"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.

SCAD presents "L’esprit de SCAD" at the university’s location in Lacoste, the arts village of the Provence region of France. The exhibition, Aug. 31-Nov. 16, 2019, features captivating designs by students and alumni from SCAD’s top-ranked School of Fashion.

"L’esprit de SCAD" transports the energy of the internationally acclaimed SCAD Runway Show to Lacoste in lively tableaux of select student fashions from the spring 2019 shows at SCAD Atlanta, Savannah, and Hong Kong locations. The exhibition includes a range of designs from flowing, embroidered gowns to tailored, gender-neutral looks. The garments all demonstrate a thorough understanding of cut, proportion, and expert choice of materials.

Several of the pieces feature prints designed by the designer, and are executed with the latest high-tech digital printers available at the SCAD locations. The couture techniques taught at SCAD are realized in the delicately embroidered dresses and in the structured jackets with appliquéd details.

"SCAD is the international university for creative professions, including fashion!" states SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace. "Join us for 'L’esprit de SCAD’, a glamorous exhibition of student creations installed in medieval caves of the picturesque hillside village of Lacoste."

In addition to the designs on display, "L’esprit de SCAD" will showcase two film vignettes within the caves to provide visitors an in-depth look at SCAD’s annual fashion shows. The first vignette will showcase the glamorous, behind-the-scenes moments leading up to the SCAD Fashion 2019 runway shows in both Savannah and Atlanta. The other film on display will be a visual compilation of SCAD Fashion runway and showcases from recent years giving Lacoste guests a front-row perspective. Dynamic designs from SCAD Hong Kong, Atlanta, and Savannah shows will be shown, highlighting the innovative work and brilliance of SCAD student and alumni designers.

"L’esprit de SCAD" is curated by Rafael Gomes, director of SCAD fashion exhibitions.

SCAD student and alumni designers featured in "L’esprit de SCAD" include:

Brandon Skipper (M.F.A., fashion, 2019)
Inés María Alvarez (B.F.A., fashion, 2019)
Shruti Sudha (M.A., fashion 2019)
Sohyun Kim (B.F.A., fashion, 2019)
Jessica Rubinstein (B.F.A., fashion, 2018)
Sabrina Batiz (B.F.A., fashion, 2019)
Tianyu Cheng (B.F.A., fashion, 2019)
Yoohyeon Kim (B.F.A., fashion, 2019)
Darren Apolonio (B.F.A., fashion, 2019)

SCAD Lacoste is a residential study-abroad location in France, offering immersion in the history and culture of Provence. Course offerings each quarter are varied to apply to all SCAD areas of study and are taught by SCAD professors. Lacoste is a beautifully preserved medieval village, known by artists for its extraordinary light and exquisite pastoral setting. SCAD Lacoste buildings date from the ninth to the 19th centuries, with a variety of modern amenities. SCAD Lacoste structures include a library, gallery, dining hall and housing, as well as teaching studios dedicated to painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography and digital imaging. Students interact with visiting artists, take field trips to museums and historic sites in the area, and have an opportunity to exhibit their work at a local vernissage. Learn more about SCAD Lacoste.

"L'esprit de SCAD" opening reception: Saturday, Aug. 31, 6–8 p.m.
Exhibition hours: Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to noon and 2–5 p.m.

Top image: Design by Brandon Zayden Skipper, M.F.A., fashion, Chicago, Illinois.

Great crystalline cylinders graced the ceiling. Blue and magenta spotlights danced around the room. Guests were greeted by the mesmerizing song of the guzheng on stage. The Diamond Ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong was set to perfection.

At the culmination of this spectacular 40th year of SCAD, president and founder Paula Wallace ascended the stage to congratulate the 2019 graduating class. "Thank you for fulfilling the dream of SCAD and furthering SCAD's legacy," she said. "To earn this moment, you have given fully of yourself — hand, head, and heart."

