Jill Kinnear, professor of fibers, SCAD Savannah, received a 2018-2019 Sabbatical Award for her project "Exploring Pre-Columbian Textiles in Peru: Lima, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley."  Professor Kinnear spent three weeks in Peru traveling and researching textile traditions from pre-Columbian societies through the present day.

She acquired beautiful textiles and hats direct from the artisans who make and wear them. These acquisitions comprise an extraordinary exhibition currently on display of the first floor of Pepe Hall. Her detailed account of her trip appears on the SCAD Fibers blog.

Jill Kinnear:

Peru has one of the longest, most complex and highly developed histories of textiles in the world. Textiles were crucial to every economic and political objective of pre-Columbian society. There was no hard currency, and textiles were used instead as barter, as diplomatic gifts, for ceremonies and to appease newly conquered peoples. Some of the textile techniques are unique to Peru, and are not practiced anywhere else in the world. It was amazing to witness artisans making these beautiful fabrics still using pre-Columbian techniques. I also visited a number of world-renowned museums in Lima before travelling to Cusco, a city in the Andes that was once the capital of the Inca Empire.

In Cusco, I met with Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, founder of the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco. Nilda is originally from Chinchero, a weaving community between Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Her organization works with ten different weaving communities to preserve traditional spinning, dyeing and weaving techniques, and to ensure that weavers make a living from their weaving. The CTTC has become increasingly successful, and she and the weavers deserve enormous credit. I visited three of these communities and collected textiles from each one.

In the highlands and regional areas, aspects of traditional life have remained unchanged for centuries. Traditional dress retains its importance for people; they're not dressing for tourists but for themselves. Hats are an essential part of the outfits as symbols of status and identity, especially for women. 

If you go to a market in the Sacred Valley, people come from as far away as the Amazon to sell their produce, and consequently you'll see many different types of hats there. The beautiful red felt hats the women wear, monteras, look almost like fruit bowls. Women put flowers in them and add white beaded patterned straps.

I knew I intended to install an exhibition when I returned to SCAD, so I started collecting hats as well as textiles while in the highlands. People do bring back woven textiles but don't often bring back hats; they're not the easiest thing to transport! I managed to collect nine hats, both men's and women's. I wanted hats that had been worn, so they retained the character of the wearer.

There's a beautiful hat in the exhibition that's made of straw, woven in Chimbote and painted with a mixture of glue and chalk that's turned it hard and white. The pearl buttons were added by the owner. If you look you can see that she stored matches in the band. I bought it from a woman who was herding sheep.

I teach Survey of Textiles: Origins and Evolution (FIBR 221) here in the SCAD fibers department. While the class is about the textile history and techniques of each culture, I also try to give students a sense of the region and the time, of what it might have been like to live in a place in a particular era. Short of taking the students there myself, the next best thing I can do is bring back artifacts, notes, photographs, videos, samples, books, catalogues, contacts – and my wonderful experiences. I hope the exhibition in Pepe Hall allows our students to gain a greater understanding of these extraordinary textile techniques, the people and the country.

I applied for my sabbatical and SCAD provided financial support for me to travel to Peru.  The amount of funding ensured that I could travel comfortably and I did not need to stint on acquiring textiles. SCAD was extremely supportive and I'm very grateful for this award. The experience of this journey is invaluable; it's contributed to my own professional development and to my teaching.

SCAD Sabbatical Awards provide eligible professors with opportunities to pursue professional growth and achievement through study, research and practice.

Learn more about the SCAD fibers program.

"I've grown up in historic cities," says Madi Alspector (M.F.A., architectural history). "Being informed about histories of place has always been part of my life."

A graduate of Wando High School in Charleston, Alspector selected SCAD in order to pursue her master’s degree in Savannah, one of the best-preserved urban landscapes in the country. She attends class in the upper rooms of the SCAD Museum of Art, a National Historic Landmark housed in a former railway depot for the Central of Georgia Railway dating to 1853: “I love going to class in rooms with preserved historic brick.”

