Rhode Island School of Design

As we continue to deal with the logistics of this record-breaking volume of snowfall, RISD will reopen on a limited basis on Thursday, February 26 and Friday, February 27. See risd.edu/emergency for additional details and updates.

Acclaimed Designer David Weeks Returns to RISD to Teach Toy Design Course The alum and designer of the classic Cubebot toy robot worked with first-year students in a Wintersession studio focused on iteration and simplicity.

David Weeks, RISD alum and designer of the classic Cubebot toy robot, worked with first-year students in a Wintersession studio focused on iteration and simplicity www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Day Break sculpture covered in snow on the RISD Beach

To allow for the continued removal of blizzard snowfall, RISD will remain closed on Wednesday, February 25 and re-open on Thursday, February 26, 7:00 am. See risd.edu/emergency for additional details and updates.

Due to the volume of blizzard snowfall, RISD will remain closed on Tuesday, February 24 and re-open on Wednesday, February 25, 7:00 am. See risd.edu/emergency for additional details and updates.

A view of RISD Beach in snow.

Due to inclement weather, RISD will close on Sunday, February 22, at 11:00 pm and will re-open on Tuesday, February 24, at 7 am. See risd.edu/emergency for additional details and updates.

These Colleges Produced the Most Fulbright Scholars and Students Of the 114 institutions that were top producers of Fulbright scholars and students this year, seven were new.

The Fulbright Program just named RISD one of 114 Top Fulbright Producing Institutions across the country and no. 1 in the US Student Program among four-year “special focus/other” institutions.
www.chronicle.com/article/top-...

Wintersession Jewelry + Metalsmithing Course at RISD Explores Ancient Engraving Techniques The class studied inlay, overlay, and engraving processes, reimagining the relationship between the functional and the ornamental.

Students in Jewelry+Metalsmithing Wintersession course 'Silver Meets Steel' explored ancient engraving techniques such as inlay and overlay, reimagining the relationship between the functional and the ornamental www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Grad Students Lead RISD Wintersession Course Exploring Video Games as Artistic Expression From cooking to travel to themes of medicine, students created their own video games in a recent Wintersession studio.

A new Wintersession course offered by the Digital + Media department invited students to step into the world of video games. Taught by grad students Annie Hu and River Wang, the course allowed students to build their own video games from concept to play www.risd.edu/news/stories...

It Starts with a Question — María Magdalena Campos-Pons interviewed by Crystal Williams Multidisciplinary artist, 2025 Honorary Degree recipient, and MacArthur “genius grant” awardee María Magdalena Campos-Pons’s work is deeply autobiographical. She explores notions of history, memory, gender, and religion and how each informs who we are. In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” she and President Crystal Williams have a wide ranging discussion about the role of art and artists in the world. What is “It Starts with a Question?” This video series features President Williams in conversation with thought leaders, art and design luminaries, alumni, and other friends of RISD discussing what shapes how they live in and experience the world. CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 01:50 - Interview begins 03:04 - On this moment in history 07:01 - On finding your center 20:38 - "Somos la mesma cosa" 26:26 - On forgiveness and repair 39:07 - Consideration of the other 43:01 - Interview ends 43:12 - Outro CREDITS Host: President Crystal Williams, RISD Guest: María Magdalena Campos-Pons Project Team: Deborah Bowen, Sofiya Cabalquinto, Iyana Martin Diaz, James Jones, J Kimball, Kaylee Pugliese, Lauren Maas, Danielle Mancuso, Jaime Marland, Lee Ann Norman, Shana Vanderweele Ortman, Alex Pizzuti, Samantha Sartori Photo credits: Freedom Trap (2013). Polaroid Polacolor Pro photograph, 24 x 20 inches (60.96 x 50.8 cm). Image courtesy of the artist. Portrait of María Magdalena Campos-Pons. © John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation–used with permission. Finding Balance (2015). Polaroid Polacolor Pro 96 x 140 inches (243.8 x 355.6 cm). Image courtesy of the artist. The House (2013). Polaroid Polacolor Pro 24 x 20 photographs, diptych, 24 x 20 inches (60.96 x 50.8 cm each). Image courtesy of the artist. The Truth Doesn't Kill You (La Verdad No Mata) (1991). Marble base, wood, nails, hatchet, glass, and wire, 93 x 71 x 4 inches (236.22 x 180.34 x 10.16 cm). Image courtesy of the artist. Constellation (2015). Composition of 16, Polaroid Polacolor Pro 24 x 20 inches per photograph (60.96 x 50.8 cm per photograph). Image courtesy of the artist. Nesting III (2000). Composition of 4, Polaroid Polacolor Pro 24 x 20 in photographs, 32 1/4 x 56 inches each (81.92 x 142.24 cm each). Image courtesy of the artist. Secrets of the Magnolia Tree. Bernice (2022). Mixed media: archival digital inkjet prints, watercolor, ink, gouache, gum arabic on Rives BFK archive paper, 132 5/16 x 30 inches each (336.07 x 76.2 cm each). Image courtesy of the artist. Performance, Cuban Pavilion, Venice Biennale. San Marco, Venice, Italy (2013). Performance. Image courtesy of the artist. Installation view, “Matanzas Sound Map,” Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA), Athens, Greece (2017). Sound and sculptural installation, Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA), documenta 14, Athens. Photo by Angelos Giotopoulos. Image courtesy of the artist. Installation View, “Alchemy of the Soul: María Magdalena Campos-Pons,” Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, 2016. January 9–April 3, 2016. Image courtesy of the artist. When We Gather (2022). Text on Arches Cover Cream, Epson Premium Luster at 20 x 30 photograph, 21 x 31 inches (53.34 x 78.74 cm). Edition of 10 with 2 APs. Photo by Tommy Oliver. Image courtesy of the artist..

