Strong Foundations

Iona Fromboluti and Doug Wirls

Infrastructure

Professor Emerita, Foundation; Trustee; and Professor Emeritus, Foundation

Two people are seated at a wooden table in a well-lit laboratory filled with various natural specimens. The woman, with curly hair and glasses, rests her chin on her hand, while the man stands behind her, looking toward the camera. In front of them are framed butterflies, a hand sculpture, and a variety of nature artifacts, including a white bird and colorful stones. Shelves in the background display more examples of flora and fauna.
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“Pratt students truly are World Makers,” says Doug Wirls. “And to shape new worlds, they need to understand the world around them.”

In their yearlong Foundation courses, Doug and his wife Iona Fromboluti, who are both emeritus professors at Pratt, guided multiple generations of first-year Pratt students through the fundamentals of the creative process by incorporating scientific and natural history objects into their curriculum. “The natural world is deeply important to art and design,” Iona explains. “There’s so much for students to learn through physical objects—whether that’s making paints from raw pigments or illustrating an insect collection to better understand anatomy.”

After nearly three decades of teaching, Doug and Iona generously gifted their treasure trove of materials to Pratt Institute in 2020—and with the addition of other donations, the collection now consists of more than 1,300 objects that included taxidermy animals, cases of pinned butterflies, and shelves of birds’ nests. Iona and Doug also made a significant financial contribution, and with additional support from the Speyer Family Foundation, Pratt was able to establish the Foundations Lab on the fourth floor of the Institute’s Main Building. This beautiful learning and research space now serves hundreds of first-year students and the wider Pratt community. 

Three individuals are engaged in a hands-on activity at a wooden table in a well-lit workspace. One person is using a lightbox to examine a transparent sheet; another person, wearing a cap and glasses, is pointing at materials, while the third person stands in the background, observing. Various tools and supplies are scattered on the table, and shelves in the background hold natural specimens and other items.

“When a person’s curiosity is easily satisfied, it provides a fast route to a conclusion, but a lot gets missed along the way,” says Iona. “Investing in creative spaces and learning materials that are tactile and tangible helps ensure that Pratt continues to teach students how to further their practice through patience and discipline, and pursue new problems instead of finding easy answers.”

Because our students are working so hard and juggling multiple responsibilities, it’s critical to provide resources that support their health, well-being, and creativity.

Anne Edwards, Trustee
A woman with gray hair and glasses sits on a stool in an art studio. She is wearing a dark outfit with a patterned scarf. The background features a wooden floor and a chalkboard, along with art supplies and easels. She rests her arms casually on the stool, exuding a warm and approachable demeanor.

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