develop and support course projects that meet the needs of both students and the community. “The program supports partnerships embedded within the curriculum that respond strategically to community-identified issues and opportunities,” Director of Community Engagement Karen Stults said. Last spring and summer, the office supported a handful of pilot programs, including one that worked with the Office of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. “In essence, these are triangular relationships between the class, the community partner, and our office, where everyone is seen as equal contributors,” said Stephen Towns, the MICA program coordinator who acts as the liaison for these partnerships. “We want to promote these partnerships because they allow students to learn by doing. It’s great professional development,” he explained. “For the partners, it’s a beneficial relationship, too: our students bring their groundbreaking ideas and artistic talents.” Brian Greenan, project coordinator in the Mayor’s Office of Economic & Neighborhood Development, was looking for a way to elevate the licensed street vendors at Lexington Market, a historically important icon of Baltimore, as part of the movement to establish the Bromo Tower Arts & Entertainment District on Baltimore’s west side. He came to MICA’s Office of Community Engagement and was connected with faculty member Kyla Fullenwider ’12 (Social Design), who leads the Design for Change class. The class aimed to come up with solutions that not only took into account physical stand improvements, such as addressing mobility issues and the threat of various weather conditions, but also created a new brand for the group of street vendors that elevated their credibility. For students, the project was a vehicle to learn social design best practices in theory, methodology, data collection, behavioral economics, design, and techniques. Aviva Paley ’13 (painting), who credits the class for teaching her how to work from the ground up to create positive COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Students stand near one of the rebranded street vendor stands at Lexington Market (Photo by Molly Needelman). outcomes through design, said the process has gone much deeper than simply revamping a stand and the vendors’ general visual identity. “It’s become a much more meaningful process of building relationships in this community,” she said. “Part of the aim is to remind the community that these vendors are a positive asset,” she added. “We want to help continue to grow vendor culture—it’s what Baltimore is built off of in that area.” Student Molly Needelman ’14 (Design Leadership), who brought a unique point of view to the project as a dual MA and MBA student at MICA and The Johns Hopkins University, was impressed by the vendors’ action-oriented business knowledge and advice. She said the project helped her understand how the street vendors are passionate and successful entrepreneurs. “I’m very excited to have done a project that can be implemented and will impact the city,” Needelman said. “Sometimes small changes work better than big dramatic ones, and often designers need to work based on assets available in the community instead of creating something shiny and new.” Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was also delighted by the project outcome, which is moving forward to implementation. “These community development initiatives demonstrate that the City validates the concerns of property owners, small business owners, pedestrians, and retailers,” wrote RawlingsBlake in a letter to Stults. Greenan echoed the mayor’s praise, especially impressed with the level of trust students garnered with vendors in such a short period of time. “This is exactly why I contacted MICA. You’ve come up with exactly what I was hoping for: a solution that is simple and effective,” said Greenan, who hopes to continue working with the College on future projects. Fullenwider expressed her gratitude for the support from the Office of Community Engagement, with “It’s given me the capacity and resources to make the project so much more successful.” In another CBL pilot, a ceramics class asked groups of students to “gift” objects to members of the community in exchange for knowledge or to increase awareness about a particular issue. For example, one group increased awareness about pollution in the Chesapeake Bay by creating porcelain oyster shells, and then distributing the artwork to the community with packaging that provides facts about the bay and what one can do to take care of it. The Office of Community Engagement plans to support three classes each semester over the course of the next two years, jointly funded by the Baltimore Community Foundation, the Charles T. Bauer Foundation, and the President’s Community Service Fund. Additional funding for the Lexington Market project was provided by the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. For more information about the Community-Based Learning program, visit mica.edu/CBL. 17 18 CONNECTIONS Sarah McCann ’08 (MA in Community Arts) is the development director at Baltimore Clayworks. Employers Agree: MICA Artists and Designers Are the Cream of the Crop It’s no secret the MICA community is making its mark around the globe. Many companies and organizations reap the benefits of the skills and talents of MICA graduates. Juxtapositions spoke with a few of these employers to find out exactly why they come to MICA to find artists and designers ahead of the game for internships and employment. CONNECTIONS The Walters Art Museum’s Family Programs staff, which includes education assistants from MICA. Inside Mission, a graphic design firm that has hired several MICA students and alumni. Walters Art Museum Mission “Whenever I get a cover letter from a MICA student, I’m excited to read it,” said John Shields, manager of docent and internship programs for the Walters Art Museum, a world-class museum, especially in conservation and research. “The enthusiasm and the skills that MICA students bring are wonderful.” Over the years, many MICA students have served as interns, events assistants, and part-time employees who help out with family programming. MICA interns have also been able to enhance their art education at Walters Art Museum, learning firsthand about art education, art conservation, and curatorial practice. While some students and alumni have interned and moved on to different opportunities, others grew a career at the museum. One such alumna, faculty member Emily Blumenthal ’03 (general fine arts), has worked there for the past decade. “I interned at the museum in my senior year, and then my first position was as the adult programs assistant,” she said. Blumenthal is the manager of family and community programs. In this role, she oversees efforts to engage children, as well as the adults who accompany them. “We want to make their experience within the museum’s permanent collections and galleries meaningful,” she said. Blumenthal credits MICA with helping prepare her to excel at the museum. According to her, the Exhibition Development Seminar created by MICA Curator-in-Residence George Ciscle was particularly instrumental because “the hands-on experience was paramount to my ability to function in a professional setting,” she said. MICA also taught her collaboration skills, which have helped her work more effectively with others in different departments of the museum. The general consensus: the relationship between MICA students and the museum is a win-win for all involved. The museum gets access to a steady stream of talent that sees the value in art education while the students get to spread their wings in a professional museum setting. “We’re not just looking to enhance someone’s résumé. We’re allowing them the opportunity to see the diverse opportunities that exist within museums and within art educational careers,” Blumenthal said. Some employers understand the value MICA students and alumni bring because they passed through the College’s halls themselves. This includes Todd Harvey ’98 (general fine arts), a co-owner of the Baltimore-based creative agency Mission. “One of the things that is unique about MICA is that the students aren’t just technicians when it comes to graphic design,” Harvey said. “There’s such a heavy emphasis on conceptual thinking and purpose.” Those skills have led MICA students to excel at Mission, serving in roles ranging from interns to art directors. Harvey credits MICA with giving him the confidence to believe that he could start a company of his own. As one of the 10 founding members of the H. Lewis Gallery, the gallery that launched a legacy of student-run galleries at MICA, Harvey learned the value of following through on his creative ideas. He knows that every intern and employee Mission hires from MICA shares that same confidence and capability, which is what he looks for when making hiring decisions. “Employees must have a willingness to be collaborative and a willingness to get on with it—not just wait for direction,” Harvey said. One recent MICA graduate who has grown as a result of his time at Mission is Calvin Blue ’13 (video). Blue started at Mission as an intern in 2012 and was later hired to do contract work for the company. By the time Blue left the company, he had a new appreciation for the professionalism that’s needed for an art career. While one of his main roles was editing video, he also took part in meetings with Mission clients, which taught him communication skills needed to effectively connect with his own clients when doing other freelance work. “The internship got me used to the whole office experience and really got me thinking about how professionals work within a business setting,” Blue said. Blue believes he was prepared to work for Mission largely because of the training he received at MICA, as well as the support of the Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Career Development, which helped him perfect his résumé and make valuable professional contacts. 