Call for applications: MFA in Studio Art

Interdisciplinary research, self-directed studio practice, national and international travel
The Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program at Maine College of Art (MECA) 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 MFA 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 complete 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
All of our students are in residence in Portland, Maine for eight weeks in the summer. As the first and fourth terms in a six-trimester course, these summer intensives function as catalysts for community and exchange as select Visiting Artists and Critics accompany Graduate Faculty for lectures and studio visits. Visiting Artists deliver public lectures, conduct studio visits, and participate in critiques with graduate candidates during their respective week-long visits.

Summer 2020 found us in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. With several adjustments toward social distancing and the recommended COVID guidelines, we happily and safely welcomed the classes of 2021 and 2022 to Portland for the Summer Intensive. The 2020 Visiting Artists included a range of makers and thinkers, among them  Elizabeth Atterbury, Bianca Beck, Genesis Belanger, Nick Doyle, Lauren Fensterstock, Kelsey Halliday Johnson and Tim Higbee.

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 / Ling-Wen Tsai, Professor of Sculpture + MFA in Studio Art / 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, Director of Exhibitions / Seth Rogoff, Adjunct Instructor of History + MFA in Studio Art / Tad Beck, Adjunct Instructor of the MFA in Studio Art / Rachel Miller, Adjunct Instructor of the MFA Studio in Context