Where to apply to Next Year??? Feedback wanted

[smartstrategy]

I have read that many people here have visited various schools to check out their programs....I'm outside the US so I'm not easily able to do that. I am trying to decide where to apply to next year for an MFA in Painting. (I only applied to one school this time and was rejected!). I would enjoy California but am open to any other suitable programmes where my kind of work might fit in. ..."neurotic or magical realism" apparently. I usually look at the faculty work and then grad student work but I'm having a challenge navigating through the options. Any suggestions of any kind would be most appreciated. Congratulations to everyone accepted. To others, remember it's all subjective, don't ever give up on your art! Thanks very much. Here is a link to some of my work , feel free to email me privately if you have any feedback on my stuff....i am tough!!! http://www.flickr.co...otos/olderdog/ Edited March 13, 2011 by olderdog

[franco222]

Amazing!

[ck03yh]

Hey older dog! In terms of applying to grad school, I'd say cast your net wide, but not too wide. I think it's to think of 3 or 4 alternatives to what you consider to be your top choice for schools. Not just because it provides a safety net, but as you move through the application process, your top choice may in fact change based on who you talk to, and how each school treats you as an applicant.

On the other hand, applying to too many schools could just drive you crazy; I applied to six, and I found that to be one too many.

Have you thought about applying to the Cranbrook Academy of Art? I have been accepted there for sculpture- just came back from visiting, it was incredible!!! I LOVE the sense of community and the critique based program...just an awesome work environment!!

Anyway, best of luck!!!

[mimoma]

@ Olderdog: I really like your paintings, very magical .. You said you are not from the US, would ou mind telling wheer you from? I'm just interested as I am also applying from the UK/Germany.

[mimoma]

You know what, you do not need to speak German to study there. The good thing is that studying in Germany is free and you can get lots of scholarships for personal costs.

There are some schools that have professors from the USA, Uk or elsewhere, so they don't speak German either.

I would say the best schools are these:

http://www.staedelschule.de/what_is_the_staedelschule.html

http://www.hfbk-hamburg.de/index.php?id=international_homepage

[savethewolves]

I think you might find a really good fit at Hoffberger School of Painting at MICA. Joan Waltemath is amazing. And they embrace figuration in that program as much as abstraction.

[NWT1983]

I just looked at these, the Staedel isn't a masters, and the other asks for German proficiency- just to clarify.... I've always wanted to study in Germany, but my German is pretty poor.. do you know of any other schools?

You know what, you do not need to speak German to study there. The good thing is that studying in Germany is free and you can get lots of scholarships for personal costs.

There are some schools that have professors from the USA, Uk or elsewhere, so they don't speak German either.

I would say the best schools are these:

http://www.staedelsc...edelschule.html

http://www.hfbk-hamb...tional_homepage

[mimoma]

Oh yes, Städel only has undergraduate, shame though, as the school is amazing. Its director is also the curator of the Venice Biennial and they have amazing artists and curators coming in.

I mean, with German art schools you usually decide on a class with a certain artist and if that artist is not German, I don't know why you should be able to speak it. I mean, Städel for example is 60% international and not everyone's German is good.

I heard that this one's good also:

http://www.hbk-bs.de/en/

But actually, Amsterdam is amazing for art and there is a really good school for MFA's and they teach in english. I almost applied there, but then I got into NYC, so I decided to leave Europe. And Amsterdam is not so far from Germany, maybe 3 hours by car ... Here is the website of the school:

http://www.sandberg.nl/

Other than Germany I can really recommend Amsterdam, otherwise the academy in Vienna is good also, but I guess that would be German too..

[poorstudent]

Some posted from Germany that that schools there are free and there's plenty of scholarship for living expenses. This is true to most of Europe and Nothern Europe. However the European system of selecting students to MFA program is fundamentally different from the US. In Europe they take students directly out from undergrad )in every program not just MFA). If you waited a year after getting your BFA, that might be forgivable but if you are over 25 year old, you have little chances.

I have read that many people here have visited various schools to check out their programs....I'm outside the US so I'm not easily able to do that. I am trying to decide where to apply to next year for an MFA in Painting. (I only applied to one school this time and was rejected!). I would enjoy California but am open to any other suitable programmes where my kind of work might fit in. ..."neurotic or magical realism" apparently. I usually look at the faculty work and then grad student work but I'm having a challenge navigating through the options. Any suggestions of any kind would be most appreciated. Congratulations to everyone accepted. To others, remember it's all subjective, don't ever give up on your art! Thanks very much. Here is a link to some of my work , feel free to email me privately if you have any feedback on my stuff....i am tough!!! http://www.flickr.co...otos/olderdog/

[NWT1983]

I would say that's definitely not true about European schools wanting MFA's that are under 26, where are you getting this information?

Some posted from Germany that that schools there are free and there's plenty of scholarship for living expenses. This is true to most of Europe and Nothern Europe. However the European system of selecting students to MFA program is fundamentally different from the US. In Europe they take students directly out from undergrad )in every program not just MFA). If you waited a year after getting your BFA, that might be forgivable but if you are over 25 year old, you have little chances.

[Artist1]

I wish I would have looked into the STUDIO SIZE and CONDITIONS before applying to any MFA painting programs this year. I have been very disappointed in how small studio spaces are and in some cases the poor conditions of the buildings. Considering that most of our time is spent in the studio, we should be provided with adequate space and working conditions.

I'd like to know which schools in the US and EUROPE have good painting programs and also decent studio size. Syracuse University has large private sky-lit studios - am waiting to hear back from them.

A lot of other schools have cubicles and some are super tiny, like 5 x 7 feet and have short walls. Some have crappy walls that you can't work on.

Even though I haven't heard back from all the schools and funding, I'm looking into other school. Why not be prepared?

So I'd really prefer East Coast if in the US and also am interested in the UK and France.

I'd appreciate any information regarding painting studios and facilities at some schools in these areas. Wish we would have all taken pictures at the schools we visited to share with each other. That would save a few trips!

Thanks!

Edited March 22, 2011 by paint2011