NEXT: The Magazine of the Minneapolis College of Art Design

NEXT is a magazine for the alumni and friends of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

We aspire to share the realization of our mission through stories of alumni who are transforming the world through creativity and purpose, of faculty members who are delivering world-class education to tomorrow’s creative leaders, and of supporters who are generously believing in and supporting the mission of MCAD.

MAGAZINE CREDITS

MCAD BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Ann Benrud, Editor Rita Kovtun, Associate Editor and Writer Aaron DeYoe ’10, MFA, Senior Designer Dylan Cole, DesignWorks Studio Manager

Produced by MCAD DesignWorks

Uri Camarena, Chair David Moore, Vice Chair Howard Rubin, Treasurer Leslie Berkshire, Secretary Clinton H. Morrison, Immediate Past Chair Brian Adducci ’92 Ta-coumba Aiken Kevin Bennett Susan Calmenson Anne Cashill ’83 Cinda Collins

PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COMMIT TEE

LIFE TRUSTEES

Contributing Writers Jasmine Hoerter ’18, Josie Keifenheim, Bill Stein Cover Artwork Bobby Rogers ’14, Everything is Temporary, I, 2015, digital illustration. Read more about Rogers on page 11.

Jay Coogan President Melissa Huybrecht Associate Vice President, Enrollment Management Pamela Newsome-Prochniak Vice President, Finance and Administration

Cindy Theis Associate Vice President, Institutional Advancement

Miles Q. Fiterman Jay Jackley ​Susan Kelly B. John Lindahl Peter Lindahl Mitzi Magid Betsy Massie Elizabeth Nientimp Todd Paulson Mary Bowman Rae Donald Robert Teslow II Bill Thorburn ’84

Bruce W. Bean Cy DeCosse ’52

TRUSTEES BY VIRTUE OF OFFICE

Karen Wirth Vice President, Academic Affairs

Jay Coogan President

Jen Zuccola Dean, Student Affairs

Ed Charbonneau ’06, MFA President, Alumni Association Board of Directors

THE MAGAZINE OF THE MINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN

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A Letter from President Jay Coogan...................... 3 A Dialogue with Design Chair Erik Brandt............... 4 MCAD's Design Faculty........................................ 9 MCAD Scholarships Launching Creative Leaders.................................

Types of Scholarships..........................................

MCAD Scholarships Bridge the Gap.......................

President Coogan's Coffee Cup Challenge..............

Meet MCAD's Donors..........................................

10 15 16 17 18

2015–2016 Openings and Events............................

Alumni Notes.....................................................

Who We Are.......................................................

Upcoming Events...............................................

Student Showcase..............................................

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VOL. 2, ISSUE 1, SPRING 2016 Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2501 Stevens Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404 612.874.3700 • mcad.edu

Illustration by John Wilinski ’16

A LET TER FRO M PRE SIDENT JAY CO O GAN

Crossing the Country, Connecting Alumni Each year, Cindy Theis and I make an annual pilgrimage One focus of this issue of NEXT is scholarships: the to visit alumni in New York and Los Angeles. And last year, importance and impact of scholarships, the donors who we added Chicago and San Francisco with future plans fuel the scholarship campaign, and the student and alumni to widen the alumni tour to include other cities with large recipients who have benefited from this critical support. concentrations of MCAD alumni. Throughout these visits, many I have been asking alumni, especially those who have not alumni and parents graciously host our gatherings—a very contributed to MCAD, to consider supporting scholarships generous offering of support. with the equivalent of the It has been inspiring cost of two cups of coffee a to see and hear what you are month. Even ten dollars a doing in your communities. month can fuel scholarship You run your own businesses, support (see page 17). I hope work for major companies, you will consider taking the and create artwork seen coffee cup challenge! in galleries and museums Last fall we completed around the country. All of another very successful your success stories make us MCAD Art Sale. Our 18th year proud to have you as MCAD was a banner year, breaking graduates. many records! A new initiaWhile Cindy and I tive highlighted guest curaare always thrilled to see tors who selected their “Hot MCAD graduates and hear Picks” from the submitted your stories, we also want work. As you may know, 80% to connect you to each of the funds from Art Sale other. With the launch of purchases go directly back our redesigned website this to participating student and spring, we are creating an young alumni artists. After PLEASE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION AT online alumni directory to expenses, the remainder of MCAD.EDU/ALUMNIDIRECTORY further strengthen these proceeds goes into the Art important connections. We Sale Endowed Scholarship encourage you to particiFund, which now has a value pate. Having the full scope of nearly $150,000. of our network of MCAD alumni, around the corner and Very possibly, a scholarship may be the key to unlocking around the globe, will be a valuable resource for the entire the full extent of a student’s potential. We know that scholarMCAD community. ship gifts are critical to making an MCAD education within Knowing where and what fellow alumni are doing not reach for deserving students. only is of value to graduates of MCAD, but also to young As you will read in our featured magazine stories, the alumni moving to different parts of the country, seeking ori- motivations, impact, and outcomes of scholarship support entation to a new community as they start their professional are critical for tomorrow’s creative leaders. lives. Prospective MCAD students will benefit as well by seeing the breadth and depth of our alumni talent. Phase two of this Thank you! project is to create an interactive map that pinpoints MCAD alumni across the globe. Participating in the directory is a great way to give back to the school and its future students.

“Having the full scope of our network of MCAD alumni, around the corner and around the globe, will be a valuable resource for the entire MCAD community.”

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FACULT Y SP OTLIGHT

A Dialogue with Design Chair Erik Brandt

Photograph by Anna Schultz ’16

Story by Rita Kovtun 6

FACULT Y SP OTLIGHT

In spring 2015, Erik Brandt was appointed chair of design at MCAD. NEXT sat down with him to talk about his vision for the future of the design department, his professional practice Typografika, his Ficciones Typografika poster project, and the importance of thinking globally.

You began your career as a cartoonist for RADAR magazine in Japan and later taught at Pennsylvania State University and VCUQatar. How did you arrive at MCAD?

