"A lot of times I get good ideas in the bathtub," said Marilyn Minter during the Q&A portion of her keynote address at Trustees Theater. Playful, applicable, honest, and wet, her response epitomized both her artist talk and the stunning career survey 'Nasty Woman' at SCAD Museum of Art, part of deFINE ART 2020.

After receiving her deFINE honoree award from President Paula Wallace, Minter presented a slide and video show of her work, including lurid, purple-lipped images of explicit glamour, early paintings she deemed "terrible," and a series of TV commercials created especially to be shown during Late Night with David Letterman in the 1980s.

Enjoy these select remarks from Minter's memorable deFINE delivery:

Marilyn Minter:

When I first went to NYC in 1976, I liked the idea of painting overlooked things that were around the house. I wanted to be part of the vernacular, and photorealism was popular at the time. We were building rooms in our loft, and I threw this 2x4 on the floor and took a photograph. I made paintings of those photos. I thought, everyone's going to love these! I took them to galleries and they said, "These are photorealism, but really boring ones." It was really painful. But when I had my retrospective, I didn't have to search anything out. I still had all the paintings.

When you think something is the worst thing that can happen to you, but you still think that what you're doing is the right thing, you just wait it out. The way that artists make art is they listen to their own inner voice, from their personal vision. Sooner or later the zeitgeist catches up to you.

In 1989, in was time for women to own images for their own sexual pleasure and amusement. Women never paint pictures of porn. I thought, I should do that! I thought, not softcore, it'll have to be hardcore. I had the entire gay community behind what I was doing, but it was a shock to the art world. Most people thought that I was betraying feminism. I was asked, "What do the images mean?" I didn't have the answer, and that was my downfall.

I never wanted to make a remake of something. I wanted to make an image of something in the world that you know is true, but you've never seen a picture of it. You never saw art about armpit hair. You never saw pictures of people pulling their socks down where you could see the lines on their legs.

Everything human is shot through with imperfection. Trying to erase that will make you ill. We are untidy beings. Why should we feel ashamed about it? No one escapes having a pimple.

I don't think of myself as a photorealist painter, because if you get close to a true photorealist painting it looks like a photo. With my painting, if you get close to it, it falls apart and becomes abstract.

The eye craves what it doesn't see. If you don't know what to do, just start making marks. You have to work, though, for the ideas to come. You can't just sit there waiting for inspiration.

See 'Nasty Woman' at SCAD MOA through August 2, 2020.

SCAD students and alumni fuel box office blockbusters and garner critical acclaim, this year more than ever. Over 200 SCAD alumni and students contributed to 21 Academy Award nominated films, with 16 of those alumni having worked on more than one nominated films. The Academy Awards will be held this Sunday, February 9, 2020, 8 p.m. EST.

These Bees represent award-winning SCAD degree programs including animation, visual effects, film & television, production design, sound design, television producing, sequential art, dramatic writing, motion media design, sculpture, and photography.

Dean Max Almy, School of Digital Media said, “Our programs in School of Digital Media are top rated in the world. Our alumni are working at Pixar, Disney, ILM, Blue Sky, Dreamworks and dozens of other great companies. It's no surprise hundreds of our alumni have worked on Academy Award winning and nominated films. We are so proud!"

SCAD students and alumni worked on the following Oscar-nominated films: 1917, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Ad Astra, Avengers: Endgame, Ford v Ferrari, Frozen II, Harriet, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Joker, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,  Marriage Story, Missing Link, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Richard Jewell, Rocketman, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Irishman, The Lighthouse, The Lion King, The Two Popes, and Toy Story 4.

Nearly one quarter of the alumni nominated graduated in the past four years. Furthermore, in a study of Spring 2018 SCAD graduates, 99 percent were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation.

Let's celebrate the unmistakable creative contributions of SCAD alumni across a stunning spectrum of this year's nominees!

