Join artists MAD 2020 Artist Fellow Mia Wright-Ross and Bill Gaskins for a virtual conversation held in conjunction with Wright-Ross' art installation, A Moment to Breathe, on view Mar 26 through April 11.

About the artists

Bill Gaskins is (re) Director of the Graduate Program in Photographic & Electronic Media at Maryland Institute College of Art. His depth of experience represents a rich tapestry of practice, as an artist, working in photography, video, and non-fiction writing. He is an informed teacher, scholar, and inspired professor, acknowledged by his students and peers for his teaching as a winner of the Watts Prize for Faculty Excellence, Cornell University Department of Art, and the University Distinguished Teaching Award at the New School University.

A leather artisan, designer, educator, and entrepreneur, Mia Wright-Ross was the Museum's 2020 Artist Fellow. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Wright-Ross studied art from the early stages of her youth and continued her exploration through her studies at Parsons School of Design.

The artist’s leather cording techniques appear as a signature motif across her luxury lifestyle brand, MWR Collection, and represent her design philosophy that each material is essential to the unity and completion of the purpose of each work. Wright-Ross's handmade bespoke collection includes footwear, accessories, home goods, and furniture. She has also been a leading designer for several contemporary designer brands, including Calvin Klein, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Saks 5th Avenue, and Tibi. At Tibi, she was the Senior Footwear & Accessories Designer and oversaw all design and development in Italy and Brazil for four years.

During her fellowship at MAD, Wright-Ross expanded her research of crafting through new iterations of leatherwork, including leather sculptures, tapestries, film documentation, and installations. A Moment to Breathe is the culmination of Wright-Ross's year-long residency.