fine arts
1. drawing 2. painting 3. sculpture 4. studio 5. mfa/career 6. interviews
1.
drawing
Don Porcaro
“We have a firm belief that if you’re comfortable, you can learn more.”
Fine Arts Program In the Fine Art program there is a sense of Freedom in regards to each individual artist. But, because of this freedom, individual students must have a certain drive in order to achieve their desires. Though there are required courses, students are given the liberty to explore the use of different materials and are given little restriction as to how to approach their project. In this program the mixture of sculpture Painting and drawing prepares students for the contemporary art world. Through this program the students are able to explore a variety of media and materials equipping them with tools for their creations.
Courses In sophomore year students are introduced to the basic courses of painting sculpture and drawing as a preparation for the more advanced courses. Here students learn how to work with the materials, the facilities and important techniques on how to use them, are introduced to students in each of the fields. Sophomores also take Visual Thinking where they explore the medium of video and narrative and explore how these elements can play into their individual style. In Junior year the courses become more open to interpretation by each individual. Regardless the first semester students still take painting, drawing, and sculpture. Seniors are granted studios and are given the freedom to explore and refine in their own space.
Kimberly
freedom
“What I love about Fine Arts is the the program gives you and the attitude of the teachers - most of them are really great at being constructively critical without being discouraging. I also love how small the class is. I think there are only about 30 of us in each year. I don’t love the limited resources (since Fine Arts isn’t Parson’s most renowned program I sometimes get the feeling that our funding isn’t enough) but there’s nothing I hate about it.” -Maura Guyote
2.
painting
painting by: kevin yu
“
The senior studios are too small for large pieces. I like to work on large paintings and figurative sculpture. I live in Brooklyn where I have much more space to work.�
Kevin Yu Senior
“
On average, I probably sprend around $60 for each painting. There is free wood in the shop, but it’s crappy.”
sophomore year
students mostly work with oil paints but the projects ultimately depend on their preference.
“Parsons is in a
great location.
if there are things I did not learn from this school, I learned them from walking around.�
Nina Torr Nina Torr Senior Senior
“
If you paint traditionally (in oils), it gets pricey. Painting is not too costly for me. I spend about $40-$50 for a bucket of gesso and I only spend a couple of dollars per yard for fabric.� Elvia Hernandes Junior
Students will take three semesters of painting in which they are able to explore different mediums.
3.
Sculpture
After the Foundation year, students who have decided to move on to the Fine Arts department will take sculpture classes in their Sophmore and Junior year. Sculpture class is one of the required classes in the Fine Arts program at Parsons. Students will work and experiment with different materials throughout the year. One of the first materials that students will use is clay. Students will get assignments such as sculpting a self portrait out of clay. Then students will be introduced to other materials such as metals and woods. For all the Fine Arts students, the department offers an extensive metal and wood shop, which are both located in 25East 13th Street, 4th Floor.
Facilities at 25 East 13th Street
wood shop
metal shop
This wood shop is for Fine Arts students and these machines are there to cut wood. The shop supplies wood, so students don’t have to purchase any wood outside of school. Also, there is always someone at the wood shop to help and demonstrate to students how to use the machines.
This metal shop is open to all Fine Arts students. There is always an instructor/shop technician there who can help and support you with the tools and your work. You might even be able to find materials that you can use, so it is not always necessary to spend a lot of money on supplies.
work space This work space is offered to all Fine Arts students. If you need a bigger space in which to work, you can always work in empty classrooms on the 4th floor.
storage space
class room
Students have some storage space available for them to keep their sculpture works, drawings and paintings.
This is one of the classrooms where Fine Arts classes take place.
photo credit : Zachary Delamaster
“
I’d have to say overall that I am very happy in the Fine Arts program, I’ve learned a lot, and have really begun to develop
my sense of identity
as an artist which I do owe to Parsons.”
Zachary Delamaster sophomore
4.
personal studios
MAGENTA = safe text boundary
“Thereand is a good community in the major, everybody knows each other.” Nina Torr
Nina is an international student from South Africa. She likes painting and making sculptures. She loves the Fine Arts program and she says that it is the best place for her, especially because she can learn a lot just by walking around in the building and looking at other students’ works.