19 20 CONNECTIONS William Niu ’12 (illustration) stands outside of Nickelodeon, where he works as a background designer for The Legend of Korra. Dominique Hellgeth ’10 (ceramics) working with students at Baltimore Clayworks, where she has worked since 2011. Nickelodeon Baltimore Clayworks Eloisa Lopez, production coordinator at Nickelodeon, said the company values a helpful and positive attitude she often finds in MICA students. “If you want to excel as an intern here at Nickelodeon, the most important thing would be to take pride in your work,” Lopez said. “Even if it is the simplest of tasks, do it with a positive attitude and be attentive to detail.” A number of students have interned at Nickelodeon with a range of duties. Hannah Spitz ’14 (general fine arts) for example, recently interned for Lopez and assisted the production team with prepping, checking, and listing materials for artists and video conferences. “She was a great addition to the team because she knew how to conduct herself in a very professional and positive manner,” Lopez said. “She was able to meet with other artists and hear about their beginnings in this business as well as ask for advice and feedback from them.” MICA alumni have also taken full-time jobs with Nickelodeon. William Niu ’12 (illustration) has worked at Nickelodeon in its Burbank, California, offices since 2012. Niu is a background designer for the television show The Legend of Korra. One of his duties is to “make sure all the backgrounds hook up to each other and are consistent,” he explained. Niu considers his time at MICA to be instrumental in his ability to adapt to the professional environment at Nickelodeon and to feel confident he is equipped to succeed. “The Illustration Department was very helpful, not only in terms of what I learned, but I think institutionally MICA is one of the greatest art schools for my field,” he said. Niu also said MICA gave him another edge. “I was fortunate enough to have a class full of like-minded people. We pushed each other and gave each other information, so a lot of stuff I learned was not only from school, but also my friends.” Baltimore Clayworks, a cultural organization dedicated to ceramic arts, has worked with many MICA students and alumni since it was founded in 1980. “One of the things about MICA students is they’re generally self-directed, and we look for people who want to learn and know what they want to learn,” said Sarah McCann ’08 (MA in Community Arts), development director at Baltimore Clayworks. McCann has worked for the organization since 2009, when she was hired to teach a clay class to homeless families in a shelter. Like other MICA alumni, McCann finds Baltimore Clayworks an excellent training ground for those who have a passion for community arts. Depending on the time of year, she may find herself doing anything from grant writing to membership processing to donor cultivation, and her experience at MICA has helped her be flexible enough to adapt. As McCann explained, when a student starts MICA’s graduate Community Arts program, “you hit the ground running.” “You have the support of the institution to give you feedback and help you to problem solve,” she said. Another alumna who has taken the skills she learned at MICA to Baltimore Clayworks is Dominique Hellgeth ’10 (ceramics). Through the Community Art Collaborative program, Hellgeth started working at Baltimore Clayworks a year after finishing at MICA as an AmeriCorps Community Artist-in-Residence. “I wanted to work with youth in the city and experience joy though craft and creativity, so Baltimore Clayworks was a natural fit,” Hellgeth said. Her duties run the gamut: she manages supplies, teaches a class to youths and teens, creates lesson plans, does video and photo documentation, recruits new participants, and serves as a liaison for the organization’s partnership with Jubilee Arts, and more. Hellgeth believes the skills she gained in MICA’s Ceramics Department prepared her to make a difference at Baltimore Clayworks, and she also thinks Baltimore Clayworks has a lot to offer MICA students and alumni. “The environment here provides structure and support. All of the staff are helpful in providing ways to learn and take leadership on different projects. So it’s really a good experience for folks who want to be in the field or want to work in the community.” To learn more about the career successes of MICA students and alumni, visit mica.edu/careerdevelopment. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT During their visit, Gov. Martin O’Malley and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake help YouthWorks participants working at MICA. Governor and Mayor Visit MICA’s YouthWorks Participants Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake visited MICA in July to announce a combined $2.8 million in investments to create over 2,300 summer jobs for local youth through Baltimore City’s YouthWorks program while visiting with 20 YouthWorks participants employed by the College this summer. Baltimore City’s dedicated private sector, including MICA, contributes significantly to the YouthWorks program. Together, state, city, and private sector investments in YouthWorks created over 5,000 jobs for Baltimore City youth this summer at more than 545 worksites throughout the city. “There is no progress without jobs. By making better choices to support initiatives like YouthWorks, our State continues to expand opportunity and give teens a work experience that will serve them not just this summer, but on the way to the next step of their careers,” said O’Malley. “Together with our local partners, we continue to provide our youth with job opportunities that will strengthen their skills and prepare our workforce for the 21st century economy.” YouthWorks, operated by the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, places young people between the ages of 14 and 21 in six-week summer jobs with private sector, nonprofit, and city and state government employers throughout the city, where they develop familiarity with the workplace, become better prepared to meet employers’ expectations, and gain exposure to career opportunities in the Baltimore metropolitan area’s high growth industries. “MICA’s partnership with YouthWorks is another example of our longstanding commitment to integrating community engagement into everything we do,” said MICA President Fred Lazarus IV. “Like our academic programs, our work with these fantastic young people emphasizes our belief in the power of their potential. We are committed to not only helping them understand the empowering nature of employment, but also to exposing them to role models and professional development programming that can help them chart a path to fulfilling careers and productive citizenship.” 21 22 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT In its first year participating as a YouthWorks host site, MICA serves as a model of an engaged YouthWorks partner. Working under the jurisdiction of MICA’s Operations Division, the College directly hired 10 students through Hire One Youth and served as a YouthWorks worksite for an additional 10. “Baltimore is grateful for the strong investment by Governor O’Malley, and the State of Maryland, to help fund our 2013 summer jobs program,” said Rawlings-Blake. “Through our Hire One Youth initiative, YouthWorks is a worthy example of a publicprivate partnership that results in positive work experiences that benefit our young people, businesses, and our communities.” Hire One Youth is an initiative launched by Rawlings-Blake in 2012 to challenge Baltimore employers to join the City in creating valuable private sector summer employment opportunities for Baltimore’s older YouthWorks participants. During the governor and mayor’s visit, YouthWorks participant Hakeem Muhammad said, “I appreciate working at MICA because it has degree programs in which I would like to study in a field in which I would like to have a career, graphic design. So, not only am I getting ready for responsibility through YouthWorks, I’m working at a College in which I have great interest.” Tiffani Cooper, who has been a YouthWorks participant since summer 2007 and has her sights on becoming a hotel owner said, “Working here at MICA has taught me many different things as far as life, customer service, and treating people the way that they want to be treated... Most important is learning about different cultures and works of art. I’m learning what a world class institution looks and feels like.” Previously, YouthWorks co-sponsored and helped support a MICA MA and MFA in Community Arts summer program for several years. The program partnered with high school students to implement youth art programs at several sites each summer in Baltimore, and some of the high school students ended up attending the College. “MICA continues to work hard to lead the integration of art and