renato.design

Phil Renato

curriculum vitae · professor of product design, designer, maker

email philrenato at gmail LinkedIn Instagram @formfollowsphil renato.design
↓ Download full CV (PDF)

education

2002
MFA, metal design, University of Washington — Seattle WA
1999
BFA, fine art, Eastern Michigan University — Ypsilanti MI

academic appointments

2014–present
professor, product design, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University
2002–2014
asst/assoc professor (tenured ‘08), Kendall College of Art and Design of FSU
2009
visiting associate professor (KCAD sabbatical), Winthrop University, Rock Hill SC
2000–2002
graduate TA, auxiliary faculty in foundations, University of Washington

academic leadership

02–19, 24, 25
program chair, KCAD
2019–2021
chair, All-College Senate, KCAD
2004–2023
founder, director, Dow Center for Art, Design and Technology FlexLab, KCAD
2010–2022
coordinator, committee member, Material Connexion resource collection, KCAD
2021–2024
faculty advisor, student council, KCAD
2010–2012
chair, strategic planning committee, KCAD

other institutional service

2021–2024
Kendall Faculty Association secretary
2007–2024
led study away trips to Dubai, UK, Greece
2023
faculty admissions ambassador
2019–2023
senate curriculum committee member
2002–2021
program senator, NASAD committee member
2022
university president search committee member
2021–2023
faculty evaluation, promotion and tenure committee member
2017
college dean of academic affairs search co-chair
2016
college president/university vice president committee member
2012
MArch degree program curriculum development committee member
2009–2011
faculty evaluation, promotion and tenure committee member
2008
facilitated exhibit of interdisciplinary student work in Baltimore

design community leadership / participation

2026
West Michigan Design Challenge Juror
2025
University of Michigan Big Ideas Award Review Panelist
2024–present
OSTC Northwest Graphic Arts Advisory Committee
2018–2020
SIGGRAPH Conference Advisory Group
2008
SIGGRAPH Guerilla Studio chair
2007
SIGGRAPH Guerilla Studio artist in residency coordinator
2006, 2007
SNAG student slide show coordinator
2004–2006
UICA visual arts committee, Grand Rapids, MI

exhibitions (abridged)

2026
Lasting Legacy / Inspired Response, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI
2025
Refined 2025, Stephen F Austin University, Nacogdoches TX, juried by Susie Ganch
International Museum of Dinnerware Design, Picnic juried exhibition, Kingston NY
2024
Confluence Festival, AI design demonstrations and exhibition, Grand Rapids MI
Pandemania, solo exhibition, Grand Rapids Community College
2023
Refined 2023, Stephen F Austin University, Nacogdoches TX, curated by Frankie Flood
Plan B Art Project, traveling exhibition including Ombre Gallery, Heidi Lowe Gallery, Little D Gallery, Gallery I/O, Salt Hill Gallery, curated by Shauna Burke
2021
Of Age, Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery, Hartsville South Carolina
2020
JV Collective, In School Suspension, Bok Building, Philadelphia PA
Faculty Pop-Up, KCAD Galleries, Grand Rapids MI
2019
Form.Print, Towson University, Towson MD, curated by Josh DeMonte
Adorned Spaces, Marriott Hotel, Chicago IL, curated by Ana Lopez
2018
Cast, Wayne Art Center, Wayne PA, curated by Renee Zettle Sterling and Jen Townsend
NY Jewelry Week, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn NYC, curated by Lizz Hill
Printed Jewelry, Reinstein | Ross Gallery NYC, curated by Bella Neyman and Doug Bucci
Faculty Exhibition, KCAD Federal Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2017
I.M.A.G.I.N.E. Peace Now, traveling exhibition including Wellington B. Gray Gallery, Greenville; Boston Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston MA, curated by Boris Bally
Midwest Metals Exhibition, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti MI
2016
Crafting Error, KCAD Federal Galleries, Grand Rapids MI, sabbatical exhibition
Digitized – Digital Fabrication, Lillstreet Arts Center, Chicago, curated by Agnes Ma
Advance Retreat, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Galleries
2015
Icebreaker / DisArt, KCAD Federal Galleries, Grand Rapids MI, curated by Tom Wagner
Evolution of the Artist, KCAD Federal Galleries, Grand Rapids MI
Four Hands are Better than Two, East Carolina University Gallery
2014
Materialize, Shemer Center for the Arts, Phoenix AZ, curated by Dan Collins
Be-Longing, Gallery Flux, San Francisco CA, collaboration with Nick Dong
The Digital Hand, Kent State University, curated by Kathleen Browne
2013
ArtPrize | Digital Relics, 54Jeff exhibition, curated by Paul Amenta
2012
Kendall Faculty exhibition, KCAD Federal Galleries, Grand Rapids MI
The ART of Seduction: Exquisitely Crafted Temptations, Horowitz Center of Visual and Performing Arts, Howard Community College, Columbia, MD, curated by Gail M. Brown
2011
Digital Mettle, Metals Museum, Memphis TN, curated by Matthew Hollern and Doug Bucci
Cooperation Tableware, Westin Hotel, Seattle, WA, juror Brigitte Martin
Jewelry+Objects, Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art, juror Marilyn DaSilva
2010
Faculty Exhibition, Kendall College of Art and Design, Main Gallery, Grand Rapids MI
ACJ Exhibition, West Dean College, West Sussex England
Future Forward, BECA International Center for Art and Design — Albuquerque NM
Dimensions 2010, Fourth Street Gallery, Winston-Salem NC
Green: Art with the Earth in Mind, Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park — Solomons MD
Flow|State, KCAD main gallery, solo sabbatical exhibition, Grand Rapids MI
Faculty Exhibition, Ferris State University, Big Rapids MI
2008
Voluptuous, solo exhibition, McLanahan Gallery, Penn State Altoona