Students of sequential art, animation, interior design, and more beamed back at her. Their years of study at SCAD Hong Kong, in the digital labs, darkrooms, and studios of the revitalized North Kowloon Magistracy building led to this moment. The vibrant Sham Shui Po district of the city will forever bear their mark.

As the tassels turned, friends, family, and faculty burst out in thunderous applause for the exceptional SCAD class of 2019.

SCAD Hong Kong commencement speaker Bernard Chan

Here are five salient remarks from the Hong Kong ceremony:

1. SCAD alumna and Anastasia Simone (B.F.A., advertising, 2015), who spoke with her partner, Jonathan Lee (B.F.A., advertising, 2015):
"Your professors have prepared you better than you can imagine, and those sleepless nights haven't been for nothing. You’re more than ready for what's ahead, and you have a great support network of SCAD alumni. So be confident, and believe in the knowledge and skills you've earned. You're already prepared for anything you set your heart to."

2. Valedictorian Queenie Ng (B.F.A., sequential art, 2019):
"SCAD class of 2019, we’ve grown so much since we arrived. Here today, I see the faces of my fellow SCAD students who worked with giants including Cathay Pacific, The Ritz-Carlton, Pfizer, Disney, and many others. I see SCAD students whose work is now all over TV and published in magazines, with the world already eager to see their next masterpieces. Most of all, I see students who are just as passionate in their work as I am, excited to create more, and artists who inspire me, even if they don't know it themselves."

3. Excelsus Laureate Vivien So (M.A., luxury and fashion management, 2019):
"I came to SCAD to learn about the business of fashion, but I ended up learning so much more. The most important thing I learned at SCAD is that hard work and perseverance can take you anywhere you want to go. It was such a rewarding challenge to launch my own business while simultaneously earning my Master’s degree."

4. Allen Au-Yeung, vice president of creative and product development for Disney Parks, SCAD Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters recipient:
"Stay curious and passionate. And always, give more than you take. If I have any advice for the Class of 2019, it is this: Although you are all graduating today, I encourage you to keep learning. Let today be a springboard to lifelong learning and nurturing of your creative mind."

5. Bernard Chan, incumbent convener of Hong Kong's executive council, SCAD commencement speaker and Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters recipient:
"Because you persevered, you have learned to think creatively, outside of the box. You've learned to rely on people you've just met by developing a new family of classmates and professors. I've often heard people around here saying ‘SCAD is family!’ And those things are what SCAD has given you beyond the lessons in the classroom. You may not have realized it, but those hardships you struggled through made you better, cleverer, more kind, and more open. They made you ready to face what lies ahead."

Honorary Doctorate recipient Allen Au-Yeung with graduates

Learn more about SCAD Hong Kong.

The 2019 SCAD graduating class comprises the largest ever in university history. In celebration of this historic commencement, and in celebration of the SCAD’s 40th anniversary, keynote addresses in Savannah, Atlanta and Hong Kong will be delivered by vaunted guests Robert Chavez, Carson Kressley and Bernard Chan, respectively.

Chavez, Hermès of Paris, Inc. president and CEO of the Americas, will address the SCAD Savannah graduating class during commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 31. The following day, Saturday, June 1, author and television style expert Kressley, will speak to the 2019 graduates at SCAD Atlanta. Prominent dignitary Chan will address SCAD Hong Kong graduates on Saturday, June 8.

"SCAD celebrates our 40th year with the graduation of our largest class ever — nearly 2,900 creative professionals are entering the workforce,” said SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace. “Celebrations will be held in Savannah, Atlanta, and Hong Kong. While we say goodbye to the Bees of ‘19, we never say adieu — we say au revoir. SCAD is family, after all! I can't wait to see what each of these SCAD grads accomplishes next, and to invite them back to share their many successes with future generations. Once a Bee, always a Bee!"

