SCAD has a decades-long legacy of contributing to the most prestigious cinematic awards in the world. This year, SCAD is proud to announce the contributions of 158 alumni and current students who have contributed their talents to films nominated for the 96th Academy Awards®. The Awards will be televised live on Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 7 pm.

These talented artists and filmmakers contributed to a total of 17 films receiving nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including six Best Picture nominees and three Best Animated Film nominees including global blockbusters Barbie, Oppenheimer, Elemental, and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, nominated for Best Visual Effects, includes 39 SCAD alumni credits.

The SCAD Casting Office helped to place over 50 alumni, students, and faculty in front of and behind the camera on director Todd Haynes' film May December, which was filmed in Savannah and is nominated for best original screenplay. SCAD faculty worked directly with the film production of May December to structure two SCAD classes — a production design class and film and television class — which convened on set.

SCAD alumni and students who worked on these Oscar-nominated films represent a variety of top-ranked degree programs, including animation, visual effects, film and television, production design, sound design, acting, casting, dramatic writing, sequential art, illustration, architecture, interactive design and game development, fashion, painting, photography, and furniture design. For more than 40 of the alumni, this is not the first time they have contributed to an Oscar-nominated film.
SCAD's School of Film and Acting and the School of Animation and Motion have launched thousands of alumni into the movie industry, with resources that rival Hollywood studios, Oscar award-winning professors, stunning locations including an 11-acre backlot and two LED volumes, two professionally run casting offices, and stellar film and television festivals.

"I am extraordinarily proud of our alumni, faculty and current students who contribute everyday to the professional filmmaking landscape," said Andra Reeve-Rabb, the dean of the School of Film and Acting. "Having over 150 of our SCAD bees working on Oscar worthy films is a WOW moment, and it's not surprising. It's what we do at SCAD. We have countless full circle moments that begin with a student in a master class during our film festival engaging with an award-winning actor or director and then fast forward a few years and now that alumni is working side by side with those same industry professionals making the best films of the year."

The SCAD Savannah Film Festival has established itself as a distinguished stop on the road to the Academy Awards. Since its inception in 1997, the festival has screened more than 175 Oscar-nominated films and honored more than 125 legendary actors, directors, producers, writers, and filmmakers.

SCAD alumni also worked on three of the five films nominated for best animated feature: Elemental, Nimona and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. All three films were featured at the SCAD AnimationFest in Atlanta and Savannah Film Festival in 2023, with students benefiting from the career advice from Oscar-nominated industry professionals.

Congratulations to the students and alumni who contributed to this year's Oscar-nominated films:

Breanna Adams (B.F.A., film and television, 2014)  Elemental
Shelby Albright (B.F.A., animation, 2018)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Madison Aldrich (B.F.A., film and television, 2019)  May December
Ashleigh Michele Allen (B.F.A., film and television, 2021) May December
Rami AlRamahi (B.F.A., computer art, 2005)   Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Daniela Alvarez (B.F.A., productions design, 2023)  May December
Vivian Amaro (B.F.A., visual effects, 2023)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Nina Areyan (B.F.A., film and television, 2023)   May December
Jurasama Arunchai (M.F.A., production design, 2010)  Maestro
William Atkin (B.F.A., computer art, 2003)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Collin Banko (B.F.A., visual effects 2014)   The Creator
Vincent Bates (M.Arch, architecture, 2013)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Alireza Bidar (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017)   Elemental
Austin Bonang (B.F.A., computer art, 2005)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mikayla Brander (B.F.A., production design, 2023)  May December
Courtney Brewer (B.F.A., animation, 2020)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Donald Brooks Jr. (B.F.A., animation, 2020)   Elemental
David Butler (B.F.A., fashion, 1997)    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Stefania Cancemi (M.F.A., visual effects, 2016)   Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Rebecca Carfagna (M.A., arts administration, 2015)  May December
Shannon Carlson (B.F.A., production design, 2023)  May December
Bailey Chafin (B.F.A., film and television, 2022)  May December
Yinghao Chai (M.F.A., visual effects, 2017)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Anthony Chappina (M.F.A., visual effects, 2008)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mignon Charvet (B.F.A., fashion, 2009)    May December
Ian Chase (B.F.A., sound design, 2017)    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Yuna Chen (M.A., visual effects, 2019)    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Diana Chu (M.F.A., visual effects, 2019)   The Creator
Bijay Chudal (B.F.A., animation, 2020)    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Alexis Coleman (M.F.A., film and television, 2022)  May December
Chelsea Rose Collins (B.F.A., film and television, 2018) May December
Marissa Coppola (B.F.A., themed entertainment design, 2023) May December
Ryan Coster (B.F.A., animation, 2011)    Elemental
Jackson Cropper (B.F.A., film and television, 2023)  Killers of the Flower Moon
Courtney Dees  (B.F.A., production design, 2018)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Nick DeMaioribus (B.F.A., animation, 2019)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3; Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Samantha Doyle (M.F.A., sound design, 2019)   Past Lives
Nicholas Dubois (B.A., animation, 2005)    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Kaitlin Duchene (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Colleen Durham (B.F.A., animation, 2018)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Sonali Dutta (B.F.A., visual effects, 2019)   Nimona
Ricky Elizondo (B.F.A., visual effects, 2013)   May December
Duarte Elvas (B.F.A., film and television, 2003)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Zafer Ercevik (M.F.A., film and television, 2008)  Napoleon
Carlos Escobosa (B.A., film and television, 2021)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Andrea Falsone (B.F.A., animation, 2019)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Sean Feeley (B.A., visual effects, 2006)   Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Alvin Trent Fortune (B.A., animation, 2018)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Philip Fraschetti  (B.F.A., computer art, 2005; /M.F.A., visual effects, 2007) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Yin Fu (M.F.A., animation, 2019)    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Nitin Garg (M.A., visual effects, 2016)    The Creator
Bianca Gee (B.F.A., animation, 2012)    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Beppy Gietema (B.F.A., film and television, 2019)  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Gabe Gilden (B.F.A., film and television, 2014)   The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Emma Gillian (B.F.A., film and television, 2023)  May December
Zachary Goodson (B.F.A., animation, 2010)   Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Nicholas Grozier (B.F.A., film and television, 2021)  Maestro
Eryn Gruttadauria (B.F.A., film and television, 2020)  American Fiction
Jared Gunter (B.F.A., film and television, 2020)  May December
Christian Haberkern (B.F.A., broadcast design and motion graphics, 2008) The Creator
Lindsay Hamilton (B.F.A., fashion, 2013)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Christian G. Hawkins (B.F.A., film and television, 2013) May December
Taylor Hasting (B.F.A., visual effects, 2014)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Alyssa Hibben (B.F.A., film and television, 2023)  May December
Val Higgens (B.F.A., film and televisions, 2023)  May December
Alan Hodges (B.F.A., visual effects, 2001)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Chase Hogan (M.A., animation, 2018)    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Lauren Hughes (B.A., film and television, 2023)   May December
Fatou Jackson (B.F.A., performing arts, 2022)   May December
Aidan Skye Jameson (B.F.A., production design)   May December
Matt Jamoom (B.F.A., visual effects, 2021)   Napoleon
Niah Johnson (B.F.A., photography)    May December
Bess Johnson (B.F.A., film and television, 2011)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Darnell Johnson (B.F.A., sequential art, 2010)   Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Reagan Johnson (B.F.A., film and television, 2023)  May December
Brandon Lee Karcher (B.F.A., animation, 2018)   Napoleon
Walker Kennedy (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017)   Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Jeannine Kernisan (B.F.A., animation, 2015)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
David Kersey (B.A., computer animation, 2000)   Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Kelsey Kirpich (M.F.A., production design, 2023)  May December
Lubomir Kocka (B.F.A., film and television, 2012; M.F.A, visual effects, 2017) Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Nathan Koga (B.F.A., visual effects, 2009)  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Jason Koh (B.F.A., visual effects, 2016)  Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Harrison Kracht (B.F.A., film and television, 2021) May December
Ryan Lang (M.A., visual effects, 2010)   Nimona
Jasper Laur (B.F.A., photography, 2023)   May December
Colin Lechner (M.F.A., sound design, 2014)  Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Eric Leidenroth (B.F.A., computer animation, 1998) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Frederick LeMaster (B.F.A., animation, 2005)  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Yesenia Lomeli (B.F.A., production design, 2022) May December
Alison Looney (M.F.A., production design, 2023)  May December
Landon Lott (B.F.A., film and television, 2010)  Killers of the Flower Moon
Rosana Lucia (B.F.A., film and television, 2019)  May December
Kerrin Major (M.A., luxury and fashion management, 2013) Oppenheimer
Paul Martinez (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008)  Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Brenden Mascherino (B.F.A., film and television, 2024) May December
James Masino (B.F.A., animation, 2019)   The Holdovers
Ian Matta (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017)  Napoleon
Carly Maurer (B.F.A., film and television, 2018) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Gray McDonald (B.F.A., film and television, 2022) May December
Aaron McGriff (B.F.A., animation, 2005)   Elemental
Jack McMillan (B.F.A., writing, 2022)   May December
Gabrielle McMullan (B.F.A., film and television, 2016) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Connor Meccay (B.F.A., fim and television, 2021) May December
Julia Moran (B.F.A., film and television, 2023)  May December
Johnathan Nixon (B.F.A., visual effects, 2007)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Silswarup Patel (M.A., visual effects, 2022)  Barbie
Anthony Peznola (B.F.A., film and television, 2023) May December
Mikaela Pfeifer (B.F.A., animation, 2017)  Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Brittany Piacente (B.F.A., animation, 2012)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Thitaphon Piraban (M.A., visual effects, 2022)  Barbie
Boyce Powell (B.F.A., dramatic writing, 2017)  May December
Leah Ralph (B.A., production design, 2023)  May December
Sasha Rangel (B.F.A., film and television, 2021) May December
Clint Rea (B.F.A., visual effects, 2016)  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Stephanie Reiken (M.F.A., production design, 2023) May December
Caleb Rice (M.F.A., film and television)  May December
Nicola Rinciari (B.F.A., film and television, 2020) Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Thomas Rodgers (B.F.A., film and television, 2020) May December
Gal Roiter (B.F.A., animation, 2006)   Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 
Ashutosh Rokade (M.A., production design, 2023)  May December
Jiacan Ruan (B.F.A., animation, 2021)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Joey Rudzinskas (B.F.A., film and television, 2023) May December
Davies Rushing (B.F.A., animation, 2019)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Colleen Ryan (B.F.A., film and television, 2024) May December
Valentina Sanchez (B.F.A., film and television, 2023) May December
Hope Schroers (B.F.A., visual effects, 2021)  Elemental
Kevin Sears (B.F.A., visual effects, 2007)  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Ryan Setzer (B.F.A., film and television, 2023)  May December
Nic Sievers (M.F.A., visual effects, 2005)  The Creator
Caitley Symons (M.A., fibers, 2023)   Killers of the Flower Moon
Michael Tanzillo (M.F.A., visual effects, 2008)  Nimona
Sommersill Tarabek (M.F.A., film and television, 2017) Nimona
Tennyson Thompson (B.A., film and television, 2018) May December
Terner Thompson (B.F.A., visual effects, 2018)  Barbie
Becki Tower (M.F.A., animation, 2008)   Elemental
Kenzie Uhr (B.F.A., film and television, 2022)  Killers of the Flower Moon
Rachel Ussery (B.F.A., film and television, 2020) May December
Maia Vota (B.F.A., film and television, 2024)  May December
Ella Ward (B.F.A., sequential art, 2018)  Barbie
Douglas Westurn (B.F.A., film and television, 2019) May December
Kylie Wijsmuller (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017)  Elemental
Alasdair Willson (B.F.A., broadcast design and motion graphics, 2008) Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Jillian Wilson (B.F.A., film and television, 2022) May December
Kyle Winkelman (B.F.A., computer art, 2003)  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny; Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Solomon Ching Yu Wong (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Kiersten Yahn (B.F.A., visual effects, 2020)  Barbie
Bryan Yentz (B.F.A., film and television, 2010)  Elemental; Oppenheimer; The Creator
Matt Yocum (B.F.A., sound design, 2015)   American Fiction
Claire Yu (B.A., production design, 2023)  May December
Sophia Yu (B.F.A., animation, 2015)   Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

