Thanks to a new partnership between Arizona State University and the Smithsonian’s Latino Museum Studies Program , museum studies major Ruby Maderafont will spend the first 10 weeks of their junior year in Washington, D.C., helping to develop digital experiences for all for the National Museum of the American Latino. Maderafont, a student in Barrett, The Honors College who plans to work as a curator after college, said that most of what they’ve learned so far about museum operations and how Latino representation is addressed in museum spaces is “from an outside view, as a visitor and as a student reading scholarly articles in my coursework.” The opportunity to gain hands-on, intensive experience with the museum studies program will “propel my career in the museum field and simply be a dream come true,” they said. Maderafont is one of eight Herberger Institute undergrads who will spend 10 weeks in Washington,...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in ASU Thrive’s special photography issue, celebrating a day in the life of inspiring people across the ASU community. Hohokam people have cherished the high point now known as Hayden Butte for generations. Also known as “A” Mountain, the vantage point has been a recurring spot for artist Mark Klett, a Regents Professor at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts and a Distinguished Global Futures Scholar at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. Sourcing a historical image as a reference point, he has made new photos to capture the view in progressive works. Klett is a founder of the Rephotographic Survey Project, and has worked on a several other rephotography projects in the past three decades, including the Third View, Yosemite in Time, After the Ruins (San Francisco) and Reconstructing the View (Grand Canyon). Before turning to photography he worked as...

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in ASU Thrive’s special photography issue, celebrating a day in the life of inspiring people across the ASU community. Fusion on First is a 16-story, 283,000-square-foot tech-driven project that immerses Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts students in the heart of the arts district along the light rail. Designed by the internationally recognized architecture firm, Studio Ma, the building includes sustainability features, and houses studios, classrooms, offices, and exhibition and event space all under the same roof to create a complete focus for creativity. Learn about some of the talented students who chose to study, practice and live in Fusion on First during this snapshot of a typical day in their lives. Video of TikToker Posts Dad’s 43 Year Old Song, It Goes Viral, They Appear on Kimmel! In the photo above, Zach Montana, a junior during the spring semester majoring in popular...

While working in Washington, D.C., April Hobby was surrounded by impressive museum art galleries like the Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art. She wanted to see what else was out there — especially Black-owned art galleries — but wasn’t sure where to start. Now, she’s helping others find these galleries. Originally from Southern California, Hobby joined Arizona State University as a student in the Herberger Institute’s School of Art. While at ASU, she had experience in art galleries on campus and saw plenty of behind-the-scenes setups of exhibitions. She graduated with an art history degree in 2014 and later went on to pursue a Master of Education in higher and postsecondary education from ASU in 2016, but maintained her interest in the arts when she moved to Maryland after graduation. In February 2021, she founded The Black Curation , a website that focuses on highlighting Black-owned art galleries and art...

The new director of Arizona State University’s School of Art wants to see art and arts education properly recognized for the important role they play in transforming the world for the better. A painter and associate professor, Forrest Solis said that she believes deeply in the value of arts education and feels fortunate to be a member of the School of Art and of ASU. She points out that she has numerous colleagues in the School of Art working at the intersection of, for example, art and technology, art and ecology, and art and health care, “but we haven’t really gotten to the place where we’re a central part of the conversation when it comes to use-based research.” Solis aims to strengthen the connection between such work and teaching and curriculum, “to get a foothold, and to demonstrate that artists make work that has the ability to advance and change...

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2022 graduates . When Yishu Li graduated from art school in China, she had been playing piano as a professionally trained musician for 12 years. She had chosen to attend the technical secondary school (the equivalent of high school in the United States) so that she could focus on music. But she wasn't sure she wanted to continue studying piano, and she began to question whether she was on the right path. Li was a big fan of Japanese pop culture and had begun learning the Japanese language in elementary school, when she also taught herself how to draw. These two passions would end up becoming her focus several years later at ASU. Now, Li is graduating as a Barrett, The Honors College student with bachelor’s degrees in Asian languages (Japanese) and art (painting) from the...

Ask any college student: Finals week can often bring a lot of stress, but Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts students at Arizona State University didn’t want that to be the case for their peers this semester. Based on their own experiences with stressful finals, several design students brainstormed how they could bring mental health in focus. The result: a collaboration for a pop-up shop with the Mayfair Group, a Scottsdale-based lifestyle brand whose merchandise features apparel with inspirational and uplifting messaging. The brand was inspired by CEO Sam Abrahart’s own struggle with mental health and her goal to create a more meaningful life through uplifting content. Assistant Professor Danielle Testa , who teaches fashion retail management, said she overheard her students talking about their own struggles with mental health as finals approached. The students then decided to promote kindness and positivity with a pop-up shop and fair that...

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2022 graduates . Her study abroad session may have been cut short due to the pandemic, but Macey Sierka will never forget the four weeks she spent in Paris and how it further fueled her passion to start her own clothing business upon graduation. Sierka will graduate this May with a degree in supply chain management from the W. P. Carey School of Business with a minor in fashion from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. During her study abroad experience, she took a course called “Business and Fashion in France” where she learned about the business aspect of the fashion industry from the perspective of luxury fashion brands. She gained several perspectives about fashion from her professors who were knowledgeable in areas including design, marketing and forecasting. “I have always loved clothes, but...

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2022 graduates . Daniella Napolitano compares her creative practice to that of a natural historian informed by ecology, biology and natural history research. “One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on is a set of field guides I made for common Phoenix flora and fauna,” said Napolitano, who graduates this spring with an MFA in printmaking. “It stands out to me because it was my very first experience with using the letterpress and I was determined to try every new technique. It also helped me familiarize myself with a new environment after moving here from out of state.” Napolitano said she “observes animals and plants, translating information into a ‘popular’ rather than ‘scientific’ form: visual narratives that incorporate observation-based information with a whimsical approach to animal behavior.” Her thesis exhibition, “ Have You Seen Me?: A...

Editor's note: This story originally stated that the exhibit ran through April 2, but the exhibit has already closed. Northlight Gallery and the School of Art are honoring Arizona State University Regents Professor Mark Klett for 40 years of service to the university with an exhibition titled " Circle of Influence." More than 60 BFA and MFA alumni who have been mentored by Klett during their time at ASU have been invited to have their work represented. Their graduation dates range from the mid-1980s to last year. Most of the work in the show has been donated to Northlight Gallery and will become part of the Mark Klett Archive. “The show is a great honor for me,” said Klett, “showing the work of students I have mentored over my 40-year career at ASU.” Klett started teaching at ASU in 1982 when he joined the staff as a master printer before...