publications featuring my work

2016
I.M.A.G.I.N.E. Peace Now: Designing with User Generated Content — book. Ian Alden Russell and Jillian Moore, Boris Bally Press
2011
Participate: Designing with User Generated Content — book. Helen Armstrong, Princeton University Press
2009
500 Knives — book. John Jensen, Lark Books
2008
Jewelry Compendium — book. Darling Publications
2008
500 Pendants and Lockets — book. Elizabeth Shypertt and Mike Holmes, edited by Marthe Le Van, Lark Books
2008
500 Wedding Rings — book. Marthe Le Van, Lark Books
2008
The Art of Plastic Jewelry — book. Debra Adelson, Lark Books
2002–05
Metalsmith — magazine. Featured in the 2002 Exhibition in Print; on the cover of the 2005 Exhibition in Print; in the article “Influence of the Digital” by Doug Bucci and Matt Hollern, Fall 2005
2006–07
Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist — magazine. Featured Jan 2006, March 2006, December 2007
2006
ArtJewelry — magazine. Featured in the fall issue
2006
500 Necklaces — book. Juried by Marjorie Schick, edited by Marthe Le Van, Lark Books
2002
Art Jewelry Today — book. By Dona Meilach, Schiffer Craft

other publications

2025
Crain’s Business, Charlie Tyke — article. Quoted on the contributions of designer Charlie Tyke to the development of Little Tikes brand blow-molded toys, April 2025
2017
Crafting Error, Thinking Through Things — book. Essays on design from 2015 sabbatical, Feb 2017
2011/14
Jun Suk Min — exhibition catalog. Opening statement for the catalog of artist Jun Suk Min’s 2011/2014 solo exhibitions
2007
Virtual and Rapid Prototyping – Advanced Research — book. “Whither One of a Kind?” with Rebecca Strzelec, VRAP conference, Portugal, edited by Paulo Bartolo et al, Fall 2007
2006–13
Metalsmith — magazine. Studio-visit interview with Stanley Lechtzin and Daniella Kerner of Philadelphia, 2006; review of David Huang’s solo exhibition at Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, 2007; review of exhibition at Western Michigan University, 2010; curated Look article, 2013

lectures / presentations given

workshops, demos, short classes given

panels and curation