Then & Now:
25 Years of MCAD MFA
Then
Then & Now:
25 Years of MCAD MFA
iii
Writings & Reflections
03 1995–2000 27 2001–2005 51 2006–2010 75 2011–2015 101 2016–2019 125 25th Graduating Class Class of 2020
ELLEN MUELLER
Looking Ahead
Hello MCAD MFA Alumni, As the newest director of the program, I am honored to be celebrating twenty-five years of MCAD MFA excellence with all of you. As we work to build more and better opportunities as an MFA community, celebrating our alumni is one of my goals. This book is one way that we can uplift and highlight all the wonderful accomplishments of our alumni, while offering an opportunity for you to reconnect with each other and forge new networks between cohorts. Over the past year and a half, I have been delighted to meet our alumni everywhere I go, from the inaugural New York City graduate trip in October 2019, where we met with Zander Brimojin MFA ’04 at Red Paper Heart Studios and Levi Murphy MFA ‘11 at Communal Objects Studios, to the annual College Art Association Conference with Jill Odegaard MFA ’96. Here in the Twin Cities region, the support from the alumni has been wonderful, and I am looking forward to more alumni studio gatherings like our spring 2019 visit to the Northrup King Building, or the spring 2020 visit to the Thorp Building. The reach and support of our MFA alumni network, both near and far, is impressive to say the least. Some recent updates to the program include new mentor/mentee handiii
books, new travel programs (keep an eye out for our trip to Los Angeles next fall!),
new guidelines for the mid-program and thesis reviews, and the addition of two electives to the curriculum. We’ve also rearranged the schedule of events to give students increased time for creating their work in the fourth semester by moving the public research presentations to take place at the end of third semester. And while we were at it, we decided to move the Teaching Seminar/Practicum into a single class during the fall semester—many thanks to feedback from the alumni. Looking towards the future, we plan to build on alumni accomplishments with new events and opportunities. This year saw the initiation of our Launch Program, which funds regional and national CV-building and networking experiences for current students and alumni in the first one to two years after graduation. This program was developed in response to direct feedback from our alumni, and we’re looking forward to growing these programs even further with your support and that of outside donors. This year we also tested three new recruitment events to broaden awareness and reach of the MCAD MFA Program: we hosted two conference-affiliated exhibitions for film/video and photography, and we hosted a regional conference focused on teaching ‘place.’ Moving forward, we will continue to engage with media-specific communities to raise our profile and spread the word about our distinguished interdisciplinary focus, which is well received in these circles. So, if you find yourself in the Twin Cities, please shoot me an email and say hello! I’d love to take you to coffee and hear how you’re doing, and the students would always welcome a studio visit. We value alumni participation in all facets of the MFA Program and at every step of the way. Sincerely, Ellen Mueller
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FRENCHY LUNNING
As Marshall McLuhan so beautifully and accurately described it: “History writing is ever tied to the fragment. The known facts are often scattered broadcast, like
New Literary History, Vol. 2, No. 3, 529.
stars across the firmament. It should not be assumed that they form a coherent body in the historical night.”1 This is to say, that this “history” of the MFA graduate program at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design I have been asked to write, are mere fragments of memories that I never took into account as any sort of “history;” instead, they were the many events that formed around me, involved me, challenged me, puzzled me, amused me, and ultimately made me an enthusiastic advocate of the program. You will note that I do not include dates here, as time in memory for me is rarely cataloged in analytical data – but more likely in terms of the rock music that was popular at the time, the progress of relationships, and the eruptions of key events. Nevertheless, this is how I remember it all (with a bit of help from Rik Sferra and Tom DeBiaso)—as fragments in the MCADian historical night. I was there in the very beginning: then president John Slorp had apparently decided that we needed an MFA degree as part of the MCAD academic program. Lucky for all of us, he asked the then Chair of Media Arts, Tom DeBiaso, to create it. Tom had been a long-time faculty member and created the overall structure of
1
Marshall McLuhan, “Roles, Masks, and Performances,”
A Personal Reminiscence on the History of the MFA Program at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design
the program as a mentorship program, with an interdisciplinary critique seminar,
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Liberal Arts courses, a Mid-program review, and a Final Thesis, and recruited the
first-ever class. Once the class was established, Anedith Nash became the first director (however, as you will see, this was not the last of Tom’s influence and leadership in this program!). Anedith, the then Liberal Arts Chair, leapt into action. With her gift for innovative thinking, Anedith took over the fledgling MFA department, with the difficult task of adapting theory to practice; making revisions, re-revisions, and changes to fit the actual experience of the student to the program design. Rik Sferra taught the first Critique Seminar, and I taught the first Liberal Arts class, beginning my long love affair with the MFA program. Rik Sferra was the next director, in concert with Sandy Maliga, who replaced Rik during his sabbatical. Rik’s vast experience as a studio teacher of photography, was key to refining and enriching the studio experience for both the student and mentor. He helped to instruct a generation of mentors toward refining and enriching the mentor/mentee experience. Carole Fisher became the next director of the program. Long a studio painting instructor at MCAD, Fisher had a longer period of leadership and was able to solidify much of the hard and seminal work of the previous directors. Howard Quednau took over for Carole on her sabbatical, adding his wisdom and long teaching experience with young studio artists. Carole also accomplished the key move from the MCAD building to the Whittier building for the program. This was important: the program’s studios had been enmeshed with the undergraduate studios, and there had been various reports of undergraduate resentment toward the interlopers on “their turf.” The move to separate studios in the Whittier building meant improved studios in space and function, a gallery of our own, and most importantly, coalescing an intimate sense of community, which has been understood as a key to the success of the program. I was privileged to work with my first mentee during this period, in the extraordinary person of Neil Johnston, painter and performer in the Irish band, The Tim Malloys. Working with mentees in these early days, was an exploratory experience, as there was not a lot beyond the literal meaning of the term “mentor” to go on in terms of structure and processes. So, through time and practice, we mentors learned to become critics, colleagues, instructors, supporters, assistant installers, and friends to our mentees. Along the way, we learned through joint research and exploration of mentee work to be better artists and thinkers ourselves, which actually was an added benefit and a part of the secret success of this program. Neil was and still is, a brilliant artist who is now a Professor of Art at Century College—and still a good friend, as I am with virtually all my past mentees. After Carole, Rik Sferra once again was called into service as the next director. He refined the mentor program, which focused on the relationship between vi
student and mentor as the pivotal center of the graduate experience for a very broad
range of artists and designers. It allowed for the focus of the student progression to be anchored around the studio practice, with possible courses at MCAD and at other institutions, but most essentially structured on the deepest aspect of learning emerging from within the making of work, and the critical but supportive discussions with the mentor. Vince Leo took the helm after Rik, bringing a tight organization and needed improvements as the program had matured. Vince solidified the role of the MFA Committee member, with key interventions in the admissions evaluations. After Vince Leo, Tom Debiaso took over the directorship. At that time, both Tom and I began to have a series of picnics and BBQ parties in our backyards: Tom in the fall, and me in the spring. These parties proved valuable in bringing the new “first years” into an immediate welcoming community with the graduate program, and accelerated the process of community-building for all of the students, but especially for the foreign students, of which we have luckily always had in abundance. After several years, as our lease was ending, Tom arranged for another move to a building that had been a Catholic school near MCAD, and is currently owned by the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Time, once again being of-the-essence, he oversaw the redesign of the spaces from a Catholic school to a set of studios, work rooms, classroom, offices, and a gallery. Once the construction was finished, the excellent MCAD Facilities department quickly and efficiently shifted the studios from the Whittier to the new digs, and we were ready for the fall semester. The timing was tight and the job difficult, but Tom’s diligence and warm affability got everyone through without much ado. During his time as director, Tom—with the MFA Committee—also polished and revised the Liberal Arts curriculum for relevance and theory, revised and solidified the Mid-Program Reviews and the Thesis Presentations and Evaluations, improved the admissions process, and sought outside grants and residencies for the students. Then, two years ago, Tom decided to retire. But the relationships he built are still active, as is he. We created a Search committee, and had some really excellent candidates to choose from, but we finally chose our current director, Ellen Mueller. Energetic, charismatic, fun, and very organized; she took the wheel and immediately began to break ground in terms of our national and international profile. She streamlined courses and practices, got the Committee out on the road for Admission Fairs, and consequently, we currently have nearly doubled our usual amount of submissions for this next year. We have confidence that her directorship will help us to refine and innovate an already vivid and healthy program. Each director, each mentor and mentee, each visiting artist and critic, have all vii
in their time in the program, added significantly to the graduate program, expanding
constantly the reach and richness of its ever-changing experience and expression. In recognizing this unique program’s compelling aspects and “history,” we all continue – even as we silver-backs step back from the fray – to support and acknowledge all of us that have been part of the program, and all that will appear in the future as part of this extraordinary tightly bonded community. I feel deeply grateful for this rare experience and the part I was privileged to play in it.
