2014 Creative Work Scholarships
On December 2nd, six undergraduate students - Keyana Thompson Shaw, Arwin Wang, James Mackin, Gina Garavalia, Kelly Sadlon, and Mia Massimino - received 2014 Creative Work Scholarship awards.
Made possible through the uncommon generosity of Penny and Roe Stamps, these scholarships are intended to recognize and encourage creative work of exceptionally high quality. Each year, one award is distributed to a current Sophomore, Junior and Senior and three additional awards are granted to students who demonstrate a high level of creativity in their work at the Stamps School of Art & Design.
Thank you to the 2014 Jurors - faculty members Hannah Smotrich, Roland Graf and Rebekah Modrak - and to Stamps student Jane Wiley for doing the portraits for this series.
Keyana Thompson-Shaw, senior
“Coming into Stamps I didn’t know what my artistic focus was, but I knew I needed a way to express myself visually. Stamps has been the perfect place for me to try so many different avenues of art and design. Though my work right now is much more graphic design based, I am excited to learn more about how graphic design thinking can extend into 3 dimensional spaces – especially community-oriented spaces.”
Arwin Wang, sophomore
“I'm interested in working with numerous materials and practicing different design disciplines, so Stamps is the perfect fit for me. The diversity of the courses and faculty here have helped me figure out what I'm really passionate about... As an aspiring industrial designer, I strive to solve environmental and social issues in intuitive, accessible ways, allowing my work to be easily incorporated into people’s lives.”
James Mackin, sophomore
“The Stamps program has influenced my life as an artist significantly, altering my perception of art and how to create it. My classes have encouraged me to follow a process of conceptual and experimental thinking while retaining the importance of aesthetics... Through the schools amazing interdisciplinary program I have found an art avenue like no other. No longer is my art world just two dimensional pencil sketches. It has blossomed into abstract sculpture, and conceptual digital work.”
Gina Garavalia, junior
“I chose Stamps because I was curious. I wanted to be an artist – but I also wanted to expand my knowledge of the world through academic coursework. The University of Michigan allows me to do both. Because creative writing is my other passion, I decided to pursue LSA's Creative Writing Minor. My creative writing classes have provided ample opportunities to pair writing and artwork. I enjoy illustrating my stories, and often my art inspires new tales. At Stamps, my academic classes inform and intersect with my work, resulting in ideas I couldn’t have developed otherwise.”
Kelly Sadlon, senior
“Had I not come here, it is very possible I would never have discovered my true passion for industrial and product design, because, before going to college, I didn’t know it even existed. I was drawn to the Stamps program because of the ability to explore early on and then focus as the years progressed. Because of Shaun Jackson my love for industrial design was sparked in that first year, which then set me on a guiding path and opened new doors, educationally and professionally… Design for me is an exploration of mixing, to see how components from multiple professions can blend to create something truly exceptional. I enjoy pushing myself to new limits by learning skills beyond design to integrate into my work, which makes my process centered on research and collaboration. At the same time,my individual goal as a designer is to be more conscious about the sustainability of the products I create.”
Mia Massimino, sophomore
“I thrive in an environment where there are no limits on the form or media through which to express my ideas. As an interdisciplinary artist, I use visual, spoken word, live performance, and am constantly thinking about new ways to communicate. As someone with a background in both visual and performing arts, I am driven by my interest in the human condition, understanding relationships, and the way we connect to each other and our surroundings. I tend to use my relationships and experiences as a platform for exploring these ideas on a larger scale. My interdisciplinary background means that my creative process is completely open-- I try to let ideas lead me to the medium and presentation of work.”
