Alumni Notes - 2018

 

ART HISTORY AND FINE ARTS

Margret (Walter) Baldwin, Art History and Fine Arts BA ’63, retired as a public school art teacher in Blue Hill, Maine. Margret paints and runs her own Little Gallery, and runs a program funded by the Maine Arts Commission and the Blue Hill Public Library called "Art History and Hands On.”

JW Faul, Art History and Fine Arts BA ’69, says “Etchings weren't selling, so I became an award-winning photographer. Then digital came along, but I still work with film. I've gotten pretty good at it with 49 years of practice.”

Nancy Cohen Israel, Art History and Fine Arts MA ’91, is a freelance writer, lecturer and curator in Dallas, Texas. She is a regular contributor to Patron magazine and a lecturer at the Meadows Museum.

Nell Taylor-Christy, Art History and Fine Arts MA ’03, is currently living in Washington, DC and enjoying art history related travel most recently to Italy and France.

Sarah (Benditt) Vreeland, Art History and Fine Arts BA ’07, started Katilu, a trend-driven homeware company in 2017 after working in product development for almost a decade. Katilu works with retailers to develop their own line of homewares, and will be debuting its own line of melamine dinnerware in June.

Elise Wright, Art History and Fine Arts BA ’69, worked as a graphic artist in the D.C. area from 1967 until 1974, when she moved to the Seattle area in the other Washington. After 10 years living in London, England and Ventura County, CA she lives on an island in Puget Sound.

CLASSICAL ACTING

James Beaman, Classical Acting MFA ’04, is doing the 2018 rep season at Orlando Shakes. Their "Twelfth Night" is the first ever professional American Shakespeare production done with an all male cast in Elizabethan stage practices and in original pronunciation.

DECORATIVE ARTS AND DESIGN HISTORY

Jenn Beach, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘13, has been accepted at the 2018 West Regional Association for Experiential Education conference this past February and will be speaking at Maker Faire Bay Area in May & the reMAKE Education Conference in Sonoma County, California in August about how we can integrate making into cross-curricular projects in fields including science, history & social studies, math, and English/Language Arts that meet standards requirements in K-12 schools.

Alexandra (Parker) Campbell, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘14, took on a new position as Executive Director of the Reston Historic Trust & Museum in January 2018. 

Amy Krupsky, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘12, is a docent at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery. 

Colette Loll, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘09, recently began a Doctor of Liberal Studies program at Georgetown University. Her research will focus on Cultural Diplomacy and international efforts to protect cultural heritage at risk.

Grace G. McNicholas, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘15, is working as the Middle School Visual Art teacher at Connelly School of the Holy Child in Potomac, Maryland.

Sarah Mezzino, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘09, recently finished a seven-year renovation of The Lawrenceville School's senior dining hall in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The hall is attached to one of the School's National Landmark buildings by Peabody & Stearns. As the School's curator of decorative arts and design, Sarah's team made the architecture and interior furnishings reflect the work of these famous architects. 

Peggy Newman, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘09, is a part of the Smithsonian Women's Committee and co-chair for the Smithsonian Craft 2 Wear Show, which will be held from October 4-6, 2018 at the National Building Museum.

Margaret Powell, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘12, wrote a biography titled Sophisticated Lady, about the fashion designer Ann Lowe, who was also the topic of her HDA master’s thesis. It will be published by Simon and Schuster in January 2021. 

Alexandra Ruggiero, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘12, as Assistant Curator of Modern Glass at The Corning Museum of Glass, curated the upcoming special exhibition “Glass of the Architects: Vienna, 1900-1937,” which will open on June 23. 

Teresa Teixeira, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘17, will soon assume the role of Curator of Historic Textiles at The Charleston Museum in Charleston, South Carolina. 

Tiffany Williams, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘13, co-curated a featured exhibition on display in early 2018 at Workhouse Arts Center “Compounds Not Required: 29 47 13,” which examines the work of six artists utilizing metals in their process highlighting the allure, complexities and innovations of the craft. 

