The Belvedere Fund
History
The Belvedere Fund for professional development in the field of crafts at Maine College of Art & Design was established in 2008 in memory of Deborah Pulliam of Castine, Maine and is available to all alumni who received a BFA degree from the College within the last 10 years. Deborah was a lover of history, land preservation, animal welfare and the arts, and she supported many causes generously throughout her life.
Deborah was particularly devoted to needlework and functional crafts. She led workshops on textiles and spinning and was a regular contributor to Piecework magazine, a needlework publication. She was pursuing a master's degree in material culture from the University of Maine at the time of her death. The traditional crafts were a passion for Deborah and, through this fund, she will continue her legacy of support for the next generation of craftspeople. Thanks to the Maine Community Foundation for its stewardship of Deborah’s legacy and for its support in establishing the Belvedere Fund.
Title image is from Kincaid Pearson '19, a Belvedere Fund recipient in 2020
Apply
Deadline: January 31, 2025
Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded through a competitive review process. Applicants work within a crafts methodology, including, but not limited to metalsmithing, jewelry, woodworking, furniture design, ceramics, or fiber arts.
Notification of awards will be made in mid-April 2024. Applications for the 2025 season will open December 1st, 2024.
Eligibility
- Applicants must work within a crafts methodology including, but not limited to metalsmithing, jewelry, woodworking, furniture design, ceramics, or fiber arts.
- Applicants are eligible for ten years upon graduation and receiving a BFA degree from Maine College of Art & Design. Eligible graduating classes are 2015–2024.
- Must not have received a grant from this fund within the past 12 months. Artists may receive a grant a maximum of two times within their eligible ten year time frame.
Non graduated alums, SALT graduates, Post Baccalaureate graduates, MFA graduates, MAT graduates, Continuing Studies faculty and students are ineligible to apply.
Use of Funds
Acceptable use of funds include, but are not limited to: travel and fees associated with professional conferences; tuition or travel funds related to residencies or other educational opportunities to enhance professional and studio practice; equipment or materials critical to grow/enhance professional practice; costs related to starting a business in a relevant craft field.
- Grant must be spent within 12 months of receipt of funds.
- Must provide documentation of expenses and a written summary of the use of funds within one year of receipt (no additional funds will be granted if reports are not completed).
Professional Practice
Booth/ Application fees for regional and national shows, crafts association membership fees, webinar fees, related popup or exhibition expenses (vinyl, design costs, custom displays), business development and entrepreneurial consulting.
Studio Practice
Attending a conference, workshops, intensive, and/ or residencies. Acquiring new tools or equipment, or for materials for a specific project that will grow the artist's practice/career.
Grant funds will not cover
Operating expenses such as rent/lease, utilities, or other routine expenses, or tuition to a degree-granting program.
Proposal Requirements
A committee consisting of the Dean of the College, two members of the BFA faculty, one member of the crafts community, and one member of the Artists at Work office will review the applications.
Grant proposals will be reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria: artistic excellence, evidence that funds will advance the professional development of the applicant, ability to use the funds appropriately.
The most important determining factor for the grant is a demonstration of how the grant will help facilitate professional growth.
Questions
Contact the Alumni Office at 207.699.5018 or email alumirelations@meca.edu with any questions.
Past Belvedere Awardees
2021
- Chloe Darke '11: to purchase an anvil and a Swiss torch system.
- Olivia Dwyer ’18: to purchase an industrial sewing machine and bulky knitting machine.
- Adrian King ’12: to purchase fire bricks to construct a wood burning kiln.
- Madison Poitrast-Upton ’20: to purchase an industrial buttonhole machine sewing machine.
- Violet Weiner ’20: to purchase a Rotary Lap and diamond pads.
2020
- Jordan Carey ’19: to purchase a large-format color printer for printing custom fabrics.
- Aaron Patrick Decker ’12: to purchase a jeweler’s microscope for small-scale, detailed enamel work.
- Tim DeMuth ’17: to purchase a mortising tool to expedite and improve his woodworking practice.
- Kincaid Pearson ’19: to purchase a tufting gun to fabricate his rug designs.
- Naomi Russo ’19: to purchase a mortising tool to expedite and improve her woodworking practice.
- Sam Thompson ’13: to purchase a new kiln.
2019
- Addison de Lisle ’11: for a bandsaw to upgrade his metalsmithing studio.
- Peter Dore ’17: to purchase the 3D rendering software, Keynote which he uses to create prototypes and proposals for his design and fabrication studio, Boothby.
- Bryan Hansen ’18: to purchase a sandsaw and a belt grinder upgrade his metalsmithing studio.
- Matthias Rand ’12: to purchase a new workbench for his studio.
