We have a special announcement to share with you today, from the desk of Tony Jones, CBE, The Nerman Family President of the Kansas City Art Institute.
Charles Egan, Trustee of the Stanley H. Durwood Foundation and KCAI Trustee from 1995 to 2007, has named and endowed The Charlie Sosland Chair in Illustration. Steve Mayse, who has served as Illustration program head for 25 years, will be the first endowed Chair in Illustration. This marks the fifth named and endowed position that KCAI has announced in the past two years.
The Chair in Illustration is named in honor of our very good friend Charlie Sosland, who served as a KCAI Trustee from 1997-2009 and Chairman of the Board from 2002-2004. “I am very pleased and honored to have my name identified with the Chair of Illustration at KCAI. The art of illustration has an amazing impact on everyone’s lives. I am very grateful to Charlie Egan and the Durwood Foundation for this wonderful honor. My relationship with KCAI began with my great uncle Louis and mother Estelle, whose service on the board encouraged me to get involved. I am pleased to see the college remain a strong force for the arts in Kansas City,” said Charlie.
Steve Mayse is an award-winning illustrator who is esteemed by both students and peers. He’s built a program that draws undergraduate students from all over the world to study at KCAI, and Illustration is our largest major with almost 100 students enrolled.
“I wish to thank Charles Sosland for his continued support and confidence in our work here at KCAI. I will continue, in the years to come, to meet the expectations of this position with honor and integrity. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity and am hopeful that this relationship can remain beneficial to KCAI’s mission and to the community of art practitioners,” said Steve.
Please join us in thanking The Durwood Foundation for their generosity and congratulating Charlie Sosland and Steve Mayse for this wonderful recognition of their contributions to KCAI.