parsons school of design master of fine arts

PARSONS
SCHOOL
OF DESIGN
MASTER
OF FINE ARTS
Master of Fine Arts Program-Painting
Parsons School of Design in New York offers
the Master of Fine Arts Degree for two years of
concentrated studio work and study in the
museums. This is a graduate program for people who want to paint and develop the ability
to work simply and constantly before nature
and art.
Through the practice of painting, students
learn to articulate a language of form and color,
a language which despite many changes in the
aesthetic of painting, has remained constant
through the ages. Students are encouraged to
paint their ideas rather than verbalize them,
in the belief that this is the best preparation for
whatever direction they may eventually find.
This school is based on the atelier system.
Students work daily with no breaks, no
"classes," painting and drawing with the
model as a constant. This program gives
young painters the opportunity to test themselves—to see if they might become artists.
There is regular criticism from faculty and
visiting artists.
The Studio
The Master of Fine Arts Program occupies a
large, open, skylit studio on Thirteenth Street,
in the Greenwich Village area of New York City.
It is adjacent to the College's undergraduate
campus and that of its university affiliate, the
New School for Social Research.
The Studio and the purposeful simplicity of
the curriculum are designed to encourage
sustained individual work. Models pose and
students work six days per week: they set up
still lifes, pose the model and may work into the
evening hours and on Saturdays. There are no
private studio spaces. Being with other painters
—students and faculty—every day, is as vital
to the development of personal direction as is
the continuity of daily work.
Instruction is given in the traditional methods
of making and preparing oil paints, mediums
and grounds; there is a facility for grinding
pigments in the studio. Students have access
to a comprehensive printmaking shop, darkrooms, wood, metal and sculpture shops, as
well as many other specialized facilities within
Parsons School of Design and The New
School. Through membership in a consortium,
The Adam and Sophie Gimbel Library at
Parsons extends its fine specialized collection
to include the libraries of Cooper Union and
New York University. These libraries, as well
as that of The New School, are open to all
Parsons students.
The school's location in New York, with
museums, galleries and a vital community of
artists in easy reach, complements the exchange of ideas within the Studio.
Study in the Museums
Direct study from work in New York's museums
is required. Students are asked to go to
museums and to paint from the paintings they
see, not as museum copyists but as painters
who are reacting to works that have energy
and life.
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Curriculum
The Master of Fine Arts degree requires sixtyfour semester credits of study, fifty-six of
which are in the Studio. The studio credits are
not separated into individual class units.
Eight credits are in liberal arts. The curriculum requires that students register for one
liberal arts course each semester. Usually the
Program offers a course designed to complement the Studio curriculum. Students must
maintain a 3.0 grade point average to be eligible to continue in the program. For students
who choose to spend one semester in the
second year away from the Studio, Liberal Arts
independent study may be arranged.
First Year—In the first year daily attendance in
the Studio is mandatory for two full semesters.
The only exception to daily studio work is study
in the museums. For one week each semester
classes are held in the country so that students
may have the opportunity to work directly in
the landscape.
Second Year—The second year of the program
continues the approach begun during the first.
One semester must be spent in the Studio.
However, students who show they are ready
for independent study may, with faculty approval, spend the other semester of the second
year away from the Studio, in Provincetown
or in travel abroad. Through Parsons' undergraduate campus in Paris, and through affiliation with other programs abroad, a special
project of study and travel can be arranged
by the student.
When a sufficient number of students choose
to participate, the Program sponsors a
semester in the historic art community of Provincetown on Cape Cod. By special arrangement with the Provincetown Art Association, a
skylit private studio is available for Parsons
MFA students, and regular visits by artists who
live and work there are scheduled. Emphasis
is on work in the landscape.
Except for the Provincetown semester, application for a semester of independent study is
made by submitting a written proposal of
study. Chairperson and faculty approval are
required.
Tuition
Full tuition for graduate students for the
1986-87 academic year is $4070 per semester
plus a $65 registration fee per semester.
(Annual tuition rates are announced in midspring each year.)
An Extended Payment Plan (for tuition and
fees) is available to all students. This plan
permits payment of tuition over a 12-month
period, with an initial payment in May and
eleven installments thereafter. There is no
finance or service charge of any kind for this
plan. Detailed information is distributed by
the Office of Admissions and the Registration
Office on approximately April 20th each year.