Chavez, leader of the French luxury goods label Hermès' Western operations, will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters prior to his commencement addresses at 1 p.m. Chavez, with Hermès since 2000, brought the first Hermès Boutique for Men to New York in 2010. He continues to represent the luxury house's core values of quality, consistency, creativity and innovation throughout the world. In 2002, SCAD collaborated with Hermès to create a series of exclusive scarves based on art work by SCAD students.

Kressley, an Emmy Award-winning American television personality, actor, designer and New York Times best-selling author, will address Atlanta's graduating class at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. The fashion expert on Queer Eye, Dancing with the Stars contestant, RuPaul's Drag Race judge, and star of Bravo's Get a Room will accept an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

Chan, a Hong Kong politician and successful businessman, will speak with SCAD Hong  Kong 2019 graduates at 12 p.m., Saturday, June 8. Chan currently serves as the convenor of Hong Kong's Executive Council and will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. SCAD will also bestow an honorary degree to Alan Au-Yeung, vice president of creative at Walt Disney Co. SCAD students won Walt Disney's Imagineering Imaginations Design Competition the past two consecutive years.

The SCAD Class of 2019 is the largest in the university's history, with more than 2,900 graduates to cross the stage in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, and Hong Kong. This year, SCAD achieved record enrollment of 15,000 students across its international locations.

SCAD students consistently secure creative careers upon graduation. 99 percent of SCAD Spring 2018 graduates were employed, pursuing further education or both within 10 months of graduation.

SCAD has more than 40,000 graduates living and working in 70 countries. This includes alumni who create thermal blankets for NASA space missions, act in award-winning Netflix shows, design costumes worn by Lady Gaga at the 2018 Grammy Awards, and design furniture for Anthropologie.

Follow commencement activities on Twitter and Instagram using #SCAD2019.

More details at www.scad.edu/life/commencement.

Time to celebrate a historic year for SCAD Savannah athletics! Nearly 150 SCAD student-athletes gathered upstairs in Poetter Hall on Thursday evening for fun, photos and refreshments. SCAD celebrated a total of nine national team championships for the 2018-2019 academic year, nearly doubling the 2017-2018 record of five.

Commingling with coaches, trainers and staff, the event provided an opportunity for student-athletes from different sports to get reacquainted or meet for the first time. Common ground was easy to find: all of them are national champions.

Sliders and fries fed the festivities, with t-shirts and polos tailored for each individual sport as desirable door prizes available to all. A refurbished vintage indoor bowling machine proved particularly popular as students enjoyed their unprecedented success with extra competitive amusement.

Remarks from SCAD President Paula Wallace drew a roar of enthusiasm from the champion student-athletes.

"I have to commend all the coaches, trainers, our staff and all of our amazing athletes," President Wallace said. "Our teams exemplify the head, the hand and the heart of SCAD. All the hard work, all the practice sessions to make it to nationals, and then to compete and win, I'm so proud of all of you. You all exemplify the SCAD hustle! You know how to work, how to get things done, and you certainly how to win. You represent SCAD so beautifully every day in competition."

President Wallace them introduced SCAD bowling national champion Benjamin Martinez (B.F.A., advertising), who began his remarks: "There's a lot of SCAD excellence in this room!" Martinez, who also bowls for the Mexican national team, acknowledged the accomplishments of each national championship-winning team, as pockets of cheers from the teams grew to a sustained ovation.

"Like all of us in this room, I came to SCAD full of dream and goals," Martinez said. "One in particular: winning a national championship. After countless strenuous workouts and practices, and bringing homework on the road, here we are celebrating our national championships. Thank you to all of coaches for your tremendous dedication and hard work: You helped to make our dreams come true." Martinez concluded with deceptively casual emphasis: "Fellow champions, just a reminder: This isn't our last year of dominance. The best is yet to come."

SCAD set a university records of nine total team national championships for the academic year 2018-2019! SCAD athletes won a total of 15 individual national championships.