In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” artist, 2025 honorary degree recipient, and MacArthur “genius grant” awardee María Magdalena Campos-Pons discusses the role of art and artists in turbulent times with RISD President Crystal Williams bit.ly/404beb9

Sound Wintersession Course at RISD Explores Acoustics, Architecture, and Auditory Perception Students considered how sound can serve as a spatial and experiential medium, guiding attention, shifting atmosphere, and provoking new forms of encounter.

Students in a Sound Wintersession course explored acoustics, architecture, and auditory perception using a state-of-the-art 20-sided 3D speaker that uses complex algorithms to send focused sound beams in any direction, creating an immersive sonic experience
www.risd.edu/news/stories...

RISD’s Third Black Biennial Celebrates Cross-Diasporic Community Please Catch Me When I Fall, curated by RISD students Karma Johnson, Khalil McKnight, and King Meulens, highlights joy, vulnerability, and the many stories to be told about the Black experience.

“Please Catch Me When I Fall,” RISD’s third Black Biennial, highlights joy, vulnerability, and the many stories to be told about the Black experience www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Eight RISD Alums Advance Cross-Cultural Dialogue as Fulbright US Student Awardees The largest Fulbright cohort in RISD’s history is currently conducting research in host countries across Europe and Asia.

RISD’s Fulbright Program has consistently produced an impressive number of Fulbrights each year, and this year’s cohort of eight is its largest ever. In fact, the Fulbright Program just named RISD one of 114 Top Fulbright Producing Institutions across the country. www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Life After RISD: Checking in with Alum Anina Major The award-winning Bahamian artist and educator discusses the creative breakthroughs that drove her to pursue her calling as a professional artist.

The 2026 USA Fellowship, the The Future Perfect Prize in 2024, a Joan Mitchell Fellowship in 2023… Ceramics MFA graduate Anina Major has received recognition for a studio practice that refracts Bahamian craft and culture through contemporary sculpture and ceramics.
www.risd.edu/news/stories...

RISD Careers’ “Art of Business” Series Teaches Skills for Creative Career Longevity From taxes and contracts to managing money and staying true to oneself, the webinar series teaches students and alumni how to sustain their creative businesses.

RISD Careers launched this year’s "Art of Business" series to help students and alumni take their business ideas, studio practices, and freelancing to the next level www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Wintersession Exhibition Design Course at RISD Emphasizes Real-World Problem Solving Working collaboratively, students are designing and building exhibits in preparation for an immersive show in the Center for Integrative Technologies.

Interior Design studio "Exhibition Design & Building" focuses on hands-on exhibition design and construction. Working collaboratively, students are designing and building exhibits for an immersive show in the Center for Integrative Technologies www.risd.edu/news/stories...

RISD’s winter weather closure will be extended through 7:00 am on Tuesday, January 27. This decision is due to additional snowfall predicted this afternoon, and to allow ample time for ongoing snow removal.

See risd.edu/emergency for additional details and updates.

Due to inclement weather, RISD will close on Sunday, January 25, at 11:00 am and will re-open on Monday, January 26, at 3:30 pm. See risd.edu/emergency for additional details and updates.

New Cohort of RISD Presidential Fellows Hits the Ground Running Graduate students selected for the Society of Presidential Fellows are pushing creative boundaries as architects, sculptors, industrial designers, painters, textile artists, and global scholars.

Graduate students selected for the Society of Presidential Fellows are pushing creative boundaries as architects, sculptors, industrial designers, painters, textile artists, and global scholars www.risd.edu/news/stories...

YouTube video by RISD / Rhode Island School of Design It Starts with a Question — Rose B. Simpson interviewed by Crystal Williams

Multimedia artist and alum Rose B. Simpson creates work that explores modes of empowerment and resilience. In a recent episode of “It Starts with a Question,” she and President Crystal Williams sit down to discuss identity, imposter syndrome, and growth. www.youtube.com/watch?v=In4S...

Multiyear RISD Project in the Azores Promotes Biodiversity and Sustainable Design Architecture faculty members Jonathan Knowles and Laura Briggs are working with students to design and build a butterfly pavilion on an organic farm in Ponta Delgada.