Adams, Breanna (B.A., television producing, 2014) “Avengers: Endgame”
Agrawal, Harsh (B.F.A., visual effects) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”; “Avengers: Endgame”; “Toy Story 4”
Alarcon, Carlos (M.A., visual effects, 2010) “Rocketman”
Albright, Shelby (B.F.A., animation, 2018) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Alexander, Nathan (B.F.A., production design) “Avengers: Endgame”
Ali, Mir (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Alvarez, Brian (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008) “Avengers: Endgame”
Amlaner, Sean (M.F.A., visual effects, 2007) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Andersen, Catherine (B.F.A., film and television, 2017) “Avengers: Endgame”; “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Anderson, Grant (B.F.A., visual Effects, 2017) “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Baker, Rebecca (B.F.A., animation, 2019) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Barber, Brock (M.F.A., animation, 2017) “Missing Link”
Bellanich, Beau (B.F.A., film and television, 2016) “Avengers: Endgame”; “Ford v Ferrari”
Benson, Matthew (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Toy Story 4”
Bidar, Alireza (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “Frozen 2”
Birdsall, Kimmy (B.F.A., sequential art, 2017) “Toy Story 4”
Black, Cameron (B.F.A., animation, 2014) “Frozen 2”
Bloch, Stephen (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008) “Avengers: Endgame”
Boehme, Madison (M.A., creative business leadership) “Frozen 2”
Boga, Nagender Raju (M.A., visual effects, 2016) “Avengers: Endgame”
Boon, Justin (B.F.A., visual effects, 2016) “Ad Astra”
Boyd, Scott Andrew (B.F.A., film and television, 2019) "Parasite"
Bradford, Stephen C. (B.F.A., film and television, 2014) “Avengers: Endgame”
Burstein, Jake (M.F.A., animation, 2017) “Avengers: Endgame”
Byun, Won Young (M.F.A., computer art, 2002) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Callaway, Katy (M.A., visual effects, 2016) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Cardin, Daniel (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Frozen 2”
Chang, Hosuk (M.A., visual effets, 2008) “Toy Story 4”
Chang, Yung-Lo (B.F.A., computer art, 2002) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Chase, Ian (B.F.A., sound design, 2017) “The Irishman”; “The Two Popes”
Christensen, Amy (B.F.A., computer art, 1997) “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”; “Harriet”
Chu, Diana (M.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Clark, Scott (animation, 1992) “Toy Story 4”
Cobb, Seth (B.F.A., computer art, 2003) “Ad Astra”
Collins, Dannah (M.F.A., photography, 2009) “Marriage Story”; “The Irishman”
Colón, Steven Quinoñes (B.F.A., painting/architecture) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Conrad, Heather (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Ford v Ferrari”
Cook, Andrew (M.F.A., film and television, 2019) “Avengers: Endgame”
Cothron, Reed W. (B.F.A., film and television, 2017) “Avengers: Endgame”
Cox, Chad (B.F.A., animation, 2012) “Avengers: Endgame”
Crumbly, James Parker (B.F.A., film and television) “Ford v Ferrari”
Curtis, Alexander (M.F.A., animation, 2011; B.F.A., animation 2009) “Toy Story 4”
Davidson, Alex (M.F.A., animation, 2015) “Avengers: Endgame”
Davies, Jason (M.F.A., animatiin, 2003) “Toy Story 4”
Davis, Jonathan (B.F.A., computer art, 2004) “Frozen 2”
Dehner, Andrew (M.F.A., visual effects, 2013) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
DeMeo IV, Anthony (B.F.A., animation, 2014) “Avengers: Endgame”
Desai, Sagar (M.F.A., film and television, 2010) “Avengers: Endgame”
Donnan, Melissa (B.F.A., animation, 2009) “Frozen 2”
Ehrlinger, Charles (B.F.A., film and television, 2004) “Ford v Ferrari”
Eisert, Kelly (M.F.A., animation, 2006) “Frozen 2”
Epstein, Jenn (B.F.A., visual effects, 2005) “Avengers: Endgame”
Erickson, Jesse (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008) “Frozen 2”
Everett, Jameson (B.F.A., film and television, 2016) “Ford v Ferrari”
Finley, Andrew (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Toy Story 4”
Fuller, Sarah (B.F.A., visual effects, 2007) “Ford v Ferrari”
Galley, Sarah (B.F.A., film and television, 2008) “Ford v Ferrari”
Gaytan, Minor (B.F.A., animation, 2007) “Frozen 2”
Gernhart, Danika (B.F.A., fim and television, 2012) “Missing Link”
Gernhart, Kyle (B.F.A., sequential art, 2012) “Missing Link”
Ghoniem, Ashraf (B.F.A., computer art, 2005) “Avengers: Endgame”
Girmann, Benjamin (M.F.A., animation, 2016) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Godwin, Bryan (B.F.A., computer art, 1998) “Joker”
Goldman, Alyssa "Grizzly" (B.F.A., film and television) “Ford v Ferrari”
Greene, Adam (B.F.A., sequential art, 1999) “Missing Link”
Grey, Aaron (B.F.A., animation, 2007) “Avengers: Endgame”; “The Irishman”
Hacker, Ethan (B.F.A., film and television) “Ford v Ferrari”
Harkleroad, Travis (M.F.A., visual effects, 2013) “Avengers: Endgame”; “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”; “The Irishman”
Hayden, Joseph (B.F.A., visual effects, 2006) “Avengers: Endgame”
Helm, Neil (M.F.A., animation, 2010) “Toy Story 4”
