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SoHE Graduate Student Spotlight

Shug Munic Interviewed by PBS Twin Cities

Shug Munic, an MFA student in the Design Studies (DS) graduate program, has recently been interviewed by PBS Twin Cities! The interview recaps their residency at the Center for People and Craft in Minneapolis and former project, Quilting Amidst Collapse: Devotion is Never a Waste, Funded by Springboard for the Arts.

What work did you complete to achieve this accomplishment?

I facilitate a collaborative sewing project inviting participants to bring in fabric that would otherwise be discarded, and together we made a group quilt. While making we reflected on the grief that comes up around climate collapse and how craft can be a balm for it. Waste is both an abundant resource and a huge responsibility. How can craft techniques give us the tools to transform waste into the world we wish to inhabit?

The interview took place at my studio space at the Center for People and Craft in Minneapolis, MN. Being a resident at CPC this past spring and summer was a huge honor. It’s incredible seeing an urban craft school inspire people to learn skills for the joy of making with their hands.

What does this accomplishment mean to you for your scholarly career?

Being in resident up until moving to Madison for school was a huge gift for hitting the ground running with my MFA. I am grateful that I get to show people a window into my practice with this interview.

What does this accomplishment mean to you personally?

I hope this interview inspires others to sew with the materials around them. After the interview aired, someone emailed me to donate clothing to my studio. It was such a small yet generous moment where I got to see people starting to look at waste as a resource. My goal is to inspire people to give what they can and take what they need, and to embed this value into my work.

What drew you to your specific area of study, and why is it meaningful to you?

As an interdisciplinary textile artist, educator, and community organizer, I use traditional sewing, quilting and other craft techniques to tell stories of devotion through the mundane. By using forgotten material and textile waste Shug recontextualizes themes of memory, gender, and intimacy amidst collapse.

What impact do you hope your research will have on your field, community, or the world?

I aspire to inspire others to see the world around them and seam rip it into the world they wish to inhabit. I explore this both in my studio work and in community projects.

Have you received any grants, fellowships, scholarships, or awards during your time here? If so, how did these opportunities support your research or professional development?

I am a Graduate Research Fellow and incredibly grateful for the time this funding allows me to focus on my work and getting to know the greater Madison community. It is such a gift to be paid to learn!