AT MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, WE BELIEVE AN ARTIST’S LIFE CENTERS ON STUDIO PRACTICE. For us, the studio is both a public and private place where the artist undertakes research, collaboration, reflection, experimentation, and problem-solving in the process of creating and presenting meaningful artwork. Students learn that a lively and enduring studio practice will allow them to become creative agents in the world. Our curriculum supports the creative spirit and drive of our students, empowering them to become artists, global citizens, and entrepreneurs. A structured and sequenced program in visual language, academic studies, and public engagement, with opportunity to individualize, prepares students to transition into fulfilling and successful careers.
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BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS Maine College of Art & Design’s immersive, rigorous interdisciplinary approach to making work is informed by a strong foundation in the liberal arts and a deep commitment to a personal studio practice. We believe in holistic education. We will help you turn your passion into a transformative learning experience.
Piece by: Peter Dore ’17
LEARNING THROUGH TOTAL IMMERSION
At Maine College of Art & Design, we feel it is our obligation as teachers and fellow artists to introduce ideas and media you’ve never before considered. Even if you feel certain about your path, all artists benefit from a solid foundation, a healthy attitude toward experimentation, and a willingness to shake things up a bit. MECA.EDU/FOUNDATION
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YOU MIGHT BE PRETTY SURE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AS AN ARTIST. YOU MIGHT EVEN BE SURE WHICH MEDIUM YOU WILL BE WORKING IN FOR THE REST OF YOUR CAREER. THAT IS WHY WE FEEL IT IS OUR OBLIGATION AS TEACHERS AND FELLOW ARTISTS TO SHAKE THINGS UP A BIT AND INTRODUCE YOU TO MEDIUMS AND IDEAS YOU NEVER BEFORE CONSIDERED.
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1 Through the Portland Walking Library FY-In class, students explore the Portland cityscape and create DIY publications. 2 Installation of work by students in the War of the Worlds FY-In Honors class 3-4 Alexander Brooks (attended) ’15 5 Anatomical Drawing class 6 Installation of work by students in The Power of Adornment FY-In class
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LINKING RESEARCH WITH CREATIVE PRACTICE
Academic Studies at Maine College of Art & Design offers a dynamic interdisciplinary curriculum, with classes encompassing art history, media theory, cultural analysis, science, philosophy and critical theory. Our mission is to encourage future artists to engage in rigorous and expansive research, emphasizing the need to think in clear and creative ways, while exposing students to key concepts in the contemporary art world. Through Academic Studies, students will be inspired in a way that not only elevates and deepens studio practices—but life practices as well. MECA.EDU/ACADEMIC-STUDIES
GET YOURSELF OUT THERE
Almost every wall in our buildings provides you with an opportunity for showing work. We encourage our students to develop exhibition skills by displaying artwork throughout the year in spaces designed for 2D, 3D, and time-based work. Hanging paintings or photographs, installing a sculpture, participating in a performance art piece, or showing a video are just some of the many possibilities you can explore through exhibitions. Additionally, we give you with the opportunity to participate in campus-wide juried exhibitions in the Fall and Spring, and organize BFA thesis exhibitions that culminate student achievements while at Maine College of Art & Design.
ANIMATION & GAME ART
EXPLORE & DEVELOP SKILLS IN EMERGING MEDIA Animation & Game Art majors at Maine College of Art & Design develop a robust studio practice through analog and emerging media. By exploring the language and nuances of animated storytelling, students learn the tools and technologies of contemporary animation and game art production and develop expertise in industry-standard workflows.
Piece by: Finlay McCrea (attended) ’16
STUDENTS WILL STUDY HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ANIMATION, GAME ART, FILM, ART, AND STORYTELLING IN ORDER TO GAIN EXTENSIVE SKILLS IN HANDMADE AS WELL AS DIGITAL PRODUCTION METHODS.