If any names are missing from this list, please email [email protected] and they will be added. 

Come celebrate 20 years of SCAD Fibers Open Studio! Students, alumni, locals and visitors to Savannah are invited one and all to the beloved annual community event on this special milestone, Friday, March 1, 5:00-8:00 p.m in Pepe Hall. Explore the immersive environment in the home of the SCAD fibers department with what is sure to be a memorable and fabulous Fibers Open Studio.

The open studio event will showcase standout textile art by SCAD students, alumni and esteemed faculty. At this special 20th anniversary of the annual, always anticipated event, guests will have the opportunity to experience imaginative combinations of traditional techniques with cutting-edge technology and enjoy hands-on demos of screen printing, indigo dyeing, tufting, machine knitting, hand and digital embroidery, weaving, and more.

Now in its fourth decade, SCAD's top-ranked fibers program (part of the university's prestigious School of Fashion) is the largest in the U.S. Its comprehensive curriculum and inspiring facilities feature advanced tools and resources. Historic Pepe Hall is a 20,500-square-foot facility exclusively dedicated to the study of fibers, with state-of-the-art resources and equipment where students expertly develop their weaving, fabric design, screen printing, surface design, embellishment, sculptural, and environmental art skills. At SCAD Fibers Open Studio, the university's elite fibers program is open to the public to experience the magic and creativity of fibers and textile design.

