Tag Archives: art

Welcome to the SMFA Community

By Lennon Wolcott PB’15 MFA’17

I’ve spent the last 4 years in graduate art admissions, after completing my MFA (’17) and Post-Bac (’15), I hear a similar story from prospective Master of Fine Arts students every year. Artists coming to grad school are looking to expand their voice, hone their practice, as well as find and develop a connection with a network of other artists. 

The goal of a grad program in interdisciplinary contemporary art is to expand and refine who we already are as artists, and much of that can’t happen in a bubble, without our peers. The connections we make in graduate school, are more than colleagues in the classroom; our graduate cohorts become our support systems, our curators, our collaborators, our gallerists, our teachers, our recommenders, and (if we’re lucky) our good friends.

Nearby Gallery, 101 Union Street, Newton Centre – Opening Reception of “In Mid Air”

Last month, I stopped into the newly opened Nearby Gallery in Newton Center, for the exhibition opening of “In Mid Air”. Nearby Gallery was founded by Cal Rice (MFA ’18) and Sam Belisle (MFA ’18). The show was a fabulous and experimental collection of work, from 3 recently graduated SMFA at Tufts undergraduate students, Lightbringer, Calla King-Clements, Daria Bobrova. In the crowd of the reception, there were families, community members, and an assortment of SMFA alumni. At one point as a group of alumni discussed the show and gallery, I realized I was in conversation with MFA graduates from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and a current MFA candidate, set to graduate in 2022. There is excitement in watching people meet, reminisce, and connect; artists sharing their work, talking about their galleries or studios, planning to collaborate, and celebrating the work of both the artists and their expanded cohort success.

Sally Lee (MFA ’20), Sam Belisle (MFA ’18), Cal Rice (MFA ’18)

What I love is that this group support is not an isolated incident. Each month artists of Boston flock to First Friday events in SOWA to see our peers in juried or solo shows. We work with SMFA alumni like Alexandra Photopoulos (MFA ‘10), Allison Gray (MFA’17),and Doug Breault (MFA’17) who run exciting galleries in Cambridge, like Gallery 263; spaces that offer opportunities to submit proposals or join group shows and residencies. We leave our studios and solitude to attend each other’s events, and to celebrate our work and community, creating lasting connections. 

450 Harrison Ave, SOWA Galleries

Each year, as I work to recruit and admit classes to the MFA and Post-Bac programs, I feel a little bit selfish (in the best way) to be able to invite in future members of our extended SMFA graduate cohort. I am excited this year to welcome to campus, the next class of MFA and Post-Bac students who will join our conversations, shows, and the greater community. We’re thrilled to have you. 

Comic Relief

By Khushbu Kshirsagar, M.S. 2021 in Education

This comic was born out of the pandemic-induced stress (of course). I am an international student from India, dealing with the crazy COVID situation there, topped off with imposter syndrome of a student who’s about to graduate. The comic signifies inner strength and the need for self-care, but in a rather wacky way. It is also one of my first attempts of turning my journal writing into a comic strip with personalized illustrations.

2020 SMFA Art Sale

Written by Lennon Wolcott, M.F.A. 2017

This year, Covid-19 has impacted many facets of life, including the ability to connect directly with others.  The need to create and share art is as important as it has ever been; art is a powerful uniting force that engages humanity through difficulty, turmoil, and despair. Though out the pandemic, artists have continued to make work and art students at SMFA began taking virtually instructed classes.   Art institutions like museums and art schools now face the challenge of how to safely showcase art to large-scale crowds as they had before. In response to this moment and for the first time, SMFA at Tufts will host its annual Art Sale completely online. 

Running November 9-23, The SMFA Art Sale will showcase the work of 300 diversely talented students, alumni, faculty, and friends, that is beautiful, thought-provoking, and responsive to what’s happening in the world. Not only do proceeds directly support participating artists and student financial aid at SMFA at Tufts. This is a chance for many students to begin selling and discussing their work within their SMFA community, and the greater New England community at large, many for the first time!

Featuring a curated selection of student, alumni and faculty work chosen by curator Akili Tommasino, artist Shinique Smith and gallerist Nina Johnson, I was excited to submit my work and have it seen by the juried panel. I was also grateful to have the work accepted into the Sale where it will be shown alongside the community that came before and after me. There is always an air of excitement when you see your work or that of someone you know on the gallery wall next to Tara Donovan, John Baldessari, or SMFA faculty and alumni such as Jim Dow, Mags Harries, Gerry Bergstein, Gonzalo Fuenmayor, Lalla Essaydi, Kate Costello, Evelyn Rydz, Nan Goldin, or Doug and Mike Starn. Continuing in that tradition, Instagram has become the new gallery landscape within the @SMFAARTSALE account. Each day I revel in seeing who I will find featured, like a who’s who of SMFA.

The Art Sale creates a space where gallerists, curators, collectors, faculty, alumni, and students come together to share stories of travel, exhibitions, process and research, a celebration of art. This year the conversations run virtually!  Boston-area art critic Cate McQuaid will interview three SMFA alumni: Mima McMillian, Cobi Moules, and Jamal Thorne for a pre-sale event on November 5th, 2020. The conversation will focus on unpacking the inspiration for their work and talk about the social issues that guide their creations. The SMFA Art Sale is a chance to be inspired by and find work that moves you. Highlighting the community spirt of SMFA at Tufts, an institution where talented and curious students become artists with strong purposeful voices.

Art Sale @ SMFA at Tufts

Logo artwork by SMFA Print faculty Rhoda Rosenberg

Written by Lennon Wolcott, M.F.A. 2017

Recently I was in a Lyft talking with the driver about the greater Boston community. As he was a Boston native, we discussed the things one learns when moving to the area for school.  As I was telling him that I had graduated from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, he turned his head and said “Wait, so you’re an artist?” His shock subsided, and he asked what kind of work I made, then followed up to my response with “I never would have thought you were an artist because you’re so open and social.”

I smiled politely, and informed him that I had grown to be open and in dialog about my work from my years at SMFA at Tufts. I told him that artists thrive with connection, engagement, and the kind of community support I had experienced.

The misconception that artists are sullen creatures, only found tormented and lamenting in their studios is out of date and counterintuitive to the artist’s educational path. Sure, artists can be frustrated like anyone else, however artists pursue graduate arts education not only for instruction, but to build a network of trusted mentors and colleagues. One of the aspects that I love about the SMFA community is its focused events, such as the upcoming SMFA Art Sale.

Every year, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts welcomes alumni, faculty, and the supporting community to come back to the school to showcase and sell their work in the sale. The event gives alumni a voice within the school while at the same time provides the greater Boston community with a chance to view and purchase work by established and emerging artists. Like many of my colleagues, mentors, and friends, I look forward to the opening reception and the chance to catch up with the contemporary Boston community and see some amazing artwork that will be exhibited and sold!

This year, the sale opens on Thursday, November 15th with a public reception that evening and runs through Sunday, November 18th. This is a great opportunity to engage with the artistic community of SMFA at Tufts, and perhaps strike up a conversation with some amazing artists.

 

OPENING RECEPTION Please join the SMFA community on Thursday, November 15, at 5:30 p.m., for light fare, cash bar, music, and more!

PUBLIC DAYS Thursday, November 15–Saturday, November 17, 11:00 a.m.– 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 18, 11:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m.

SCHOOL OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS AT TUFTS 230 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115

FOR MORE INFORMATION call 617-627-SMFA (7632) or email SMFAartsale@tufts.edu.