Living in New York City
The University Housing Office assists graduate
students in locating off-campus housing. There
are no dormitory facilities for graduate students
on the New York campus, but the Housing
Office maintains a listing of apartments, sublets
and shares in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens,
and New Jersey. The Housing Office distributes a guide to off-campus housing which lists
temporary and permanent-stay residence halls,
reputable real estate agents, tips on hunting for
an apartment in NYC and where and how to
get the proper help when things go wrong with
landlords, leases, heating and the like.
The cost of such living arrangements varies
depending upon the taste and resourcefulness of the student. The estimated expense of
off-campus room and board is $4300.
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Faculty Biographies
Paul Resika, Chair
Born in New York City, 1928. Studied with Sol Wilson,
1940-44, and from 1945-47 at the Hans Hofmann
School. From 1950-53 Mr. Resika lived and studied in
Paris and Venice. He is represented by the Graham
Gallery. Mr. Resika received a Guggenheim Fellowship
for 1984-85. Mr. Resika has taught, among other places,
at the Art Students League, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School, the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, and at the Cooper Union from
1966-77, when he left to become first chairman of
Parsons' MFA Program.
Patricia Bailey, Program Coordinator
Born in Nacogdoches, Texas, 1946. Ms. Bailey studied
at the University of Texas with Loren Mozley. She came
to New York City in 1968, studied at the New York Studio
School, and received the MFA degree from Pratt Institute. Ms. Bailey has taught at Pratt Institute and in the
Fine Arts Department of the Fashion Institute of Technology. She was the initial coordinator of the Environmental
Campus Program of the Artists for Environment Foundation. Ms. Bailey's work has been exhibited at the Prince
Street Gallery and the First Street Gallery in New York,
and at the New York Studio School.
Leland Bell
Born in Cambridge, Maryland, 1922. Upon graduation
from high school Mr. Bell left Washington, D.C. to paint in
Provincetown and subsequently New York City. Except
for periods of travel abroad with extended stays in
Iceland and Paris, he has lived and worked in New York
City since 1940. Mr. Bell is represented by the Robert
Schoelkopf Gallery. He has taught in the graduate
schools of Yale University, the University of Iowa, the
Rhode Island School of Design, the Kansas City Art Institute, Maryland Institute College of Art and New York
Studio School from its inception until the Parsons MFA
faculty was formed.
Eduardo Rosario
Born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, in 1946. Studied at the
New York Studio School from 1968-74, with Esteban
Vicente. Mercedes Matter, Peter Agostini, and Nicholas
Carone, and at the Skowhegan School of Painting and
Sculpture, 1973 and 1974. He received the BA degree
from New York University in 1974. His work has been
exhibited at the Duane Street Gallery, the Bowery Gallery
and at the New York Studio School.
John Heliker
Born in Yonkers, New York, 1909. Mr. Heliker studied
painting at The Arts Students League from 1927-29.
In 1938-39 he worked in the easel division of the W.P.A.
Among his numerous awards are the Prix de Rome and
a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 1968, a retrospective
exhibition of Mr. Heliker's work was held at the Whitney
Museum. He is represented by the Kraushaar Gallery.
Mr. Heliker has taught, among other places, at the
Art Students League, the New York Studio School, and
the Graduate Faculty of Columbia University before
joining the Parsons' MFA Program.
Piero Mannoni
Born in Rome, Italy, 1932. Mr. Mannoni is a graduate
of the Istituto Centrale del Restauro, Rome. He was employed by the Italian government on the staff of the
Istituto Centrale del Restauro from 1951-1967. He has
worked privately in New York from 1967 to the present
in conservation of paintings.
