Painting & Drawing
saic.edu/ptdw
Widely considered one of the most important studio programs in the country, SAIC’s MFA in Painting and Drawing promotes the development of new approaches that are redefining contemporary painting. Through studio production, critical discussion, and experimentation, students acquire the conceptual, material, and methodological tools to build a sustainable practice.
Freedom to explore
Our interdisciplinary orientation challenges students to explore their ideas across a wide range of creative approaches, from traditional painting and drawing practices to methods incorporating other media and materials—including fiber, photography, ceramics, printmedia, film and video, digital imaging, and performance. Students are encouraged to develop their individual studio practices using critical and historical frameworks to inform their aesthetic and conceptual decisions.
Faculty
The Painting and Drawing faculty are accomplished artists, writers, critics, curators, and gallerists actively engaged in the local, national, and international art community. They are represented by major international galleries and have been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Fulbright Program, and the Tiffany, Ford, Guggenheim, Warhol, and Newhouse Foundations. The diverse faculty supports a wide array of conceptual and material models for painting and drawing.
Unparalleled resources
Students have access to resources unique to SAIC, including the Art Institute of Chicago, an internationally renowned museum offering a depth and breadth of exhibitions and collections including its Prints and Drawings room. The department boasts a thriving Visiting Artists Program, in which a variety of artists, critics, and curators present lectures and participate in individual or group critiques.
Chicago connections
Chicago has an active artist-run gallery scene, vibrant commercial galleries and not-for-profit spaces, in addition to major museums including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago.
For more information on the program and application requirements, please visit: saic.edu/ptdw
Crit spaces
Graduate Painting and Drawing studios are situated around several spacious open critique spaces, ideal for students to exhibit work and take part in ongoing conversations with their peers.
Teaching Fellows
Through a competitive process, a select number of 2nd year MFAs are accepted as teaching fellows for the year immediately following their graduation. Each fellow receives one painting and drawing class each semester and is mentored through the process by full-time faculty. This teaching opportunity is invaluable for those interested in careers in higher education.
Facilities
Painting and Drawing students have access to individual studios and a range of equipment and facilities:
• StudioLab, a state-of-the-art painting and drawing materials lab, studio, and database
• Large critique spaces with natural light
• Computer labs throughout campus
• Laser cutting facilities and multiple on-campus woodshops
• Video and audio editing equipment and professional-grade digital cameras and light kits
• Affordable digital printing through SAIC’s Service Bureau
• Well-ventilated spray booths
• Storage racks
Faculty
ROBERT BURNIER
GAYLEN GERBER
MICHELLE GRABNER
ANNE HARRIS
JESSICA JACKSON HUTCHINS
ARNOLD KEMP
JOSÉ LERMA
JIM LUTES
CAMERON MARTIN
FRANK PIATEK
SCOTT REEDER
TYSON REEDER
For complete faculty listing visit: saic.edu/ptdw
Curriculum Requirements
Art History ARTHI 5002 Graduate Survey of Modern and Contemporary Art (3) or ARTHI 5120 Survey of Modern and Contemporary Architecture and Design (3)
(9)
course in any area at 3000 level or
Participation in four graduate critiques
Participation in ONE of the following as appropriate to artistic practice: Graduate Exhibition, Graduate Performance Event, Graduate Screenings
Application Process
Submit:
› Online application
› Official college transcripts
› Statement of purpose
› Letters of recommendation
› ePortfolio
› Résumé
Application Deadline: January 10