Henderson, Holly (B.F.A., jewelry design, 2010) “Missing Link”
Herbst, Calvin (B.F.A., film and television) “Ford v Ferrari”
Hildreth, Jesse (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008) “Avengers: Endgame”; “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Holtsclaw, Joshua (B.F.A., illustration, 2006) “Missing Link”
Hou, Xiao (sound design, M.F.A., 2015) “American Factory”
Howison, Josiah (B.F.A., visual effects, 2004) “Joker”
Hwang, Seona (M.A., visual effects, 2014) “Avengers: Endgame”
Jacobson, Terence (M.F.A., animation, 2005) “Missing Link”
Johnson, Sarah (B.F.A., animation, 2013) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Junking, Jessica (M.A., fibers, 2012) “Missing Link”
Karcher, Brandon Lee (B.F.A., animation, 2018) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Kayser, Maia (B.F.A., visual communication and electronic arts, 2001) “Avengers: Endgame”
Kelly, Dayna (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Ford v Ferrari”
Kennedy, Walker (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “Frozen 2”
Kernisan, Jeannine (B.F.A., animation, 2015) “Avengers: Endgame”
Kirby-O’Connell, Kate (B.F.A., animation, 2013) “Frozen 2”
Klock, Sam (B.F.A., visual effects, 2011) “Frozen 2”
Kocenko, Leighann (B.F.A., photography, 2011) “Avengers: Endgame”
Kojeva, Katerina (B.F.A., production design, 2016) “Avengers: Endgame”
Koonce, Jim (B.F.A., visual effects, 2016) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Kowalewicz, Joseph (B.F.A., visual effects, 2013) “Missing Link”
Kowalewicz, Tiffany (B.F.A., animation, 2013) “Missing Link”
Kracht, Harrison (B.F.A., film and television) “Ford v Ferrari”
Kumar, Varshini Naveen (M.A., visual effects) “Avengers: Endgame”
Kupferer, Tyler (M.F.A., animation, 2011) “Frozen 2”
Kurras, Kenneth (B.F.A., film and television, 1994) “Missing Link”
Laird, Jonah (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “Toy Story 4”
LaVietes, Steve (B.F.A., computer art, 1996) “Toy Story 4”
LeBlanc Chantal (B.F.A., visual effects, 2013) “Missing Link”; "Frozen 2"
Lee, Hongdon (B.F.A., film and television) “Ford v Ferrari”
Leerasanthanah, Win (M.F.A., animation, 2016) “Avengers: Endgame”
LeMaster, Frederick (B.F.A., animation, 2005) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Leone, Nicholas (B.F.A., film and television, 2010) “Avengers: Endgame”
Leu, Nicolas (M.A., visual effects, 2015) “Avengers: Endgame”
Lewis, David (M.F.A., visual effects, 2012) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Lindahl, Matthew (B.F.A., computer art) “Toy Story 4”
Leonard, Lindsay (B.F.A., motion media design, 2013) “Bombshell”
Liu, Tingting (M.F.A., animation, 2012) “Missing Link”
Lombardi, Gian Ignacio (B.FA., visual effects, 2014) “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood”
Loughran, Sean (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008) “Avengers: Endgame”
Low, Katie (M.F.A., animation, 2017) “Frozen 2”
Madrigal, Carol (B.F.A., computer art, 2002) “Avengers: Endgame”
Marcil, Leo (B.F.A., sound design, 2015) “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood”
Martinez, Paul (B.F.A., visual effects, 2008) “The Lion King”
Mayer, Jason (M.F.A., computer art, 2004) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
McEwan, Sean Ryan (B.F.A., visual effects, 2011) “Ad Astra”
McGrew, John David (M.F.A., animation, 2015) “Missing Link”
McSpadden, Jennifer (M.F.A./B.F.A., visual effects/film and television) “Avengers: Endgame”
Meccay, Connor (B.F.A., film and television) “Ford v Ferrari”
Mendez, Nicole (B.F.A., visual effects, 2018) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Messeder, Filipe (B.F.A., sound Design, 2016) “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”; "The Lighthouse"
Miller, Rachel (B.F.A., illustration, 2016) “Missing Link”
Millhollon, Tori (B.F.A., animation, 2015) “Missing Link”
Moed, Alex (B.F.A., visual effects, 2011) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Mohr, Kyle (B.F.A., animation, 2005) “Toy Story 4”
Monaghan, Shawn (B.F.A., computer art, 2004) “Avengers: Endgame”; “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Myers, Bobby (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Ad Astra”
Myers, Emily (B.F.A., animation, 2007) “Missing Link”
Narse, Prasad Kamalakar (M.F.A., animation, 2014) “Avengers: Endgame”
Nelson, Derek (M.F.A., visual effects, 2009) “Frozen 2”
Nelson, Jonathan (M.F.A., computer art, 2005) “Ford v Ferrari”
Nieves, Michael (B.F.A., animation, 2014) “Toy Story 4”
Nixon, Tom (M.F.A., visual effects) “Avengers: Endgame”
Northcutt, Brett (B.F.A., painting) “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Null, Stephen (B.F.A., visual effects, 2005) “Frozen 2”
O'Connor, Patrick (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Ad Astra”; “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
O'Grady, Brian (B.F.A., film and television, 2015) “Avengers: Endgame”
O'Malley, Meredith (B.F.A., animation/visual effects, 2018) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Old, Tyler (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Ouellet, Sasha (B.F.A., visual effects, 2019) “Toy Story 4”
