Tucked on a back wall at the Gutstein Gallery, Jana Marie Cariddi's painting "Dwelling to Devise a Way Out" is a lurid bombshell. Part of the group show Supernatural!, the acrylic-on-wood-panel pulses with humor and color. Its sense of being alive is, perhaps paradoxically, something a 2D artwork can achieve only through total commitment and kinetic intent.  

The title of the painting may be a nod to Ibsen's 1879 play A Doll's House, that enduring urtext for domestic dissatisfaction. As Cariddi (B.F.A., painting, 2015) says: "I'm trying to bring the house and the body together. They're both dynamic things that shelter us, and I like blurring the qualities that separate the two."

The work has kinship with Suellen Rocca's skew-whiff oils, Gilbert Shelton's freaky underground comix, and the uncanny visions of Leonora Carrington. But it is manifestly in touch with Cariddi's roots as a New Jersey punk rocker too. That aspect of the painting—its punkness—bristles with barely-tamed energy.

Disembodied facial features grieve; a lone molar languishes behind bars; a bulbous bicep powers a hand gripping a bouquet of funky tendrils. Meanwhile, a cutaway appears to reveal the studio of the artist herself. The brave painter embraces anarchy to achieve unity.

With her toy poodle Sid Vicious on her lap, Cariddi connected via Zoom from her home in Wisconsin to discuss the work.

Jana Marie Cariddi, "Dwelling to Devise a Way Out," 2021. Acrylic on wood panel.

Jana Marie Cariddi:

The painting in Supernatural! is actually the first painting I made in grad school. I'm now in the graduate painting program at University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I'm also teaching drawing to undergrads. One of the things about teaching is that it's super important to be confident. Students can pick up on that readily, and I think that's made me more confident in my abilities to teach. In my studio practice, I've been forced to be more confident because I have less time—I make decisions quicker and get in the studio when I can.

I consider myself somebody who really resonates with humor. I need it to get by. It's cathartic and it's necessary. For that to come out in my work is only natural. It's also quite a dark painting in some ways, but the fact you can look at it and laugh is part of my intention. I want it to resonate and feel familiar.

My drawing process is intuitive and spontaneous. I use Micron pens, and let the drawing evolve from my subconscious. My painting process is the opposite: I take the drawing and plan and execute step by step to turn the drawing into the painting.

When I made the sketch for this painting, I was looking at Rube Goldberg devices. I love how they go in all sorts of directions and can defy gravity. The environment is nonsensical. The dollhouse comes up in my work a lot, as a nod to girlhood. I grew up in the ‘90s watching a lot of Nickelodeon like Pee-wee's Playhouse, and Polly Pocket toys, where houses open up and have little rooms that somehow connect. I use a lot of geometry, but I consider myself an organic thinker.

As a SCAD undergrad I had a great professor for color theory, Deborah Mosch (M.F.A., illustration, 1991), who completely flipped me on my belly and taught me the power of colors. I started out studying illustration, and then was told: "If you like to solve problems be an illustrator, and if you like to ask questions be a painter." A week later I switched my major to painting. The SCAD painting faculty is wonderful. Professor Vanessa Platacis taught me so much about professionality, and she influenced and inspired me to be a hard-edge flat painter.

For me, my attraction to painting is that I have this crazy imagination and a need to express myself all the time. It could never be anything other than painting.

Visit Jana Marie Cariddi!

Supernatural! is on view at Gutstein Gallery through Fri. Sept 16. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

"For 75 days I studied the lavender growth daily, waiting for the purple to appear," wrote Nikole Nelson (B.F.A., interior design, 2007) in a mid-June Instagram post. "And on my last few days in Provence, it did."

Nelson's words represent the wonder of surrender, and the corresponding potential for artistic creation. Of her experience as a Spring 2022 SCAD Lacoste Alumni Atelier ambassador, she says: "Awakening to the earth's rhythms in that place in time was powerful for me."

