Staff

Graduate Programme Coordinator: R. Knowles, M.F.A.
Department Head: A. Hayford, Ph.D.

Professor: L. Streifler, M.F.A. (sabbatical); R. Chambers, M.F.A.;

Associate Professors: G. Chin, Ph.D.; D. Garneau, M.A.; R. V. Knowles, M.F.A.; C. Robertson, Ph.D.; R. Rogers, Ph.D.;

Assistant Professors: R. MacDonald, M.F.A. (on leave); C. Tite, Ph.D.; R. Truszkowski, M.F.A.; S. Whalley, M.F.A.

Instructors: J. Noestheden, M.F.A.; M. Kennedy, M.F.A.; Y. Chuang, M.F.A.

Master of Fine Arts Program (Studio Art Practice)

The M.F.A. program focuses on studio art practice/production and its contextualization within contemporary practice and critical discourse. Students meet with studio faculty on an individual basis. Weekly seminars focus on art theory and criticism, professional issues and the development of individual research projects.

M.F.A. students in Visual Arts are provided with well equipped studio spaces for six consecutive semesters and access to all department equipment and facilities including: the Fifth Parallel Student Gallery, the Dr. John Archer Library, the woodshop, graduate computer lab and Visual Resource Centre.

The program is intentionally small (maximum of five students are accepted each year) in order to allow for intensive interaction between students and faculty. The department is comprised of eight studio professors and four art historians, all of whom are active, practicing professionals. The department is also complemented by faculty from the First Nations University of Canada, Luther College and by other members of the Fine Arts Faculty.

The M.F.A. program culminates with a solo exhibition at the MacKenzie Art Gallery - or another approved space approved by the supervisor and the Visual Arts graduate committee and is - supported by a comprehensive support paper. An oral defense conducted by an external examiner, a committee of Visual Arts faculty and the Dean of FGSR or designate completes the degree requirements.

Facilities

Each graduate student in the Department of Visual Arts is provided with a generous studio space, guaranteed for six semesters and use of a fully equipped wood shop, computer lab and extensive equipment in each of the studio areas: ceramics, drawing, intermedia, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Specialized equipment includes a 36" slab roller, 11" diameter hydraulic extruder, two clay mixers and 3 gas kilns (one car kiln), complete photo-etching, litho and etching areas, photomechanical and digital area, ortho camera and photo litho area, paper making and bronze casting facilities, welding and wood shop areas, digital video cameras, Mac computers, still cameras, monitors and other electronic media. The Dr. John Archer Library houses more than 30,000 Visual Arts volumes and numerous periodicals. The Visual Resource Centre has approximately 100,000 slides plus videotapes, video/disks, other audio-visual materials and a growing digital database. The City of Regina has several public galleries: the MacKenzie Art Gallery, the Dunlop Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Regina, Neutral Ground Artist Run Centre, Soil Digital Media Suite and Sâkêwêwak Artists’ First Nations Collective as well as commercial galleries.

Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance such as the FGSR Scholarships, Teaching Assistantships, Research Awards and Teaching Fellowships are based on merit. A student may receive a maximum of five semesters of FGSR funding and the FGSR awards are only available to students in good standing who are registering in formal credit hours. FGSR scholarships etc. are awarded following the Winter semester review. There are also employment opportunities offered by the department.

Entrance Requirements and Application

Candidates for the M.F.A. program must hold a B.F.A. degree or equivalent and must submit documentation (slides, CD-Rom or, DVD .) of recent work (20 images) accompanied by a corresponding sheet indicating: (a) title of each work; (b) media; (c) date; (d) dimensions (if applicable). Other relevant documentation may be included. A one to two page statement of intention and two letters of reference are also required with the application form, which is available from the Graduate Studies and Research website.

International students and students from art colleges are encouraged to apply. Students may be accepted as qualifying if their undergraduate transcript indicates they lack sufficient credits in any area and particularly in art history and theory and criticism.

