SCAD Alumni Atelier ambassadors
Summer 2025
Malvika Agarwal
B.F.A., industrial design, 2019
A shoe designer and entrepreneur from India specializing in contemporary footwear, Malvika Agarwal roots her practice and brand CHAL in sustainability and artisanal craftsmanship. Her work incorporates upcycled materials such as tires, organic fabrics, and block-printed textiles to minimize waste while celebrating traditional handwork. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Agarwal is planning to experiment with eco-conscious materials, refine her design techniques, and push the boundaries of possibilities for this necessary accessory. The project will culminate in a curated showcase featuring Agarwal’s latest collection alongside a thoughtfully designed retail space that highlights the artistry and eco-consciousness behind each pair. @chalshoes___
Ivy Anderson
M.F.A., fibers, 2024
Specializing in machine knitting, Ivy Anderson investigates abstraction and form by recodifying discarded objects and engaging studies of transformation, perception, and absurdity. Working almost exclusively with elastic yarn, she allows her materials to compass the outcome, creating adaptable forms that stretch, ooze, and envelop. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Anderson will explore scale and materiality, expanding her ongoing series Bicolor Assemblages. She will create 10 mountable sculptures and revisit large-scale installation by producing 10 suspendible textile tubes, reflecting an evolved approach to knitting and tension. @ivylaurelanderson
Rebecca Coll
B.F.A., printmaking, 2017
Delivering intentional design through her home décor brand Good to Know You, Rebecca Coll transports viewers to a refuge of simple pleasures, offering an escape from anxious thought patterns and real-world stressors. Her visual language is whimsical, joyful, and nostalgic, speaking in bright colors, soft textures, and simple forms. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Coll is developing objects that draw inspiration from ’60s and ’70s psychedelia, merging the vibrant, mind-bending subculture aesthetics with functional design. While the forms and textures will feel familiar, their exaggerated, Alice in Wonderland–like scale will create a sense of playful distortion. @_good_to_know_you_
Yana Dimitrova
M.F.A., painting, 2009; B.F.A., painting, 2006
A Brooklyn-based artist with a dual degree from SCAD, and an M.A. in theories of urban practice from Parsons School of Design, Yana Dimitrova is classically trained and visually versatile. Primarily working in oils, Dimitrova’s work colorfully distills personal stories, memories, and (re)imagined spaces situated in parallel context to her community. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Dimitrova is continuing to explore paint through at least five large-scale paintings, several small, oil-on-wood works, and a site-specific mural, emphasizing the medium’s unique ability to both generate imagery and serve as a social tool. Additionally, she intends to offer painting workshops as a collaborative contribution to the city of Atlanta. @yana.m.dimitrova
Thuy Duong
M.A., design management, 2009
A multidisciplinary creative professional, Thuy Duong has more than 15 years of experience in creative direction and design education. She has lectured at several top Vietnamese universities and held leadership roles at ELLE Vietnam, ELLE Decoration, and JWT Vietnam. Her work bridges cultural heritage, visual storytelling, and strategic communication with a focus on fostering collaboration and impact through design. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Duong is developing Meaningful Encounters, a participatory textile installation and storytelling space — inspired by her late mentor and SCAD alum Maxine Stores — that explores identity, heritage, and human connection. An immersive work built by a community of voices brought together by design, the project will become a tangible record of artful dialogue. @elledecorationvn
Stephen L. Hayes Jr.
