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The Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design (AICAD) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries are pleased to announce the placement of Isabel Beavers into the second AICAD/NOAA Fisheries Art + Science Fellowship.
Isabel Beavers is a transdisciplinary artist and creative producer based in Los Angeles. Her iterative work investigates ecology, climate, technology, and astrobiology. Beavers generates video works, 3D animation, sculptures and immersive spaces that center embodied knowledge and ask viewers to rely on sense-making as a primary mode for constructing reality and building more equitable climate futures. In 2020, Beavers co-founded Great Pause Project, an open-source archive documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic experience. She is Manager of Artistic Research with SUPERCOLLIDER (LA) and holds an MFA from SMFA at Tufts.
The AICAD/NOAA Fisheries Art + Science Fellowship provides a hands-on opportunity for a recent graduate to apply their art & design education to ecological and social concerns and address them by connecting communities around challenging resource issues.
Beavers will complete a 6-week residency with NOAA Fisheries during June–July 2021, followed by a six-month period from August 2021 to February 2022 off-site to research, produce, and distribute creative work in response to the scientific and policy issues.
The 2021 Fellowship will focus on working with communities in Puget Sound to conserve nearshore habitat crucial to recovering salmon and killer whales. The health of nearshore habitat depends upon the land management decision of individual landowners across Puget Sound. Isabel will work with NOAA to deepen connections and collaboration with landowners through artistic and cultural strategies, helping to shape restoration efforts and accelerate recovery.
The selection committee was comprised of several artists and NOAA Fisheries professionals, including:
Stephanie Littlebird Fogel: “Stephanie is a Kalapuyan visual artist, professional writer, and curator from Portland, Oregon. Drawing connections between our collective past and imminent future, Fogel mixes her own tribal traditions with contemporary materials and subject matter. A graduate of the Pacific Northwest College of Art, she was selected as the first AICAD/NOAA Fisheries Art + Science Fellow in 2020.”
Jane Marsching: “An interdisciplinary artist, Jane explores our past, present and future human impact on the environment through collaborative research-based practices. She has worked with scientists, educators, kite builders, meteorologists, architects, and musicians, among others. Recent exhibitions include: Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Idaho; Northern Spark, MN; Kilroy Metal Ceiling, Brooklyn; Galerie Lucy Mackintosh, Switzerland; Tierra des Explorades, Buenos Aires; and MassMoCA.”
John Longchamps: “John is the Founder of Longchamps & Company—an interdisciplinary firm with a strong dedication to upholding principles of sustainability and belief in the power of human potential. He earned a BFA in Industrial Design from Kendall College of Art and Design and completed a MA in Sustainable Design at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. His practice is specialized in design, innovation, and research for the development of products, services, systems, and experiences.”
Elizabeth Babcock: Branch Chief for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region
Michael Milstein: Public Affairs Officer for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region
NOAA Fisheries is the federal agency responsible for conservation of the nation’s living marine resources and their habitats. On the West Coast, NOAA Fisheries focuses on recovering endangered salmon and steelhead species, protecting marine mammals and sea turtles, and sustainably managing ocean fisheries. Through our activities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California, we work with numerous agencies, state and tribal co-managers, organizations, and citizens to promote science-based activities that sustain living marine resources.
The Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) is a non-profit consortium of 39 leading art schools in the US and Canada. Founded in 1991, the mission is to help strengthen the member colleges individually and collectively, and to inform the public about these colleges and the value of studying art and design. AICAD colleges educate more than 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year, plus many thousands more in summer and continuing education programs.