Erik Brandt has been a faculty member in the design department for the past nine years and served as interim chair prior to his recent appointment. Brandt’s studio practice has encompassed all areas of the department—graphic design, illustration, and comic art—and he has exhibited work throughout the United States and internationally. Brandt holds an MFA in visual communication from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and a BA in philosophy from the College of William and Mary. Brandt is a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), an invite-only organization that unites the world’s leading graphic designers and artists, and serves on the AIGA National Education Steering Committee.

I came to MCAD in 2007. I was teaching in Doha, Qatar, before that, and for me, especially in the mid-90s, Minneapolis was kind of our Amsterdam, as far as graphic design goes—mostly because of the Walker, but also because of MCAD. I was familiar with some of the professors like Jan Jancourt, but maybe more so with what was coming out of the Walker at the time—Matthew Carter’s typeface and Laurie Haycock Makela, who was the design director at the time. By the same token, my wife, who’s a poet, was also fascinated by Minneapolis because of the strong creative writing community here.

NEXT: You were born in Montana, and then lived in Cameroon, Malawi, Cairo, and Germany. Tell us more about your background, growing up as a global citizen.

You’ve already made design faculty and curriculum updates. What is your vision for the design department and what else do you hope to see change?

Erik Brandt: The story of my life is really a story of languages. My father was originally in the Peace Corps, but later became a headmaster of international schools, so that’s why we moved around so much. My first language was French as we were in Malawi, and then I learned a little bit of English, and then we moved to Germany, so German became my primary language.

That’s really key in my identification with the idea of conglomerate identity—not really having a home or roots, as some people say, but rather more of a floating root system that’s connected. I think that’s why my interest in philosophy and history was actually perfect preparation for a life in graphic design. It gave much more vocabulary, quite literally and conceptually, to the work I do, so I think that’s a common stream in all of my work. I clearly have a strong interest in typography and that comes from an interest in language and cultures and how those things are communicated.

The biggest change that we as a collective are initiating is a shift from the thought that the department as a whole would focus largely on print. We’re trying to find a better balance between the obvious needs of the contemporary communication environment, which is clearly digital in nature. We may then shift and redevelop the graphic design curriculum, with an eye to collaborate with our colleagues in media art, but also find ways for students within our area to benefit from that as well. I’m very excited of the possibility of a new dedicated interactive faculty member joining us that will help us expand our strengths.

In the course of interviewing for this position, a frequent question was, “What is the future of design in general?” and my response was that everything will be exactly the same and everything will be completely different. The essential

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FACULT Y SP OTLIGHT

erik brandt conglomerate identity

erik brandt identität als konglomerat

kiehle gallery october 4 1530

public lecture october 4 1600

st cloud state university

forms won’t change. It will be a balance of type and image relationships that give form to communication. That’s been happening for hundreds of years now—communication vehicles change and you have to adapt to that.

I don’t think there should be a particular vision in terms of a dedication to a certain formal orientation or a certain way of communicating. That contradicts the idea of design thinking, period. Process and problem-solving are most important.

For me as chair, the critical piece is taking advantage of the outstanding, long-serving faculty here within the design department and to continue to allow those professors to do what they do. I can boast this: all of us have a contemporary practice, which isn’t necessarily rare, but it’s certainly hard, so it’s all the more admirable that the faculty are able to advance their own practice and then transmit that continued fascination to students.

is still making interesting things.

I think it’s important to project your work and take a risk with the world that may or may not like what you do. What matters is recognition of colleagues. I don’t mean to sound vainglorious, but when I was accepted in AGI, that was definitely a highlight of my career as a designer. The counter to that is this terror that now I have to produce work at that level all the time and I’m really not sure if I’m capable of that.

I think it is healthy to have a certain level of humility and fear. I tell my students when they worry about such feelings, it shows me they are demonstrating care, and care involves a great deal of uncertainty. That means treating your work well—lending it your best craft, your best intentions, your love.

On the topic of your work, you started your Ficciones Typografika project to facilitate a space that allows designers from across the world to create experimental work that addresses the idea of typographic fiction in a public setting. You’ve been printing, cutting, and pasting three posters at a time on the wall of your garage in south Minneapolis and documenting the work on Tumblr. Can you tell us more about this project and why it’s been such a hit, both online and offline?

So why is it important to maintain a professional practice as a professor?

For me, it’s just not a question. This is how I live my life, and that’s making things. It’s such an important part of what I came to understand about myself. My heroes are old designers—people who are still hungry for creation and making things. My goal is to be an old designer that hasn’t given up and

It’s not necessarily anything new, but it’s really unique in a bizarre way. It has both a physical and an online life, it’s

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FACULT Y SP OTLIGHT

Previous page: Erik Brandt, Conglomerate Identity, 2012, poster, bulletin, and postcard Left: Erik Brandt, Ficciones Typografika 1060–1062 (poem by Emma Lazarus, 1883, emphases 2015), installed November 18, 2015, wheatpasted bond paper, 72" x 36" Photographs courtesy Erik Brandt

Below: Gentien Arnault, Ficciones Typografika 1116–1118, installed February 7, 2016, wheatpasted bond paper, 72" x 36"

international in nature, it’s broadly defined, so it fits social media perfectly, but then it also fills this hole in contemporary graphic design for expression.

One of the most enjoyable things is being outside and engaging with people coming by. I’ve had the most bizarre run-ins with people—some quite vulgar, but always positive.

I’ve posted more than 1,110, but lately I’ve been thinking it has to come to an end at some point, especially if I want to make a book about it, or a series of books, which is what I’m thinking about.

control, but then later on in life, I lived the same way. If in life you don’t get to see the city of Istanbul or you don’t get to travel, you will have failed, because as we know well, if you’re just a traveler, you learn more about where you’re from than the place that you’re actually seeing. You immediately notice differences, but it’s really a comparative noticing. If you can at least get close to an experience like this in a digital sense—it’s possible, it’s free—you have to do it.

Most of our students at MCAD tend to come from the region. We tell them, “You can always come back. It would be better if you can come back with things that you’ve brought, so if that’s New York, if that’s Berlin, if that’s Beijing, we’ll all be better for it.”

Can you talk more about the importance of having an international perspective and encouraging students to think globally?