2018-2019 national championship-winning teams:
SCAD women's lacrosse NAIA National Champions
SCAD men's bowling NAIA Invitational National Champions
SCAD women's bowling NAIA Invitational National Champions
SCAD women's swimming NAIA National Champions
SCAD equestrian: three national team titles (ANRC National Division Champions; ANRC Novice Division Champions; National Tournament of Champions Overall Series Title)
SCAD cycling: two national championships (Men's & Women's Combined Road National Champions; Omnium Combined National Champions)

SCAD Paul Poetter Female Athlete of the Year: Olivia Ray (cycling), winner of seven national titles this year as an individual, competing on both the track bike and the road bike.
SCAD Paul Poetter Male Athlete of the Year: Adam Edgar (equestrian), winner of the Cacchione Cup (individual national title) at this year's IHSA National Championships.
Champion of Character: Anne Weber Callahan (swimming)
Athletic Director Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Briana Hunter (soccer)
Athletic Director Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Mateo Fernandez (tennis)
SCAD Assistant Coach of the Year: Verity Crawley (bowling)
SCAD Frances Wong Coach of the Year: Katie Thornton (bowling)

Thank you to all the student-athletes, coaches, trainers and SCAD Athletic Director Doug Wollenburg for an unforgettable year.

Learn more about SCAD Athletics.

Go Bees!
 
 

Witnessed at SCAD FASHION 2019's debut Atlanta Runway Show, Linden Colby's senior collection "The Art of Imperfection" caused a sleight-of-sight sensation. Dominated by denim, underpinned with poly pongee, Colby's garments exemplified the creativity, technicality and craftsmanship of SCAD School of Fashion students.

A graduate of Marshwood High School in South Berwick, Maine, Colby (B.F.A., fashion) begins her creative career as associate apparel designer at Abercrombie & Fitch in fall, 2019. First, her collection hits the runway again, this time in Savannah on Saturday, May 18.

Linden Colby:

My collection is my commentary on living in a perfectionist society. Six designs tell a whole story. I call my muse the inner warrior. She's pulling apart oversized denim pieces and bursts of color come out. She represents mental strength, as well as physical strength. She takes experience and expectation on her shoulders and walks with confidence in the world.

Being meticulous about every detail in our lifestyles and appearances, we have to be reminded that leaving things to chance and being instinctive can be gorgeous. That's something I recognized in the work of Michelle Morin (B.F.A., graphic design). I fell in love with the way Michelle pours high-fluidity paint onto canvas. I reached out to her and she was immediately interested in collaborating.

For the active wear pieces, I sent a Photoshop file of Michelle's paintings to a company in New York City called Design2Print, and they printed it onto spandex material using dye sublimation. Rather than water or chemical-based dyes, it's more like a heat transfer. It eliminates waste from the process.

The SCAD fashion department has a diverse faculty, who all have incredible experience as professionals working for top companies. One of our professors, Mitchell Vassie, told me about the Japanese idea of Mottainai, and I took that idea of salvaging things too good to waste as I was creating my collection.

I find an ease in working with denim because it's a sturdy fabric, it's not silky or slippery. The stitching on denim is supposed to be visible, so you're not doing tiny hand-stitches to hide the sewing. But as you're adding layers of denim together it becomes challenging.

In fall 2018, a representative from the denim brand Isko came speak to SCAD fashion students about the I-Skool design competition. I asked about a sponsorship, he said yes, and I visited their NYC showroom over winter break and selected my denim. Everything denim in my collection is from Isko. I used a herringbone weave, and a selvedge denim, and one that feels and looks like a wool blend.

I used pleats as a functional visual detail. I had to measure, for every inch of denim I'm going to need another inch of the print to fold under, then another inch to fold the other way. You know when they tell you in high school you're going to use math for the rest of your life? They meant it.

Seeing the garments in an actual fashion show is a different experience. When the pleats open, you see the whole pattern underneath. That changes as the model walks and moves. Her leg kicks out and the colors pop. It's so exciting to watch ideas come to life.

