SVA Style - Spring 2020

STYLE

WINTER

TOO MANY GREAT STYLES TO PICK JUST ONE

SEE THEM ALL!

S V

TRIPP NYC

PANTS

THISTLE WISE

POLKA-DOT

SKIRT

TERESA

THIRD-YEAR

BFA CARTOONING

“I found this skirt in my mom’s closet.

I love the silhouette. My personal style is inspired by the 1950s.”

(C) 2020 VISUAL ARTS PRESS, LTD.

Anthony P. Rhodes, executive creative director

Gail Anderson, creative director

Brian E. Smith, design director Mark Maltais, art director

Sheilah Ledwidge, editor

Marco Accardo, Jose Carneiro, Victoria Deblasi, interns Diane Egnatz, photographer

MOTOKI HIRAKUBO

FIRSTYEAR, BFA CARTOONING

“My Alba Rosa coat is my prize possession. It’s an integral part of gyaru fashion, a Japanese street style popular in the early 2000s.”

MUST-HAVES

THIRD-YEAR, BFA ILLUSTRATION SOFIYAKUZMINA.COM

• Newsprint pad—18x24"

• White sketch vellum pad—18x24"

• Charcoal—vine and compressed

• Erasers—gum and block (any kind)

• Chalk pastels—a range of colors, including black and white

• Conté crayons—black, white and sepia

• Pushpins for hanging drawings in class

• Drawing portfolio—large enough to hold 18x24" homework drawings

• Sumi ink and brushes—various sizes

• India ink—various colors

• Notebook—any kind of sketchbook will do, but it should be no smaller than 8x10"

• Charcoal pencils

Illustration by SOFIYA KUZMINA

UNICEF-SVA

Leads Efforts to Help Local Communities and Beyond

Why volunteer? “I know so many children who come from low-income families and don't have a lot, and if I can help them a bit, that would make me feel wonderful,” says Vickey Song, fourth-year BFA Film student and co-president of UNICEF-SVA. She runs the club with co-president Winifred Jeng, a second-year BFA Computer Art major. Winifred, who is an international student from Taiwan, first found out about UNICEF-SVA by attending a World Water Day event sponsored by the club last year. “I'm very interested in the environment,” she says. “UNICEF is a global organization. I can see that the money is helping out around the world.”

UNICEF is a 73- year-old organization that gives healthcare, immunizations, education, nutrition, safe water, sanitation, emergency relief and more to children in 190-plus countries and territories around the globe. The organization provides the SVA club with a mentor and educational materials. “Their headquarters are in downtown Manhattan. Every semester they will have a meetup, and our members can attend a meeting there,” Winifred says.

Each month, UNICEF has a theme. For October, it's Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. They create collection boxes for children to carry around while they make their rounds on Halloween, to allow kids to help other kids. “We met up with other UNICEF organizations from different schools, and then we passed out Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes to families in Brooklyn,” Vickey says. Each UNICEF-SVA member also took a box to collect funds on their own. “We have about 20 members currently,” Vickey says. Members can earn points toward prizes given out at the end of the semester for the most money raised.

The SVA club meets once a month to discuss the theme and organize a volunteer event. Vickey and Winifred ask members to use their creative talents. “We ask club

Clockwise from

KEEN event, Mother's Day fundraising, Winifred Jeng and Vickey Song.

members from the Design department to make flyers. I manage the social media account and make graphics,” Vickey says. Winifred adds, “UNICEF also needs short films for YouTube. If we have time, we'll join their film and video team.”

Co-Presidents

Sometimes, other like-minded groups will reach out to them for help. In November, they volunteered at an event for KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now), an organization that provides children with disabilities free, noncompetitive fitness and games led by volunteer coaches. “The UNICEF theme for November was children's rights,” Vickey says, “so KEEN fit that theme perfectly. They asked us to invite our members.”

Vickey Song

Fourth-year student, BFA Film

Winifred Jeng

Second-year student, BFA Computer Art, Computer Animation and Visual Effects

What's next on the horizon? “There is an annual summit in Washington, D.C. By being registered as a UNICEF club, we have the opportunity to apply to join the national council, where we'd also get to participate on a larger scale and get to travel to different states and represent UNICEF,” says Vickey.

Four Ways to Get Involved and Make a Difference

Help Beat Hunger

New York Cares helps feed New Yorkers in need. You can assist in sorting, bagging and distributing food, or helping serve hot meals. newyorkcares.org/ways-to-volunteer

Lend a Paw

Many animal shelters around the city need volunteers. Activities include preparing and distributing meals, cleaning enclosures, walking dogs and socializing kittens. bideawee.org/volunteer aspca.org/take-action/volunteer

4

Get Out the Vote

We all have one vote, but sadly many people don't exercise that right. Help turn that around with NYC Votes by registering voters and letting them know when and where to go on Election Day. nycvotes.nyccfb.info

To learn more about the club, email svaunicef@gmail.com. 2 3

Pretty Up Parks

Improve the environment and get some fresh air with NYC Parks. Learn how to identify and safely remove invasive plants, help compost, rake leaves, mulch and more!

nycgovparks.org/events/volunteer

top left:

MIGUEL MANRIQUE CHIRINOS

Fourth-year, BFA Illustration

SVA faculty member Jason Freeny’s Brick Man Anatomical Puzzle. I’ve been customizing it. I’ve painted it three or four times.