Founder of the Hawaii-based art and design studio BLKCORAL, Nelson is familiar with great expectations. She has created conceptual environments for clients including Coach, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, and New Balance. For her SCAD Alumni Atelier project, Nelson created botanical artworks from flora sourced in the Luberon Valley. Her sculptural work Emergence, an undulating wave of lavender and pressed peony, was purchased by local collectors Barbara Hummel and Xavier Coll. "I'm thrilled the original piece will live on in Lacoste," Nelson says.

Recounting her Alumni Atelier experience, the artist's gratitude is palpable.

Emergence, lavender and pressed peony, 25" x 30", 2022.

Nikole Nelson:

I was first in SCAD Lacoste as a student in 2006, sixteen years ago, in the fall. Lacoste is a medieval village, so not much has changed aesthetically over time. Being there this spring, I thought it was going to be green and in bloom. Reality connected me to the fact that the seasons have rhythms, just like there's a rhythm within us. The earth was saying, this is the pace, you can't go any faster. There's so much magic in the land that it's undeniable.

The day I arrived I went into Café Beauregard and walked table to table and let the students know to feel free to talk to me. No matter what discipline you're studying there's always an opportunity to collaborate and have a conversation. When students came to my studio, I would always give them something—perhaps a Palo Santo stick and dried flowers and twine—that they could create with in their journals when they left.

I've been mentoring students for 15 years, primarily interior design students, so it was exciting in Lacoste to work with animation and fibers and painting and all kinds of majors. I love giving back to our future generations. SCAD thrives on reciprocity.

My plan in Lacoste was to make a large round sea of lavender. I wanted to sculpt the base then place the lavender over it. I realized I was not going to have access to the lavender I needed. I was going to have to pivot, like I've done with clients a million times. I gathered what I could and went to nurseries and befriended gardeners and got pointers on where to find lavender.

At that point at Acorn Cottage a peony bloomed that was ten inches across. It barely fit in my press. It was so beautiful that it took my breath away. I'd never seen one before in nature. I waited until the bloom period was done to let it be in its full glory. I pressed the peony for a week then put it into the silica so it's still sculptural and retains its depth. The work was photographed by my fellow Alumni Atelier ambassador Justin Zeilke (M.F.A., animation, 2017).

My Alumni Atelier Lacoste experience keeps giving beyond the 10-week quarter. I came home with a bounty of pressed and dried flowers and new concepts to explore. Moving through the power of the blooms I've begun communicating with the roots, going deeper into both myself and the earth. I'm excited to continue a more sculptural approach and see where the French botanicals take me.

Botanical transnational: Nikole Nelson at SCAD Lacoste.

Nikole Nelson would like to extend thanks and mahalo to President Wallace and Alumni Atelier director Tiffani Taylor (M.F.A., painting, 2020; M.A., art history, 2003; B.F.A., painting, 2002).

The SCAD Alumni Atelier, conceived and endowed by SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace, enriches the creative and professional endeavors of distinguished SCAD graduates.

Learn more about the Alumni Atelier program here.  

SCAD President Paula Wallace is proud to announce the creation and contribution of the SCAD Collection for Meals on Wheels Atlanta (MOWA). The permanent exhibition of SCAD artworks will adorn MOWA's new headquarters in West Midtown and the adjacent venue space 1705 West.

The SCAD Collection for MOWA features more than 50 artworks, personally selected by President Wallace and SCAD Chief Operating Officer Glenn Wallace. The dynamic exhibition will illuminate and enliven the new space, inspiring volunteers, guests, and the community. The gift fortifies the university's position as a leader in the Atlanta arts community. It aligns with the mission of SCAD SERVE, the community service design studio focused on uplifting local communities with design-driven solutions in the critical need areas of food, shelter, clothing, and environment. SCAD maintains a longstanding relationship with MOWA, in support of the organization's commitment to aid seniors in metro Atlanta struggling with food insecurity.

"Glenn and I were delighted to curate a special collection of more than fifty SCAD artworks to be exhibited at Meals on Wheels Atlanta," said President Wallace. "This SCAD collection complements the positive energy and meaningful work of MOWA by imbuing their handsome offices and events spaces with the joy of fine art. SCAD and Meals on Wheels Atlanta share a heart for the underserved of this wondrous city. Glenn and I wanted to do something special for our friends at MOWA to thank them for their important work."

