Marquee at 134th spring commencement

Nearly 250 Columbus College of Art & Design students graced the stage of the historic Ohio Theatre to receive their diplomas on Saturday, May 11, 2013.

The 134^th annual commencement in downtown Columbus included an address by nationally renowned artist Mel Chin, who was also awarded an honorary degree by the college.

James E. Kunk, vice chair of CCAD’s board of trustees; Dennison W. Griffith, CCAD president; Kevin J. Conlon, vice president for academic affairs; and director of graduate studies and professor Ric Petry conferred the nine master of fine arts degrees and the bachelor of fine arts.

Student government president and Advertising & Graphic Design major Cailyn Driscoll addressed the audience of peers and family, followed by recognition of the nine outstanding seniors:

• Lillie Templeton, Advertising & Graphic Design
• Tyler Crowley, Animation
• Patrick Kain, Cinematic Arts
• Katharine Hire, Fashion Design
• Stefanie Cook, Fine Arts
• Wesley Talbott, Illustration
• Justin Brown, Industrial Design
• Katelyn Venia, Interior Design
• Kayla Holdgreve, Photography

President Griffith introduced the 2013 class valedictorian, Advertising & Graphic Design major Lillie Templeton.

Following the valedictorian’s address, Griffith spoke to the graduating class. He offered them a heartfelt farewell and encouraged them to spread their talent and the message of love across the world.

CCAD Outstanding Senior Kayla Holdgreve, wearing her “signature” sunglasses

At the end of the academic year, CCAD deans names the faculty-selected outstanding seniors for each undergraduate major. Today, in part nine of our nine-part series, meet Photography outstanding senior Kayla Holdgreve.

Q: What was your proudest achievement while at CCAD?

This last semester. I figured out what I wanted to do, and I created a really strong body of work that represents me as a person, as an artist, and the direction I want to go. The work is a three-part series that deals with the personal journey one takes within time and space. I used a lot of different photo processes and mixed digital and film.

Q: What scared you the most while you were at CCAD?

Just managing everything. It is such a heavy workload here, and you have to balance that with jobs, internships, personal work, and hanging out with friends.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

Developing my own work, and I would like to travel. I am going to wait a couple years, but then I will start applying to grad schools.

Q: What’s your ultimate dream job or goal?

My ultimate dream job would be to look at old photographs all the time, and travel, and get paid to do that.

Q: Why is it important as an alumnus to give back to CCAD?

It is necessary to keep things going and growing. We have to ensure that students have access to what we did and even more.

Q: Do you remember a single point that made you sit back and say, “This is why I am doing this?”

There was a moment when I was in the darkroom and I was experimenting with these negatives and trying to come up with something I have never tried before. I was in there for two hours, and finally when I was hovering over the chemicals the image came out, and I just thought “thank you, this is it.”

Q: What smell, word, or whatever will always remind you of your time here as a student?

The fix and the photo chemicals.

Q: What will you miss the most?

The connections and the closeness of the students and the faculty here. We were able to have constant feedback, stay up late working with peers, and chat with the faculty on our work. Also, the equipment we had available to us.

Q: If you could describe what graduation feels like in one word or sentence what would it be?

Bittersweet. It is exciting to move on, but there are a lot of things that will be missed.

Q: What was your favorite class at CCAD?

Poetry with Lesley Jenike, feminism in art with Susanne Myers, and my materials study class with Helen Hoffelt. Those three factored so much into who I am and the work that I am about.

Q: What did you like to do during your free time?

Read, that is one thing that I have been enjoying. I’m currently reading 1984.

Q: What is your fondest memory at CCAD?

Just hanging out with everyone in the labs; I practically lived there.

Q: What would you change about your undergraduate career?

Focus more and take advantage of everything offered here, from the equipment to the visiting artists’ lectures.

Q: What is your advice to future CCAD students?

Utilize all of the space, equipment, workshops, and visiting artists’ talks, just everything that is offered on campus.

Holdgreve is from Lima, OH, and attended Lima Senior High School.

Photo from 2012 commencement

May is quickly on its way, accompanied by rain, flowers, and, very soon, graduation caps and gowns. On May 11 Columbus College of Art & Design will celebrate nearly 250 graduating CCAD students as they cross the stage of the historic Ohio Theatre and receive their hard-earned diplomas.

As the countdown to commencement begins, CCAD honors this year’s outstanding seniors. Each year department heads choose an outstanding senior for each undergraduate major. This year’s awardees include Justin Brown, Industrial Design; Stefanie Cook, Fine Arts; Tyler Crowley, Animation; Katharine Hire, Fashion Design; Kayla Holdgreve, Photography; Patrick Kain, Cinematic Arts; Wesley Talbot, Illustration; Lille Templeton, Advertising & Graphic Design; and Katelyn Venia, Interior Design.

We sat down to interview each of these stellar students, and we’ll publish a profile a day (on school days) starting on April 29 and culminating on May 10 when we announce the class valedictorian(s).

The outstanding seniors and valedictorian(s) will be honored at commencement, which will also feature an address by nationally renowned artist Mel Chin.

Lian Dziura in front of her work at the Thunderdome awards reception at Clifton Cultural Arts Center.

FOTOFOCUS is a monthlong celebration in Cincinnati, OH that combines exhibitions, conferences, presentations, and other special events to honor the art of photography. Many CCAD alumni, students, faculty, and staff were involved with various exhibitions around the city in October.

Professor and Illustration alumna Helen Hoffelt (CCAD 1982) showed work in the Midwest Society for Photographic Education Members Exhibition at the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center in Covington, KY, Sept. 28–Oct. 31. Hoffelt also had work in Images of the Great Depression: A Documentary Portrait of Ohio 1935-2010 at the University of Cincinnati’s Sycamore Gallery, Oct. 1–Oct. 27.

Henry Scott with his work at the Thunderdome awards reception at Clifton Cultural Arts Center.

Media Studies alumna Rachel Girard Reisert (CCAD 2002) had a solo exhibition Tropism at 1305 Gallery, Sept. 28–Nov. 11. Reisert also presented during the Midwest Regional Society for Photographic Education Conference on Oct. 13.

A senior in Photography, Kayla Holdgreve, exhibited two of her pieces in Current: MW Society of Photographic Education Student Juried Exhibition at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Oct. 4–31.

Photography alumna Lian Dziura (CCAD 2012), Junior in Cinematic Arts Tom Hoying, MFA alumnus Cosby Lindquist (CCAD 2012), Photography alumnus Marcus Morris (CCAD 2012), junior in Photography Henry Scott, and MFA alumna Crystal Tursich (CCAD 2012) participated in the juried invitational exhibition Thunderdome, at Clifton Cultural Arts Center in Cincinnati, OH, Oct.13–14. Lindquist was one of three award winners and Dziura received an honorable mention.