School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts facts for kids
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Established | 1876 |
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Parent institution
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Tufts University |
| Accreditation | NASAD AICAD |
| Dean | Scheri Fultineer |
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Academic staff
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135 full- and part-time |
| Undergraduates | 301 |
| Postgraduates | 149 |
| Location |
,
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United States
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| Campus | Urban |
| Website | smfa.tufts.edu |
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The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (often called SMFA at Tufts or just SMFA) is a special art school. It is part of Tufts University, which is a private university in Boston, Massachusetts. This school helps students learn and earn degrees in many types of visual arts.
SMFA works closely with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. It is also a member of a group called the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD). This group includes many top art schools in the United States. The school is officially recognized by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
Contents
How SMFA at Tufts Started
The school first opened in 1876. It was called the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (SMFA). For many years, from 1876 to 1909, the school was located in the basement of the original Museum building. This building was in an area called Copley Square.
In 1909, the Museum moved to a new location on Huntington Avenue. The School also moved into a temporary building next to the main Museum. A permanent building for the school was finished in 1927. This new building was made of red brick and was much larger. It had better classrooms, art studios, and a library.
In 1945, the Museum School and Tufts College started working together. They created their first program to train art teachers. Soon after, they added more programs together.
In 1987, the school building was made even bigger and better. An architect named Graham Gund designed the changes. The school building more than doubled in size. It gained an auditorium, a larger library, more studios, and new classrooms. It also got a new entrance, a cafeteria, and more space to show student art. Gund's design included a large central area called an atrium. This atrium, known as the Katherine Lane Weems Atrium, connects the two parts of the building.
In December 2015, it was announced that the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, would become a part of Tufts University. This change was completed on June 30, 2016.
Since late 2022, there is a direct train connection between the SMFA Campus and the main Tufts University campus. This is thanks to the Green Line Extension of Boston's train system.
What Students Learn at SMFA
Students at SMFA are encouraged to create their own unique study plans. They do not have to pick just one major. Instead, they can choose from many in-depth courses. These courses cover different art areas and materials. This allows students to focus on what they are most interested in.
Courses are offered in many exciting areas, such as:
- Animation
- Ceramics (working with clay)
- Digital media (art made with computers)
- Drawing
- Film and video
- Graphic arts (like design and printmaking)
- Installation art (art that fills a space)
- Metals (working with metal)
- Painting
- Performance art (art that involves actions)
- Photography
- Print and paper (making prints and paper art)
- Sculpture (making 3D art)
- Sound art
- Virtual reality art
- Visual and material studies (learning about art history and materials)
How Students Show Their Art
A special part of SMFA is the "Review Board." This is where students show all the art they have made during a semester. Two teachers and two other students lead these reviews. Students have many chances to show their artwork. They can display it in the main school building and the Mission Hill building.
Students can show their work at events like the yearly Art Sale. They can also enter the "Student Annual Exhibition," which is judged. There are many galleries and spaces for students to use. These include the Bag Gallery, Hallway Gallery, Bathroom Gallery, and Underground Gallery. Students can even show their art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Campus Buildings and Resources
The school's main building is at 230 The Fenway. It is right next to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Most classrooms are in this building. You can also find the SMFA Cafe, the W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. Library, the school's Art Store, and the Grossman Gallery here. The Grossman Gallery is part of the Tufts University Art Galleries.
The Mission Hill building is about a quarter-mile away. It has been updated recently. This building has studios for graduate students and those doing post-baccalaureate work. It also has classrooms, workshops, and a Writing Center.
The W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. Library
The Clark Library at SMFA is the art library for Tufts University. It is a branch of Tufts' main Tisch Library. The Clark Library has a large collection of books and resources. These resources focus mostly on modern art and how artists create their work.
Talented Teachers at SMFA
Many famous artists have taught at SMFA. Here are a few:
Painting and Drawing Teachers
- David Aronson, a painter and sculptor.
- Ture Bengtz, a painter from the Boston Expressionist school.
- Ria Brodell, who teaches drawing and painting.
- Yanyun Chen, who works with drawing, installation, and animation.
- David Antonio Cruz, a painter and artist who uses many different art forms.
- Angelina Gualdoni, a painter.
- Esther Geller, an abstract expressionist painter known for encaustic painting.
- Philip Leslie Hale, a painter who also taught at the school for many years.
- Arnold Borisovich Lakhovsky, who started teaching painting in 1935.
- Ethan Murrow, known for drawing and art made for specific places.
- William McGregor Paxton, a painter and co-founder of The Guild of Boston Artists.
- Karl Zerbe, a German-American painter who led the Painting Department for many years.
Performance Art Teachers
- Marilyn Arsem, a performance artist.
- María Magdalena Campos-Pons, an artist from Cuba who uses photography, performance, video, and sculpture.
- Neda Moridpour, a performance artist and activist.
Photography Teachers
- Bill Burke, a photographer.
- Bonnie Donohue, a photographer, video artist, and writer.
- Zora J. Murff, a photographer, curator, and educator.
- Laurel Nakadate, a photographer, filmmaker, and performance artist.
- Rachelle Mozman Solano, a photographer and video artist.
Sculpture Teachers
- Frederick Warren Allen, a sculptor who taught for almost 50 years.
- Frank Dengler, a sculptor who taught for a short time.
- Mags Harries, known for installation and sculpture.
- Charles Grafly, a sculptor who led the Modeling Department.
- Bela Lyon Pratt, a sculptor who also led the Modeling Department.
Famous People Who Studied at SMFA
Many talented artists, musicians, and filmmakers have studied at SMFA. Here are some of them:
- David Armstrong, a photographer.
- Will Barnet, a painter and printmaker.
- Jan Brett, a famous illustrator.
- Al Capp, the cartoonist who created Li'l Abner.
- Jim Dine, a painter and printmaker.
- Omer Fast, a video artist.
- Nan Goldin, a photographer.
- Juliana Hatfield, a musician.
- Todd Hido, a photographer.
- Joan Jonas, a performance artist.
- Tom Jung, a graphic designer and illustrator known for movie posters.
- Ellsworth Kelly, an abstract painter.
- Steven Lisberger, a film director, producer, and writer, known for Tron.
- David Lynch, a famous filmmaker.
- Lois Mailou Jones, a painter.
- Laurel Nakadate, a photographer, film, and video artist.
- Larry Poons, an abstract painter.
- Liz Prince, a comic book artist.
- Kelly Reichardt, a filmmaker and screenwriter.
- Richard Scarry, a beloved children's book illustrator.
- Doug and Mike Starn, twin brothers who are photographers and performance artists.
- Cy Twombly, an abstract painter.
- Peter Wolf, the lead singer of the J. Geils Band.
Performance Art Groups
- Art School Cheerleaders, a performance art group.
- Kaiju Big Battel, a performance art group that combines wrestling and monster movies.
See also
- Bad Girrls Studios
- Cowles Art School
- Boston Expressionism
- Boston School (painting)
