Who's Where: CCS appoints Sally Erickson Wilson as chair of new color and materials design MA

The College for Creative Studies (CCS) has appointed Sally Erickson Wilson as associate professor and chair of its new Master of Fine Arts degree program in Color and Materials Design.

Erickson Wilson moves to the school from Johnson Controls where she was design manager responsible for leading the North American fabric design team. As chair of the course, Erickson Wilson will be responsible for the graduate curriculum and will help students to develop an eye for color differentiation, materials craftsmanship and quality assessment.

CCS created the new course in response to the need across a number of industries for more qualified specialists in the field. It's the first masters program of its kind in the US, and focuses on the use of color, materials, finishes and processes in various design applications.

"Our program will produce capable, creative professionals who are ready to take the reins in industries ranging from transportation and product design to interior and fashion design," said Erickson Wilson. "The course will produce designers who are engaged with a real sense of what industry needs, who will already have experience, who understand the challenges of problem-solving in the workplace, and who can also lead and drive innovation."

Erickson Wilson's resume makes her an appropriate choice for the CCS role. After graduating with an MA in textile design from the RCA in London, Erickson Wilson has worked at PSA in Paris then Ghia in Turin where she worked on several concept vehicles including the Ford Focus and the Aston Martin Lagonda Vignale.

She then moved on to become chief color and materials designer at Fiat, then for Ford in England and Michigan, and has also served as a color and materials consultant.

Erickson Wilson also has prior teaching experience at CCS. She was an adjunct faculty member from 2005-2011 where she taught design theory among other courses.

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By Tom Phillips