Rhode Island School of Design

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Rhode Island School of Design

Established: 1877
Type: Private
Endowment: $305 million (2006)
President: Roger Mandle,
starting June '08: John Maeda
Faculty: 146 full-time, 336 part-time
Students: 2,282
Undergraduates: 1,883
Postgraduates: 399
Location: Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Campus: Urban
13 acres (53,000 )
Website: risd.edu

The Rhode Island School of Design (abbreviated as RISD, pronounced /ˈrɪzdi/) is a fine arts college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877 and is currently located at the base of College Hill and contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and offer joint courses. RISD is considered to be one of the best fine arts schools in the nation, often sharing the spot with Cooper Union. It is commonly known as the "Harvard" of art schools and, according to a recent poll, has the highest freshman workload of any college in the United States. It is one of the most selective art schools in the nation, placing much emphasis on the applicant's portfolio, and how they accomplished RISD's infamous "hometest" — three drawing assignments.

The school includes about 350 faculty and curators, and 400 staff members. About 1,880 undergraduates and 370 graduate students enroll from all over the United States and 50 other countries. It offers 16 undergraduate majors and 17 graduate majors. RISD is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD), a consortium of thirty-six leading art schools in the United States. It also maintains over 80,000 works of art in the RISD Museum.

In May 2006 the RISD Board of Trustees approved this mission statement:

The mission of the Rhode Island School of Design, through its college and museum, is to educate its students and the public in the creation and appreciation of works of art and design, to discover and transmit knowledge and to make lasting contributions to a global society through critical thinking, scholarship and innovation.

Contents

[edit] History

The Centennial Women were a group formed to raise funds for Rhode Island's exhibit at the Centennial Exposition in 1876. The group had $1,675 left over after the exposition, and, inspired by foreign exhibits on design and interior decorating, Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf persuaded the group to donate the money to found what would become the Rhode Island School of Design. The school was incorporated in 1877 and opened its doors the following fall. Metcalf directed the school until her death in 1895. Her daughter, Eliza Greene Metcalf Radeke, then took over until her death in 1931.[1]

The Rhode Island General Assembly ratified “An Act to Incorporate the Rhode Island School of Design” on March 22, 1877. “For the purpose of aiding in the cultivation of the arts of design.” Over the next 129 years, the following original by-laws set forth these following primary objectives:

First. The instruction of artisans in drawing, painting, modeling, and designing, that they may successfully apply the principles of Art to the requirements of trade and manufacture.
Second. The systematic training of students in the practice of Art, in order that they may understand its principles, give instruction to others, or become artists.
Third. The general advancement of public Art Education, by the exhibition of works of Art and of Art school studies, and by lectures on Art.

[edit] Athletics

Athletics are not the focus of campus life but do provide a rare sense of school spirit. RISD sports have fluctuated over the years with the RISD archives containing photos of football, baseball, and basketball teams spanning the very early 20th century. Yearbooks and alumni reveal the RISD Student Association funded basketball teams throughout the 1950s and 1960s that were called the 'Nads'. An ice hockey team formed soon after using the same name, 'Nads'. The ice hockey team played through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s with little record of other athletics. In 2000, a new basketball team was formed under the name 'Balls' to complement the ice hockey team, each with its own slogan: "When the heat is on, the Balls stick together", and "Go Nads" (deliberately sounding like "gonads"). Currently, these are the two most active and organized sports teams at RISD, with basketball the only sport played at varsity-level competition. Together, both teams provide a rally ground for students, faculty, administration, and staff alike. Intramural level teams round out the offering in rock climbing, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, and biking.

In 2001, the Nads created the infamous, and unofficial mascot, "Scrotie." RISD students claim Cooper Union and Pratt Institute as their archrivals in sporting events, and the two hold an annual basketball match in both Providence and New York.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Before 1970

  • Arthur S. Douglas (Attended 1878) – First year student of RISD, Douglas, at the age of 18. He was also a student teacher at RISD. While a student at RISD, he also exhibited at the Providence Art Club along with S. Burleigh, and Edward Bannister. George Whitaker, in the December 3, 1881 issue of the Providence Journal reported, Arthur Douglas of the Rhode Island of Design showed meritorious work. Douglas was also a pupil instructor while attending RISD. For examples of his artwork you can go to [2]
  • Allan Merrick Jeffers – (BFA 18??) – architect of the "Beaux Arts" style.
  • Charlotte Perkins Gilman (attended 1878) – author and feminist
  • Linda Connor (B.F.A. 19??) – large–format photographer, currently teaches at the San Francisco Art Institute
  • Kurt Wenner (Attended 19??) – anamorphic street painter
  • Leo Narducci (B.F.A. 1960) – fashion designer
  • Steven Kellogg (B.F.A 1963) – children's book illustrator
  • Martin Mull (B.F.A. 1965, M.F.A. 1967) – actor/comedian, painter
  • Anthony C. Belluschi (B.Arch 1966) – Architect
  • Charles Rocket (196?) – former SNL cast member, actor
  • Dale Chihuly (M.F.A. 1968) – famous glass–blower/artist, co–founder of Pilchuck School
  • Martha Coolidge (B.F.A. 1968) – film director: Valley Girl (1983), Real Genius (1985), The Prince and Me (2004), Material Girls (2006)
  • David Macaulay (B.Arch. 1969) – writer/illustrator, 2006 MacArthur Fellow

