Generations: Fall 2022

Autumn is a time of celebrations and reflections.

This fall, we are pausing to mark the 10^th anniversary of the naming of the school after the great designer, philanthropist, and alumna Penny W. Stamps. As we come together for this milestone, we are cognizant that we have arrived at this moment in time as the result of generations of students who created a future for themselves and society. That future they dreamed of is now, and along with that is the concept of creating a new future, one that holds solutions to the world’s most urgent issues. A future that requires the dreamers, the doers, the artists, and the designers. A future we create together.

At the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, we honor the work of generations of students, faculty, staff, and alumni everyday. This small collection of stories is a microcosm of the thousands of stories written every day by our community through their actions and their important contributions to the collective consciousness.

Oka Doner poses with her ceramics work in a black and white photo taken for the MFA brochure in 1967.

Groundbreakers

In the early days of art and design education at the University of Michigan, opportunities for women beyond earning a bachelor degree were non-existent. The revolution began in the 1960 as a new generation dared to challenge the status quo. Read the stories of Michele Oka Doner, Peggy Cloy, Ruth Weisberg, and Rene Murray, who led the way for the women of the Stamps School.

Jessie Rice and Maggie Wiebe in caps and gowns with their big idea award at commencement.

Farm to Fabric: Jessie Rice & Maggie Wiebe

Laughs and a love of art brought Jessie Rice and Maggie together to create their revolutionary Big Idea: what if we taught communities how to grow their own sustainable art products? It’s a story in progress that we will be following for years to come.

Angel Manson sits in front of their artwork, wearing orange pants, a short-sleeved shirt, and a hat

Comics & Kindness: Angel Manson

Kindness as a superpower is at the heart of Angel Manson’s original cartoon character Autumn. Read more about Angel’s family influences as they developed Autumn into a common sense comic.

Inclusivity as Opportunity: Keren Sachs

Shifting paradigms and making room for underrepresented artists and designers is the mission of Keren Sachs, founder of The Luppe. In a revealing Q & A, Keren shares what it took to shake up conventionality and create a new type of agency.

James Cogswell in his Ann Arbor studio with the original drawings of Vinyl Euripedes

Bringing the Past to the Present: James Cogswell

Stamps Professor James Cogswell has spent 2022 traveling the globe to install compelling new exhibitions that are inspired by the past. From Greek tragedies to working class tools, James is showing how these artifacts from ancient times are relevant today.

10th Naming Anniversary Celebration

It’s time to gather the Stamps community as we pay homage to the legacy of Penny W. Stamps and look toward the next era. Join U-M President Mary Sue Coleman, Dean Carlos Francisco Jackson, and other distinguished guests for some memorable events Thursday, September 22 - Saturday, September 24, 2022.

Designed to Write: Audrey Bennett

Professor Audrey G. Bennett is an award winning writer and design theorist who is receiving global recognition for her work. Read about Audrey’s journey from grad student to a leading voice in her field.

Casey Klugman sketches glasses designs at his desk

Family-Focused Design: Casey Klugman

You can hum the song in your head, but there’s no denying that Casey Klugman’s future’s so bright as Creative Director and Founder of Les Monts, you’ll want to wear a pair of his shades. In this interview with one of his mentors at Stamps, Professor Rebekah Modrak, Casey describes what it was like to launch his first product line of handmade eyewear.