Aliyah Salmon and Trish Andersen create Handled with Care, mixed yarns, 2022.

Fourteen notable SCAD alumni artists are featured in the dynamic exhibition. All the artworks showcase the creative artists represented by SCAD Art Sales, the university's in-house art consultancy and curatorial studio.

The esteemed visual alumni artists, from an array of SCAD's top-ranked degree programs including painting, illustration, fibers, photography, sculpture, and fashion design, were hand-selected to create original works of paintings, sculptures, large-scale installations and murals for this permanent exhibition to elevate and enrich the MOWA and 1705 West spaces. The works evoke the vibrancy of Atlanta and the SCAD spirit of altruism and community.

"The incredible generosity of President Wallace throughout the years is punctuated in this art exhibition that celebrates our new venue, 1705 West, and captures the essence of MOWA's mission," said MOWA CEO Charlene Crusoe-Ingram. "The artworks and their SCAD creators are a reflection of our colorful city, the seniors we serve, and our staff who deliver food, compassion, and care that our aging neighbors urgently need."

SCAD alumni artists featured in the SCAD Collection for MOWA include:

Trish Andersen (B.F.A., fibers, 2005)
Aliyah Salmon (B.F.A., textile design, 2018)
Kent Knowles (B.F.A., painting, 1997; SCAD painting professor)
Marcus Kenney (M.F.A., photography, 1998)
Abigail Chase Miller (M.A., sculpture, 2019)
Adrienne Dixon (B.F.A., painting, 2011)
Brandon Sadler (B.F.A., illustration, 2009)
Chris Skeene a.k.a. Blockhead (B.F.A., photography, 2006)
Ayana Ross (M.F.A., painting)
Dan VanLandingham (M.F.A., painting, 2011)
Tim Kent (B.F.A., painting, 2014)
Hasani Sahlehe (B.F.A., painting, 2015)
Michael Porten (M.F.A., painting, 2012; B.F.A., illustration, 2004)
Lauren Coggins-Tuttle (M.F.A., painting, 2012)

For information about Meals on Wheels Atlanta, please visit mowatl.org.

Banner image: hand-painted mural by Kent Knowles.

MOWA HQ image with work by Hasani Sahlehe and Marcus Kenney, 2022.

More than a lane, Aleatha Lindsay is creating an intersectional superhighway, accessible to all.

Lindsay (M.A., arts administration, 2013), founder of the disability-led arts organization Ikouii, has curated the new book INSIDE THEIR STUDIO: Deaf & Disabled Artists Reshaping the Arts (Ikouii Creative, 2022). Featuring stunning photographs of artists including Chris Fonseca, David McCauley, Ellice Patterson, and Mary Anna Rappazzo, the book showcases versatile practices from painting and sculpture to photography, poetry, film, and dance.

"The works featured in INSIDE THEIR STUDIO are poetic, profound, beautiful, and visionary," Lindsay says. "Drawn from the artists' collections, they demystify the contributions that artists living with disabilities share."

As Jenna Reid, Artistic Director at Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture, writes in the foreword: "Being a disabled artist is fraught with challenges: this world was not built with us in mind. But our studios are spaces for dreaming, creating, and making in ways that bring our ancestors' dreams to life."

Lindsay and Ikouii are dedicated to manifesting those dreams. In addition to the new book, the org's current online exhibition, Bodies, on view through July 9, is "one of our most provocative exhibits," Lindsay says. "We provided a space to celebrate all types of bodies. Viewers have really resonated with the experiences on view and the vulnerability of each artist."

As a creative business leader, Lindsay is also a stakeholder in an ongoing Fulton Country Arts & Culture study assessing accessibility to performing arts facilities for individuals with disabilities. "The study focuses on developing best practices for engaging artists with disabilities in cultural facilities," Lindsay explains. "The need to ensure access for the disability arts community of greater Atlanta has never been more urgent, and this study can help steer us in the right direction."