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Piece by: Leanna Sullivan ’20
Piece by: Jessica Silvia ’20
ANIMATION & GAME ART
EXPERIMENT WITH A RANGE OF MATERIALS AND SKILLS
Maine College of Art & Design’s Ceramics Program offers a broad curriculum that embraces a range of formal principles from two- and three-dimensional design, as well as the concerns of sculptural and functional art making. Students learn about these complex relationships through introductory classes in throwing and handbuilding, as well as an extensive array of advanced ceramics electives that teach raku and soda firing, working with porcelain, slip casting, designing original tableware, creating sculptural works, and exploring experimental surfaces.
MECA.EDU/CERAMICS
Piece by: Emily Armstrong ’15
MAJORS WILL LEARN HOW TO FORMULATE THEIR OWN CLAY AND GLAZES, AS WELL AS OPERATE A VARIETY OF GAS AND ELECTRIC KILNS.
MECA.EDU/CERAMICS
Piece by: Paulina Zuckerman ’20
Piece by: Megan Foster ’15
Piece by: Iva Milovanovic ’16
THERE’S NO ONE WAY TO BE AN ARTIST Maine College of Art & Design students forge their own artistic paths in the world based on the dynamics of their work, studio practice, and interests. How will you and the world converge? Graphic Designer / Jeweller / Art Therapist / Game Designer / Storyboard Artist / Tattoo Artist / Film Editor / Museum Curator / Art Historian / Animator / Documentarian / Character Designer / Book Illustrator / Architect / Furniture Designer / Screenprinter / Industrial Designer / Textile Designer / Creative Director / Potter / Sculptor / Photojournalist / Stage Designer / Art Educator / Conservator / Art Director / Effects Animator / Creative Director / Fashion Designer / Print Technician / Artist Assistant / Product Designer / User Experience Designer / Preparator / Museum Registrar / Art Cataloger / Art Critic / Bookbinder / Film Director / Photographer / Fabricator / Muralist / Scene Painter / Master Printer / 3D Modeler / Studio Technician / Art Teacher / Costume Designer / Producer / Digital Painter / Fashion Illustrator / Comic Artist / Video Editor / Stop-Motion Animator / Typographer / Magazine Designer / Prop Master / Director of Photography / Artistic Director / Concept Artist / Set Decorator / Exhibitions Programmer / Operator / Color Specialist / Scenic Artist / Chief Creative Officer / Model Maker / Gallery Director / 3D Animation Archivist / Film Lighting Technician / Pattern Drafter / Motion Graphics Specialist / Painter / Public Artist / Community Arts Organizer / University Lecturer / Professor / Layout Artist / Programmer / Welder /
CERAMICS
UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF VISUAL LANGUAGE
In the Graphic Design Program, you’ll learn how to give your original ideas a compelling voice, how to analyze and understand your audience, and how to effectively use the visual languages of type and image to enhance meaning.
MECA.EDU/GRAPHICDESIGN
Piece by: Taylor K. Adams ’17
YOU’LL EXPLORE LETTERFORMS AND TYPOGRAPHY, DEVELOP EFFECTIVE DESIGN STRATEGIES, AND DELVE INTO INTERACTIVITY, WEBSITES, VIDEO, PUBLICATIONS, AND INFORMATION DESIGN— TECHNIQUES AND DESIGN PROCESSES THAT WILL EVOLVE INTO AN INDIVIDUAL APPROACH THAT WILL FORM THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.
MECA.EDU/GRAPHICDESIGN
Piece by: Abbie Labonville ’17
Piece by: Tyler Eldridge ’18
GRAPHIC DESIGN
IMMERSIVE REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE Maine College of Art & Design encourages students to participate in internships as a means of gaining industry experience and better understanding potential career paths. We are able to meet with each student individually to assess personal and professional goals. Based on a student’s interests, we work together to craft local, national, or international internship opportunities that explore creative possibilities in professional settings.
AN INTENSIVE COURSE OF STUDY THAT COMBINES ARTISTIC RIGOR WITH REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE. In the Illustration Program, you will use skills in observational and imaginative drawing to tell stories. Using drawing skills as a base, you will learn how to invent concepts, think critically, and develop a unique and personal style. In addition, you will study illustration history, theory, and professional practices. At the core of every illustration lives context and narrative. Whether in books or comics, magazines or advertising, animation or games, when there is a story to be told, a problem to be solved, or a point of view to be expressed, the illustrator provides the vision.
