Arts Alumnx News October 2023

Margeaux Claude (MFA '22) Joins the Faculty at Eastern Michigan University Margeaux Claude, MFA in Ceramics 2022, returned from a Fulbright fellowship in Hungary this summer to join the faculty at Eastern Michigan University as Assistant Professor of Ceramics. Her research focuses on the intersections of ceramic art, design, and manufacturing with a particular focus on historical methods of plaster model and mold making. The Division of Ceramic Art would like to congratulate Margeaux on her recent accomplishments.

Kristen Egan (BFA '07) Solo Exhibition WHEEL OF THE YEAR For slightly more than a decade, Arch Enemy Arts has been honored to represent Pennsylvania-based sculptor Kristen Egan, so it is with genuine enthusiasm that we invite you to experience her seventh AEA solo exhibition, The Wheel of The Year.
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Comprising forty-one new pieces - a captivating mix of masks and totems - The Wheel of The Year stands as Egan’s most expansive solo to date. Within this series she masterfully captures the essence of the ancient Celtic calendar’s symbolic framework, marking solstices, equinoxes, and transitional moments, all while retaining her distinctive style that seamlessly marries contemporary pop surrealism and traditional craftsmanship. With masks and totems made from dried gourds, paper clay, carved wood, and found natural materials, Kristen’s work is as a celebration of the intersection between tradition and innovation, blending ancient storytelling with contemporary artistic techniques.

Guiding viewers through the ever-turning seasons, The Wheel of The Year presents a gorgeous tapestry of colors, designs, and animal motifs synonymous with each very specific time of the year. Inspired by the celestial stories whispered by the stars and etched into the tapestries of history, Kristen’s new work exudes a profound reverence for these tales, while simultaneously breathing new life into them. Her sculptures stand as testaments to the enduring power of ancient traditions in shaping our modern understanding of art, culture, and the interconnectedness of all life.

Egan graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Alfred University School of Art and Design and studied Environmental Studies while a student. Her work is collected internationally, and the artist boasts countless sold out exhibitions at galleries around the world.

Gabrielle Egnater (MFA '23) has been  hired as a Lecturer at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) in the Art, Media, and Design Department teaching  "Design and Invention", a collaboration  with CSUSM's Innovation Hub, the San Marcos community and environment. 

Jing Huang (MFA '20) exhibits work at the V&A Museum Ceramic artist Jing Huang, MFA 2020, has a piece curated into an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum called The Mountain in Chinese Art. The work titled Loop #3 is inspired by the misty landscape around Jing’s childhood home of Guilin in southern of China.

Aliza Ladiwala (BFA '23) Joins Floor & Decor as Senior Designer  Floor & Decor is a leading specialty retailer of hard surface flooring, offering the broadest in-stock selection of tile, wood, stone, related tools and flooring accessories. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Atlanta, Floor & Decor is one of Fortune’s 100 fastest-growing companies.

Aliza, originally from Mumbai, India is from a family of fourth-generation traders in ceramics, wall tiles, sanitary ware, and fittings.

She is passionate about 3D printing with clay and plastic and has used this modern technology on a variety of projects, including tiles, sinks, bowls, and typography. Aliza believes in experimenting and going beyond the rules of design, and that "inspiration can be found anywhere".