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TOM DEBIASO
Reflections from the Founder Tom’s remarks are taken from a conversation with the MCAD communications team on January 28, 2020, and have been edited for clarity.
In 1993, President John Slorp came to me and said “every good art school absolutely has to have a graduate program, and I want you to put it together.” As I started working, core fundamentals came forward: it would be based on making, interdisciplinary in nature, student-centered, mentor-driven, supported by critique seminars and liberal arts courses. Students would excel in creative practice, would learn to write well, and graduate able to speak in a clear and thoughtful manner about their own work. It was on these tenants the Master of Fine Arts in Visual Studies came to life. I did a lot of recruiting that first year and we filled the program immediately with twenty-five students, from our area and across the country. It seemed that we filled a vacuum that reflected a need in creative graduate education because, boom, we were full. We had graphic design, photography, illustration, filmmaking, painting, cross-disciplinary practice, sculpture, drawing–all these areas were present in the first class. At our initial intake, faculty were going through this flood of applications, and the level of discourse was incredibly exciting: teachers wanted these students, they had great ideas about what the students might do at MCAD. Faculty understood it right away and were very supportive of the initiative. It enlivened all of us and the ix
college as a whole.
It was in that moment that I knew this was something special for MCAD, with not only a high standard of creative graduate education, but great heart and a liveliness. We were going to have an MFA program, it was going to be successful, it was going to be forward-looking. Students responded to and understood the unique qualities of this vision. When I designed the program, I tried to get as much information as I could from faculty, the field, and others. I developed ideas, but I never really knew if it would work until the students were in the studios with their mentors, taking the courses, moving through the mid-program and thesis reviews, and participating in the creative community that was uniquely ours. The outcome was beyond expectations, because of the talented and dedicated faculty, staff, and students. I mentored in the program the first year and then I taught critique seminars almost every year following. I found that it was a special academic environment that was very different from anything else I had been involved in. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, it stretched me and the students. We were required to reach beyond our comfort zones. It was an ongoing robust creative engagement centered around student practice, around the act of making. Graduates were leaving the college with a relevant and unique creative education that has served them well in their careers. About six years ago Karen invited me to lunch. I thought “is she going to fire me?� but she asked me to take the program on as director, and the minute she said that I knew what I would accept and exactly where I wanted to take the program. Those six years as director were incredibly exciting and dynamic and I will be forever grateful for that opportunity to lead the program and to work with the many incredibly talented students, mentors, faculty, and staff. As for the future, that’s an interesting question. The model continues to be right for our time: everyone is talking about working across disciplines, and we have twenty-five years of graduate educational experience, creative practice, and successful graduates. I think the program is solid and positioned well, and I also think it could adapt and change in many ways. Whether you call it relevant, meaningful, or culturally and socially aware, an art and design practice and education should always adapt and grow. The program reflects these values and has an authenticity about it that rings true. MCAD, its faculty, and its students are capable and smart enough to always listen and do whatever it takes to continue this very special MFA program. This dedication will ensure the ongoing success of the program and our very special alumni. x
PIOTR SZYHALSKI
Interdisciplinarity and Mentorship Piotr’s remarks are taken from a conversation with the MCAD communications team on March 5, 2020, and have been edited for clarity.
Because I have been at MCAD for so long, I was here at the inception of the MFA program. I remember the very beginning of the conversations about whether we should have one, if we do, how should we implement it, what should the program’s unique profile be... So, I guess you could say that I have history with the program. Since I remember the conversations at the beginning, I must have been part of those conversations somehow. Then I was basically always a mentor, and I did teach a whole number of the graduate critique seminars over the years, more than I can count. My own work is–I would say–quintessentially interdisciplinary, so the notion of the program having that kind of identity from the get-go was not only an attractive point for me but an important one. Whatever word you want to use these days– whether it's interdisciplinary, multi-disciplinary, hybrid practice, maybe in the early days “unconventional”–it’s a way of working that specifically looks more at spaces between particular media rather than being defined by a choice of singular material, media, or format. I’ve always gravitated toward that kind of exploration myself, so I feel that’s the language I understand and can speak. In addition to this notion that we are modeling a very contemporary kind of art practice, I would say the unique mentorship profile of the program is something xi
I really valued from the very beginning. The ability to work one-on-one with a fellow
artist for two years is the kind of dynamic that I wish I could have with every student in the undergrad program. I’m not sure how that would work institutionally or structurally, but it does work that way in the MFA context, and it is a kind of relationship that you just don’t get to develop anywhere else. Working with those fellow artists in the current moment is amazing, but it also means those relationships persist way beyond the two years. I’m in active contact with many of my mentees who graduated years–I can actually say decades–ago. That’s just incredible. Not only does the program have this unique format and identity, but it also is small enough and–with Ellen in the leadership position right now–it has nimbleness and flexibility. That means it can adapt to changing landscape quickly and in a meaningful way. It’s very difficult to think of deep structural changes in the undergrad program that has hundreds or thousands of students, but in the small sort of autonomous structure that our MFA program is, that flexibility is very real. So my hope for the future is that the program retains and really takes advantage of that nimbleness and flexibility and continues to adapt to the changing circumstances in the future.
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KAREN WIRTH
MFA Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Statement
I am honored to have been part of the MFA program at MCAD since its inception twenty-five years ago–as a mentor, then as an administrator, and always as a supporter. From the beginning, the program was built around a structure and curriculum that not only allowed for but encouraged idiosyncrasy. Each student defines and confirms a practice through conversation and critique, instruction and provocation, trial and error. While that is the goal of any graduate program, it is the strength of the mentorship that propels this program. I have served as a mentor five times; each experience has been radically different, but all have been a reciprocal teaching and learning relationship. From the sculptor whose work advanced from constructed object to atmospheric installation, to the photographer and printmaker who both opened their practices to community engagement, the transformations evolved from acts of shared discovery. Readings, guided questions, prompts, entanglements, doubts, and challenges all contribute to a rich and dynamic working relationship. The critical and conceptual space that is traveled in less than two years can be breathtaking. Over those twenty-five years, each director has consistently brought passion to their work. Each one had a separate vision, with an additive effect that has xiii
enriched the program and the student experience with every iteration. Throughout,
students grow in their professional development and commitment to their art and design practices. They work within a community that both supports and challenges to ensure their growth. They have formed their own communities that continue long after their time at MCAD. They become leaders and change agents that affect the next generation of artists and designers. That dynamic cycle is one of the wonders of education, and I look forward to the growth that will come from our next generations.
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RIK SFERRA
Okay Kids, Here's the Deal...
As we celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design MFA program, let’s just admit that twenty-five years is a small fraction of MCAD’s total existence. And compared to other established MFA programs such as Cranbrook or SAIC or RISD we’re talking embryonic. So, a little perspective is in order. The MFA Program has been around long enough to survive five MCAD presidents and six MFA Program Directors (ten if you count sabbatical replacements and repeat appointments). Remember the early years when so many of you were instrumental in scraping encrusted lye off the floor of the newly established Soap Factory so the place was presentable enough for your thesis exhibitions? Survived that too. Not the cleaning, the whole existence of the Soap Factory! The MFA Program has outlived so many Apple operating systems, the only use for the award winning MFA CD-ROM–pioneered by Britta Boland and Michael Craig and showcasing smart, dedicated testimonials for the program from classmates–is as a drink coaster. The program has survived twenty-five long Minnesota winters and winter seemed even longer at the Whittier Studios because there were no windows and even less heat. Yeah, I know. Gross exaggeration. But thanks to events such as Vadim Gershxv
man and Casey Opstad’s Room Therapy Beach Party, you found ways to cope and thrive.
