News

Before the Hudson River School There Was the Schuylkill

Though many learn that American landscape painting begins with the Hudson River School, looking back a little further reveals that Philadelphia—and PAFA—is at the heart of this tradition. Coming to PAFA this June, "From the Schuylkill to the Hudson: Landscapes of the Early American Republic," tells…

January 18, 2019

Kat Martinez '21: Cuban-American Artist Paints Her Family’s Story

The idea of things not always being what they initially appear to be resonates with Kat Martinez (BFA '20). As a first-generation Cuban-American, she has a complicated relationship with the island and expresses it through her art. After meeting MFA Chair Didier William, Martinez knew she wanted a…

Perspectives

January 2, 2019

Making a Political Statement in His Paintings

After two years spent at the University of Pennsylvania through the PAFA-Penn program, Nicolas Tomlinson '19 is back in his studio at PAFA and turning those concepts into art. Tomlinson looks to historical figures in the black community and music as a source of inspiration and personal expression.

Perspectives

December 28, 2018

Child's Play Leads to Inspiration for MFA Student

Like many artists, she’s using the drawings of another artist to spark her creativity and create something new. But MFA student Sam Dominik pulls her inspiration from her young nephew’s scribbles. She came to PAFA after meeting MFA Chair Didier William, who set her on a different path.

December 20, 2018

Memorial Award Helps Graduates as They Begin Their Professional Careers

The Anne Bryan Memorial Award was established in 2015 to support PAFA students on their artistic journey. The annual award is given to a select student each year to develop their professional careers. Previous award recipients Fang Fang Ren (BFA '17) and Aubrey Brown (Cert. '18) discuss how they…

December 18, 2018

From Art Studio to Archaeological Dig

Second-year student Leslie Pickel stepped outside the studio to work on an archaeological dig site in Tuscany, Italy this summer. Over the course of three weeks, Pickel and her fellow diggers worked at a site on the top of a mountain, eventually discovering an Etruscan wall. Now back home in the…

December 13, 2018

Learning to Design an Exhibition

It’s not enough to make artwork for an exhibition in Stephanie Reyer’s "Digital Print and Web Design" class. For three weeks, students in Reyer's class designed a branding suite and layout for an exhibition that will feature their work and their classmates. Each student presented their design…

December 11, 2018

PAFA Awards Four MFA Scholarships As Part of Crosscurrents Exhibition

Bringing together 30 young artists from 13 undergraduate programs across the country for the exhibition Crosscurrents, PAFA leaders hope to foster a sense of community among students. Crosscurrents is not only an opportunity for undergraduates to showcase their work in America’s oldest art museum…

December 7, 2018

A Fine Art School for a Digital Career

For a traditional fine arts school, third-year Illustration student Kaisha Dukes wasn’t expecting much when it came to digital offerings and classes at PAFA. But she was pleasantly surprised by PAFA's extensive digital offerings, and the way professors provide mentorship and support in acquiring…

Perspectives

December 4, 2018

Painting as a Way to Capture Memories

Painting student Kelly Micca likes to capture what she calls the underestimated, ordinary world. Micca’s studio space in the ninth floor gang studio at PAFA is decorated with her landscapes. Working outside with a changing environment presents challenges but it’s an experience Micca loves. She often…

November 30, 2018

Changing Gears to Pursue A Creative Passion

Illustration student Eustace Francis worked as a creative director and designer before realizing he wanted to pursue his fine art interests. He ended up choosing PAFA after seeing the Academy featured on PBS's "Newshour" program and visiting the museum. Now a third-year student at PAFA, Francis is…

November 20, 2018

Njideka Akunyili Crosby, MacArthur Recipient, Visits PAFA

Visual artist and PAFA alumna Njideka Akunyili Crosby returned to campus on November 9, 2018, as part of the Visiting Artist Program organized by students of the School of Fine Arts. The Visiting Artists Program is a student-run venture that brings an outstanding roster of local, national and…

November 15, 2018

About PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is America's first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the fine arts, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and a world-class collection of American art. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.