The devoted scholar complements her academic achievements with hands-on work in the field. In summer 2018 she was easements department intern at the non-profit Historic Charleston Foundation, and is currently interning for credit with HALLETT & Co. in Savannah's historic downtown district. For Madi, historic architecture lives in the present.

 

Madi Alspector:

I'm beginning my final academic year here at SCAD as a masters candidate in architectural history. This quarter I'm taking Urban Form and Civic Ideals through History (ARLH 739), tracing city-building from the ancient Near East through post-modernism. I'm also taking Contextualizing Ancient Architecture (ARLH 724), and doing a Graduate Internship (ARLH 779) with Matthew Hallett at a firm called HALLETT & Co., learning to translate the historical lessons taught in class into field work skills.

The internship has been wonderful. I spend half my time at HALLETT & Co. doing research and half on-site working on renovation and historic preservation projects. I love being in the field. My plan after graduation is to work with a restoration group and be active in conservation. I want to work on projects that impact my field of study.

In October, I'm presenting a paper called "Highway Revolts" at the 2019 conference of the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians in Greeneville, South Carolina. Last year I took "Power and the Built Environment" (ARLH 759) with SCAD professor Robin Williams and began researching highway revolts. From the 1950s through 1970s, federal highways were being built and tearing through inner cities. The most famous protest happened in New York City with Jane Jacobs challenging Robert Moses over the proposed Lower Manhattan Expressway, but there were over 350 smaller revolts around the country. I studied articles written at the time, human interest pieces documenting different protests, and more recent scholarship.

My paper discusses what happened in San Francisco and Miami. In San Francisco, protests led to proposed freeways being canceled, while in Miami the interstate wiped out a whole neighborhood downtown. I grew up traveling down the I-95 Expressway through Miami, never considering that its construction was problematic.

"Highway Revolts" is the second paper I've delivered at a conference this year. In February I received a SCAD travel grant to Montgomery to attend the Southern Studies Conference 2019 and deliver my paper "The Grimke Sisters of Charleston: their influences on changing urban societies as abolitionists and early feminists."

A few years ago there was a best-selling novel by Sue Monk Kidd called "The Invention of Wings" (Viking, 2014) based on the story of Sarah Grimke. My mom read it and had me read it. I fell in love with it. The Grimkes were highly outspoken early on as abolitionists. As women in Charleston, they were kicked out of the city and banned from coming back. I toured their house in Charleston and integrated that research into my paper.

The Grimke sisters stood up and helped the cause of justice as much as they could. Everyday people like me might say, what can I do? Any time you can use research and show the historical record and say, "Something was wrong and somebody stood up against it and it led to necessary change" that's important. We are making progress.

Learn more about the SCAD architectural history program.

Grimke sisters image courtesy Library of Congress.

Banner image courtesy San Francisco Chronicle via Foundsf / Creative Commons.

Time to get animated! This week is SCADFILM’s third annual SCAD AnimationFest, bringing together innovative talent and leading experts from the animation industry, this Thurs.-Sat., September 26-28, 2019 at SCAD Atlanta.

The three-day festival features exclusive screenings, panel discussions, presentations and top talent from Pixar Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Google Creative Lab, Dreamworks and more. AnimationFest will be held at the university’s state-of-the-art theater SCADshow in the heart of Midtown Atlanta.

On Thursday, September 26, the festival will present a distinguished award to actor, singer, dancer, and songwriter Lucas Grabeel honoring his prolific career voicing animated characters for series including "Spirit," "The Family Guy," and "Pinky Malinky." Two episodes of the Netflix original series "Pinky Malinky" will screen immediately following the award presentation.

AnimationFest will also feature a special preview screening of the highly anticipated DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s co-production "Abominable" starring Chloe Bennet, Eddie Izzard, and Sarah Paulson. The animated feature takes audiences on an epic 2,000-mile adventure from the streets of Shanghai to the breathtaking Himalayan snowscapes.

Participating guests from FoxTV, Adult Swim, Dreamscape Immersive, Netflix Animation, Bunnygraph Studios and many more will be highlighted throughout the festival celebration.

