Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design :: Masters Class 2020
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The Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design M.F.A. Program

The Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design, of the College of the Arts at Georgia State University, features an internationally active faculty and a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for professional careers in art and design. The programs foster critical thinking and dynamic artistic production within an interdisciplinary environment. The school offers an MA in Art History, MA in Art Education, MAT and MAEd in Art Education, and an MFA in Studio Art with concentrations in Ceramics, Drawing and Painting, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Textiles.

Each year, our M.F.A.’s graduate with a final thesis exhibition. In light of this year’s safety concerns, we have postponed their exhibitions. Please stay tuned for an updated exhibition opening date to come. 

More information about our graduate programs can be found here.

More about the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design at Georgia State University

The School of Art & Design offers an accessible, affordable, and transformative education to one of the nation’s most diverse student populations. It is part of the newly-stated College of the Arts and features an internationally active faculty and a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for professional careers in art, design, art history, and art education. The programs foster critical thinking and dynamic artistic production within an interdisciplinary environment. We offer an accessible and transformative education to one of nation’s most diverse student populations.

– NASAD accredited

– Enrolls approximately 900 undergraduates & 68 graduates

– Offers the graduate Welch Fellow Scholarship, waived graduate tuition, undergraduate scholarships, and student assistantships

– Year-round exhibitions in the Welch School Galleries & student-run galleries

– Hosts The Visiting Artist & Scholar Lecture Series

– Is part of a Research 1 institution

Situated at the cultural and educational heart of Atlanta, the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design assumes a key role in the life of the metropolitan arts community.  The School’s downtown location encourages connections with local art networks. The campus is in proximity to prestigious art institutions such as the High Museum of Art, Atlanta Contemporary, MOCA GA, and a solid network of commercial galleries, alternative spaces, and grassroots artist organizations. 

Alumni, faculty, and students are very involved in the expanding and ever-evolving scene of the international hub, having founded a number of artist-run organizations, nonprofits and creative publications. This dynamic setting stimulates students and faculty to grow as artists and scholars, and provides them with innumerable opportunities for professional development.

The College of the Arts at GSU

Georgia State University’s newest college, the College of the Arts, is a destination for students who want to unlock and enhance their creativity with a serious arts education in a vibrant downtown setting. Offering top degree programs in art, music, film, theatre and more, the College of the Arts connects students with Atlanta’s thriving arts scene and booming film and music industries. Through the college’s partnerships with the city’s cultural organizations, students combine their craft with training in entrepreneurship to ensure dynamic, successful careers.

Established in 2016, the college includes the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design; School of Film, Media & Theatre; School of Music and its Center for Educational Partnerships; Center for Collaborative & International Arts (CENCIA);and in-part with the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII).

Stay in Touch!

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and sign up for our newsletter. This is the best way to follow what is going on in our department and around Atlanta. We share upcoming events, national alumni news, and opportunities for artists!

Instagram

This is your reminder to register for tonight’s This is your reminder to register for tonight’s free, virtual @artpapers LIVE with artist Diana Al-Hadid! Link in bio. 5pm EST. 

Don’t forget to also stop by @gsu_artdesigngallery to catch the corresponding exhibition, “Diana Al-Hasidic: Nothing is Stable!”
A BIG Congratulations to Georgia State alumni, stu A BIG Congratulations to Georgia State alumni, students, and faculty! @ideacapitalatl announced this year's list of honorary grant recipients which includes @craigdrennen with @the_end_project_space , sculpture BFA alumna Amina Daugherty (@theblacksculptress), current photo undergrad @kendallbessent, textiles artist and alumna @sonyayongjames, and current printmaking BFA Sergio Suarez (@son_petit_mort)!

Founded in 2008, Idea Capital pools resources from throughout the arts community to provide direct monetary support for Atlanta artists. This year's winners will share a total of $14,600 in increments from $500 to $5,000.
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Work by @theblacksculptress
Design at Ernest G. Welch thrives on cross-practic Design at Ernest G. Welch thrives on cross-practice collaboration and multi-media exploration. With M.F.A.s in Interior Design and Graphic Design concentrations, we offer various routes of creative application at an affordable cost. Learn more at artdesign.gsu.edu! 
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@gsuarts @gsu_design #mfa #graphicdesign #interiordesign #freemfa #applynow #atlantadesign #atlantaart #the stateway
Our year kicked off today with the start of classe Our year kicked off today with the start of classes and the opening of “Diana Al-Hadid’s: Nothing is Stable," in the @gsu_artdesigngallery. The show was curated by Art History Associate Professor Dr. Susan Richmond and Gallery Director Cynthia Farnell, funded by a @gsucencia grant and @gahumanities. On January 28, we are excited to cohost the @artpapers LIVE virtual artist talk with Al-Hadid, as a part of our exhibition programming. 