The SCAD fibers department is the largest of its kind in the U.S. with a comprehensive curriculum and large, inspiring facilities stocked with top-of-the-line tools and resources. Students join the elite ranks of fibers artists who regularly win major awards. Successful fibers graduates work in demanding and inventive roles, developing thermal insulating blankets for NASA, automotive interior surface fabrics for Chrysler, innovative athletics materials for Nike, and custom fabrics and installations for fashion houses, retailers, and designers including Anthropologie, Lilly Pulitzer, Macy's, Liora Manné, Kravet, and more.

Embrace the chance to be inspired by the next generation of textile artists and designers!

For more info on SCAD Fibers Open Studio, visit the SCAD events page.

This event is free and open to the public.

With SCAD deFINE ART 2024 in full flower, it is time to gather At the Edge of Superhumanity. On Wednesday, February 28, artist Cao Fei joins art historian and curator RoseLee Goldberg for the SCAD deFINE ART 2024 keynote conversation at 5 p.m. in Trustees Theater.

Cao Fei is internationally regarded as one of the most influential and innovative Chinese artists of her generation. Known for her compelling storytelling, the SCAD deFINE ART 2024 honoree works across a variety of mediums from live-action films to the Metaverse, and genres from documentary to science fiction. Her groundbreaking work explores the impact of social and cultural change on people, particularly citizens of China, and their lived realities and dreams.

The keynote conversation is in connection with the artist's solo exhibition At the Edge of Superhumanity at the SCAD Museum of Art, an immersive mixed-reality installation that blurs distinctions between the terrestrial and the cyber, the familiar and the futuristic. Reflecting on highlights of Cao Fei's career, the conversation will contextualize the works on view, including the artist's approach to unearthing the past, engaging with the present, and imagining the future.

Cao Fei (b. 1978, Guangzhou, China; lives and works in Beijing) has presented solo exhibitions at venues including MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts, Rome; UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing; Serpentine Galleries, London; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong; K21 Düsseldorf, Germany; MoMA PS1, New York; Secession, Vienna; Bonnefanten, Maastricht, the Netherlands; and Tate Modern, London. Her work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions and major biennials and triennials worldwide. In 2021, she was awarded the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize.

A world-renowned art historian, critic, and curator, RoseLee Goldberg is the founding director and chief curator of Performa. Launched in 2004 to create a highly visible public platform for contemporary art and performance, Performa has changed public and academic perceptions of performance art with its exciting citywide biennial, groundbreaking commissions, publications, and original arts broadcasting platform. Performa has inspired the establishment of performance departments in cultural institutions around the world. 

In celebration of the university's 45th anniversary, SCAD will also present alum Lavar Munroe (B.F.A., illustration, 2007) with the SCAD45 award, honoring his prolific interdisciplinary practice and rising acclaim.

Please join us for a memorable and momentous conversation on this especially deFINE occasion!

Cao Fei

Banner image: Cao Fei, "MatryoshkaVerse," 2022, double-channel HD video, 16:4.5, color, with sound, 37 min., 38 sec. Courtesy of Sprüth Magers and Vitamin Creative Space. © Cao Fei, 2023.

It’s time to bust a move for Black Artists in Music! See and hear the SCAD Bee Sharps, the university's elite performance ensemble starring American Idol winner and SCAD alum Candice Glover (B.F.A., dramatic writing, 2022) at BAM!, Black Artists in Music, this February 16 at the Lucas Theatre in Savannah, and the following Friday, February 23 at SCADshow in Atlanta.

"This year's two BAM! performances in our SCAD hometowns promise an electrifying experience celebrating Black History Month with SCAD stars and special surprise guests," said president founder Paula Wallace.

After consecutive years of sold out shows, BAM! 2024 expands its celebration of Black History Month and Black musical artists with GRAMMY, Emmy, and Tony Award nominated stars from Broadway, TV and film. They will share the stage with the stars of tomorrow, including SCAD's premier vocal ensemble The Bee Sharps, SCAD students, and alumni.

“With BAM!, we have a chance to bring everything to the table,” said Talia Hollis (B.F.A., social strategy and management). “Every emotion encapsulated in our bodies, our voices, our movement, from music to storytelling to dancing. All of it is in this show, and it’s a change to be seen by all of Georgia.”

This year's shows will shine bright with the addition of stars of stage and screen including Solea Pfeiffer ("Hadestown" and "Almost Famous") and Brandon Victor Dixon ("Hamilton" and NBC's "Jesus Christ Superstar").

The concert will include iconic hit songs from celebrated Black music artists of our time. From gospel, R&B, soul to jazz, spoken word, and dance — this uplifting and joyous concert will shine a light on how Black music artists have defined today's music and culture.

"BAM! is a revolutionary experience that invites people of all ages and backgrounds to revel in the excellence of Black Artists in Music," said Candice Glover. "Join us as we pay tribute to some of the most iconic artists and their biggest contributions to Black culture, and music from every genre. BAM is the Black history concert that you don't want to miss!"

