he Southwest School of Art, located in San Antonio, Texas, has been one of the premier community art schools in the nation since its founding in 1965. The School annually serves more than 4,000 students on the historic campus downtown, and reaches an additional 5,000 throughout the city’s schools and social service agencies. In 2014, the School will begin an intimate, intensive BFA degree program. The four-year BFA degree program centers on the process of making as a form of inquiry and discovery, with equal emphasis on ideas and skills. Students learn to value both traditional and innovative approaches and to move freely between the creation of one-of-a kind works and applied design.
3 00 A u g u s ta Sa n A nt o ni o , T X 7 8 205 210.224.1848 www. s w s c h o o l . o rg
Graduates from the Southwest School of Art’s BFA degree program acquire the business, critical thinking, and studio skills necessary for careers as working artists and engaged citizens.
Program 4 year Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art The program provides opportunities for students to work across disciplines with the option of focusing on one area of emphasis:
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Ceramics
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Drawing & Painting
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Metals
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Photography
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Printmaking
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Sculpture & Integrated Media
Facilities Students will create work in over 33,000 square feet of well-equipped, industrystandard studio facilities. With some of the country’s best studio spaces and equipment at their disposal, students will effectively express ideas and explore new ways of making.
Faculty Some of the region’s best working artists will help students find, polish, and deliver their unique approach to creating art. Due to the small class size, student artists work directly with department chairs and other full-time faculty.
Class Size Only 20–25 students enrolled each fall 2:1 student to faculty ratio Students share intense studio experiences within a totally art-focused environment, a place where creative people find their voice and flourish as artists.
Ryan Takaba, To Come Home, 2011
Ceramics -
Experiment with expressing ideas visually
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Understand the material and its processes
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Explore the evolving history of clay
CRMC
The Ceramics Studio is a 6,500 square foot facility that includes studio space for ▶▶
Wheel-throwing and hand-building
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Glazing and decorating
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A variety of firing methods
C e r a m i c s Fa c u lt y Dennis Smith (department chair) received an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Montana and a BFA in Ceramics from the Kansas City Art Institute, with additional study at Haystack. He exhibits his work both nationally and internationally. Smith’s work has been featured in Ceramics Monthly, Ceramics: Arts and Perception, and Clay Times.
Ryan Takaba holds an MFA in Ceramics from Kent State University and a BFA from the University of Hawai‘i. His recent solo exhibitions include SMARTart Project Space, San Antonio; Philadelphia Clay Studio, Philadelphia; and G2 Art Sight, San Antonio. Before joining The Southwest School of Art, he was the Artistin-Residence/Studio Manager for the University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth Ceramics department.
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Explore materials
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Develop a conceptual framework
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Experiment with style, form, and structure
The Drawing & Painting department includes ▶▶
Spacious, well-lit studios
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Spaces and equipment for various approaches
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Ventilation and safe storage
D r aw i n g & Pa i n t i n g Fa c u lt y Vincent Valdez (department chair) received his BFA from The Rhode Island School of Design. His extensive list of solo exhibitions most recently includes McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; Brown University, Providence, RI; Mesa Contemporary Arts Center, Mesa, Arizona; and Federal Art Project, Los Angeles, California.
Gregory Alan Johnson earned his MFA in Printmaking and Drawing at Texas Tech University and completed his BFA with a concentration in Printmaking at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. He recently exhibited work in a solo show at Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Lubbock.
Vincent Valdez, America’s Finest (II), 2011
Drawing & Painting
PNTG
MTLS
Metals -
Experiment with nontraditional materials, scale, and format
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Emphasize concept and design
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Explore the hybridization among art, craft, and design
The Metals Studio is a state-of-the-art space that includes the tools and equipment for techniques such as ▶▶
Soldering and riveting
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Mold-making and casting
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Electroforming and enameling
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Computer-aided construction Jillian Palone, Adumbration 2, 2013
M e ta l s Fa c u lt y Gary Schott (department chair) received his MFA in Metal/Jewelry Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Schott’s work explores sculptural mechanical forms and interactive wearable jewelry. His work is included in 500 Pendants and Lockets and 500 Metal Vessels, both by Lark Books.