In your opinion, what is the real value of an art or design education?

Everyone else in the world is conscious of this and participating in it whether they know it or not. Your portfolio is already immediately accessible and that’s a good thing, because that means that you can anticipate potentially working on an international scale.

My small practice has an international reach, and not by accident. I’ve consciously made that effort to try and project my work, and that’s something that we really encourage students to have a plan about.

Of course, I have a bias because I was fortunate enough to be towed around by my family completely beyond my

The value is being gifted a set of tools that will allow you to live a life in these fields, which is incredibly challenging, and can be incredibly lonely and very competitive. That key value is learning—the latest meme is “design thinking,” but to me—design process. It allows and has allowed for someone like me to continue with a variety of interests, but then find application for those interests. It’s being comfortable with the idea that the future cannot be predictable, and how that’s actually a good thing because that means

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FACULT Y SP OTLIGHT

“The exciting part about our field is that there’s always promise built in.” that your life is going to be filled with hopefully pleasant surprises that you can react to.

The exciting part about our field is that there’s always promise built in. There’s always something new—there’s always something different. As I hope for all of our students, life is long, things will change, there’ll be new influences, there’ll be new toys to play with, and the same forms of thinking that you bring to a practice will be applicable no matter what stage that communication exists on. That’s actually a commitment toward living a life—not a commitment toward a job.

embraced or awoken within someone. Fortunately I’ve been teaching long enough that I have students that hated my guts twenty years ago writing me now, reflecting and saying, “Gosh, now I understand.”

When I was teaching in Doha, Qatar, I had to change my entire approach to teaching because none of my jokes worked, no musical references worked, and no cultural references worked. I had to devise and develop a way to be flexible in that approach and I think that made me a much better teacher. I’d like to think I brought that flexibility here to MCAD.

What makes MCAD different? What can we offer that other programs can’t?

Are there any other recent projects you want to mention?

I had the opportunity to leave last year and to take over another program, which was incredibly attractive, I have to admit, but what was more attractive were both the students and the colleagues I’ve known at MCAD. It’s evidence, what happens in the hallways around here. The work is constantly changing. It goes up, it goes down. It’s a really creative community. Having had the benefit of teaching at several other institutions, I can say it’s one of the most vibrant that I’ve ever taught at.

I think that we’re kind of uniquely positioned in the Midwest in the so-called flyover zone, and in some ways, it gives us a lot of freedom. Within the American scene, which is essentially bipolar, it’s either New York or LA. Personally, I think the scene is so vibrant here across the entire creative spectrum, and I think it’s no secret. Winter is long, we are remote, and I think that’s actually to our advantage because if you want to make something happen, you have to make it happen.

In addition to my daughter Beatrix, my other most important recent project is our youngest daughter now, Colette. Those are the biggest design projects that exist and I feel really lucky to have two girls because it’s especially fascinating and foreign.

It's wonderful being a father because you get to witness how close to the source they are. I remember the exact same thing, endless hours spent drawing and dreaming up worlds. It’s a joy to see my daughter Beatrix going through those things. It’s always a reminder of how lazy you are, and I mean in your intellect too. Her drawings are endlessly inspiring to me. I’m not sure if I would still have the same level of freedom. I think that’s something that comes with just constantly working.

Beatrix and I—she’s five now—have this tradition of coming to MCAD on Sundays. It’s very quiet and empty.

I cut down posters for Ficciones Typografika and then go back and hang them, so it’s all interconnected. It’s very much a home.

What are some of the things you’ve learned from students in your years at MCAD?

Anything else?

Teaching has primarily been a vehicle for learning, both for myself as a person and obviously for students. The thing that you must preserve, in being a teacher or being a father, is always the absolute joy and wonder of discovery. The best day of my week is my teaching day, because that’s when I get to work side by side with students and both hopefully inspire and then witness these moments of discovery.

I talk about teaching as a time warp. You never know when some of the ideas you’re trying to communicate will be

I really welcome and would love it for alumni to reach out to both myself and to my colleagues. We’d love to hear about what they’re doing, where they are, and when they’re coming back, so we can give them a big hug and say, “Welcome home.” � Visit Erik Brandt's projects on the web at: typografika.com ficciones-typografika.tumblr.com

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MCAD’s Design Faculty Linda Frichtel Associate Professor, Design BFA, University of Minnesota

Barbara Schulz Professor, Design MA, University of Wisconsin-Superior

Tom Garrett’s illustrations have been published in U.S. News & World Report, Business Week, HGTV Magazine, Fortune, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Monthly, and Sports Illustrated.

His clients include CBS, Scholastic, Timex, Johnson Wax, and the Food Network. tomgarrett.us

Linda Frichtel is an award-winning illustrator, artist, and educator who has helped develop core curriculum for MCAD's illustration program. Her clients include Target, Givenchy Perfume, Chase Bank, Coca Cola, Reader’s Digest, Atlantic Monthly, and New York Magazine. lindafrichtel.com

Barbara Schulz has been working professionally in comics since 1991 and her inking has been credited in DC, Dark Horse, Image, and Devils Due comics.

She helped establish and runs the comic art degree program at MCAD. cargocollective.com/barbaraschulz

Jan Jancourt Professor, Design MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art

Erik Brandt Chair and Professor, Design MFA, Virginia Commonwealth University

Kindra Murphy Associate Professor, Design BA, Eastern Michigan University

Jan Jancourt has done work for Carleton College, American Public Radio, Hunt Adkins, Intermedia Arts, the Walker Art Center, and the Utne Reader. His work has been featured in 100 Dutch Posters, The Graphic Edge, Typography Now, and Typography Now 2. mcad.edu/faculty/jan-jancourt

Erik Brandt is the new chair of MCAD's design department. Educated internationally, his creative and research interests focus on issues of globalization that affect and drive the complexities of intercultural visual communication systems. typografika.com

Kindra according to her daughter: loves letters, pictures, paper, and color / eats lots of cheese and wants a goat / jumps in cold oceans and lakes / grows things / definitely not a picky eater, but hates centipedes. fromkindra.tumblr.com

Photograph by Anna Schultz ’16

Tom Garrett Professor, Design BFA, Minneapolis College of Art and Design

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Launching

B O B BY RO GER S ’14

M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: L AUN CHIN G CRE ATIVE LE ADER S

MCAD students are an incredible group of people:

potential to become tomorrow's creative leaders.

