Earning a degree from an institution that believes in fostering creativity and innovation is a great advantage for students who will one day become integral parts in the worlds of business and the arts. The Maine College of Art encourages students to think independently and to solve problems using revolutionary ideas. With a variety of academic programs available, students find the atmosphere at this college nurtures their burgeoning artistic abilities, assisting them to acquire the confidence and polish they need in order to succeed after graduation.
Located in Portland, Maine, the college offers degree programs which can help students earn either a Bachelor’s or Master’s of Fine Arts degrees. No matter the program, students are motivated to think freely and express themselves through whatever artistic medium moves them. The college assists students to set up their own studio space where they can work uninterruptedly on whatever moves them most. This may be sculpture, painting, installation art, or a host of other mediums.
In the course of earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, students must declare a major from an impressively broad diversity of subjects. At the Maine College of Art students may major in Art History where they will achieve an intimate understanding of art and artists throughout world history to help put their own art in better context. The Graphic Design program focuses on art and its relationship to communication. Students learn how to break ideas down to their component parts and then how to communicate these essentials to an audience. A truly hands-on form of expression comes to students in the Woodworking and Furniture Design program where students learn the fundamentals of the craft of building furniture before progressing on to designing and building their own projects. At Maine College of Art there is even a program simply entitled New Media for those forms of expression that defy labels and categorization. Many of the students in this program are blending art with technology to form entirely new avenues of expression.
The student body at Maine College of Art is truly eclectic and distinctive. Students are encouraged to interact with one another and to collaborate on various projects. Some of the students’ most creative innovations come through their connections and collaborative efforts. Aside from working together, students also engage in a number of recreational activities on campus and in Portland. Students are empowered to be leaders and to help make decisions for different activities in which the student body may participate throughout the school year. For enrichment purposes, several artists are engaged each year to be guest lecturers. Other common events, like midnight pancake breakfasts and ping pong tournaments offer a lighthearted and lively change of pace to the challenging academic schedule.
Maine College of Art believes in assisting their students to look toward the future. Class work is designed to prepare individuals to enter the business world or make entrepreneurial efforts of their own. Through learning how to navigate the business components of the art world while simultaneously enhancing their artistry, students achieve a well rounded view of the skills they will need to succeed in a career. Because the college likes to emphasize the importance of practical experience, their career services office works to set up internship opportunities for students while they are still actively involved in the classroom process. Even after graduation, career services assist students to forge new connections which allow them to find mentors and job opportunities.
With a supportive and free-thinking atmosphere, this well respected art institution trains students to be independent, creative, and involved, preparing them for a bright, challenging future.