The concert, from the minds of SCAD executive ensembles artistic director Mike Evariste (Les Miserables, South Pacific, Hair) and choreographer and SCAD performing arts professor Tiffany Evariste (Aladdin, Motown), is a musical journey of joy, laughter and jubilation inspired by  the words of civil rights leaders of today and the past. From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to Maya Angelou, and Nina Simone to James Baldwin, activists' words have had a major impact on the world and the creative minds of today's Grammy winning music artists. Audience members will experience a one night only extravaganza of SCAD students, faculty, and staff performers, including American Idol  winner and SCAD Music Coordinator Candice Glover (B.F.A., dramatic writing, 2022), SCAD Alums Terrence Williams Jr. (B.F.A., performing arts, 2022) and Kingdom Business and Empire star Kiandra Richardson (B.F.A., performing arts, 2013); members of the magnetic SCAD student ensemble, the Bee Sharps; and Emmy, Grammy, Tony nominated guest stars directly from Broadway, TV, and film.

Tickets are $20 for SCAD card holders, students, seniors, and the military, $35 for the general public.

SCAD TVfest returns to Atlanta Feb. 7-10, 2024, with an opening night gala screening of the new season of Max original drama series Tokyo Vice. The university's signature event celebrating the best in television and streaming will take place at the new, state-of-the art SCADshow theater on Spring Street in Midtown Atlanta. The 12th year of SCAD TVFest promises to be the best.

"All eyes in the TV universe look to SCAD for hiring students and alumni as well as using SCAD's phenomenal stages for professional productions," said SCAD president Paula Wallace. "Buzz for SCAD TVfest is at a fever pitch this year, with both the expansion of the university's top-ranked B.F.A. in acting and our elite SCAD Casting Office to SCAD Atlanta. SCAD TVfest guests will also get to experience screenings in our pristine new theater, SCADshow, ensconced within the magnificent new FORTY FIVE, a five-star resort for SCAD Bees in the heart of Midtown. This year's SCAD TVfest shines bright — just like the Bees who already lend their luster to the best shows on television!"

This year's stellar list of SCAD TVfest honorees include Matt Bomer (Fellow Travelers), who will receive The Hollywood Reporter's Trailblazer Award; Joel Kim Booster (Loot), who will receive the Rising Star Award; Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), who will receive the Legend of Television Award; George Lopez (Lopez vs. Lopez), who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award; Sonequa Martin-Green (Star Trek: Discovery), who will receive the Spotlight Award; Charlotte Stoudt (The Morning Show), who will receive the Variety Showrunner Award; Josie Totah (The Buccaneers), who will receive the Rising Star Award; and Ken Watanabe (Tokyo Vice), who will receive the Virtuoso Award.

Honorees are scheduled to attend screenings and participate in conversations highlighting their performances and illustrious careers. SCAD will present two SCAD45 Awards recognizing graduates who give all of themselves to their creative careers: to casting professional Deanna Greif (M.F.A., performing arts, 2015) and sound editor Filipe Messeder (B.F.A., sound design, 2016).

"It is always a pleasure to celebrate the best in television at SCAD TVfest in Atlanta," said Christina Routhier, senior executive director of SCAD theaters and festivals. "From our terrific honorees, including iconic actors Kelsey Grammer, George Lopez, and Ken Watanabe, to our shows and panels lineup featuring some of the most buzzed-about shows like The Gilded Age and The Morning Show, we can't wait to give Atlantans and our phenomenal SCAD students a full slate of exciting programming."

The Opening Night Gala screening is the US season two premiere of the Max Original drama series Tokyo Vice. Expected to attend are actors and executive producers Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe; actor Rachel Keller; creator, writer and executive producer J.T. Rogers; and executive producer and director Alan Poul. In addition, the SCAD TVfest will showcase dynamic programs from 20th Television, Apple TV+, BET, Cartoon Network, Hallmark, HBO, Hulu, Max, National Geographic, NBC, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, Prime Video, Showtime, Sony Pictures TV, STARZ, Syfy, Universal Studio Group, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Television, and more. Entertainment Weekly (EW) returns for the seventh year as a media partner curating panels and creating exclusive interview content at their photo and video studio.

Visit scadtvfest.com for a full event schedule.

"The desire is to drive a different color interaction," said Gretchen Wagner during the exhibition-closing gallery talk for Patterned Fields. "The intention is to make it look like the embroidered layer is shifting in front of you."


Desires and intentions were being gratified. Wagner's glass bead embroidered monoprints on paper seem kinetic and sentient, like they enjoyed being at Gutstein Gallery just like everyone else.

