Graduation and other celebrations

Last week was the final week of school, culminating with Academy Awards Night on Thursday evening and Commencement on Friday afternoon.

Academy Awards Night is a new tradition that is starting this year. It takes something that was called scholarship night and expands upon it. The evening included speeches by Reed Kroloff, the Director of the Academy and several graduating students including Fiber's very own Rachel Hunt. Several prominent scholarships were awarded to members of the graduating class including the Daimler Financial Emerging Artist Award. This award is given to one graduating student based on his or her piece in the Degree Exhibition, interview with a committee of prominent art professionals, and a review of the students' portfolios. This year the award was given to Annica Cuppetelli, a Fiber student. It was the first time a Fiber student had received the award. Annica will accompany her work to Germany in the fall where it will be included in an exhibition of emerging artists from Cranbrook, Japan, South Africa, and Germany.

Friday's commencement activities started with a brunch for the graduates and their families. The actual ceremony started at 2 PM on a beautiful sunny day, which was important because it was held outside in Cranbrook's Greek Theater. Ceremonies started as most do with words from the Director. But he was interrupted by the noise of a small airplane flying overhead. Reed and all of the graduates and guests looked to the sky to find a banner congratulating one of the grads from photo flying behind the small plane. Reed then continued to speak about transitions and firsts. He was followed by a terrific speech by ID magazine editor Julie Lasky, and Aaron Peterman a graduate who welcomed his colleagues to their status as "Masters" of Fine Art and Architecture. One of the recent graduation traditions is closing the ceremony with a musical tribute to the students, faculty, and staff by musician Robert Jones. He penned the "Cranbrook Blues" a country blues tune including many references to the students work in the degree show. It was hysterical and fitting. While this would usually be the closing of the ceremony, we still had one last activity. Two of the graduates from Architecture shared their marriage vows with the assembled group, providing us with one more first and another significant moment to celebrate. It was a very special day.