In twenty-five years, by my unofficial count, program alum have been awarded eleven Jerome Artist Fellowship, nine McKnight Artist Fellowships, five McKnight Photography Fellowships, two Joan Mitchell MFA Artist Grants and fifty-seven Minnesota State Arts Board Grants. Hell, the program has been around so long that some of the early alums have already retired– not resigned, RETIRED–from their full-time teaching positions! This is just what comes to mind. Tip of the iceberg stuff. I’m proud of you all! Rik Sferra, Two-time MCAD Graduate Program Director
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Then Now
1995
Selected Works Classes of 1995–2000
Keith Christensen ’95
T H E N
Dialogue Learning Game Screenprint 50" x 40" 1995
Game project design for several sites including St. Cloud State University. The process involved meeting with local residents, using their words in the piece.
4
http://kc.ampmpls.com
N O W
Game Turn; Learning from the Minneapolis Truckers' Strike of 1934 Mixed media Installation game board 5' x 4' 2017
The 1934 strike provides historical information as well as timely lessons for today. The project is installed at the East Side Freedom Library, St. Paul. It includes the game board, flags, maps, book, and game components.
5
Marty Nash ’96
T H E N
Lighter Acrylic on canvas 44" x 58" 1996
I create in the moment of action that brings together selected forms— sometimes literal, sometimes not. The shapes are not totally invented, but are interpretations of the whole or parts of shapes that have elicited a visceral response. It is essential that there not be much of a plan; that the forms, colors, line—evolve in moments removed from a self6
conscious awareness of meaning or intent.
http://formandcontent.org/
N O W
Dangerous Recurrances Acrylic on rag board 40" x 32" 2019
This current work references my ongoing interest in using like shapes, colors and textures, derived from favorite objects and images, pieced together to create a personal, abstract image. Meaning is conveyed by the attention given to particulars of line, and the nuance of color or texture. Depending on the speed and layering implied in the application 7
of materials, each work reflects a particular sense of time and emotion.
Jill Odegaard ’96
T H E N
Between Two Points Paper pulp, pigment, waxed thread and charcoal 8' x 16' x 4' 1996
As a beginning exploration in handmade paper and installation, Between Two Points explored the tension created in the space as cast paper objects were clustered and suspended between two points.
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http://jillodegaard.com
N O W
Intervals Paper pulp, pigment and wire 22" x 45" x 10" 2019
Intervals explores notions of play, placement, and strategy as modules are stacked and assembled in an irregular grid formation.
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Michal Sagar ’96
T H E N
Trick or Treat Oil on canvas 48" x 36" 1994
Trick or Treat began in SF where I had lived for 21 years. I was taking photos on Halloween and realized that I had captured an image of children making a drug deal. This is the first piece I painted when I arrived at MCAD. In it I see the edge between child and adult, the fierceness of the games. 10
http://michalsagar.com
N O W
Inheritors Graphite, charcoal, conte, pastel, sand, pumice, wax, and oil paint on paper 40" x 60" 2018
In this work, I draw together remnants of history – artistic, social, personal – edging toward a new vision of untamed wildness.
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David Malcolm Scott ’98
T H E N
Mining the Prairie Watercolor, ink, pencil on paper scroll 12"x 32" 2014
Like many of my paintings since MCAD this is a watercolor scroll. I did a lot of scrolls, as well as smaller rectangular pieces, about the prairie and about the Twin Cities since I graduated. Like this, they were a mix of realism and abstraction. 12
http://instagram.com/david.m.scott.98/
N O W
After the Burn Too Watercolor and acrylic on paper 12" x 16" 2019
Two years ago I decided to go all abstract with my work. My paintings had always been a mix of abstraction and realism but over the years I found the realism part less and less appealing. Since making this decision I’ve felt looser and more energized about my work. 13
Santiago Cucullu ’99
T H E N
Double Loose Digital sketch for wall piece 1999
This work is from a slew of sketches I made for wall works, most were never realized, but this one was about a decade after it was made. I think though it can stand in for a lot of work I made during my time in the program. This image is an amalgamation of the memory of spray painting "loose" onto a back hoe and a punk show. 14
http://santiagocucullu.com http://vimeo.com/cuculluvideo http://instagram.com/santiago_cucullu/
N O W
Seed of Nijinsky Xerox and glazed earthenware vessels 175" x 131" 2019
My friend Dawse Hollywood named this work and the overall work traces the biography of the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. Each vessel has several titles, one for each side: Early Ballet Days/Rites of Spring, En Pointe, Broken French and Mime/Scheherazade Orgy Scene, Nervous Breakdown/Recovery in St. Moritz, Switzerland Diary/Bellevue—a humane and luxurious establishment, and 15
Dancing, Drinking and Laughing with Russian Soldiers.
Christiane Grauert ’99
T H E N
New Year's Card Silkscreen print on index card 4" x 6" 1998
Searching for images from my graduate studies time, I came across this small silk-screen printed new year’s card design. I found that after 20 years it still summarizes perfectly to my fascination with folded paper and the printed page. 16
http://christiane-grauert.com
N O W
Advent calendar "Library" Folded and die-cut offset print 8.25" x approx. 16" x approx. 7" 2019
The Library advent calendar is the latest model in an ongoing practice of designing, paper-engineering, and illustrating whimsical and contemporary adaptions of a beloved German holiday tradition in which 24 windows reveal a daily surprise in the counting down towards Christmas day. 17
Mark Piotrowski ’99
T H E N
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WEB Oil on Canvas 56" x 62" 1998
http://instagram.com/markedart http://facebook.com/markedarts http://facebook.com/markpiotrowski
N O W
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Cycle_RE_Cycle Enamel on Shaped Aluminum approx. 36" x 36" 2019
Karen Searle ’99
T H E N
Body Bag Handspinning, crochet, cast paper 14" x 9" x 8" 1998
Body Bag is a "book" sculpture created with "women's work"– spinning and crochet. It is lined with paper pulp and filled with cast paper "body parts." Each ‘part’ is labeled with a number and title—an adjective used by men to describe women. These 'parts' can be extracted and ‘read.’ 20
http://karensearle.com
N O W
InVested Cut and shredded currency 24" x 18" x 8" 2016
In much of my work I seek new uses and value for discarded materials as I strive to integrate material, form, and content. Incorporating legally shredded currency into a hog gut garment reflects on the visceral relationship that many of us have with money and its control over our lives. 21
Cherith Lundin ’00
T H E N
22
Enter Oil on canvas 60" x 66" 2000
http://cherithlundin.com
N O W
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Borrowed Light Spray paint on gallery walls 10' x 20' 2018
Submissions 1995–2000 a
b
c
24
d
e
f
a. Jenny Jenkins ’00 b. Jenny Jenkins ’00 c. Alice Fjelstul ’96 d. Jane Powers ’98 e. Jane Powers ’98 f. Lucy Mink ’95
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2001
Selected Works Classes of 2001–2005
Stephanie Molstre-Kotz ’01
T H E N
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Before the Rabbit Foot Mixed media 4' x 6' 2000
http://stephaniemolstrekotz.com http://instagram.com/stephanie_mk
N O W
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Cause Walk Mixed media on paper 42" x 32" 2017
Hend Al-Mansour ’02
T H E N
Identity7 Oil on paper 24" x 120" 2001
10 quick paintings: an assignment of the class "Women's Art Institute."
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http://hendalmansour.com
N O W
Henna Sky Digital drawing Dimensions variable 2019
A crowd of ancient Medinite women and girls gathering in the town square. They are excited to greet Muhammed as he Immigrated from Mecca. His face appears in the sky surrounded by halos of henna design. In Islamic history this event marks the beginning of the Hijri calendar. 31
Xinran Hu ’02
T H E N
Thousands of Years of Time and Space (4-in-1 poster for Beijing 2008 Olympics) Paper 80" x 80" 2002
This 4-in-1 poster design for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing introduces an Eastern city to a Western audience who would visit Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. The idea was to use the Beijing City Axis as a guideline to introduce the city’s culture. Some of the most notable landmarks from the 10th to 21st century are located on the City Axis, lining up like pearls on a string. This project won the AIGA Culture in Design Competition Award. 32
http://xinrandesign.com/ http://linkedin.com/in/xinran-hu-b584b316/
N O W
Gestalt Theory in the Art of Chinese Cut-Paper - An Old Form with a New Perspective Paper 10.25" x 7.25" x 0.375" 2008
The book uses Gestalt theory to analyze cut-paper to prove that human beings share visual perception despite cultural differences. Gestalt principles occur widely in Chinese cut-paper, a folk art with a thousand years of history, even though Chinese folk artists knew nothing of Gestalt theory. This bilingual book was published in 2008 in China and won Print magazine’s Regional Design Annual 2009 Excellence Award. 33
The project was sponsored by a Lilly Research Fellowship.