Jillian Palone holds an MFA with Metalsmithing emphasis from Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville and a BFA in Jewelry Design and Metals from Pittsburg State University. Recent exhibitions include shows at the Center for the Visual Arts, Denton, Texas; Equinox Gallery, San Antonio; and Bellevue Arts Museum, Seattle, Washington.
Photography
PHOT
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Explore photography’s history, theory, and contemporary practice
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Learn innovative techniques for working across media
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Experiment with traditional and nontraditional imaging
The Photography Studio includes ▶▶
Large darkroom with 12 work stations
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Individual darkrooms
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Digital studio with large scale printers
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Alternative processes and lighting techniques
P h o t o g r ap h y F a c u l t y Victor Pagona (department chair) earned his MFA in Photography and Sculpture at the University of South Carolina and his MA in Art History at the University of Wisconsin. His most recent body of work combined digital and silverbased media along with other materials.
Printmaking -
Explore traditional methods including relief, etching, lithography and screenprinting
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Focus on the technical and conceptual
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Experiment with contemporary innovations
PRMK
The Flohr Printmaking Studio is one of the best-equipped studios in South Texas. It includes ▶▶
70 litho stones
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2 litho presses and 3 large etching presses
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Non-toxic processes
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Ventiliation hoods
P r i n t m a k i n g Fa c u lt y Margaret Craig (department chair) received an MFA in Printmaking from the University of Texas at San Antonio. At the University of Wisconsin she earned a BS in Biology, BS in Art, and MA in art with an emphasis in watercolor painting. A leader in non-toxic printmaking technology, she often leads workshops at national conferences.
Sculpture & Integrated Media -
Experiment with the evolution of traditional sculpture
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Combine sculpture with other media and technology
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Explore ideas, methods, and practitioners from both the past and present
The new Sculpture & Integrated Media Studio includes ▶▶
Traditional tools and equipment
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CNC milling
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Video and sound production equipment
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New interactive and kinetic platforms
Sculpture & I n t e g r at e d M e d i a Fa c u lt y Justin Boyd (department chair) received his MFA at The California Institute of the Arts and completed his BFA from The University of Texas at San Antonio. He has shown his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout Texas, including Artpace, San Antonio; Art Palace, Houston; and the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, San Antonio.
SIMD
Book Arts & Papermaking (coursework only) -
Understand 2- and 3-dimensional forms
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Explore a range of techniques
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Experiment with paper pulp for multiple applications
The Papermaking & Book Arts Studios are equipped with ▶▶
Beaters for making paper pulp
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Moulds, deckles, dryers
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Presses for forming paper
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Tools and equipment for making artist books
Book Arts & P ap e r m a k i n g F a c u l t y Beck Whitehead (department chair) received an MFA from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a BA from Trinity University. Whitehead has taught papermaking workshops at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Pyramid Atlantic, Haystack, and at national conferences.
PAPE
Class Components ▶▶
Learn the materials, technical skills, and 2- and 3-dimensional design fundamentals employed in an array of art forms Studio classes meet for six hours each week — usually in two, threehour sessions
Non-studio classes: ▶▶
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Include business, math, science, literature, art history, economics, and philosophy, all taught with relevance to art and design
year Two
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Fa l l
ye ar o ne
Studio classes:
Curriculum
Non-studio classes meet twice weekly for 75 minutes
Spring
Foundations I
Foundations II
Choose One (1000 level):
Drawing I
Drawing II
Sculpture & Integrated Media
Art History: Survey I
Art History: Survey II
Photography
Visual Literacy
Intro to Philosophy
Printmaking
English Composition
Mathematics for Artists
Foundations and Digital Media
Papermaking I
Choose One (2000 level):
Art History: Modernism to Post Modernism
General Science for Artists
Metals
Understanding Literature
Intro to Economics
Intro to Psychology
Public Speaking
Choose One (1000 level):
Choose One (1000 level):
Metals
All studios offered
Ceramics
A c ad e m i c y e a r : Fall and spring semesters, plus a Maymester
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Fall and spring courses are taught on the 15 week semester system
Maymester is an intensive, four-week term of four-hour studios, Monday
Ceramics Painting Sculpture & Integrated Media Photography Printmaking
Painting
year THREE
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M ay m e s t e r
through Thursday.
