MFA 2013 All Art ADMISSIONS freak-out forum!!!!!!!!

[Josholas]

Just a heads up - the online MICA portfolio pre-review deadline is tomorrow (Friday). Its only $10 and I found it super helpful last year. Have a great weekend everyone!

[Curious12345]

Figure it out, deadline is approaching, email it to me.

I have been staring at my portfolio all day thinking what a mess and disconnected it is. Thanks TheStranger, that was a great boost of confidence.

[ten-of-swords]

Just a heads up - the online MICA portfolio pre-review deadline is tomorrow (Friday). Its only $10 and I found it super helpful last year. Have a great weekend everyone!

Looks like they extended the deadline to the 19th!

[OutWest]

It would be a good idea to really know what it is you want to do in your WORK before comitting to an MFA...schools (especially the top ones) aren't there to make teachers, they exist to make artists. And, if you are putting into your Statement that teaching is your biggest goal, rather than your work, schools will more than likely toss you into the waste basket without a second look...by you stating that you would like to apply to any of three (!) genres of art making is deep cause for concern.

As far as Photojournalism goes, have you applied to UC Berkeley's or Columbia's Journalism schools? They support such aspirations for photo (and esp. film/video). And, yes, You can teach with Journalism Masters, though, as michaelwebster states, getting a job in any of the performing/expressive arts is a whole other ballgame.

Good luck!

Help! I am looking to apply to MFA in Sculpture or Painting or Photography

I have been a working photog since 1989 (!) but I would love to teach at college level, which is why I am seeking an MFA.

I have been rejected from a bunch of NY schools for MFA photography for the past 2 years -- schools don't like photojournalism!

So, I need advice

• I am willing to go anywhere in the US, as long as I can TA, and I can get in for one of the above concentrations.
  
• I need to get in for 2013! I am a non-traditional grad student, as I am older.
  
• And, not toooo expensive.
  

ANY ADVICE would be appreciated!!

Thank you thank you.

[SophieMadrid]

Those Jerry Saltz quotes are priceless, thanks. But I'm still applying to Yale and Columbia.

Here's my list so far.

Yale

Columbia

UCLA

VCU

SVA

WUSTL

UGA

LSU

U of O

U of Florida

This is my first round of apps, so ANY insight would be awesome.

sophiebenjamins.com

thanks!

[Curious12345]

Hello fellow Norcalian, I grew up in Rohnert Park. I'd heavily suggest taking a look at SFAI. Do you know Cathy Ellis? She just started here at UCSB.

On 10/13/2012 at 3:46 PM, SophieMadrid said:

Those Jerry Saltz quotes are priceless, thanks. But I'm still applying to Yale and Columbia.

Here's my list so far.

Yale

Columbia

UCLA

VCU

SVA

WUSTL

UGA

LSU

U of O

U of Florida

This is my first round of apps, so ANY insight would be awesome.

sophiebenjamins.com

thanks!

[ten-of-swords]

Think I've made decisions on where to apply:

Yale

Rutgers

VCU

U of Michigan

Ohio State U

U of Chicago

Northwestern

Carnegie Mellon

Tyler

Cornell

[Josholas]

So, my *current* list is:

UC Davis

West Virginia University

VCU (Virginia)

University of Iowa

Arizona State

U.Michigan

SMFA/Tufts

Herron (Indiana)

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)

U.Georgia

Some of you will notice that my list has almost completely changed from a few weeks ago, haha!

I've been researching schools with 1)high rankings that ALSO have 2)decent acceptance rates AND 3)good funding AND 4)faculty with work I am interested in. Most of the schools in the list have at least two of these. I would love any feedback on any of the programs, but especially if you know that a certain one is known to have BAD FUNDING (and/or insanely expensive with little funding)...and I will gladly remove it from my list.

Also...if anyone knows of schools that let you teach as instructor of record...please let me know. Most places don't seem to want to put that sort of thing on their website.

Thanks!

