C A L I F O R N I A C O L L E G E O F T H E A R T SL E T T E R F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T • S P R I N G 2 015
In my last letter I announced that we had embarked on a long-
range campus planning process, engaging the services of the
firm Gensler. We are now just past the midway point of the
project. We’ve completed the analysis of the physical proper-
ties of both campuses, looking at the types of spaces and how
and when they are being used. The last five months have been
focused on engagement, with more than 500 alumni, faculty,
students, and staff participating in meetings, workshops, and
surveys. Soon we will be reviewing a set of recommendations
for going forward. We will keep you informed as we work on
building this roadmap for CCA’s future. In the meantime, visit
the campus planning blog at planning.cca.edu.
CAMPUS PLANNING
Dear Friends,
Collaborative, diverse, inclusive, and interdisciplinary—this describes the learning
environment we strive to create at CCA. It also describes the evolving workplace (and
world) our graduates will enter upon leaving the college. As creativity and innovation
continue to increase in value, we take great pride in preparing the next generation of
creative leaders.
Perhaps the best time to witness the creative process at CCA is the spring semester,
when the academic year culminates in exhibitions, events, and programs. We hope you
can join us at some of those highlighted in this newsletter.
Thank you for your continued support of the college.
A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT • SPRING 2015
STEPHEN BEAL, PRESIDENT
PHOTO: DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
The end of the academic year is filled with events, exhibitions,
readings, and more. Join us as we celebrate the accomplish-
ments of our graduating students. Highlights include the
Graduate Thesis Exhibitions (May 14–23), the Baccalaureate
Exhibition (May 14–23), and the Annual Fashion Show (May 15).
For details on these and other events, visit cca.edu/calendar.
We hope to see you in May!
COMMENCEMENT EVENTS
“Black Is the New Black” was the theme of this year’s gala to
raise money for the CCA Scholarship Fund, one of our greatest
needs. Scholarships ensure that those with talent and drive
have access to a CCA education, regardless of their economic
background. The highlight of the evening was an exciting
runway show featuring the work of six Fashion Design alums:
Amber Clisura (BFA 2006), Hannah Gallagher (BFA 2006), Erick
Lopez (BFA 2014), Les Schweikert (BFA 2006), Paloma Von
Broadley (BFA 2009), and Pin Yun (Sindia) Lin (BFA 2014). Event
co-chairs Kay Kimpton Walker, Leigh Sherwood Matthes, and
Cathy Podell have so far raised $466,000 through sponsorships
and ticket sales. You can find information on supporting
scholarships at cca.edu/support/scholarships.
GALA ON MARCH 25 TO BENEFIT STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
It’s not too soon to start thinking
about your summer plans. For our
degree-seeking students, plenty of
courses will be available here on
campus as well as exciting study-
abroad opportunities in Austria,
China, England, France, Iceland,
Italy, Japan, Spain, and Switzer-
land. CCA also offers a popular
four-week Pre-College Program for high school students, the
dynamic Young Artist Studio Program, and Summer Atelier for
middle school students as well as extension courses for adults.
Visit cca.edu/summer for more information.
The brand-new Panoramic Residences will open in August! Up
to 200 CCA students will move into affordable and accessible
housing in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood, a
10-minute bike ride from campus. CCA students will occupy
floors 2 through 6, and students from the nearby San Francisco
Conservatory of Music will reside on floors 7 through 11.
CCA is now publishing the online contemporary arts journals
Art Practical (AP) and Daily Serving (DS). CCA will serve as the
fiscal agent for the two publications, which have been run as
independent entities since their founding in 2006 (DS) and 2009
(AP). Each will retain its core mission, editorial vision, and
autonomy in all areas, including content, staffing, and pro-
gramming. We’re delighted to welcome tArt Practical and Daily
Serving into the CCA family. Our mutual interest in international
contemporary art practice and critical study, combined with our
shared dedication to advancing the Bay Area arts community,
makes us ideal partners.
CCA will confer an honorary doctorate on artist Joan Jonas
on May 16 at the 108th commencement exercises. A pioneer
of video and performance art, she will represent the U.S. at
the 2015 Venice Biennale. Through the CCA Wattis Institute, an
interdisciplinary research group of CCA faculty members have
been reflecting on her work for the entire 2014–15 academic
year, and there has been a regular series of public events in
conjunction with the research. Jonas will be delivering the
undergraduate commencement speech.
We’ll throw open the doors to the new Back Lot on the San
Francisco campus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 25,
to celebrate the new space with food trucks, live music, and
of course art! The annual Spring Fair will be held there for the
first time, where the public is invited to shop for one-of-a-kind
handmade items created by the CCA community: paintings,
drawings, prints, cards, jewelry, ceramics, hand-blown glass,
clothing, photography, textiles, and more.
