It Starts with a Question

Although Oscar and Tony award winning actress Marcia Gay Harden developed a love for theater in Greece soon after high school, she didn't really know she wanted to make acting her profession until a bit later. In her breakout role, in the 1990 Coen Brothers film, Miller’s Crossing, Marcia portrayed the sultry troublemaker “Verna” to rave reviews. As her film and television career grew, she continued to work in theater, appearing in Tony Kushner’s Broadway production of Angels in America, a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Yazmina Reza’s award-winning comedic drama God of Carnage. For Marcia, creativity can extend in several directions, and in the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” she and RISD President Crystal Williams reflect on its origins, techniques, and manifestations. 

Widely regarded as the founding father of North American lighting design, RISD alum David Weeks has been a pioneering figure in Brooklyn’s burgeoning independent design movement since his studio’s early days in Dumbo. David’s genre-defining work is hands-on and intuitive, often starting to form ideas via a rough sketch or by creating a small model before carefully removing materials until the object emerges in its most simple, yet functional form. His award-winning pieces have been exhibited in Milan, Paris, London, and New York, and are installed in high-profile commercial spaces and private collections worldwide. 
 
In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” he and RISD President Crystal Williams have a wide-ranging discussion reflecting on family influences, creative outlets, the value of curiosity, and joy.

Award-winning author, illustrator, alum, and 2025 Rhode Island School of Design honorary degree recipient Grace Lin creates picture books, books for early readers and middle-grade novels that often feature children of Chinese descent, not only to showcase her heritage but also to include aspects of Taiwanese and Chinese culture. In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” she and RISD President Crystal Williams have a wide ranging discussion reflecting on how Grace came into her own as an artist.

Multidisciplinary artist, 2025 Rhode Island School of Design Honorary Degree recipient, and MacArthur “genius grant” awardee María Magdalena Campos-Pons’s work is deeply autobiographical. She explores notions of history, memory, gender, and religion and how each informs who we are. In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” she and RISD President Crystal Williams have a wide ranging discussion about the role of art and artists in the world.

Award-winning author, illustrator, and alum Brian Selznick creates a fascinating world of image and text including "The Invention of Hugo Cabret"—winner of the Caldecott Medal and the basis for the Oscar-winning movie "Hugo". In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” he and RISD President Crystal Williams sit down to discuss the importance of queer representation, bravery in the face of censorship, and finding inspiration and motivation.

Multimedia artist and alum Rose B. Simpson (Kha’p’o Owingeh/Santa Clara Pueblo) creates work that explores modes of empowerment and resilience to connect the past and present. In the latest episode of “It Starts with a Question,” she and RISD President Crystal Williams sit down to discuss identity, imposter syndrome, and growth.

Rhode Island School of Design's President Crystal Williams and award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and alum RaMell Ross discuss everything from the life of an introvert and artistic development to the artistry of basketball and some of their favorite poets in the first episode of 'It Starts with a Question.'