She does not love the noise and dust that gets in her studio space. Since studios do not have doors, Nina has set up a locker for herself inside of the studio. She keeps her valuables, such as her computer inside to keep them safe. Her future plan is to work in America for two years and prepare for graduate school.
“In your own studio, you don’t have to clean up the mess” Lauren Tillette
Lauren enjoys having her own studio. She says “You can paint the wall, put nails in the wall and pretty much do anything you want. The studio becomes yours for two semesters. Usually students paint the wall with white paint at the end of senior year for the next students.”
Lauren likes to work with miniature furniture sculptures and patchworks. She shares the studio space with her friend, whose major is not fine arts but she is very interested in creating her own musical instruments using steel.
determ
ination Fine Arts is a very ambitious major. it is all about self-motivation, determination, and awareness. no one is going to make you do anything. the only person who can do that, is you.
“You can do anything� Jessica Ng
Jessica is an international student from Hong Kong. Fine Arts is her second degree, Literature being her first. She says that the hardest thing is to be motivated. Since the program is very free, you have to know what you are doing. Also you need skills to realize your ideas.
Her advice on having a personal studio is to keep your belongings locked up at all times. Sometimes other students will borrow your supplies. She says that students wait three years to get their personal studios.
“We introduce students to
as many areas as possible� Don Porcaro
Professor Don Porcaro says that the personal studios are open from 9 AM to 11 PM, seven days a week. Seniors have a class for critique of their projects once a week, where they talk about what they have seen at museums together, and then the professors go to each room and help students with their work. In the fall semester, they have two big critiques and one in the spring semester. These critiques are done for thesis and portfolio development.
“ you are required to see
as much art as possible. This week alone I have to see about five shows which is a lot if you’re taking eighteen credits. Conceptual development, discussion, and theory are also very integral to the program.”
Zachary Delamaster
sophomore
MFA
Fine Arts Rayna Savrosa Rayna is currently a student in the MFA Fine Arts program after having completed her BFA in Photograhy at Parsons. She has been studying at Parsons for five years now and strongly believes that Parsons has given her a great opportunity to balance the amount of art classes and academic classes.
Daniela Di Donato Daniela transferred to Parsons from Central Saint Martins in London, where she had previously studied as an undergraduate student. That program has set her up to work as a fine artist and she believes that “learning is important just like knowing the alphabet.�
to Graduate “Go School!
- Rayna Savrosa
“
“
In my experience, preparing yourself for a career in the fine arts department is talked about but not pushed on you; in the end, as I would assume is true for most majors, it’s up to you to seek out internships, jobs, etc. The great thing about Parsons in general is that because almost all of its faculty are part-time, they are still largely involved in the art and design world themselves and can therefore give you a lot of connections/recommendations, but you have to ask for it first!�
Maura Guyote
sophomore
INTERVIEWS
Be Motivated.
Jennifer DiCarlo Junior
Jennifer is currently studying Fine Arts at Parsons and is at the same time getting a degree at Eugene Lang. She motivates herself to achieve her personal goal in the Fine Arts program. She believes that it is important to know what works the best for you in order to keep yourself up in this course. Jennifer thinks that most of the assignments she gets do not have a strict requirement, so she experiments with different materials and using various techniques. Jennifer would advise all students who are willing to study in the Fine Arts program to “have other interests outside of school and to have ideas at all times.�
Maham, who is from Pakistan first joined Parsons as an interior design major. Now Maham is in the Fine Arts program where she finds herself in a more relaxed environment where she can do what she wants to do. She finds painting very meditative and she brings her cultural background into her collections of work. She believes that the Fine Arts program has a very good faculty, however the critiques could be more intense. Maham would advise all freshmen to “travel a lot” and to “take classes in other programs”, because it will give them experience and help them develop.
Maham Akmai
Junior
Ryan Brewer Junior
Ryan had initially started off as a commercial design major outside of Parsons. He chose Parsons because of its location and reputation. “New York City is definitely a great place to be for artists.” He describes the Fine Arts program as very self-driven. He is interested in working with sculpture and incorporating performance at the same time. The Fine Arts program offers great supplies of material, but he thinks there are not enough spaces for students to work, which can sometimes be stressful. Ryan encourages all freshmen who are considering joining Fine Arts to “be yourself and follow what you want to do.”
