Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
On Campus Blog
Alex Friedrich

Why you'll grow a thicker skin after going to MCAD

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

I'm at MCAD adjunct faculty member Ed Charbonneau's "Painting as Object" class, and standing with him and some students in the hallway.

The group is critiquing junior Kayleigh Fichten's work -- a painted canvas with some trash bags attached to it, and which is draped over a fixture instead of hung on the wall.

She tells the group:

"I was really wanting to dive back into painting, but still stay with the sculptural element."

Students throw out their thoughts: Why do you have it positioned this way? Why the trash bags? The trash bags are very haphazard ... I think it's about a landscape filled with trash. ... The definition of landscape has changed ...

It seems they're going beyond what even Fichten was intending, and she says, "I didn't think of that."

That segment was fairly mild, but I hear the critiques can get quite heated among students at MCAD. It seems students are either being critiqued or critiquing others' work at least once a week -- not counting all the informal sessions they have with friends throughout the day.

Senior Nadia Pereira tells me:

"You can't go to lunch without saying, 'Oh, what's that on the walls? (The impulse to critique) is always on."

That kind of immersion is just part of life here. Like students in many other disciplines, I'm sure I got away with my share of sub-par history papers and various projects. But here, if you're going to grow as an artist, you've got to keep your mind open and your skin a little thick. (Though they're generally constructive and supportive.)

Sophomore Katie Eckerson says that has helped her gain confidence in expressing her opinion. Still, she says:

"There's definitely an adjustment process. In high school, I was too shy or scared to say anything. But here, I've opened up."