Notable Alumni of the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University

Utah State University (USU) has a rich history of fostering talent in the arts. The Caine College of the Arts, as an embedded School of the Arts, has produced numerous accomplished alumni who have made significant contributions to various fields, from music and design to theatre and visual arts. This article highlights some of the notable graduates who have emerged from this esteemed institution.

A Legacy of Artistic Excellence at Utah State University

Utah State University, a public land-grant research university within the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE), has long been committed to providing comprehensive education in various fields. Since its founding in 1888, USU has grown into a leading institution known for its academics and research, offering more than 270 degree programs across its main campus in Logan and statewide campuses.

The Caine College of the Arts, deeply rooted within USU, plays a vital role in nurturing artistic talent and fostering creativity. As an integral component of Utah State University, the Caine College of the Arts upholds the university’s mission to cultivate artistic expression and advance cultural enrichment.

Music: Shaping Soundscapes and Inspiring Audiences

The Caine College of the Arts has a strong tradition of producing accomplished musicians and ensembles.

Fry Street Quartet

The Fry Street Quartet, featuring Robert Waters, Rebecca McFaul, Bradley Ottesen, and Anne Francis Bayless, stands out as a prime example. Hailed by the New York Times as "a triumph of ensemble playing," this quartet has captivated audiences worldwide.

Since securing the Grand Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the Fry Street Quartet has performed in prestigious venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to London, and Sarajevo to Jerusalem. Their performances are known for a "blend of technical precision and scorching spontaneity" (Strad), showcasing their dedication to exploring the string quartet medium and its life-affirming potential. The Deseret Morning News lauded their "profound understanding, depth of expression, and stunning technical astuteness."

The Fry Street Quartet has also been at the forefront of commissioning and touring new works by contemporary composers. Their collaborations include:

Pandemonium by Brazilian composer Clarice Assad
Fiddlin' by Michael Ellison
Rising Tide by Laura Kaminsky, part of their global sustainability initiative, The Crossroads Project

The quartet's innovative approach extends to multimedia performances, such as Kaminsky's chamber opera, As One, and Emergence by Libby Larsen, which anchors the Crossroads Project's Second Chapter.

Contributions to USU's Musical Landscape

The Fry Street Quartet has also contributed to Utah State University's musical landscape. They participated in the Chase Fine Arts Center 50th Anniversary Gala: Newel and Jean Daines Concert Hall Opening, showcasing their talent alongside the USU Symphony Orchestra, Aggie Marching Band, and other ensembles.

Errik Hood and Dallas Heaton: Reimagining Opera for a Modern Audience

Errik Hood and Dallas Heaton are alumni who have made significant contributions to the world of opera. Their work on Amahl and the Night Visitors demonstrates a commitment to reinterpreting classic works for contemporary audiences.

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Amahl and the Night Visitors is a story of a miracle that occurs when the Magi stop on their journey to see the Baby Jesus. Hood and Heaton made changes to the traditional presentation of this opera in order to make it all the more poignant for a modern audience. Their production takes place in the 21st century, where the poverty experienced by Amahl and his mother is an all-too-real reality for millions of people all over the world. The arrival of the wise men occurs in a shared dream between Amahl and his mother rather than in real life. The bleak financial state and the resulting strained relationship between Amahl and his mother are represented by shades of black, white, and gray. The dream world, in contrast, is full of vivid color, and even the black and white images of Amahl’s friends and neighbors are touched by this vibrant dream. It is in this colorful, dream-like world that a miracle takes place.

In the dream, Amahl is physically healed when he and his mother see the forgiveness and charity the Divine Child inspires in the Kings and are moved to acts of selflessness and charity themselves. Hood, as a director, focuses on the love, charity, and forgiveness experienced and how that ‘colors’ the real world for Amahl and his mother once they wake up… they see the world and one another in a new and beautiful way. Their relationship is healed. Their world is changed.

Design: Shaping Spaces and Experiences

The Caine College of the Arts has also produced many talented designers who have left their mark on the world.