Tyler Page ’02
T H E N
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Pages 2-3 from Stylish Vittles: Fare Thee Well Ink 15" x 11.7" 2003
http://stylishvittles.com http://instagram.com/tylerpage12
N O W
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Page 226 from Raised on Ritalin Ink and Photoshop 6" x 9" 2016
Jason Hicks ’03
T H E N
Selections from my Graduate Thesis Exhibition Mixed Media works, ceramics, metal works, wood works One Gallery Full, Large Mayfly Sculpture 30' 2003
My work reflects my appreciation for the value of discarded things that might still have beauty. Our natural environment is in a clash with man made waste. I explore these issues with my work, in hopes to inspire others to look for a reclaimed value and beauty in all things. 36
jasonhicksart@gmail.com
N O W
Frontier Pediatric Clinic Installation, origami paper cranes, mural Two suspended installations 32' x 7' x 3' 2018
This was a collaborative venture between a new clinic and Xavier Charter School art students. Students submitted 16"x 20" paper works concerning the theme "What Idaho Means to You." Students help construct and install 1,000+ paper cranes over head and I was asked to design and paint a mural revealing Idaho native animals for 37
youngsters to find.
Ulana Zahajkewycz ’03
T H E N
Thug Lunch Gouache on watercolor paper 11" x 14" 2002
This image was part of a series about lunch. In 2003, Thug Lunch was chosen by a jury to appear on the American Illustration website.
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http://ulanaland.com
N O W
Kitchen Table cover art Ink on paper, colored digitally. 8" x 10" 2019
This art was created for volume two of the culinary magazine Kitchen Table. Though the artwork was edited and published in a less complete manner, it did appear on the front and back of the cover, and on several interior pages. The Sketch Club honored this work with an editorial award at Phillustration 2019. 39
Jason Alger ’04
T H E N
Graduate Thesis: Input Photographic documentation of two-part installation and interactive interface. Dimensions variable 2004
My graduate thesis was about the bridging of analog (print) and digital (interface) design. Input:Output was an interactive system that allowed participants to the 2004 Graduate Thesis Exhibition to design and print a catalog based on their particular preferences. 40
http://jasonalger.com
N O W
Ps.048 Digital print 16.5" x 11.7" 2017
Ps.048 is one of nearly 80 pieces that I created during my first sabbatical. As an exploration of the "space between words, their meaning, and their form," the project used the Psalms as content. Each piece is a reflection of cognitive and associative research. The project is on-going. (The background and color panels in this piece are left-over process from MCAD!) 41
Michael Banning ’04
T H E N
Sunlight on Toile Oil on canvas 72" x 66" 2004
This painting, Sunlight on Toile, was part of my MFA Thesis Exhibition and represented my interest in the imagery of architectural interiors as metaphor of self. The painting was created through projecting a wall paper pattern onto the canvas, then tracing it. The imagery of the windows happened by accident when the sunlight illuminated the surface of the painting while it was propped against a wall in my studio. I then recreated 42
the illusion of this light by glazing the shadow over the rest of the painting.
http://michaelbanning.com http://instagram.com/michaelbanningartist
N O W
Edward Hopper's "Sunlight in and Empty Room" Projected over a Model of his Boyhood Bedroom Oil on panel 16" x 19" 2019
This painting was part of a research project focused on visualizing the affinities between two historical painters of interiors: Edward Hopper and Vilhelm Hammershøi. The painting was created through a process that involved projecting an image of a historical painting over a scale model I built of the artist's room. I then used a photograph of this layered imagery as the source material for the painting. 43
Betni Kalk ’05
T H E N
It's Complicated Exterior Acrylic 2005
During a return visit to Wabualu, I looked into out into the rainforest and made a continuous-line pen drawing and then added watercolor. A couple years later I made this into a design for fabric and also had it laser-cut to create this piece. It is essentially an image of home for me. 44
http://b-e-t-n-i.com http://instagram.com/betni
N O W
Takes...a community to make a difference Exterior latex acrylic 18' x 75' 2015
I was commissioned by and collaborated with Union for Contemporary Art to paint this mural for Prospect Village’s Neighborhood Association, who gave ideas for subject matter, text, imagery, and colors. People voted online for their favorite color combinations and participated in multiple community paint days. I completed it with Union staff and artist volunteers. 45
Steve Stenzel ’05
T H E N
46
Luthern Church Being Moved Epson print 2005 25" x 35"
http://cargocollective.com/stevestenzel http://instagram.com/photostenzel/
N O W
47
Flooded Harriet Island Epson Print 30' x 40' 2016
Submissions 2001–2005 a
b
c
d
48
e
f
g
h
a. Iggy Beerbower ’02 b. Iggy Beerbower ’02 c. Autumn Kirby ’03 d. Autumn Kirby ’03 e. Luke Burgdorf ’04 f. Seamus Leonard ’04 g. Seamus Leonard ’04 h. Steven Tamminga ’05
49
2006
Selected Works Classes of 2006–2010
Laura Andrews ’06
T H E N
Parking Lot Oil on canvas 30" x 24" 2006
This painting was from a larger piece containing multiple landscape paintings of different locations that were installed edge to edge titled "Terra Incognita." I was inspired by James Benning's California Trilogy and his use of still shots that abut each other. I wanted to explore the painterly tropes of landscape in a similar way. 52
http://laurandrews.com Social: @phouka1477
N O W
Untitled Oil on canvas 36" x 36" 2019
Untitled was painted from layered video stills of my grandfather's defunct treefarm. I sought out imagery that lacked clear indications of space or featured ambiguous depth cues as a way of evoking a dream space, a meditative space or a magic space – as opposed to landscape as a commodity. 53
Ed Charbonneau ’06
T H E N
10 October 2004 Acrylic on canvas 132" x 90" 2004
While in the MCAD MFA program, I made a series of large-scale paintings that occupied entire galleries and were shown leaning against walls to activate the critique spaces. These were my first forays into using materials and techniques such as acrylic transfers, stencils, and inviting chance into my painting process. 54
http://edcharbonneau.com/ http://charbonneauandszopinski.com/
N O W
Circles in Blue #1 Oil on canvas 87" x 75" 2019
Circles in Blue #1 is a recent painting which is part of a larger series that I call Unusual Landscapes. I form patterns of geometric shapes within fields of organic, and somewhat randomly applied forms and textures, to abstractly represent elements such as the sky or the surface of water. 55
Emmett Ramstad ’07
T H E N
56
Sheddings Handmade flax paper, cotton thread Dimensions variable 2007
http://www.emmettramstad.com
N O W
57
Escape to the Country Dropped ceiling, cumulous I and II light panels, bench, fluorescent lights Dimensions variable 2018
Gregory Euclide ’08
T H E N
58
From This Distance Sound Pearls Acrylic and pencil on paper 48" x 48" 2007
http://gregoryeuclide.com
N O W
59
The Cartography of Knowing Acrylic, cigarette butts, found foam, handmade diorama elements, paper, pen, pencil 24" x 18" 2019
Teri Fullerton ’08
T H E N
60
Military Families, Molokai Photography 30" x 40" 2007
http://terifullerton.com
N O W
61
that has been Photography 30" x 40" 2019
Noelle McCleaf ’08
T H E N
Swing, from the series Convergence (2006-2008) Archival Pigmented Print 20" x 24" 2008
Autobiographical narratives derived from the time of transition from childhood to adulthood, serve as a catalyst for my photographs. They reflect vivid recollections that through the passage of time have become fragmented and warped. In re-remembering and re-evaluating situations of high personal impact, the perspective and characters are always in flux, but the elevated level of tension and lack of control persists. As the lines between adult and child remain indistinct, we are left with a woman on the edge of a nervous breakdown, troubled by her tumultuous past. Only 62
through their convergence can she assimilate her multiple realities.
http://noellemccleaf.com Social: @noellemccleaf
N O W
Owl Mask, from the series Evie Lou and Laura Jane (2012-2016) Archival Pigmented Print 20" x 24" 2016
Evie Lou and Laura Jane chronicles the stories and experiences between my mother (Evie Lou) and her best friend (Laura Jane). Evie Lou and Laura Jane signify an under-represented part of the American population: aging women full of wisdom, vibrance, and charisma. In documenting their mutual journey, I wish to share their stories, for they are the voices of the grandmothers, the medicine women, and the storytellers who deserve our attention.