Ozanne, Mitchell (B.F.A., animation, 2016) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Page, Joseph Harold (B.F.A., film and television, 2007) “Ford v Ferrari”
Pak, Galina (B.F.A., animation, 2018) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Palmer, Sean (B.F.A., visual effects, 2005) “Frozen 2”
Park, Hongseo (M.F.A., computer art, 1999) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Parrish, Zach (B.F.A., animation, 2007) “Frozen 2”
Pfeifer, Mikaela (B.F.A., animation, 2017) “Missing Link”
Pickering, Michael (B.F.A., visual effects, 2018) “Joker”
Pierce, Colleen (B.F.A., visual effects, 2018)  “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Preston, Timothy (B.F.A., motion media design, 2015) “The Irishman”; “The Two Popes”
Radcliffe, Ben (B.F.A., computer art, 1997) “Avengers: Endgame”
Radcliffe, Chris (B.F.A., computer art, 2003) “Avengers: Endgame”
Ramsey, Austin (B.F.A., film and television) “Ad Astra”; "Joker"
Reisweber, Jared (B.F.A., visual effects, 2011) “Frozen 2”
Renus Tyler (B.F.A., visual effects, 2016) “Missing Link”
Revenger, Brett (B.F.A., visual effects) “Avengers: Endgame”; “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Rose, Allen (B.F.A., visual effects, 2005) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Ross, Adam Wesley (B.F.A., computer art, 2002) “Avengers: Endgame”
Sabesan, Naveen (M.F.A., animation, 2017) “Avengers: Endgame”
Samms, Haley (B.F.A., animation, 2017) “Avengers: Endgame”
Saunders, Davis (B.F.A., visual effects, 2006) “Avengers: Endgame”
Saunders, Evan (B.F.A., photography, 2008) “Avengers: Endgame”
Schneider, Dan (M.F.A., visual effects, 2006) “Avengers: Endgame”
Schneider, Tim (B.F.A., visual effects, 2011) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Scroggie, Catlin (B.F.A., animation, 2015) “Ad Astra”
Sedmak, Georgia (B.F.A., sculpture, 2018) “Avengers: Endgame”; “Ford v Ferrari”; “Richard Jewell”
Serei, Sorya Sean (M.F.A., visual effects, 2014) “Ford v Ferrari”
Sherman, Victoria (B.F.A., production design, 2018) “Ford v Ferrari”
Shilt, Alex  (B.F.A., visual effects, 2016) “Toy Story 4”
Sims, Demorrius (B.F.A., animation, 2014) “Frozen 2”
Sirinaruemarn, Rattanin (M.A., visual effects, 2013) “Frozen 2”
Snary, Mitchell (B.F.A., computer graphics, 1999) “Frozen 2”
Snow, Alexander (B.F.A., animation, 2009) “Frozen 2”; “Missing Link”
Solorzano, Alejandro (B.F.A., animation, 2011) “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood”
Spadafora, James (M.F.A., visual effects, 2015); "Avengers: Endgame"; "The Irishman"; “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Spivey III, Kenneth Royce (M.F.A., sculpture, 2015) “Avengers: Endgame”
Sridharan, Dhivyasimhon (M.A., animation, 2014) “Missing Link”
Steplowski, Ian (computer art, 2003) “Toy Story 4”
Stifter, Megan (B.FA., visual effects, 2012) “Toy Story 4”
Strode, Kjell (B.F.A., visual effects, 2010) “Joker”
Sullivan, Jeff (animation) “Frozen 2”; “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Takehara, Cindy (sound design, M.F.A., 2015) “American Factory”
Talesnick, Kelly Wetzel (M.A., animation, 2009) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Tan, Ka Yaw (B.F.A., computer art, 1995) “Frozen 2”
Taylor, Don (B.F.A., computer art, 1994) “Frozen 2”
Taylor, Regan K. (B.F.A., performing arts, 2015) “Avengers: Endgame”
Tiahrt, Taylor (B.F.A., animation, 2013) “Frozen 2”
Thorvilson, Dalton (B.F.A., film and television, 2017) “Avengers: Endgame”
Tower, Becki (M.F.A., animation, 2008) “Toy Story 4”
Tyler, Julie (B.F.A., visual effects, 2015) “Ad Astra”; “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Underwood, Bridget (B.F.A., animation, 2012) “Missing Link”
Usher, Darren James (M.F.A., film and television, 2018) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Uyemura, Christine (M.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “1917”; “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Walters, Brian (B.F.A., visual effects, 2006) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Wang, Houhan (M.A., motion media, 2018; B.F.A., animation, 2016) “Avengers: Endgame”
Wang, Pablo (B.F.A., computer art, 2002) “Avengers: Endgame”
Watson, George Tyrell (B.F.A., film and television, 2014) “Avengers: Endgame”
Weglein, Jesse (visual effects, 2008) “Toy Story 4”
Weldon, Melanie (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “Ad Astra”
Wiggins, Daniel (B.F.A., digital multimedia, 2002) “Avengers: Endgame”
Wijsmuller, Kylie (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “Toy Story 4”
Williams, Samantha (B.F.A., visual effects, 2017) “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
Wilson, Chris (B.F.A., visual effects, 2009) “Ford v Ferrari”
Wong, D'Lun (M.F.A., visual effects, 2007; B.F.A., computer art, 2001) “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”; "Frozen 2"
Woodall, Cameron (M.F.A., photography, 2006) “Avengers: Endgame”
Wright, Jobey (B.F.A., sound design)  “Avengers: Endgame”
Yard, Justin (B.F.A., visual effects, 2014) “Avengers: Endgame”
Yu, Sophia (B.F.A., animation, 2015) “Avengers: Endgame”
Zylberman, Ben (M.F.A., sequential art, 2010; B.F.A., sequential art 2006) “The Lighthouse”; “Harriet”; Ad Astra”

