Making Progress | Spring 2009 Inside Risd, Reality and the Downturn
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making progress | spring 2009 inside risd, reality and the downturn departments features publishing director The reality of my first year as president Given these new challenges, the Board of START HERE gatherings this spring, I have Becky Bermont at RISD is a lot like President Obama’s first Trustees and I have resolved to act decisively. been speaking to hundreds of alumni and few months in office – not what we expected. We will slice $10M (8%) from our previously friends about “The RISD Triangle of Engage- 2 5 editor I came here humbled and inspired to begin projected operating budget for next year ment.” The concept is quite simple, really: hillside making progess Liisa Silander working with our creative community to through a combination of operating and say RISD, hire from RISD and give to RISD. what’s up on campus This issue focuses on a new sense of energy and possibility shared design / production reinterpret our fine college and museum for capital expense cuts, salary freezes, benefits by members of the RISD community – in spite of global economic • Remember to mention RISD in all forms 18 Elizabeth Eddins ’00 GD a new era. And despite the murky economy, changes and reductions in employees uncertainties. of casual conversation. New students engagement @ risd that’s still what inspires me every day. (through attrition, retirement incentives writers won’t continue to apply here if they’ve news from alumni relations 6 and, unfortunately, some layoffs). As the Anna Cousins Though I never imagined that financial never heard of us. design we can believe in academic year comes to a close, we will 20 Delia Kovac ’02 PR concerns would cloud the forecast so Many RISD people contributed their creative talents to help elect know how much belt-tightening is necessary portfolio Liisa Silander • If you’re able to hire an intern or a RISD President Obama and are now equally committed to turning the quickly, RISD – like the world at large – news of alumni going forward. graduate, post the position on our country around. is being forced to make a series of difficult e-mail: [email protected] ArtWorks job board (www.risd.edu/ 33 decisions based on sobering economic Though we face serious financial challenges 10 fax: 401 454-6351 artworks) or contact Steve Whitten readers’ views developments. As the stock market continued in the years ahead, I am fortunate to lead changing design / designing change phone: 401 454-6349 ([email protected]) in Career Services. letters, comments, addenda its steep decline, RISD’s endowment lost an organization with such clear guiding As the industrial design profession shifts, students are learning to web: www.risd.edu/views As a community, we need to support each one-third its value between the time I first principles: increase RISD’s accessibility, focus their problem-solving skills on designing new services, strategies risd: 401 454-6100 other more than ever in tough times. learned of my appointment as president attract the best faculty and students, and and processes, not just products. post: Liisa Silander, risd views and January of this year. maintain the quality of our programs. For • Give to the place where you first connected Two College Street 14 the country and for RISD, it’s moments like with y(our) tribe and support the future Providence, Rhode Island At the same time, tuition and fees are earth to risd: going green in the tropics these that force us to clarify our priorities, of art and design (www.risd.edu/giving). 02903-2784 USA already more than $47,000 a year at RISD When RISD students go beyond their studios to explore new cultural search for creative solutions and come – almost double what they were 15 years As I’ve said on our blog (our.risd.edu), even contexts for design, they begin to grasp that the world really needs together more than ever before to question, RISD MEDIA + PARTNERS ago, both here and at just about every other if you follow through with just two points what they have to offer. debate and share ideas. 