design education with community engagement in a way that enhances Baltimore, and all of Maryland, culturally and economically,” Chair of the MICA Board of Trustees Fredye Gross said. (top to bottom) YouthWorks participant Hakeem Muhammad shares his MICA experiences; Gov. Martin O’Malley announces investment in youth summer jobs. (Photo by Jim Burger ‘82) GLOBAL MA in Social Design students Heejin Suh ’13 (left) and Mira Azarm ’13, along with Jonathan Erwin ’13, were invited to the prestigious Clinton Global Initiative University conference. Peter W. Brooke ’87 (Mount Royal School of Art). Peter W. Brooke Creates First Fellowship for Mount Royal School of Art After earning a BFA from a liberal arts college and working in advertising for three years, Peter W. Brooke ’87 (Mount Royal School of Art) knew he wanted to paint. He chose to immerse himself in the art world through the Mount Royal School of Art, the first school he, in his own words, had an “identity connection” with. “The egalitarian nature of the Mount Royal School of Art was extremely attractive to me when I was considering graduate programs,” Brooke said. “I was not interested in an autocratic program with a dominant aesthetic. Rather, I wanted to work among my peers in relative independence.” Brooke credits Babe Shapiro, the inaugural director of the Mount Royal School of Art, with creating a program that accommodates those diverse artistic views and attitudes, while also giving students the tools to succeed in professional careers as artists. After a 12-year teaching career that began while at Mount Royal, Brooke is now a full-time painter in Vermont. Separated by distance, Brooke says that although he can’t physically be a part of what goes on at MICA on a day-to-day basis, his “connections run deep.” In addition to staying in touch with faculty and administration and serving on the Alumni Council, giving is one way he has continually remained connected. That mindset is why he has spearheaded the MICA Community Endowed Fellowship for the Mount Royal School of Art—the first of its kind for the program. Brooke created this merit- and need-based fellowship with hopes that MICA community members will grow an interest in developing and sustaining the scholarship. The $1,500 award will go to one student each year, and Brooke encourages the community to become involved by contributing to the open fund. “A fellowship like this, that aids an individual’s artistic development and is supported by the whole MICA community, is in keeping with the spirit of the Mount Royal School of Art,” Brooke said. This year’s MICA Community Endowed Fellowship for the Mount Royal School of Art recipient is Allana Clarke ’14, a conceptual artist who was born on the Caribbean country of Trinidad & Tobago. Clarke often uses materials linked to her heritage, including hair, sugar, and cocoa butter, in her sculpture and photography work. Gifts to the fellowship can be made online at mica.edu/give. MA in Social Design Students Tackle Global Challenges The mission of the Clinton Global initiative (CGI) is to turn ideas into action, so when students came together from more than 80 countries last April to discuss new ideas for tackling global challenges, organizers made sure MICA’s MA in Social Design program was represented. After an outreach director from CGI noticed a series of guest posts by Social Design students on GOOD.is, an online platform for collaboration, three students were personally invited to CGI University, a conference hosted by President Clinton and Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report. “It wasn’t the typical scenario of applying and getting accepted,” said Mike Weikert ’05, director of the MA in Social Design program. “They called and said, ‘We want your students!’” CGI University, which was founded in 2007, brings together students and youth organizations, as well as topic experts and celebrities, to make strides toward solving global challenges. The MICA students who attended— Mira Azarm ’13, Jonathan Erwin ’13, and Heejin Suh ’13—were able to form partnerships that will help them further their research and implement new ideas. After the conference, Azarm and Erwin were awarded Robert W. Deutsch Social Design Fellowships, with Azarm also winning a LAB (Launch Artists in Baltimore) award to continue her thesis work with urban farms and lowincome residents in Baltimore. “I plan to work with these students on ideas to pitch to the next CGI University to find ways in which design—specifically social design—can play a bigger role at future conferences and events,” Weikert said. 23 24 ALUMNI Harry T. Pratt: MICA History Maker It was more than a century before America would elect its first African-American president, and no one in the country knew what the future of race relations would be. As is its tradition, however, MICA walked boldly into that unknown in 1891, enrolling its first black student, Harry T. Pratt, more than six decades before the Supreme Court of the United States ordered public schools to desegregate in 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education decision. The courage MICA showed was only trumped by Pratt’s heroism and the legacy the MICA history maker left in Baltimore and across the country. When Pratt enrolled at MICA, few institutions not solely dedicated to African Americans would admit them, especially in Maryland, which was at the time considered part of the South. Pratt’s admission was a national controversy and spectacle, with The New York Times declaring his admission, “a departure which has never before been attempted in this city.” The writer implored MICA’s board not to admit him, but they not only admitted Pratt; they admitted three additional black students between 1892 and 1895. Pratt’s time at MICA could not have been easy. More than 100 students withdrew in protest, and by the time he graduated, the school bent to the pressure and adopted a policy restricting admission to “reputable white students.” That move put it squarely in sync with U.S. government policy. About the same time the Harry T. Pratt from an image of the Presidents of National Negro Business League. (Courtesy the New York Public Library) Supreme Court ruled in the Plessy v. Ferguson case that “separate but equal” facilities for whites and blacks was an acceptable law of the land. It is clear, however, that his MICA education empowered Pratt to assume leadership roles in education, culture, and public policy throughout his life. Perhaps this was spurred when Pratt won an Honorable Mention award upon graduating from the Maryland Institute’s Free-hand Division of the Night School, which included illustration and the first classes in anatomy and art history, in 1895. Drawing was not his only talent, however. A noted violinist, Pratt went on to become an influential music teacher at the city’s Colored High and Training School. There he served as mentor for legendary Baltimore music educator and orchestra leader William Llewellyn Wilson, who in turn taught a young Cab Calloway. Pratt served as principal of elementary and junior high schools in Baltimore, eventually becoming one of Frederick Douglass High School’s longest-serving principals, a tenure that lasted from 1934 to 1945. As Fredrick Douglass was Baltimore’s only public high school for African Americans until 1937, Pratt was at the epicenter of education for blacks in the city. Under Pratt’s leadership, the school’s graduates included Harry A. Cole, who would become the first African American ever elected to Maryland’s State Senate and to serve on the Maryland Court of Appeals (equivalent to the state’s Supreme Court); and Parren Mitchell, who would follow in Pratt’s footsteps by becoming the first African American to graduate from the University of Maryland en route to being elected as the state’s first African-American congressman and subsequently founding the Congressional Black Caucus. Pratt rounded out his influence through commerce. He owned a dry cleaning business, real estate properties, and the early The Baltimore Times newspaper. His passion for the empowerment of African Americans gained him national recognition. A speaker at venues across the country, Pratt’s writings are part of the ALUMNI Library of Congress’ collection. As fourth vice president of the National Negro Business League, he was a lieutenant of Booker T. Washington, an iconic advocate for African-American economic empowerment. Like Washington, Pratt was a fierce believer that African Americans should use whatever skills they had and start their own businesses promoting those services. It is worth noting that history reconciled some of Pratt’s views. In an 1898 article published in The Baltimore Sun, he strongly advocated that voters of all races should be educated enough to form intelligent opinions on the issues that affected them and suggested that the lack of educational opportunity for African Americans would make them less-than-ideal voters for a generation. Pratt was at once frustrated by the condition of African-American communities and tireless in seeing them uplifted; critical of educational attainment among blacks and the leader in advancing it; skeptical of the ability of African Americans to vote and the educator of those who would change the face of politics. Cole and Mitchell’s achievements can be seen as validation of Pratt’s early beliefs and vindication of his demonstrated lifelong commitment to education for African Americans. Of