Susan R. Ewing Announces Retirement from Cranbrook Academy of Art

Susan R. Ewing. Photo Credit: Jodi Miller

Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Dec. 1, 2020 – Cranbrook Educational Community announced today that Susan R. Ewing will be retiring as Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art, effective June 30, 2021.

“When Susan came to us as Interim Director in 2018, she proved herself so capable in the role that we asked her to take on the permanent position shortly thereafter,” said Dominic DiMarco, President of Cranbrook Educational Community. “This year has certainly presented us with challenges, and Susan has used her remarkable skills as an arts administrator to successfully guide the Academy through this time while positioning it for future success. Her efforts will leave a mark on the community for years to come.”

Ewing began her tenure as Interim Director in August of 2018. She was named to the permanent position of Maxine and Stuart Frankel Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art in January of 2019.

During her time at the Academy, Ewing launched the landmark Director’s Fellowship program, which awards full-tuition fellowships to each department at the Academy, greatly expanding the access of Cranbrook’s programs to an incredibly diverse group of pioneering artists, designers, and architects. Full-tuition fellowships are now offered over the two-year program, alternating each year across disciplines. The efforts of this program and other outreach overseen by Ewing have helped the Academy to significantly grow its applications during her tenure. She also successfully helped launch the Academy’s 4D Design program and facilities, the first new program at the Academy in nearly 50 years, which has now successfully enrolled its second class of students.

She also launched a Studio Fellows program which allows the Artist-in-Residence of each department to select a Fellow from internal and external candidates to provide post-graduate teaching, technical assistance, and administrative help while also engaging in their own creative research and professional practice.

Through the pandemic crisis, Ewing led the Academy’s pivot to remote operations through the spring and safe in-person reopening for the current academic year. She prototyped new entrepreneurial initiatives, engaged the Academy in strategic planning for new revenue generation, has moved forward with reaccreditation, and most importantly, has committed to improving racial and social justice across all of the Academy’s programs.

“I feel so grateful to have been entrusted to lead a school that I admired for so many years,” said Ewing. “There’s a magic to Cranbrook, both in its incredible campus and its dedicated people. To have worked alongside so many talented artists, architects, and designers is certainly a highlight of my career. I will miss the day-to-day interactions with the students, faculty, and staff, but I will certainly continue to champion the Academy. As I’ve found, there is always a Cranbrook connection in our world, so I know it will continue to play an important role in my life.”

Ewing’s support of the community and fostering of important relationships has resulted in new gifts and critical funding to the scholarship fund and supporting programs.

“As Chair of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Cranbrook Art Museum Board of Governors, I have seen Susan work toward the Academy’s success on many different fronts, and I admire her tenacity and clever insights and I appreciate her contributions,” said Jennifer Gilbert. “She leaves us well poised to guide the Academy successfully into the future.”

Ewing plans to return to her home in Ohio to dedicate more time to her family. A new Director will be announced at a later date.

Media Contact:
Julie Fracker
Director of Communications
248.645.3329 office
jfracker@cranbrook.edu