If you are aware of a name missing from this list, please email information (Name, Degree, Film) to [email protected].

One of the cornerstones of a SCAD education is gaining professional experience beyond the classroom. For architectural historians, for whom formal presentation skills are essential, this means participating at academic and professional conferences.

Fall quarter witnessed the architectural history department's highest number of student conference paper presentations, with three at the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians (SESAH) annual meeting and two at the Society of American City and Regional Planning History (SACRPH) conference – a significant achievement.

Like design competitions for other majors at SCAD, conferences involve a competitive process of submission and selection. Students author a one-page proposal for a paper and submit it for consideration alongside proposals submitted by professionals and academics.

To prepare students for participation at a conference, the SCAD School of Building Arts hosts a "Peer Practice Session" dress-rehearsal. An important component of these sessions is to invite students as well as faculty from other departments to provide feedback. Faculty also present work at such sessions, and students experience the process of refinement based on peer feedback. Dr. Geoffrey S. Taylor, dean of the School of Building Arts, noted: "Peer Practice Sessions expose students to current research, demonstrate shared interests amongst the students and faculty from across our disciplines, model professional engagement, and create a dialog celebrating a curiosity for and the critical assessment of the built environment."

At SESAH, held in Greenville, South Carolina, three students, three faculty and two alumni all presented papers, and another alumnus was elected to the SESAH board of directors. Graduate students Madi Alspector (M.F.A., architectural history) and Monica Gann (M.F.A., architectural history) and undergraduate Clara Miller (B.F.A., architectural history) presented papers that grew out of their respective term papers from Chair Robin Williams' "Power and the Built Environment" winter 2019 research seminar. Madi spoke on "Driving Out Destruction: Preservation Activism and Highway Revolts" of the 1950s and ‘60s in American cities. Monica analyzed "The Power Dynamics of the Courtroom Layouts," an examination of how courtrooms have evolved in response to the professionalization of lawyers, and how the configurations of courtrooms may affect the perception of justice. Clara's talk on "Urban Carnage and Social Disempowerment: Buffalo's Failing Blight Removal Campaign" challenged the wisdom of demolishing thousands of historic houses in an effort to revitalize a city.

Faculty members served as mentors at the conferences, helping guide the students through the appropriate ways to hear papers in different concurrent sessions, making introductions to facilitate networking, and supporting presentations. At the SESAH conference it was especially gratifying for current students to interact with alumni Nathaniel Walker (M.A., architectural history, 2006), an assistant professor at the College of Charleston, Marisa Gomez Nordyke (B.F.A., architectural history, 2007), a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Ruben Acosta (M.F.A., architectural history, 2010), an architectural historian at the Florida State Historic Preservation Office.

SCAD at SESAH (left to right): Chair Robin Williams, Clara Miller, Madi Alspector, Monica Gann, alumnus Ruben Acosta, alumna Marisa Gomez Nordyke, Professor Patrick Haughey, Professor David Gobel and alumnus Nathaniel Walker.

Lean more about SCAD architectural history degree programs.

Muchas felicidades and sumptuous congratulations to Nicolás Ramírez (M.F.A., sound design, 2018) for his extraordinary achievement: Nico is a Latin Grammy winner as inginerio de sonido on 2019 Latin Grammy Song of the Year, "Mi Persona Favorita" by Alejandro Sanz & Camila Cabello.

"Mi Persona Favorita" was recorded at Art House, the Miami studio and record label of Julio Reyes Copello. As recording engineer at Art House, Ramírez has worked on sessions with superstars including Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Residente, Shakira, and Bad Bunny, as well as developing artists like Colombian compatriot Paula Arena and Argentinian prodigy Nahuel Pannisi.

One of Ramírez's great skills is creating emotional intimacy through sound. As Nico says: "It doesn't matter if a song is in Spanish or English, if it gets into your skin, that's the incredible thing." Now he has a Latin Grammy to show for it.

Nicolás Ramírez:

When I graduated from SCAD I had the option to intern in Miami at Art House. I knew how internships are: connecting cables, making coffee. But at the same time, I'd be at Julio's studio, where I knew they were making great records with incredible artists.

When I arrived, they were working on Alejandro Sanz's album, #ELDISCO. One day Julio told me: "We need to record some drums, do you know how to do it?" Alejandro wanted Larnell Lewis, an incredible drummer from the band Snarky Puppy, to play on "Mi Persona Favorita." Of course I knew how to record drums. The equal question was: "Can you handle the pressure?" Technology can fail and you have to solve it right away, because recording is all about flow and energy. Julio saw I knew both the technical side and how to be a professional.

The Latin Grammys were an incredible experience, because it was the first Latin Grammy award for my sister Natalia too. She did the vocal post-production for Alejandro's album, including "Mi Persona Favorita." When we got back from Las Vegas to Miami, Alejandro invited the whole team to his house and made us a paella. Paella says it all.

Of course my SCAD experience was key. I came to U.S. from Colombia to study for my masters degree, which was a huge jump for me. SCAD sound design professors David Stone, Mitch Gettleman, and Matthew Akers were essential to my development in different ways. David emphasized that working is not only about the technical aspect, it's about bonding with the people you're working with. From Mitch, I learned how to working quickly and efficiently. With Matthew Akers, I learned about synthesizers, the art of sound, and creating outside the box.