course, MICA again began admitting black students immediately after 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education decision reversed Plessy (the plaintiff’s lawyer, future Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall, graduated from Frederick Douglas High School while Pratt was a teacher there), and Pratt remains a MICA history maker whose influence in Baltimore and around the nation has echoed for decades. The assistance of the MICA Archives was indispensable in the writing of this article. Interested in learning more about the storied past of MICA and the College’s alumni? MICA: Making History / Making Art, the College’s history book, is available for purchase online at mica.edu/historybook. Instead of thinking outside the box, why not forget the box entirely? The MBA/MA in Design Leadership Reserve your seat in a one-of-a-kind MBA program that applies design principles to complex business challenges. Learn to reinvent the way organizations operate, products and services are delivered, and audiences are engaged by involving innovative thinking in every step of decision making and planning. Earn an MBA/MA in Design Leadership from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and MICA — at the same time. APPLY TODAY OR LEARN MORE AT designleadershipmba.com 25 26 GLOBAL Artists Celebrate the Culture of the Caribbean in Their Work Whether their roots stretch back to the Caribbean or they’ve found inspiration in the aesthetics and history of the islands, these MICA artists’ works are undeniably inspired by the culture of the Caribbean. Rohan Marshall ’99 ’01 (photography, Digital Arts) After a drastic knee injury sidelined his college basketball career at the University of South Florida, Rohan Marshall ’99 ’01 (photography, Digital Arts) was urged by his high school career counselor in the Cayman Islands to pursue his photography talents and apply to MICA. “Leslie King-Hammond [graduate dean emerita and founding director of MICA’s Center for Race and Culture] took me under her wing and dubbed me the ‘kid from the Cayman Islands,’” laughed Rohan, who soon found himself romantically involved with a student co-worker at The Commons front desk, future wife Erin Marshall ’99 (graphic design). According to Erin, the first description she heard of Rohan was that he was “one of the good troublemakers.” In her words, “all I could see was a great smile and a guy who likes to laugh and enjoy life.” Although Rohan is certainly someone who takes a lighthearted approach to life, his artwork deals with serious issues, such as slavery, oppression, and stereotypes. “Much of the artwork I make focuses on journeys not told from slavery in the Caribbean,” Rohan explained. “While studying at MICA, I conducted research in the summers in Jamaica, Barbados, and the Cayman Islands to ensure each photo collage gave a meaningful visual story.” Fast forward more than a decade, and the Marshalls now find themselves living and working in the Caribbean. Erin is a web administrator for the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, and Rohan works as an occupational safety manager for the Cayman Islands government. Both alumni still create personal works, with Erin carrying on her grandmother’s legacy through quiltmaking and Rohan continuing to shoot digital photography. “Most of my creative strides can be seen on Facebook, where I’m consistently asked which camera I use to take photos,” Rohan said. “I simply reply, ‘My iPhone!’ I guess the skill is in the user not the equipment. Thanks, MICA.” Artwork by Rohan Marshall ’99 ’01 (photography, Digital Arts). Diane Hugé ’13 (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Fine Arts) Diane Hugé ’13 (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Fine Arts), Nourriture + Attachement Affectif / Food + Affective Attachment. “You have to look deep into my work to see the Caribbean influence,” explained student Diane Hugé ’13 (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Fine Art). Born in Martinique and raised in Guadeloupe, both overseas regions of France in the eastern Caribbean Sea, she became fascinated with Haitian painting and began to create art. “I come from a country that is very macho, so my work is very feminist,” she explained, adding that much of her artwork has a feminine quality that gives off a feeling of nature, including using elements of the sea and island shapes in her work. Here in Baltimore, she’s begun incorporating urban found objects in her work, including wires and other rusty objects. But no matter what materials she uses, her work often bridges several cultures. For example, in the work pictured, Hugé explains she made a form out of the bottom of a light bulb, or “da luz” in Spanish, which literally means both “give light” and also “give birth.” The resulting forms can be seen as both teat- and shell-like sculptures, both objects with feminine qualities. Before coming to MICA, Hugé earned two degrees studying Chinese physical therapy and business and development in France. She believes her studies at the College will help her bridge those degrees, and she hopes to go on to complete her master’s in Europe. GLOBAL Hope Brooks ’83 (art education) Hope Brooks ’83 (Art Education), Slavery Trilogy (detail), mixed media on canvas, 44 panels, ea. 45.9 x 45.9 cm, 2012. Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, Hope Brooks ’83 (Art Education) discovered her love for art at an early age. She even had a drawing in an exhibition hosted by the Royal Drawing Society in London at the age of six. “I decided that I wanted to be an artist and that I wanted to attend art school from an early age, and my parents were very supportive,” explained Brooks, who attended the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland after graduating high school. After completing her studies, she returned to Jamaica in 1968 to join the staff at what is now the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts, where she rose to the position of vice principal of the college. But in 1980, Brooks won a scholarship from the Rotary Foundation for graduate study and applied to MICA on the advice of David Boxer, PhD, the chief curator at the National Gallery of Jamaica, who had worked closely with Graduate Dean Emerita and Founding Director of MICA’s Center for Race and Culture Leslie King-Hammond, PhD. “When I got to Baltimore, I had already spent 20 years as a practicing artist using the natural landscape of Jamaica as my source for image making,” Brooks said. “Subject matter like the moon, tree trunks, shells, the sea, and mountains inspired my work, so when I got to MICA—I have to admit—I was a little dismayed to find myself in a city where tall buildings and concrete pavements dominated the landscape.” But as Brooks got to know Baltimore better, she became interested in the beautiful art nouveau and stained-glass windows she saw in the houses and churches in the area around the College. During her year in Baltimore, she created a series of 32 paintings and prints of these windows. Although she graduated 30 years ago and lives in Jamaica, Brooks has continued her relationship with MICA. She not only served on the Alumni Council, but also invited several MICA faculty and staff members to Jamaica for lectures and professional advising, among them Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost Ray Allen, King-Hammond, the late MICA Chair Emeritus in Art Education Al Hurwitz ’41, PhD, and former Director of the Mount Royal School of Art Babe Shapiro. She also brought MICA students to Jamaica for an exchange program that ran several years until her retirement in 2008. Today, Brooks continues to paint and exhibit, and also works as a part-time lecturer at the Edna Manley College and the Mico University College, both in Jamaica. Raymond Saá ’95 (painting) “I was brought up with a deep nostalgia for Cuba without me ever having set foot in the country,” said Raymond Saá ’95 (painting), a Miami, Florida, native whose mother was a refugee from Matanzas, Cuba. Saá now lives in northern New Jersey, close to New York, where he chairs the art department at Drew University. “Like most first-generation Americans, one tries to find a balance between home life and school life,” he explained. “Home had a different language, food, and music compared with that of my peers.” As a young artist, Saá and his friend Michael Loveland ’95 (general fine arts) attended a summer program at MICA, and both decided the College was the place they wanted to be. “At MICA, I found a very supportive community of friends and faculty,” Saá said. “Looking back, these teachers not only helped me to mature as an artist, but as a university teacher myself I can still call upon their advice, critique, and inspiration when working with my own students.” Exploring his Cuban heritage in his work seemed like a natural fit for Saá, whose paintings often deal with cultural and social issues. “I am very interested in the pattern and layering of tropical patterns,” he explained. “The juxtaposition of two colors together is certainly influenced by Cuban Miami, which to me is a rather chaotic mix of people, buildings, foods, colors, and noises that are very influential in my work—albeit highly abstracted.” Raymond Saá ’95 (painting), Untitled, oil on canvas, 2013. 