"SCAD AnimationFest celebrates the oldest genre of filmmaking," said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. "From special screenings to in-depth panels with industry professionals, this year's programming is sure to delight fans of this celebrated medium. And AnimationFest is much more than a good time. Top companies such as Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks visit SCAD in search of top talent. Think of this as a three-day job interview — with movies and popcorn!"

Industry Icons and Emerging Animation

SCAD AnimationFest, presented by SCADFILM, will feature elevated panel discussions and special screenings on the dynamic facets of the animation industry such as "Storytelling Thru Advanced Content: Exploring Transmedia"; "Behind the Scenes: Toy Story 4"; "Springfield Confidential: Secrets of the Simpsons"; "Cinematic VR: The beauty of animated storytelling in a virtual environment"; and "Virtual Theme Parks."

Guests scheduled to appear at the 2019 AnimationFest include:

• John Heinsen, producer, Bunnygraph Entertainment
• Jennifer Cook, head of production, Dreamscape Immersive
• Mark Mcray, senior director of programming, Adult Swim
• JR Schmidt, motion lead, Google Creative Lab
• Mike Reiss, producer, The Simpsons
• Denise Reiss, television development executive, Reiss Entertainment Inc.
• Shannon Ryan, president of production, Baobab Studios
• Laura Green Berry, producer, Primal Screen
• Jeremy Seymour, creative director, Primal Screen
• Devin Price, animator, Motion LLC
• Shannon Ryan, development producer, Baobab Studios 
• Ken Fountain, animator, Baobab Studios
• Jay Li, animator and project manager, Secret Sauce Studio (MA Advertising Design, 2009)
• Jules Premus, character designer, Floyd County Productions (MA Sequential Art, 2018)
• Becki Tower, animator, Pixar Animation Studios (MFA Animation, 2008)
• Jalysa Leva, lead animator, Primal Screen (BFA Animation, 2015)

Animation is the largest of SCAD’s preeminent degree programs, and is considered a top program for preparation of a growing field that encompasses film, television, interactive media and video games.
With the only university-run casting office in the country, SCAD helps drive the multibillion-dollar film and television industry in Georgia, now the No. 1 filming location in the world, according to FilmL.A. Of the nearly 15,000 SCAD alumni from entertainment and digital media disciplines, more than 3,000 work in the Georgia film industry. SCAD students, alumni and faculty have won Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Reels, Tonys, Annies, and more.

For a complete SCAD AnimationFest schedule and to purchase passes, visit scad.edu/animationfest.

Hallway lockers, a bathroom stall, orthodontic braces and a sense of not belonging: "Embrace" contains familiar signifiers from high school films. Yet the animated short by Chelsea Thomas (B.F.A., animation) packs its own empowering punch.

Inspired by Disney cartoons like "The Proud Family," Thomas conveys her tale with great tenderness and technique. A graduate of Redan High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, she is due to graduate SCAD Savannah in spring 2020.

Chelsey Thomas:

"Embrace" is the film I made in my 2-D Animation Production (ANIM 312) class with professor Michelle Tessier.  The assignment was to make a 30-second-long animation. I was thinking, what can I fit into 30 seconds? I thought of the idea of a girl who goes to a new school and looks different and feels insecure.

I named it "Embrace" because part of the film came from my own experience embracing my natural hair. In tenth grade, I started going natural with my hair. In the film, you see Ava see her teacher with natural hair and then she embraces it too.

With silent films, you really have to convey what the characters are feeling through action and expression. The idea of my film was to feel what Ava's feeling and go with her through this journey.

Initially I wanted to set it in present day, and have Ava wear a hoodie to hide her hair. Then I decided to set it in the ‘70s for a groovy vibe. I gave her this big disco hat and bell bottoms.

I started creating character designs and putting together a mood board to get the feel of the film. Then I made rough storyboards and sketches to see how the story would progress. Then storyboards and layouts, then rough animation, cleaned-up animation, color, line art, compositing, sound. All in ten weeks!

I worked mostly on a Wacom. I did the initial character designs in Photoshop using a pen tool with a bit of grit to it so it seemed hand-drawn, like a marker. I used pencil tools for the backgrounds. Then I brought it into TVPaint Animation, a 2-D paint and digital animation software, for storyboarding and animation.