My experience as part of the SCAD cycling team was important too. When you're doing workouts, you're suffering but you get stronger. Mentally, you know can do it. Now, when I'm in a situation in the studio where I need to push to the end of the session, I know I can do it. Another way cycling is like recording: the best way going forward is as a team.

Working at Art House, I go to sleep thinking, is this really happening? The Latin Grammy is my highest professional highlight so far. I'm going to squeeze all the juice of enjoyment from this, while looking forward to what's next.

Nicolas y su novia Amalia Restrepo (M.F.A., illustration, 2018) at the 20th Latin Grammy Awards.

Visit Nico at niccolasramirez.com.

Banner photo: Manolo Alzamora.

And stay tuned: Alejandro Sanz's #ELDISCO is nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the Grammy Awards, Jan. 26, 2020!

Hope Kemp-Hanson (B.F.A., fashion) has won top honors in the 2019 Woolmark x adidas Performance Challenge. The annual global competition challenges students to utilize the benefits of Australian Merino wool while designing new applications in the sports and performance market.

Kemp-Hanson, the only undergraduate among the ten finalists, was selected as winner out of 1,060 student entries from 115 universities in 21 countries, and received her award at the Woolmark x adidas Performance Challenge final event, November 14 in Munich, Germany.

In addition to a monetary prize, Kemp-Hanson receives a three-month internship with adidas, a professional international training workshop, and the opportunity to pitch and sell her concepts to global brands.

Hope Kemp-Hanson:

SCAD has prepared me with technical development and skills that I wouldn't have gained anywhere else. I received close guidance and support from SCAD School of Fashion associate dean, Dejan Agatonovic and SCAD communications coach Kelly Kilgore. They spent many hours helping me cultivate my presentation. 

My presentation was inspired by the underground skateboarding scene that has emerged in South Korea. They are searching for an escape from societal pressure. I have such an appreciation for the sport because of the culture and mindset of skateboarders. It's incredible the way they value camaraderie (despite differences), independence, risk, rebellion, self-expression, and creativity. Skateboarding always finds a way to have an influence on the streetwear/sportswear industry.

I focused on product need, market opportunity, and a story that needed to be heard. I built a highly holistic project targeting a specific consumer, making it scalable to live through horizontal cross-category growth.

The adidas ideal is "through sport we have the power to change lives." The judges appreciated that I authentically used story-telling to share about the lives of South Korean youth/skateboarders. They felt that my project utilizes design to change lives through sport.

My design process is derived from problem solving. Everything I put on a garment has a purpose or a reason. I love to push the limitations of textiles and functionality of apparel through biomechanics, science, technology, medicine, and working closely with the body. I love the idea that we can make a person fearless or their best selves on the field or in sport and they can take that mindset off the field with them as well.

I want to create a greater channel of accessibility in the industry for young creatives and diverse voices that aren't at the table yet. I want to focus on sustainability and give people the tools to consume more intentionally and less wastefully. I want to focus on inspiring that feeling of wonder and curiosity in people, and on connecting the world through apparel design.

Standing on stage at the award event in Munich, I felt excitement and pride that I don't quite know how to put into words.

Learn more about the SCAD School of Fashion.

Visit www.hopekemphanson.com!

Christopher John Rogers (B.F.A., fashion and apparel design, 2016) has been recognized as the top designer among 10 prestigious finalists in the 2019 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) / Vogue Fashion Fund. The first-place, $400,000 prize will will be used to further develop Rogers' burgeoning career. The recognition highlights Rogers' unique contributions to the global fashion community and includes mentorship from an esteemed group of industry professionals.

Following his graduation from SCAD, Rogers has designed for Diane Von Furstenberg, dressed Michelle Obama, SZA, Lizzo, Cardi B, Whoopi Goldberg, Alexandra Shipp and more. He was one of the top emerging designers at fall 2018 New York Fashion Week and is currently working on his own collection.

"At SCAD, Christopher John Rogers achieved a truly authentic aesthetic — one of bold, bespoke patterns and colors culled from his own dreamscape," stated SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. "When Priyanka Chopra, Regina King, and Michelle Obama are wearing your creations, you're doing something right. It's no surprise that Rogers is a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Winner. A designer with a SCAD education is a designer with no limits."

As a student in the award-winning SCAD School of Fashion, Rogers had access to more than 200 industry-leading and academically rigorous courses. The SCAD School of Fashion prepares students for professional careers in fashion-related industries with a focus on the principles of design, unbounded creativity and state-of-the-art technology. The 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.

Outside the classroom, SCAD fashion students are given unprecedented access to industry luminaries, like Rogers' opportunity to connect with Von Furstenberg, through SCADpro collaborative projects, signature events such as SCAD's annual juried fashion show and SCADstyle, and through SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film exhibitions and programming.

With this honor, Rogers joins the prestigious group of SCAD students that have won more than 130 major fashion industry awards in the past three years including distinction in the International Design Awards Emerging Fashion Designer of the Year, Supima Design Competition, and Global Student Competition at the Arab Luxury World Summit. Rogers is part of SCAD's prestigious group of fashion program alumni, the nearly 4,000 SCAD fashion graduates who are now design leaders at Anthropologie, Marc Jacobs, Kenneth Cole, Kate Spade, Abercrombie, Chanel, Lily Pulitzer and more.