Visually and thematically, Al-Hadid draws on Middle Eastern and Western cultures and iconographies, often combining and re-contextualizing wide-ranging historical sources. She has found inspiration in ancient maps, miniature painting, architectural designs and illuminated manuscripts. Her artworks are spatially complex with richly varied surfaces and hauntingly mutable forms. Despite their structural integrity and skilled fabrication, a sense of ruination pervades them.

Events are free, but registration is required for the talk and reservations are recommended for the gallery.
Our @gsu_sculpture grads have been on fire this ye Our @gsu_sculpture grads have been on fire this year! Our multi-talented, interdisciplinary third-year Sculpture MFA's (@art.felt.jess @christinateruel @kylielittleart) and three recent alumni (@nathaniel_mondragon @coorain @yoni_bologna ) have performances featured in Vol. 9 of @emergency_index ! Swipe to see the work and visit *emergencyindex.com* for more information on this publication.
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#gsusculpture #gsuartdesign #mfa #gradschool #interdisciplinary #multitalented #gsuphoto #alumni #publication #emergencyindex #print #performanceart #performance #atlantaartist #atlanta
CONGRATULATIONS are in order for Alumna Yanique No CONGRATULATIONS are in order for Alumna Yanique Norman (@yanique.norman) who has won a prestigious @artadia award for Atlanta!!

Yanique Norman and Zipporah Camille Thompson will each receive $10,000 in unrestricted funds, as well as access to the ongoing benefits of the Artadia Award program.

In addition to Norman and Thompson, this year’s finalists for the award included Grace Kisa & Maurice Evans NU AFRICANS Project, Artemus Jenkins, and Jamele Wright Sr. (a Georgia State alumnus @jamelewrightsr ).
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#yaniquenorman #artadia #alumni #firstlady #atlantaartists #artadiaaward @gsuarts
Our M.F.A. program is in the top twenty on the lis Our M.F.A. program is in the top twenty on the list of best value schools! Our M.F.A. in Studio program has completely waived tuition, stipends, and assistantships. Learn more at our link in bio and apply by February 1!
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*Installation of work by recent @gsuphoto M.F.A. Parker Thornton (@yoni_bologna) 
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https://www.bestvalueschools.org/best-mfa-degree/
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#mfa #backtoschool #degreeforfree #artschool #nowacceptingapplications #ernestgwelchschoolofartanddesign #photomfa #toptwenty
Our bi-annual, graduating B.F.A. Exhibition is a d Our bi-annual, graduating B.F.A. Exhibition is a diverse culmination of student work in medium and subject. The group showcase marks the artists’ exit from the program and represents the legacy they leave behind as they enter the vast world of contemporary art. Join us in congratulating our graduating B.F.A.s!! Check our Instagram tomorrow for more shots of the exhibition and visit in-person this week (M-F 1:30-6:00pm; mask required)! 
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#congratsgrads #classof2020 #bfa #atlantaexhibition #thesisexhibition #welchgallery @gsuarts @gsu_artdesigngallery
The Art History graduate program emphasizes the st The Art History graduate program emphasizes the study of visual art in relation to the historical and cultural contexts in which it was created. Students receive training in various time periods and geographical areas of art history, while also gaining depth of knowledge in a particular specialization.
To learn more about our M.A. in Art History and how to apply, visit: artdesign.gsu.edu/art-history/ 
Deadline February 1.
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Anne Weems received her MA in Art History from Georgia State in 2016 after earning her BA at from Rhodes college in Memphis. Her graduate research, centered on contemporary art and photography, ultimately culminated in a thesis analyzing the photographic works of British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare. Weems continues to play a dynamic role in the Atlanta arts scene, serving on advisory boards for such venues as Mary Stanley Studio’s Young Collector’s Club and MINT. In 2016, she took on the role of Gallery Manager at HATHAWAY Contemporary Gallery before being named Gallery Director in 2018. Weems represented HATHAWAY internationally at art fairs in addition to curating exhibitions and organizing the gallery’s programing. She is now an Art Consultant at Wendover Art Group.
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Photo credit: Luke Beard
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#arthistory #gradschool #ma #applynow #arthistorycareers #alumni #backtoschool
Today is #GivingTuesday, a great day to consider d Today is #GivingTuesday, a great day to consider donating to our students and program! We rely on donations from alumni and friends to:

-support students and faculty
-offer professional and travel experiences to our students
-expand studio space and upgrade facilities and equipment
-offer international exhibitions and programming
-organize community art events and public artist talks that complement the Atlanta and Southeast’s vibrant arts scene

