Cranbrook Academy of Art Announces Student Awards
Bloomfield Hills, Mich., May 8, 2020 – As Cranbrook Academy of Art concludes the 2019-20 academic year, we are pleased to announce several awards presented to our students. The awards are all designed to support study at the Academy and to aid our 2020 graduates in the transition from student to practicing artist.
The Robert C. Larson Art, Design, and Architecture Venture Award was given to the following current Academy students: Demario Dotson of the Print Media department who will use the funding to research comic book culture and activism through seminars, workshops, conventions, and visits to libraries/archives; Rebecca Frantz of the Ceramics department who will use the funding to attend Talking Dolls residency in Detroit; Danielle Gumbin of the Fiber department who will put the funding toward a research trip to Poland (during the Winter of 2020) to study experiences of victims in the Holocaust; Kaylie Kaitschuck of the Fiber department will use the funds to attend American Country Rugs workshop at Lollypop Farm in Pawlet, Vermont; Elizabeth Shoby of the Fiber department will use the funding to take online classes at Brooklyn Institute for Social Research; and Sophia Wojnovich of the 3D Design department will also use the funding to attend a Talking Dolls residency in Detroit. The shared award of $5,700 recognizes and supports the work of innovative and inspired Academy first-year students. The endowment fund was established by Bonnie Larson to celebrate Robert C. Larson’s commitment to Cranbrook. Larson was a long-time volunteer leader and donor at Cranbrook and served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees from 1996-2002. He was also a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy and Art Museum from 1986-2000.
The Stewart Thomson Fellowship at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts was presented to Elizabeth Shoby, a first student in the Fiber department. The award was established by alumnus of the Cranbrook Schools and offers an Academy student funding for a summer class at Haystack.
The Gallery A Award was presented to Rebecca Frantz, a first-year student in the Ceramics department. This award provides funding for a student to exhibit their work in the entry space in the Academy of Art Administration office. The award recipient is selected by the student-led Studio Council Presidents and the Academy Director.
The Academy Director’s Award was awarded to Ciaran McQuiston, a 2020 graduate of the Print Media department. The Director’s Award recognizes excellence throughout two years of study at the Academy.
The Ox-Bow School of Art Summer Fellowship was awarded to Grace Makuch, a first-year student in the Print Media department. Makuch will receive a fully-funded fellowship at Ox-Bow summer school program in Saugatuck, Michigan.
The Ox-Bow School of Art Residency was awarded to Melissa Webb, a first-year student in the Fiber department. The award provides funding to attend a summer course at Ox-Bow. Webb will take the class “Objects in Video, Video as Object.”
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Scholarship was awarded to two students: Rebecca Frantz, a first-year student in the Ceramics department, and Natalie Wadlington, 2020 graduate of the Painting department.
The newly established gift, the Meredith Beau CAA ’97 and Scott Beau Materials Fund, was awarded to Jacob Vinson, a first-year student in the Ceramics department, Annie Meyer a first-year student in the 3D Design department, and Melika Abikenari, a first-year student in the Sculpture department. This gift is to be used to assist students in any discipline with purchasing materials.
The Cranbrook Educational Community President’s Award was established by Cranbrook’s President, Dominic DiMarco. It recognizes those artists engaged in environmental sustainability projects. The $1,000 award will be split between two students this year, Annie Meyer, a first-year student in 3D Design and Simon Anton, a 2020 graduate of the 3D Design department.
About Cranbrook Academy of Art
Cranbrook Academy of Art is the country’s top-ranked, graduate-only program in architecture, design and fine art. Each year, just 75 students are invited to study and live on our landmark Saarinen-designed campus, which features private studios, state-of-the-art workshops, a renowned Art Museum, and 300 acres of forests, lakes, and streams, all a short drive from the art, design, and music scene of Detroit. The focus at Cranbrook is on studio practice in one of 11 disciplines: Architecture, 2D, 3D, and 4D Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metalsmithing, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Sculpture. The program is anchored by celebrated Artists- and Designers-in-Residence, one for each discipline, all of whom live and practice on campus alongside our students. For more information, visit us at cranbrookart.edu.
Media Contact:
Julie Fracker
Director of Communications
Cranbrook Academy of Art
248.645.3329
jfracker@cranbrook.edu