Philosophy: Critical Inquiry
Professionalism I
Latin American History
Artist in Literature and Film
Material Culture
Art History: Contemporary Special Topics
Choose Two (2/3000 level):
Community Project
All studios offered
Choose One (2/3000 level):
Internship
year F OUR
All studios offered Professionalism II
Psychology: The Individual and Society
Intellectual History
Senior Project
Choose Two (3/4000 level):
Choose One (3/4000 level):
All studios offered
All studios offered
Students whose test scores indicate a need for more fundamental studies in English or Math may be required to complete developmental work. Please see the SSA BFA Catalog for more information.
Admissions
A P P LIC A TION r e q u i r e m e n t s : ▶▶
Completed application, online or paper
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$40 application fee
The application can be found online at www.swschool.org.
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Results from ACT or SAT examinations (SAT or ACT scores must include the Writing component)
Timeline:
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Official high school transcripts, and college transcripts if applicable, or equivalent:
at The Southwest School of Art
March 1 – Priority application and scholarship deadline
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If home schooled, verification that the home school has been recognized by the state of residence of the applicant, detailed outline of the homeschool curriculum, including subject areas studied, time spent on each discipline, and, if applicable, grades awarded. A home-school academic portfolio may fulfill this requirement.
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A certificate of General Educational Development (GED) from the American Council of Education is considered equivalent to a diploma from a U.S. high school.
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For applicants from countries other than the United States, The Southwest School of Art generally uses the standards established by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers to determine the equivalent academic achievement.
March 15 – Acceptance and award letters mailed Applications will continue to be accepted after March 15; however, applicants who apply early will have a greater chance of receiving scholarships. May 1 – Fall enrollment deposit ($250) due June 30 – Applications close for Fall
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Essay response to one of the questions found on the application form (follow directions on the application)
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A minimum of one letter of recommendation
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Digital portfolio (see next page for details)
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Evidence of English proficiency (as needed)
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Additionally, if applicable, any other documents or materials required to obtain a student visa
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Resume (optional)
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Interview (optional; may be required by the Admission Committee)
Portfolio Requirements ▶▶
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Applicants must submit a digital portfolio on a CD. The portfolio should consist of 10 to 15 images of the applicant’s original work. Please provide no more than three detail shots. The portfolio should include at least three examples of observational drawings, including at least one still life. Still image files should be formatted as JPEGs, with pixel dimension of 800 x 600 or smaller, with a DPI of 300. The applicant’s name, address, and email address must be clearly labeled on the CD. Please check the CD to assure that files are readable and accessible before submitting it for consideration.
Scholarships To be considered for scholarship funds, please submit: ▶▶
A short essay outlining reasons that The Southwest School of Art should consider the applicant for a scholarship
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Applicants should include a copy of their (or their family’s) most recent tax returns OR a FAFSA
Federal financial aid is not available at this time. Scholarship recommendations will be based on ▶▶
Academic merit
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Artistic merit
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Demonstrated need
Digital portfolios must be accompanied by an inventory detailing the following: the names of the files on the CD, the title of the works, the medium or media of the works depicted, the actual size of the works, the dates of the works, and computer platform (Mac or PC).
For maximum scholarship consideration, students should apply by the priority deadline.
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The portfolio inventory sheet may also include a very brief commentary by the applicant on concept, process, or other relevant information.