Lindsay relishes the issues inherent in promoting individuals with disabilities as artists, art professionals, curators, and patrons of the arts. INSIDE THEIR STUDIO demonstrates her ever-evolving vision.

David McCauley by Lisa Presnail, from INSIDE THEIR STUDIO: Deaf & Disabled Artists Reshaping the Arts.

"With the new book, it was important to feature a diverse body of deaf and disabled artists from, but not limited to, the BIPOC, LGBTQIA, and Neurodivergent communities," Lindsay says. "This reflects one of Ikouii's core values: to provide space for diversity. These artists, like many that go unmentioned, deserve a rightful place in the larger global art landscape and deserve straightforward unhindered access."

Perhaps the biggest challenge comes in balancing the attention paid to artists across such a diverse community.

"Disability is not a one size fits all. Within the D/deaf community alone, you may find some who prefer lip-reading and are verbal, while others may primarily use sign language and are non-verbal, and some who are in between. You have some individuals who have multiple disabilities, and there are variations within each disability. For me, the best approach is to meet each individual where they are and consider their specific needs. Representation matters."

Above, Aleatha Lindsay, at work in her studio. Photo courtesy Aleatha Lindsay.

SCAD is proud to announce Darrell Naylor-Johnson as the new vice president for SCAD Savannah. Naylor-Johnson's professional experience in higher education spans three decades and includes teaching in the fine arts and humanities, combined with strategic leadership across numerous administrative areas.

"Becoming the new VP of SCAD Savannah is a remarkable privilege and honor," said Naylor-Johnson. "I have been a member of the Savannah and SCAD communities for more than 30 years. I raised my family here and have helped countless students make their dreams a reality. I am excited to bring these two communities that I cherish even closer together."

As vice president for SCAD Savannah, Naylor-Johnson will serve as an ambassador to the Savannah community. He will champion SCAD SERVE, empowering the university's students, faculty, and staff to work with neighbors and local leaders to create meaningful design solutions that improve quality of life. Naylor-Johnson will also lead the Office of Inclusion to ensure a culture where all people feel valued and able to thrive. Additionally, he will oversee the leadership of the university's Savannah location, promoting success across all SCAD Savannah departments and areas.

"I have witnessed SCAD's long legacy of giving in Savannah, uplifting diverse voices, and rallying our students to volunteer to help solve problems. I will build on these positive past experiences in my new role. Strengthening and deepening the ties between the local community and SCAD makes Savannah a more beautiful, creative, inclusive, and inspiring place for us all," Naylor-Johnson said.

Naylor-Johnson joined SCAD in 1992 as a professor of foundation studies and was promoted in 2000 to serve as Dean of the School of Fine Arts. He has impacted the SCAD community as a leader in numerous roles including assistant vice president for academic services, vice president for SCAD eLearning, interim associate vice president for SCAD Atlanta, and most recently as the senior director of library services, providing operational and strategic oversight for SCAD Libraries, one of the largest and most comprehensive art and design library systems in the United States. He is also a SCAD alumnus. He earned his B.F.A. in illustration from SCAD in 1989 and his M.F.A. in painting from Pennsylvania State University in 1992.

As an active contributor to the Savannah community, Naylor-Johnson has served on numerous organization and agency boards, including the West Broad Street YMCA, Beach Institute African American Cultural Center, vestry of the St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and Georgia Department of Children and Youth Services. Additionally, he spent several years leading community art and mural collaborations and has been involved with numerous City of Savannah initiatives spanning city and county administrations.

Known for his sartorial savoir-faire, Naylor-Johnson is seldom without a distinctive bow tie, often from the designs of Buck & Doe Goods founder Jessica Pope (B.F.A., fibers, 2005).

Naylor-Johnson officially moves into his new role on June 13.

Learn more about SCAD Savannah.

Palmer Hefferan keeps sounding off. In 2017, the composer and sound designer made Broadway history as part the all-female design team for "The Lifespan of a Fact." This year, she returned to Broadway at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater for the new production of "The Skin of Our Teeth," Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 1942. Under the direction of Lileana Blain-Cruz, the lavish production offered what the New York Times called "the maximalist revival it deserves."