27 28 CONNECTIONS (Photo by Keke Keukelaar) Gwynne Keathley Joins MICA as Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies Gwynne Keathley joined mica this summer as the new vice provost for research and graduate studies, replacing Gunalan Nadarajan for a position that was a first for an art college. Keathley brings to this position 15 years of experience with extensive knowledge and expertise in the creation of art and design curricula, as well as the management of educational programs at colleges of art and design. “I am looking forward to working with the vibrant community at MICA to strengthen graduate studies and research and advance the College’s position on the forefront of art and design education,” Keathley said. “Through transdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships, we have the opportunity to develop innovative programs and projects that further explore challenges facing Baltimore and society at large, and model new forms of creative practice.” Keathley most recently served as vice provost at Philadelphia University, leading efforts in university-wide academic and curricular initiatives, support services supervision, and assessment. From 2008 to 2010, Keathley held the positions of associate provost and interim provost at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Prior to Otis, Keathley was associate professor at Parsons The New School for Design in New York, where she taught project-based courses and served in a number of capacities, including chair of the Department of Core Studies, which contained the Foundation and Integrated Design programs. Keathley also has several years of experience as a professional design practitioner and has worked with a number of firms and museums. “I am really pleased to welcome Gwynne Keathley as MICA’s new vice provost for research and graduate studies,” said Ray Allen, vice president for academic affairs and provost. “She is a seasoned educator who brings years of experience developing educational programs in some of our best sister schools. She is a visionary who believes passionately in the power of art and design to meaningfully address many of the issues confronting culture today. She is also an imaginative leader who understands how to enlist the creativity of her colleagues in joint efforts to respond fully and constructively to the many challenges and opportunities confronting art and design education today. We all look forward to working with her to continue enhancing MICA’s long history of excellence in graduate education and deep social commitment to Baltimore and beyond.” Keathley holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University. Luca Buvoli Directs Mount Royal School of Art Internationally acclaimed multimedia artist and longtime educator Luca Buvoli took the reins as the new director of Mount Royal School of Art this summer. Buvoli replaced Frances Barth, who retired after leading the multidisciplinary MFA program for the past 10 years. “I am excited that I will be directing such a dynamic multidisciplinary program at MICA,” Buvoli said. “I feel that my multifaceted approach to art production and exhibition, as well as to teaching and mentoring, is very much in tune with what has been shaped at the Mount Royal School of Art. The unique vision of this program offers an incredible opportunity to foster the students’ practice and development.” As an artist, Buvoli exhibited throughout the United States and internationally in 36 museum and gallery solo exhibitions and numerous group exhibitions. Additionally, he has successfully completed nine large public and museum commissions in Europe and the United States. Recognition for his artistic achievements includes the Barnett and Annalee Newman Foundation award in 2011 and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowship in 2010. Buvoli has taught on both the undergraduate and graduate levels for the past 14 years at a variety of institutions, including School of Visual Arts in New York, Cleveland Institute of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, and Bard College in New York. “I can think of no one more perfect to lead MICA’s multidisciplinary master of fine arts program than Luca Buvoli,” said Ray Allen, MICA’s vice president for academic affairs and provost. EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Special Section: Spring Recap spring is an especially exciting time at mica. Each year, students come back from winter break and gear up for graduation. At the same time, there is a wide range of exhibitions and programming presented at the College and throughout Baltimore. In April, the College pushed boundaries of fashion and design with two distinct events: Ex Tempore, the 20th Annual Benefit Fashion Show, and R.I.P. V.I.P., an Experimental Fashion Event—both sold out events. Graduate and undergraduate students presented their thesis work in the MFA Thesis Exhibitions and Commencement Exhibition, respectively. In between, there were plenty of student activities, performances, artist lectures, and art sales. The following pages offer a snapshot of spring at MICA through work created by students. To view more images, visit fyi.mica.edu. Students pose for a picture on the steps in front of the Main Building before Graduate Commencement. 29 30 Week of Fashion (clockwise from top left) Christy Chong ’14 (general fine arts), My Seoul Inspiration; Mary Raivel, Balance; Sophia Park ’10 (illustration), Posthuman Body Design: The Future of the Female Form; Jasmine Cindy ’13 (fiber), GRIP. EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS (clockwise from top left) Emily Schubert ’13 (fiber), Kisah Baru Lama: An Old New Story; Meagan Jenigen ’13 (fiber) and Kali Puder ’13 (fiber), Paracosm; Naomi Davidoff ’13 (fiber), Cirque Squelettique; Jordan Matthews ’13 (fiber), The Uncertainty Principle. 31 32 Commencement Exhibition EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS (clockwise from top left) Artwork by Andrew Power ’13 (graphic design); artwork by Eve Mobley ’13 (illustration); artwork by Amanda Madrigal ’13 (fiber); artwork by Amanda Behrens ’13 (illustration); artwork by Donna Gabriel ’13 (general fine arts). EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS (clockwise from top left) Artwork by Peter Dear ’13 (printmaking); artwork by Jackie Cadiente ’13 (interdisciplinary sculpture); artwork by Lily Stampfel ’13 (photography); artwork by Morel Doucet ’13 (ceramics). 33 34 MFA Thesis Exhibitions (clockwise from top left) Artwork by Lisa Perrin ’13 (Illustration Practice); artwork by Kyle Hackett ’13 (LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting); artwork by Seung Beom Cho ’13 (Mount Royal School of Art); installation by Kelcey Towell ’13 (Graphic Design). EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS (clockwise from top left) Artwork by Steven Dembo ’13 (Photographic & Electronic Media); artwork by Mira Azarm ’13 (Social Design); artwork by Hye Jin Kim ’13 (Rinehart School of Sculpture). 35 36 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS William H. Johnson, Jesus and the Three Marys, c. 1939-40, oil on board, Howard University Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Before it closes… Ashe to Amen: African Americans and Biblical Imagery Through Sunday, September 29, Wednesdays-Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm; Sundays, noon to 5 pm Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture: 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore Admission: Reginald F. Lewis Museum members, children 6 and under, and Maryland public school teachers (with ID): free; senior citizens (65+), youth (age 7 to 17), and students (with ID): $6; general admission: $8. The remarkable wealth and breadth of AfricanAmerican artists’ interpretations of Biblical stories and traditions in historic and contemporary art are the subject of this traveling exhibition, curated by Leslie KingHammond, PhD, graduate dean emerita and founding director of MICA’s Center for Race and Culture. Ashe to Amen is among the first scholarly explorations into how the Bible has informed the multicultural African-American community’s evolving artistic expression. Ashe to Amen features approximately 60 works of art and design by nearly 50 artists from the 19th century through today, including several MICA artists. For more information on the exhibition, see the January–March 2013 issue of Juxtapositions or visit RFLewisMuseum.org. (top to bottom) Laure Drogoul ’81 (Rinehart School of Sculpture), Eastern Lights, SALVAGE exhibition, Baltimore Public Works Museum, Baltimore, 2013; Leigh Davis, everything that ought to have remained, based on the project The Brothers, installation of assemblage of framed photographs on vacant altar, Church of St. Paul the Apostle, NYC, 2011. EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Tiffany Jones, Unidentified photographer 1956, Black series, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, 2012. CONGREGATE Art + Faith + Community Friday, September 6–Wednesday, September 25 Graduate Studio Center: Sheila & Richard Riggs and Leidy galleries, 131 W. North Ave. Reception: Friday, September 6, 5–7 pm ThE MFA in Curatorial Practice Program presents commissioned sculptures, installations, and participatory works created with five church congregations throughout the Station North Arts & Entertainment District in this exhibition, which explores creative expressions developed at the intersection of art and spirituality. CONGREGATE is the outcome of a yearlong dialogue among the curators, artists, and congregations to develop welcoming