Collection photography: David Dong (B.F.A., photography).

See more of the work of Linden Grace Colby.

Learn more about SCAD FASHION 2019.

SCAD Atlanta debuted its first ever runway show the evening of Friday, May 10, presenting original designs curated from the finest SCAD School of Fashion senior and graduate student collections. The event will have its Savannah corollary this Saturday, May 18, 5 p.m., outside the Hive. Both featured events are part of the shimmering fabric of SCAD FASHION 2019.

As the most anticipated sartorial event of the year, SCAD FASHION redefines the runway. Programming the Static Showcase, Jewelry Showcase, and SCAD: In Conversation.

"SCAD's nearly 4,000 fashion graduates are now design leaders at Anthropologie, Marc Jacob, Kenneth Cole, Kate Spade, Abercrombie, Chanel, Lily Pulitzer, and just about every other major brand,” said SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace. “SCAD grads also create new brands like Argent and AUDRA, and I'm just in the A's! Now Atlanta's fashionistas can say they experienced all this luminosity for themselves at SCAD Atlanta's first-ever runway show."

Each year, graduating SCAD School of Fashion students in Atlanta, Hong Kong and Savannah are given the opportunity to have their work expertly critiqued by fashion industry leaders, and the university's Style Lab mentor program connects them directly with established designers as they complete their final collections. This year's SCAD Style Lab mentors are Shirley Kurata, Los Angeles-based stylist; SCAD alumna and SCAD40 Prize winner Eleanor Turner (B.F.A., fashion, 2008), fashion designer; Mesrop Megrabyan, innovator designer at Nike; Robert Verdi, celebrity stylist, entrepreneur and television personality; and Frederic Tremblay, accomplished design professional.

SCAD honored CFDA award-winning fashion designer Cynthia Rowley in Atlanta and will honor Phillip Lim in Savannah. Rowley appeared in conversation with Kimberly Rabanal, SCAD professor of fashion marketing and management. Lim will be in conversation with journalist Michelle Lee, editor in chief of ALLURE. The SCAD Étoile honors icons of style and design, Rowley and Lim join previous SCAD Étoile honorees including Derek Lam, Jonathan Adler, Pierre Cardin, Graydon Carter, Linda Fargo, Jason Wu, Carolina Herrera, Margaret Russell, and David Yurman.

SCAD School of Fashion is comprised of degree programs including accessory design, business of beauty and fragrance, fashion, fashion marketing and management, fibers, and jewelry—all disciplines working together to produce all-encompassing creations, reflecting an industry where synergy is key.

SCAD has long been a destination for luminaries across disciplines to connect with emerging talent. Famed fashion designers have attended SCAD fashion events to extend their valuable insights and provide students with real-world critiques. The university provides these visits as opportunities to celebrate remarkable work and unprecedented careers. To date, SCAD has honored fashion industry titans Manolo Blahnik, Derek Lam, Reese Witherspoon, Stephen Burrows, Tom Ford, Diane von Furstenberg, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, Miuccia Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Rucci, Isabel and Ruben Toledo, Vera Wang and Vivienne Westwood.

Thank you to everyone who attend the SCAD FASHION 2019 events in Atlanta.

The schedule of events for SCAD FASHION 2019 in Savannah is:

Thurs., May 16–Fri., May 17
, SCAD Jewelry Trunk Show
Jen Library, 201 E. Broughton St.

Thurs., May 16, 5 p.m., 
SCAD Savannah Fashion Static Show Opening Reception
Gutstein Gallery, 201 E. Broughton St.

Sat., May 18, 2 p.m., 
In Conversation with Phillip Lim
SCAD Étoile honoree
SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd.

Sat. May 18, 5 P.M.
, SCAD Savannah Runway Show
The Hive, 207 W. Boundary St.
Tickets available at savannahboxoffice.com

Sat., May 18–Sun. May 19, 
SCAD Savannah Fashion Static Show
Gutstein Gallery, 201 E. Broughton St.

Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. For gallery hours and more information, visit scad.edu/fashion-show-2019.

Follow @SCADdotedu and use #SCADFASHION to join the conversation via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SCAD's annual Sand Arts Festival attracted thousands of visitors to beautiful Tybee Island to view sand masterpieces created by SCAD students, alumni, prospective students, faculty and staff.

In addition to the more than 500 sand designs on view, visitors were treated to blessed shade beneath 40 individually hand-painted Bee-themed beach umbrellas, the work of SCAD alumnus and foundation studies professor Gerry Stecca (M.F.A., painting, 2015) and a dedicated group of students. The umbrellas celebrated SCAD's 40th anniversary.

Sand Sculpture winner

Jared Seff (B.F.A., painting, 2013)

Sand Sculpture runner-up

Kelsey Brown (M.A., motion media design)

Maitane Echevarria Aguirre (M.F.A., animation)

Yasmin Flores Montanez (M.F.A., sequential art)

Sand Relief Winner
Adara Hove (B.F.A., illustration)

Lily Kuntz (B.F.A., production design)

Reagan Liberatore (B.F.A., painting)

Sarah Youngblood (B.F.A., performing arts)

Sand Relief runner-up
Julia Bohse (B.F.A., industrial design)

Juan Pablo de la Garza Evia (B.F.A., industrial design)

Ryan Sulesky (B.F.A., industrial design)

Sand Castle winner
Dillon Twigg (B.F.A., architecture)

Sand Castle runner-up
Matthew Stromberg, professor

Air winner
Blake Restel (B.F.A., industrial design)

Natalie Stow (B.F.A., industrial design)

Air runner-up
Caitlyn Kettler (B.F.A., interactive design and game development)

Jessie Lefebvre (B.F.A., painting)

Best of Show
Vanessa Marie Alvarado Barrios (B.F.A., architecture)

Abby Stevens-Roberts (B.F.A., illustration)

Christopher Bartolotta (B.F.A., architecture)

Caley Brunner (B.F.A., industrial design)

SCAD40
Paul Aicher (B.F.A., industrial design)
Alex DelleMonache (B.F.A., industrial design)
Professor Aaron Heisler

SCAD Student Group
Pranav Babu (B.F.A., industrial design)

Vedika Bhasin (B.F.A., advertising)

Harshita Pastapur (B.F.A., animation)

Ishanaya Singhal (B.F.A., fibers)

Aparna Rahul Somvanshi (B.F.A., user experience design)

And congratulations to Sand Jam winner Nala Wu (B.F.A., illustration) and Sand Jam runner-up Clayton Miley (B.F.A., illustration) who drew the events of Sand Art Festival 2019 in real time.

Thanks to everyone who partcipated. See you next year for Sand Arts 2020!

Professor Gerry Stecca

In honor of Star Wars Day, the SCAD Savannah department of liberal arts hosted Liberal Arts at Lightspeed, a two-day event May 3-4 featuring exhibits, lectures, and demonstrations inspired by the Star Wars universe. This year's event, the fifth annual Liberal Arts at Lightspeed (or, as the department dubbed it, Episode V), focused on the series' droids.

Festivities kicked off in Arnold Hall with Gordon Tarpley, a Los Angeles-based designer, prop builder, and C-3PO cosplayer, joining Allison Steinweg, associate chair, liberal arts, on Friday afternoon for a Q&A session. Tarpley spoke about his multifaceted work, from building props for a Star Wars-themed episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to playing C3PO at Disney-sponsored events, and reflected on the galaxy-wide Star Wars fanbase he has encountered as a result of playing C-3PO.

That fanbase was evident on Saturday, as Tarpley donned the C-3PO costume and meandered through the exhibitions in Arnold Hall with R2-D2 at his side. In one exhibition, professor Samuel Gross displayed dozens of Star Wars neckties, which he showed off to the two droids. "These ties have become a point of connection with students," said Gross. "Students who I've never met before will approach me to talk about a character on my tie."

