Advice for Starting MFA Application Portfolio for Fall 2015

[al_lee_cat]

Hello There,

 

Its about one year before I will begin actually applying to programs for an MFA in painting-

 

What constitutes, in your opinions, "undergradish" looking work, and how important is it that we transcend this in MFA portfolios- what might be the ratio for professional, consistent, similar feeling work vs. experimental work within the portfolio?

 

Thank you all for taking the time to respond,

 

AC

Edited June 13, 2014 by al_lee_cat

[papers]

Greetings/

 

I am also gearing up for the application process (sculpture). I am afraid I don't have any amazing advice for you. As far as "undergradish" work, my opinion would be just to present your strongest work. I think you know what pieces are your most effective. My plan is just to show the work I feel best about. If there are pieces that are not as realized but the concept is important for future exploration, I may consider including it. If I get a chance to speak about the work, I will convey this information. As far as consistency versus experimental...We are students, I think experimentation is invaluable and expected. An artist whose work shows a rigid adherence to some sort of style may not appear as attractive as a candidate. It may appear as if you are timid, already set in your ways, or reluctant to growth and evolution. Of course, the opposite may be true as well. A portfolio with no cohesiveness may present your work as being rudderless or lacking direction.This is all just my opinion. These are sort of wishy-washy responses to your queries. I am not sure there are definitive answers. In any case, its still very early in the process. I am still trying to figure out what schools to apply to. I have a few definite choices, but I am doing a lot of research on different programs across the country. I wish you luck. This is my first post, so I should also say hello to everyone, and express what a resource I have found this site to be, thus far.

Edited June 15, 2014 by papers

[Erpnope]

i would look at the programs you are interested in, try to find their students, and look at the websites of first year students since they are most likely to have work they applied with be on their websites.

[klp]

Hi

 

If I were you I'd find some recent-ish painting graduates from the programme you are looking at, and see if anyone is offering their services as a tutor. Having a tutor to discuss your work with is not only great for your own development, but will give you an insight into how things work on the programme(s) you are looking at.

 

Good luck!

[thepictureisstill]

Hi there! Look at the professors work and recent students work. Does the instructor look like someone you'd want to be critiquing you? Do you even like their work? Regarding the "undergrad-ish" work...I look at that as work that seemingly had a prompt to it. I agree with Papers, experimental isn't bad. I still haven't developed a  definite style of working and my style of thinking is still very pliable. This results in a pretty wide range of artworks that make up my portfolio. I'm going to choose the best ones (ones that I love and have been received highly by my local art community) and submit with those.

[seeingeyeduck]

Definitely look at the professors' work and what kind of program it is. Different programs can favor different types of work - some are more commercial and some are more conceptual.

Since you have time, why not contact some professors at the places you're interested In and see if they have office hours or are willing to meet you? Then you can ask questions about the selection process and what they tend to look for in a portfolio. Some people will be vague but others will tell you very specific things and that might give you an advantage in applying.

If you have an undergrad professor that you get along with, that can also be good. They can give you a bit of an insider's view on the process.

What I've heard is that there needs to be a balance between consistency and variety. If your entire portfolio looks uniform, it looks like you can only do one thing. If you're all over the place with no overarching themes or visual threads then it looks like you're just random and perhaps just threw all your undergrad assignments together. I think they look for someone's ability to make work outside of the classroom and self motivate, though maybe that is more for the statement.

It doesn't have to be super polished since you are there to learn after all. A balance of technical skill and big ideas is good. I'm not sure if that's what you meant by experimental.

Oh and always start with strong work - otherwise they might not even get through your whole portfolio!

[ismewilde]

Submit nothing that looks underdeveloped or from a class assignment. If you are finishing up undergrad and will have work from your senior thesis and some other recent strong work, then of course that is what you should show. 

 

I think for painters especially it is important to show a few cohesive bodies of work. If, however, you have a new direction that you are growing in which you will not have enough of a completed body of work, but want to include, you may want to stick that at the end and put in the description that they are from a new body of work/direction that you are exploring.

 

This is just my two cents though...