"Walk cycle" is one of the first vital things that animators need to know. A walk cycle is when you're animating somebody's walk and identifying the poses that are essential to that movement, then filling in the in-betweens. I was trying to find a song that fit the walk cycle that emphasized how proud Ava felt walking down the hallway with her afro bouncing. The Bill Withers song just fit. I grew up with that kind of music through my parents, and I still listen it.

It's really important representing African-Americans in animation, you don't see it that often and I want to be that person. I had people reach out to me via Instagram and say nice things. I've definitely gained traction from my "Embrace" video.

See more of Chelsey's character designs on her Instagram.

Watch "Embrace" here.

"During the match, fans have to be quiet," says Sean Loose (B.F.A, illustration, 2014), "but when they do get to cheer, their bottled-up excitement is explosive. I wanted to capture that moment where the enthusiasm explodes."

Loose's official illustration for this year's U.S. Open marks the first time the U.S. Tennis Association has featured an animated illustration, making one of the most memorable tournaments in U.S. Open history even more historic. As a brand illustrator for Indeed.com, Loose is happy to reveal how he became part of this momentous occasion.

Sean Loose:

Growing up, I could always be found doodling on my notebooks and scraps of paper—you name it and I drew on it. It wasn't until my AP art class at Port Charlotte High School in Port Charlotte, Florida that I realized I could actually make a career out of art. My art teacher at was a huge SCAD advocate and when SCAD came to visit our school, I realized it was the place where I could turn my hobby into a creative career.

My time at SCAD shaped who I am as a designer. The experience SCAD provides its students is truly one-of-a-kind. The relationships I formed helped lead me to career success, including the amazing opportunity with the U.S. Tennis Association. The opportunity actually came from Mohamed Danawi, a SCAD professor and founder of Illozoo, the visual communication agency that represents me.

The USTA asked me to submit designs for the U.S. Open—I was really excited. This was a phenomenal opportunity and something I wanted to happen. The USTA wanted the posters to be edgy and contemporary and focuses specifically on the fan experience rather than the players or the tournament as a whole.

I turned to Instagram and YouTube videos to get a better understanding of what actually happens at each match and to gain insight into the mindset of the fans. Tennis fans are some of the most passionate in the world, so I wanted to make sure that message came across loud and clear. Professor Danawi mentored me through the submissions process. The concepts I ultimately presented captured the true feelings of the audience. 

It was surreal seeing my artwork in public. It was everywhere from banners to T-shirts to the official U.S. Open programs. It was also animated and played on screens throughout the grounds of the National Tennis Center in New York City during the tournament. The artwork also functioned as a content trigger, allowing fans to view the animation on their phones using augmented reality. This is the first time the USTA history that this has been done. It's a big accomplishment.

See more of the work of Sean Loose at his website and Instagram.

This is an open invitation to all SCAD students (all majors, both undergraduate and graduate students) to apply for a unique new study abroad program in fragrance marketing and product development at SCAD Lacoste.

"Going to the Source" is a three-week study abroad program to take place December 1-21, 2019. The emphasis is on providing SCAD students with an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the world of fragrance in the place it began, from leading industry professionals.

Beginning in the medieval village of SCAD Lacoste, students will have the opportunity to explore fragrance in both Grasse and Paris. The schedule is as follows:

Week 1 (Lacoste): Foundation training in fragrance marketing and initial workshops in exploring fragrance ingredients and conducting scent trials.

Week 2 (Grasse): Workshops at legendary fragrance houses Fragonard and Galimard, as well as the International Museum of Perfume. Students will work side by side with master perfumers to create their own unique fragrance.

Week 3 (Paris): Students will visit fragrance boutiques, department stores and luxury flagships of Paris to experience modern fragrance marketing first hand. We will also visit the great museums of Paris, including Louvre, Musee d'Orsay and YSL Museum, as well as other iconic landmarks in the City of Light.

Students will receive academic credit for their participation in this study abroad program as follows:
Undergraduate students: FASM 320 Fragrance Marketing and Management
Graduate students: LXFM 774 Fragrance: Global Marketing and Brand Building

Students can prepare and submit their application for "Going to the Source" on myscad at the study abroad page. The deadline is Wed., Sept. 18, 2019.

