Our MFA in Visual Studies

Through our Visual Studies program, students have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of artistic mediums – from painting and sculpture to digital and emerging media.

We encourage experimentation and multidisciplinary exploration, knowing that inspiring art emerges from the exchange of ideas and imagination.

Students will learn to think critically about their work, considering how they can use art to communicate new ideas and perspectives. The program fosters a close-knit creative community where students collaborate and push one another to take risks and deepen their approach.

No matter what path you want your art to take, you will gain meaningful experience and develop a creative voice that is entirely your own in our program.

Converge 45 and PICA’s Time-Based Art Festival

At PNCA, we believe that community engagement is inherently tied to creating compelling art. As part of our mission to serve as the front porch for creative discussion in Portland, we partner with local arts organizations such as Converge 45 and the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art to host talks, panels, workshops, and studio visits from internationally-renowned visiting artists. These events offer both our students and members of the Portland community to come together and engage with art in a co-created experience.

Program Trips

Visual Studies students have the opportunity to expand their creativity and gain new perspectives through travel. The program sponsors a group trip to various locations across the world, including Mexico City and New York City. During these trips, students meet with contemporary artists and curators for networking and professional development, attend arts events, and visit art museums, allowing them to better understand the complexities of the broader art market nationally and internationally.

Caldera Residency

During their second year in the program, Visual Studies students gather in stunning rural Oregon and experience an immersive artists’ retreat. They are joined by a visiting artist/ writer, scholar, curator, or critic who will lead conversation and offer personalized advice toward thesis development. This is an opportunity for students to deeply engage with their creative work, develop their critical perspective, and share feedback and support with their peers.

Faculty Highlight

Garrick Imatani

Chair of MFA in Visual Studies

Garrick Imatani is a visual artist working across mediums of sculpture, photography, video, drawing, installation, and public art. His interdisciplinary practice and broad teaching background allows him to support students on a wide range of creative journeys. He is the recipient of fellowships and awards from the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Ucross Foundation, Djerassi, and Ragdale, and has received grant support from The Andy Warhol Foundation, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, The Ford Family Foundation, Oregon Arts Commission, Maine Arts Commission, Regional Arts & Culture Council, and Percent for Art.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Daniela Repas (‘20)

Daniela Repas’s work brings together several mediums including drawing, animation, installation, and film. Her film Pour the Water as I Leave was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. She previously won a Princess Grace Award and was selected as an IEFTA emerging filmmaker. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally and she has participated in exhibitions as both an artist and curator. She is also a founding member of the DripDrop collective.