28,000 | MERIDIAN PRINTING college in the country. With many families of the triangle, we’ll be well on the way PRINTED ON ROLLAND OPAQUE, 70# RECYCLED struggling to pay for a college education, we I came to RISD to participate in and lead to ensuring that RISD’s voice – the voice TEXT WITH 30% POST-INDUSTRIAL FIBER, MANUFACTURED USING BIOGAS ENERGY have an urgent need to increase scholarships a community of creative thinkers, and there of American creativity – will be heard louder AND CERTIFIED ENVIRONMENT CHOICE AND and financial aid to make a RISD education will be nothing more gratifying than to and prouder than ever before. FSC MIXED SOURCES as accessible as possible. emerge from these challenges as a stronger, Thank you, more confident organization. Alumni have a role to play here, too, by becoming more engaged through the special ways you have of making RISD the best it can be. At the John Maeda, president risd views is proud to feature the work of the following designers, writers and photographers: Scott Stowell ’90 GD / Open Sami Nerenberg Peter Goldberg cover design + pages 5–15 pages 10-13 cover, pages 5–7 + 9 For the past decade, Scott for Brown and Yale. Last fall Contributing writer Sami When photographer Peter Stowell ’90 GD has run a studio Scott was the winner of the Nerenberg ’07 ID is an adjunct Goldberg ’88 PH sent us a link in Manhattan called Open Cooper-Hewitt’s National Design faculty member in the Industrial to the photos he took on (www.notclosed.com). It’s a Award for Communications Design Department and a sustain- Inauguration Day, we felt instantly place with a small footprint but Design. When John Maeda tried able systems strategist at Grain infused with the energy and a big reputation. Open makes to get his attention at the White Design. The year she graduated, hope they capture. “For a photo- things like identity systems for House awards luncheon, Scott she earned both the Mendelson grapher who loves shooting Bravo, the National Multiple couldn’t imagine whom he Award for Community Service in crowds, it was heaven!” he presented at Commencement and reports. “Walking among the Sclerosis Society, Planet Green was waving at. Six months later, the Rachel Carson Award, given crowds on the Mall was like and WNYC Radio; the editorial when RISD’s president asked by the ID Department. Since swimming in a sea of hope.” design of Good magazine; short Open to work on this issue, then Sami has worked with non- To see more of the “enthusiasm, films for Google and Jazz at Scott said “yes.” profits such as Design that Matters craziness and hope” Peter experi- Lincoln Center; and signage 2009 Spring (above: samples of Open’s and GreenBlue, and is currently enced that day, check out his other work) working to start her own Design Obama Inauguration Day set at for America initiatives. www.flickr.com/photos/ petergoldberg. risd views 1 hillside overheard what’s up on campus “Each time I bring my students to the RISD Museum, one of them When Toady Met Ratty, the latest children’s book by Illustration Critic identifies a piece of Jack Prip’s as something that has resonance/ Mary Jane Begin ’85 IL, was published meaning/interest. His dramatic use of form, unusual combination Digital + Media Visiting Critic Lalya in the fall. She and Assistant Pro- Gaye spoke at the fall Mobilisable fessor of Illustration Nick Jainschigg of materials, expert craftsmanship and integrity as a designer offer conference at ENSAD in Paris. In April ’83 IL created ornaments for the 2008 she and D+M Department Head Teri White House Christmas tree. so many opportunities to learn.” Rueb also organized and spoke at the D+M symposium Embodiment & Assistant Professor of Architecture Matthew Bird ’89 ID, adjunct faculty member, two.risd.edu (4.20.09) Collection 2009, the annual runway show of the best work produced this Mobility. Hansy Better has been elected to the year by RISD Apparel Design majors, will be shown on Saturday, May 16 at board of directors of the Boston In January Professor of Foundation 7 pm at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence (with a 2 pm preview noteworthy Society of Architects. Work by Studio Studies Nade Haley completed performance). Inspired by the California coastline, Peggy Sue Deaven Luz, run by her and Critic Anthony installing a series of laminated glass ’09 AP hand-dyed, painted and bleached silks and meshes to create Piermarini, was published in recent panels at the Des Moines, IA Federal a collection with the fluid motion, flowing silhouettes and ephemeral issues of Architect and Kontakt. Building (commissioned by the GSA). qualities of “Venice Beach at daybreak.” For tickets and more breuer travels to risd information, go to . FAV seniors will also Painting Critic Dike Blair has won www.risd.edu/collection The Year She Disappeared, the screen their degree project films every evening at 7 pm from May 13–16 Marcel Breuer: Design and Architecture a 2009 Guggenheim fellowship. , an international latest novel by English lecturer in the RISD Auditorium. Junior films will be screened at 7 pm on May 20 He is also showing in September traveling exhibition, continues through July 19 Ann Harleman, was a runner-up in and 21, also in the Auditorium. at the Weatherspoon Museum in at The RISD Museum. It’s the first show to treat the fiction category at the 2008 New photo by Jeff Barnett-Winsby MFA ’06 PH Greensboro, NC.