63
Kelley A. Meister ’08
T H E N
Chalkboard Lectures Video still TRT: 00:04:34 2008
Throughout my MFA work, I cultivated the persona Charlay Bboots, a queer theorist, art historian, and advocate. Using performance and participatory engagement, Charlay questioned the structure, hierarchy, and imposition of the hetero-institution as it pertained to the work of an artist singled out from hir queer artistic community. 64
http://kelleymeister.com
N O W
Atomic Tourist: Trinity Digital photo (photo made in collaboration with Jaffa Aharonov) 36" x 48" 2018
The use of performance and participatory engagement continues in my work today. This photo is from the Atomic Tourist photo series. The work investigates how humans interact with the landscape through the mechanism of tourism and how our society uses tourism to reckon with the shadier parts of our history. 65
Terrence Campagna ’09
T H E N
Spandrel (Leslie, MI to Hastings, MI) Found paper, Styrofoam, and plastic (throwaway materials gathered on collection-walks) 96" x 80" x 5" 2009
Spandrel is one of a series of wall-hangings that emerged from a crosscountry collection trip I made from Ann Arbor, MI to Minneapolis, MN. Throwaway materials gathered in Ann Arbor, on the walking route, and during hundreds of walks in Minneapolis were used to build the works. 66
http://terrencecampagna.com Social: @terrence_campagna
N O W
Beauty is a (Reedsburg, Found wood, 57" x 58" x 2019
heart that generates love WI/Ann Arbor, MI) painted pine and poplar. 3.5"
This work is part of a series of wall hangings that emerged from collection trips I made between 2010 - 2019. I focused on gathering wood materials from places where I lived. Sources ranged from landscaping and constructions sites where I worked to resale shops and local lumber yards, among others. 67
Lyz Wendland ’09
T H E N
Install shot of untitled from MFA group show at Chambers Burnett Gallery Fabric, thread 8' x 8' x 2" 2008
This was an iteration of an installation I had displayed at several locations my during my last year at MCAD.
68
http://lyzwendland.com
N O W
Paradox, Part 1 Acrylic, gouache, wax pastel, paper, duralar 12' x 7' x 1" 2019
Geometric and organic shapes collide together, slowly commenting on the dichotomy of architecture and nature. This piece sets up conflicts between contradictory shapes, organic and manipulated, encouraging an encounter and awareness to these relationships in our everyday landscape. 69
Amanda Lovelee ’10
T H E N
70
Manual on How to Connect Book 4.7" x 4.7" 2010
http://amandalovelee.com
N O W
Pop Up Meeting Truck, cart, popsicles Dimensions variable 2015
Pop Up Meeting seeks to increase diversity and participation in Saint Paul’s urban planning process. From an artistically retrofitted city truck, Pop Up Meeting dynamically unfolds as St. Paul’s front porch to engage communities and customize civic meetings based on place and stakeholder needs. Pop Up Meeting visually and comprehensibly shares the ideas and responses of community members. In exchange for their thoughts, survey responses, or handwritten love letters to the city, participants will receive a locally made St. Pops ice pop from the brightly designed truck. Through playful engagement, Pop Up Meeting brings the city to the people and creatively invite residents 71
into community conversations.
Submissions 2006–2010 a.
b.
e.
f.
c.
d.
h. g.
j.
l.
i.
k.
o. q.
n.
r. p.
72
m.
t.
s.
u.
v. w.
x.
y.
z.
aa. bb.
cc.
a. Heidi Grass ’06
k. Kate Yüksel ’07
u. Aron Taylor ’09
b. Heidi Grass ’06
l. Betsy Ruth Byers ’08
v. Aron Taylor ’09
c. Alison Nowak ’06
m. Betsy Ruth Byers ’08
w. Kristie Frudden ’08
d. Mari Richards ’06
n. Molly Scranton ’07
x. Kristie Frudden ’08
e. Mari Richards ’06
o. Molly Scranton ’07
y. Nathan Lewis ’08
f. Erika Ritzel ’06
p. Melissa Wagner-Lawler ’07
z. Josh Quigley ’08
g. Michael R. Smith ’06
q. Elissa Cedarleaf Dahl ’07
aa. Mike Sgier ’08
h. Michael R. Smith ’06
r. Elissa Cedarleaf Dahl ’07
bb. Amy Dekker ’10
i. Beth Peck ’07
s. Christine Huck ’09
cc. Amy Dekker ’10
j. Beth Peck ’07
t. Christine Huck ’09
73
2011
Selected Works Classes of 2011–2015
Luke Ellison ’12
T H E N
76
Unlevel Floorboards Watercolor 24" x 24" x 2" 2011
http://lukeellison.com
N O W
77
O Andarilho Watercolor, acrylic, and ink 17" x 11" 2020
Kyle Harabedian ’13
T H E N
78
Kamen Rider Oil on canvas 30" x 20" x 1" 2012
http://www.kyleharabedian.com
N O W
79
Winter in Minnepolis Pen and ink and digital color 6.25" x 9.5" 2020
John C.S. Keston ’13
T H E N
Post-Prepared Piano John C.S. Keston and Piotr Szyhalski Sound, Spectral analysis, inkjet print, tarpaper, nails, string 2013
Post-Prepared Piano is an exploration of non-musical processes as methods in constructing new sounds. By juxtaposing virtuosic piano performance with the crudeness of hammering nearly 800 nails, a vast territory of what may be considered artistic practice is outlined. A short piece composed and performed by Keston is converted into a spectral analysis digital image that visualizes the timbre, transients, frequency, and amplitude of the recording. The digital print of that process constitutes the upper half of the installation. This visual record of musical performance is then manually mapped by Szyhalski and re-rendered on the gallery wall through a labor intensive process of materializing multiple, individual frequency bands. The new object is 80
then photographed and converted back into sound.
http://johnkeston.com http://audiocookbook.org
N O W
http://soundsimulacra.org Social: @jkeston
Rain Audiovisual TRT: 00:04:50 2019
Rain is a new movement in a series of audiovisual compositions based on the idea of animated, generative, graphic scores. The visual part of the piece is meant to be read like music but without the use of key or time signatures. Each time the piece is played the visuals are regenerated, so it is never performed the same way twice. The musician may interpret the visuals in many ways. Lines are animated from the top of the screen to the bottom. Where the line appears horizontally is roughly regarded as pitch and as the line animates the sound is modulated. The lines also vary in weight. Heavier lines are louder and lower in pitch while thinner lines are quieter, generally higher. 81
Nicholas Kovatch ’13
T H E N
82
Axis Drywall, joint compound, wood, screws, paint 150" x 192" 2012
http://nicholaskovatch.com
N O W
83
Scorched Drywall, epoxy resin, joint compound, wood, screws, paint, wire cable Dimensions variable 2019
Kelli Nelson ’13
T H E N
Cursing or Forgiving Oil and oil pastel on wood panel 40" x 30" 2013
This painting was dedicated to my father, Jon, who passed away during my time in graduate school, and pays homage to one of his favorite musicians, John Hartford. The title borrow's lyrics from his endlessly covered song, Gentle on My Mind. 84
http://kellijnelson.com http://instagram.com/kellijnelson
N O W
First Touch Oil on canvas 48" x 48" 2019
First Touch alludes to Michelangelo's fresco painting, The Creation of Adam, but in an abstracted, inverted way. In this work, I revisited some of the linear and figural painting ideas I worked with in graduate school. I wanted to reclaim the joy I receive from gestural painting and to assert confidently my affinity toward working intuitively and the history of 85
painting without fear of relevance.
