Tag Archives: MFA

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 5^th, 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.

The Top 5 Ways to “Treat Yo’ Self” (on a grad student budget)

Written by Gina Mantica, Biology Ph.D. Candidate

Ice cream

Massachusetts is filled to the brim with homemade ice cream shops, and nothing says “treat yo ’self” like a small Death by Chocolate (chocolate ice cream with a chocolate swirl, chocolate chips, and fudgy brownies) in a colorful house-made waffle cone. Head on over to C.B. Scoops if you’re near the 200 Boston Avenue buildings for this decadent treat.

If you’re closer to the hill, don’t fret. Walk down or take the bus to Davis Square and hit up JP Licks, where you’ll find fun seasonal flavors, as well as some great dairy-free options!

If you’re feeling adventurous, drive or take a cab on over to Tipping Cow ice cream on Medford Street. A hip, nut-free ice cream stop boasting unique rotating flavors like Vanilla Buttermilk and Earl Grey, you will never be bored or disappointed by their selection.

Books

For all you bookworms out there, I dare you to treat yourself to a book that is entirely unrelated to your thesis, dissertation, and class work. Next on my own non-academic reading list is Paris in the Present Tenseby Mark Helprin. If you’re into flowery prose and details that will make you forget where you are, I highly recommend his works.

If flowery and detailed is not really your cup of tea, make a day out of finding your new book with your own piping hot cup of tea. Head downtown to Trident Café and Booksellers on Newbury Street. There, you can peruse the aisles while enjoying a drink or a light snack. The café has a wide selection of coffees, teas, and pastries (they also serve an amazing brunch).

Museum of Fine Arts

Did you know that your Tufts ID gets you free admission to the MFA? With one of the largest collections of Claude Monet’s work outside of France, you could spend an entire day (or 2!) at this museum. They have incredible temporary exhibitions, so even if you think you’ve seen everything the museum has to offer, there is always something new. This past fall semester, for example, they had a Winnie the Pooh exhibit filled with original drawings of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and friends!

Ice Skating

In Boston, when people think “ice skating” they tend to immediately think of the Frog Pond on the Boston Common. While the Frog Pong is beautiful, it is also a little pricey on a graduate student budget. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, head on over to the LoConte Memorial Rink in Medford. During public skating hours, admission is free and skates are only $5 to rent! Due to its location, the crowd at the LoConte Rink is mostly middle and high school students, but take a date or a group of friends and you’ll have a blast!

Sports games

Did you know that the Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox all offer affordable options for students to see games? Register online to get updates on Red Sox student ticket availability. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a Red Sox game that way, but last time I went the tickets were less than $20 a piece! Similarly, register online for the Buzzer Beater Pass offered by the Celtics to get notified if last minute tickets are available for purchase on game days. Also, check out the Student Nights offered each year by the Bruins for half-price ticket options.

Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? – The five people I met at SMFA at Tufts and how I knew I was in the right spot

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

When I was considering graduate and post-baccalaureate programs, I was worried about the cost, location, and resources of the school. Would I feel comfortable enough to do my best work and make the time worth the cost? From having sat in the back of my mother’s college classrooms at the age of five, I have learned the “tells” of any good educational institution. There are common traits to look for in a school where students can succeed and you can tell this by the people you meet. It is the alliance of support that makes a place special, something beyond great studios and shops.

While on my first tour at SMFA, I met five people. Their support and inspiration were why I decided to build my community here.

Keena (Former Grad Student): The first person I interacted with was then a current graduate student named Keena. Not only was she friendly and welcoming, but open about the program. She encouraged me to ask any questions that I may have. I learned about the ins and outs of the program, the best kept secrets, and things to look for in the building and studios. She informed me of places and resources that she appreciated that could also be beneficial to me. I was able to see first-hand what she was gaining from the program and learn how she would use this experience when she left. Keena shared a vision of who I could be and urged me to make myself at home in the potential of my own space here. After our conversation, I could see myself sitting in her place, happily working on producing my best work and developing a strong sense of self.

Nan Freeman (Director, Post-Bacc Program): After the tour, I had lunch with a group of prospective graduate students and the director of the post-bacc program, Nan Freeman. She asked us what had led us to SMFA at Tufts and to share what our backgrounds were. Being able to share our backgrounds and learning that this would be a resource in our art making was vital. I felt able to express a variety of passions and use my individual skillset as an asset in my practice, encouraging my research, and pushing my vision. I knew from this conversation, that a structure of interdisciplinary experimentation was built into the SMFA at Tufts model.

Peter Scott (Professor of the Practice, Printmaking): The next person I interacted with was Peter Scott. From my first conversation with him, I knew that he was going to be my favorite faculty members at SMFA at Tufts (shhh, do not tell that to all of my other favorite SMFA faculty). Peter, a practicing and ridiculously talented artist in the field of printmaking, talked “shop” with me about facilities and working with print media at the school. He is whip-smart with a conceptual understanding and a sense of humor. He made me feel at home and that this was the place I wanted to be. Luckily for me, I would find that same amazing dynamic with so many of the faculty I have come to admire.

After a half a day engaging with faculty members, current students, going on tours, and listening to a panel, I walked around the school trying to decide if I would be comfortable at the SMFA. I wandered into the library where I was greeted by Ashley Peterson and Darin Murphy, the Research and Instruction Librarian and the Head of the Fine Arts Library respectively. The three of us sat and talked for over 45 minutes about art, research, and resources that the library could provide. They pulled out artists’ books and references for me to view and told me about individual research visits. The SMFA library is small but mighty and they let me know that it is part of a consortium which provides students with access to books from around the world in addition to the SMFA and Tisch libraries’ collections. I remember thinking how lucky I was to be in a place where people were so passionate about their subjects and eager to help others find their own.

Leaving the library, I knew that the SMFA at Tufts would be the right choice for me. I looked forward to continuing conversations with the faculty, staff, and students on a regular basis. Meeting these five people helped me to take a leap of faith, knowing that I would have the resources and support to develop myself as an artist.

No matter what happened, the juice would be worth the squeeze!