MECA.EDU/ILLUSTRATION
Piece by: Emily Hepler ’19
Piece by: Carla Nunez-Hernandez ’19
AT THE CORE OF EVERY ILLUSTRATION, WHETHER THERE IS A STORY TO BE TOLD, A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED, OR A POINT OF VIEW TO BE EXPRESSED, THE ILLUSTRATOR PROVIDES THE VISION.
MECA.EDU/ILLUSTRATION
Piece by: Sam Myrdek ’19
Piece by: Sarah Sawtelle ’19
Piece by: Kate Gardiner ’20
Piece by: Rowan Elliott ’19
ILLUSTRATION
TAKING TRADITION TO A NEW LEVEL
Take your technical skills to an entirely new level by grappling with theory and entering the dialogue on craft as both noun and verb. You will also gain an understanding of the expressive nature of both twoand three-dimensional forms in relationship to the human body and independent objects such as holloware. Master the technical skills of forming, raising, finishing, stone setting, and more.
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Piece by: Mary Forst ’16
Piece by: Violet Wiener ’20
Piece by: Shelby Goldsmith ’14
AT MECA, YOU’LL RECEIVE UNPARALLELED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AS YOU TRANSLATE TRADITIONAL SKILLS INTO VARIOUS MATERIALS LIKE WOOD, MARBLE, PLASTICS, AND RESIN.
MECA.EDU/METALSMITHING
Piece by: Betsy Lewis ’16
Piece by: Mikayla Dennison ’20
METALSMITHING & JEWELRY
PROFESSIONAL & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT At Maine College of Art & Design, we believe that a healthy studio practice includes your health and well-being as an individual. In addition to a suite of student activities, student-led clubs, and public engagement opportunities, we offer support through Counseling & Wellness, Disability Services, Crisis Support, Leadership Development, Tutoring, and more. Our size allows us to tailor your educational experience to what’s right for you, allowing for empowerment through self-advocacy, personalized support, and a deep sense of belonging.
EXPRESS YOURSELF WITH PAINT Discover what inspires you in an environment that supports your creativity and ideas. In Maine College of Art & Design’s Painting Program, you will master fundamental and alternative techniques using light, space, and color to translate what you see and understand about your surroundings. The curriculum is designed to strengthen your ability to make as well as to read, write, think, and speak about your work.
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Piece by: Candice Gosta ’20
WHEN YOU GRADUATE WITH A BFA DEGREE IN PAINTING FROM MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, YOU WILL HAVE ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO MAKE PAINTING THE CENTER OF YOUR CAREER AND YOUR LIFE.
MECA.EDU/PAINTING
Piece by: Meg Hahn ’17
Piece by: Cade Jarvis ’20 Piece by: Brendan Shea ’18
PAINTING
LEARN TRADITIONAL AND MODERN TECHNIQUES Learn how a body of work or a series engages your audience in the Photography Program at Maine College of Art & Design. You’ll experiment with technical and conceptual elements of traditional and contemporary processes, including 35mm, mediumformat, large-format, and digital capture.
MECA.EDU/PHOTOGRAPHY
Piece by: Kat Miller ’19
BEFORE YOU GRADUATE, YOU’LL POSSESS THE SKILLS TO CREATE A PROFESSIONAL FINE ARTS PORTFOLIO, DEVELOP AN ARTIST STATEMENT AND RESUMÉ, ESTABLISH YOUR OWN WEB PRESENCE, AND CREATE A FINAL THESIS EXHIBITION.
MECA.EDU/PHOTOGRAPHY
Piece (cropped) by: Tia Doreing ’20
Piece by: Adam Fowler ’20
Piece by: Jay Wickersham ’20
PHOTOGRAPHY
THE RIGHTSIZED CITY
Portland is an incredible city. Located on the southern coast of Maine, it’s just the right size, easy to navigate on foot, and filled with arts and culture, as well as being just minutes from beaches, lakes, and forests. Large enough to host a diverse blend of nationalities, this endlessly interesting city is also small enough to retain a strong sense of community. Here, committed creative thinkers and entrepreneurs have developed niche markets and micro-cultures centered around socially responsible businesses, research and technology, agriculture, creative innovation, design, fashion, and more. Portland is a short bus or train ride from Boston and New York, and for centuries, Maine has been an artistic haven to some of the world’s most renowned artists.
