Ruminations on RISD

Salaam Garage

johnmaeda — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:55:43 +0000

This is a recording from last year when I met Amanda Koster from Salaam Garage. Her story is quite interesting and lives in the kind of space that is unique to the new conditions in our world.

National Veterans Art Museum

johnmaeda — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:36:52 +0000

On my recent trip to Chicago to see alums and parents, I went to the National Veterans Art Museum upon the recommendation of Marty Belluschi. There I not only came in touch with how veterans approach the arts, but also realized how art is so ingrained in how we exist as human beings to our very core.

Printmaking with Prof. Henry Ferreira

johnmaeda — Mon, 18 May 2009 02:13:25 +0000

I sat down with Department Head of Printmaking at RISD, Prof. Henry Ferreira, and talked about the future and past of putting images onto paper. My favorite moment was Prof. Ferreira’s reference to having an “in the belly” feeling — it was a great way to describe that odd feeling of having a visceral, artistic instinct.

Breakfast with Prof. Fink

johnmaeda — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 02:09:26 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of breakfast with Prof. Michael Fink — a teacher who has changed the life of countless RISD students. On the road I have heard from countless graduates the recurring phrase, “Mike Fink taught me how to write.”

23andRISD

johnmaeda — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:23:42 +0000

At the recent RISD SF START HERE event I came across RISD Architecture alumni Angel Steger and found the “missing link” I was looking for in my personal excitement for 23andme.

Complete, or Not Complete

johnmaeda — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:24:00 +0000

In the RISD CIT Building I found a few graduate students from graphic design to chat about how they approach the challenge of finding a job and the long tradition of showing one’s work to potential employers. Complete, or not complete? That is the question.

No Recipes

johnmaeda — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:18:06 +0000

A few weeks ago I slipped into the RISD Portfolio Cafe to get a bite to eat. There, I encountered the wisdom of Tim McFate who runs that operation. As a lover of cooking, I think that Tim’s lessons can be applied in all aspects of life.

Haining and Me

johnmaeda — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:01:26 +0000

A quick shoutout and thanks to Trustee Dick Haining for the work that we do!

Follow the Leader

johnmaeda — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:19:24 +0000

I had the opportunity to sit with the RISD undergraduate and graduate government leadership today with Provost Jessie Shefrin. Can artists and designers be leaders as well? You bet.

How Something Made Doesn’t Matter

johnmaeda — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:37:14 +0000

I visited the recent RISD New England alumni biennial and had a nice chat there where I was reminded that how something is made matters much less than what it really is.

Grad Program Info Session

johnmaeda — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:52:10 +0000

I had the fortune today of addressing some folks that were interested in coming to RISD for graduate school. It’s always an honor to talk with the folks (students) that will shape our far-flung future.

Dustin Hostetler from Threadless

johnmaeda — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:32:40 +0000

I interviewed Dustin Hostetler from Threadless.com to get a sense of how he became an artist-entrepreneur. And please be sure to check out the RISD faculty-designed T-shirts available at Threadless Select!

RISD Alumni Art Fair Dec 2008

johnmaeda — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:11:00 +0000

I wandered the RISD Alumni Art Fair this weekend in search of an answer to the question, “Why do people love handmade things?”

The Hill

johnmaeda — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:59:28 +0000

I’ve noticed that RISD is all hills. Or at least it seems like that. Great way to get exercise, and also to think …

Update Dec 12, 2008

johnmaeda — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:55:53 +0000

In an attempt to regulary podcast on Mondays, here I am reading what’s happening on our external blog (Our) and also our internal blog (Two). It’s informative, but I think I want to add more thought-process pieces for the future. If you have any requests let me know.

e-Views Issue #45

johnmaeda — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:59:30 +0000

I’ve started to audify the regular e-Views emails I get from RISD. I hope this is useful to you.

Crit Week, Part 2

johnmaeda — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:13:17 +0000

An early podcast I made for RISD Crit Week in May 2008 — Part 2. Includes a chat with Prof. Henry Ferreira (Printmaking) talking about the “ultimate screen,” Prof. Susan Doyle (Illustration) teaching us about life in the RISD fast lane, Claudia Ford on a vision for RISD’s international interactions, and the head of the RISD Student Alliance talking about leadership.

Crit Week, Part 1

johnmaeda — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:09:51 +0000

An early podcast I made for RISD Crit Week in May 2008 — Part 1. Includes a quick interview with Prof. Larry Bush (Ceramics), a couple of students talking about what makes for great teaching and also the Silk Road collaboration, and closes with an interview with a wandering grad student at the recent RISD Grad show.

Russian Pictures

johnmaeda — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:17:47 +0000

A chat from a few weeks back that I had with the incredible Christopher Lydon.

Publicness

johnmaeda — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:55:21 +0000

I did a short interview with the RISD Museum Director Hope Alswang on the topic of museums. The themes of the “prime original” and “publicness” were raised in this initial, short discussion.