Creative Whether students realizing a dream of attending art school, or alumni building successful careers, these MCAD scholarship recipients all have an inspiring story to tell.

ANA SO FIA G O MEZ ’15

Leaders

MAT THE W PLUM STE AD ’08

Scholarship gifts enable them to realize their

ALIYAH HARM O N ’16

hardworking, inventive, talented, and resourceful.

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M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: L AUN CHIN G CRE ATIVE LE ADER S

Bobby Rogers ’14

B O B BY-RO GER S.CO M

NEXT: How did you choose MCAD? Bobby Rogers: I knew that I was internally leaning toward design and illustration. I was going to be a couple hundred dollars short a few days before school started. I left MCAD and I was a block away from home and Laura Link, MCAD’s financial aid director, called me and said, “We just added this scholarship to your profile—do you want to come back and fill out this paperwork?” and so I got excited and ran back to MCAD. It was one of those times where you’re like, “Damn, this isn’t going to happen, or I gotta hustle to get whatever it is.” Talking to Laura, she was able to get me another scholarship.

What were the highlights of your experience at MCAD? All-nighters. Starting some of the clubs. I tried to start a wine club, but they didn’t let us do that—it wasn’t all-inclusive. Having a studio. I feel like being in my studio all the time helped me now in having the mentality that what I do for fun is working—what I do for fun is creating art—and that happened through MCAD.

How did scholarships make a difference in your life?

Scholarships were the make or break of whether I was going to school or not.

Scholarships, especially for going to art school, are like a catalyst for one part of the puzzle that’s going to create something great. I know people who were on scholarships and they’re all doing great things. I know that if that’s something that wasn’t there, life would be completely different. I probably would have gone to some other school. And I know I still would’ve had to work hella hard to get to wherever I’m going, but I know scholarships ease that burden.

Above: Bobby Rogers, Ghost 2, 2015, photography and art direction

How has MCAD helped you come to where you are today?

MCAD is a perfect institution for an individual who is self-motivated. If you’re not, you’re going to do what’s required and then stop. If you’re self-motivated, you’re going to push forward to make it something you love. MCAD helped me develop this self-motivation, making art more than just something for a job and into a lifestyle.

How does MCAD look in the rearview mirror?

I think it’s a great school—people are able to explore their creativity unjudged.

Something that I wish MCAD did do more of is explore diversity in a more broad manner so people learn more not just about art, but about culture and themselves.

An aspect of my work now, which I realize in hindsight I did minimally while at MCAD, is giving voice to people of color in art. I attempt with every project, if possible, to work with individuals of various cultural backgrounds because I feel like there’s always someone being underrepresented in artwork and people have preconceived notions. People have a stereotype of what a black artist is, and I want to show you can be an African American artist and you can create anything.

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M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: L AUN CHIN G CRE ATIVE LE ADER S

Aliyah Harmon ’16

PAR AD ISEINVITE.CO M

Above: Aliyah Harmon, Descentto, 2014, digital illustration Right: Aliyah Harmon, Ridin', 2015, digital illustration

NEXT: How did you find out about MCAD?

others like myself who suffer from the stigma of mental illness. I wanted to create works that I would have loved and admired as a kid while staying true to myself. I tend to picture a far more colorful world whenever I daydream and I like to apply that to my perspective, which is reflected in my work. Art tends to come from a very tender and exposed part of my mind, so I hope it manages to reach others and inspires them to be their own prince in shining armor, rather than relying on the validation of average standards.

Aliyah Harmon: My parents and I were living in a duplex in South Minneapolis and our neighbor told me about MCAD. I attended the Pre-College Summer Session and got a taste of college life at MCAD. After that, I knew I wanted more!

How did you decide to attend MCAD? I always wanted to be an artist—my whole childhood was filled with the dream of being an artist. I was known as the “art kid” on our block. There may have been one day, after a particularly painful dentist visit, when I wanted to be a dentist. But that idea quickly passed after the novocaine wore off.

How have scholarships made a difference in your life?

I didn’t think that I was worthy of an arts education.

I didn’t think I could afford a reputable arts college like MCAD—I couldn’t even fathom myself attending college.

When I applied, I was shocked to receive my financial aid and scholarship package. I’m incredibly thankful for the ongoing scholarship support. Last year, I was honored to receive the Susan Calmenson Scholarship Fund. Susan’s support and the scholarship money have allowed me to continue my dream of pursuing an animation degree. MCAD gave me so much more than a scholarship—it gave me the courage to follow my heart.

MCAD presented me with an opportunity to become the first in my family to pursue and finish college.

How did you choose your major?

I started in entrepreneurial studies, but I really loved video games as a child. I loved the idea that you could create different worlds and that my characters would represent my passion for art. I had a heart-to-heart conversation with my father, and he said, “Don’t let your anxiety defeat you. You built this opportunity, now go for it! Trust your heart. Follow your passion.” After that, I switched majors to animation.

How would you describe your work?

Describe MCAD in five words:

I took on the alias ParadiseInvite online because I wanted to create a safe space not only for myself, but for

Comfort, inspire, home, purpose, family.

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M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: L AUN CHIN G CRE ATIVE LE ADER S

Matthew Plumstead ’08

M CC ART YQUINN.CO M

This page: Matthew Plumstead, Clip Tree, maple wood, ABS, mirrored acrylic

NEXT: How did you choose MCAD?

that geometry as much as possible. That’s what drives me—to get to that point where I go, “Aha, that’s what I was looking for,” and the market then will support it or say I’m crazy. I really like working with companies that have socially driven motivations. I did some work with Herman Miller, which is a dream come true job for me.

Matthew Plumstead: I’d gone to school for painting many years ago. I worked for a software company and I painted on the side. I became interested in architecture and felt like I should go back to school, to MCAD, for the 3D furniture design program, learn how to build things, and go from there.