Peng Wu ’13
T H E N
Keys to Home Bronze casting 5" x 1" x 36" 2013
In 2013 I audited Don Myhre's Mixed Media class out of pure curiosity. Before I was mostly focusing on 2D comic drawing. Experimenting with 3D materials opens a new exciting way of telling stories. While being far away from home in China I am interested in the idea of home and sense of belonging. So I attempted to use the most laborious way - bronze casting - to make copies of the key to my apartment. More than 20 copies were made after a few months' attempts, none of which worked. It got a little closer in each attempt. 86
http://cargocollective.com/pengwu http://instagram.com/pen9wu
N O W
CarryOn Homes at the Commons Peng Wu, Shunjie Yong, Aki Shibata, Preston Drum, Zoe Cinel Mixed media 15' x 15' x 40' 2018
CarryOn Homes at The Commons was a multi-functional pavilion hosting the stories of immigrants in Minnesota, where individuals came together to explore the concept of home through community gatherings, workshops, live performances, and personal reflection. Home is a universal idea that transcends divisions by race, religion, gender identity, and class. At home, we belong, we feel safe, and we are loved. This interactive sculptural installation reimagined the home as an open structure. Walls disappear, while invitations to engage appear in the multiple forms of a stage, a colorful mural, a reflecting garden, a photo 87
gallery and a sculpture built from repurposed suitcases.
Wenwen Manfred ’14
N O W
Little Dream Chinese painting 24" x 22" 2019
It is an artwork to present a brother and sister's naive dream.
88
http://cargocollective.com/wliao
N O W
MY FRIEND Chinese painting 24" x 22" 2019
She is a warm, lovely, imaginational girl who is the friend of fish. She brings some much love and care about this little creature. The brush texture created a dreamlike scene with a girl and fish. They are happy and live in harmony. 89
Julie Van Grol ’14
T H E N
Cradling Puppet Dad Acrylic on board 18" x 24" 2012
This was painted at the end of my first semester in the grad program. My mentor gave me the intriguing prompt of building a story over an overheard conversation, which resulted in a series of illustrations about a fictional character who produced puppet shows about her parents' marriage. 90
http://julievangrol.com Social: @julievangrol
N O W
Do Clothes Make the Woman? Digital illustration 12" x 7" 2018
This was an illustration created for an article in Bradley University's magazine, in which a faculty member shared her research into the history of the plus-size fashion industry.
91
Xiao Hua Yang ’14
T H E N
Koi Fish Graphite and digital 13" x 15.8" 2013
A lucid dream of reality and imagination.
92
http://yxhart.me http://instagram.com/dawnwatch
N O W
Laundry Room Graphite and digital 12" x 19" 2018
A personal piece that depicts a magical moment in a laundromat in the city.
93
Ellie Gagner ’15
T H E N
The Crow Caller Mixed media 24" x 18" x 30" 2014
The Crow Caller is a Turntable-and-PA-speaker-rigged backpack with telescoping legs to enable mobile playing of 7" vinyl records. 1946 recording of crow calling instructions were used in a series of interactive/performance pieces. From a body of work exploring the social culture of crows, cyclical characteristics of nature, and 94
questioning human authority on the natural world.
http://instagram.com/elliegagner http://facebook.com/ellie.gagner
N O W
The Bog Blown and cast glass, cast bronze, steel, water, bog material Dimensions variable (36" x 76" x 42" as shown) 2015
This image shows the deconstruction of a wild cranberry bog. The bog matter and water is sealed in hand blown glass vessels that simultaneously serve as souvenirs of place and reference antique apothecary show globes. 95
Luisa Rivera ’15
T H E N
Fata Morgana Gouache, watercolor, and ink on paper 21.6" x 17.7" 2013
Fata Morgana is a painting I created for Flat World, the yearly international student exhibition in MCAD. In my opinion, a flat world is a state of mind where a certain reality is incomplete or avoided. Therefore, we become so focused or attached with a fragment that we forget how that affects the whole. 96
http://luisarivera.cl Social: @laluisarivera
N O W
Lush Essential Oils Campaign Dimensions variable 2018
Part of the Lush campaign on Essential Oils that I illustrated last year, which took center stage at Oxford Street store in London.
97
Submissions 2011–2015 a.
d.
b.
c.
e.
f.
g.
i. h.
j.
l. k. m.
98
n.
p.
o.
q. r.
s.
t.
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a. Galen David ’11
g. Li Zeng ’12
o. Shannon McCarthy ’13
b. Galen David ’11
h. Andrew Allison ’13
p. Shannon McCarthy ’13
c. Danielle Feliciano
i. Andrew Allison ’13
q. Katie Van Zante ’14
Wethington ’12
j. JeongHo Park ’13
r. Katie Van Zante ’14
d. Danielle Feliciano
k. Kate Thomas ’13
s. Lou Jiyun ’14
Wethington ’12
l. Kate Thomas ’13
t. Lou Jiyun ’14
e. Lea Sorrentino ’12
m. Mervy Pueblo ’13
u. Tianrui Zhang ’15
f. Li Zeng ’12
n. Mervy Pueblo ’13
99
2016
Selected Works Classes of 2016–2019
Julie ReneÊ Benda ’16 http://jreneebenda.com
N O W
Beaver of Fine Arts 2019 Originally published in McSweeney's Internet Tendency
A creatively unfulfilled beaver named Frank navigates the limitations of pond life and branches out into the arts community.
102
Anna Leigh Biedenbender ’16 http://annaleighbiedenbender.com http://instagram.com/a_bieds
N O W
While No One's Looking Oil on wood panel 36" x 36" x 2.5" 2019
I am interested in the human condition. Specifically, I question one’s ability to be vulnerable and empathetic with others. By dissolving the figure/ground relationship into a composition of gestural line and mark, there is a tension created between figuration and abstraction, and fluctuation between the ephemeral and the concrete. Through a process that includes part depiction, improvisation, and alteration, the 103
work hovers between clarity and obscurity.
Kelsey Bosch ’16 http://kelseybosch.com
N O W
Hyperbolic Soundscape Sound, spandex, Arduino, Max MSP, wood, PVC, flex sensors 120" x 360" x 312" 2017 photo credit Rik Sferra, Hyperbolic Soundscape was commissioned by Northern Lights.mn through the Art(ists) on the Verge 8 Fellowship, generously supported by the Jerome Foundation.
Hyperbolic Soundscape exaggerates the participants relationship to space, calling attention to how everyday sensory knowledge is constructed and dissolving the rigidity of assumed truth. The sound of a pane of glass cracking bends, flexing the once Euclidean plane into the malleable tension of a -bolic plane. Hyperbolic space is generative, forming as it happens in time. We cannot predict what will actually occur. As you move through the space and press against the walls, play 104
the sounds, you contribute to the creation of Hyperbolic Soundscape.
Preston Drum ’16 http://prestondrumstudios.com
N O W
X-Y Mixed Media Collaboration with Manar Zind, Curated by Essma Imady 2018
"Manar Zind and Preston Drum started by asking if a collaboration was even possible, when the artists are separated by both geography and native tongues. Aiming to create a piece that spoke for both of them as artists, Manar framed his vision and specified certain diameters, while Preston worked to realize Manar's vision without diverting from his own style and artistic aesthetic." - Essma Imady
105
Rob Gooding ’16 http://robjgooding.com
N O W
OneVillage Partners: One Vision: More Lives 00:08:22 2019
OneVillage Partners is a small NGO based in Sierra Leone. Their work focuses on community-led transformation that will improve the collective well-being of the village.
106
Alex Mitchell ’16 http://alex-mitchell-studio.com Social: @red_fathom
N O W
Lost and Found (page 1) Digital Comic 10.25" x 6.75" 2018
This is a concept for a comic that I first worked on while I was an MFA. I pulled it out again last year and took another shot at it with the advantage of a bit more experience and perspective. It's a true story in all the ways that count. 107
Niky Motekallem ’16 http://nikymotekallem.com http://instagram.com/royalghostmarch
N O W
108
A New Bed With Soil Softer than Cotton Gouache and pencil 11" x 10" 2018
Christopher Selleck ’16 http://christopherselleck.com
N O W
Light Leak #1(Fuck Me) and Light Leak #2 + Untitled Polymer Photogravure on Rives BFK and hand polished aluminum mounted on wall with tile board 24" x 18", 24" x 72" x 16" 2018
Having my sculptural work displayed with my Polymer photogravures as part of a survey of historic and regional queer work was beyond amazing. Having the work requested (instead of applying) and then being hung next to a Robert Mapplethorpe was also quite spectacular! 109
Dan Romanoski ’17 http://danromanoski.com http://instagram.com/danromanoski
N O W
Slow Pan Digital Print 18" x 24" 2020
A work in progress, started in 2018. Video and caption, interpreted as print.