"A lot of times in theater I'm working on multiple shows at once, but for ‘The Skin of Our Teeth,' I blocked off two months to sit in on rehearsals," says Hefferan (B.F.A, sound design, 2007). "It was important for the actors to hear the sonic world that was going to be happening."

Across the play's three epic acts, Hefferan delivered the sounds of an Ice Age, a world war, and the Atlantic City Boardwalk in the Roaring Twenties. "I feel fortunate that SCAD gave me my solid foundation for the science of sound, and how sound conceptually engages with dialogue."

Hefferan has now received a Tony Award nomination for Best Sound Design of a Play, one of six nods for "The Skin of Our Teeth." With The Tony Awards set to broadcast this Sunday, she Zoom'd in to talk about her work. What follows is condensed from that discussion.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes — "The Skin of Our Teeth"

Palmer Hefferan: Sound designers are responsible for curating an experience for the audience, connecting them with the text and the performer as much as possible. I started my career at a moment when sound design was finally, rightly being acknowledged in a notable way. Sound design was first eligible for the Tony Awards in 2007, which happens to be the year I graduated from SCAD.

Our director Lileana Blain-Cruz chose this play as a feast of design, and because "The Skin of Our Teeth" is a story of human survival, encompassing cataclysmic events as one family moves through centuries. With climate change, war, and an ongoing pandemic, the play is a corollary to what we're experiencing today.

In my early conversations with Lileana, we knew we were going to have contemporary music in the show. Once we get to the Atlantic City Boardwalk, even though it's the 1920s, I knew I wanted electronic club music, so I found mashups of classic songs, like Cab Calloway's "The Hi Dee Ho Man." We embraced that anachronism.

One of the challenges, for me, was giving each audience member the ability to experience powerful sonic moments tethered to the play. The Vivian Beaumont Theater is one of the three largest theaters on Broadway. I created an umbrella of speakers, encompassing the space. At the end of Act Two there's a Noah's Ark moment where animals are collected and put on a ship. That means hearing a whale blowhole, seal chatter, or sea birds flying over the house. Every single person has a unique experience in their seat. When the dinosaur and mammoth appear, we'd placed a subwoofer under the stage, so the audience can feel those big, low-frequency sound waves.

This is my first time nominated for a Tony, and I have so many friends nominated too. We're all contemporaries. To me, it feels like this season represents an ushering in of new voices and ideas. I appreciate Broadway history and the generations of designers who made their mark, and it's exciting to be able to bring new ideas to the highest level. I tell students, you are the tastemakers of the future. As you become your own artist, your perspective is valuable, and you can make history.

Palmer Hefferan, Tony Awards "Meet the Nominees," May 11, 2022. Photo by Anthony Behar/Sipa USA/Alamy Live News

The 75th Annual Tony Awards air Sunday, June 12, 2022, with "Act One" design categories streaming from 7-8 p.m. ET on Paramount+, and the main event airing 8-11 p.m. ET on CBS.

Get ready to celebrate the SCAD Class of 2022! Fête the university's largest graduating class, with digital and in-person events Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4. Presented online, the Presidential Conferment of Degrees begins 9 a.m. ET, Friday, June 3, for all SCAD locations, uniting graduates, students, and audiences from around the world. Following the morning's ceremony, in-person Presentations of Degrees with esteemed faculty will take place in Savannah and Atlanta through Saturday, June 4, as graduates command the stage.

"The Class of 2022 will carry SCAD in their hearts wherever they go, into every boardroom, every brand they build, and every atelier and studio they launch," said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. "SCAD Bees make the world more beautiful. Together, we strengthen our communities and uplift our neighbors. These talented Bees may be graduating, but they never leave SCAD. They are SCAD. And they shine our love and light in everything they create for others."

The high-energy, digital conferment of degrees ceremony will be emceed by entertainer, actor, composer, YouTube sensation, and SCAD alum Daniel Thrasher (B.F.A., performing arts, 2015).

