& Then

2011 – Aaliah Al-Aali (MA in Graphic Design) has left her job at an advertising agency in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and is currently the design leader at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Apparently the general manager of the IT department so loved the design of the Qu’ran Aaliah did as her Masters Thesis project that “he wants me to reflect the style in the Ministry. We’ll soon be redesigning the external and internal portal pages. Working in the government sector is so different but I’m liking it so far. I like giving something to the country.” Aaliah is also freelancing as well a giving stand-alone lectures on graphic design at Princess Nora University. You can reach her at aaliah.design@gmail.com.

2006 – Allison Curran (Interior Design) has relocated to San Francisco and is working as a furniture designer for Pottery Barn. She works with four other designers (“…a smaller team than I ever imagined for such a big line of furniture”) and is the only interior designer; the others all have backgrounds in industrial design. In a nod to her past life, Allison says, “Had I not decided to move to the West Coast, I would have stayed working for Gary [McBournie, NESAD 1973 and the Principal of Gary McBournie, Inc. in Boston.] forever as he was an incredible boss and an amazing designer.”  But Allison says she loves San Francisco because it has so much to offer and would recommend it to anyone.You can get in touch with Allison at acurran16@gmail.com.

1993 – Steinunn Jonsdottir (Interior Design) and her family spent the summer at their farm in the north of Iceland, in the company of the resident artists and designers at the Baer Art Center, of which she is the director (www.baer.is). In addition they managed to fit in a trip to Tuscany and a family camping rip to Skaftafell National Park, closer to home. Steinunn and her husband have four children: Unnar Örn, a happy 2 1/2 year old toddler who loves the outdoors; Baldur who is 6 and a dedicated soccer player; Jón Bragi, who, at 15, is headed to junior college in the fall; and Nanna Katrin, 18, who is halfway through her four years of junior college and who is more and more into music. Steinunn and her husband, Finnur, are “trying to keep up with the endless projects that pile up around family, business, farm life and the art center and are hanging in there!”. Steinunn herself is finishing up the renovation of the Baer Art Center website, and is working on new brochures as well as a Baer cookbook. You can get in touch with her at sj@sj.is.

An exhibition of the works of NESADSU faculty in Suffolk’s Stahl Building at 73 Tremont Street includes the work of two alumni, Sam Spano (Fine Arts 2010) and John Roy (Fine Arts 2012). The exhibition, curated and installed by James Manning (Fine Arts 2005), is available for viewing in the public areas of the 12th and 13th floors until July 31, 2013. Also featured are works, in a variety of mediums, by Foundation, Fine Arts and Illustration faculty, including Harry Bartnick, Bebe Beard, Linda Brown, Paul Andrade, Deb Weisberg, Lydia Martin, Lisa French, Steve Novick and Susan Nichter.

As NESADSU Chairman Bill Davis said in his introduction to the exhibition: “Collectively, it [the exhibition] speaks volumes about the creativity and professionalism that permeate every aspect of The New England School of Art & Design….I would like to think that this exhibit has added a new dimension to the 12th and 13th floors, while at the same time informing and involving the entire University community.”

The exhibition spaces are open to the public on weekdays from 9am until 5pm.

All of Suffolk University is deeply saddened by the loss of Tamotsu (Tommy) Yamamoto, a world-renowned architectural illustrator, dedicated teacher, mentor, and friend.  He always said, “You have no choice” when drawing perspectives in his class.  Tommy was charming, witty, and always had an opinion.  He loved his students–they were his family. Tommy’s spirit and talent for drawing will always be remembered. He was an absolute gift to all who knew him.

Tommy died on December 2nd after a brief battle with cancer. A beloved instructor at NESADSU for more than 20 years, he maintained a private practice as a design consultant for architects, developers, and interior designers serving local and international clients since 1976.

Tommy was a charter member and President Emeritus of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators (ASAI). He received several “Awards of Excellence” and his work was exhibited in the United States, Europe, and Asia, including in Kyoto Museum of Fine Arts, the New York Avant-Garde Art Festival, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Fine Arts, and in a one-man show at the NESADSU gallery in 2001.

His work was published in many books as well as in ASAI’s annual publications. Most recently, six pages of his work can be found in The Art of Architectural Art III (Rockport Publishers). He was an honorary member of Japan Architectural Renderers Association (JARA), the Design Communication Association (DCA), and an Associate of AIA (American Institute of Architects). He was also listed in “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.”

Tommy graduated from Kyoto City University of Fine Arts with Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degrees. He was affiliated with the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT and studied architecture at Boston Architectural College. In 1976, he graduated from the postgraduate program of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.