Visiting Artists and Lecturers
Michael Amendolaro
Lennart Andersen
Rosemary Beck
Nell Blaine
James Bohary
Stephen Brown
Fritz Bultman
Gretna Campbell
Olga Carlisle
Nicholas Carone
Simon Carr
Robert Cox
Howard Daum
Susan Daykin
Robert De Niro
Dino Fabris
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Louis Finkelstein
Joseph Fiore
Jane Freilicher
Bruce Gagnier
Steven Greene
Nike Hale
Howard Hussey
Michael Jacobs
Reuben Kadish
Wolf Kahn
Aristodemos Kaldis
Albert Kresch
James Lechay
Stanley Lewis
Charles Marks
Nicholas Marsicano
Mercedes Matter
Samuel Menashe
Raoul Middleman
Fred Mitchell
Wilbur Niewald
Stephen Pace
Martin Pajeck
Patricia Passlof
Jed Perl
Robert Phelps
Joseph Plaskett
Anne Poor
Eduardo Rosario
Herman Rose
Deborah Rosenthal
Paul Russotto
Peter Ruta
Anthony Santuoso
David Sawin
Myron Schwartzman
Shan-Hong Shen
Jonathan Silver
David Leoffler Smith
Anne Tabachnick
Richard Uhlich
Esteban Vicente
Arturo Vivante
Peter Watts
Donald Weygandt
Jerry Zeniuk
Admissions Procedures and Requirements
Parsons School of Design uses a rolling admission system. Applications are reviewed and
decisions sent to applicants soon after their
completion. However, since the MFA program
is a highly selective one, early applications
receive priority. Please also note that a strict
deadline is maintained for all financial aid
applicants.
Interviews are required of all students whose
slide portfolio has been accepted and who live
within 200 miles of the school. Students who
live a greater distance from New York City are
encouraged to make every effort to arrange
a personal interview upon acceptance of their
slide portfolio.
Along with the completed application form
include a brief resume of your work experience, exhibitions, travel, etc. List dates and
other pertinent information such as positions
held or duties involved.
Have official copies of all college transcripts
forwarded to the Office of Admissions, Attention: MFA Painting Committee.
Have two letters of recommendation from
studio faculty mailed directly to the Office of
Admissions, Attention: MFA Committee.
Foreign students—Students whose native
language is not English must submit the results
of the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL)exam. A TOEFL score of at least 525
is required for admissions consideration.
The TOEFL may be waived only for students
who have completed at least one full year
of college level English in the U.S. with a grade
of B or better, or whose language of instruction
in school was English. If performance at
Parsons is hindered by language difficulties,
additional study may be required or study may
be terminated.
Prepare and submit a portfolio consisting of
at least twelve images of your paintings and
drawings. We prefer good quality black and
white photographs to slides, but you may
send color photographs or slides if you wish.
The slide portfolio, applications, resume and
the required $30.00 application fee (check or
money order made payable to Parsons
School of Design)should be mailed to:
Parsons School of Design
Office of Admissions
Attention: MFA Painting Committee
66 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
Privacy Act
Parsons School of Design complies with the
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
The provisions of compliance are outlined in
the Student Handbook and are available upon
request from the University Records Office,
65 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.
Parsons School of Design and The New School
for Social Research admit students of any
race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin
to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities accorded or made available to the students
at the college. It does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, sex, religion, physical handicap, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies,
scholarship and loan programs, and athletic
and other school-oriented programs.
Parsons School of Design is fully accredited by
The Commission on Higher Education of The
Middle States Association of Colleges and
Schools and The National Association of Schools
of Art. The college holds-an absolute charter
from the Board of Regents of the State
of New York.
Parsons School of Design
66 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10011
212-741-8900
Parsons School of Design
is a division of
The New School for Social Research
Course offerings, semester point evaluations,
academc requirements, tuition, fees, facilities and
faculty in this catalog are subject to change
without notice.
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Financial Aid
Eligibility
All applicants for admission and all current students are
eligible for financial aid consideration if they file in accordance with the instructions below. Students should not
assume they are ineligible for aid; rather, they should file
if they feel they have need for financial assistance.
Parsons School of Design does not discriminate on
the basis of sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national
origin, or physical handicap in the distribution of
financial aid.
Application
Applicants for financial aid must file the Financial Aid
Form (FAF) with the College Scholarship Service (CSS),
Box 2700, Princeton, NJ 08541 or Box 380, Berkeley,
CA 94701 by February 1st, so that it is received by
the Office of Financial Aid by April 1st. Applicants for
January admission must submit all forms to CSS by
November 1st. Any application found incomplete will be
returned to the applicant and will not be considered until
complete. Students must also submit documentation
of income, such as a copy of the previous year's income
tax return and verification of nontaxable income.