Amber Wingerson, Decorative Arts and Design History MA ‘17, has recently published her first article "Illuminating Etiquette: Interior Illumination at the Turn of the Twentieth Century" in Nineteenth Century Magazine, published by the Victorian Society of America in its thirty-eighth volume in spring 2018.

 

EXHIBITION DESIGN

Natale Clark, Exhibition Design MA ’14, recently moved to Durham, NC after a few years working for Social Tables in D.C., and is now working for the Cradle to Cradle Institute, launching a new program to advance better chemistry in the course of product design and manufacturing.

Scott Clowney, Exhibition Design MA ’11, is currently exhibitions manager at the District Architecture Center. Scott launched his first book, Historic Buildings of Washington, D.C.: A Coloring Book of Architecture, in 2017.

Nicole (Gray) D'Orazio, Exhibition Design BFA ’07, MA ’12, is approaching her 5th anniversary as an exhibit designer with the Missouri History Museum in St Louis. In that time, she has opened nearly 15 exhibits, with her latest one set to open in June.

Mary LaRoche, Exhibition Design MFA ’13, is working as the exhibit designer for Mid-America Arts Alliance in Kansas City. In collaboration with the NEH on the Road and ExhibitsUSA programs, Mary has been able to design a multitude of exhibits reaching all 50 US States. She is living the dream.

Megan (Pirron) Lillie, Exhibition Design MA ’16, is currently working at the YMCA of Greater NY in their Community Art Department.
 

Ariel Wilchek, Exhibition Design MA ’12, recently relocated from Los Angeles to San Francisco to take on a new creative director position at On Board Experiential.

 

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

Evan Hume, one of our Photography MFA graduates, 2011, was recently hired as a Visiting Lecturer and Photography Facilities Coordinator at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, IN.

Kesi Marcus, Fine Art Photography and Photography BFA ’13, has been working at AARP for almost two years as a photo editor and enjoys the work she does for a non-profit organization in the heart of Washington, DC. Kesi has also created her first-ever photography website in the year of 2018.

Romy Willing, Fine Art Photography and Photography BFA ’97, has recently been appointed as executive director of CoCA, Toi Moroki Centre of Contemporary Art in Christchurch, New Zealand.

 

FINE ARTS

Vian (Shamounki) Borchert, Fine Arts BFA ’96, currently has a solo exhibit titled "ABSTRACT IMAGINATIONS" on display till 3/31 at The Framer's Choice Gallery in Kentlands, Gaithersburg, MD. The Town Courier newspaper just published an article about it.

Tyree Brown, Fine Arts AFA ’18, has now received her Associates Degree after facing a life changing injury. She continues to draw and make art for individuals and herself despite being bound to a wheelchair. 

Claudia Chapline, Fine Arts BA ’53, owns the Claudia Chapline Gallery in Stinson Beach, California. Her art continues to be shown throughout the world. She has published ten books of poetry and art, and is continuing to create mixed media and mixed genre visual/ literary art.

Suzanne Finney, Fine Arts BFA ‘88, resides in D.C. and works as a curator. Her exhibits are with National and International artists.

Nicole Geraci, Fine Arts BFA ’93, has worked in painting and frame conservation in New Orleans, Louisiana since 1994. Nicole continues to paint, draw and do assemblage as well.

Neil Harpe, Fine Arts MFA ’69, is currently teaching printmaking at Maryland Hall of the Arts in Annapolis, MD.

Meredith (Van Kirk) Janssen, Fine Arts BFA ’71, has been displaying and selling her artwork in Hickory, NC and surrounding area for 11 years. She had a one person show at the Rock School in Valdese, NC last October and is a 5 year Signature Member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina.

Judy (Rottenberg) Jordan, Fine Arts MFA ’73, had her art work featured as a pop-up exhibit on the Maryland Public Television program "Artworks" on Jan. 5, 2018.