On a Thursday afternoon, Gutstein bustled with gallery-goers, both SCAD students and members of the art-loving public. The occasion was literally two-fold: to hear two alumni artists talk about their work, and to give their work a more enlightened look.

Wagner (M.F.A., painting, 2023; B.F.A., fibers, 2011) and Jeremiah Jossim (B.F.A., photography, 2010) were conjoined in conversation by SCAD Museum of Art assistant curator Haley Clouser. The discussion focused on the neat conceit of Patterned Fields: that the two artists share an interest in how pattern can transform the picture plane.

"Your works or styles seem very different," said Clouser. "The lynchpin is pattern and the way you're approaching dimensionality."

Jossim explained that his approach to refining his patterns is to leave no trace, or to do so as a form of commentary. "I do intensive pencil drawings underneath before I begin painting that no one will ever know. The work I've made now, sometimes you can see screw holes on the side [of the frames]."

Jossim's admiring paintings of the American landscape question the nature of recreation. His psychedelic oils (particularly the circular works he calls Portals) are evocative of nature, yet hardly naturalistic.

Wagner, currently a professor of foundation studies at SCAD Atlanta, remarked upon the influence of Josef and Anni Albers, Bridget Riley, and her own family. "I come from a family of engineers and architects who draw on graph paper, and that's what I do too. I love that level of precision." Of her bead-embroidered prints, she said: "The way the embroidery happens, you start to get this undulation and this hand manipulation of the surface of the work, and that disrupts the near-perfection you see in the print."

Haley Clouser nudged the artists to talk about their respective beginnings as students at SCAD.

Jossim said: "At SCAD I felt a level of care applied throughout my classes. Savannah is really special. It was a nice cocooning place for me as an artist. I was able to make a lot of art. Some of it was bad." The crowd hooted.

Wagner: "I came to SCAD because I wanted to be a shoe designer. I was going to go into fashion, then I heard about fibers and thought, 'Wouldn't it be good to make some of my own textiles for my fashion classes?' I took a fibers class and changed my major to fibers immediately."

After graduation Wagner went to work in the commercial textile industry for a decade. "That design work influenced my art practice and vice versa. We often separate the words art and design. I actually think the best scenario is when they're tangled up with each other."

As the talk concluded, Clouser sounded a final note of encourageent: "Enjoy the space, look more closely, and think more deeply about the work."

In December, Paola Maldonado (B.F.A., fibers, 2018) traveled from her home in Quito, Ecuador to SCAD AT MIAMI. Her distinctive, large-scale textile installation adorned the booth at Design Miami, the prestigious art fair and global forum where SCAD is the official university partner.

Maldonado's work honors the legacy of textile craftsmanship with a contemporary edge. Produced in her own textile studio in Quito, her installation for SCAD AT MIAMI created sublime context for the work on display by Seth Carlson (B.F.A., jewelry, 2007), Xinia Guan (M.F.A., jewelry, 2020), Miao He (M.F.A., jewelry, 2019), Xun Liu (M.F.A., jewelry, 2020), and Andrea Ortiz (M.F.A., jewelry, 2023).

After returning to Quito, Paola reflected upon the experience.

Paola Maldonado:

"When SCAD contacted me to create an installation for Miami, I was so excited. The commission involved a textile technique I was already working in. Before this project for SCAD AT MIAMI, I created two commissioned pieces for residential clients here in Ecuador. I knew the technique I would use, how to calculate materials. Still, there were challenges, including time. How could I make the work in Quito, and get it shipped to Miami?

SCAD sent me the dimensions of the booth. The left and right walls were mirror images of each other. I usually choose bright colors and more rustic yarn, but they wanted metallic finishes because the work in the booth was going to be jewelry. There's gold, there's silver—we chose the yarn because of the jewelry.

I always like to be involved in every part of the process: yarn wrapping, buying yarn, going to the supplier, packaging the work. That's what I love about the work—it means being in touch with materials. I'm an artisan. With an installation, if I'm doing it here in Ecuador, I can cut off a yarn that is not in place. For Miami, I didn't have the space at my studio in Quito to hang both walls. So, for me to see the booth in person meant looking at a huge project I had done in parts. Seeing it installed, I was like, oh, wow! This is how it looks! I was just as surprised as any other person.

At the fair, people would look at it from a distance, then they would come up close and touch it. Everyone had questions on the method of production, the design process, how it was made, was it paint or yarn, and how we shipped it there. I loved meeting people interested in the work.

I opened my studio three years ago when I came back to Quito. I'm an entrepreneur. Starting from scratch, having my own studio, getting clients through my Instagram, it's all been very organic. The objective for me is doing my art and transmitting it to people with love. It's one of the few careers that you're really working with your hands. It's super emotional work that creates sensitivity and love.

