Alejandra Alvarez is an artist, designer, and artisan from Colombia, based in Iowa City before coming to Cranbrook. Her multidisciplinary background provides a holistic approach where matter, form, text, and context are explored as part of her creative process and through this juxtaposition creates syncretic artwork. Each piece she produces seeks to spark the beholder’s curiosity and invites them to interact with the artwork, the setting, themselves and each other – leading from contemplation to conversation.

The drive to experience the blur between Art – Craft – Design has taken her to different places and cultures, such as India (as a Product Design intern at Rambhajo’s, a Fine jewelry bridal house), Germany (for a summer workshop celebrating the Bauhaus’ centenary), Peru (as a participant representing Colombia in a Hispano-American Silversmithing convention by Patronato Plata del Perú), Mexico (to learn more about printmaking, its historical impact and social legacy at the TIR) – among others places – to experience firsthand how production, tradition, gender roles, and social symbols shape and attribute meaning to the local context and beyond.

She sees artists, designers, and makers as mediums who use their body to transform elements and communicate the intangible. 

Chris Dougnac graduated cum laude in 2016 with a BFA in Art and a Minor in Art History from Florida International University and the Honors College. In 2018, Dougnac took on the role of Archivist and Graphic Designer at the world-renowned de la Cruz Collection, working intimately with Collectors Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz to help realize their vision. In 2022, Dougnac’s debut solo exhibition Temple, Rock, Cloud, a green screen translation of Room 825 of the Louvre in Paris, opened at the Bakehouse Art Complex, Miami’s oldest artist studio compound, receiving Miami’s Critics’ Pick in Artforum.

As a first-generation Cuban American practicing in a changing Miami, Dougnac witnesses how art functions within a network. Negotiating the multigenerational inheritance of refugee trauma and the alienation of assimilation, Dougnac’s interdisciplinary, world-building practice strives to realize scenarios of transformation and escape through epistemologies of mystery. Utilizing Joseph Beuys’s expanded definition of art, in which “all human beings are artists” participating in “invisible” sculpture, Dougnac embraces a multimodal, quasi-mystical approach that attempts to reconcile the gap between a “sculptural” process and more “plastic” manifestation. 

Operating in a semipermeable membrane between the empirical and unknowable, Dougnac translates found objects and images, manufacturing artifacts of fragmented and altered histories. Through installation, performance, sound, painting, sculpture, and takeaway “informational” brochures, Dougnac excavates and obfuscates reality, soliciting the viewer to conjure an expanded universe cooperatively. 

Ju Hyun Jung (b. Seoul, South Korea) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans drawing, performance, installations, and sculpture. She holds a degree in Business Administration from Korea University in 2018. She is a co-founder of Chima Riders (CR), whose mission is to resist gender norms and biases directed against feminist motorcycle riders in Seoul and create a safe space within the community.

Jung looks at the intricate web of culture, ethics, and feminism in the sociopolitical landscape of Korea in a practice interwoven with themes of identity, expressed through nuances of perception. A Korean woman and feminist, her practice combines personal experiences, memories, and years of engagement in feminist activism, delving into questions of who and what survives through violence and visibility. Using multidisciplinary mediums, she addresses systems of representation and female subjectivity; investigates questions of otherness, boundaries, corporeal embodiment, and immanence by reconceptualizing discarded or worn-out materials.

Maryam Ali Moinuddin is a Pakistani artist and graduate of the National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan. Her BFA thesis, a collection of drawings and clay impressions titled A Sea of Vast Eternity, was awarded a Distinction in 2023. Her work has appeared in group shows at Al Hamra Art Center, the Slade School of Fine Art at University College, Zahoor ul Akhlaq Gallery, the Punjab National Council of Art, and HAAM, among others.

Maryam’s practice endeavors to cultivate a sense of wonder. She vacillates periodically between mediums and formats but is constant in the source of her inspiration: the intricate, organic tapestry of the natural world.

In the future, in addition to her personal practice, Moinuddin hopes to teach studio art to undergraduate students, bringing a new perspective back to the artistic community where she was educated.

Enrique Nevárez (b. Dallas) is a multidisciplinary artist who incorporates a wide range of mediums and methods in his paintings/ sculptures. Largely autobiographical in nature, his work explores topics in contemplation of the male gaze, gender, cultural heritage, and identity. His use of unconventional material stemming from folklore invites the viewer to see through a fantastical lens of celebratory narrative in Latinx/Chicano culture. 

 Nevárez has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Dallas, Chicago, and Los Angeles, including 500x Gallery, ART214, Maricon X, Latino Cultural Center, Talley Dunn, FLXST Contemporary Art Gallery. Nevárez currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas.