Since its inception, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has granted $5.9 million to over 35 design companies including past winners such as Proenza Schouler (2004), Alexander Wang (2008), Brock Collection (2016) and Telfar (2017). This year's awards were determined by a selection committee featuring Anna Wintour, Joseph Altuzarra, Eva Chen, Paloma Elsesser, Mark Holgate, Jeffrey Kalinsky, Steven Kolb, Chioma Nnadi, Roopal Patel, Andrew Rosen, and Diane von Furstenberg.

Congratulations, Christopher!

Photo couresy CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

"I still remember that feeling of being a kid and playing so much that you believe everything you're playing," said Samantha Morton, recipient of the Virtuoso Award at the 22nd SCAD Savannah Film Festival. "That's the thing I bring on set and into character."

Morton's excellence spans all cinematic metrics. From big screen to hand-held, art house through blockbuster, the Nottingham, England native spoke about notable roles in Woody Allen's "Sweet and Lowdown" (1999), Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report" (2002), and Carine Adler's "Under the Skin" (1997) during her "In Conversation" appearance at Gutstein Gallery with SCAD professor Michael Chaney.

Spontaneous ovations greeted the mere mention of her work on television shows "The Walking Dead" and "Harlots." "If the great role happens to be in a great TV show, you're going to do that," Morton said. "It's not always about film."

Samantha Morton:

"When I was younger and lots of scripts were coming in the door, [the choices I made were] about what I thought had a message, a political message, a feminist message, or tackled mental health issues. I always had to have conscious reason for that role. When I got older, I still turn things down if I think it's written for the wrong reasons or is exploitative. I can't just make tea. I've never been the pretty girlfriend role. When they offered me Alpha [in ‘The Walking Dead'], I thought wow, what an iconic role! I was so proud the opportunity came my way and I could get my hands on it.

"Recently I've been working on a show called 'Harlots.' 'Harlots' is produced by Debra Hayward and Alison Owen, women I really admired in the film industry who decided to make their own television production company, Monumental Productions. 'Harlots' is produced by women, directed by a woman, written by a woman, starring women. I'm not saying we're kicking the geezers out. But this particular show was about the sex industry in Georgian London. It was kind of a female perspective on something we always have a male perspective on. When the opportunity came my way, I cried.

"It brings me right back to 'Under the Skin.' Carine Adler made 'Under the Skin' when she was 50-years-old. This was a film written by a woman, produced by a woman, about a woman. At the same time, Lars von Trier was making ‘Breaking the Waves.' [The films] came out at the same time. It would be very interesting for you as film students to watch both of them and ask yourselves questions about what the films were about, why these two films were made at the same time, what was the female director saying, what was the male director saying.

"With the ‘Walking Dead' I'd not done American television before, and it was very important for me to understand from Angela Kang the show runner what her vision was from beginning to end of a season. The episodes come in weekly, so you don't know what's happening. You can say anything as a character as long as you know the character. You can pick that person up and drop them in any environment.

"Do all the work yourself, so when you turn up you're not asking, ‘What do you want from me? What do I do now?' You can answer all of those questions by instinct. You just be. It's like the zen of acting. You're present and you get on with it."

Thanks to Samantha Morton and all the attendees of the 22nd SCAD Savannah Film Festival.

"If my marriage had gone well, I would have kept Kamali locked away at home like I was," says Suganthi, 32-year old mother of the daring skateboarder at the heart of director Sasha Rainbow's 24-minute film "Kamali" (UK, 2019). As an Indian girl growing up in the coastal town of Mahabalipuram, nine-year-old Kamali Murthy doesn't heed the words of observers as she whizzes past: "Who will marry her if she breaks?"

Whether framing her upper body with skateboard out of sight to create the sensation of Kamali flying, or showing her skating an oceanside concrete half pipe through the barred window of her home, the visual poetry of "Kamali" does what great documentary film does. The stakes of the situation are defined as we feel what the subject is feeling. As Kamali's mother says: "It's like I'm looking at myself when I look at Kamali."

"Kamali" screened at this year's SCAD Savannah Film Festival as part of "Shorts Spotlight: Living on the Edge," a program dedicated to the stories of people under pressure, fighting the odds.

Director Carol Dysinger's "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (if you're a girl)" (UK, 2019), while complementary to "Kamali," screened on a different day, providing necessary breathing room.

Dysinger's 40-minute portrait follows Afghani girls learning to read, write and skateboard through a program called Skateistan as the city of Kabul explodes around them. Equal time is devoted to showing the girls in the classroom (eager to learn and mischievous; they're kids) and in their homes, where amidst mundane daily tasks mothers hope for better lives for their daughters. The window of opportunity these girls are skating through could shatter at any moment.

Both "Kamali" and "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (if you're a girl)" illuminate a key truth: As a literal vehicle for personal expression, a skateboard can be a tool against oppression. So can film.

The 2019 SCAD Savannah Film Festival continues through Saturday, Nov. 2.

For a full list of programming, visit the dedicated site.