COMBINE FORMAL TRAINING WITH CULTURAL IDENTITY
Maine College of Art & Design’s Printmaking Program gives you the opportunity to explore screen printing, relief printing, lithography, photo and digital print processes, and more. Make art that blends cuttingedge technology with centuries-old printmaking techniques. Gain technical skills, develop your formal and material sensibilities, and study the history of print as a fine art form and a vehicle for vernacular culture, social dissent, and cultural identity. MECA.EDU/PRINTMAKING
Piece by: Hannah Howard ’17
PRINTMAKING MAJORS AT MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN MASTER A PHYSICAL PROCESS THAT DEMANDS PATIENCE, SKILL, AND LIMITLESS EXPERIMENTATION. YOU’LL WORK WITH A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS, METHODS, AND ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF PRINT INCLUDING INSTALLATION, DIGITAL FABRICATION, FINE ART EDITIONS, COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS, PUBLIC ART, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ENDEAVORS. MECA.EDU/PRINTMAKING
Piece by: Jo Tatlock ’18
Piece by: Marisa D’Andrea ’17
Piece by: Megan Taitano ’16
Piece by: Sara Inacio ’17
Piece by: Ashley Hall ’16
PRINTMAKING
Work by: Ian Colwell ’20
EXAMINE MATERIALS, PROCESSES, AND CONCEPTS In the Sculpture Program, you’ll learn how to articulate your work both visually and audibly. You will learn new ways of expressing yourself— technically, creatively, and conceptually. Our diverse and experienced faculty of practicing and exhibiting artists will help guide you along as you explore the relationships between scale, material, technique, space, process, and context. You will be introduced to working with both traditional and nontraditional materials such as clay, bronze, wood, steels, plastics, food, light, body extensions, video, new media, land art, and contextual practice.
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Piece by: Caitlin Ervin ‘16
Piece by: Hideto Nakao ’19
THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS WITH YOUR PEERS, FACULTY, VISITING ARTISTS, AND THE LOCAL ARTS COMMUNITY WILL CHALLENGE YOU TO ADVANCE YOUR JOURNEY TOWARD BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AND AN EXPLORER OF CULTURE.
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Piece by: Athena Lynch ’20
MECA Sculpture
Piece by: Eden McDowell ’17
SCULPTURE
Piece by: Anoushe Shojae-Choghorvand ‘19
MASTER MATERIAL, PATTERN, AND TECHNIQUE
Create fabrics from the ground up and build works of art on and off the body. Study areas of textile expertise including weaving, knitting, textile printing, and dyeing. Develop a deep understanding of draping, drafting, garment design, construction, and collection development. Become an engaged maker though an inclusive study of history, sustainability, and materiality. Hone professional skills by developing a unique body of work through access to professional facilities and internship opportunities.
MECA.EDU/TEXTILE
Piece by: Jordan Carey ’19
Piece by: Madison Poitrast-Upton ’20
Patches from FYL Course
TEXTILE & FASHION DESIGN STUDENTS AT MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN ARE DRIVEN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH THE WORK THEY CREATE; CRAFTING INNOVATION AND FASHIONING OUR FUTURE.
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Piece by: Chloe Adams ’20
Piece by: Cal Murphy ’19
TEXTILE & FASHION DESIGN
Piece by: Olivia Dwyer ’18
INVESTIGATE FORM AND FUNCTION
In the Woodworking & Furniture Design Program, you’ll learn all about the expressive nature of threedimensional form and how to take an idea full circle from conception to completion. At Maine College of Art & Design, we encourage you to explore a wide range of materials and processes, including wood in all forms and species. You will also learn to use various fibers, fabricate, weld, and cast in bronze, plastics, aluminum, and steel.