Shannon Adamson: Creating Award-Winning Interior Designs

Shannon Adamson, a 2004 graduate, is an interior designer based in Washington State. After working for several design firms, she founded Shannon Adamson Interior Design in 2016. Adamson's expertise spans residential renovations, new builds, boutique resorts, and restaurants. She focuses on local custom design, collaborating with craftspeople, installers, furniture manufacturers, and tradespeople.

Adamson’s award-winning design work has been featured in Luxe Interiors + Design magazine and on Sunset, Homes & Gardens UK, and LivingEtc. Shannon Adamson Interior Design was chosen as a Luxe Gold List Honoree in 2022 and 2023, and in 2023, won a Luxe Residential Excellence in Design Award for bathroom design in the Pacific Northwest region.

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Allison Brown: Recognized for Excellence in Commercial Interior Design

Allison Brown (BID 2018) was named the IIDA Commercial Interior Design Association student of the year for 2018. This recognition highlights her talent and potential in the field of commercial interior design.

Maryam Al Suwaidi: Merging Art and Design

Maryam Al Suwaidi (MS/Interior Design 2010) and her husband (USU Alum, Sulaiman Althehli) started Design Talk Interior Design Studio, where she is the head designer and creative director. Additionally, Maryam has been designing furniture pieces and participating in art exhibitions since 2010. In 2016, she took part in the Architectural digest event “Art of Dining” where she designed a table setup with a story.

Gabriel and Brooke Anderson: Crafting Furniture and Interior Spaces

Gabriel Anderson, with advanced degrees from USU's interior design program, was mentored by Jamie Drake and Vicente Wolfe. In 2015, Gabriel and Brooke Anderson launched their furniture brand, Gabriel Dean Design. Their pieces have gained recognition for their blend of mathematical precision and whimsical form. Sotheby's recognized them as “designers to watch”.

Brooke focuses on how people interact with and influenced by the spaces where they reside. Now Gabriel and Brooke are taking the same sensibilities that have made their furniture so successful and applying them to the field of interior design, with their new venture: Dean & Dahl. Architectural Digest’s 2018 Holiday House included Dean & Dahl’s spectacular children's room.

Peter Harrison: Advocating for Sustainability in Design

Peter Harrison (BID 2018) is an interior designer at ZGF Architects, an international architecture, urban design, and interior design firm focused on design excellence, innovation, and stewardship of the environment. Peter pulls from his background in sustainability, landscape architecture, and interior design to advocate for healthier materials in the built environment. He serves on the Project Performance Team at ZGF, an inter-office taskforce that guides project teams on sustainable practices, and he is active in the Portland Materials Transparency Collaborative, a network of industry professionals who advocate for transparency in the way products are developed, designed and integrated into the built environment. As an emerging professional, Peter is a part of ZGF’s Young Developing Professionals Committee and maintains a robust membership presence in IIDA’s Oregon Chapter.

Laura Taylor: Shaping Commercial Environments

Laura Taylor is a San Francisco-based commercial interior designer with a passion for creating unique and impactful environments. From global corporate headquarters, to state-of-the-art university buildings, she has collaborated on both large-scale and small-scale projects throughout the bay area with some of the world’s most cutting-edge companies. Laura has been deeply involved in the architecture and design community since she was a student and is a current member of the San Francisco IIDA City Center Committee where she works closely with a diverse group of design professionals.

Meg Turner: Bridging Interior and Product Design

Meg Turner is an interior and product designer. She has worked in commercial, residential, and multifamily design, completing projects across the United States and on USU's campus, including Aggie Ice Cream, the Engineering Idea Factory and the USU Post Office. After placing first place in 2017 as a student in Durkan's Dscvr competition, she was commissioned to create a free standing carpet collection for Durkan, known as Symbiotic, which launched in December 2018 and has been featured in Hospitality Design Magazine.

Visual Arts: Expressing Creativity and Inspiring Change

The Caine College of the Arts also nurtures talent across various visual arts disciplines.

Bailee Jones: Pursuing Arts Administration

Warren A. Bailee Jones (BFA, Art Education) was accepted into the Arts Administration MFA program at Southern Utah University. As a graduate student, she will work with the Southern Utah University Museum of Art as she persues her degree. In addition to being a BFA student during her time at USU, Bailee was also a Caine Scholar.

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