NATHAN CHRISTIE How many hours do you spend on homework a week?
Do you have any tips for people who are going into Fine Arts?
Never none, but some weeks you spend twelve or more hours each day in the studios and some weeks you spend only a few. It mostly depends on the timelines you set yourself, they are less frequently set for you. Get used to saving plans for the weekends, though - if you aren’t already.
Get used to self-direction and self-reliance early. Someone may be there to hold your hand, but neither you nor they will like or benefit from this. Be on time for class and deadlines. Don’t BS thought or meaning unless you want everyone to know that you’re wasting their time.
Is the workload harder compared to Foundation year?
Anything you wish you had known before choosing your major?
There is much less work, but it’s far more difficult. The tedium of the Foundation program is unmatched.
That everyone can be an artist. Most anxiety sophomore year stems from not knowing whether you really have anything to say.
Are you enjoying this year? Of course. How much do you spend on supplies for class? Supplies are not purchased the way they are during Foundation year; each class has projects for which you know you’ll need a budget (estimating a few hundred dollars for each course works for most people, but you only need to spend as much as you decide you must.) Budgeting each project is something you get used to doing and it changes for each person and each project.
Who’s your favorite professor? Picking favorites closes your mind. What’s your favorite class? Picking favorites stunts your growth. What’s your favorite medium? Picking favorites denies opportunities for learning.
Photograph by Nathan Christie
painting by Heather Weston.
“Trying to be a fine artist is like trying to be a ROCKSTAR.” -Heather Weston.
HEATHER WESTON What class do you like most?
Are students in your class competitive?
Painting. It really pushes your voice and you come up with your own intuitive style.
Definitely, it’s a very competitive environment, but everyone pushes each other so it’s a really great atmosphere. Classes are usually small. There’s only nine people in my sculpture class.
What are some painting projects you’ve worked on recently? People think painting is just using a paint brush and canvas but it’s really not like that. For example, I did a series of hair paintings. I put dye in my hair and dragged my hair across a piece of paper. The idea was to use no tools to paint something. They went from loose gestural paintings to detailed portraits. What can you tell me about the sculpture department? It’s really fun! You work with materials such as metal, wood, plastic, clay, plaster casting and latex. You also learn how to weld. One of our projects was working with broken objects. Anything you can pick up is a sculpture. I like working with metal, I made a tall steel cage and I put an ostridge egg in it. It’s all about thought process.
What scared you about going into fine arts? I didn’t know if I was going to be happy. Who’s your favorite artist? Joel Peter Witken. He photographs dead bodies and arranges them in still lifes which imitate paintings. And obviously I like Caravaggio and Van Gogh! What do you want to do after you graduate? I really want to get my MFA and become a professor. I’m also really interested in collaborating with other artists. I’ve made some really good contacts and am already selling my work.
What do you do in your spare time? I go to Chelsea Galleries every weekend. I hang out with my friends. Sometimes I eat. What’s your favorite thing about this year so far? I’ve learned a lot and I’m really impressed with myself. Also, I’ve made a lot of good friends and I got to meet people with the same interests. Have you always known that you wanted to do art? Yeah! Ever since I was in kindergarten. What’s your advice for someone who’s going into Fine Arts? Go big! Try out weird things you wouldn’t have done before. You get more satisfaction out of being daring and screwing up rather than playing it safe. Don’t be afraid!
“I found out a lot about myself through fine arts.”
Heather Weston.
painting by Heather Weston.
Senior Concentration Senior Concentration is a mandatory year-long course. The entire Senior class meets once a week for an hour or so with two professors, Don Porcaro, and Elke Solomon. The class is set up very casually; Everyone is seated in a circle, and topics are discussed as a conversation between the professor and the students.
