SAIC STUDENT WORK 2016-2017

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School of the Art Institute of Chicago

2017

For a decade, students from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) have exhibited work in Milan during Design Week. SAIC’s whatnot studio brings design experiments to life as real products. This year-long class gives students the space and time to find their voice as independent designers working in a professional context.

Working in the classroom as an industrial development mentor with SAIC Professors Helen Maria Nugent and Tim Parsons, this class enabled students access to develop and create heirloom quality projects in partnership with the artisanal and glass working facility West Supply LLC where I served as Director of Development. Initially we educated students on the nuances and inherent qualities of these materials prior to them beginning their product design journey, and then from there these projects were developed in a manner similar to how a client interaction might go with a companies development department. The entire process was filmed by the SAIC film department both in the classroom as well as at the manufacturing facility and in many cases I personally performed technical monologues during the bronze and glasswork processes and applied the hot patina finishes while narrating to the camera.

STUDENTS WORK FROM SAIC - WHATNOT COLLECTION