The degree Master of Fine Arts offers the following areas of concentration:

• Ceramics
• Drawing
• Intermedia
• Painting
• Printmaking
• Sculpture

Credit Hour Requirement

The M.F.A. program normally requires seven consecutive semesters to complete. This includes two summer semesters. Studios are available to students for the first six consecutive semesters.

Credit Hours

* Major areas: Ceramics (860AA-ZZ), Drawing (830AA-ZZ), Intermedia (820AA-ZZ), Painting (840AA-ZZ), Printmaking (870AA-ZZ), Sculpture (850AA-ZZ); 15 hours in ONE of these areas

** To be taken in four consecutive semesters starting in the Fall term of the admission year, but not meeting in the summer. Students may not hold their graduation exhibitions before completing ART 804 and would not normally be permitted to be registered in ART 804 in the semester in which they complete their graduation exhibitions.

*** To be taken in three consecutive semesters starting in the Winter term of the second year, with the final term in the semester of the graduation exhibition.

Exhibition Statement and Oral Examination

Students are required to: (a) present an exhibition; (b) prepare a written comprehensive support paper and bibliography of 25 -50 pages; (c) undergo an oral defense in order to complete the degree requirements.

1. An exhibition is presented in a professional manner in the MacKenzie Art Gallery, or an alternate space approved by the student’s supervisor and the Visual Arts graduate faculty.
2. A comprehensive support paper written by the student defines the intent of their work and refers to the sources, context, historical and theoretical basis of the work presented for the exhibition. The intention of the support paper is to support the exhibition, it is not a thesis.
3. The examination committee will conduct an oral defense of the exhibition and support paper.. The external examiner, whose expertise is in the candidate's major area, reviews the exhibition and leads the oral examination. Other members of the examination committee are from the Department of Visual Arts and, under special circumstances, from other relevant departments, and the Dean of FGSR, or a representative, who chairs the oral defense proceedings.

Upon successful completion of the exhibition and oral defense students are required to submit the following to the department:

• Appropriate documentation of their exhibition.
• one piece from the exhibition approved by the examination committee on behalf of the FGSR to become part of the President’s Art Collection. A crate must be provided for the work.
• Two copies of the support paper;, one spiral bound and one unbound

The MacKenzie Gallery is not guaranteed for students graduating in the winter/spring or summer semesters.

Course Descriptions

ART 801-ART 804 Group Studio (3)
Group seminars led by studio faculty to discuss and write about student's studio practice.

ART 811 AA-ZZ Advanced Contemporary Visual Art Theory and Practice (3)
Advanced seminar series on contemporary visual culture and visual art theory and practice: includes readings, discussion and student presentations.

ART 820AA-ZZ Intermedia (Alternate credit 3,6)
Studio course in areas including installation, performance, audio, video, bookworks and electronic media, under the supervision of a faculty member(s), chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor.

ART 830AA-ZZ Drawing (Alternate credit 3,6)
Studio course in the area of drawing, under the supervision of a faculty member(s) chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor.

ART 840AA-ZZ Painting (Alternate credit 3,6)
Studio course in the area of painting, under the supervision of a faculty member(s) chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor.

ART 850AA-ZZ Sculpture (Alternate credit 3,6)
Studio course in the area of sculpture, under the supervision of a faculty member(s) chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor.

ART 860AA-ZZ Ceramics (Alternate credit 3,6)
Studio course in the area of ceramics, under the supervision of a faculty member(s) chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor.

ART 870AA-ZZ Printmaking (Alternate credit 3,6)
Studio course in the area of printmaking, under the supervision of a faculty member(s) chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor.

ART 890AA-ZZ Directed Studies (Variable credit 3-9)
Study in any area under the supervision of a faculty member(s) chosen by the student in consultation with their supervisor. . Students should seek advanced permission from the Department Head prior to registration.

ART 901 Research and Exhibition Preparation (Variable credit 1-12)
Research into studio concerns and preparation of exhibition. Students must complete twelve credit hours in total.
Prerequisite: Permission of the Department Head