What were the highlights of your experience at MCAD?

You raised more than $64,000 to fully fund your project Clip Tree, an elegantly-designed configurable valet, on Kickstarter. Tell us about it.

I really fell in love with the form of furniture and so I threw myself into it. There was a Room & Board competition to build an outdoor lounge chair, and I won that. It was an affirmative nod that encouraged me to keep going.

I took a project out of grad school and raised a bunch of money and ultimately manufactured it myself. I had a design contact at Umbra who wanted to talk about taking it over, so that’s what I did. Now it’s in the Container Store and they’re going to expand it into global markets.

How did scholarships make a difference in your life?

Designing furniture is expensive, in terms of materials and finishing and all these components, so having a little extra cushion allowed me to spend more on my projects, which then resulted in a solid portfolio. The portfolio I took away from MCAD got me to grad school at Cranbrook in Michigan, where I studied 3D design.

How does MCAD look in the rearview mirror?

I worked extremely hard to the point of utter exhaustion day in and day out, but I loved what I was doing and couldn’t get enough of it. I was there with like-minded crazy people—kindred spirits. I was able to experience digging deep into a project. You don’t really know the limitations of something until you try it, so MCAD taught me how to fail. I established a basis of exploration from that and built off of it. I’ve done some teaching at MCAD since graduating, so it’s been nice to give back.

What are you working on now, and how would you describe your creative vision?

I have my own studio called McCarty Quinn. I’m a design consultant. Formally what excites me is developing a visual logic that is driven by geometry and then simplifying

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M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: L AUN CHIN G CRE ATIVE LE ADER S

Anasofia Gomez ’15

Contributor: Jasmine Hoerter ’18

ANA SO FIAG O MEZ.CO M

Left: Gomez short film shoot during her internship with the marketing department of BCBGeneration in Los Angeles.

Right: Gomez on her way to BCBG headquarters for her first day of work at New York Fashion Week.

What were the highlights of your MCAD experience?

Student reporter Jasmine Hoerter had the chance to speak with recent graduate Anasofia Gomez about her experience interning for fashion powerhouse BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, a brand that represents the dynamic lifestyle of the modern woman. Gomez was a perfect fit for their team. As an intern at the company’s headquarters in Los Angeles, she was given the opportunity to work in a fast-paced and dynamic business environment, while working firsthand on projects for the runway. BCBG loved Gomez so much they even named her a Super Intern!

The internships I had. I know I wouldn’t have gotten them if MCAD hadn’t pushed me to do them. From my internship at BCBGMAXAZRIA, I went to New York Fashion Week in September as a temporary worker, and that was a dream come true. I think clothing and style are powerful ways of self-expression.

In my Aesthetics of Sustainability class, I worked on a client project with Indigenia, a nonprofit organization started by an MCAD alum that preserves indigenous cultures in Mexico. After that, I interned with them for a year. That was an amazing opportunity because I’m of Mexican heritage. When I applied to MCAD, my portfolio was inspired by the Mexican indigenous culture I helped with during this class, so I was so excited to give back to the people who got me admitted to MCAD. Coming to MCAD in Minneapolis, from Texas, I never thought I would get an opportunity like that.

NEXT: What did you study and why?

Anasofia Gomez: I was an entrepreneurial studies major.

I loved that we got to explore and learn everything from project managing to marketing, but we could also focus on our interests and passions. You made what you wanted of the program.

What was the internship program like?

It was amazing. We had intern workshops about self-branding, our resumes, and interviews. I was also assigned a mentor who guided me through the whole internship. Everyone was willing to answer any questions, work- or career-related. They did an amazing job at making sure I got the best of my time at BCBGMAXAZRIA.

How have scholarships made a difference in your life?

Without scholarships, I don’t think I would have lived all my dreams. It’s the reason I came to MCAD. I applied to ten or eleven schools and I was looking for the school that would give me the most financial aid, and MCAD gave me the most. I was able to focus my time on schoolwork and not a full-time job. It was really encouraging because people were investing in me, and I felt responsible to make it worth their money and time. �

What was the day-to-day schedule like?

I was in the marketing department of BCBGeneration and each day was really different. Some days I would help plan events and go to meetings with the creative director; other days I was researching what other brands were doing and making a competitive analysis. No day was the same.

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Photographs courtesy Anasofia Gomez

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M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: L AUN CHIN G CRE ATIVE LE ADER S

Types of Scholarships There are three ways to provide scholarship support for MCAD students: endowed scholarship funds, annual scholarships, and NOW Scholarships.

Scholarships are critically important to the success of MCAD students. While the college’s tuition falls well within the mid-range of institutions of its size

and caliber, many aspiring artists and designers of great promise cannot afford the full cost of an MCAD education. More than 95% of MCAD students receive some sort of financial aid; it is the difference between a realized ambition and a deferred dream.

Endowed Scholarship Funds Endowed scholarship funds at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design are established with a contribution of $25,000 or more. These permanent funds keep giving each year; they also keep growing since only a portion of the income they generate is awarded annually in scholarship support. Often, endowed scholarship funds honor a family member, mentor, or friend of the college and may be funded with a single gift, gifts over a number of years, or a bequest.

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Annual Scholarships Some donors provide scholarship support on an annual basis. Individuals, corporations, and foundations can create named, annually renewable funds by committing $2,000 or more each year for four or more years. These funds will be expended in full each year and therefore earn no income.

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NOW Scholarships

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To endow a scholarship, establish an annual scholarship fund, or provide current students with immediate NOW Scholarship support, contact Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement Cindy Theis at 612.874.3777 or ctheis@mcad.edu.

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Even with financial aid packages that include scholarships, work-study, and loans, some students struggle to cover the remaining costs of their MCAD educations. Juniors and seniors are particularly at risk for falling behind, as they have added expenses associated with projects and exhibitions. In most cases, a one-time NOW Scholarship of $3,000 will enable these hardworking students to continue their academic progress.