These forms will be reviewed to evaluate the need and
eligibility for any and all types of aid that Parsons School
of Design offers. IMPORTANT: It is necessary to submit a
new application for each academic year in which aid is
requested.
Foreign Students
Foreign students with student visa status may qualify for
scholarship aid only. All other forms of aid listed here are
available only to citizens or permanent residents of the
United States.
Foreign students who qualify for aid must realize that
the amount awarded is based on need and will not exceed the cost of tuition. All foreign applicants are urged
to research all sources of aid from government and
private organizations in their own country before leaving,
since it is extremely difficult to obtain aid after arriving in
the United States. An excellent source of information is
the booklet Financial Planning for Study in the United
States: A Guide for Students from Other Countries. This
book may be obtained from CSS at the address above.
Notification of Awards
New students will be notified by mail of their financial aid
awards in the beginning of June. Current students expecting to re-enroll will be notified by mail by June 1st.
Types of Aid
A student does not file for specific types of financial aid.
He or she is considered for all types of aid available to
meet his or her needs simply by filing the required form.
The following are types of aid which may be awarded to
students who qualify after submitting the FAF. To receive
aid, you must:(a) be making satisfactory progress
toward the completion of your course of study;(b) not be
in default on a National Direct Student Loan or Guaranteed Student Loan at the school you plan to attend;
and (c) not owe a refund on a Pell Grant or a Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant at the school you
plan to attend.
Complete details of the philosophy, policy and procedure for awarding aid are available in the Financial Aid
Office. Private, Federal and State aid programs are
outlined below.
Scholarships
Helena Rubinstein Foundation Scholarships, Parsons
School of Design Scholarships. All students who apply
for financial aid are automatically considered for scholarship aid and grants. All scholarships are awarded on
the basis of both merit and need. Merit is determined by
both academic records and faculty evaluations and,
in the case of incoming students, by competitive analysis
of the applicant's admissions materials.
Applicants who do not receive scholarships in their
first year of study may apply in subsequent years. Unless
specifically stated otherwise, scholarships are awarded
for a period of one year. Renewal is based upon subsequent reapplication, need and merit.
Federal
National Direct Student Loan (NDSL)
The NDSL is a school-administered government loan
program. Student eligibility and the size of each loan are
determined by the Financial Aid Office. Repayment of
the loan begins six months after graduation or leaving
school and may extend over up to 10 years. The current
interest rate, payable during this repayment period, is
5 percent on the unpaid principal. Minimum monthly
payment is $30.
College Work-Study Program (CWSP).
The CWSP is a school-administered governmentsupported work program. This program provides students with on-campus employment. Part-time work is
available when classes are in session and limited
full-time employment when winter or other vacation
periods begin.
State
Guaranteed Student Loan Program (GSL)
The GSL is a federally sponsored loan program available
in most states through participating banks and other
eligible lending institutions. It provides one of the most
important means for students to finance a college education. A qualifying student must be:(1) a U.S. citizen or
permanent resident; and (2) be enrolled at Parsons for
six or more credits per semester. If annual family income
exceeds $30,000, the student is required to provide
additional information for review. Check with the Financial Aid Office for details.
Currently students may borrow up to $5000 per year
($25,000 total including undergrad GSL) with no repayment due until six (6) months after ceasing a minimum of
half-time (six credits per semester)study.
The interest rate on new loans is eight or nine percent
for-students who currently have outstanding GSL's. The
interest rate for new borrowers is eight percent(8%), and
all subsequent loans to those borrowers will be at 8%.
Applications may be obtained at your local lending
institution or state guarantee agency. After completion
of the student section, it must be forwarded to the Office
of Financial Aid for processing. Be sure to allow at least
three months for regular total processing time.
Applications may be obtained at your local lending
institution or state guarantee agency. After completion
of the student section, it must be forwarded to the Office
of Financial Aid for processing. Be sure to allow at least
three months for regular total processing time.
Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students(ALAS)
Graduate students may borrow up to $3,000 per year, in
addition to GSL, under the ALAS program. Repayment
begins sixty (60) days after receiving the funds at a 12 to
14% interest rate. Additional information is available at
the Office of Financial Aid.