Students who want more information can contact Daniel Green, chair of fashion marketing and management and chair of luxury and fashion management: [email protected].

About SCAD BEAU:
SCAD launched its new B.F.A. degree program, business of beauty and fragrance (BEAU) in 2018. This innovative program prepares students to become the leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs shaping the future of the beauty and fragrance industries. A unique course curriculum endows this degree program with creative content that is comprehensive and at the leading edge of new developments in the world of beauty and fragrance.
 
The magic of beauty and fragrances powers a $445 billion industry that abounds with opportunity. Within the context of the world's preeminent art and design university, SCAD business of beauty and fragrance students will gain in-depth knowledge of aesthetics, style, cosmetics, fragrance and adornment, empowering them to find their niches in this growing global landscape. At SCAD, BEAU students will learn how to launch new products, develop packaging, engage modern consumers, maximize financial outcomes and build long-term brand equity as part of a creative team.

"How do you disappear mimetically?" wonders Gonzalo Hernandez (M.A., painting, 2018; M.F.A., fibers, 2019). His three works in the new group exhibition "The Artist as Muse" at Gutstein Gallery present a provoking possibility: As the artist disappears into the work, the work stands out.

A native of Lima, Peru, Hernandez's technical proficiency is matched by conceptual excellence. Echoing Duchamp, his use of readymade Pink Panther foam for "Untitled" is a practical choice with interpretive implications. Viewing the work in person offers an experience irreplicable online. Gutstein awaits!

Gonzalo Hernandez:

While studying at SCAD, I was working in a Pier 1 Imports warehouse in Pooler. I was a material handler. All the work for my M.A. final project started out of that factory work and materials there, like cardboard boxes and tape, applied to an art world situation.

One of the workers at the warehouse used to wear a coverall every day. I was interested in why he chose to wear that uniform, and how the uniform can place you in a position of power or erase you.

I bought a navy-blue coverall and wore it at the warehouse but it was too hot. I wondered: How can I make this coverall unique? In the warehouse we use a lot of compressed wood. I decided: Be that wood.

I took a photo of compressed wood and Photoshopped it and created a pattern. I printed the fabric here in the States, then sent the fabric to Lima to a company that makes coveralls. Now I had a coverall where the pattern is compressed wood. I'd wear it to openings of shows.

For this Gutstein exhibition, I'm showing three pieces. "Self Portrait Falling" is the actual piece of compressed wood with the coverall atop it, which has a human shape. That relates to the photograph "Falling" displayed on the adjacent wall. My idea was: Can you make falling a success?

The third piece is a photographic print on Pink Panther insulation foam. It shows me wearing a coverall while ironing a coverall for the next day. I'm addressing the taboo about a male doing fibers work, because traditionally women work in fibers. A guy seeing another guy ironing? I was interested in that.

For my main studio classes in painting at SCAD, I studied with professor Todd Schroeder, whose work is also showing in "The Artist as Muse." As a professor, he lets you make your decision but often challenges you. I was a formal painter painting self-portraits for a long time. At a key moment he asked me, "Why are you still painting?" At the time I was repeating myself. I switched and got more into materials, then decided to pursue my masters in fibers.

There's an idea about Hispanics and labor and pink foam and plywood and materials. It always came up in critiques as I was making the work, the invisible labor that we don't really see. That's related to the invisible pattern. It's intentional that I used Pink Panther isolation foam in "Untitled" and that the Pink Panther is there, behind, smiling. Pulling back the curtain to see yes, the labor is there.

See more of Gonzalo’s work here and through Oct. 5 at Gutstein Gallery.

"Art can create an interface for people to grapple with paradigm-changing ideas," writes Katie Glusica (M.F.A., fibers, 2010) in her essay "The Seen and Unseen" (Leonardo Journal, The MIT Press, 2016). "It can enable unseen concepts to affect the way we think and live."

A writer, maker and artisan, Glusica works in antique rug restoration at Savannah Galleries. In conversation she connects weaving to the cosmology of the Kogi people of Colombia, wave/particle duality, and the invention of computer technology. As the high school students who took her recent SCAD Summer Seminar "Textile Techniques" can attest, she's also a wonderful, welcoming teacher.