M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: A N OTE FRO M L AUR A LINK

MCAD Scholarships Bridge the Gap Illustration by Michael Gaughan ’02

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt taken from MCAD’s Director of Financial Aid Laura Link’s keynote talk at the annual MCAD Scholarship Luncheon. Link has served the students of MCAD for twenty years.

feel when they realize it is possible to attend MCAD. The look on their faces is priceless. I wish I could pass along the hugs I receive from students when everything works out and they can stay at MCAD. Adding a scholarship can have that kind of impact on a student—thanks to you!

During the 2012/13* school year we awarded about $600,000 in donated scholarship money. There were 263 awards made to 214 students. To put that in perspective, MCAD’s enrollment during this time is 689 undergraduate and graduate students. Doing a little math, we can divide the number of students awarded by the enrollment to find out that 31 percent of our students received a scholarship donated by the people in this room—that’s really good! This is something to be proud of.

I am very thankful for your generosity—it makes my job easier. I hate having to turn a student away. I hope you have a chance to hear the stories about what makes MCAD great. And I want to thank you again for believing in MCAD and our students.

I have been working at MCAD for a long time.

I am not an artist—in fact, I often joke that my ability to draw a stick person does not qualify me to be a student here.

Not being an artist doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy art. Where else can you work where there is creative energy on every wall? To be a student at MCAD has its costs and that’s where I can apply my talents. These past few years have been tough. Some families have experienced job losses, wage freezes, illnesses, and many other issues that have made it hard to pay for a private art college education. MCAD too has experienced increases to costs to deliver our excellent services in a state-of-the-art facility.

This is where you, the donor, help us.

The Financial Aid Office visits with many students and parents. We go through costs and aid options and try to work out a plan for attending MCAD. During these visits we listen to many stories about family situations and dreams. Parents want to make their child’s dream of attending MCAD possible, but sometimes life gets in the way of making that happen.

Money and finances are very personal—they reflect values and there is a lot of pride involved. It is not easy for them to come to us and explain what is happening and ask for help. We do what we can, but there are limits on what MCAD can afford—it does cost money to run the college, too. This is how scholarship donations help. They bridge the gap between MCAD and the student—making dreams possible.

I wish I could capture the relief students and parents

The MCAD Scholarship Luncheon is held annually on the second Wednesday in April. *During the 2015/16 school year we awarded nearly $1.2 million in donated scholarship money. There were 428 awards made to 287 undergraduate students. To put that in perspective, MCAD's enrollment during this time is 668 undergraduate students. Doing a little math, we can divide the number of students awarded by the enrollment to find out that 43 percent of our students received a scholarship donated by our generous donors.

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Illustration by John Wilinski ’16

M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: CO FFEE CUP CHALLEN GE

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M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: D O N O R PRO FILE S

Meet MCAD's Donors Illustrations by Michael Gaughan ’02

Brad Berling ’99 Scholarship Recipient and Donor

Susan Calmenson Susan Calmenson Scholarship Fund

For Brad Berling ’99, art director at Buddha Jones, a Hollywood agency that creates theatrical marketing and audiovisual campaigns, the challenge is always in the storytelling. “Each film has a different story and requires a different approach,” says Berling. “How we tell that story on a daily basis is exciting.”

A recently completed piece for The Man From U.N.C.L.E for Warner Bros. that debuted at Comic-Con is an excellent example. “A giant series of screens wrapped around a huge space in a conference hall with six thousand attendees,” says Berling. “The graphic piece was set up with a timeline, newspaper headlines, and historical photographs that animated across the hall to illustrate the Cold War and division of Berlin.” The presentation was subsequently adapted for online use and has been used for the audiovisual campaign, television spots, social media, and a music video.

“The foundation for the skills to create something like this all came from MCAD,” says Berling. “The upper-level design curriculum required that we study and recreate different graphic design movements, such as constructivism.”

Animation and motion graphic courses also taught him the art of visual storytelling.

“My scholarship made a big difference on my career trajectory,” says Berling. Inspired by the support he received, Berling now gives back by funding a NOW Scholarship.

“Without the experiences I received at MCAD, I don’t think I’d be as competitive in the market, nor would I have wound up where I am today.”

It’s not hard for Susan Calmenson to understand the challenges faced by MCAD students. After all, she sat nearly side by side with them for almost twenty-five years, working in various capacities from financial aid to student affairs.

“I know that the single biggest obstacle for students coming to MCAD or staying at MCAD are finances,” says Calmenson, who retired from her position as vice president of student affairs at MCAD in 2013 to run her family’s foundation.

“It’s not unusual for students and their families to come up with money for the first year, but have trouble staying through all four years, due to things that might happen in the family.

I’ve seen some incredible sacrifices on the part of families to support their kids in their dreams of going to art school.”

After witnessing the financial need firsthand, Calmenson devoted her professional life to helping students get through college. She made her first endowed scholarship on the occasion of her twentieth year at MCAD. More recently, she established a new scholarship last spring.

“It’s important for me to know that while I’m no longer working one-to-one with students, I’m able to stay committed to my belief in the education MCAD offers,” says Calmenson. “I feel strongly about the importance of endowed scholarships as a way to ensure that money is available in perpetuity for talented students who might not otherwise be able to attend MCAD,” says Calmenson, who currently serves on the MCAD Board of Trustees. “At its core and at its best, the kind of education that MCAD provides students is really transformational."

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M C AD SCH O L AR SHIP S: D O N O R PRO FILE S

We celebrate the generous supporters who open doors of opportunity for MCAD students.

Allan and Durema Kohl Kohl Family Scholarship

Peter Seitz Peter Seitz Legacy Design Scholarship Fund

Family is an uplifting and uniting force—whether “family” consists of mothers, fathers, and siblings, or the coworkers who greet you every Monday morning. Allan Kohl, visual resources librarian and art history lecturer at MCAD for twenty-nine years, knows well the power of both.

The Kohl Family Scholarships, which provide four awards of $7,500 per year to rising sophomores or above who maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, are funded by a gift from Allan’s mother, Durema Kohl. “My parents were very pleased with what I was accomplishing in my work at MCAD and in my professional organization, as well as what my sister was achieving in her career as a library professional,” says Allan. “They wanted to honor us with gifts to the educational institutions with which we’ve had such a long association.”