Irene Perez received a BFA from the University of Michigan (2019). During her study she was able to further understand her cultural roots and
the historical challenges faced by Mexican Americans.

Perez’s practice explores narratives of culture, identity, and mental health in the Mexican community. By shedding light on the struggles and triumphs of her community, she aims to contribute to a more comprehensive and accurate representation of American history.

While at Cranbrook, Perez aspires to contribute to a broader dialogue that celebrates diversity, resilience, and the enduring power of creativity.

Maryangela Sanchez Rocca is a designer from Saltillo, Mexico. She holds a BFA in Product Design from Parsons, the New School for Design (2020). Her work ranges from tabletop to furniture and focuses on creating object systems that empower communities. She also uses in-depth research on traditional making techniques, food, and biomaterials to disrupt oppressive production chains that mirror relationships between the North and the global South. She received the Tishman Center Student Award for Environmental Justice and Equity in 2020.

At Cranbrook, Rocca seeks to expand her work on developing previous and current biomaterial projects, specifically her corn husk composite project, Tamalli, and ongoing research on lechugilla as a material. Through her study in the intersection of design and social justice, she hopes to contribute to creating innovative and sustainable solutions to real-world problems.

Annamalis Sharp holds a BFA in Communication Design from the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit, Michigan. Her recognitions include 1st place in the Brewer-Smallenburg Nonfiction Writing Competition for her essay Where is Death? Western Expectations and Khmer Identity in Cambodia’s Art (2023), and 2nd place in the Hagopian Rug Design Competition (2022), as well as multiple print, publication, and photography works selected for exhibition in the annual CCS Student Showcase (2021–23). Her professional experience includes internships at Leo Burnett and OneMagnify. 

 Annamalis’ work is rooted in a love of storytelling and crafting narratives. Her passion for writing feeds her design work through the conceptual clarity that happens through research and reflection. While at Cranbrook she hopes to further develop this skill and strengthen the precision of her communications, whatever format they may take. 

Aaron Thompson received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Virginia Commonwealth University (2024). His practice aims to innovate in combining traditional design principles with contemporary and experimental flair.

Thompson seeks to make art not only for himself but work that positively impacts his community and inspires those around him. As the former co-chair of the art department at Acorn Sales Company, for example, he played a pivotal role in shaping the creative direction of the organization, helping to elevate the company’s artistic output.

In addition to his corporate role, Thompson has been passionate about using art as a tool for social change. As a former art instructor for kids with behavioral issues at Succor Behavioral Services, he leveraged his expertise to provide therapeutic and transformative experiences for his students. Through patience, empathy, and creative expression, he helped children discover their inner talents and overcome personal challenges.

As a young black talent, Aaron recognizes the importance of representation and strives to be a model for aspiring artists from underrepresented backgrounds. Through his art, advocacy, and leadership roles, he aims to break down barriers and pave the way for future generations to succeed. 

“For the kids I teach, seeing someone who looks like them within these prestigious spaces is already incredibly beneficial to them, but being a part of the Gilbert Fellowship could alter how they see themselves for the rest of their lives.”

In 2021, Jennifer and Dan Gilbert awarded Cranbrook Academy of Art a transformational gift intended to provide crucial resources to address systemic barriers to equitable arts education access. Part of that gift includes up to 10 full-tuition fellowships that are awarded each year.

Each year, Cranbrook Academy of Art will award up to 10 Gilbert Fellowships to students of color from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups which historically have not seen significant opportunities for specialized degrees in art and design. This includes individuals who identify as Black, African, or African American; Indigenous or Native American; Latino/a/x or Latino/a/x American; Asian or Asian American; Pacific Islander or Pacific Islander American; Middle Eastern or Middle Eastern American; or multiracial. The fellowship program will take into consideration the financial need of applicants to ensure it supports students who would otherwise be unable to pursue a degree at the Academy.

Yes, Gilbert Fellowships are available to both domestic and international students.

When you submit your application, you will be asked the following question: “Would you like to be considered for a Gilbert Fellowship?” If you answer yes, you must submit a writing sample in response to one of four prompts included in the application.

Writing Sample Requirement
Submit a short statement of 3–5 pages responding to one of the provided prompts. These prompts invite you to explore relevant ideas, concepts, and experiences. While optional, this writing sample is separate from and in addition to your required Statement of Purpose.

The writing sample must be submitted in English.

The fellowship will provide full tuition and mandatory fees to attend Cranbrook Academy of Art. The Gilbert Fellows will be part of a supportive cohort that will have opportunities to collaborate, participate, and engage in special projects and initiatives in Detroit and surrounding communities.

The fellowship is renewable for a second year if the student remains in good academic standing.

Yes. Approximately eighty percent of our students receive some form of financial aid and scholarship support. These gifts are awarded on a case-by-case basis as students work through the application process.