[edit] 1970s

[edit] 1980s

  • Howard Ben Tre (M.F.A. 1980) – artist
  • Lucy Puls (M.F.A. 1980) – artist
  • Michael Scheiner (B.F.A. 1980) – glass sculptor/ RISD professor
  • Michael Gabellini (B.Arch 1981) – Architect and restorer, teacher at the Parsons School of Design
  • Preston Scott Cohen (B.Arch 1983) – Boston-based architect; director of the Architecture degree program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design
  • Karin Campbell (B.F.A 1984) – artist
  • Cheryl Donegan (B.F.A. 1984) – video artist and painter
  • Glenn Gissler (B.Arch 1984) – Architect
  • Kenneth Goldsmith (B.F.A. 1984) – poet, WFMU DJ, founding editor of UbuWeb
  • Michael Maltzan (B.Arch 1985) – Architect
  • Sheila Sofian (B.F.A. 1985) – Animator
  • Michael Yurgeles (M.F.A. 1985) – photographer/arts educator
  • Nader Tehrani (B.Arch 1986) – Architect, adjunct associate professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design
  • Zack Stratis (B.F.A. 1987) – Film director
  • Michele Macrakis (B.F.A. 198?) – photographer Fulbright Fellow
  • Josiah McElheny (B.F.A. 1988) – artist/sculptor, 2006 MacArthur Fellow
  • Janine Antoni (M.F.A. 1989) – artist
  • Eli Bonerz (B.Arch. 1989) – co–founder, X–Large
  • Jon Foster (1989) – illustrator
  • Thomas Goryeb (B.F.A. 1989- B.Arch 1990) – architect, furniture designer
  • Heather Nova (B.F.A. 1989) – singer/songwriter
  • Susan Sellers (B.F.A. 1989) – graphic designer
  • Manjushree Thapa (B.F.A 1989) - Writer, "Forget Kathmandu", "Tilled Earth", "Tutor Of History"
  • Charles Stone III (B.F.A. 1988) – film director: Drumline (2002), creator of Whassup? Anheuser–Busch Budweiser commercial campaign
  • Yvonne Force Villareal (B.F.A 1988) – art patron and socialite
  • Georgie Stout (B.F.A. 1989) – graphic designer

[edit] 1990s

  • Julie Mehretu (M.F.A. 1997) – artist, 2005 MacArthur Fellow
  • Kara Walker (M.F.A. 1994) – artist, MacArthur Fellow
  • Romeo Alaeff (M.F.A. 1996) – Multimedia artist, Children's Television Writer/Animation Editor/Film Editor
  • Charles A. Cohen (M.F.A. 1995) – Multimedia artist
  • James Jaxxa (attended 199?) – Multimedia artist
  • Thomas Goryeb (B.F.A. 1989- B.Arch 1990) – architect, furniture designer
  • Jesse Sykes (B.F.A. 199?) – singer/songwriter
  • Keira Alexandra (B.F.A. 1990) – graphic designer
  • Jose Clemente Orozco (MFA 1990) – graphic designer, illustrator, book designer, grandson of Mexican muralist
  • Scott Stowell (B.F.A. 1990) – graphic designer, former designer M&Co./Colors Magazine
  • Andrea Zittel (M.F.A. 1990) – artist
  • Imraan Aziz (B.F.A. 1991) – industrial designer
  • Joseph Coates (M.F.A. 1991) – university professor, designer
  • Matthew Monk (M.F.A. 1991) – RISD design professor, graphic designer
  • Jane Pallera (B.F.A. 1991) – industrial designer
  • Claudia Bruno (M.F.A. 1992) – former Associate Art Director Martha Stewart Living magazine, now Creative Director Dwell Magazine
  • Natalia Ilyin (M.F.A. 1991) – design critic, author, educator
  • Helen Stickler (B.F.A. 1991) – film director
  • Shepard Fairey (B.F.A. 1992) – graphic designer, creator of the Obey Giant campaign
  • Tobias Frere–Jones (B.F.A. 1992) – type designer
  • Nicole Murray (B.F.A. 1992) – fashion designer, CEO at NM70/Candy
  • Laura Owens (B.F.A. 1992) – painter
  • Denyse Schmidt (B.F.A. 1992) – modern quilt entrepreneur, founder Denyse Schmidt Quilts
  • Sonya Sklaroff (B.F.A. 1992) – artist/painter
  • Jennifer Kellogg (B.F.A. 1993) – jewelry designer
  • Kristen Hassenfeld (B.F.A. 1994) – artist
  • Sung Ho Kim (B.Arch 1994) – Architect, teacher at Washington University in St. Louis School of Architecture
  • Seth MacFarlane (B.F.A. 1995) – creator of the animated series Family Guy and American Dad
  • Shazia Sikander (M.F.A. 1995) – artist, MacArthur Fellow
  • Tess Giberson (B.F.A. 1996) – Fashion designer
  • Grace Lin (B.F.A. 1996) – author/illustrator
  • Ben Coccio (B.F.A. 1997) – director of Zero Day
  • Matt Brinkman (B.F.A. 1997) – artist, part of collective Force Field, musician, founded Fort Thunder
  • Benjamin Edwards (M.F.A. 1997) – artist
  • David Hanson (B.F.A. 1997) - robotics designer
  • Whitney Bedford (B.F.A. 1998) – artist
  • Jim Drain (B.F.A. 1998) – artist, part of collective Force Field
  • Anna Schuleit (B.F.A. 1998) - artist, 2006 MacArthur Fellow
  • Alissa Imre Geis (class of 1998), children's book author and illustrator
  • Bryan Konietzko (B.F.A. 1998) co–creator and executive producer, Avatar: The Last Airbender
  • Clare Rojas (B.F.A. 1998) – artist
  • Fran Krause (B.F.A. 1999) – Animator
  • Jarrett J. Krosoczka (B.F.A. 1999) – author/illustrator
  • Justin Lo (B.F.A. 1999) – Hong Kong singer, composer and record producer.
  • Matthew Yapchaian (B.F.A. 1999) – Film/Animation/Video