Brian Kirk, Fine Arts BA ’76, is exhibiting his bold rust prints at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Art Gallery in Sterling, VA from March 2nd to May 21st.

Linda Lowery, Fine Arts MFA ’70, maintains a studio in Alexandria, Virginia. Her works in oil and encaustic have been shown throughout the Washington metropolitan area.

Arel Lisette Peckler, Fine Arts BFA ’17, was accepted into the 2018-2019 class at the Tamarind Institute for Fine Art Lithography, and will be attending this coming fall. In February, Arel Lisette was awarded a Merit Grant to attend a residency at the Vermont Studio Center.

Charles Privitera, Fine Arts BFA ’97, is now working for Customs and Border Protection in the field of international trade. Charles still enjoys using his drawing and graphic design abilities whenever he can.

Jennifer Stone, Fine Arts BFA ’06, had her first taste of showing internationally recently with a show in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has been sending paintings all over the US for shows. She is working toward her next goal of showing at the Venice Biennale. 

Mary Vento, Fine Arts BFA ’91, moved to Leander, TX after 37 years in Bethesda, MD. Recently Mary enjoyed the opening of Rothko's "Austin" and just returned from Marfa, TX, the town/foundations Donald Judd put on the map.

Susan (Dushman) Zahler, Fine Arts BA ’69, enjoyed an incredible career in business - allowed by her GW degree in Art. Susan is now enjoying extremely enriching experiences with volunteer and local governmental opportunities.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mashael Alajmi, Graphic Design MFA ’08, is currently based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Mashael is a graphic design lecturer and program coordinator at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. She also designs exhibitions locally.

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE

Meghan Scott, Interior Architecture MFA '15 and Senior Designer at //3877, was nominated by Boutique Design magazine as an Up-and-Coming Designer for "exuding creativity and on-the-job savvy". 

Sarah Carey, Interior Architecture MFA ’17, was recently featured in Bethesda Magazine for her work in interior architecture and design.

Stephen Ramos, Interior Architecture MFA ’10, belonged to a team of designers in charge of renovating the International Interior Design Association Headquarters in Chicago. His work was featured in Interior Design in August, 2017.

Beatrice Fischel-Bock, Interior Architecture and Design and Fine Arts BFA '13, is the CEO and co-founder of Hutch, an online platform and mobile app that mixes 3D technology with online shopping to help users design their space. Her work was featured in Forbes in April, 2018.

INTERIOR DESIGN (LEGACY)

Brittany Watson Jepsen, Interior Design MFA ’10, is the creator of the craft and design website The House That Lars Built. What initially began as a blog project for one of her residential interior design classes in 2008 has now become a full-time business with 5 employees. The House that Lars Built was named a finalist in 2017 for the Shorty Awards, and has been featured in a number of places such as The NY Times, The Today Show, CNN, Le Monde, Martha Stewart, Vogue, etc. Jepsen's newest book, Craft the Rainbow, has already been featured in Country Living, Martha Stewart, and more.

 

MUSEUM STUDIES

Amber Glen, Museum Collections Management and Care Grad Certificate ’16, began working in the micrographics department at the Alaska State Archives in Juneau, AK in August 2017.

Kiki McGrath, Museum Studies MA ’97, is curator of the Dadian Gallery in the Art and Religion program at Wesley Theological Seminary. Her recent paintings are on view at Studio Gallery, DC.

Cassandra “Cassie” Vadas, Museum Studies MA ’16, recently joined the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures registrar team as the collections information coordinator. She is working to establish the museum's database and prepare the collection for the museum's opening in Los Angeles in mid-late 2019.

Jessica Willumson, Museum Studies MA ’11, joined the Registrar's Office at the Getty Research Institute as a Metadata Specialist this last summer. She recently got engaged to Will Smith (not the actor) and is looking forward to wedding planning.

 

THEATRE