Design Miami was…how do you say “high point in your career”? La cima. I don't feel like I've reached my highest point yet. Thanks to SCAD commissioning me for Design Miami, it has made this year a huge step. It's awesome."

[As told to Peter Relic.]

Connect with Paola Maldonado.

The punctuation stroke is part of the look.

Design Miami/, the prestigious fair and forum featuring SCAD AT MIAMI, returns to celebrate design innovation, contemporary art, and creative education, December 6-10. This marks the fifth year SCAD has represented as the flagship design fair's official university partner. Design Miami/ takes place at Meridian Avenue and 19th Street, Miami Beach, Florida.

This year's SCAD showcase will include work by student and alumni artists from top-ranked degree programs including jewelry and fibers. In addition to the booth activation, SCAD President Paula Wallace will feature in Design Miami/'s highly anticipated Design Talks series in conversation with global lifestyle designer Kelly Wearstler, founder and CEO of Kelly Wearstler. The university will also host an alumni celebration at the fair in honor of SCAD's 45th anniversary.

"This December, SCAD once again showcases extraordinary SCAD alumni work under the dreamiest of design fair tents," said President Wallace. "From organic whimsy and delicate floral beauty to ultra-modern geometry and evocations of wildlife and adaptive reuse, the many wonders of the SCAD booth are not to be missed. See you in South Beach!"

SCAD's activation at booth X/07 features designs by alumni from its leading jewelry program—the largest degree-granting program in the U.S.—including Shuoyuan Bai (M.F.A., jewelry, 2020), Seth Carlson (B.F.A., jewelry, 2007), Xinia Guan (M.F.A., jewelry, 2020), Miao He (M.F.A., jewelry, 2019), Xun Liu (M.F.A., jewelry, 2020), and Andrea Ortiz (M.F.A., jewelry, 2023). These artists pair extensive knowledge of materials and techniques in wearable innovations that embrace jewelry's relationship to the human body and self-expression, exploring themes and motifs from the natural world, illusionary geometric patterning, and whimsical object appropriation.

"These jewelry works are a testament to the university's degree program and its emphasis on fostering creativity in traditional jewelry techniques while encouraging a broader exploration of materials and narratives," said SCAD chair of jewelry Jay Song. "Through this diverse array of alumni accomplishments, we proudly showcase how SCAD equips its graduates with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in the dynamic landscape of the creative industry."

Paola Maldonado, "Otoño," natural fibers, 2m x 1.25m, 2022.

Embodying a dedication to multidisciplinary collaboration, the alumni designs are exhibited within an intricate installation by fibers graduate Paola Maldonado (B.F.A., fibers, 2018). For Maldonado, textile design transcends tradition. With every thread, she expands conventional boundaries of texture, color, and form, challenging her audience through unexpected treatments and compositions. Produced in her own textile studio in Quito, Ecuador, her work engages relevant issues related to the origins of materials and methods of production.

Extending SCAD's 45th anniversary celebrations to Design Miami/, President Wallace will join global lifestyle designer Kelly Wearstler, Thursday, Dec. 7, at 5:30 p.m. as part of the fair's Design Talks series. Wearstler's design philosophy is driven by a deep passion to articulate a unique story and formidable point of view, typified by a singular, synchronized experience emerging from an alchemy of disciplines, from interior design and architecture to creative direction and brand identity. Given SCAD's own preeminence in these disciplines, this convergence of two powerhouse creative entrepreneurs will offer invaluable insight and inspiration. Following the conversation, copies of Wearstler's newest book Synchronicity (Rizzoli, 2023) will be available for purchase.

Additional SCAD AT MIAMI events scheduled throughout the week include a VIP press preview and admission information sessions for prospective students and families.

For more information, visit scad.edu/scadatmiami.

"I lucked out with this project: I was prepared, and then opportunity came," said Jey Odin (B.F.A., sequential art, 2010) of his work on the new book Rick and Morty: The Manga Vol. 1—Get in the Robot, Morty! (Oni Press, 2023).

Based on the smash hit Cartoon Network TV show, the 175-page book—written by Alissa M. Sallah, with art by Odin—delivers the multiversed misadventures of mad scientist Rick and his squeamish grandson Morty in the dynamic style of Japanese manga. First impression: it's awesome.

"I've always liked Rick and Morty, it's very funny and very dark," said Odin during a recent weeknight appearance at Neighborhood Comics in Savannah. Sporting a tight fade haircut and canary-yellow-framed eyeglasses, the artist stood at the shop's front counter beneath a gigantic hanging replica of the Millennium Falcon. "I knew that my style could not only duplicate Rick and Morty, but also look like manga. The more I drew, the more I got used to it. This was a very fun book to draw."

