Call for applications: MFA in Studio Art

Interdisciplinary Rresearch, self-directed studio practice, national and international travel
The Master of Fine Arts at Maine College of Art offers an interdisciplinary approach that encourages students to think across traditional academic boundaries, expand their art practice, and challenge their intellectual curiosity.  

Our two-year, trimester structure emphasizes the intersection of studio production, individual research, critical analysis and curatorial experimentation. Built on a rigorous curriculum and a commitment to one-on-one student mentoring by distinguished faculty, visiting artists, critics and curators, MECA’s MFA program offers a dynamic and supportive learning environment for artists who want to define and pursue a sustainable and attainable vision for their art practice.

Full and low residency
Among the first low residency Master of Fine Arts programs in the country, MECA’s combines intense periods of on-campus instruction in Portland, Maine, with the freedom and independence of working from any home location. The full residency MFA gives students the option of living and working in Portland’s thriving arts district, where, from their individual studios with 24/7 access, they can take full advantage of the College’s 200,000+ square feet of state-of-the-art facilities within a vibrant creative community. Admittance is specific to one of these options but students have successfully moved between the two with ease.

Summer intensive in Portland, Maine
Our 8-week on-campus summer intensive in Portland provides the foundation for the MFA experience at MECA. Students work with a diverse range of resident faculty as well as visiting artists, designers, critics and scholars each week. The 2018 visiting faculty included a range of makers and thinkers, among them Sterling Allen, Tad Beck, Katherine Bradford, Caroline Wells Chandler, Kris Grey, Faythe Levine, Dario Robleto, and Raechell Smith. Visiting faculty deliver public lectures, conduct studio visits, and participate in critiques with graduate candidates during their respective week-long visits.

Graduate faculty:
Chris Stiegler, Chair of the MFA in Studio Art and Assistant Professor of Art History
Gail Spaien, Professor of the MFA in Studio Art + Painting
Adriane Herman, Professor of the MFA in Studio Art + Printmaking
Joshua Reiman, Assistant Professor of the MFA in Studio Art + Sculpture
Lauren Fensterstock, Adjunct Assistant Professor of the MFA in Studio Art
Kyle Patnaude, Visiting Assistant Professor, Metalsmithing & Jewelry + MFA in Studio Art
Julie Poitras Santos, Adjunct Assistant Professor of the MFA in Studio Art + Art History
Katie Vida, Adjunct Assistant Professor of the MFA in Studio Art
Bukola Koiki, Visiting Assistant Professor of Printmaking + MFA in Studio Art
Sophie Hamacher, Adjunct Instructor of Art History + MFA in Studio Art
Brandon Alvendia, Adjunct Instructor of the MFA in Studio Art