[Neen]

Like many others on here I'm going to be applying for an MFA in painting/or just Fine Art MFA dependiing on the program. I have just finished my BFA this past year but am a mature student. Am slightly freaking out since I would like to make more work over the next few months and have applications to put together but I have a full time Mon-Fri gig. Any advice? My day job is killing me because it's sucking all my productive time away. Quit the day job? Maybe the solution for now would be to make less labor intensive work to add to my portfolio? (I'm primarily an oil painter who does yes, work with the figure).

Which brings me to the 2nd question. What IS so taboo about the figure? If as Jerry Saltz says, take your obsession and use it, and my obsession is people, why shouldn't I be plastering my walls with them? I think in my grad school application there has to be a way to stay true to what is important to me while still being contemporary and thinking about art's place in history. Any thoughts from recent or former MFA grad's?

[losemygrip]

That's a good list of schools. You have a couple of good "fallbacks."

If I may be candid? Looking at the portfolio on your website, I would leave out the first seven images. They look like illustrations for articles in The Atlantic about alternative energy sources, or eco-trends. Great illustrations, but illustrations nonetheless. Identity is the best-looking painting. Some of the others look a little unfinished to me--there's this one central image, but it's not dynamic or complex enough to provoke me. I'd like to see you start to include more elements, as in Identity (but not treat them so literally that they become illustrations).

[losemygrip]

Help! I am looking to apply to MFA in Sculpture or Painting or Photography

I have been a working photog since 1989 (!) but I would love to teach at college level, which is why I am seeking an MFA.

I have been rejected from a bunch of NY schools for MFA photography for the past 2 years -- schools don't like photojournalism!

So, I need advice

• I am willing to go anywhere in the US, as long as I can TA, and I can get in for one of the above concentrations.
  
• I need to get in for 2013! I am a non-traditional grad student, as I am older.
  
• And, not toooo expensive.
  

ANY ADVICE would be appreciated!!

Thank you thank you.

If you're not sure which medium on which you want to focus, you may not be ready for grad school. Work a little longer, and if you find a way to incorporate all of them, then you could pursue intermedia or something like that. Otherwise, you may be spread too thin.

[michaelwebster]

Which brings me to the 2nd question. What IS so taboo about the figure? If as Jerry Saltz says, take your obsession and use it, and my obsession is people, why shouldn't I be plastering my walls with them? I think in my grad school application there has to be a way to stay true to what is important to me while still being contemporary and thinking about art's place in history. Any thoughts from recent or former MFA grad's?

Its not that the figure is taboo, plenty of well-known painters use human imagery on a regular basis. Its the academic, naturalistic, classical, figure drawing 101 kind of work that is taboo...Because we have all seen it a million times. Marlene Dumas or Luc Tuymans are good examples of painters who use figures on a regular basis and in a way that is more complicated and insightful than the figure drawing 101 approach. If you have to use the Jerry Saltz quote, then add in a part about making it your own, because way too many people have an obsession with the figure to not appraoch it somewhat hesitantly and/or critically.

[TheStranger]

Like many others on here I'm going to be applying for an MFA in painting/or just Fine Art MFA dependiing on the program. I have just finished my BFA this past year but am a mature student. Am slightly freaking out since I would like to make more work over the next few months and have applications to put together but I have a full time Mon-Fri gig. Any advice? My day job is killing me because it's sucking all my productive time away. Quit the day job? Maybe the solution for now would be to make less labor intensive work to add to my portfolio? (I'm primarily an oil painter who does yes, work with the figure).

Which brings me to the 2nd question. What IS so taboo about the figure? If as Jerry Saltz says, take your obsession and use it, and my obsession is people, why shouldn't I be plastering my walls with them? I think in my grad school application there has to be a way to stay true to what is important to me while still being contemporary and thinking about art's place in history. Any thoughts from recent or former MFA grad's?

Day job by day, Artist by night. Not many people, unless they are well off, can afford not to have a day job.