Come celebrate the 22nd SCAD Savannah Film Festival, an acclamation of cinematic excellence, Oct. 26 – Nov. 2, 2019. The largest university-run film festival in the country honors professional and emerging student filmmakers during an eight-day film celebration, welcoming more than 63,000 attendees from around the world, including directors, writers, filmmakers and actors from the big screen.
 
The festival kicks off Saturday, Oct. 26, with the Opening Night Gala Screening of "The Aeronauts" directed by Tom Harper. The festival closes on Saturday, Nov. 2 with the Closing Gala Screening of "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" directed by Marielle Heller. A key stop on the Oscar festival circuit, SCAD Savannah Film Festival will screen a total of 159 films, including 35 narrative films, 15 documentary films and 109 shorts, more than any previous year.
 
"SCAD alumni and students alike will join in the festivities at the 22nd annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival. With so many SCAD grads living in Georgia, they don't have far to come!" said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. "SCAD is a global leader in entertainment arts, and it's our pleasure to host the best film festival anywhere."
 
"This year's festival is one of our best and most exciting film line-ups we've put together," said SCAD Savannah Film Festival Executive Director Christina Routhier.  "We are thrilled to present eight days of premiere screenings, panels, workshops, and a one-of-a-kind Immersive VR experience to SCAD, our students, and the City of Savannah. One of the highlights of this year's festival is our annual Wonder Women series which includes award winning and rising directors, producers, writers, and below the line artists. I am even more proud that the festival will be screening films from over 50 female filmmakers making us one of the few festivals that are celebrating the work of female artists from around the world."

SCAD's preeminent School of Entertainment Arts is creating world-class, industry-ready talent that fills needs in Georgia, and in the industry globally. More than 10,000 SCAD alumni have graduated from the schools of digital media and entertainment arts, and nearly 5,000 students are currently enrolled in majors that cover fields of animation, entertainment, motion pictures, media production, writing, editing, broadcast media and performing arts.

Celebrating its 22nd year, the festival and the competition provide SCAD students with opportunities as unique as the selected films. This year, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival received over 1,800 submissions for the competition film series. During the festival, students from every academic discipline connect with leaders from the entertainment industry through master classes, coffee talks, lectures, workshops and panel discussions. Savannah, a premier film hub in the Southeast, promotes quality movies produced by independent and studio filmmakers.
 
Tickets and passes are available for purchase online at savannahboxoffice.com, by telephone at 912.525.5050, or in person at the Trustees Theater, located at 216 E. Broughton St., Savannah.

View the festival schedule for a complete list of films and screening locations.

The annual Kravet Design Challenge epitomizes the brilliance of cross-disciplinary collaboration at SCAD. The challenge brings together students from two SCAD clubs: Fibers Force, and Interior Design Organization, to have their work judged by representatives from Kravet, the global leader in to-the-trade fabric and home furnishings, in a festive event in Pepe Hall.

This year's prompt — design a collection drawing inspiration from a film made in Savannah — resulted in a lively raft of student creations. Sixteen teams, each comprised of one SCAD fibers student and one SCAD interior design student, displayed mock-ups inspired by movies including "X-Men: First Class," "Forrest Gump," "The Peanut Butter Falcon," and "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

"That you chose to enter this competition in addition to your classwork shows your incredible commitment to work with people at SCAD outside your discipline," interior design professor Christina Gonano told students. "We're all really happy with how everything looks. Congratulations on doing amazing work!"

Ellen Kravet, co-principal and executive vice president, and Scott Kravet, chief creative director, Kravet, Inc., were equally effusive in their praise.

"Your depth and detail are exceptional," Scott Kravet said, addressing all entrants. "To choose a winner, we looked for designs that would be applicable to the ease and use of what we do at Kravet. I looked for a design of a space I would personally like to live in."

The collection receiving the highest accolade was "Accentuating Eccentricities" by Sheridan Markham (M.F.A., interior design) and Shelby Pogue (B.F.A., fibers), notable for what Scott Kravet deemed its "spectacular detail and layering, including the ghost. As a buyer of art and textile design, I would buy the feather design today as an indoor print or outdoor print. Well done."

Having won the competition last year, Markham and Pogue were delighted to repeat their top honors. Their collection contains coded, idiosyncratic nods to Clint Eastwood's adaptation of John Berendt's best-selling novel, demonstrating a profound commitment to design excellence.

"As part of our research, we visited the Mercer House, where part of ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' was filmed," Markham said. "We learned there are certain colors unique to the home: wild herring peach, Indian bluff blue, and Jim's taupe. We incorporated elements of the ornate, historic space and the characters who inhabited it into our collection."

"To create the feather print, I dipped real a feather in ink and dropped it on the paper," explained Pogue. "Then I scanned it into Photoshop and played with layers and opacity and color replacement. The inspiration came from the movie character Serena, who is always wearing dramatic feathered ensembles."

As Markham and Pogue were congratulated by their peers and professors, all participants received a certificate of commendation from Kravet, a valuable accolade to have in a student portfolio.

"Kravet is consistently supportive of what our students do," professor Gonanao added. "They encourage these collaborative opportunities, which are really gateways to professional success. We look forward to doing it again next year."

Congratulations Shelby (left) and Sheridan!