Cameron Sheedy
sophomore
What do you like most about your major? I like being able to experiment in an open and receptive environment, and I like how small our department is. You develop really strong and significant relationships with the people you work with. Do you have any tips for people who are going into Fine Arts? If you need a lot of structure in terms of guidelines and rules, you wont be comfortable in fine arts. They give you everything you need to basically design your own work and fulfill “assignments” in your own way. Is there anything you wish you had known before going into Fine Arts? I am highly enjoying this year. After Foundation I was majorly questioning if Parsons was the right choice of school for me, but once I got into Fine Arts, I knew I could stay at Parsons and be happy. How many hours do spend on homework a week? I can’t really calculate how many hours I spend. It depends on what project I’m working on. For the most part though, I am in total control of my time and I rarely get stressed out. The workload is ridiculously less than Foundation, but it also doesnt feel as much like work because I am doing what I want to be doing. Favorite professors? Favorite classes? Favorite mediums? Professors I love: Don Porcaro, David Mann, Susan Hambleton, Lawrence Hegarty, Vinny Gargiulo, Ignacio Lang. I love all my studio classes: painting, drawing, sculpture. I took Expanding Horizons with Susan Hambleton and had a lot of fun. It’s a two credit class but it’s a good elective to take. Also, Visual Thinking: Narratives with Lawrence Hegarty is amazing. He’s awesome. I like oil paint, wood, hardware, paper, and (free) found goods.
Study Abroad The study abroad program for the Fine Arts program is mostly recommended for the second semester of junior year. There are many options for the study abroad program around the world. One of the most popular is the Royal Academy of England. In the study abroad program most students though still in school, are faced with a sense of the professional world.
International students The Fine Arts program has a large number of international students. In the senior class of 2009-2010, 12 out of 27 students were international students from very diverse countries including Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Russia, South Africa, and many more. Some of them are currently doing their study abroad in Parsons New York, thus creating a very diverse community in this program.
Julian
FREEDOM
“
If I had been in fashion I wouldn’t have had the time to experiment and learn about the dying techniques I’m doing now because I would be too busy making my collection.” -Kimberly Sumner senior
life after parsons Professional Practices Course
The Professional Practices course is a new addition to the Fine Arts curriculum. Teachers work with the students to build strong portfolios which they use to apply for jobs. A main goal of the class is to introduce students to opportunities in the professional world.
“We promise that we can give you lots of information and possibilities within the field you feel you fit in best� -Don Porcaro
PHOTOGRAPHY
A simple, click, flash and a memory captured. It is a permanent viewfinder for the mind, capturing the moment from your own perspective. Trapping a special event into a single frame. Photography can be described in many different ways. Parsons offers a four-year photography program, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
TABLE of CONTENTS
Courses Facilities Meet the Director Interviews
1
3
5
7
COURSES
FIRST YEAR
Freshman Seminar Design: From Line to Pixel Drawing Drawing & Painting Studio Elective Critical Reading & Writing 1 & 2 Perspectives in World Art & Design 1 & 2
JUNIOR YEAR
Junior Seminar Imagery & Design Studio Electives Internship or Elective Global Issues in Design & Visuality: 21st Century Art History/Design Studies Elective Liberal Arts Elective University Lecture Elective
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Studio & Light 1 & 2 View Camera Design 3: Capture to Print Studio Elective Photo Topics Design 4: Pixel to Cyberspace Sophomore Seminar History of Photography Intro to Visual Culture University Lecture Elective
SENIOR YEAR
Senior Seminar Senior Seminar Lab Senior Thesis Tutorial Studio Electives Senior Seminar (Art & Design Studies) Advanced Art History/Design Studies Elective Liberal Arts Elective
FACILITIES &EQUIPMENT
HOW IT WORKS Every photography student has the availability to check-out equipment raning from high-tech cameras to lens and filters. Every student must their own loops, memory cards, canned air, batteries, scissors, and negative slips. The equipment center does not provide them. There arre both color and black and white darkrooms. Some of the supplies avaiable on loan are filters, negatives, easels, lens for the enlargers, grain focuses, and glass for making contact sheets.