Lauren Arnold (B.F.A., production design) echoed the sentiment: "I think everyone can find something to connect with in the various characters." Arnold, who hopes to pursue costume design, said that she particularly appreciated the work of fellow production design student Journey Olson (B.F.A., production design), whose costume designs were on display.

The day's events highlighted the work of SCAD students and faculty in an array of disciplines, from industrial design to writing to sequential art. The department presented lectures by liberal arts professors Stephanie Weaver and David Steinweg examining storytelling and friendship through the lens of the Star Wars narrative. Student Alex Coajou (B.F.A., industrial design) presented on his work with the R2D2 Building Club, which has built droids for Lucasfilm, Disney, and commercial events. This year marked the fourth time that Coajou has participated in Liberal Arts at Lightspeed.

As the afternoon drew to a close, attendees were invited to mark their calendars for Liberal Arts at Lightspeed Episode VI on May 4th, 2020. "And of course," associate chair Steinweg said in conclusion, "may the force be with you."

R2-D2 and C-3PO with student Journey Olson.

On Saturday, the 38th annual Sidewalk Arts Festival transformed Forsyth Park once again into one of the Savannah's most beloved public art festivals. A gentle breeze on a warm day was the ideal clime for witnessing the more than 800 hand-chalked sidewalk squares on display.

This year, the top specialty award is the SCAD 40th Anniversary Award, celebrating the university's 40 creative years. Competitors showcased the milestone via visual representations of SCAD history. Sidewalk Arts was but one fun facet of SCAD Family and Alumni Weekend and the SCAD40 WKND celebration.

And the winners are:

SCAD 40th Anniversary Award ($2,500)
Group Name:  "Gucci"
Winners: Joelle Benigno (B.F.A., advertising)
Noah Denten (B.F.A., sequential art)
Will Kuate (B.F.A., animation)
Jared Allen (B.F.A., animation)

Best of Show Award ($1,200)
Winner:  Chelsie Liberati (B.F.A., painting, 2015)

Graduate Student Award ($700)
Winner:  Sarah Cherry (B.F.A., illustration, 2010)

SCAD Alumni Award, First Place ($1,000)
Winner:  Elena Romero (B.F.A., production design, 2018)

SCAD Alumni Award, Second Place ($800)
Winner:  Shannon Snow (B.F.A., illustration, 2011)

SCAD Student Award (Individual), First Place: ($1,000)
Winner:  Lexi Mangieri (B.F.A., illustration)

SCAD Student Award (Individual), Second Place: ($800)
Winner:  Anne Revlett (B.F.A., illustration)

SCAD Student Award (Group), First Place: ($1,000)
Group Name: "Baby Sharks"
Winners: Niina Amanuma (B.F.A., film and television)
Da In Kim (B.F.A., jewelry)
Lekha Veeramachaneni (B.F.A., user experience design)

SCAD Student Award (Group), Second Place: ($800)
Group Name:  "Weenie Hut Jr's"
Winners: Tiffanni Blevins (M.F.A., animation)
Sarah Marlow (B.F.A., animation)
Blake Scott (B.F.A., animation)
Alex Bridges (B.F.A., animation)
Kalai Krishnan (B.F.A., animation)
Kaylee Prislac (B.F.A., animation)

High School Competition Award, First Place ($200 Ex Libris Giftcard)
Winner:  Tavien Bush, Spalding High School, Griffin, GA

High School Competition Award, Second Place ($100 Ex Libris Giftcard)
Winner:  Ethan Ray, Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, Atlanta, GA

High School Competition Award, Third Place ($50 Ex Libris Giftcard)
Winner:  Anni Budge, Westminster Schools of Augusta, Augusta, GA

See you all next year for Sidewalk Arts 2020!