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Week of May 16, 2022

This week President Williams toured the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and WantedDesign in New York with Furniture Design Department Head Chris Specce 01 FD (below left). They got to see work by alumni and 12 Furniture Design students who presented their work in a group show called Embodied and Imbued.

RISD faculty member Christopher Specce with President Crystal Williams and two graduate students at the Embodied and Imbued exhibition in NYC
RISD President Crystal Williams and two students look at a blue, red and yellow wall hanging at ICFF NY
RISD President Crystal Williams with grad student Maxwell Taylor-Milner at ICFF NY
President Crystal Williams poses with RISD alums at ICFF NY
RISD President Crystal Williams takes a photo of RISD alums in front of the “Utopia” exhibition booth at ICFF NY
a RISD alum shows their work to President Crystal Williams at ICFF NY
RISD President Crystal Williams poses with alum Eduardo Terranova at ICFF NY
the Manjiro Design booth at ICFF NY
RISD faculty member Chris Specce and President Crystal Williams stand with two artists and their work at ICFF NY
RISD President Crystal Williams and faculty member Chris Specce talk with a RISD artist as part of the crowd at ICFF NY

Week of May 9, 2022

In a week filled with hellos, thank yous and celebrations, President Williams spent time with students at the Furniture Design Senior Show…

RISD President Crystal Williams and student Sam Northcut discuss multicolored wall pattern at a gallery exhibition
large group of RISD students view work at the 2022 Furniture Design Senior Show
RISD President Crystal Williams and a student look at images on a smartphone held by Williams
two RISD students view a pair of gray and neon pink sculptural chairs at a Furniture Design exhibition
a RISD student poses next to President Crystal Williams for a close-up selfie
… was welcomed to the city by Providence’s Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at an event organized by student Jamesly Saint-Louis 25 FD…
a large group of RISD faculty smile for the camera at a long dinner table
… joined retiring faculty for a dinner honoring 393 years of collective service…
RISD President Crystal Williams poses for a group selfie with 13 students behind her
… as well as a student leadership lunch, as Williams’s introduction to RISD and the community continues.

Week of May 2, 2022

RISD President Crystal Williams admiring ceramics work alongside two RISD students
On Tuesday, May 3 the Ceramics department spring sale returned to campus, with proceeds supporting the Clay Club. Among the browsers, President Williams took home a few of her own handmade treasures.
multiple ceramic bowls in several colors sit on a white tablecloth surface
a light brown ceramic vessel and a blue ceramic vessel sit next to each other on a wood table
shoppers browse many ceramic vessels sitting on a long table
a pair of hands holds two small blue-green ceramic bowls

Week of April 25, 2022

RISD President Crystal Williams looks at work mounted in on-campus student exhibition
On April 28 the campus community celebrated another senior show with the opening of “Bright Future” the Glass and Film/Animation/Video Open Media Senior Show at Woods-Gerry Gallery.
People view RISD President Crystal Williams on a screen, part of a multimedia installation mounted at a gallery exhibition
glass jewelry staged for display at a Glass department exhibition on RISD campus
RISD Glass faculty Rachel Berwick and Jocelyn Prince with President Crystal Williams at RISD’s Woods-Gerry Gallery
(l to r: Professor Rachel Berwick, Glass Department Head Jocelyn Prince and President Crystal Williams)
multicolored glass sculptures laid atop black sandlike material
RISD alum Huma Bhabha speaking behind lectern with an image projected on a screen behind her
We also welcomed Alum and Kirloskar Visiting Scholar Huma Bhabha 85 PR (above). She delivered a lecture about her evolving practice, and met with graduate students in Painting to discuss inspiration, process and composition.
RISD faculty Dennis Congdon and Angela Dufresne stand with President Crystal Williams and alum Huma Bhabha
(l to r: Professor Dennis Congdon, Painting Graduate Program Director Angela Dufresne, President Williams and Huma Bhabha)

Week of April 11, 2022

a crowd of people gather near food trucks outdoors on RISD campus
With students back from break, on April 13 our community came together on Market Square to welcome President Williams to campus. The festivities—with friends new and old—made the sunny Wednesday even brighter.
two poke bowls held in hand
RISD President Crystal Williams and a student talk outdoors with the RISD Museum in the background
a yellow flower stands out among plant bed growth
Two RISD students stand beside President Crystal Williams near downtown Providence’s riverwalk

Week of March 28, 2022

RISD President Crystal Williams stands in the center of a group of four RISD students
Students, faculty and staff came out on April 1 to welcome President Williams in the What Cheer Garage for her first official day. The community snapped photos, drew sketches and shared well wishes, while electric violinist Big Lux soundtracked the party.
electric violinist Big Lux performs at RISD
RISD President Williams talks with two staff members during her first-day welcome event
a photographer takes a photo of two RISD students forming a heart with their arms in front of a Welcome President Williams sign
a polaroid of RISD students hangs next to a typed message reading "Welcome! Even before officially arriving, you have brought so much excitement and hope to RISD. Thank you!”

Suggestions for President Williams?