Odin (the nom de plume of Louisiana native Jonathan Mullins) has been called a "graphic novel demigod" and "a true legend." During his in-store artist talk hosted by Neighborhood managing partner Lee Heidel, he also came across as naturally friendly—and more than willing to divulge the inner workings of his art and career.

"When I was in sixth grade, I turned on the TV one day. It was Toonami, with Vegeta rising out of the water, screaming! I didn't know what it was, but I needed to find out." Inspired by his initial encounter with Japanese television anime Dragon Ball Z and the bubbly renderings of artist Akira Toriyama, young Jey began drawing in a similar "cartoony" style.

"Jey is one of my earliest students who I've known since he was about 10 years old," says sequential arts professor (and fellow Louisianan) Rashad Doucet. "I'm always so proud of his success, and it's been amazing watching him grow into the awesome creator he is today."

After Odin came to SCAD, he developed his own comic book, and received encouragement from Doucet to pitch it for publication. Antarctic Press picked up and printed Chicken Fighter in 2011.

A slew of other titles featured Odin's art followed, including his hit Hammer books, published by Saturday AM, known as the force behind "the world's most diverse manga anthology." His work on Rick and Morty: The Manga Vol. 1 began after he completed Lemonade Code (Oni Press, 2021). "I said to my editor, ‘Hey, let me know if any Rick and Morty covers come along. She said, ‘We have an entire book that needs to be drawn.'"

"If you look at my Hammer series, the way I draw teeth is completely different to the way I drew teeth for Rick and Morty. The way I drew eyes was also something I had to get used to." Odin said he examined various panels and decided that "I should push this pose, add speed lines here, the sound effect should be big and in-your-face, things that manga does more so than other comics."

Heidel referred to Odin as a "natural educator" and recommended checking out his free mini-tutorials on Instagram as well as his new ebook 4 Step Guide to Creating Comics.

"If you can make it fun, drawing is going to be a breeze," Odin said. "If everything seems tedious, then you're not going to enjoy yourself. In that case, why draw comics at all?"

It was peak soccer weather, and the Lady Bees were also peaking.

Wearing their crisp white home uniforms, SCAD women's soccer took to the manicured pitch of the sunny SCAD Athletics Complex last Friday for the 1 pm kick-off of their biggest match of the season. After ninety minutes of powerful action before a grandstand engorged with cheering students, SCAD had won the Sun Conference Tournament Championship, defeating No. 12 Southeastern University 2-0. The conference-clinching victory—the team’s stunning 13th shutout of the season—elevated their overall record to 17-1-2. The celebration was tremendous.

This marks the first time in SCAD women’s soccer program history that the team has won the Sun Conference Tournament Championship.

“The success we have had this season has not come overnight,” said Head Coach Rebecca Gunn. “It has taken time to cultivate a championship culture as our players engaged with and committed to our team's mission and goals. It’s been so fun working with these players. We are excited to celebrate this championship during what has been a record-breaking season.”

The first goal of the game came in the 62nd minute when Ida Akesson won the ball in a scramble in the middle of the box and put it past the goalie to give the Bees a 1-0 lead. SCAD sealed the win in the 81st minute when Sydney Chura crossed the ball for an onrushing Ines Sommer, who fired it past the sprawling Southeastern goalie to fortify the scoreline at 2-0.
 Goalie Katelynn Balsiger saved all three Southeastern shots on goal in yet another complete-game shutout performance.

The Sun Conference All-Tournament Team 2023 was announced at the game’s conclusion. SCAD totaled five honorees including Hailey Lander (B.F.A., industrial design), named the Tournament MVP, having led a defense that did not let in a single goal all tournement. Ida Akesson (B.F.A., graphic design), Ines Sommer (B.F.A., film and television), Berglind Baldursdottir (B.F.A., architecture), and Sydney Chura (B.F.A., fashion marketing and management) joined Lander with All-Tournament Team honors.

Goalkeeper Katelynn Balsiger (B.F.A., architecture) was named Sun Conference Freshman of the Year. Sydney Chura tallied 16 goals and eight assists, earning her recognition as Sun Conference Player of the Year. Sun Conference Coach of the Year Rebecca Gunn said: “We're looking forward to chasing that final championship as we enter the second round of the NAIA National Championship this Saturday.”

The women's soccer team advances to the 2023 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship with a bye in the first round. The Bees will play on Saturday, November 18 at 1:00 p.m. at the SCAD athletic complex in Hardeeville, SC. SCAD was selected as one of the institutions to host the series.

All championship first and second round matches will be video streamed. For more information on SCAD women’s soccer, visit the home of SCAD Athletics and follow on Instagram. Go Bees!