Ringling School Of Art And Design
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Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) is a
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
art and design school in
Sarasota, Florida Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...
. It was founded by
Ludd M. Spivey Ludd Myrl Spivey (December 5, 1886 - December 27, 1962) was president of Florida Southern College (FSC) from 1925 to 1957. Ludd M. Spivey was born in Eclectic, Alabama. He was graduated with two degrees, including a Ph.D., from the University of Chi ...
as an art school in 1931 as a remote branch of Southern College but separated by 1933.


History

The origins of the college go back to when the President of Southern College (which is now called
Florida Southern College Florida Southern College (Florida Southern, Southern or FSC) is a private college in Lakeland, Florida. In 2019, the student population at FSC consisted of 3,073 students along with 130 full-time faculty members. The college offers 50 undergradu ...
) Dr. Ludd M. Spivey wanted to get the support of John Ringling for his college. Spivey learned that Ringling did not have an interest in helping Southern College, was almost broke and wanted to start his own art school on the grounds of his museum. The two discussed the idea of creating an art college before reaching the agreement that they would open the school in Sarasota as a branch of Florida Southern. The School of Fine and Applied Art of the John and Ringling Art Museum was founded on March 31, 1931. It opened on October 2 with 75 registered students. It was a campus of Southern College functioning initially as a junior college with business and arts classes. The college would end up breaking off from Southern College in 1933 after the faculty disliked that money made from the school went to pay salaries at the college's Lakeland campus. They ended up petitioning successfully and officially became independent on May 14, 1933 when they received their charter. Under this new charter they became known as the Ringling School of Art. In 1934 the junior college and music courses were removed deciding solely to concentrate on art. After World War II, enrollment grew at the university going from 250 in 1949 to 450 by 1959. It has changed names several times. It qualified for full accreditation as a degree-granting institution by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
in 1979. That year the college also became known as the Ringling School of Art and Design. It would become accredited in 1984 by the National Association of Schools of Art. The campus included the Longboat Key Center for the Arts, which operated from 1952 to 2017.


Academics

The college offers BFA degrees and BA degrees and operates on a semester academic term system.


Library

The Alfred R. Goldstein Library is an informational, educational, and social hub for RCAD’s students and faculty. Designed specifically for its creative students, the library’s collection includes children’s literature, game arts, graphic novels, letterpress, book arts, pop up books, special collections, reference, and online resources. The 46,000-square-foot library houses over 75,000 books and periodicals. The Ringling College Library Association (RCLA) is a nonprofit organization that was created by a small group of community leaders in 1975 in an attempt to aid Ringing College in constructing its first library. The RCLA operates with an annual overhead of 10% and has “made gifts and commitments to the college in excess of $11 million dollars”. With nearly 2,000 members, the RCLA continues to support the Alfred R. Goldstein Library and the RCAD community by providing scholarships to students, programming special events (including the RCLA Town Hall Lecture Series), and encouraging creativity and community togetherness. The library hosts an independent art publishing book fair called Paper Jam. Organized jointly with Letterpress and Book Arts Center and the Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center and in collaboration with SRQ Zine Fest, the annual event features a wide array of creative books and experimental printed items that highlight local and diverse perspectives. The library originated as a first floor location on the east side of campus. Its new modern facility, completed in January 2017, is centrally located, physically representing the mission of the library as the heart of its college. The $20 million dollar library, designed by Shepley Bulfinch and Sweet Sparkman Architects, is significantly larger than its predecessor. It features furnishings selected by RCAD students, bright colors, a 24-hour lab, a café, ten group study areas, and 4 terraces overlooking Whitaker Bayou. American Libraries, a publication of the
American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members a ...
, featured the Alfred R. Goldstein Library in its yearly Library Design Showcase later in 2017. Alfred Goldstein, the library’s namesake, was a local benefactor. Along with his wife Ann, he contributed to many Sarasota organizations and funded the Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden at the
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden located at 900 South Palm Avenue in Sarasota, Florida. The Gardens are located on the grounds of the former home of Marie and William Selby. Flora The Gardens feature preserved collections ...
. The library naming ceremony took place on February 15, 2016.


Notable alumni

*
David Bromstad David Reed Bromstad (born August 17, 1973) is an American designer and television personality. In 2006, he became the winner of the debut season of ''HGTV Design Star''. He has hosted a number of HGTV shows, including ''Color Splash'', ''Beach Fli ...
designer, television personality *
Bret Iwan Bret William Iwan (born September 10, 1982) is an American voice actor and illustrator. He has been the fourth official voice of Mickey Mouse following the death of Wayne Allwine in May 2009. Early life Iwan was born on September 10, 1982, and ...
voice actor, illustrator *
Tim Jaeger Tim Jaeger (born August 6, 1979) is an American artist. He currently lives and works in Sarasota, Florida. Early life and education Jaeger was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan as the 4th of 5 children to an Episcopal priest. At a young age Jaeger mo ...
painter * Andrew Jones concept artist and digital "painter". *
John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remains the longest-serving chief justice and fourth-longes ...
cartoonist of the '' Blondie''
comic strip A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions. Traditionally, throughout the 20th and into the 21st ...
*
Brandon Oldenburg Brandon Oldenburg is an American filmmaker and illustrator. Career He was an early employee of Reel FX Creative Studios (1995), doing a combination of design and special effects for television and film. Serving as Senior Creative director for 1 ...
Academy Award-winning short film director and illustrator * Patrick Osborne Academy Award-winning short film director and animator *
Tim Rogerson Tim Rogerson is an American painter of Disney Fine Art who was an official artist of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. Biography Born in Kissimmee, Florida, Rogerson grew up very close to Walt Disney World, where his father worke ...
painter *
Michelle Phan Michelle Phan (born April 11, 1987) is an American beauty YouTuber. She is the founder and owner of the multimillion-dollar cosmetics line EM Cosmetics. Early life Michelle Phan was born on April 11, 1987, in Boston, Massachusetts. Both her pa ...
(attended but did not graduate) Make-up demonstrator and entrepreneur - founder of ipsy and em cosmetics * Nick Pitera Singer-songwriter, musician, animator * Mike Zeck - comic book artist


References


External links

* {{authority control 1931 establishments in Florida Art schools in Florida Arts organizations established in 1931 Buildings and structures in Sarasota, Florida Educational institutions established in 1931 Education in Sarasota County, Florida Film schools in Florida Tourist attractions in Sarasota County, Florida Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Private universities and colleges in Florida Education in Sarasota, Florida