— May 6, 10:53 AM — 

New MFA in Visual Studies

The Mentor-based program is one of just a few in the nation and has attracted competitive interest for the coveted 15 spots

PNCA has reached a historic milestone with the selection of the first class of students for the Master of Fine Arts in Visual Studies. “We are bringing in an incredible group of artists from across the country,” said Greg Ware, Vice President for Academic Affairs in announcing the first class. “With the inaugural class, 75% of the candidates are from outside of the Pacific Northwest and this includes a diverse group of artists with portfolios that reflect a wide range of media and personal investigation.”

Owing to the uniqueness of this cross disciplinary program, the only program of its kind in the region and one of few mentor-based MFAs in the country, PNCA was fortunate to have a very competitive pool of applicants who have studied at some of the top visual arts institutions in the country.

“I am thoroughly excited about the unique character of this program,” said MK Guth, who has been named the Chair of the MFA program. “I believe it offers an excellent option for artists interested in directed investigation. Students are enthusiastically responding to the nature of the program, which at its core mirrors an individual artist’s practice and investigation rather than asking an artist to mirror the institution. For PNCA as a whole having a population of MFA students on campus encourages a greater level of ambition and new heights of excellences for all the College’s artists. The faculty committee took great care in selecting artists who will benefit from this community while also enriching it.”

The MFA’s mentor-based approach pairs students with a faculty member or an artist in the larger Portland art community who can best support the student’s exploration. “Connecting a student with a mentor who directly identifies with their focus affords an immediate and personal form of educating,” says Guth. “The one-on-one relationship creates a supportive climate for students to conduct original research and develop new ideas.” A professor in the Intermedia department since 2004 and a practicing interdisciplinary artist, Guth earned her MFA in studio art from New York University in 2002.

The MFA in Visual Studies, a two-year, 60 credit program, was developed by the faculty committee with the participation of the PNCA community, and in consultation with AICAD schools, local colleges, and representatives of the greater Portland arts community. It is multi disciplinary, inclusive of many disciplines, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, video, communication design, and illustration to mention a few. Students can choose to work discipline specific or interdisciplinary. This model allows students to develop their own pathways of investigation and research in ways that most benefit their existing practice.

“The arrival of these 15 MFA students next fall marks the culmination of extensive planning as well as the beginning of a new direction for the College,” said Ware. “We are particularly proud of how our faculty committee created a program that allows artists to pursue a highly-focused body of work with a cross disciplinary approach. PNCA has a rich history as a place where highly original work is created and the MFA Program will further enhance the overall artistic investigation.”

This MFA program was developed by a faculty committee in response to an initiative from the PNCA Plan—the College’s five-year strategic plan—to explore and establish new and innovative programs that support independent inquiry and encourage cross-disciplinary dialog. For nearly a century Pacific Northwest College of Art has been home to the region’s most important artists and art teachers and has been at the center of Portland arts’ community, giving the city a vitality and vibrancy. PNCA is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.

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