110
Erin Sandsmark ’17 http://erinsandsmark.com http://instagram.com/erinsandsmark
N O W
Cassie Acrylic on Canvas 30" x 40" 2019
This painting is one of a larger series showcasing other women outside of my experience. Cassie is a painting showing the power of this incredible individual. Each painting I've made outside of MCAD has been geared toward the body, but channeling my energy to share different experiences. Cassie trusted me to create this painting, and share her honestly. This painting is 111
one of a collection of new works that aim to elevate the power of the feminine.
Suyao Tian ’17 http://instagram.com/suyaotian
N O W
Untitled Watercolor painting 22" x 30" 2019
My painting is to extract the fragments of memory and separate, reorganize, and integrate them. This process is my communication with them, and a process of self-release and expression. These peculiar images often appear in my memory, dreams and subconscious imaginations, so I use abstraction to catch a moment, feeling, and 112
unclear form when they appear in my mind.
Jacob Yeates ’17 http://jacobyeatesart.com http://instagram.com/anotherjacoby
N O W
Lone Wolves Study I Conte, graphite, digital collage, personal writing 22"x 17" 2019
Broadsheet visual essay featuring personal writing on shootings in the United States and their relationships with gendered violence and white supremacy
113
Jonathan Aller ’18 http://jonathanaller.com
N O W
Siempre en Movimiento Acrylic, latex paint, color pencils, markers, oil on canvas 30" x 40" 2017
This portrait was the beginning of self-exploration through iconographies and symbols. Synergizing two-dimensional flat shapes, saturated colors, and a naturalistic approach into one picture plane to convey the meaning of portraiture in contemporary times. 114
Sishir Bommakanti ’18 http://sishir.com
N O W
The Founder’s Void Manuscript, Chapter VIII: Tectonic Trespassing of Lesser Gods at the End of an Era Mixed Media on Paper 15" x 18" 2019
The Void Manuscript is a non-linear manuscript “written” visually to contain secrets, hidden dealings, corrupt acts, and demons. It was worshiped, analyzed and had fueled generations of worship over the mysterious authors of this book, The Founders. Like a lost language, each shape is a word, and each word reveals narratives. It’s true 115
intentions lost to time.
María José Castillo ’18 http://wordsareobjects.com
N O W
Alphabet of Minneapolis 2 Layer screenprint 12.75" x 9.5" 2019
For the summer of 2018, my project Alphabet of Minneapolis was selected for MCBA Collegiate Fellowship, and with the stipend received I’ve had the opportunity to develop my research of the vernacular signs of this city with the means to develop an alphabet with type found throughout the city. 116
Zoe Cinel ’18 http://mnartists.org/zoe-cinel
N O W
Earth Odyssey Body, Google Earth VR, astroturf, screenprinted mylar TRT: 05:00:00 2019
Now I am exploring these ideas mixing new media (Google Earth VR) and performance but I couldn't have arrived where I am right now with this research without the time, space, and generous feedbacks I received from the MFA community. 117
William Lining Jiang ’18 http://jianglining.com http://instagram.com/willj333
N O W
Recluse#24 Acrylic on canvas 30" x 36" 2019
I utilize the value of emptiness and stillness to visualize the invisible subtlety and emotion of the overlooked scenes of my life. My painting is a blended process of digital imagery, acrylic painting, tape, and airbrush painting. I conceal my base digital images with blurring and then juxtapose these with a flat neutral color that imitates the delicate 118
digital blur effect.
Georgia Peaches ’18 http://georgiapeachesart.com
N O W
Veronica Mixed Media 36” x 42” x 4” 2018
This is a piece from my thesis exhibition work. The themes and content are similar to that of Jodi, taken directly from a conversation with my friend Veronica. It is a celebration of her beauty and the complexity of her journey. 119
Shun Jie Yong ’18 http://shunjyong.com
N O W
Occupations Archival Injek Print 42" x 56" 2019
Occupations featured selected portraits from Yong’s Occupation series. This series, begun during Yong’s time in the MFA program at MCAD, is dedicated to collecting stories of immigrants and photographing them at their place of work in an effort to tell humancentered stories about displacement and identity. 120
Heather Lamanno ’19 http://heatherlamanno.com
N O W
121
PS. I Love You Rietveld Cast Concrete, acrylic paint, balsa wood, transparent tape Dimensions variable 2019
Submissions 2016–2019 a.
b.
c.
d.
g. f.
e.
j. h.
i.
l.
122
k.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
a. Andi Fink ’16
g. Joel Terry ’17
m. Xiaojie Liu ’18
b. Qiuwen Li ’16
h. Samantha Russell ’17
n. Libby Wiswall ’18
c. Aaron Olson ’17
i. Yijia Li ’17
o. Hallie Bahn ’19
d. Dana Koehler ’17
j. Rachael Bonebright ’18
p. Anika Schneider ’19
e. Heather Peebles ’17
k. Yuchen Zhang ’18
q. Clarissa Odin ’19
f. Jesse Lentz ’17
l. Sherry Muyuan He ’18
123
2020
25th Graduating Class Class of 2020
Camilo Aguirre ’20 http://camilo-aguirre.wixsite.com/comics
N O W
The Good Life Digital illustration 14" x 20" 2020
This project came from a research done through polls and interviews questioning the concept of life with dignity in different cultures, trying to approach a universal concept of good living and basic needs. This project was developed with Maria Jose Castillo. 126
Emma Beatrez ’20 http://emmabeatrez.com
N O W
127
Virgin Mary SnoCone Snow, ice, food coloring Edition of 11 2019
Yujie Cao ’20 http://yujiecao.com
N O W
Untitled Interactive 2019
I am interested in creating a new design language, with a method that combines the natural visual elements with the artificial elements of certain conditions: randomness and control.
128
Jiahao (Xavi) Chen ’20
N O W
Kinky Kylie 148 Projected installation and interactive performance 2019
I built an open space with four projections: three animated projections on the walls and one projection installed on the top of one wall to project images vertically onto the ground to make pathways. Then, I told people that this space is a maze, and allowed them to walk through the projected pathways and use chalk to mark everything they would like to draw on the ground, so that those marks could help them to remember 129
the way they passed.
Qian Chen ’20 http://qianchenart.com
N O W
Hello Digital print 12" x 12" 2019
This image is from a story about two people confronted with social identity issues. While coincidently walking into each other's worlds. They are faced with a strange new situation and unaccepting crowds. The idea is to compel readers to accept individual differences and no matter what situation you find yourself in, do not forget who you are. 130
Kendall Dickinson ’20 http://kendalldickinson.myportfolio.com http://instagram.com/kendallanndickinson
N O W
Relapse Prevention Razor blade, plastic case 7" x 8.5" x .5" 2019
Relapse prevention is a meditation on addiction and recovery. The offending object, a rusty razor blade, used often by those who engage with self-injurous behavior is obscured by by bright pink bubble-wrap. Once used for destruction, the razor blade is now safely encased, rendered unusable. However, it can be removed at any time, should 131
someone unzip the pink plastic case.
Harry Gao ’20 http://sunshine-gao.com
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for the first time (excerpt) Digitally printed comic book 6" x 9" 2019
It's a story about service industry camaraderie and the boundaries of personal responsibility, drawing heavily on my experiences as a line cook.
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Roshan Ganu ’20 http://instagram.com/blingalingthoughts
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Adult Decisions Stop Motion Animation TRT: 00:34:00 2019
This piece is an honest reflection about one aspect of adulthood: decision-making.
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Shirin Ghoraishi ’20 http://shiringhoraishi.wixsite.com/shiringhoraishi
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Dance to the rain Mixed media 2019
Dance to the rain is a participatory art experiment, exploring our perception of the space and challenging our senses exposed to virtual reality.
