I had the chance to meet with RISD alum Tae Ashida at her studio in Tokyo on my recent Asia trip. Tae’s elegant couture collections known as Miss Ashida are ambitious and inspired explorations in form, pattern, and personality. What impressed me most in my chat with Tae was her ability to speak to the confluence of international culture, emerging business opportunities, the importance of education, and in an especially loving way about her experience at RISD. In many Japanese periodicals Tae speaks of her alma mater – written here in Japanese as “ロードアイランド造形大学” – I think I feel a new Japanese T-shirt coming on. Be sure to catch Tae’s new upcoming collections! -JM

I received a postcard from Zio Ziegler who has started a new business in Mill Valley, CA. In the event that you are anywhere near 87 E Blithedale then you know where to go! -JM

Last week I stopped by Cheil – the largest advertising company in Korea – to see Nack Hoi Kim. It’s amazing to see how Mr. Kim is inventing new venues for the many creatives that work in his agency. There I also came across some a RISD grad and also a current RISD student interning there. It’s nice to see RISD everywhere I go. -JM

I was happy to attend an informal gathering of RISD alumni in Korea arranged by Ms. Heather Park who is the president of the alumni club there. Everywhere you go there is a RISD grad that cannot forget their incredible RISD experience and say quite plainly, “I wish I could go back to RISD!” Interestingly enough alum Ki-ho Park, who a couple of decades ago helped to found the Korean alumni club, is now back as a graduate student here at RISD. So RISD can live in your life forever … that’s the way we like it here! Thanks to all for coming on such short notice! -JM

With all of the recent press on Bing, it gave me a chance to catch up a bit and try out WolframAlpha (I’m always trying to play catch-up). The “Spock”-like data presentation is interesting, and I definitely prefer it to the B(l)ing-y design style of Microsoft’s new endeavor in this area. Have tried to acclimate to using Ask as it’s only 3-characters instead of 6-characters for Google. Luckily for me I know where “rhode island school of design” is … it’s right here in Providence, RI!

RISD’s Continuing Education program had its Class of 2009 graduation ceremony this evening. Among many of our new CE alums, there I met Mr. Irving Washington who earned his certificate in “Art Appraisal.” I asked Mr. Washington what he was going to use his certificate for, to which he responded, “… to appraise … art.” Congratulations to our many CE alums for their hard work across many evenings and weekends! You did it! -JM

RISD students have a special affinity for zombies that in my first year I’ve begun to vaguely understand. At the recent senior receptions organized by Institutional Engagement VP Beth Garvin together with our Student Affairs Associate Provost Barbara Fienman, I had the chance to meet Mr. Andrew Fogel, one of our aspiring young film directors in the Class of 2009, who directed the above piece on zombies which I had the pleasure of watching on my ATV with the students from our Film, Animation, and Video department headed by Prof. Dennis Hlynski. Thanks to this opportunity, I don’t think I will ever take a zombie for granted. -JM

As promised, my photos from commencement. Nothing like a front seat to capture all that happens here at RISD. Enjoy, -JM

I love this piece that I first caught on Twitter. It made me think of the recent story in the NYT about President Obama:

When it comes to dealing with the Middle East, the president noted, “There is a Kabuki dance going on constantly. That is what I would like to see broken down. I am going to be holding up a mirror and saying: ‘Here is the situation, and the U.S. is prepared to work with all of you to deal with these problems. But we can’t impose a solution. You are all going to have to make some tough decisions.’ Leaders have to lead, and, hopefully, they will get supported by their people.”

and how leaders today need to design mirrors with which society can see itself more clearly. Only by knowing and acknowledging how we act/behave can we have a chance to possibly modulate our own behavior. Artists create mirrors all the time, as is literally seen in the elegant piece above. -JM

A month ago I visited Mary Boone Gallery to see what was showing, but also to see RISD alumni Mary Boone herself. Mary’s career arc leaving RISD shows an incredible drive to be truthful to the core of her creative pursuits — which turned from making art, to the art of showing artworks. I find that RISD’s network of entrepreneurs is similar to that of MIT’s. Passion and creative thinking are the same raw materials – the difference I’m finding however, are that the resultant enterprises are distinctly unique.