Eastern Design Students Win 1st, 2nd & 4th Place!!!
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IFAI Textiles & Graphics Student Design Challenge

from the August Edition of the Industrial Fabric Association International Review Magazine.

"The winning entry in the 1st Annual National Textiles & Graphics Student Design Challenge was designed by Ashley Crispino, a student at Eastern Connecticut State University –Visual Arts Department in Willimantic, Conn. Ashley is a student of June Bisantz, a professor of digital art and design at the university and digital artist who creates images for outdoor installation on billboards, banners and public transit.

The Textiles and Graphics Student Design Challenge is a unique opportunity for design students to be recognized by the textile and graphics industry. Participants gain knowledge about fabric as a printing medium, have the opportunity to demonstrate skills in designing creative elements and form partnerships with industry during project fabrication. Students were provided with strike-offs (fabric proofs) of their artwork, and the winning entry will be displayed at IFAI Expo 2006 in Atlanta.

First place winner Ashley Crispino's banner design consists of a bright and colorful assemblage of images full of textures. Her design reflects the diversity of industrial fabrics of today. Ashley selected nine different technical fabrics each with a unique texture. Her colors were chosen from each of the main color categories adding drama to the piece.

Second place was awarded to Alan Buck, also a student at Eastern Connecticut State University in the Digital Art & Design program. His entry was a compilation of the industrial use of fabric and motion, and his design conveyed a sense of motion and structure.

The fourth place recipient was Shanda West, also a student at Eastern Connecticut State University. She submitted an abstract representation of shapes and forms that can be created with various fabrics. Shanda stated, “Through this process I have learned about the great scale and drama that cloth structures can achieve. Fabric is highly fluid medium that gives striking results.

Willimantic Chronicle Article
Ashley Crispino
1st Place, IFAI Textiles & Graphics Design Challenge
left - Alan Buck, 2nd Place
right - Shada West, 4th Place
IFAI Textile & Graphics Student Design Challenge