While many institutional gifts are made as endowments that fund various needs through the annual interest they generate, the Kohl Family Scholarships are examples of a “pass-through” donation. Allan’s mother, who is ninety-one years old, enjoys a more immediate and personal impact from her gift. “I wanted to have the satisfaction of seeing the full value of the gift going to work immediately, hearing from the recipients, and tracking their progress,” she says.

“The MCAD community is in many ways like a family.

The students here learn more directly from each other, both informally and through collaborative projects, than was true of my own college experience,” says Allan. “In that way, it’s truly a family atmosphere.”

For Peter Seitz, an endowed scholarship is a way to continue bolstering students after retiring from a thirty-year teaching career at MCAD in 2002. A German-born graphic designer, Seitz is responsible for bringing European Modernism to the North in the 1960s. He served as the first design director at the Walker Art Center before moving on to establish the graphic design curriculum at MCAD in 1971. Seitz instilled his students with the discipline of good design through his rigorous style of teaching. His business connections helped Seitz secure donations to set up an extensive computer laboratory at MCAD in the early ’80s.

Having received scholarship support himself while studying design in Ulm, Germany, and at Yale graduate school, Seitz had an understanding of students’ financial needs.

“Teaching at MCAD allowed me to see the same issue, but from a teaching and administrative point of view,” says Seitz.

Wanting to lift up aspiring young designers, Seitz, along with a gift from AIGA Minnesota, established the Peter Seitz Legacy Design Scholarship Fund at MCAD in 2008. “The scholarship is an acknowledgment of great performance in graphic design and allows the student to further his or her education,” says Seitz. “It felt good when students graduated, got a well-paying job, or went on to graduate school.”

“MCAD was half of my professional life and I greatly enjoyed my time in a department I helped to grow, which, in turn, helped me to grow,” reflects Seitz. “It was a good place to teach and be.”

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O PENIN GS AND E VENTS

2015–2016 Openings and Events

a. S hoppers at the MCAD Art Sale proudly display their purchased artworks. b. S ara Suppan ’15 poses with the Guerrilla Girls, whom she interned with during their Twin Cities Takeover. c. P resident Jay Coogan and event co-chairs Susan Kelly, Miles Q. Fiterman, and Peter Lindahl at The Auction at MCAD.

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d. F all 2015 graduates pose for a picture at their December commencement. e. D avid and Leni Moore with animator Dan Lund ’89 at a President's Circle reception at their home. f. G RRRL PRTY performs in the MCAD Gallery on opening night of two exhibitions as part of the Guerrilla Girls Twin Cities Takeover.

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g. M CAD Board Chair Uri Camarena and Anasofia Gomez ’15 pose for a photo at the MCAD Scholarship Luncheon.

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ALUMNI N OTE S

Alumni Notes MCAD alumni are setting new standards across the broadest range of creative careers and include independent business owners, global marketing directors, award-winning animators, photographers, illustrators, artists, and designers. In addition to the recent alumni highlights below, MCAD news and updates can be found online at mcad.edu/news.

Best New Art of 2016 Minnesota Monthly’s list of the “Best New Art of 2016” includes Steven Lang ’96, Charles Lyon ’99, MFA, Chad Rutter ’06, and Leslie Barlow ’16, MFA. (a)

Vickerman Creates Cartoon Network Short Julia Vickerman ’06 created a short for Cartoon Network. Twelve Forever is about an enthusiastic young girl who doesn't want to grow up, so she creates a fantastic world for herself where she never has to. Vickerman is currently working as a storyboard artist for Cartoon Network. (c)

2015 Artists of the Year Britni West ’08, Sean Connaughty ’89, and Kate Worum ’11 were named “2015 Artists of the Year” by City Pages. West recently gained international recognition with her first feature film Tired Moonlight. Having a longtime interest in science, Connaughty brings awareness to environmental issues, such as the Lake Hiawatha trash problem, through his work. Worum is an illustrator best known for her bright portraits of pop culture figures.

Morrison at the Minnesota History Center In early 2015, the Minnesota History Center celebrated the first comprehensive retrospective of work by George Morrison ’43, who is considered a

founder of Native American modernism.

Morrison, who passed away in 2000, is renowned for his landscape paintings and sculptures. Viewers were invited to explore abstraction, landscape, and spiritual reflection with and through the perspective of Morrison, a great artist who was friends with the likes of Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and Jackson Pollock.

Artists Selected for U.S. Bank Vikings Stadium Collection The work of the following MCAD alumni will be displayed at the new U.S. Bank Vikings Stadium: David Rathman ’82, Carolyn Swiszcz ’94, Sandra Felemovicius ’95, Christopher Aaron Deanes ’96, Andrea Carlson ’05, Ed Charbonneau ’06, MFA, Michael Shay ’15, and Leslie Barlow ’16, MFA. Thirty-four local artists were selected from 1,100 total submissions to create works for the stadium's art collection.

Draplin Partners with Marc Maron Last year, Aaron Draplin ’00 worked with comedian Marc Maron to create posters for his comedy show in Portland. Maron stopped by Draplin Design Co. in Portland to sign some of the posters. He also interviewed Draplin on his podcast, WTF with Marc Maron. A few months later, the New York Times visited Draplin’s studio for the article and slideshow “Disorderly Conduct.” (d)

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Alumni Recognized as Best of the Twin Cities Erin Moren ’07, Nate Moren ’08, and Alex Worre ’12 were featured in Midwest Home's 2015 “Best of the Twin Cities” list. The Morens were recognized as the Best Illuminators. The husband-andwife team own and operate the Minneapolis studio Tandem Made. They create everything from modern furniture to home accessories.

Like the Morens, Worre is half of another husband-and-wife team. She and her husband Dan Cordell founded Solid Manufacturing Co., a home and leather goods company. They create a range of small leather goods, carved wood furnishings, and their signature paint-dipped stools. Midwest Home chose them as the Best Modern Classics.

Lockstadt Chosen as Best Local Artist Allegra Lockstadt ’10 was named Minneapolis's best artist by the Guardian in their Insider's Cultural Guide to Minneapolis. The piece featured in the article is a three-color screenprint depicting Janelle Monae, created in collaboration with Christopher Alday ’13 for a poster show titled Revolution Now! at Gamut Gallery in Minneapolis.

