February accomplishments in the PCA&D community
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Wednesday, March 8th, 2023
- BLAC, PCA&D’s Black Led Artist Coalition, debuted a February exhibition in the student-led CORE Gallery. We the People featured the work of eight student artists: Dom Bryson ’24, Illustration; Alex Eggleston ’23, Photography & Video; Adan Harris ’23, Animation & Game Art; Jasmyn Stokes ’23, Illustration; Daria Syphrett ‘
23, Illustration; Cameren White ’25, Photography & Video; Kendall White ’23, Illustration, and Lauren Wood ’24, Illustration. - Two Graphic Design seniors,Paige Alana Bowermaster and Tyler Handa, have been named GDUSA 2023 Students to Watch by Graphic Design USA. Bowermaster, originally from Pittsburgh, is a founding member of The Agency, the College’s in-house branding and marketing program; designed the America250PA coloring book which has been distributed to the state’s schoolchildren; and won the 2023 PCA&D Senior Show & Celebration branding competition. Handa, of Levittown, is also a founding member of The Agency and specializes in customizing fonts, using bright and bold colors, and illustrating characters.
- Amanda Choong of Maryland, a junior Graphic Design major, has been selected as the 2022-23 recipient of the Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship. “I would describe Amanda as passionate about design,” says Graphic Design/Illustration Prof. Maria Cummings-Miller. “She strives for excellence in the classroom and is held in high regard by her peers. Her natural talent has continually grown over the last three years and she continues to challenge herself with her design choices.” Established by the Board of Trustees of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in 2018, the scholarship honors President Emeritus Mary Colleen Heil in recognition of her more than 25 years of leadership and dedication to the College and is awarded annually to an exceptional rising junior student.
- Justin Phillips, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, recently appeared on HiTech Podcast to talk about the pivot to online art education during the pandemic. He shared top tools used by himself and the College — including Google’s Jamboard. The podcast is devoted to exploring ways technology is harnessed in both traditional and virtual classrooms. To listen to Episode 89, Phillips’ episode with hostsJosh Swartz and William Illingworth, click here and go to the 5:00 mark.
- Alex Schaufele, Director of Exhibitions, and Salina Almanzar-Oree, Program Coordinator at the College’s Center for Creative Exploration, were interviewed last month by WITF.org, the region’s public television outlet, during a visit to Arte de La Borinqueña in the Main Gallery. The duo talked to Aniya Faulcon, co-host of The Spark, about the impact of the superhero on Puerto Rico, and the far-reaching importance of hosting a show highlighting the impact of artist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez’s creation. You can watch the 5-minute feature here.
- Prof. Aaron Thompson (Fine Art/Foundation) recently was part of the Winslow Art Center‘s series of artist chats. During his talk with the Bainbridge Island, Wash., center’s Martha Jordan, Thompson discusses the importance of working directly from observation and how it informs his process. You can listen to the full recording of his interview here.
- Prof. Eric Weeks (Chair, Photography & Video) recently had work in two international shows, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. His exhibitions feature work from Twentysix Wawa Stores, a film, print, and artist’s book project documenting the convenience and gasoline store’s locations along the Lincoln Highway, one of the nation’s first transcontinental highways. The Rotterdam festival, Freedom Redefined, was inspired by the COVID-19 crisis “and the drastic events of recent times,” according to its release. Weeks presented an in-person artist talk at the festival. Twentysix Wawa Stores also was on exhibit at Zayed University’s College of Arts and Creative Enterprises as part of the university’s Innovation Calendar 2023.