Katie Glusica:

I taught three weeks of Summer Seminars this summer. It's gratifying to work with high school students coming to SCAD to learn about fibers. Super fun too!

On the first day I give students a presentation focused on frame loom weaving. I have the supplies out on the table. I show them what a loom looks like, and tell them, "You're going to leave here at the end of the week with a loom weaving you've created."

I show them other techniques within fibers, and their applications, from fashion to installation art to antique Chinese embroidery. I explain that some SCAD students studying fibers are not only fibers majors, but also students majoring in fashion, interior design, architecture, furniture design, jewelry design and painting. No matter your direction, even a basic understanding of cloth construction is invaluable. We cover the technical, historical and potential career trajectories of weaving and textiles professionals.

I tell students, there'll always be a place for things made by hand.  You can find a niche doing things mass-production industry can't do. Fashion involves complexities of production and human labor is part of that. Same with jewelry. Even stones that can be set with machines still require manual finishing. These disciplines require a skilled professional.

Weaving is a great way to learn math because every number on the loom directly corresponds to a physical object. The loom is something you hold and therefore it makes sense in a different way than when you are dealing with abstract arithmetic.

The facilities are a spectacular part of what SCAD has to offer. Pepe Hall is an amazing place, and our jacquard loom is a magnificent piece of technology. The students see that when you have access to the technology itself, you can take complex ideas and think about them in relatable terms as they apply to physical things, like weaving and cloth, that help us on a human level.

The last day of Summer Seminars is an open house when parents come to pick up their kids and see what they're been working on all week. Our fibers deparment chair Cayewah Easley stops in to give a great presentation about the department. This year it turned out that some of the parents wanted to weave. Luckily, I had warped up an extra loom.

The point of the Summer Seminar is to get excited and involved in the field of textile and fibers. To have high school students focused and engaged is really impressive. "This is so satisfying!" is my favorite comment of all time.

www.katieglusica.com

To celebrate the 2019 Mid-Autumn Festival, SCAD Hong Kong students collaborated with The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong to create two original special edition designs for mooncake boxes. This is the second collaboration between The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong and SCAD students participating in the unique SCADpro program, which provides students with authentic work experiences with the world's most influential brands to solve real-time creative challenges.

Twenty-one students from disciplines including illustration, sequential art and advertising participated. Two winning design concepts were selected to be produced and are now available for purchase at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.

“Stardust”, created by Anna Siu (B.F.A., illustration) and Kaylee Chan (B.F.A., illustration), celebrates the full moon on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival bringing families together, while the stars represent the memories created during these special gatherings. “Praise to the Moon”, created by Olivia Shin (B.F.A., illustration) and Helen Wong (B.F.A., illustration), takes inspiration from mythology and the love story of Hou Yi and Chang E. The scene captures Hou Yi presenting Chang E’s favorite fruit, the Goddess of the Moon, in their garden.

“For this SCADpro project, Kaylee and I understood the importance of fully considering the requirements of The Ritz-Carlton,” said Anna Siu. “We conceptualized a story that will create a meaningful experience for the end consumer. We were reminded of the fun heartwarming moments families share at special gatherings, and translated this idea into the design for Stardust.”

“Praise to the Moon” co-creator Helen Wong added: “I was excited to work with Olivia, who’s from Korea, for this project, as we were able to share different viewpoints on the Mid-Autumn Festival, having grown up in different cultures. Since this was the first time we had designed food packaging, it challenged us to think out-of-the-box to appeal to a wider audience.”

SCADpro, the university’s innovation program, focuses on providing students with practical on-the-job experiences. Students are responsible for creating concepts and solutions for real-life design challenges.

Pierre Perusset, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, remarked: “Home to an extensive collection of art pieces in its lavishly designed space, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong treasures the arts and there is no better way to support the cities cultural development than nurturing the next generation of artists through collaborative projects such as SCADpro. The two winning design concepts for our newly launched mooncake series box design were selected as they embodied the luxury, indulgence and unforgettable experiences offered by The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.”

