Illustrator Matt Mahurin Donates Original Artwork to SCAD

The only thing better than oohing and ahing over one of Matt Mahurin’s illustrations in print is oohing and ahing over his original work in person. Thanks to Mahurin’s recent donation to SCAD’s Special Collections, students will be able to do exactly that!

Matt Mahurin is a renaissance man who has mastered traditional and digital illustration, photography and video. Consequently, he has left an indelible mark on the world of visual communications. Mahurin came to SCAD last spring to present his creative genius to a crowd at Arnold Hall. During his visit to Savannah, Mahurin also facilitated a demonstration for students and faculty.He enthusiastically shared his expertise in the spring, and now he continues to give to the SCAD community through this recent donation.

The artwork Mahurin donated to the Special Collections includes two original pieces of art: the one featured here, and the other you will have to see for yourself at the Special Collections.

Special Collections is on the third floor of Jen Library; their hours during the quarter are: Mondays: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Tuesdays through Fridays: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Submitted by Daniel Powers

SCAD Students Take Gold and Silver at Illustration West 50 - Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Competition

Gold Medal Student Award by Julia Yellow- BFA Student

Savannah, Georgia – SCAD students had an unparalleled showing at Illustration West 50, the 50^th annual Illustration West Competition sponsored by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles (SILA). SCAD students earned both gold and silver medals along with over 100 certificates of merit. SILA is the largest juried illustration competition west of New York, created to promote the professional status of illustration art.

“Winning so spectacularly at SILA puts SCAD illustration students at the forefront of illustration,” said SCAD Chair of Illustration Allan Drummond. “SILA is a world-class competition. The communication arts industry looks to the West Coast to see the very latest developments in illustration. The sheer volume of accepted entries for SCAD and the diversity of ideas and styles is a testament to SCAD Illustration’s focus on both the nurturing a student’s individual voice, and our focus on professional career-focused work.”

Student Silver Award: Gautam Dutta - MFA Student

The Student Gold Medal and a $1,000 scholarship went to senior illustration student Julia Yellow. The Student Silver Medal and a $750 scholarship went to graduate illustration student Gautam Dutta.

In addition, SCAD illustration professors Mohamed Danawi and Daniel Powers submitted pieces that were accepted in the professional category.

All the awarded work is eligible to be displayed on the SILA Web site with the artists’ name and contact information. This Web site is a valuable resource for potential employers and collectors.

Select work will also be displayed at the Illustration West 50 Exhibition at Gallery Nucleus, 210 East Main St., Alhambra, California, at a date to be announced.

Memorial for Samantha Puhr-Sopoci

Self-Portrait in Oil by Samantha Puhr-Sopoci

A memorial service for SCAD Illustration student Samantha Puhr-Sopoci who passed away suddenly on November 11, 2011 will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at the SCAD Student Center on Montgomery St. Faculty and friends of Samantha are invited to attend.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Question: what do horse hooves and chicken feet have in common with lucha libre? Answer: you can find examples of these hanging on the walls in Morris Hall!

More than 36 colorful pieces of artwork created by illustration professors Jacqui Mair and Ryan Sanchez are currently on display in SCAD’s Illustration Department. Mair and Sanchez are the two newest members of the department’s faculty, and their incredible images attest to the diverse talents and expertise they bring to their students. Both artists are impossible to pin down when it comes to singular illustrative techniques — the two play with paint, collage, digital and mix media. Similarly, both artists experiment with image-making, and the results are unexpected, delightful and sometimes shocking. Both illustrators combine edgy, contemporary aesthetics with brilliant concepts, so it’s no surprise that their clients include, among others, Clarion Books, The Financial Times, Spin and New York Magazine.

Jacqui Mair studied Fine Art at Bristol Polytechnic UK and earned her M.A. in print-making at the Royal College of Art London. She was awarded a French Scholarshipto study for three months in Europe, and this award started a long working relationship with Marseille, France, and still continues today. Over the past 25 years she has combined lecturing at various institutions with her work as an artist. She has exhibited on three continents, and has established an international career as an illustrator and artist. Jacqui taught Illustration and Fine Art at the University of Portsmouth UK until March 2011 when she crossed the pond to teach Illustration at SCAD.

Ryan Sanchez was raised as a latchkey kid in the suburbs of Los Angeles. To keep himself entertained as a child, he drew on sidewalks, streets, walls, shoes, clothing, textbooks, and anything else he could get his hands on. Ryan moved on to college and earned a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Southern California in 1995, and a B.F.A. in Illustration from Art Center College of Design in 2000. In 2002, he moved to New York where he worked as a freelancer before moving to Savannah to earn his M.F.A. in Illustration at SCAD.

Professors Mair and Sanchez’s group exhibition will be on display in the foyer of Morris Hall through March 15, 2012. Don’t miss it!

Submitted by Daniel Powers

Joseph Rouse: The Illustrator as Printmaker

Illustration senior, Joe Rouse, splits his time between illustration and printmaking courses. Joe has been working on a series of whimsical, stylized lithographs. Here he is with a litho stone, ready to go to press. Printmaking is just one of the many diverse disciplines that pair perfectly with illustration.

Submitted by Daniel Powers

SCAD's School of Communication Arts presents Celebrate CommArts!

Thursday, June 2, 5 - 8:30 pm

Savannah Station, Savannah, GA

Illustration in Motion Symposium - Monday May 9 at 6 pm - Arnold Hall

The Illustration in Motion Symposium will begin a panel discussion addressing the profound changes the communications art industry has undergone in the past few years and the new opportunities opening up. Speakers include illustrator and animator Richard Borge, who worked in editorial and corporate advertising with Sony Music and Coca-Cola, among others, illustrator and animator David Cowles, who freelanced for Time and The New York Times, among others; illustrator and animator Ed Binkley, who has worked as an award-winning professional illustrator for 30 years and motion media chair John Colette. This event is free and open to the public. It is highly recommended that all students attend.

See you there -- Monday, May 9th 6:00 pm -

Arnold Hall Auditorium