Last week, actor, singer, dancer and songwriter Lucas Grabeel received the SCAD AnimationFest Achievement Award at the third annual SCAD AnimationFest in Atlanta. Grabeel, beloved for voicing animated characters for "Family Guy" and "Pinky Malinky" as well as his live action roles in "Switched at Birth" and the "High School Musical" films, hosted a masterclass for SCAD students, appeared at a public screening of "Pinky Malinky" featuring a Q&A moderated by D.W. Moffett, Chair of Film and Television, SCAD Savannah, and was widlly cheered at a special presentation where he received the SCAD AnimationFest Achievement Award from President Wallace.

The following are edited and condensed remarks by Grabeel at SCAD AnimationFest 2019.

Lucas Grabeel:

After a couple years in L.A., I got the "High School Musical" job that changed my life. At the time my sister was an assistant to another actor doing a voiceover gig with one of the top animation casting directors in L.A. The casting director said, "Would your brother want to do animation?" She said, "Of course, he's been doing silly voices and annoying me his whole life."

I did bit parts on "Glenn Martin, DDS" and "Family Guy," then I auditioned 250 times before I booked a job: "Sherriff Callie's Wild West" for Disney Junior. That's when I started sitting next to the great Jessica DiCicco week after week in the studio, singing and learning mic technique and how to take a voice and create a whole character. That was my voiceover education.

When you're on camera, the camera is picking up your body language, so it's more subtle. When you're doing voiceover work in animation, you have to put yourself in your mind where you are, like if you're having a conversation. When you're reading the script, you need to visualize. It's heightened and uses more of your imagination.

Once you book the job, they'll have a description of what they want the character to feel like. Sometimes there'll be a drawing of the character as well. I look at the page then go off in my head and do different emotions for the character: excited, scared, sad, super-happy. Just like with a character on screen, you develop a story, then start to know the character. Then you go to the studio and they say, "Oh no, we want something completely different!" Which has happened to me many times. You have to roll with the punches and that's when it gets exciting. It adds good pressure to be creative.

If you want to work in animation after graduation, there are amazing internships in L.A. There is so much animation that's being made right now. Knock on every door: Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, Fox, Disney. Nickelodeon has an incredible program. They really want young people to come and create and bring new ideas to the table. Many people high up at Nickelodeon started off in that program. One thing about the animation world is there's a sense of family and camaraderie and support. The people in animation love animation.

There are a lot of voiceover workshops. Get used to the sound of your voice, learn to control your voice. Workshops also teach you how to warm up vocally, how to cool down, and how to show up ready to go whenever the job starts.

The resources and facilities you have at SCAD are incredible. Getting in a recording studio is the best thing you can do. Look to your colleagues and record a demo reel. Do a couple characters and cut it together. It's all about getting in front of the microphone, hearing yourself, testing yourself, listening back, and learning.

Thanks to everyone who attended SCAD AnimationFest 2019!

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

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

Jill Kinnear:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more about the SCAD fibers program.

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

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

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

 

Madi Alspector:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more about the SCAD architectural history program.

Grimke sisters image courtesy Library of Congress.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Images courtesy The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.

For order inquiries email: [email protected]



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

Simon Stevens:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photograph: Just Toby

“Why do people wear exotic animal prints,” wonders Kassidy Laxdal (B.F.A., fibers, 2019), “when they could be wearing a pattern of their own animal’s fur?”

The brain teaser is not rhetorical. “Animal Farm,” the current group exhibition at Gutstein Gallery, features Laxdal’s eight-paneled “Dog and Cat Fur Pattern.” At close range, these finely dappled weavings could be peculiar geological formations seen from deep space. Yet the patterns, created on the Jacquard loom in Pepe Hall, are close-ups based on the coats of actual animals.

“Dog and Cat Fur Pattern” reveals key aspects of Laxdal’s personality: animal-loving, technically accomplished, artistically inquisitive, clever. That “Animal Farm” features a second work by the new alumna—the impeccably beaded “Sled Dog”—demonstrates she is an artist of impressive versatility.

Kassidy Laxdal:

I’m from Zimmerman, Minnesota, population 5000. My entire life I’ve traveled through the Savannah airport, because my family also has a house in Hilton Head. When I was in 3rd grade, 8 or 9 years old, there was a SCAD pamphlet in the airport and I picked it up and said, “Mom, I want to go here.” And she said: “Make it your goal.” So I did.

I came to SCAD to study interior design, but when I signed up for my first fibers class, Surface Design: Drawing for Print and Pattern (FIBR 160), I found my calling.

I made a lot of animal-inspired products in my major. I made small backpacks for dogs, so they can carry their own weight in a relationship. When I had a concept for a person to wear a shirt with the pattern of their own’s animal fur, I started making linocuts to create fur patterns, but wasn’t achieving the amount of detail I wanted to translate animal fur into a pattern.

I took Weaving I, and then I had an internship with Alexandra Forby (B.F.A., painting, 2013), who owns Daughter Handwovens, a small business here in Savannah. From April to December 2018, I was in her studio two to three times a week helping her by making warps and setting up looms. I loved it.

Winter quarter senior year I took Complex Woven Structures: Jacquard Technology (FIBR 415) with an incredible professor named Deborah First. That’s when I learned to use the Jacquard loom. Finally, I knew I could get the level of detail I wanted. The Jacquard is computerized and uses WeavePoint, a weaving design software, so you can weave images that are hyperrealistic. I made a swatch collection of patterns of different animal furs, including a blue heeler, a calico cat, a tabby, a Bengal cat and a German shepherd. These are the pieces up now in Gutstein Gallery.

My sled dog I created in beading class with professor Sam Norgard, a world-renowned beader and embroidery artist. I planned my entire schedule my senior year around taking her class. I used bugle and baguette beads to create the contours of the sled. I also added embroidery into the piece, to capture the fur around the face of the dog. Now that I’ve graduated, having my work up in Gutstein is part of my ongoing connection to SCAD.

Fun fact! Kassidy was the makeup artist on the SCAD student film that won grand prize in the Coca-Cola Regal Films Program 2019.

See Kassidy Laxdal’s work in “Animal Farm” at Gutstein Gallery through July 14, 2019.

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.