Architecture faculty members Jonathan Knowles and Laura Briggs are working with students to design and build a butterfly pavilion on an organic farm in Ponta Delgada www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Students Translate Scripts into Visuals in RISD Storyboarding Studio Film/Animation/Video students presented their final projects in December, considering such aspects as camera angle, composition, pacing, and framing.

Students in a Film/Animation/Video fall "Storyboarding" course recently presented their final projects with a focus on how to translate scripts into visual images with clarity and creativity

www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Eight RISD Alums Advance Cross-Cultural Dialogue as Fulbright US Student Awardees The largest Fulbright cohort in RISD’s history is currently conducting research in host countries across Europe and Asia.

The largest Fulbright cohort in RISD’s history is currently conducting research in host countries across Europe and Asia www.risd.edu/news/stories...

RISD Students Envision Water-Generating Skyscrapers in Interdisciplinary Studio Spanning Architecture and Industrial Design, the fall course builds on cutting-edge atmospheric water-generating technology.

An interdisciplinary fall studio spanning Industrial Design and Architecture challenged students to imagine a city where power and water are generated and managed on-site www.risd.edu/news/stories...

RISD’s First-Ever Tattooing Course a Success Offered through the Illustration department, the fall studio introduced eager students to tattooing as a recognized art form and viable career path.

For the first time, the Illustration department offered the fall studio "Intro to Tattooing" taught by alum and tattoo artist Adam Krueger to introduce eager students to tattooing as a recognized art form and viable career path.
www.risd.edu/news/stories...

RISD Students Share Thought-Provoking Work at Final Fall 2025 Critiques From Apparel Design to Textiles, campus hummed with innovative approaches and generative discussions the week before the winter break.

From Apparel Design to Textiles, campus hummed with innovative approaches and generative discussions the week before the winter break www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Life After RISD: Checking in with Alum Nada Debs The Levantine interior designer discusses her love of craft and collaboration and how her style combines Asian and Middle Eastern influences to reflect a modern Arab identity.

Passionate about craft and collaboration, Interior Architecture graduate Nada Debs combines Asian and Middle Eastern influences to reflect a modern Arab identity www.risd.edu/news/stories...

The NSF and Carnegie Corporation Support Groundbreaking Research at RISD New grants totaling over $1.6 million fund the study of everything from inclusive research approaches to carbon exchange in the Antarctic’s Southern Ocean to automated 3D textile manufacturing.

RISD faculty and staff members have procured National Science Foundation and Carnegie Corporation grants totaling over $1.6 million to fund the study of everything from inclusive research approaches to carbon exchange in the Antarctic’s Southern Ocean www.risd.edu/news/stories...

RISD’s First Year in Florence Program Immerses Students in Culture, Craft, and Community Nearly two dozen first-year students began their college journey immersed in Italian culture.

Following RISD’s Experimental and Foundation Studies curriculum, the First Year in Florence program centers studio and liberal arts education within the Italian landscape www.risd.edu/news/stories...

Photography MFA Students Show Expressive Work in RISD’s Sol Koffler Gallery Curated by the International Center of Photography’s Marley Trigg Stewart, Every Time I Conjure a Stone, I Throw It breaks down the form and function of the photograph.

The recent “Graduate Photography Biennial” brought together works by 15 first- and second-year MFA students that reflect on material memory, inherited worlds, and the shifting spaces where images take form www.risd.edu/news/stories...

It Starts with a Question — Brian Selznick interviewed by Crystal Williams Award-winning author, illustrator, and alum Brian Selznick creates a fascinating world of image and text including "The Invention of Hugo Cabret"—winner of the Caldecott Medal and the basis for the Oscar-winning movie "Hugo". In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” he and President Crystal Williams sit down to discuss the importance of queer representation, bravery in the face of censorship, and finding inspiration and motivation. What is 'It Starts with a Question'? Our new video series features President Williams in conversation with thought leaders, art and design luminaries, alumni, honorary degree recipients, and other “friends of RISD” discussing what shapes and influences how they live in and experience the world. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:53 Meet Brian Selznick 3:21 Talent as a social super power 5:20 Growing up queer 8:18 Writing queer books 15:40 Outing oneself, professionally 19:51 Creative generosity and empathy 25:10 Book banning 37:15 Making art during difficult times 41:18 Internet ambivalence 45:30 Reframing process CREDITS Host: President Crystal Williams, RISD Guest: Brian Selznick Project Team: Deborah Bowen, Sofiya Cabalquinto, Iyana Martin Diaz, Tiffany Khang, J Kimball, Kaylee Pugliese, Lauren Maas, Danielle Mancuso, Jaime Marland, Lee Ann Norman, Shana Vanderweele Ortman, Alex Pizzuti, Simone Solondz Photo credits: Adrianne Mathiowetz

In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” award-winning author, illustrator, and alum Brian Selznick emphasizes the violence inherent in the act of book banning. He and RISD President Crystal Williams also share stories about finding their artistic voices and more. Watch: bit.ly/48unQMx