President Wallace will confer degrees and present two honorary degrees to visionary artists David Yurman and Tricky Stewart. Yurman is a jewelry designer and sculptor with a lifelong love for design an innovation. With his wife and co-founder, Sybil, Yurman created America's foremost luxury jewelry brand, David Yurman. Stewart is a multi-Grammy Award-winning songwriter, producer, and composer. In a career spanning more than three decades, Stewart's profound respect and appreciation for music has been the guiding force in more than 50 million records sold.

Acclaimed actor, writer, director, producer, and bestselling author Amy Poehler will deliver the commencement address to more than 3,200 graduates during the virtual ceremony. Poehler made her documentary directorial debut with Amazon's critically acclaimed documentary Lucy & Desi, which she executive produced through her production company Paper Kite Productions. She also executive produces Netflix's Emmy-Award winning series Russian Doll, Amazon's Harlem, NBC's Making It, which she co-hosts alongside Nick Offerman, Peacock's Baking It, and Fox's Duncanville, which she co-created and voices two characters. Her acting credits include Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, Inside Out, and Mean Girls, among others.

Other programming includes remarks by SCAD alumni Erika Bazo (B.F.A., industrial design, 2014; B.F.A., service design, 2014) and Daniel Freyermuth (B.F.A., industrial design, 2012). The couple met at SCAD and have since led innovation and change in their respective creative careers. Bazo is a senior user experience manager at multinational financial services firm Charles Schwab. Freyermuth serves as the product strategy and development director for Flarespace,a Storyteller Overland subsidiary and adventure van parts manufacturer supporting RV manufacturers and the DIY community. Their remarks will encourage the new graduates to "live free, explore endlessly, and tell better stories."

The HoneyBees, SCAD's elite performance ensemble, will also be featured, along with a compilation video of the university's 2022 Outstanding Graduates from both the SCAD Savannah and Atlanta locations, and a special highlight reel dedicated to the Class of 2022. Outstanding graduates represent an array of the university's top- ranked degree programs including business of beauty and fragrance, interactive design and game development, industrial design, interior design, performing arts, visual effects, and user experience (UX) design.The digital event will be livestreamed via YouTube with a link to the live broadcast at scad.edu/commencement, giving at-home viewers a front-row seat to the show.

Following the morning ceremony, the Presentation of Degrees ceremonies will take place as in-person events at the Savannah Convention Center and the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Savannah graduates will participate in the ceremony designated for their school on either Friday, June 3, or Saturday, June 4. For friends and loved ones who are unable to attend in person, all Presentation of Degrees ceremonies will also be streamed live online via scad.edu/commencement.

SCAD Outstanding Graduates 2022:

ATLANTA
Valedictorian
Jabria Oliver (B.F.A., industrial design)

Salutatorian
Akebalan Etzioni (B.F.A., interactive design and game development)

Excelsus Laureate
You Li (M.F.A., interior design)

SAVANNAH
Valedictorian
Hannah Harris (B.F.A., business of beauty and fragrance)

Salutatorian
Andrew Goodridge ( B.F.A., user experience (UX) design)

Excelsus Laureate
Felipe Amaya Quintero (M.F.A., visual effects)

Congratulations SCAD Class of 2022!

Stranded on an island in the middle of a stormy ocean, you must stay warm by collecting resources and upgrading your home. The further you go, the more you come to realize that these Hinterlands are not quite as empty as they first appeared — and the fate of these lands now rests in your hands.

This dramatic gameplay prompt is the essence of Home Is Where the Hearth Is, an action-based RPG created by students as a 20-week senior capstone project. The game won Best of Show and Best 3D Game at the Entelechy awards, in addition to receiving multiple award nominations from The Rookies.

During the "making of" panel at SCAD GamingFest 2022, lead programmer Nathan Cartwright (B.F.A., interactive design and game development, 2021) and project lead and narrative designer James Hill (B.F.A., interactive design and game development, 2021) discussed their process. Cartwright and Hill were joined by interactive design and game development professor Jack Mamais and department chair SuAnne Fu.