MECA.EDU/WOODWORKING
Piece by: Tina McLuckie ’12 Piece by: Vaiva Naras ’18
IN THE WOODWORKING & FURNITURE DESIGN PROGRAM, YOU’LL LEARN ALL ABOUT THE EXPRESSIVE NATURE OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORM AND HOW TO TAKE AN IDEA FULL CIRCLE FROM CONCEPTION TO COMPLETION. AT MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXPLORE A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS AND PROCESSES, INCLUDING WOOD IN ALL FORMS AND SPECIES.
MECA.EDU/WOODWORKING
Piece by: Melinda Aste ’17
Piece by: Joe Lendway ’15
Piece by: Rangeley Morton ’14
WOODWORKING & FURNITURE DESIGN
MINORS Do you want to gain an advantage in a niche field? Demonstrate your passion in a discipline you intend to incorporate into your art, career, and life? Taking any one of our seven minors is a great way to expand your educational experience. And with just a little planning, you can embed it in your course of study.
DRAWING The Drawing Minor was designed to recognize students who have invested significant time and energy in the practice of drawing, which serves as a foundation for all forms of art practice. Flexible enough to allow students in all artistic disciplines to enjoy a cumulative and substantial experience, the Drawing Minor can be tailored to major areas of interest.
ART HISTORY The Art History Minor enhances a student’s ability to succeed in their studio major by sharpening their critical thinking skills and expanding their knowledge of the art historical precedents that inform their practice. In addition to being a natural complement to studio practice, the Art History Minor allows students to hone their research and writing skills.
ART a ENTREPRENEURSHIP The Art and Entrepreneurship Minor at Maine College of Art & Design gives students the opportunity to pursue an entrepreneurial focus across studio disciplines. Through project-based, experiential courses, client projects, internships, workshops and community partnerships, students develop a range of skills to launch and successfully grow their entrepreneurial endeavors. This interdisciplinary minor is designed to help students transform any discipline or concept into a real-world venture.
SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS: ART a DESIGN (SEAD) MECA’s Sustainable Ecosystems: Art and Design (SEAD) minor takes a place-based approach to learning that transforms the Southern Maine landscape of coastal wetlands and tide-pools, urban forests and public parks into a laboratory for investigating climate change. SEAD students will apply both their creative and analytical skills to investigate the most important issue of our time: sustaining life on Earth.
WRITING This 18-credit Writing Minor comprises of a diverse range of creative and expository writing courses. In the Writing Workshop, which is the capstone experience, students complete a peer-edited personal writing project—novel, graphic novel, poetry compilation, screenplay, memoir, or essay—with the goal of publication.
ART a MUSIC MINOR
Funded through a $3 million bequest from the Bob Crewe Foundation, this program is fundamentally embedded in our art and design program and boasts a state-of-the-art recording studio, practice rooms, and a dedicated classroom. The program, working in tandem with our rigorous visual arts offerings, will prepare students to cross traditional boundaries as musicians, performers, sound artists, artists, and thinkers.
MUSIC & ART MINOR
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MINOR The Public Engagement Minor is a four-year curricular pathway that integrates art, real-world problems, and community partners into its teaching curriculum. Students work with community partners to solve and address real, complex problems in our project- and problem-based courses. The minor supports the ongoing effort to raise critical rigor and engagement of the student body while fostering interdisciplinary collaborations among students, the institution, and community partners.