spaces that contribute to a more inclusive arts district. The exhibition will showcase a dynamic range of artistic practices, such as performance, photography, and sculpture, to represent the diverse voices in Station North. Participating artists and congregations were paired together during residencies from June to August based on shared creative interest and each church’s desire to engage its congregation through creative expression. Baltimore artist Laure Drogoul ’81 (Rinehart School of Sculpture) partners with Spiritual Empowerment Center (2129 N. Charles St.) to explore how spiritual perspectives influence daily life; Leo Hussey, known for his light-based sculpture artworks, works from the historic architectural space of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church (1900 St. Paul St.); photographer Tiffany Jones ’12 (photography) tells the stories of the congregants at New Second Missionary Baptist Church (214 E. Lanvale St.); faculty member Katherine Kavanaugh develops a project detailing the relationships between Station North and the Church of St. Michael & All Angels (2013 St. Paul St.); and performing artist Bashi Rose engages with youth members of Seventh Metro Church (30 E. North Ave.). New York artist Leigh Davis, who has a history of working with urban communities, was selected as a roving artist to create connections between the five partnering congregations. CONGREGATE is made possible partially through generous support from Mr. and Mrs. Eugene H. Robinson and the Friends of the MFA in Curatorial Practice. For public programming details, visit congregatebaltimore.com. 37 38 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Stephanie Garmey: Wetlands Friday, October 18–Sunday, November 17 Bunting Center: Pinkard Gallery, 1401 W. Mount Royal Ave. Reception: Friday, November 1, 5–7 pm In this exhibition, drawing and general fine arts faculty member Stephanie Garmey ’83 ’95 (general fine arts, LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting) will explore the solitude of travel and place through nature. The artist will translate the movement, rhythm, perspective, and time of place by looking at water, trees, plants, animals, and color. Several vignettes made using cut paper, drawing, encaustics, wood, and glass will be exhibited throughout the gallery. The viewer will walk through these environments, designed to evoke subtle and sometimes surprising shifts of moods and space. Garmey creates imagery inspired by her collection of natural objects and materials, as well as taxidermy animals. Her meditations on nature use a variety of approaches, including painting, cut paper, book arts, drawing, installation, and light. She has received individual artist grants from the Maryland State Arts Council (2002, 2012) and the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Arts & Culture (1990) for her work. Stephanie Garmey ’83 ’95 (general fine arts, LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting), Tree of Knowledge (detail), paper, wood, wax. EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Installation shot from last year’s Foundation Exhibition. Foundation Exhibition Faculty Exhibition Through Sunday, September 22 Fox Building: Meyerhoff and Fox 2 galleries, 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave.; Bunting Center: Pinkard Gallery, 1401 W. Mount Royal Ave. Reception: Thursday, September 12, 5–7 pm Friday, September 27–Sunday, October 13 Fox Building: Decker and Meyerhoff galleries, 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave.; Bunting Center: Pinkard Gallery, 1401 W. Mount Royal Ave. Reception: Friday, October 4, 5–7 pm Timed to coincide with the arrival of this year’s freshmEn, this highly regarded student exhibition features work produced by current sophomore students during their foundation year at MICA. This annual exhibition provides a first glimpse at the work of artists who will be developing their skills and vision over the next few years in a variety of media. The faculty exhibition features the work of MICA’s world-renowned full-time faculty, highlighting their diversity in content, medium, and style. Sabbatical Exhibition Through Sunday, September 22 Fox Building: Decker Gallery, 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave. Reception: Thursday, September 12, 5–7 pm This annual exhibition features works produced by a small group of faculty members on sabbaticals during the previous year. Participating artists include Catherine Behrent, Sharon Johnson, Benjamin Luzzatto, Fletcher Mackey, John Penny, Hugh Pocock, and Jamy Sheridan. Juried Undergraduate Exhibition Wednesday, October 23–Sunday, November 24 Fox Building: Decker and Meyerhoff galleries, 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave. Reception: Friday, November 1, 5–7 pm the work in this annual exhibition is a selection of the best submissions from all four years of undergraduate students. From hundreds of entries, approximately 100 will be chosen in a variety of disciplines based on artistic merit, creativity, and vision. 39 40 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Matt Bollinger, First Blush, lashe, acrylic, spray paint, and watercolor on cut and pasted paper, 2012, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art. Matt Bollinger Monday, September 16, 10 am Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. David Simon. (Photo by Paul Schiraldi) Constitution Day: Bars and Stripes Forever: Inequalities and Incarceration in America Tuesday, September 17, 7–9 pm Brown Center: Falvey Hall, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. Tickets: In addition to free tickets distributed in advance to the MICA community, a limited number of tickets will be available to the general public on the day of the event. Baltimore-based author, journalist, and television writer/producer David Simon will headline Constitution Day, a free annual symposium recognizing the ratification of the United States Constitution and the importance of free speech to the American experience. This year’s symposium centers on the widely debated topic of inequalities and incarceration in America. In addition to Simon, a panel, moderated by WYPR’s The Signal producer Aaron Henkin, will also include social innovator Susan Burton, who has dedicated her life to helping formerly incarcerated women re-enter society, and artist and activist Ashley Hunt, who uses video, photography, mapping, and writing to engage social movements and investigate the prison system. “We are tackling a topic largely ignored that is a real crisis for many communities in this country,” said Constitution Day organizer and MICA Chair of Humanistic Studies Firmin DeBrabander. Constitution Day is co-sponsored by MICA and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland (ACLU-MD). Matt Bollinger’s collaged paintings suggest the self is an assemblage of feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Film and literary genres that inform the visual language of his work include science fiction, romance, and horror, as well as online sharing platforms such as Instagram and Tumblr. Sponsored by: LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting. Image from a previous Ignite Baltimore. Ignite Baltimore Thursday, September 26, 6 pm Brown Center: Falvey Hall, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. Sixteen selected artists, technologists, and personalities take the stage with the goal of sparking new conversations and collaborations across cultures and disciplines. Ignite Baltimore will celebrate its 12th show this year. To be notified of event updates or for more information, visit ignitebaltimore.com. Sponsored by: School for Professional and Continuing Studies. EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Dona Nelson, The Plain Plane (front detail), cloth and acrylic mediums and paint on canvas, 2011. Kerr Houston. Julia Denos. Art@Lunch: Kerr Houston, Dona Nelson, Siting Islamic Art All About Painting Lunchtime Lecture: Julia Denos Wednesday, September 18, noon Brown Center: Room 320, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. Tuesday, September 24, 10 am Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. Thursday, September 26, 12:15 pm Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. Faculty member kerr houston offers an analysis of major art museums that have recently reinstalled their collections of Islamic art. He will point out the ways in which the physical juxtapositions of collections suggest and deny certain possibilities of meaning. dona nelson employs a physical approach to large-scale paintings that can be compared to abstract expressionism, but her work suggests landscapes, figures, and architecture. In addition to being a practicing artist, she is a professor at Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia. artisT JULIA DENOS creates a wide range of work, spanning children’s books, advertising, and magazine covers. Clients include Abrams Books, American Girl, HarperCollins, Random House, Scholastic, and many more. She lives and works in Quincy, near Boston. Sponsored by: Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism and the Office of Academic Services. Sponsored by: LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Sherill Anne Gross. Katherine Bradford, The Golden Age of Exploration Lunchtime Lecture: Sherill Anne Gross Brooklyn-based abstract painter Katherine Bradford is on the graduate faculty at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Her work is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum in New York, among others. Sponsored by: of Painting. LeRoy E. Hoffberger School MFA in Illustration Practice. Painting. Katherine Bradford, Sargasso (detail), oil on canvas, 2012. Tuesday, October 1, 10 am Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. Sponsored by: Monday, October 7, 12:15 pm Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. maryland-based artist Sherill Anne Gross uses cut paper and layering to create her illustrations. Her work, which includes collages, advertisements, calendars, marketing materials, magazines, and more, is all done by hand—no stencils are used. Sponsored by: MFA in Illustration Practice. Tim Portlock, Sundown (detail), special effects software and archival pigment print, 2011. Tim Portlock Wednesday, October 9, 7 pm Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. tim portlock began experimenting with digital media platforms in the late 90s. He has since mastered a variety of tools, including gaming software to 3-D animation, which he uses to make art that investigates the social and economic impact of America’s rapid de-industrialization. Sponsored by: Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism as part of the fall 2013 colloquium on “Realism.” 