"Having a well-written narrative was one of our highest priorities throughout development," said Cartwright. "Blending story, gameplay, and art style was critical to achieving the look and feel we wanted for the game."

"As the project grew, our skills grew too, and the quality of the game started to shift," Hill said. "Because we were using an agile workflow, we were able to look at what was working and what wasn't, which allowed us to iterate and address challenges before they became unmanageable."

To create Home Is Where the Hearth Is, Cartwright and Hill formed Hearthbound Games with fellow SCAD students Scarlet Blackwell, Amanda Wood, Dylan Porter, and Mei Li Ho. Much of the game's art was created using Unreal Engine, Maya, Substance, and ZBrush. The game's naturalistic color palette complements the core mission of the game's protagonist, a young woman named Aden who travels into the wilderness in search of a fresh start.

Cartwright: "These features, in combination with our collection and management mechanics, reinforced the foundational question posed by our narrative: What makes the place you live a home, and what is that worth to you?"

"This was a highly advanced project," added Prof. Mamais. "The students wanted not only to make a game that looked good, but a game that played great, with at least 10 hours of gameplay. It has its own unique voice, with the character of the hearth mechanic, and is distinct as an action-based RPG."

For Cartwright, one distinguishing aspect of development was attention paid to the protagonist's options. "When you're playing this game, your choices affect not only the narrative, but mechanical aspects as well. That's the true power of the game."

Department chair SuAnne Fu agreed: "The branching narrative of Home Is Where the Hearth Is means you can really explore the world, and get into it, because it's so rich in content."

"What I love is how much effort went into Hearthbound Games, and replicating a real industry environment for our work," Cartwright added. "That means that before we ever set foot outside SCAD, we had a real experience of what it's like to go down this career path."

Hill said, "We worked hard to put together something that could actually be played, and we were all so excited to do it."

Read more about the dedicated GamingFest panel in this superb article by Andrea Rosado (B.F.A., animation).


"I create jewelry that is imbued with meaningful intention and made for self-expression," says Melanie Clarke (B.F.A., jewelry, 2003). "Everything is energy and energy is everything."

After graduating from SCAD, Clarke relocated to San Francisco, working for many years at fine jewelry boutique Trabert Goldsmiths. She connected deeply with a spiritual practice in tune with her designs. Her own jewelry line, Mana Combe, infuses history and mysticism into gorgeous pieces that, as Clarke explains, represent "activations."

After close to two decades in California, Clarke has recently returned home to Georgia. A jaunt to Savannah means the healer will appear in person at this week’s SCAD Jewelry Trunk Show. 

SCAD: How do you balance your work between tradition and experimentation?

Melanie Clarke: My education at SCAD helped build a foundation of essential skills that has served me millions of times. The jewelry department provided my formal jewelry design discipline, while my fine art classes and historical studies sowed seeds of inspiration. I have expanded this 'garden' into the mystic realm—mostly through curiosity. I push myself to travel alongside the world of sacred geometry and ancient studies. I find the greatest inspiration by exploring the mystery of old-world artifacts and modern-day technologies. I use CAD software to render some of my overly complex designs that would otherwise be impossible. I approach my work with zero limitations. If you can envision it: it is possible! 

SCAD: How does your jewelry connect to your commitment to transformational wellness?

MC: I recently found my 2003 senior thesis artist statement and it is nearly identical to my ethos of Mana Combe. I want people to wear my work and draw kindred spirits into their space, so that they can connect and share a moment of loving exchange. I believe anything infused with loving intention can activate the subconscious, opening all sorts of fabulous doors, leading to expansion. What better way to experience joy than with the visual health and wellness of beauty, color, and form!

Melanie Clarke, 'Barakat // Blessings,' 2022, handmade 18k yellow gold pendant approx. 1" long x ½" wide; 18" diamond-cut chain.

SCAD: Which pieces of yours are in this year’s SCAD Trunk Show?