I myself have worked part time ever since high school in different jobs. I currently went full time. Instead of thinking the job is ruining my time, I use what I have and optimize it. I'm saving a lot up for the inevitable jobless period during an MFA program when I do apply. While I have less time, what matters is that you have a solid plan laid out for yourself, financially and artistically.

In regards to the figure, ask yourself which MFA program you are interested in and look at the work produced there. Also know what you want to do after you get your MFA. These two things should show you where you should apply. In the end, you choose your groupies.

[OutWest]

That's a good list of schools. You have a couple of good "fallbacks."

If I may be candid? Looking at the portfolio on your website, I would leave out the first seven images. They look like illustrations for articles in The Atlantic about alternative energy sources, or eco-trends. Great illustrations, but illustrations nonetheless. Identity is the best-looking painting. Some of the others look a little unfinished to me--there's this one central image, but it's not dynamic or complex enough to provoke me. I'd like to see you start to include more elements, as in Identity (but not treat them so literally that they become illustrations).

Ouch...with all due respect to you losemygrip (whose posts I have seen many times and greatly appreciate), don't you think that all of this commentary is better left to the admissions people to decide? Those that are applying have a mere couple months to do so, at best, so sending this poor guy on a mental chase of potential revisions (because you think their work looks like "illustrations") is probably best kept to yourself.

Push on with what you have right now, and if you are working on anything else you think worthy, add it in! But, don't try and do a bunch of revisions of finished peices.

Edited October 21, 2012 by OutWest

[JustinjSmith]

Applying for Fall 2013 - Painting - Abstract

CSULB

UCLA

UCI

Claremont

UCSD

MICA

Dont know if I can afford to apply for more. Maybe Columbia... UCSB... UCBerkeley

justinjsmith.com

[Josholas]

I appreciate both of your posts (losemygrip and OutWest).. I'm working on a few pieces to supplement my portfolio right now, so I welcome any feedback as I push out the last few works. And thanks, OutWest for your concern, I appreciate it (and welcome your feedback as well).

And on a side note, I'm considering embracing (to a certain degree) the "illustration" tension in my work. It comes down to this...I am an artist and I want to have my own voice supply the content of my work...so I'm not interested in illustration if it means losing that. However, I'm also not willing to strip down my work to the point where it gets so vague as to lose my voice altogether. Either way, it's something to think about, and a balance I will continue to work through. I think my current works are finding themselves in either one category or the other, so I'm currently exploring the grey areas between those extremes in my supplemental work.

Ouch...with all due respect to you losemygrip (whose posts I have seen many times and greatly appreciate), don't you think that all of this commentary is better left to the admissions people to decide? Those that are applying have a mere couple months to do so, at best, so sending this poor guy on a mental chase of potential revisions (because you think their work looks like "illustrations") is probably best kept to yourself.

Push on with what you have right now, and if you are working on anything else you think worthy, add it in! But, don't try and do a bunch of revisions of finished peices.

[TheStranger]

Ouch...with all due respect to you losemygrip (whose posts I have seen many times and greatly appreciate), don't you think that all of this commentary is better left to the admissions people to decide? Those that are applying have a mere couple months to do so, at best, so sending this poor guy on a mental chase of potential revisions (because you think their work looks like "illustrations") is probably best kept to yourself.

Push on with what you have right now, and if you are working on anything else you think worthy, add it in! But, don't try and do a bunch of revisions of finished peices.

In defense to losemygrip's comment/suggestions, the artist can either use it, not use it, or at the very least ponder the questions raised and critically compare it to his own vision. I don't think anyone should read a critique and think it's imposing. To me, this is an open forum with people of different experiences and opinions and this idea should be embraced with the full acknowledgment that these comments may or may not affect the ultimate outcome of their work. While it seems apparent the portfolio of work is being prepared to send off and apply with, I don't think that negates specific critiques, as if it's too late in the game to mention. The artist has a whole lifetime to think about his art, MFA applicant or not.

The MFA is a goal, but finding your voice in your art is the ultimate goal.