41 42 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Image from a previous Creative Time Summit. Creative Time Summit Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26, 10 am–6 pm Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. watch a live stream of this event, in which artists, architects, planners, politicians, activists, and theorists from around the world will discuss how artistic practices influence cities. This year, keynote speakers include art critic and activist Lucy Lippard and Rebecca Solnit, a writer focusing on the environment, politics, place, and art. Called “visionary” by The New York Times, this summit is the only conference devoted to exploring the intersection of artmaking and social justice. Learn more at micacuratorial.org. Sponsored by: MFA in Curatorial Practice, MFA in Community Arts, MA in Social Design, Sustainability & Social Practice Concentration, and Office of Community Engagement. Joann Hill. Stephen Rosenthal, Particulate 101 (detail), oil on canvas, 2012. Lunchtime Lecture: Joann Hill Stephen Rosenthal Thursday, October 10, 12:15 pm Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. New york-based Joann Hill is the art director at Disney’s Hyperion Books. She is always searching for talent, and during her career she has worked with top illustrators, including David Wiesner, John Rocco, Betsy Lewin, Brandon Dorman, Mary GrandPré, Bob Shea, and Andrew Glass. Sponsored by: MFA in Illustration Practice. Tuesday, October 15, 10 am Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. Stephen Rosenthal has exhibited internationally since 1961. He was mentored by abstract artist Josef Albers, whose color studies had a huge impact on art education programs. Rosenthal’s works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Sponsored by: LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting. Michelle Hagewood ’02 (general fine arts). (Photo by Brian Krista) Artwork by Jered Sprecher (detail). Art@Lunch: Michelle Hagewood ’02 Jered Sprecher Thursday, October 17, noon Main Building: Room 110, 1300 W. Mount Royal Ave. Michelle Hagewood ’02 (general fine arts) will speak about the relationship between her artistic practice and her work as assistant educator for studio programs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Sponsored by: Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism and the Office of Academic Services. Tuesday, October 29, 10 am Graduate Studio Center: Auditorium, 131 W. North Ave. Jered Sprecher calls himself “a hunter and a gatherer” who constantly incorporates images produced by the people and cultures around him into his work. His paintings extract elements from both the high and low of visual culture. Sprecher is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee. Sponsored by: Painting. LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Your support empowers artists and designers who will change the world. Chip Kidd. (Photo by John Madere) Chip Kidd, man of letters: Wm. O Steinmetz ’50 Designer-in-Residence Lecture Monday, October 28, 7 pm Brown Center: Falvey Hall, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. “To have the opportunity to study at MICA is one of the biggest blessings in my life. I came from a family with a single mother and never imagined I would be studying at such a prestigious art college pursuing what I love. I cannot thank you enough for helping my family and me pay for this outstanding education” — Timothy Mahoney ‘15 Bill Woody/Tom Miller ’67, ’87 Scholarship Join the growing family of MICA donors by supporting students such as Timothy with a tax deductible donation. Please return the enclosed envelope or donate online at: mica.edu/give New York-based designer and writer Chip Kidd has revolutionized the art of American book packaging. He has worked with Alfred A. Knopf since 1986, and over the years he has received a National Design Award from Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York. Kidd has authored two novels, The Cheese Monkeys and The Learners, as well as Batman: Death By Design, an original graphic novel published by DC Comics and illustrated by Dave Taylor. He has also authored several books about comics. Kidd’s newest book, Go: A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design, will be released by Workman Publishing in October. The Wm. O. Steinmetz ’50 Designer-in-Residence program was established to enhance MICA’s design culture by bringing outstanding practitioners to campus to share their valuable experiences and perspectives with students, faculty, and the public. The residency was created thanks to an endowment fund established by Steinmetz’s spouse, Betty Cooke ’46 (art education), as well as gifts from others in honor of him. Steinmetz and Cooke are active volunteers, donors, and former faculty members; Steinmetz also serves as a trustee. 43 44 EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Student Exhibitions Jiyoon Ahn ’15 (painting) Beneath a Memory Monday, September 9–Friday, October 4 Reception: Friday, September 20, 5–7 pm Gateway: Gallery One Patrick Schlotterback ’14 (ceramics, fiber) In Place. Monday, September 9–Friday, October 4 Reception: Friday, September 20, 6–8 pm Bunting Center: Student Space Gallery-Pinkard Scarlett McCalman ’14 (painting) Afterword Monday, September 9–Friday, October 4 Reception: Friday, September 20, 6–8 pm Meyerhoff House: Piano Gallery Shane Smith ’15 (photography) Verses Monday, September 9–Friday, October 4 Reception: Friday, September 20, 5–7 pm Gateway: Gallery Two Sara Dittrich ’14 (interdisciplinary sculpture) Your World is Bigger Than You Monday, October 7–Friday, November 1 Reception: Friday, October 11, 6–8 pm Bunting Center: Student Space Gallery-Pinkard Soumya Dhulekar ’14 (art history) Cities Monday, October 7–Friday, November 1 Reception: Friday, October 11, 5–7 pm Gateway: Gallery One A. Gray Lamb ’14 (general fine arts) Into the Heavens Monday, October 7–Friday, November 1 Reception: Friday, October 11, 6–8 pm Meyerhoff House: Piano Gallery Carolyn Shayte ’14 (interdisciplinary sculpture) Please Take My Photos Monday, October 7–Friday, November 1 Reception: Friday, October 11, 5–7 pm Gateway: Gallery Two (clockwise from top left) Artwork by Jiyoon Ahn ’15 (painting); artwork by A. Gray Lamb ’14 (general fine arts); artwork by Sara Dittrich ’14 (interdisciplinary sculpture); artwork by Soumya Dhulekar ’14 (art history) (detail); artwork by Shane Smith ’15 (photography); and artwork by Carolyn Shayte ’14 (interdisciplinary sculpture). CONNECTIONS Trustee Reggie Wells ’71 (art education). Alumni Applauded for Film and Entertainment Work Several MICA alumni working in the film and entertainment industries have recently been recognized globally for outstanding work, including: • Makeup artist and trustee Reggie Wells ’71 (art education) was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bronner Bros. ICON Awards for his work in the beauty, fashion, and entertainment industries. • Kit Ho ’10 (animation) worked as production assistant on Disney’s Paperman, which won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. Paperman was praised for its integration of traditional and computer animation. • Author Mary Gabriel ’84 (general fine arts) won a Pulitzer Prize in the Biography or Autobiography category for her book, Love and Capital: Karl and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution. • Errol Webber Jr. ’08 (video & film arts) was a cinematographer for the documentary American Promise, which won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury award for Achievement in Filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival. • Ean McNamara ’05 ’06 (illustration, Art Education) assisted in the creation of Oscar-nominated 3-D stop-motion animation ParaNorman as a production illustrator. • 12 O’Clock Boys, a documentary by Lotfy Nathan ’09 (painting), along with many MICA connections, was screened earlier this year at South by Southwest and the Maryland Film Festival. Due to its well-regarded debut, distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories picked up the film. Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the Norman Rockwell Museum and MFA in Illustration Practice faculty Stephanie Plunkett takes graduate students to collections and exhibitions as a part of the program’s course Critical Seminar. Here she and the students visit the Walters Art Museum to get a private tour and talk on work by Lonnie Sue Johnson from former museum director Gary Vikan. (Photo by Director of MFA in Illustration Practice Whitney Sherman) Norman Rockwell Scholars Lead Illustration Class “There is an illustration in everyone’s life that has made a deep impression on them or defined their time,” Director of MFA in Illustration Practice Whitney Sherman said. It is with this thought that the program developed the required Critical Seminar course, in which students weave history and theory into social, political, and cultural contexts. And who better to lead a course on the cultural influence of illustration than two scholars studying one of American culture’s most celebrated illustrators, Norman Rockwell? Stephanie Plunkett, deputy director of the Norman Rockwell Museum, and Joyce K. Schiller, curator at the Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies, were a perfect fit for the job. This past school year they taught the class, which led their respective institutions to publish their students’ essays and exhibitions. “We are honored to be partnering with MICA to engage students in thinking critically about the presence and immense influence of published art in our world,” Plunkett said. “The base of scholarship relating to the art of illustration that they are helping to create is exciting and much needed, and we look forward to our continued conversations.” Read students’ work on the Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies’ website at rockwell-center.org/mica. 45 Agriculture CURATORIAL PRACTICE Art & Design AGROECOLOGY BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ANIMATION VIDEO CERAMICS SCULPTURE Fine Arts The Online Master’s Degree in Information Visualization Gain the technical, conceptual, and design skills necessary to manage complex data through visualization—in a one-of-a-kind program created for artists and designers as well as professionals in architecture, health, homeland security, social networking, and more. PHOTOGRAPHY DRAWING URBAN PLANNING FASHION Architecture METEOROLOGY COMMUNITY ARTS ILLUSTRATION ERGONOMICS GREEN BUILDING GAME DESIGN MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY GEOPHYSICS BOOK MAKING PRINTMAKING PRODUCT DESIGN INTERACTION DESIGN BIOINFOMATICS GENETICS Life Sciences MACROECONOMICS Archaeology BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS Anthropology EXPERIMENTAL ARCHAEOLOGY NEUROSCIENCE Economics BIOCHEMISTRY ETHNOGRAPHY MARK YOUR CALENDAR GRAPHIC DESIGN Applied Arts POPULATION GENETICS To discover more, visit mica.edu/visualize. PAINTING NEUROECONOMICS For the most up-to-date information and additional news, events, and exhibitions as well as videos, photos, artwork, and interactive features, visit Juxtapositions online at fyi.mica.edu. Johnny Eck. (Courtesy the Johnny Eck Museum in Baltimore) William Oktavec, originator of Baltimore screen painting, ca. 1950. Image from a previous MICA Art Market. The Amazing Johnny Eck Picture Windows The Painted Screens of Baltimore... MICA Art Market Friday, December 13–Sunday, March 16 Fox Building: Decker Gallery, 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave. Known to most as the “half-boy” from Tod Browning’s 1931 film Freaks, Baltimorean Johnny Eck was much more than a world-famous sideshow performer and film star. Born with only a torso, Eck lived a wonderfully creative life and was a versatile painter, draftsman, puppeteer, sculptor, and inventor. In collaboration with the Johnny Eck Museum in Baltimore, MICA will present the largest ever showing of the work, collections, and life of this amazing man. Friday, December 13–Sunday, March 16 Fox Building: Meyerhoff Gallery, 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave. This year marks the centennial of the tradition of painting window screens in Baltimore. Maryland folklorist Elaine Eff, co-founder of the Painted Screen Society of Baltimore, brings together painted screens from Victorian America and Europe in this groundbreaking exhibition. Wednesday, December 11–Saturday, December 14, 10 am–6 pm Brown Center: Leidy Atrium and Falvey Hall lobby, 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. At this festive sale, holiday shoppers and collectors can discover work by emerging and established artists just in time for the gift-giving season. Fine art and handmade objects by 300 students, alumni, faculty, and staff will be on sale. The event is sponsored by the MICA Alumni Association, and a portion of the proceeds goes to scholarships. Sign up to receive weekly event or monthly news updates at mica.edu/signup. ESSAY A Position of Strength By Fredye Gross, Chair of the MICA Board of Trustees The word bittersweet perfectly describes the reaction of MICA’s Board “Thankfully, Fred has invested decades in building a firm foundation on which we can grow.” of Trustees when President Fred Lazarus IV announced his retirement. Though one of any board’s primary responsibilities relates to the hiring and tenure of a president, I think it is safe to say that we have been comfortable following Fred’s lead, both in supercharging MICA’s international reputation and the College’s impact on Baltimore itself. Inspired by Fred’s passion and insistence, we have been far from a hands-off board and have been engaged and active supporters of initiatives conceived by the president, faculty, staff, and students. These initiatives have not only changed MICA, they have also reshaped the way the academic world approaches art and design. We look forward to continuing that engagement even as we enter into this evolutionary period. Fred’s legacy is nothing short of amazing. He convinced us all—the board, students, faculty, state elected officials, community leaders, and the education community—to buy into his forward-looking vision. He has shown that building a world-class college cannot simply be based on progress in one area at one time, but instead on a series of interconnected steps implemented over the long term. He has helped us see how recruiting top students relates both to retaining a world-class faculty and the development of studio space, labs, and lecture and learning facilities. He foresaw the need to enhance student life in order to be competitive, which involves creating residential housing and robust co-curricular programming. He knew that to attract the most talented students and instructors, Baltimore itself has to have a welcoming and progressive environment not only for the arts and culture, but also with regard to safety, infrastructure, and quality of life. He committed himself to growing the College’s endowment so that students from different socio-economic backgrounds can more readily afford to enroll, and to developing relationships with the people and organizations that have made the implementation of our ideas possible. And perhaps most presciently, he demonstrated how all those things can be accomplished in a way that uplifts the communities in which the College operates. History will show that Fred’s tenure has been perhaps the most transformative in MICA’s history—at least since the Great Baltimore Fire destroyed the College’s original facilities and precipitated its move to Mount Royal Avenue. Replacing him is an enormous job, and the board is committed to ensuring that we conduct an exhaustive search to find the leader capable of fulfilling the leadership role and engendering the trust we have come to expect from our president. Our process is designed to be inclusive and transparent. A search committee has been appointed consisting of seven trustees, three faculty members, two staff members, and a student. Alumni are represented among those individuals. A well-respected international search firm, Spencer Stuart, has been engaged to help facilitate the process. In addition, a committee of trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, students, and community members is planning a series of events and initiatives to honor Fred during his final year as president. As chair of the search committee, I am looking forward to working with you as we together launch the next chapter at MICA. Thankfully, Fred has invested decades in building a firm foundation on which we can grow. We are all indebted to his legacy. 47 Constitution Day: Maryland Institute College of Art 1300 W. Mount Royal Ave. Baltimore, Maryland 21217 Bars and Stripes Forever: Inequalities and Incarceration in America Tuesday, September 17, 7–9 pm Brown Center: Falvey Hall 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. MICA and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland (ACLU-MD) present a discussion exploring inequalities in the criminal justice system. Headlined by author, journalist and television writer David Simon, the free symposium recognizes the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright, the ruling that led to the requirement of legal counsel for individuals who cannot afford representation. For more information, visit fyi.mica.edu David Simon, the creator of the HBO television series The Wire, Simon will be one of this year’s Constitution Day panelists. (Photo by Paul Schiraldi)
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