2018
- Emily Rogstad ’13: for upgrading ventilation in her metalsmithing studio.
- Melinda Aste ’17: for the purchase of a desktop CNC system to accelerate her product experimentation with woodworking.
2017
- Danielle Gerber '12: for the purchase of a jewelry bench.
- Shelby Goldsmith '14: for studio ventilation.
- Seth Gould '09: for video production documentation.
- Miles Spadone '13: to purchase an upgraded kiln to increase production.
2016
- Patrick Aaron Decker '12: to purchase an enameling kiln.
- Hannah Merchant '13: to purchase a dust collector for a woodshop.
- Matthias Rand '12: to purchase a leather rotary punch.
- Nathan Willever '11: to purchase a pugmill for mixing clay.
2015
- Ren Albon ‘14: for tools to help set a woodshop.
- A. Rose Allard ‘14: to support the purchase of a knitting machine.
- Adam Bogosian ‘08: for bricks to complete a kiln.
- Chloe Darke ‘11: to support the purchase of a kiln.
- Emily Diaz Norton ‘07: to support the purchase of a kiln.
- Forest Gagne ‘14: for an assortment of woodworking tools
- Ella Sevy ‘14: for tools for weaving
2014
- Adam Chau '10: to support the purchase of a CNC machine for both prototyping and producing designed objects, with the intention to merge digital technology with traditional craft into discursive objects.
- Maisie Broome '08: to produce designs and feed her growing demand.
- Andrew Haviland '12: to support the creation of inventory to apply to shows and meet growing product demand.
- John Huckins '08: to purchase a blacksmith forge.
- James Mitchmeyer '03: to support the purchase of a desktop CNC machine.
- Natalie Squillante '09 MAT '10: to fund kiln firing, material, and travel costs to develop her work as a ceramicist through Anagama style firing.
- Allen West '10: to design and create a full series of wool garments.
2013
- Eric Drzewianowski ’04: to purchase a Kwikprint Hot Stamping Machine to help diversify his bookbinding business.
- Nikki Farrand ‘11: to purchase an Ashford table loom.
- Jack Mauch ‘06: to accompany metalsmith Hiroko Yamada on a two-week trip to Japan to study traditional Japanese crafts, especially metalwork.
- Matthias Rand ‘12: to purchase a Consew 206RB-5 industrial sewing machine to increase productivity for his business, Rand Leather.
- Nathan Willever ‘11: to purchase a test kiln for experimentation with new ceramic techniques and glazes.
- Sarah Yakawonis ‘09: to fund a year’s subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud to support her innovations in the obscure craft of quilling.
2012
- Alex Asplund ’11: to purchase woodworking hand tools in order to broaden the spectrum of his work.
- Addison de Lisle ’11: to purchase of a coal forge for the purpose of learning traditional forge-welding and a swage block to facilitate more efficient production of marketable goods.
- Jordan Gehman ’06: to fund travel expenses to the Furniture Society conference at Maine College of Art & Design and for studio equipment development.
- Seth Gould ’09: to develop the hammers he makes into a higher caliber of tool.
- Erika Naigle ’11: to purchase a clay mixer to further her professional ceramics studio.
- Daria Norvlaan ’05: to supplement capital needed for the production of her spring/summer 2012 clothing line.
- Molly Vogel ’09: to purchase enameling equipment that will aid in the creation of a new body of work.
- Sarah Wilson ’07: to assist with the cost of travel to an artist residency in Jingdezhen, China for professional research and development.
2011
- Olan Boardman ’01: to purchase equipment to create hand-printed decorative fabrics for home goods and upholstery.
- Benjamin Carpenter ’01: to purchase a new welder for metalsmithing and fabrication business.
- Tanya Casteel ’06: to purchase materials to create a professional craft show booth display.
- Kaitlin Duggan ’07: to purchase a computerized kiln for a growing ceramics business.
- Ted Lott ’05: to purchase a band saw and dust collector for his woodworking studio.
- Mali Mrozinski ’04: to support her residency in the textile and fashion program at the Quimby Colony in Portland.
2010
- Cat Bates ‘09: to purchase tools and materials to produce a new body of work.
- Vivian Beer ‘00: to build or purchase a 50–100 ton hydraulic press.
- Nina Petrochko ‘08: to fund a collaborative sculpture design combines traditional Russian tutu design and fine woodworking to create a line of tutu tables.
- Hope Rovelto ‘01: to purchase a digital camera.
- Farrell Ruppert ‘00: to advance studio space for the instruction of youths through the purchase of a gas forge.
- Patti Sandberg: to fund attendance to the 2010 ceramics conference (NCECA) in Philadelphia.