MC: I am selling a variety of designs I've made through the years, showcasing a range of favorites. I have everything from a super crisp and sparkly diamond ring to a golden crystal-grid 'artifact' ring to dainty little bands. I also brought some chunky animal pendants as well. All my pieces tell their own little story and I hope they find their happily-ever-after!

SCAD: What does Trunk Show 2022 mean to you as part of the SCAD jewelry family?


MC: I only recently moved back home to Georgia, and it's been nearly 20 years since I graduated, so this show is very exciting. So many formative moments happened here while I was learning my way around metal. Professor Jay Song was one the most important teachers I've ever had. She still teaches me today. When she speaks, I listen, because I trust her and love her. She wants her students to succeed. She is tough when she needs to be but always supportive in helping her students grow to be the best artists. I am a better artist today because of my experience at SCAD and my time in the jewelry department.

Meet Melanie this week at SCAD Jewelry Trunk Show 2022!

Fabulous? Absolutely! It's time for SCAD FASHION 2022, a global showcase of original designs by SCAD School of Fashion senior and graduate students.

The highly anticipated signature event commences in the Alex Townsend Memorial Courtyard at SCAD Museum of Art, Friday, May 20, at 8:30 p.m., as SCAD welcomes international fashion and design luminaries and special guests for a first look at exquisite, innovative creations by the industry's latest prodigies. Audiences around the world can witness the elite sartorial showcase, highlighting the unparalleled talent emerging from SCAD, via livestream.

The show begins with the high-concept film Fashion Run, directed by SCAD alum Squire Fox, featuring an eclectic range of more than 100 student-created garments. The film takes audiences behind the scenes as models race to SCAD MOA and dash backstage where hair and make-up artists and wardrobe assistants await. Models donning more than 50 garments curated from the student collections, then grace the red carpet and command the runway amid a fantastical mise-en-scène. SCAD alumni from the university's top-ranked degree programs collaborated on the film, which stars more than 100 SCAD student models and actors.

Each year, graduating SCAD School of Fashion students in Atlanta and Savannah are invited to have their work expertly critiqued by fashion and design leaders, who provide mentorship and industry knowledge essential for students' future careers. The university's SCAD Style Lab mentor program connects students directly with established designers as they complete their final collections for the runway.

This year's SCAD Style Lab mentors include Studio 189 co-founder and Fashion Our Future founder Abrima Erwiah; designer and Another Tomorrow creative director Elizabeth Giardina; Diesel creative director, streetwear designer, and SCAD alum Phil Riedel (B.F.A., industrial design, 2006); SCAD alum Ashley Romasko (B.F.A., fashion, 2018), a ready-to-wear designer at Tory Burch; conceptual artist, stylist, and influencer Charlie Staunton; Draper James VP and design consultant Frederic Tremblay; and acclaimed stylist Jules Wood.

As part of SCAD FASHION 2022, the university hosts Our Friend André: A SCAD Tribute to André Leon Talley, honoring the beloved fashion luminary and SCAD advocate and champion, Friday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony includes an enlightening conversation with famed fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and premier fashion journalists Vanessa Friedman and Constance White on Talley's legendary life and bold spirit. During the event, the university will bestow internationally heralded fashion designer and SCAD alum Christopher John Rogers (B.F.A., fashion, 2016) with the André Leon Talley Award in recognition of his phenomenal rise to global acclaim.

SCAD FASHION programming also includes the annual SCAD Jewelry Trunk Show, where guests can shop one-of-a-kind wearable art by SCAD students, alumni, faculty, and staff. The top-ranked SCAD jewelry program is the largest in the U.S. and prepares students for success through an advanced-level curriculum and access to cutting-edge technological resources.

On Saturday, May 21, Christopher John Rogers and his team of fellow SCAD alumni —brand director Christina Ripley (B.F.A., fashion marketing and management, 2016), studio director David Rivera (B.F.A., dramatic writing, 2016), and production director Alex Tyson (B.F.A., fashion, 2016) — unite in conversation to share how their radical creativity, business savvy, and kindred collaboration has catapulted the brand to international success.

See the full list of events and tune in to the livestream here!