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Xingzi Liang ’20 http://xingziliang.com
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See Tea Lithography 2019
The brand content is about tea, especially tea of Oriental culture. She put Asian culture (Zen culture, wabi-sabi culture) into this brand. (The features of wabi-sabi include asymmetry, roughness or irregularity, simplicity, economy, modesty, intimacy and the display of the integrity of nature). Through the discussion between my tutor and myself, she wants to create a comfortable brand environment. To let people come to this tea shop and have a kind of relaxed feeling. See Tea brand slogan is, "Tomorrow is another day." My design uses seven elements (daily different) to convey this concept. The main 135
part of the brand content is the study of logos and the use of derivatives.
Molly Murakami ’20 http://mollymurakami.com
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Mountains (excerpt) 4.50" x 6" Digitally printed zine 2019
Mountains is an escapist narrative presented in a compact black and white zine.
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Lee Noble ’20 http://leenoble.rip
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Nora Spiekermann and Lee Noble Bauhaus100 Bonanza Show Variable 2019
Bauhaus100 Bonanza Show is a collaboratively-produced public access TV show and emancipatory art project which critiques the commodification of the Bauhaus style by reframing its legacy in terms of social functions rather than appearances; dispensing with the usual iconography and instead embracing the anti-aesthetic of public 137
access television.
Alonzo Pantoja ’20 http://alonzopantoja.com Social: @cilantro.cutie
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Promising Handweaving, dolly, wooden crate, reflective mylar Variable 2020
David Ruhlman ’20 http://davidruhlman.com Social: @david.ruhlman
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Untitled Taxidermy duck, wood, wax, and paint 6" x 12" 2018
Untitled reminds me of strange coincidences that happen during your MFA. I received the taxidermied duck in the mail without any name or information concerning the sender. The wax figure was given to me by a friend 20 years ago and had slowly melted. 139
Patrick Sexton ’20 http://patrick-sexton.com
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Baseball De_Evol_ution Inkjet Print 24" x 36" 2019
Baseball is a supremely weird sport. Baseball De_Evol_ution is a series of works that look inside of a game that does not make any sense and is a fascinating mediation on communication at its most absurd.
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Emma Shen ’20
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Beneath the Skin Hand cut on stonehange paper 75 x 100 cm 2019
The results of the adaption of light and space to my illustrations are shown in my work in these pieces. The relationship between nature and culture is the theme in this project. The first piece is focused on "human" identity, what being human means and the conflicting feelings we humans have toward civilization. While we are all animals, we humans force ourselves into civilization, we herd ourselves into cities – not necessarily happier, yet 141
somehow content in the houses and home we built.
Brad Thomas ’20 http://thomascontemporaryart.com http://instagram.com/thomascontemporary
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How to explain hares to a dead picture. Four-color print on hand-sculpted Sintra with acrylic and interference pigment 24" x 36" x 3" 2019
This work is based on a recent entry from one of my mixed-media artist's books. It references Joseph Beuys’ (German, 1921–1986) seminal 1965 “action” called How to Explain Paintings to a Dead Hare during which the artist tries to explain his art to a dead animal. By flipping the script, my work expresses the futility of explaining living 142
creatures to an inanimate object.
Dawn Yang ’20 http://dawnyang.squarespace.com
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Red Current digital print 25" x 25" 2019
As a female, I realize periods play an important role in females’ lives and really want to draw something about that. I even interviewed with some of my female friends about what do they feel about the period. Then I drew three illustrations in this series. 143
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this special book commemorating the 25th anniversary of the MCAD MFA Program. Thank you also to all the mentors, faculty, staff, alumni, current students, and community partners who have made these 25 years possible.
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Book designed by Aaron DeYoe ’10 and Patrick Sexton ’20
John Paskiewicz 2010 Timothy Baias • John Bell • Garrett Bergemann • Thomas Boyer • Adam Caillier Mary Davis • Amy Dekker • Aaron DeYoe • Megan Frauenhoffer • Sara Green • Chris Held • Amanda Lovelee Virginia Maki • Branden Martz • Lu Mulder • Nicholas Tews • Leo Winstead 2011 Robert Algeo • Shannon Brady Sarah Haig • Jessica Henderson • Graham Judd • Galen David (McDonald) • Levi Murphy • Mark O’Brien Casey Opstad • Rejena Smiley • Song Thao • Stuart Brown 2012 Bryan Clendenen • Sherri Days • Luke Ellison Danielle Feliciano Wethington • Vadim Gershman • Chungli Huang • Molly May • Greta McLain Jack (John) Pavlik • Kayla Plosz • Lindsey Ries • Nicole Sanders • Lea Devon Sorrentino • Lauren Thorson Amit Tishler • Brian Wiley • Li Zeng • Zhongze Lu 2013 Andrew Allison • Shannon Estlund • Beata Fleischmann Shannon Gilley • Kyle Harabedian • Ping Ji • John Keston • Nicholas Kovatch • Steven Listwon • Ziwei Liu Shannon McCarthy • Kelli Nelson • Arphathip Padhanarath • JeongHo Park • Ashely Peifer • Mervy Pueblo Adam Setala • Jan Stefanski • Kate Thomas • Daniel Wagner • Huan Wen • Lauren Wilcox • Peng Wu Kang Xu 2014 Allison Bolah • Sean Cairns • Zach Collins • Adam Hamilton • Christina Huang • Ning Kang Jackie Hy (HeeYun) Kim • Trevor Knott • Azisa Noor (Koesoema) • Sieng Lee • Jiyun Lou • Dennis Madamba Wenwen Manfred (Liao) • Alissa McCourt • Yihui Miao • Sreekishen Nair • Desiree (Tsu Chi) Niu Eric Syvertson • Julie Van Grol (Boehmer) • Kathryn Van Zante • Duoni Wang • Huiqian Wu Xiaohua Yang • Xuancheng Zhang • Kelsey Zigmund • Liyuan Tong 2015 Mengqian Chen • Ellen Gagner Timothy Hamilton • Jingchi Lu • Luisa Rivera Nahrwold • Jo (Yin) Yeh • Gabriel (Yihan) Zhang Tianrui Zhang • Wenyi Zhen 2016 Leslie Barlow • Julie Benda • Anna Leigh Biedenbender • John Bivens Kelsey Bosch • Allison Brown • Kayla Campbell • Siqi Cheng • Bradley Cook • Elizabeth Dorsey Preston Drum • Andi Fink • Robert Gooding • Cong Hu • Essma Imady • Rachel Jennings • Patience Lekien Qiuwen Li • Katherine Lupton • Mandy (Amanda) Martinson • John Matsunaga • Sarah McPherson Heidi Miller • Kathryn Miller • Alexander Mitchell • Niky (Saba) Motekallem • Amber Newman Nicholas Rivers • Christopher Selleck • Kristin Tipping • Eric Yevak • Sijia Zhang 2017 Dana Kristine Koehler (Cheit) Michaela Chorn • Bianca Jarvis • Jesse (Jessica) Lentz • Joe (Robert) Letchford • Yijia Li • Xiaohan Ma Shiraz (Mohammad) Mukarram • Aaron Olson-Reiners • Heather Peebles • Chelsea Reeck • Daniel Romanoski Samantha Russell • Erin Sandsmark • Coleton Seidl • Joel Terry • Suyao Tian • Jacob Yeates • Sihai Zhu 2018 Jonathan Aller • Sishirprithvi Bommakanti • Rachael Bonebright • Jodie Burke • Maria (Frankie) Castillo Ortega • Zoe Cinel • Sherry (Muyuan) He • Will (Lining) Jiang • Xiaojie Liu • Georgia Peaches Reza Nejati-Namin • Yuanzhou Qian • Binbin Shen • Alanna Stapleton • Jessica Welhaf • Libby Wiswall Shun Jie Yong • Yuchen Zhang 2019 Hallie Bahn • Cassandra Cook • Jennifer Jurgens • Heather Lamanno Donna Lynne Meyer • Clarissa Odin • Grace Olson • Anika Schneider • Yuta Uchida • Yi Wan • Joi Wenjin Yao Yijun (Simone) Zheng 2020 Camilo Aguirre • Emma Beatrez • Yujie Cao • Qian Chen • Xavi Jiahao Chen Kendall Dickinson • Roshan Ganu • Harry Gao • Shirin Ghoraishi • Xingzi Liang • Molly Murakami Lee Noble • Alonzo Pantoja • David Ruhlman • Patrick Sexton • Emma Shen • Brad Thomas • Dawn Yang
60 credits. 2 years. Unlimited possibilities.
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