[Neen]

Day job by day, Artist by night. Not many people, unless they are well off, can afford not to have a day job.

I myself have worked part time ever since high school in different jobs. I currently went full time. Instead of thinking the job is ruining my time, I use what I have and optimize it. I'm saving a lot up for the inevitable jobless period during an MFA program when I do apply. While I have less time, what matters is that you have a solid plan laid out for yourself, financially and artistically.

In regards to the figure, ask yourself which MFA program you are interested in and look at the work produced there. Also know what you want to do after you get your MFA. These two things should show you where you should apply. In the end, you choose your groupies.

Hi "Stranger" thank you for the useful feedback. I know I would have to have a job but it is more of the "day" part of day job that I was worried about. I work better during the day so it takes away from my more productive studio hours. Or maybe the better solution would be to have cheaper rent and therefore not have to worry so much about the income pressure but in NYC good luck.

Thank you for the comments on figure painting as well. I'll keep researching more programs that have some professors that work with realism more so that I won't feel like such an outcast or that I have nothing in common with anyone.

[OutWest]

Fair enough. It sounds like Josholas has a solid enough vision of what he wants in order to let claims of his paintings being illsutrations not bother him, and he sound like he doesn't need me coming to his defense. Good to hear.

Kill it guys: best of luck!

In defense to losemygrip's comment/suggestions, the artist can either use it, not use it, or at the very least ponder the questions raised and critically compare it to his own vision. I don't think anyone should read a critique and think it's imposing. To me, this is an open forum with people of different experiences and opinions and this idea should be embraced with the full acknowledgment that these comments may or may not affect the ultimate outcome of their work. While it seems apparent the portfolio of work is being prepared to send off and apply with, I don't think that negates specific critiques, as if it's too late in the game to mention. The artist has a whole lifetime to think about his art, MFA applicant or not.

The MFA is a goal, but finding your voice in your art is the ultimate goal.

[aethiryn]

So I have a question regarding my Recs. Also, I know this is late to be reconsidering but I figure the deadlines are 6 weeks away, and at the very least the 3 recs I have are confirmed.

So right now I have 2 professors. (and as a friend has pointed out, I'm emailing two more just for back ups/if anything happens) They both worked with me and know my work and I TA'd for one of them. My question is regarding my 3rd rec. My 3rd rec was the head of the pre-college program I TA'd for, and we got to know each other very well and they have offered NUMEROUS times to write my letter of rec.

I really want to use them because I know they would write an awesome rec, BUT here are my concerns. (or at least things others have brought to me)

• They've said numerous times how they would write how wonderful a TA I was/would be. I definitely want to TA because A.) it can help with the burden of tuition B.) I fucking love talking about art, and leading a class and enjoying the experience of the class with others C.) I want to eventually teach, and I think TAing would really help me with job opportunities after school. But I'm afraid what if they only write about me being a TA? Is that good or bad?
  
• They are currently in school for their Doctorate in Education. (but their BA was in Art History) How do people feel about someone who is currently in school?
  

Am I over thinking this? I know one of the professors I have down is a phenomenal walking art history text book, and I would say the same for my 3rd rec who is currently in school. What is your advice on this? Should I attempt to reach out to an art history professor from 2 yrs ago? Or Should I continue with my 3 that I have.

[michaelwebster]

So I have a question regarding my Recs. Also, I know this is late to be reconsidering but I figure the deadlines are 6 weeks away, and at the very least the 3 recs I have are confirmed.

So right now I have 2 professors. (and as a friend has pointed out, I'm emailing two more just for back ups/if anything happens) They both worked with me and know my work and I TA'd for one of them. My question is regarding my 3rd rec. My 3rd rec was the head of the pre-college program I TA'd for, and we got to know each other very well and they have offered NUMEROUS times to write my letter of rec.

I really want to use them because I know they would write an awesome rec, BUT here are my concerns. (or at least things others have brought to me)

• They've said numerous times how they would write how wonderful a TA I was/would be. I definitely want to TA because A.) it can help with the burden of tuition B.) I fucking love talking about art, and leading a class and enjoying the experience of the class with others C.) I want to eventually teach, and I think TAing would really help me with job opportunities after school. But I'm afraid what if they only write about me being a TA? Is that good or bad?
  
