Master of Fine Arts

Mission

Our program cultivates the practical, conceptual, and professional growth of our graduate students by providing an environment balanced among technical skill development, critical and theoretical dialogue, and intensive studio research. Faculty guide students’ independent research and individual approaches to their practice while fostering independence, self-reliance, and confidence in an environment of peer to peer and student to professor support. The curricular structure challenges students to critically evaluate their work within a material-specific and an interdisciplinary framework, as well as in theoretical and professional contexts, which results in innovative, dynamic, and authentic outcomes ranging from objects and pottery to installation and socially-engaged practice. Students are encouraged to work with methodologies that explore the boundaries of the field while demonstrating an understanding of historic and contemporary ecologies. 

Student Work Showcase

Faculty

Ceramics: Studio Space & Facilities

Graduate students are provided a private studio space within the program’s expansive 10,000 square foot facility. Graduate students have access to their studios seven days a week and have full access to both materials and all equipment. Our state-of-the-art facility gives students a wide range of technical opportunities and is fully equipped to accommodate both traditional and current ceramic practices. The well resourced, ventilated, and brightly lit studios are designed to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the students and the curriculum. The facility is outfitted with a full range of equipment that is essential to all methods of clay fabrication, surface development, and firing, including computer aided design, 3D printing and prototyping, and manufacturing tools that support our students’ expanding production needs. Our generously equipped clay and glaze materials lab support limitless testing and experimentation. Firing ranges from low to high temperatures in electric, gas, soda, and wood kilns. Large, mid-range, and small kilns are available for group and individual firings.

KILNS • 50 ft³ downdraft car kiln  • 35 ft³ downdraft car kiln • 12 ft³ downdraft gas kiln • 18 ft³ downdraft soda kiln • 200 ft³ Anagama wood kiln • 25 ft³ front-load electric kiln • 20 ft³ front-load electric kiln • 7 top-load electric kilns • 6 top-load test electric kilns

EQUIPMENT  • Mac computer lab • 2 extrusion clay 3D printers •  full-color ceramic decal printer • installation and photography room and equipment for documenting work • digital projector • iron oxide decal printer • 2 Peter Pugger mixing pug mills  • 1 Peter Pugger mixing and de-airing pug mill  • Soldner clay mixer • 2 blunger slip mixers • 2 spray booths • plaster mixing and mold-making room • plaster band saw • plaster lathe • Jolly Jigger • 3 slab rollers • 2 extruders • fully-equipped tool room with hand and power tools

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES   ⬪ fully equipped wood shop ⬪ Digital Fabrication Lab, including:  • laser cutter • vinyl cutter  • 4’ x 8’ ShopBot CNC router • large format color printer  ⬪ Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center with Stratasys, 3D Systems, and Makerbot printers for plastic, resin, and metal

Learn more about our Ceramics facilities and equipment

Internships, Residencies and Fieldwork

Our students have access to a wide range of world-class institutions, organizations, and professionals for internship and fieldwork opportunities in the Hudson Valley and in New York City, which is a 90-minute bus ride away. Related experiences are highly encouraged as they expand and deepen the students’ understanding of the field and related professional goals, and provide invaluable networking opportunities. Students have interned with NYC-based practicing ceramic artists and designers as well as with curators and editors of ceramics publications and ceramics art centers.  

Student Success

Our alumni have entered and sustained a broad range of successful careers as ceramic sculptors, studio potters, designers, independent studio artists, educators, and writers in the field. They exhibit and publish their work nationally and internationally and have received awards from international exhibition forums such as the Yingge Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, the Korean Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, and NCECA National exhibitions. Their work and writing is regularly featured in Studio Potter, Ceramics Art and Perception, Ceramics Technical, Ceramics Monthly, and many Lark Published books. Our alumni teach at highly regarded national and international institutions including Emily Carr, KyungHee University, Suwon University, Konkuk University in Korea, the National College of Art in Lahore, Pakistan, Skidmore College, Marymount Manhattan College, as well as community colleges and ceramics programs in prominent public and private schools. Many of our alumni direct programs in art centers sector such as Women’s Studio Workshop, Fall Kill Clay Works, Cornell Creative Studios, and Studio Potter. Our graduates have received competitive fellowships and residencies including at the Museum of Arts and Design; The Archie Bray Foundation; Anderson Ranch; The International Ceramics Studio in Kecskemét, Hungary; and the Arctic Circle Expeditionary Residency.

Visiting Artists

Our visiting artist programs are rich with lectures and weeklong workshops supported by the New Paltz Student Art Alliance, Student Association, Design Week, and Andrah Foundation. Recent Visiting artists and critics include: Glenn Adamson, Anders Ruhwald, Arlene Shechet, Ronald Rael, Roberto Lugo, Ezra Shales, Annabeth Rosen, Roxanne Jackson, Del Harrow, Paul Sacaridiz, Claire Twomey, Julian Stair, Bobby Silverman, Judith Schwartz, Helen Drutt, Bruce Dehnert, Doug Peltzman, Ayumi Horie, Klein Reid, Marek Cecula, Adam Welch, Akiyama Yo, Steve Montgomery, Beth Cavener, Richard Notkin, Jennifer Allen, and Brian Harper.