Lockstadt currently lives in Minneapolis and works as a freelance illustrator, designer, and interdisciplinary artist.

She regularly contributes illustrations to Rookie Mag. (e)

(a) Image courtesy Leslie Barlow (b) Photograph courtesy Ben Moren (c) Image courtesy Julia Vickerman (d) Photograph courtesy Leigh McKolay photo (e) Image courtesy Allegra Lockstadt

ALUMNI N OTE S

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Ketring Attends International Film Festival

For the second year in a row, Disney animators Andrew Chesworth ’07, Matthew Meyer ’01, and Justin Weber ’08 were part of an Oscar-winning team. Having won over the hearts of the Academy (and literally every child you know) in 2014 with Frozen, Disney did it again in 2015 with Big Hero 6, a film about an inflatable robot.

During her last semester at MCAD, Marie Ketring ’15 was invited to attend Reykjavík's International Film Festival (RIFF) in September. At the festival, Ketring attended a master class led by director, writer, and actor David Cronenberg, known for his works Cosmopolis, A History of Violence, and The Fly, and met the president of Iceland.

Eric Rieger ’07, aka HOT TEA, teamed up with Sesame Street to create one of his trademark yarn installations of the show’s name for their new website.

Rieger’s work consists of non-destructive installations that mostly exist on the street. The site also featured a video of Rieger installing the work with Sesame Street characters Grover and Pat Blue joining in on the fun.

Hoffman on Fast Company's List of Most Creative People

Moren Featured by Forecast Public Art

Spangler Piece Added to Walker Sculpture Garden

Greg Hoffman ’92 was named number twelve on Fast Company's list of the “100 Most Creative People in Business 2015.” Hoffman, the vice president of global brand creative and experience for Nike, leads an international team that is responsible for Nike's consumer experience. Most recently, he oversaw Nike's marketing projects for both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 NBA All-Star game.

Forecast Public Art featured the new app project of faculty member Ben Moren ’10. His app Spatial Strategies is designed to assist users with nonlinear walks in urban spaces. Users choose the duration of their walk and how many messages they want to receive during the walk. The goal of Spatial Strategies is to make users hyperaware of their surroundings and to encourage the observation of spaces in new ways. (b)

The Walker Art Center has big plans for renovating their sculpture garden and Aaron Spangler ’93 happens to be a part of it. Spangler is a sculptor and printmaker based in Minnesota. Though his work typically consists of basswood, gesso, and graphite, his commissioned piece for the garden will be made of cast bronze. The renovation is expected to be finished by June 2017.

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HOT TEA on Sesame Street

WH O WE ARE

Who We Are The Minneapolis College of Art and Design educates individuals to be professional artists and designers, pioneering thinkers, creative leaders, and engaged global citizens.

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Recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to visual arts education, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design is home to more than 700 students and offers professional certificates, bachelor of fine arts and bachelor of science degrees, and graduate degrees. The campus is located just south of downtown Minneapolis and is composed of eight buildings and three acres of lawn and gardens. College facilities contain the latest in technology with multiple studios and labs open 24/7.

85% undergraduate 15% graduate/post-baccalaureate 60% female 40% male 65% from the Midwest 35% from all over the country, including California, Colorado, Maryland, Montana, New York, Texas, and from around the world, including Chile, China, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, and Taiwan 97% receive financial aid 29% undergraduate students of color 25% undergraduates from private, parochial, and homeschools 38% undergraduate transfer students 90% first-year students live on campus 21 average age of undergraduates 100% undergraduates complete at least one internship 76% graduates working in their fields of study—full-time, part-time, or freelancing

Minneapolis College of Art and Design 2501 Stevens Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55404 mcad.edu 612.874.3700

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UP CO MIN G E VENTS

Upcoming Events FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT MCAD.EDU

MFA Thesis Exhibition

The Auction at MCAD

MAY 4, 2016

MAY 20, 2016

The culminating exhibition of graduating master of fine arts candidates features a variety of disciplines: photography, painting, animation, printmaking, illustration, sculpture, and graphic design. This is the inaugural thesis exhibition at the program’s new studio and gallery space, and is the result of a two-year journey of intensive research and studio practice.

For one thrilling evening, mingle with fellow connoisseurs and collectors. Bid, buy, and collect from a unique mix of established alumni, friends, and faculty talent. The Auction at MCAD is a unique mix of the emerging talent, provocative creativity, and unbridled enthusiasm that can only happen at an art school.

Summer Youth Programs

MCAD Art Sale

SUMMER 2016

N OVEMB ER 17–19, 2016

Every summer, MCAD Continuing Education offers a plethora of exciting art classes for everyone, no matter your age or skill level. Classes for young artists cover everything from wild patterns and magical mobiles to outrageous fashion and creative comics.

Held the weekend before Thanksgiving, the MCAD Art Sale is your chance to buy one-of-a-kind art created by students and recent graduates at unbeatable prices. Now in its nineteenth year, the MCAD Art Sale is a Minnesota tradition that has generated more than $2,500,000 for emerging artists.

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STUDENT SH OWC A SE

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Previous page: Selections from MCAD’s self-portrait contest a. Karen O'Bryan ’07 b. Annika Linde ’17 c. Colin Marx ’12 This spread: a. Adam Dargan ’16, still from Dispersion, 2016, video b. Forrest Wasko ’17, Tautolograph No. 1 (False Truth Held Up By Real Truth), 2016, xerograph, masking tape, handmade frame, cinderblock c. Amber Newman ’16, MFA, Untitled No. 1, 2014, mixed media d. Madeline McGrane ’16, Vampire Western, 2015, digital illustration e. Ben Moren's Advanced Web and Screen class, SuperScreen, 2015, digital projections f. Hannah Farrell ’16, Clowns, 2014, photography g. Nathan Motzko ’17, Playground, 2015, watercolor and gouache

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Erik Brandt, Ficciones Typografika 964–966, installed July 29, 2015, wheatpasted bond paper, 72" x 36"