Pasadena’s ArtCenter Honors Design Leaders Who Pioneer Innovation and Influence Society

(L- R) Yves Béhar, Bruce Heavin, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Mariana Prieto (Béhar Photo – Alanna Hale Photography, Sugimoto – Sugimoto Studio, Prieto – TED/Ryan Lash)

ArtCenter’s Alumni Awards reflect a cross-disciplinary approach to learning.

By Garrett Rowlan

Pasadena’s ArtCenter College of Design honored four design leaders who pioneer innovation and influence society.

Hiroshi Sugimoto, born in Tokyo in 1948 and a BFA recipient in Photography in 1974, received a Lifetime Achievement Award. He has developed a photographic approach that bridges Eastern and Western ideologies while examining the nature of time, perception, and consciousness. His series of photographs range from seascapes to portraits to theaters.

Yves Béhar, winner of the Distinguished MidCareer Award, has integrated product, brand, and experience as the cornerstone of fuseproduct, a company that promotes social and environmental change. His humanitarian work includes One Laptop Per Child and See Better to Learn Better. He received a Bachelor of Science in 1991 in Product Design.

Bruce Heavin, winner of the Outstanding Service Award, is the chief creative officer and co-founder of lynda.co, his vision integral to the company’s success as a pioneer in online training. He authored some of the site’s first video tutorials in Photoshop, Illustrator, and ImageReady. His extensive background in photography and motion graphics has manifested itself in national publications and clients such as Adobe. He received his BFA in 1993. He was elected to the ArtCenter Board of Trustees in June, 2014.

Mariana Prieto, the recipient of the Young Innovator Award, is the founder of Design for Wildlife, which creates sustainable solutions for wildlife-related challenges while aiming to reduce donor impact and focus on long-term global change. She is a 2012 graduate in the field of Product Design. She is an adjunct professor at ArtCenter and was named TED Resident in 2018 and 2019 for her work in wildlife conservation.

“Hiroshi, Yves, Bruce and Mariana exemplify dedicated alumni who throughout their lives continue to give back to the College on many levels,” said Lorne M. Buchman, president, ArtCenter College of Design. “They are significant figures in shaping culture, and they inspire future generations of ArtCenter students to influence change.”