Thank you to everyone who came to MICA Weekend this year, we hope to see you in 2025! | |
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Flight of the Oriole: MICA Students Build a Game with a Mission
Each spring, MICA’s Game Design program comes to life with GMD298, a unique course where creativity meets collaboration. Students from all disciplines team up to design and build a video game from the ground up. What makes this class special is the real-world connection: every year, students partner with an organization to develop a game that sparks awareness on a pressing issue.
This year’s exciting project, Ori’s Tale: City Life, was created in collaboration with Audubon Mid-Atlantic and Lights Out Baltimore. In this immersive 3D survival game, you become Ori, a Baltimore Oriole navigating the challenges of city life. Guided by the voice of an 11-year-old volunteer, the game sheds light on the dangers birds face in urban areas. It’s a captivating blend of adventure, storytelling, and a message that matters.
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The Parade Guys owner Stephanie Mufson '04 sits among float materials in the firm's Pier 54 workspace. (Photo: Pamela Gentile) | |
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MICA Alumni Owned Small Business Keeps San Francisco Parades Afloat
Life on San Francisco’s Pier 54 was borrowed time. The old pier, which juts into the bay across the street from the gleaming Chase Center, is one of the few relics of the waterfront neighborhood that hasn’t gotten an upgrade in the past decade or so. And it never will. Unlike many of the city’s piers that have become tech offices, cruise ship terminals, and science museums, it’s too structurally unsound to restore. Now Pier 54 tenants must move by the end of the year. The largest one is the Parade Guys, which is also by far the biggest maker of parade floats for all the big SF festivities, including Pride, Carnaval, Juneteenth, Italian Heritage, and more.
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Courtroom sketch artist Art Lien '76 was known for his ability to draw courtroom scenes quickly with authentic detail. (Courtesy Art Lien via Courthouse News) | |
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Drawn to Drama: The life and times of a courthouse sketch artist
Retired courtroom artist Art Lien '76 captured memorable court cases for 45 years, including the trials of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and the Boston Marathon bomber, and the impeachment hearings of then-President Donald Trump. Read more
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—Courtesy of Unique Robinson | |
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Unique Robinson's New Book was Inspired by Being "In Transit"
New poetry collection, '(Not) In Service,' sheds light on MICA faculty member Robinson's experiences relying on Baltimore's public transportation, while also navigating love, work, identity, and her place in the world.
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—Courtesy of Ryan and Catherine Dunne | |
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"One Day By Your Side", an alumni produced and recorded album
Ryan '11 and Catherine Dunne '11 celebrate the release of their second album “One Day By Your Side,” a collection of 14 stirring and lively ballads that will take you on a stroll through the bonnie braes of Scotland.
On this self produced and recorded album Ryan sings the vocals and plays slew of instruments from wooden flute and tin whistle to the Irish bouzouki, guitar, accordion, harmonium, guzheng, melodeon, glockenspiel and more! Catherine illustrated the album art and adds her drumming skills on the bodhran. Read more
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All photos courtesy of Kara Mask | |
Kara Mask BFA, Painting '15
MICA was a tremendous boost for my skills in a number of areas. At the time, it had a foundation year which challenged freshmen to take classes across mediums and not just their major. This was instrumental in exposing me to different ways of creating that to this day help me as a Creative Director who needs to direct in a variety of settings. Secondly, the network is unparalleled: my peers are some of the most talented in the world – I get the benefit to call on them for advice, and partnership long after we’ve graduated. I am constantly inspired to see many headline institutions, and companies across the world. Third, MICA gave me opportunities to see how business was done through the lens of art. I am grateful I was encouraged to intern across some tangible settings
as an undergraduate, not once but thrice: a painting internship with Paul Jeanes, a class partnership with the Walters, and an internship with Anthropologie that blossomed into a career.
During Undergraduate, MICA connected me to my first great opportunity: a Visual Display Internship with the national retailer Anthropologie. This blossomed into a full-time job as Visual Associate where I made a living creating designs for their windows and merchandising displays. Inevitably Baltimore influenced my trajectory. During employment with Anthroplogie, Baltimore underwent massive upheaval and uprisings in reaction to the killing of Freddie Gray. Much like the city, I was left questioning my responsibility as a citizen and maker. I came to the conclusion that being on the product side of a retailer, or isolated in my studio, wasn’t doing much, so I set out to pursue design that emphasized social impact. Before I knew it I had moved to Washington D.C. and was working with a series of coalitions and nonprofits; many of them in the Criminal Justice space. I cut my teeth partnering with Snoop Dogg on a SXSW panel over mandatory minimums, working with Alice Johnson for a national campaign about reentry, and creating a series of pop-ups with the NFL’s social justice initiative. As I worked with former felons, and incarcerated youth, I became acutely aware of how powerful design could be at rewriting perceptions. This idea became an anchor to all of my work.
For the last five years, I have served as the Global Vice President of Creative at NJI, which has recently been ranked the #3 largest advertising company in Washington DC. In my tenure, I launched creative departments across Singapore, the UK, and the US, and expanded our personnel by 400%. I work on challenging topics like misinformation, and pandemic prevention, with clients like Meta, Intuit, the United Nations, The Home Depot, Instagram, the World Wildlife Fund, and many more. Our work has been in Vogue, GQ, Times Square and Piccadilly Circus. More importantly I get the privilege to work with incredible creatives across the world.
Most recently I have been focused on Nation Branding campaigns and soft diplomacy. I love the challenge of seeing how we can change how underrepresented, misinterpreted, cultures and people are perceived.
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Over 100 friends, family, and community members gathered to celebrate retired faculty member Dr. Joan Gaither's 80th birthday on August 10th. Seeing this annual summer tradition filled with music, food, and friendship return was heartwarming. Dr. Gaither has nurtured countless young artists since joining the MICA faculty in 1996. This is exemplified by her establishment of the Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither Young People's Studio Scholarship Fund in 2012. She has raised scholarship support for hundreds of YPS students thanks to her generosity and contributions from over 200 supporters.
As we celebrated Dr. Gaither's 80th birthday, we did more than commemorate a personal milestone—we highlighted her pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of artists. Like the quilts she creates, her legacy is a collaborative process that weaves hope and creativity into our community.
Click here to read about Dr. Gaither's inspiring journey and lasting impact on the YPS Program.
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Join the MICA Maryland Alumni Committee!
Attention Maryland alums! We're excited to announce the formation of the MICA Maryland Alumni Committee, dedicated to creating and hosting engaging events throughout the year. The committee will meet quarterly via ZOOM to plan and brainstorm new alumni activities, including regular gatherings, happy hours, and collaborate on the MICA Weekend Committee.
If you are interested in helping shape our alumni community, please reach out to Hannah Dowling at hdowling@mica.edu. We'd love to have you on board!
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© 2020 Maryland Institute College of Art | | | | |