When you give to @gsuarts and the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design, you are helping us offer competitive scholarships to the brightest and most talented students, recruit and retain a stellar faculty, and support artistic and scholarly opportunities for students and faculty. Our students will be the leaders and influencers of tomorrow’s art and design world.
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artdesign.gsu.edu/giving/
#givingtuesday2020 #gagives #donatenow #supportthearts
It's that time of year again when you assess your It's that time of year again when you assess your career, rebudget, and flirt with the idea of going back to school. We hear you! It's a big and tough decision, especially after an unpredictable year. The Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design offers a fully-funded M.F.A. program, graduate stipends, tuition assistance in the M.A. and M.A. Ed. programs, and assistantships to all graduate students. 
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With degrees in Studio Art, Art History, and Art Education, the overarching goal of our programs is to offer rigorous, scholarly, and studio-based activities that challenge and foster conceptual, technical, and intellectual development. Application deadline for the fall semester is February 1, 2021. Learn more at our link in bio! 
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Work by @hanna.sculpture: Hanna Newman is a sculptor from Minnesota and currently based in Atlanta, Georgia. This series of photographs uses resin sculptors situated within domestic settings compromised of fragmented and isolated life-casts of her own body. She is inspired by the relationship between interiority and exteriority.
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#mfa #ma #maed #artschool #fullyfunded #fullyfundedmfa #free #art #hannanewman #art #applynow #gradschool #atlantaart @gsuarts
It’s Transgender Awareness Week, leading up to t It’s Transgender Awareness Week, leading up to tomorrow’s Transgender Day of Remembrance. Here at the Welch school, we reflect with gratitude on work by our artists that intimately depicts and expresses personal experiences of those in the Transgender community. Today we share work in a series by  B.F.A. alum @tealkorby that “emphasizes the internalized nature of gender and disembodies the idea that facial features dictate one’s gender or gender expression.” Each portrait is captioned with every individual’s pronouns—a reminder that using someone’s correct pronouns is an essential way to acknowledge their authentic self!
Museums are adapting to 2020 and many festivals ha Museums are adapting to 2020 and many festivals have had to move online, but we are glad for the opportunity to see our alumni in programs and exhibitions across the country. Earlier this year, M.F.A. Alumna @jessica_blinkhorn_performance was featured in @themomentary ‘s @inverseperformanceartfestival which highlights works of performance art, inviting virtual responses and participation. Blinkhorn is a Franklin Furnace Performance Grant recipient for 2019-2020. To check out the video, visit the festival’s highlights under the artist’s name. 

*photo by Walter Wlodarczyk of NY*
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#performanceart #alumni #jessicablinkhorn #themomentary #inverse #inverseperformanceartfestival #virtualartfestival
This week is the last opportunity you have to visi This week is the last opportunity you have to visit our current shows. This work is one of our favorites in “A Facsimile of Events,” curated by @jessepenridge. The piece is titled “An Other Another” by @bennymerris. Check out more work that draws upon the deep history of human intervention in the landscape and the cannon of Land Art! 
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@gsu_artdesigngallery #atlantaexhibition #landart #jessepenridge #bennymerris #environment #covidexhibition
Happy Veterans’ Day! We are lucky to have vetera Happy Veterans’ Day! We are lucky to have veterans and military personnel in our Georgia State Community. Today we share work by veteran, ceramicist, and alumnus (M.F.A. 2016), @tyler.leigh.nicholson! This work is from his thesis exhibition “Embrace the Suck,” referencing a military colloquialism. To learn more about Ty Nicholson’s work and the Veteran Art Movement he is a member of, visit tylerleighnicholson.com
IT IS THE EVE OF ANOTHER GSU MFA TALK! Tomorrow, W IT IS THE EVE OF ANOTHER GSU MFA TALK! Tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov 11 at 11a.m. GSU Photo Grad Travis Dodd will discuss his multimedia work concerning  gold’s relationship with constructing technological utopias.

Travis Dodd was born and raised amongst the dense suburban sprawl of Miami, Florida. He moved to Savannah, Georgia in 1998 and competed his BFA in photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2002. In 2006 Dodd moved to Atlanta and began to participate in various group exhibitions in the southeast with shows at: Marcia Wood Gallery (Atlanta, GA), Gallery 5 (Richmond, VA), and Bridge Art Fair (Miami, FL). In Atlanta he has had solo exhibitions at: Eyedrum, Whitespec, and Beep Beep Gallery. Internationally, Dodd has shown in Mexico, Scotland, and Italy. In 2010 he received an MA in sculpture from SCAD-Atlanta. In 2016 Dodd was a finalist for the Emerging Artist Award presented by the Forward Arts Foundation. His work has been collected by: Museo Riso, Savannah College of Art and Design, Lucinda Bunnen Collection, as well as private collections. Currently Dodd is an MFA candidate at the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design at Georgia State University.
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#mfa #mfaphotography @gsuphoto #artistalk #artschool #thesis
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