THOMAS WERNER
“The New School bought about a million dollars worth of photography equipment.�
How long has this program been around? The photography program has been around for about 30 years, and includes 6 international school partners from all over the world. Are there electives offered for this program? Yes, each semester, usually a lot more in Junior and Senior Year. Is there a portfolio required for this program? Yes, 8-12 images. We usually look at the technical thinking process, the think and see for example a small series of images on one object.
What Careers have previous alumni received? Fashion photoraphy, exhibition galleries, advertising, magazine photography, and many international jobs such as war photography, human rights photography, curators and photo editors.
INTERVIEWS
“Photography is an art and a mode of document.” - Elan Peskin
ELAN PESKIN Was Parsons the right choice? Does it meet your expectations? Yes, I think Parsons was the right choice but Parsons did not meet my expectation. Do you ever think about changing your major? I thought about switching to film because I thought photography might be too restrictive. What is your most enjoyable project? Stop motion film for Design I! What do you like to photograph? I love beautiful things. Food still lifes are my favorite. How much do you spend on supplies per semester? WAY too much. At least $400 What do you want to pursue when you graduate from Parsons? Any job relating to photography or writing.
JASON KIM “Photography is the art of seeing. It is more than just the click of a shutter, it is a collaboration of wonderful composition, light, and content that make photography come to life.” - Jason Kim How much free time do you have? Not that much, because I work on my other photography beyond my schoolwork. Do you ever think about changing majors? No, because especially in Photography, you have to know what you want. Be sure. What was your most enjoyable project? The long-term assignment, 15-20 photos. There is a lot of freedom and it pushes your creativity. What do you like to photograph? Fashion. “I love simple but strong composition, strong women and androgynous man” What do you think about the faculty? They’re very nice. They are unbiased towards all the works, even though it’s not the same style as what they like. What is your ultimate goal? To be the top fashion photographer. To be signed by Art + Commerce.
WHAT IS PHOTOGRAPHY TO YOU?
“Capturing something to remember the moment” HOW MANY HOURS OF WORK DO YOU GET PER WEEK? “A lot of hours. We’re limited to work because of weird, darkroom hours and classes taking up space, so it adds up to a lot.” HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND ON SUPPLIES? “Too much. Paper and film goes by so fast.” WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH? “Portraits and editorials. People are so interesting and each one is different.” WHAT WAS YOUR MOST ENJOYABLE PROJECT? “The long-term independent project. Freedom.”
CHRISTINA PAIK
ANTONIA BASLER “Photography is like a pair of pants right out of the dryer.” “I have had some incredible teachers so far that have far exceeded my expectations as educators and human beings in general. But usually when they tell me to do something I will listen at the time and then ignore it completely. I am continually impressed by the work that is produced by the students younger and older than I. Its a very energetic and lovely atmosphere at times.”
Photographs by Antonia Basler
NICOLE ZONSIUS WHAT IS PHOTOGRAPHY TO YOU?
“A visual frame of the world. A captured moment in a frame.” HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND ON SUPPLIES? “It is a pricey profession. Fourty dollars a week in film. A box of fifty dollar photo paper will last a semester.” WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO PHOTOGRAPH? “The traditional black and white documentary style. Still life that’s purposeful. ” WHAT’S YOUR DREAM LIFE AFTER PARSONS? “To do editorial and documentary. Maybe in a studio or assisting.” ANY ADVICE?
“Be open to try everything and anything.”
Photographs by Amrita Singh
AMRITA SINGH “If you want to be a photographer, you will be in debt. Be prepared.” “I recently shot for the NGO, Sense International India that does advocacy for the multi-disabled-deaf: blind and developmentally delayed. I shot at their partner school in Delhi, The National Assocation for the Blind, focusing on themes like touch, discovery and capturing the relationship between students and teachers. The images will be used for community advocacy and for Sense’s annual reports and website. I enjoy capturing the positive work people are doing and it was great to build my own relationship with the students and to face the challenge of working with people who cannot see you.”
This book was created in Laboratory, one of the four studio classes offered in the Foundation Program at Parsons The New School for Design. The project, called Seeing the Future, tasks groups of freshmen with researching the student experience within the schools and programs at Parsons. This book is based on their research, interviews, site visits and observations. sds.parsons.edu