Ukuku masks from Peru. I keep these in my studio. They inspire my art.

Skeletor from the He-Man series. I’ve always liked the bad guys more than the good guys.

Kidrobot Dunny figurine. I use it as inspiration for my masks.

The frog is a Chinese toy. It hops when you wind it up.

These are Beanie Boos owls. They have an interesting texture, and I like their funny eyes.

I’m working on a series using toys in Western scenes. Before I came here, when I thought of the U.S., I thought of cowboys.

I got the My Little Pony and the plastic cowboys and Indians from eBay. I use the pastels for sketching.

MING WANG

Fourth-year, BFA Illustration

Acrylic wash. This teal color is my favorite.

Flag from my hometown: Arequipa, Peru.

Pre-Columbian symbol. I use these a lot in my art. It is Peruvian. I like to represent my culture.

This is an old pencil case. I keep it because it reminds me of being back home.

I got the Barbie on eBay. In my illustrations, I make her look more like me.

I buy my brushes at home in Shenzhen. They’re cheaper.

I mainly use oils: Gamblin, Van Gogh, Winsor & Newton. Winsor & Newton has the most intense color.

ESTHER JEONG

Fourth-year, BFA Visual & Critical Studies

Decorative thin yarn. It’s hard to use.

Acrylic yarns. I buy most of my supplies for my fiber art projects from Michaels.

Pincushion.

This is a mushroom soft sculpture I’m working on.

The top two tools are crochet hooks for use with yarn.

The bottom two tools are felting needes for use with wool.

Bin with threads. Some are from my mother in Korea; she makes quilts. They are important to me because they remind me of home.

Drop spindle for making yarn out of wool.

These are acrylic wools. I buy most of them online.

This red wool I dyed myself with food coloring and vinegars in my rice cooker.

Designs by A.E. KIEREN

A.E. Kieren (MFA 2012 Illustration as Visual Essay) started adding his colorful illustrations to clothing four years ago, when he discovered spoonflower. com, a site where you can add your art to fabrics. He is interested in the world around him: people, animals and nature. He’d love to one day have his own fashion line, for now called “A.E. Kieren Illustrated.” Until then, you can buy his pieces at etsy.com/shop/ aekieren.

Creative Creations You Can Wear

Our models: Esther Jeong (Fourth-year, BFA VCS) and Devaun Dowdy (Fourth-year, BFA Cartooning)

Designs by SAMANTHA

LEE

Second-year BFA Design student Samantha Lee started drawing her “oof” clothing line in high school. She also does a “woof” line to raise money for KK9 Rescue, an organization that rescues dogs from the South Korean dog-meat trade. She is looking to collaborate with other designers, illustrators and photographers and hopes to partner with organizations to raise awareness and fundraise for worthy causes. Contact her on Instagram: @oofofficialoof.

De Stijl World

More than 100 years after the founding of the Netherlandsbased art movement, its influence is found all around us.

Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow Piet Mondrian, 1929

Architype Van Doesburg Typography digitized in 1997

Broadway

Boogie Woogie Piet Mondrian, 1942-43

iPhone case $21, redbubble.com

First edition De

EDDArtshop artsadd.com

Mug $16.95, The National Gallery of Art Shop

Rubik’s Cube, 2014

City Hall The Hague, Netherlands

Model Maison d’Artiste Theo van Doesburg, Cornelis van Eesteren, 1923 (botttom)

Red Blue Chair Designed by Gerrit Rietveld, 1923

Storage Tower $45, MoMA Design Store

Backpack $41.04

Sleeve Dress Yves Saint Laurent, 1965

Zig Zag Chair Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, designed 1934

Wall clock $31.99, Bit-sinna, society6.com

Stijl: 1917–1931 by Hans L.C. Jaffé, Abbeville Press, 1971

Postage stamp Issued by Dutch postal service in 2017 to celebrate 100 years of De Stijl

Ruler $12, MoMA Design Store

SVA CRIBS

We asked two first-year students to tell us what's great about their new home-away-from-homes.

“As a 17-year-old who had lived in a very protected environment, I was concerned about the challenges of living alone and taking on the responsibility of managing a functional work and living space. But the 24th Street Residence’s amenities and services made it very simple to maintain an environment conducive to my lifestyle.”

“It’s been only two months in my dorm, but it feels like I’ve been living here forever. It feels like home. I absolutely love my roommates; we’ve become a family. They’re the only reason I don’t miss home as much. The 23rd Street Residence is very warm. One of the best places to make friends is in the elevator.”

“I live in a double and have an entire closet, multiple drawers and cabinets and additional space for extra storage units. Every room has a very large window, which lets in tons of natural light and sometimes even features rare winter-sun warmth.”

