low residencies?

[martinl5]

A new Low Residency program has just opened up at Oregon College of Art and Craft. It is a really dynamic way of working and getting to know the Oregon art community while also learning from some of the most amazing, Hallie Ford Fellows professors that you can find on the West Coast. Portland has a thriving arts scene, and even if you aren't living in PDX, your summer will be a huge incredible crash course where you spend a month completely immersed. Your readings cover everything from traditional art history to queer studies to phenomenology of craft. You work with professors in person, from your home community and also online from Portland. Also, you get to know one another super well and you get the full residency students in your classes during the summer. Its a great program for someone who is looking to be immersed, have a lot of individualized attention, but has to work full timeand wants a degree. I also would consider this if you are looking at living in the Pacific Northwest or West coast. I don't think it would be a good program for East Coast. http://ocac.edu

[JBois]

I'm thinking about applying to a low res MFA.  I was planning to go to MECA, but after reading up on MFA applications, I'm thinking I might not get in on my first try or at all.  I can't afford to go without using my GI Bill, which expires in a couple of years, so I don't have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the date I can go.  GI Bill covers MECA, MICA, SVA, SFAI, and SAIC (doesn't cover Bard, MassArt, NVU, Goddard, or VCA).  I'm wondering if I should even bother applying at this point.  I have been working professionally in a non-art related field for the past 10+ years to pay off undergrad debt (Ceramics BFA).  While I never stopped making art during this time, I had no idea how to represent myself as a professional artist or make a career as an artist.  I've never had a solo show and I'm making a new portfolio from scratch, as I don't have a cohesive collection of anything right now (I work a lot and have a baby to attend to!).  The schools on my list (MECA, MICA, SVA, SFAI, and SAIC) seem competitive and I'm wondering if I can even get in.  I will try.  Does anyone have advice on how the professional artist career (resume) is assessed in an application like this?  I'm asking in this forum, because the low res programs seem to cater towards working professionals, given the flexibility of the program.  I'd like to start my own ceramics business and continue making higher end art for galleries in the future, but I don't yet have any experience with this.  TIA for any thoughts.

[SpillToBuilt]

@JBois I would not sweat the CV. Your work and artist statement will likely be far more important at any of these schools. So how is your artist statement? Are you conceptualizing your work? Definitely work on getting toward a cohesive body of work and supporting statement to submit.

I would also advise you to look at the ceramics students and faculty of these schools—examine their work and what they write about it. Then ask yourself if this seems like what you still want to do (hopefully it is!)

Personally, I did not feel I aligned with the work of students and faculty at the MFA I chose. My first semester was rough to say the least. But things seem to be turning out ok. ?

[nn009]

On 1/8/2020 at 8:08 AM, JBois said:

I'm thinking about applying to a low res MFA.  I was planning to go to MECA, but after reading up on MFA applications, I'm thinking I might not get in on my first try or at all.  I can't afford to go without using my GI Bill, which expires in a couple of years, so I don't have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to the date I can go.  GI Bill covers MECA, MICA, SVA, SFAI, and SAIC (doesn't cover Bard, MassArt, NVU, Goddard, or VCA).  I'm wondering if I should even bother applying at this point.  I have been working professionally in a non-art related field for the past 10+ years to pay off undergrad debt (Ceramics BFA).  While I never stopped making art during this time, I had no idea how to represent myself as a professional artist or make a career as an artist.  I've never had a solo show and I'm making a new portfolio from scratch, as I don't have a cohesive collection of anything right now (I work a lot and have a baby to attend to!).  The schools on my list (MECA, MICA, SVA, SFAI, and SAIC) seem competitive and I'm wondering if I can even get in.  I will try.  Does anyone have advice on how the professional artist career (resume) is assessed in an application like this?  I'm asking in this forum, because the low res programs seem to cater towards working professionals, given the flexibility of the program.  I'd like to start my own ceramics business and continue making higher end art for galleries in the future, but I don't yet have any experience with this.  TIA for any thoughts.

I am also potentially exploring SFAI low residency program. Does anyone have any feedback that they could share? Perhaps someone who attended the program or is planning to? What was your academic experience like? Are you able to gain same amount of knowledge as in a full residency MFA / full immersion program?