The RISD Alumni Council Executive Committee resisted the lure of the perfect beach day on Saturday to meet and define goals and actions for the Alumni Council during the coming year. Led by new officers President Nathaniel Hesse ‘76 SC and Vice President Meghan Reilly ‘01 GD, the group laid out an ambitious plan that will include building regional events with President Maeda and traveling faculty members, greater interaction with students on campus, faculty appreciation, and outreach to young alumni.

If you have an interest in becoming more involved, and want to jump into the volunteer pool, contact Christina Hartley, Director of Alumni Relations + Special Events at chartley*at*risd.edu!

Ms. Jill McGrath in New York asked me to share some sad news about one of our recent graduates, “Peter St. Onge (Printmaking ‘09) passed away tragically on August 8.” Peter was someone that I had just shook hands with at commencement a few months ago. I am deeply saddened by this loss. For anyone that wishes to offer condolences for Peter, please visit PeterStOnge.com. His family has created a scholarship fund for the arts in his memory: PETER ST ONGE SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE ARTS, Rumson, Fair Haven Bank & Trust, Attn: Alexandra Smith, 20 Bingham Avenue, Rumson, NJ 07760.

The Department of Teaching + Learning in Art + Design has had a long and very successful partnership with CityArts. The Executive Director, Barbara Wong, is a graduate of RISD’s MA in Art + Design Education. Her commitment, along with Prof. John Chamberlin’s longstanding commitment through his course “Community Art Project,” are critical to the success of the partnership. Community Art Project provides undergraduate students with the challenge to leave their RISD studios to develop engaging and creative learning opportunities for CityArts youngsters.

City Arts’ new Education Director, Adrienne Gagnon, also graduated with a RISD MA. While at RISD, she was a Teaching Assistant for Prof. Chamberlin’s Community Art Project course.

Their recent “summer soiree” was held at the beautiful Woods-Gerry mansion here at RISD last Friday on a glorious summer day. -JM

I was at the White House a few weeks ago for the National Design Awards reception in my role as Chair of the jury for this year’s awards lineup and as a Trustee of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. I’ve noted that some things at the White House have changed from the years I visited before — with hand-lettered place cards, an heirloom tomato salad, and a notable phalanx of photographers focused on Mrs. Obama.

Many RISD grads were there, including last year’s People’s Choice awardee Stuart Karten as well as honoree Tobias Frere-Jones. And oddly, I sat with the mother of a past honoree who said that her daughter was a RISD grad. To which I learned she was actually a Brown grad that took several RISD classes … but was proud to identify herself as from RISD in many circles. I’ve met other Brown grads that say a similar thing actually. And I’m not one to complain about that at all. RISD is where we all want to be. -JM

It was nice to hear from RISD alum Emily Albinski to learn how she won first place in the LG design competition hosted on crowdspring.com. Online communities-for-hire like crowdspring have been in the making for many years called collectively as crowdsourcing — the Web has enabled such a phenomena to happen. And it’s great to see that RISD grads are way on top (Emily let me know that there are many other RISD alums on the winner list).

The online art world is also evolving in interesting ways, but is definitely still “under construction.” Saatchi online has always puzzled me, but it definitely gets much attention. So many things happening today. It’s all quite an amazing time to be alive and to experience it all. -JM

Little Eva said it in the song: A little bit of rhythm and a lot of soul. And that’s what Mark Moscone ‘88 PR, Director of Campus Exhibitions, and his assistant Gunnar Norquist, brought to ALCO (American Locomotive Works) for a reception with President Maeda on Thursday. Mark and Gunnar transformed the undeveloped space with recent work by Hugh Zeigler ‘09 PT, Allison Roberts, MFA ‘09 PR, Greg O’Malley ‘09 PT, Joseph Segal MFA ‘09 TX, Michael Green MFA ‘09 FD, Martin Smick MFA ‘09 PT, and Luke O’Sullivan MFA ‘09 PR, demonstrating that drive and creative energy so unique to RISD. Area alumni, Museum members, and parents turned out to meet President Maeda, hear his thoughts and reflections on his first year at RISD, and ask provocative questions about the future of art + design.

It was a privilege and a joy to participate in a new tradition just begun at RISD with graduating students: Senior Receptions at the President’s home.  Co-sponsored with Student Life, these events brought graduating seniors and grad students, department technicians and coordinators, staff, faculty, curators, and more together to reflect on the time they’ve spent at RISD, acknowledge relationships they have made here, and talk about their hopes and dreams.  It was a chance for me to remind them that there is an active network of alumni out there, ready and willing to provide encouragement and support, who now include them among their numbers!

Providence will soon see a new 10,000-square-foot building, targeted at start-up businesses and artists, made from recycled steel shipping containers. The Box Office is the brainchild of Peter Gill Case MArch ‘97, architect and developer, and was designed by Joseph Haskett MArch ‘02 of Distill Studio and Joshua Brandt of Stack Design Build to develop the project.  The building, when completed, will use 25% less energy than conventional new office buildings, and will offer tenants “green leases” that will give financial incentives for maximizing energy performance. Read more about the project in this Providence Journal article.

Gill Case is also founder of Truth Box, Inc., an architecture/development firm dedicated to the rapid transition to a green age: no waste, less energy used, healthy buildings and more renewable energy production. His projects include Monohassett Mills in Providence and Bayley Street Lofts in Pawtucket.

Over 200 alumni, parents and friends converged on Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for a celebration RISD-style, and a chance to meet President John Maeda. John shared some of his thoughts on leadership, his first-year explorations of RISD, and ways we can all engage with RISD and each other, and fielded questions such as how to balance tradition with innovation. We’re planning another of these events for those of you in the Providence area on June 11 at American Locomotive Works.  Register here now!

Photo of Nicole Miller ‘73 AP, Beth Garvin, Jon Kamen + Howard Read ‘76 PH
by  Steven Rosen ‘81 IL

“Do you want to be a cog in the wheel, or do you want to drive the car?” This is what one RISD professor asked Chriss Slevin ‘97 PT/MFA ‘07 TX (that’s Chriss on the right). For her the choice was clear - she wanted to be in the driver’s seat.

Chriss was one of the alumni volunteers who met with newly accepted students at Cheim + Read in NYC last night to welcome them and their families to the RISD community. The reception also provided students with the opportunity to ask questions and hear more about the RISD experience as they grapple with making the all-important decision about whether or not RISD is the right choice for them.

It’s delightful to meet and hear these enthusiastic young artists and designers talk about their path to RISD, and their hopes and dreams for the future. As good as that is, though, it’s equally heartbreaking to hear some of these students tell us that they will most likely not be able to attend since they did not receive enough financial aid. If you recently received President Maeda’s letter, you know how committed he is to generating more support for our students; please respond to his request so that we can put more up-and-coming artists in the driver’s seat!