As part of a special 72-hour SCADpro challenge, 21 students ideated and executed concepts to meet The Ritz-Carlton’s need for contemporary, chic mooncake packaging that also reflects the brand’s personality, unique hospitality experience and luxury positioning. The Limited Edition Mini Egg Custard Mooncakes are available to buy from The Ritz Carlton Hong Kong from now, whilst stocks last.

“Praise to the Moon” by Olivia Shin and Helen Wong, illustrates the romantic reunion of estranged lovers, Hou Yi and Chang'e, amidst the moonlight. The two special-edition mooncake boxes contain delicious custard mooncakes of two different sizes.

Resembling stars scattered around the moon, the gold-stamped icons on “Stardust” symbolize precious moments of the traditional festival. Designers Kaylee Chan and Anna Siu wish to bring joy to everyone who enjoys The Ritz-Carlton mooncakes.

Images courtesy The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.

For order inquiries email: [email protected]



The dazzling pageantry of the 2019 National Academy of Television, Arts, and Sciences Emmy Awards was out-watted only by Simon Stevens' winning smile. After three years as marketing producer at Savannah's CBS-affiliate WTOC-TV, Stevens (B.F.A., film and television) has alchemized his SCAD experience and professional dedication into a gold statuette. Locals know: Tune in to WTOC for breaking news, severe weather information…and to see his award-winning handiwork. Congratulations, Simon!

Simon Stevens:

I attended Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia, where there was an orientation evening when a representative from SCAD came. They spoke about the hands-on approach to learning film and TV. The SCAD Savannah film and television program felt very robust. I wanted to spread my wings so I came here.

Senior year at SCAD I worked at SCAD District with director of student media Adam Crisp. I shared the role as SCAD District video co-director with Fairuz Ferrer (B.F.A., film and television, 2017). Working with Fairuz, I became more disciplined with scheduling and deadlines as well as the storytelling process. Fairuz created a series called "Savannah Secrets" about places like The Coop rock climbing wall and Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room. I took what she filmed and edited it. We collaborated on at least half a dozen pieces.

Adam Crisp showed me I was part of something important. He pointed me towards a marketing position at WTOC. I didn't get the position, but one of their news managers offered me a part-time job as a PA. Then the opportunity opened up for the slot I currently have. I'm currently a promotion-focused marketing producer at WTOC. We serve southeast Georgia and the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry.

I work on promotions about the station for the station. These include daily promos to promote a specific story for a specific show. I speak with producers and ask for their biggest stories, write something about them that's 10-15 seconds long, get them approved, then shoot and edit and it's on-air within minutes. I do about six of those a day.

My first week full time at WTOC, Hurricane Matthew hit. As the city was evacuated, I stayed. I was able to dive in at the station with extra hours and show what I was able to bring to WTOC marketing. I learned a lot about how to cover hurricane season. When Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, I created a 60-second spot demonstrating our commitment to coverage before, after and during the hurricane, which wound up being nominated for an Emmy in 2018, but did not win.

This year I received two nominations, including one for a coverage commercial of the C-130 crash, which did not win. Creating that spot meant understanding the sensitivity to the event, and what that means to our viewers.

The other nomination was for Savannah Weekend, WTOC's lifestyle explorer. Savannah Weekend producer Brian Byers (B.F.A., illustration, 1992) was a professor of multimedia design at SCAD before coming to WTOC. When we launched Savannah Weekend, I created a promo using drone footage cut with upbeat music and the tag "Discover your Savannah Weekend today!" It wound up being the Savannah Weekend spot that won the Emmy this year.

The event was at the Hyatt in Buckhead in Atlanta on June 15. I remember walking up on stage, seeing my commercial on the giant screen, and being handed a trophy. I said, "I'm new to this. This is cool!"

SCAD was my first taste of committing to excellence. At SCAD District I learned about taking a story and presenting it in a way that's honest and resonates in a way that's relevant. I took that with me when I came to news. I'm really grateful for the opportunity to challenge myself at a high level. I didn't expect to stay in Savannah but I'm glad I did.

Photograph: Just Toby