ARTISTS AT WORK Our Artists at Work program connects students and alumni with opportunities and experiences to help them become creative professionals for life. An arts education teaches skills such as risk-taking, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation for a new entrepreneurial economy. Whether you want to be a commercial designer, studio artist, educator, or arts administrator, you’ll take away skills that translate into a variety of career choices. Artists at Work provides students and alumni with connections to internships, community partners, commissions, opportunities, grants, and professional development residencies. WHAT OUR ALUMNI DO WITH ART DEGREES Walt Disney Effects Animator Museum of Modern Art Registrar and Cataloger adidas Design & Innovation Recruiter L.L.Bean Designer The VIA Agency Art Director Portland Museum of Art Exhibitions Assistant MYFAWNWY Independent Fashion Designer Designtex Print Technician Ann Hamilton Studio Artist Assistant TEDxDirigo Co-Founder JPMorgan Chase User Experience Design Lead Pace Gallery Preparator Second Story Interactive Studios Lead Producer MECA.EDU/ARTISTSATWORK
INTERNSHIP SITES + American Natural History Museum + Brooklyn Metal Works + Chickadee Games + Hasbro, Inc. + L.L.Bean
+ MASS MoCA + Portland Ballet + Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium + Sotheby’s + SPACE Gallery
91%
OF STUDENTS/ALUMNI MAKE ART IN THEIR PERSONAL TIME (80% NATIONAL AVERAGE)
ALUMNI
VIVIAN BEER ’00 Vivian was the winner of HGTV’s Ellen’s Design Challenge Season 2, in which the finalists were assigned to design furniture for green rooms at The Ellen Degeneres Show. She was awarded a $100,000 cash prize and her work was featured in HGTV Magazine. She earned her MFA from Cranbrook Academy and has received a research fellowship from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Her work is included in collections nationwide.
DAVID HUTCHINS ’87 David is an effects animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios who has worked on many major films. He was an effects supervisor on Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph, an animated feature nominated for an Oscar in 2013. He was also part of the team who worked on Frozen, which received a 2014 Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Most recently he has worked on Big Hero 6, Frozen Fever, and Moana.
63% WORK AS PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS
16% founded a business
23%
work as art teachers
49% are selfemployed
38%
work as fine artists
23% work as craft artists
23% are designers or illustrators
AHMED ALSOUDANI ’05 Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Ahmed arrived in Portland in 2001 with minimal training in art and has now become internationally renowned for his tumultuous and innovative paintings. He was one of six selected artists included in the Iraq Pavilion of the 54th Venice Biennale and has been profiled in The New York Times and Art in America. In 2013, the Portland Museum of Art hosted a solo exhibit of his work.
MECA.EDU/ALUMNI
PRE-COLLEGE AT MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN
Discover your future as an artist or entrepreneur. A three-week immersion experience, Pre-College is the first step to finding creative freedom while experiencing life as a college student. The residential and online Pre-College Program provides high school students with the skills to embark on a rigorous study of the arts. This program is open to students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school. Customize your own individual in-person Pre-College Program by choosing two majors from Animation, Ceramics, Illustration: Comics + Graphic Novels, Fashion + Textile Design, Metalsmithing + Jewelry
Design, Painting, Photography: Black + White Dark Room, and Printmaking. All students participate in a study of Life Drawing over the three-week period. We offer a merit scholarship of $1,500 to all PreCollege participants who are accepted into Maine College of Art & Design’s BFA program. All PreCollege students are invited to participate in the Pre-College Portfolio Day, which is held during the last week of the program. Recent high school or personal work may be included. In addition, all participants will receive an application fee waiver to Maine College of Art & Design’s BFA Program. MECA.EDU/PRE-COLLEGE
PEAKS ISLAND
CONGRESS STREET
THE OLD PORT
MAINE STATE PIER
Gregory Rec, Portland Press Herald
FORT ALLEN PARK
PORTLAND HARBOR
This is home. It’s where you will find a sense of camaraderie, mindfulness, and mutual respect. It’s where you will build friendships that last a lifetime. You have chosen a way of life. Whether you want to be an artist, entrepreneur, designer, craftsperson, graphic designer, costume designer, multimedia artist, or furniture maker, we understand this is personal. Just as there’s no one quite like you, there’s no place quite like Maine College of Art & Design, either. We help you live, breathe, and dream the things that mean the most to you. MECA.EDU/STUDENT-LIFE
Maine College of Art & Design is committed to making our exceptional educational experience affordable. Welcoming students of all incomelevels is at the heart of who we are. When financial aid is factored in, many students are surprised to find that the cost of attending Maine College of Art & Design is comparable to or less than that of a state school.