New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
TAP is a New York State grant program, available each
year to New York State residents attending college within
New York State. The amount of TAP is scaled according
to tuition charges and net taxable income. Awards for
students range from $200 to $600 per year. Students may
obtain forms from the Financial Aid Office or from the
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation,
Tower Building, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12255.
Application for Admission-M.F.A. Painting Program
Attach check or money order for $30 payable to Parsons School of Design and mail to:
Office of Admissions, Parsons School of Design, 66 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011
Acceptance to the MFA Program is based upon a personal interview and viewing of original work by faculty, after screening a portfolio
of slides submitted with your application. If you are accepted for an interview, you will be contacted to arrange an appointment.
Applicant's
Data
Please type or print clearly.
Name:
First
Last
Middle
Social Security No.
Permanent home address (Number & Street):
City/State/Zip:
Telephone:(
Current mailing address (Number & Street):
City/State/Zip:
Mailing address valid until:
Telephone:(
/19
Male
D Female
Date of birth:
City and State (or country)of birth:
Country of citizenship:
Do you need a student visa? OYes ON°
If you are a foreign student, what type of visa do you now hold?
Have you served in the Armed Forces? CIYes IIINo
If yes give branch, dates and rank:
I am applying for the academic year beginning
CI September 19
LI January 19
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Applicant's
Education
List all Colleges attended and list degree, if obtained:
College
City/State
Dates
Degree?
College
City/State
Dates
Degree?
College
City/State
Dates
Degree?
Have you ever applied for admission to Parsons before? 0Yes ONo
If so, for what semester and year?
Are you applying for financial aid? 0 Yes 0 No
The information I have supplied on this application is true to the best of my knowledge and beliefs. I understand that the material submitted with this application (except the portfolio) becomes the property of Parsons School of Design and will not be released to another party.
Dates:
Signature:
Admissions Procedures
1. Complete the application form, attach the required $30 application fee (check or money order made payable to Parsons School of
Design), and mail to the Office of Admissions, Parsons School of Design, 66 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.
2. Along with your application please include a resume of your travel, work experience, exhibitions, etc. Include dates and other
pertinent information, such as positions held or duties involved.
3. Prepare a portfolio that consists of approximately 12 images of your painting and drawing. We prefer good quality black and white
photographs to slides, but you may send color photographs or slides if you wish. Mail to the Office of Admissions.
4. Have official copies of all college transcripts forwarded to the Office of Admissions.
5. Have two copies of the enclosed recommendation form or two letters of recommendation by your studio faculty returned to the
Office of Admissions.
6. Interviews are required of all students whose slide portfolios have been accepted and who live within 200 miles of the school.
Students who live at great distance from New York City are encouraged to make every effort to arrange a personal interview as part of
the application procedure.
Instructions
for
Completing
the
Application
Recommendation for Admission, M.F.A. Painting Program
(Please duplicate this form for use by two references.)
Applicant's
Name
Waiver
Evaluator's
Comments
Office of Admissions, Parsons School of Design, 66 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011.
Please type or print clearly.
This recommendation will be used only for the purpose of evaluating applications to Parsons School of Design. Federal law permits
students to have access to their records,after enrollment, unless they specifically waive the right of access in advance. Such waiver
may encourage candor on the part of the evaluator and may,therefore, be to the applicant's advantage. If you wish to waive your right
to future access, please sign below.
Date:
Signature:
This form is for your comments regarding the applicant's qualifications for study towards the Master of Fine Arts Degree at Parsons.
Please be as specific and complete as possible. Additional space is provided on the back of this form.
How long, and in what capacity, have you known the applicant?
What is your evaluation of the applicant?
(Commitment to the visual arts, thoroughness of work, motivation, class attendance).
What is your evaluation of the applicant's work?
Name:
Institutional affiliation:
Position:
Signature:
Date:
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Additional
Comments
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"When an Artist has
not known how to
prepare his flowering
period, by work which
bears little resemblance to the final
result, he has a short
future before him...."
Photo Credits
Pages 2, 4, 8, 10:
Hong Qing Ling
Page 15:
Roberto Gomez-Lopez
Cover Design by
Orlando Franco
Phototypeset by
W. Thomas Overgard at
Parsons Phototypographic
Research Center
Printed by
Robert Greene of
Conceptual Litho