[edit] 2000s

  • Håvard Homstvedt (B.F.A. 2000) – Painter
  • Brooke Bernstein (B.F.A. 2001) – Fashion industry graphic designer (Bonne Belle & Limited Too)
  • Dan Colen (B.F.A. 2001) - artist
  • Katherine Gerdes (B.F.A. 2003) – fashion designer and contestant on Project Runway
  • Jordan Wolfson (B.F.A. 2003) – artist
  • Ryan Trecartin (B.F.A. 2004) – artist
  • Diana Eng (B.F.A. 2005) – fashion designer and contestant on Project Runway
  • Marissa Nadler (attended 200?)– singer/songwriter
  • Tiffany Laine De Mott (M.F.A. 2005) - professor, designer, filmmaker
  • Ricky Allman (M.F.A 2007) - Painter, Professor
  • Sarah Adeel (M-Arch 2009) - Architect, Award of excellence-2008, Fulbright fellow

[edit] Groups formed at RISD

[edit] Notable current and past faculty

  • Yvonne Andersen – Professor Emerita, Department of Animation/Film/Video
  • Thomas Bosworth - former Chair of Department of Architecture, now Seattle architect, Professor Emeritus University of Washington
  • Harry Callahan – photographer, former Chair of the Department of Photography
  • Henry Ferreira - printmaker, Printmaking Department Head
  • Joseph Goto - Sculptor, Painter
  • Malcolm Grear – former RISD professor, graphic designer
  • Barry Gerson - avant-garde filmmaker
  • Henry Horenstein – photographer
  • Norman Isham - Rhode Island historical architect
  • Mikyoung Kim – chair, Department of Landscape Architecture
  • Jhumpa Lahiri – creative writing, author of The Namesake (film)
  • Krzysztof Lenk – designer, founder Dynamic Diagrams information design
  • David Macaulay (B.Arch. 1969) – Illustrator and author
  • Rodolfo Machado – former Head of the Department of Architecture, now Professor in Practice and Chair, Department of Urban Design and Planning, Harvard University
  • Marian Marzynski
  • Seth MacFarlane - Writer and voice actor of animated TV series Family Guy – Independent filmmaker
  • Richard Merkin (M.F.A. 1963) – former RISD professor, painter, appears on the cover of The Beatles album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
  • Barry Moser - illustrator
  • Mihai Nadin – theorist, semiotics, computational design
  • Tom Ockerse – former Head, Graphic Design Department and MFA graphic design program
  • Ootje Oxenaar – Dutch graphic designer, designer of acclaimed but now vanished Dutch currency
  • Waldemar Raemisch – former Head, Sculpture Department, refugee from Nazi Germany
  • Karim Rashid – industrial designer, formerly of industrial design department (1992)
  • Michael Rock – graphic designer, writer, now design professor at Yale University MFA graphic design program
  • Douglas G. A. Scott – Designer Director WGBH, design historian
  • Nancy Skolos – Graphic Design Department Head
  • Steven Subotnick – former Head, professor in animation
  • Friedrich St. Florian – architect, designer of National World War II Memorial
  • Chris Van Allsburg – children's book author/illustrator, Caldecott winner for The Polar Express
  • Jan Van Toorn – Dutch graphic designer
  • Wendy S. Walters – English professor, poet, and lyricist; author of Birds of Los Angeles and Golden Motors, a musical with composer Derek Bermel
  • Tom Wedell – Skolos + Wedell
  • Franz J. Werner - Acceptant of Nikon Award; IMV
  • Whitney Anderson (2005) – professional ventriloquist
  • Ann Fessler – artist, author of "The Girls Who Went Away"

[edit] References

[edit] External links