“I love how versatile the residence’s rooms are. They are homes for the most part, but they also play the role of makeshift photography studios. There’s history in the walls of the 23rd Street Residence, and new stories are constantly being written. I definitely think it’s the best place for first-year students to be.”

Interior Design Students Critique the Hunters Point Library

The Hunters Point Library opened in September 2019 to much fanfare. The Queens library, nestled among the high-rise condos that line the shore, cost more than $40 million and boasts gorgeous views of the East River and the Manhattan skyline. However, after it opened, many media outlets started reporting some significant flaws—the main one being that a key features of the building (a three-tiered section housing fiction books, charging stations and reading areas) was not accessible to wheelchairs, and the library's sole elevator doesn't stop on those levels, either.

We reached out to BFA Interior Design students

Asha Clements-Elliot (third year) and Sky Morales (second year) to ask them to check out the library and give us their expert impressions.

WHAT THEY LIKED (OTHER THAN THE VIEW):

ASHA: I like the organic forms: the curves, the cutouts of the windows, the materials. The wood, which is organic, and the stone stairs, also a natural material. They're something we get from the earth and they are sustainable.

“I would pay attention to the acoustics, how the sound moves through the space. Then I would focus on the books. It’s 50/50.” —ASHA

SKY: The exterior is beautiful. I liked the consistency in the organic shapes, and the different styles of seating. You could sit by yourself, or you could be in a group. A lot of people go to libraries for group study. I appreciated that there were different choices.

THE CONTROVERSY:

ASHA: It's definitely not ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliant. As interior design students, when we design, we're always mindful of ADA, because we want to make sure the space is inclusive for anyone who visits. They could have easily expanded the staircase and made a ramp next to it, and still have been able to achieve the look they wanted.

SKY: I realized how much of an issue having just one elevator is. We saw how many strollers were

parked up in the children's section; it's just a hassle to have to wait for the elevator.

SOME OTHER ISSUES:

SKY: The space is really noisy.

ASHA: That was the biggest downfall. There are no ceilings to stop the sound; it just travels up and down, back and forth. They have a quiet area, but the whole library should be quiet!

SKY: The bookshelves could have been built into the wall, and felt more like they were an actual part of the structure. It seems like the books were just plopped in there; it doesn't seem like they are cohesive with the actual design.

ASHA: I agree. It looked like they took a lot of time trying to make this really nice structure, and then were like, “OK, now let's put some bookshelves here.” AND THE STAIRS:

ASHA: With the material they used, the stairs were really loud. You could hear everyone walking up and down. And they had a railing only on one side. How safe is that?

SKY: And the stone was cracking already. The stairs are the first thing you notice. It's an important part of the architecture, but they look bland. HOW TO IMPROVE THINGS:

SKY: There's a wall in the children's section that's curved and not being utilized. It's just dead space.

ASHA: They could put built-in chairs there with

Sky Morales & Asha ClementsElliot

I love the Met. They know how to complement the exhibits. In the period rooms, the halls are dimmed, and it's very quiet. And then you transition to this big space that's bright with light coming in and there are stone statues and echoes. The Africa and Oceania areas are dimmer, with earth tones.

cushions and shelves underneath, to store books. And kids, with them being so close to the ground, they would see those books.

SKY: I would want to make the books the show. I want the books to be more integrated.

ASHA: I would pay attention to the acoustics, how the sound moves through the space. Then I would focus on the books. It's 50/50. Half experience, half content. If you have a bad experience trying to get to the books, you're like, “There's another library closer to my house, and it's quiet; I don't care that it doesn't have a beautiful view.”

I like the New York Public Library on 53rd Street. I like how they utilized the stairs and made them bleachers. When you're walking outside, you can see people sitting there. The stairs become a public space. They can also be an event space with a screen.

SKY

SPACE

New York City interiors that got it right

Top: Asha (left) and Sky. Left and below: The interior and exterior of the Hunters Point Library, courtesy Max Touhey for Queens Public Library.

’S FAVORITE

ASHA ’S FAVORITE SPACE

GLOVE

KNIT GLOVES FROM THE GUY ON SIXTH AVENUE NEAR 22ND STREET, $2.50 Set your thumb and index fingers free. Reycycle tops as nose-tip warmers!

LOST

TRIPP NYC

PANTS

THISTLE WISE

POLKA-DOT

SKIRT

TERESA

THIRD-YEAR

BFA CARTOONING

“I found this skirt in my mom’s closet.

I love the silhouette. My personal style is inspired by the 1950s.”

(C) 2020 VISUAL ARTS PRESS, LTD.

Anthony P. Rhodes, executive creative director

Gail Anderson, creative director

Brian E. Smith, design director Mark Maltais, art director

Sheilah Ledwidge, editor

Marco Accardo, Jose Carneiro, Victoria Deblasi, interns Diane Egnatz, photographer

MOTOKI HIRAKUBO

FIRSTYEAR, BFA CARTOONING

“My Alba Rosa coat is my prize possession. It’s an integral part of gyaru fashion, a Japanese street style popular in the early 2000s.”