BACK LOT BLOCK PARTY & SPRING FAIR
ART PRACTICAL AND DAILY SERVING FIND A HOME AT CCA
SF STUDENT HOUSING TO OPEN FOR FALL SEMESTER
SUMMER AT CCA
JOAN JONAS TO RECEIVE HONORARY DOCTORATE
Morgan Schmidt-Feng (MFA Film/Video 1993) and his father
Rick Schmidt (MFA Film 1971) were the first to represent two
generations of filmmakers at the Slamdance Film Festival this
winter in Park City, Utah. Morgan’s documentary film On Her
Own was presented at this year’s festival; Rick’s feature film
Blues for the Avatar was screened there in 1996.
Hank Willis Thomas (MFA Photography / MA Visual Criticism
2004) was appointed to the New York City Public Design
Commission by Mayor Bill de Blasio in February.
Tuesday Nights in 1980, a novel by Molly Prentiss (MFA
Writing 2010) will be published in spring 2016 by Simon &
Schuster’s new literary fiction imprint, Scout Press. Molly will
deliver this year’s graduate commencement address.
Jaydan Moore (Jewelry / Metal Arts 2008) has won the
American Craft Council Emerging Voices Award. This is the
first ACC award to recognize emerging talent among scholars,
curators, and critics. Winners will be promoted in the June/July
issue of American Craft magazine.
Tanya Poovaiah (Animation 2015) was selected by YouTube’s
AwesomenessTV Network to create an original animation short,
Designing with Pixar Animation: My Personal Code Ep 5, which
aired last fall.
Work by Cesali Scarola (Sculpture 2015) was included in RE-
SPOND, a recent exhibition at Smack Mellon Gallery in Brook-
lyn, NY, of art made in response to issues of racism and police
brutality in the wake of the Eric Garner case.
RECENT STUDENT & ALUMNI SUCCESS
CCA will be well represented this spring at two Bay Area events.
The Architecture division and the Digital Craft Lab will host
a series of events as part of the Market Street Prototyping
Festival April 9–11, when Market Street will become a public
platform as up to 50 of the most exceptional ideas for improving
San Francisco’s main thoroughfare come to life. CCA’s mobile
pavilion will anchor the Financial District section of Market
Street between 1st and 2nd Streets.
We will host a booth again this year at the 2015 Maker
Faire in San Mateo, May 16–17. The event features an exciting
cross section of projects and demonstrations exposing
and celebrating critical making processes. Our exhibition will
include static as well as interactive projects including furniture,
lighting, glasswork, textiles, architecture, industrial design,
fashion, and electronics.
CCA AT UPCOMING MARKET STREET PROTOTYPING FESTIVAL, MAKER FAIRE
Neal J.Z. Schwartz (Architecture) is the recipient of the
2014-15 ACSA Diversity Achievement Award for his work with
the Q-Arc Initiative at CCA, part of a broader effort to expand
diversity college-wide through the discussion of LGBTQ issues.
He initiated and led the development of a Masters-level housing
studio curriculum focusing on the needs of LGBTQ seniors, a
public exhibition of student work at the San Francisco LGBT
Community Center, and a screening and forum with the director
of the documentary film The Grove, about the National AIDS
Memorial in Golden Gate Park.
Putnam has acquired world rights to Lucky Boy, a novel by
Shanthi Sekaran (Writing), scheduled for spring 2016 publication.
Jewelry / Metal Arts chair Marilyn da Silva was recently
selected by the Maloof Foundation and Craft in America as
one of 12 “core artists” to exhibit her work and nominate other
artists working in craft-based fields for California Handmade:
State of the Arts. In addition to Marilyn, five CCA faculty are
included in the exhibition: Arthur Gonzalez (Ceramics), Barbara
Holmes (Furniture), Pamina Traylor (Glass), and Dorothy Yule
(Printmaking). The exhibit opens June 7 and runs through
January 2, 2016. It will be on view at both the Maloof Foundation
in Alta Loma, CA, and Craft in America in Los Angeles.
FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS
SIGN UP AT CCA.EDU/SUBSCRIBE TO GET NEWS & EVENTS DELIVERED BY EMAIL.
FACEBOOK.COM/CALIFORNIACOLLEGEOF THEARTS
INSTAGRAM.COM/CACOLLEGEOFARTS
T WIT TER.COM/CACOLLEGEOFARTS
CACOLLEGEOFARTS.TUMBLR.COM
YOUTUBE.COM/U SER/CCA ARTS
CCARTS
Top Related