• They are currently in school for their Doctorate in Education. (but their BA was in Art History) How do people feel about someone who is currently in school?
  

Am I over thinking this? I know one of the professors I have down is a phenomenal walking art history text book, and I would say the same for my 3rd rec who is currently in school. What is your advice on this? Should I attempt to reach out to an art history professor from 2 yrs ago? Or Should I continue with my 3 that I have.

I would just send them your portfolio, artist statement, and CV as a hint that you want them to talk about your artwork and other experience too. Don't worry about someone being in school or a PhD. I had someone who was in school for an MFA write for me because she is also a museum director. The thing that matters most is that they can vouch for your work ethic and personality, because that is what the school doesn't really get to see.

[sguid]

2nd year applying! I'm a representational oil painter. Last year I applied to 5 programs with smaller scale acrylic paintings and was rejected from all. This year - biting the cash fee bullet and applying to 10. Also creating an entirely new portfolio - which is 1/2 done! #stressed

So far, my list is:

University of Iowa

Indiana University - HOPE

UC Santa Barbara

UC Davis

UW Seattle

UO Eugene

UT Austin

SUNY

UM Amherst

UM Ann Arbor

And thinking about University of Edinburgh (applied last year, got an interview, then rejection) AND Glasgow School of Art. Obsessed with Scotland? Guilty.

www.stephguidera.com **feel free to give feedback**

[Emoree]

@stephanie, I'm applying to IUB (Hope) as well, for printmaking. have you visited there? i went there a few weeks ago and it is delightful. i didn't get to see the painting side, but the printmaking facilities are incredible. they did tell me that they keep their painting students on an extremely tight leash so they aren't able to experiment with other media very much. and since the painting program is only two years (guess that's getting to be very common now) you really don't have much time to experiment anyway.

also, i used to live in Amherst and that area, and UMASS Amherst is pretty nice. Kind of an ugly school (concrete, ugh), and I don't remember the painting facilities very well, but the area as a whole is beautiful and Amherst/Northampton/Easthampton is a great place to live with a lively art scene.

i am quite enjoying the painting of the older woman with a cane, i love her expression. i have a random suggestion--- have you tried making a painting without using any white? some of the paintings here tend towards chalky. it would be interesting to see how you handle the limitation of no white. Or perhaps using mixing white (assuming you aren't already) instead of titanium (assuming that's what you're using).

[sguid]

Thanks Emoree for the feedback! I did just visit IUB 2 weeks ago and sat in on a grad painting crit. It was such a valuable experience to hear the professors talk about the work and to see the work of 1st year painting MFAs. Since I was rejected from this program last year, I guess it was interesting to see who made the cut and how they talk about/present their work in a critique situation. Are you applying to Iowa? Their facilities are great, maybe better than IUB.

Thank you for the feedback on my work! I think with the older paintings I did use straight titanium a lot. I'm working more with neutral blacks these days (not too much brand new work on the site) but the highlights do end up being chalky. Thank you

[Emoree]

@Stephanie, Iowa would be nice but I have to stick fairly close to home since I'm married and have a houseful of animals (that my husband won't/can't take care of!). the places i'm applying are at most 2hrs away...not sure how it will work out, may have to rent a room or something, but at least it's not too long of a drive away.

yeah, it must be weird to see the current students who got accepted if you had applied for that year. one school i visited i was astounded at some of the people who got in. one person didn't have a clue what she wanted to work on and it was already two months into her first semester. other students looked like they were floundering--- but, of course it must be very different once you're actually in the program versus just looking in from the outside.

Are your first two paintings with the dark backgrounds on your site your newest ones? I think the second one is perhaps the most successful, but the one of the person passed out on the plaid couch is very interesting-- less of a portrait, perhaps, and more of an allegory.