DENNISON W. GRIFFITH
1952-2016

NASAD joins the art and design community in mourning the passing of Fellow and Life Member Dennison W. Griffith on January 18, 2016. Following ten years with the Columbus Museum of Art, Denny was named as the third President of Columbus College of Art and Design, serving from 1998 until 2014. In addition to his institutional leadership, he was active in leading and developing the arts communities in Columbus and the state of Ohio. He remained committed to his work as an artist throughout his life, and devoted the last two years to the creation of large-scale paintings and works on paper. Denny embodied the spirit of his profession, the exhilaration of art making, teaching, and bringing out the best in others.

Denny served a three-year term as Chair of the NASAD Committee on Ethics, two terms as Member of the Board of Directors, and for thirteen years as a visiting evaluator. He was profoundly dedicated to the mission of assisting visual arts programs to develop. His warmth and sense of humor leavened every interaction and gave effervescence to his thoughtfulness.

Denny Griffith’s contributions to the work of NASAD and the fields of art and design will continue to resonate in perpetuity. The Association and its members remain grateful for his life in art, for his example of service, work, and perseverance, and particularly for his belief in what can be achieved through collaborative efforts centered on the essence and substance of the field.

The National Office staff joins with the Association in expressing deepest sympathy to his family, and friends and colleagues at CCAD.

For additional information, please visit the CCAD website.