Tuition & Fees
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Digital portfolios will become part of the student’s file and will not be returned. Applicants should retain a separate copy of their materials.
Tuition is $605 per credit hour: Year 1/33 hours: $19,965 Year 2/33 hours: $19,965 Year 3/30 hours: $18,150 Year 4/24 hours: $14,520 These charges are subject to change. Fees per semester: Student Activity Fee (full-time) $150 Student Activity Fee (part-time) $75 Technology $50 Registration $60 One time fees:
Orientation $100 Graduation $100
Exhibitions & Visiting Artists The Southwest School of Art hosts more than 20 outstanding exhibitions a year. Prominent national and international artists regularly lecture, teach, and exhibit.
Library The Southwest School of Art, in partnership with the San Antonio Central Library, has created the Marie Swartz Art Resources Center. Located at the Central Library directly adjacent to campus, this dedicated space includes a collection of physical and virtual resources that serve students as they move through the program.
Student Life Programs, coursework, and campus activities include opportunities to engage in the lively San Antonio visual arts scene, interacting regularly with professional artists and others involved in the arts, as well as group activities. Opportunities for internships, community service, and study abroad are also available.
The City San Antonio is a vibrant, diverse city much beloved by artists. The strong and well-connected art community is supported by a rich multi-cultural feel, beautiful urban neighborhoods, significant historic sites, award-winning restaurants, a low cost of living and an energetic downtown scene. The Southwest School of Art is right in the middle of it all, perfectly located along the world-famous San Antonio River. We’re only a short walk or bike ride from the San Antonio Museum of Art, Artpace, the Pearl, and the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.
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Visit Campus See our amazing facilities, meet our outstanding faculty
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Ursuline Campus
Understand what makes the Southwest School of Art the perfect place to begin your career as a working artist!
Op e n H o u s e s : NA
Learn about admissions criteria and scholarship information, tour SSA, meet with faculty, participate in a workshop, and receive informal portfolio feedback
VA RR O ST
Saturday, November 9, 2pm Saturday, December 14, 2pm
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P o r t f o l i o p r e pa r a t i o n da y : AU G USTA ST.
Navarro Campus
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Learn tips and tricks for putting together a dynamic portfolio and receive informal portfolio feedback Saturday, February 1, 2pm
S A P L M S A R C
Ursuline Campus
Navarro Campus
McAllister Ceramics Building
Russell Hill Rogers Galleries Russell Hill Rogers Lecture Hall Ellison Lecture Hall Exhibitions Office Student Lounge Willson Metals Studio Bank of America Digital Studio Lende Photography Studio Sculpture and Integrated Media Studio Picante Paper Studio Book Arts Studio Duncan Painting & Drawing Studio Drawing & Painting Studio Droste Design Studio Flohr Printmaking Studio General Education Classroom
Administrative Offices Office of Admissions Office of the Registrar Copper Kitchen Café Student Lounge Ursuline Hall Gallery Bolner Conference Room Rentals Office Coates Chapel Tobin Priest’s House Maxham Fibers Studio Negley Academy Building History Museum Young Artist Programs Office Hennessey Children’s Studio Kimbro Children’s Studio Blumenthal Studio Block Studio Bowers Studio Briscoe Studio Hendrie Studio
A pp l i c a t i o n a s s i s t a n c e da t e s : Receive individual assistance on your application before the priority deadline of March 1 Saturday, February 22, 10am to 3pm Questions? Contact the Office of Admission at the Southwest School of Art 210.224.1848 admission@swschool.org www.swschool.org
The Southwest School of Art admits students of any race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, sex, age, religion, disability (if otherwise qualified for admission), military/veteran status, sexual orientation or any other status protected under federal, state or local laws, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made to students at the school. The SSA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, sex, age, religion, disability (if otherwise qualified for admission), military/veteran status, sexual orientation or any other status protected under federal, state or local laws in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.