MECA.EDU/FINANCIAL-AID
100% OF OUR BFA STUDENTS RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
$6 MILLION IS GIVEN ANNUALLY IN THE FORM OF SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES
SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES: + + + + + + + +
MECA&D Merit Scholarships MECA&D Grants Federal Pell Grants Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants National Scholastic Art Award Scholarships BFA/Merit Show Awards MECA Endowed/ Restricted Scholarships State Grants
TO APPLY FOR AID, INCLUDING LOANS: Free Application for Federal Student Aid site at fafsa.ed.gov (Maine College of Art & Design’s FAFSA code is 011673) For detailed info on how to finance your art education, visit meca.edu/finaid.
Financial aid programs and services assist students and families with paying for college. At Maine College of Art & Design, 100% of our BFA degree students receive some type of financial assistance. Students at Maine College of Art & Design receive more than $6 million annually in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and job opportunities, including the Federal Work Study Program. Consistent with our Artists at Work program, we provide a variety of on-campus job opportunities as well as support to find off-campus employment.
Community at Maine College of Art & Design is as diverse and unique as each individual artist within it. Each new student adds to the vibrancy of our community. All applications are evaluated individually, with consideration given to portfolio strength, academic achievement, and personal accomplishments.
APPLY TO MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN
Any student graduating from high school or with the equivalency (GED or HiSET) may apply for admission to our Bachelor of Fine Arts program. We invite applications from all types of students including traditional high school applicants, transfers, non-traditional, international, and veterans. Applicants not seeking a BFA degree may apply for non-degree student status.
MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN AT A GLANCE
24/7 STUDIO ACCESS
8:1
2
STUDENTTO-FACULTY RATIO
YEARS INDIVIDUAL STUDIO SPACE
16
500+ STUDENTS 11 MAJORS 7 MINORS 68% OUT OF STATE 32% IN STATE
STUDENTS: AVERAGE CLASS SIZE
100%
OF BFA STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
PRIMARY PHOTOGRAPHY: KYLE DUBAY ’18, ERIN LITTLE, GRETA RYBUS, SÉAN ALONZO HARRIS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHY: AARON FLACKE, GREGORY REC, ELLEN MARIE SHERWOOD, COREY TEMPLETON DESIGN: BRITTANY MARTIN ILLUSTRATIONS: MICHAEL BYERS
APPLY TO MAINE COLLEGE OF ART a DESIGN PREPARE YOUR PORTFOLIO WE CAN REVIEW YOUR PORTFOLIO AT:
+ + + + +
National Portfolio Day (we participate in 19+) MECA&D campus visit High School classroom visit Regional art event MECA&D’s Pre-College summer program
15 - 20
3
pieces you consider to be your best work, completed within the past two years
of the 15–20 pieces should be examples of drawing from direct observation
HOW TO APPLY 1. A completed application form 2. A non-refundable $50 application fee ($60 for international applicants) 3. A 500-word essay on the prompt: Why art? Why Maine College of Art & Design? 4. A portfolio of 15–20 pieces of recent artwork, which should include three pieces from direct observation. Please visit our website for details on what should be included and how to submit your portfolio.
TRANSFER CREDITS TO MAINE COLLEGE OF ART a DESIGN
5. Official high school transcripts or official scored report of the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) 6. Official transcripts from each college/university attended 7. Two letters of recommendation, preferably from two of the following: art teacher, guidance counselor, current academic teacher, and/or employer
Our goal is to place as many credits as possible. For consideration, the following criteria must be met: + A “C” or higher must be earned. + Courses must be 100 level or higher (no remedial courses). + Official transcripts must be submitted. Faxed or unofficial copies are not accepted as proof of credit. + College/university must be regionally accredited. + Courses earn 3 credits or 5 quarter hours.
CONTACT MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN ADMISSIONS admissions@meca.edu • 522 Congress Street, Portland ME
BFA MAJORS ANIMATION & GAME ART / CERAMICS / GRAPHIC DESIGN / ILLUSTRATION METALSMITHING & JEWELRY / PAINTING / PHOTOGRAPHY / PRINTMAKING SCULPTURE / TEXTILE & FASHION DESIGN / WOODWORKING & FURNITURE DESIGN