M.F.A., sculpture, 2010
Fascinated by the machinations of everyday objects, Stephen L. Hayes Jr. grew up inspired by his mother and older brother, learning artists are as much translators as they are creators. Hayes often incorporates three motifs —a pawn, a horse, and corn — to symbolize America’s use (or misuse) of Black bodies, Black minds, and Black labor. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Hayes is expanding his multi-site installation and research-based exhibition Submerging the Past. Rooted in African diaspora and the enduring global impacts of the transatlantic slave trade, the project engages a broad network of collaborators to deliver a unique fusion of art, history, and marine ecology. @stephenhayesthecreator
Lauren Holt
B.F.A., photography, 2020
Lauren Holt is a ceramicist located in Savannah, Ga., specializing in functional and fine art pottery. She creates both everyday items that bring charm to the home and distinctive works that transform spaces with their enchanting abstraction. In 2021, Holt co-founded Dreamhouse Studios with four fellow SCAD alumni, inviting community expression and collaboration. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Holt is crafting a series of ceramic objects designed for social gatherings. Drawing from Savannah’s textures, architecture, and atmosphere, the collection will include colanders, charcuterie boards, wine goblets, espresso mugs, and centerpiece vases — each reflecting the allure and sophistication of the region while emphasizing the balance between utility and beauty. @lofire.ceramics
James Keul
B.F.A., painting, 2004
James Keul is a painter, printmaker, and environmentalist using classical techniques to highlight climate change, human resilience, and the natural world. Based in Durham, N.C., he works as an artist and art handler for top artists while teaching painting courses at the Durham Arts Council. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Keul will leverage the strong relationship between SCAD and Lacoste to inspire fresh perspectives on environmental issues. By using forms and techniques rooted in the region’s artistic legacy for a series of 10 paintings, the project seeks to amplify art’s ability to transcend politics and evoke emotions, bringing us toward a more diverse and sustainable future. Additionally, Keul will offer workshops for SCAD students and the local community on ecologically thoughtful art practices and environmental advocacy. @jkeul
Paola Maldonado
B.F.A., fibers, 2018
Paola Maldonado is a textile artist transcending tradition and venturing boldly into the avant-garde while honoring the legacy of craft with her distinctly contemporary perspective. Maldonado’s practice primarily focuses on large-scale, site-specific installations, each uniquely tailored to the space they inhabit. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Maldonado is continuing to refine La Tierra—aquí vivo, a fibers and ceramic series that addresses the growing dissonance between humanity and the environment. Through this marriage of material, Maldonado invites viewers to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the natural world, acknowledging not only its beauty and resilience, but also our role in its care and preservation. @paolam.studio
Lavar Munroe
B.F.A., illustration, 2007
An interdisciplinary artist working in mixed-media painting, cardboard sculpture, and drawing, Lavar Munroe explores folklore, fables, and historical narratives that actively personify parallels between his upbringing in the Bahamas and travels in Africa. Deeply inspired by personal experiences, Munroe incorporates sentimental and found objects to engage themes of journey, utopia, and escape. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Munroe is developing work for his upcoming solo exhibition at Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago, focusing primarily on paintings while eagerly exploring SCAD’s facilities to push his creative boundaries and the possibility of reigniting his sculptural practice. @lavar.munroe.studio
Felicia Murray
B.F.A., fibers, 2019
After graduating from SCAD, Felicia Murray moved to Portland to pursue a career as a textile artist. Faced with the challenge of COVID-19 restrictions, Murray launched a website and began sharing her work on social media — quickly amassing a following of more than 85,000. The dedication to her craft led to several large-scale opportunities, including an installation for Nike World Headquarters, a campaign with The Oregon Health Authority, and most recently, an installation for a prominent children’s hospital in Boston. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, Murray will explore a variety of textile techniques, including tufting, embroidery, and fabric manipulation to create a series of organic, modular works inspired by the local landscape. @felicia_murray
Maya McCormack Vokt and John Mason Vokt
B.F.A., jewelry, 2020; B.F.A., jewelry, 2021
First meeting as classmates-turned-friends, Maya McCormack and John Mason Vokt shared a passion for craft and continuously exchanged ideas. Falling in love and later marrying, they decided to build both a business and life together. Their diverse backgrounds contribute to a dynamic, organic body of work that reflects their shared artistic vision. For the SCAD Alumni Atelier, McCormack and Vokt anticipate a collection of 10 gold-cast jewelry designs using Mitsuro Hikime wax, an ancient technique that mimics the molding of taffy to produce distinctive striations and textures. Each work will be displayed on local lime mortar plinths, mirroring the organic textures of Lacoste, along with hand-painted renders to further emphasize their commitment to intentional and cohesive presentation. @mayaandmason