SouthweSt School of Art 300 AuguStA Street

SAn Antonio, tX 78205 210-224-1848

www. SwSchool.org

H i s t o r yWith roots in San Antonio’s storied past and a commitment to the creative minds of the future, the Southwest School of Art launches a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in fall 2013.

The four-year BFA degree program centers on the

process of making as a form of inquiry and discovery,

with equal emphasis on ideas and skills. Students

will learn to value both traditional and innovative

approaches and to move freely between the creation of

one-of-a kind works and applied design.

IMAGINE

C l a s s s i z eThe small size of the student body and the extraor-dinary energy that occurs at a college dedicated to art-making means that the students who are admit-ted will be a special group. They will be selected to succeed, and to flourish, at the school. The number of students enrolled each fall will be around 20–25.

Together, these students will share intense studio experiences

within a totally art-focused environment, a place where

creative people can find their voice and flourish as artists.

TRANSFORM

F a C i l i t i e sSSA’s departments and studios are well-equipped spaces where every idea can find the right tools, right equipment and right guidance to become real.

With some of the country’s best art-

making studios at their disposal, students

can express ideas on a big scale and

explore new ways of making.

EXPLORE

F a C u l t yEach highly-qualified faculty member has many years of teaching experience as well as extensive exhibition records and knowledge in their disciplines.

Students will be taught by some of

the region’s best working artists

who will help them find, polish, and

deliver their own unique approach

to making art.

INQUIRE

Bean Finneran, Red Core, 2004, ceramic, from the exhibition “Multiplicity.

full-time fAculty

Margaret Craig received an MFA in Printmaking from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her BS in Biology, BS in Art and MA with an emphasis in watercolor painting are from the University of Wisconsin. A leader in non-toxic printmaking technology, she has led workshops at national conferences.

Gregory Alan Johnson earned his MFA in Printmaking and Drawing at Texas Tech University and completed his BFA with a concentration in Printmaking at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. His work was recently shown in a solo exhibition at Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, Lubbock.

Justin Boyd received his MFA at The California Institute of the Arts and completed his BFA from The University of Texas at San Antonio. He has since shown his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout Texas, including Artpace, San Antonio, Art Palace, Houston and the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, San Antonio.

Gary Schott received his MFA in Metal/Jewelry Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Schott’s work explores sculptural mechanical forms and interactive wearable jewelry. His work is included in 500 Pendants and Lockets and 500 Metal Vessels, both by Lark Books.

Dennis Smith received an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Montana and a BFA in Ceramics from the Kansas City Art Institute, with additional study at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. He has exhibited his work in both national and international exhibitions. Smith’s work has been featured in Ceramics Monthly, Ceramics: Arts and Perception, and Clay Times.

Victor Pagona earned his MFA in Photography and Sculpture at the University of South Carolina and his MA in Art History at the University of Wisconsin. His most recent body of work was created using a combination of digital and silver-based media along with other materials.

Jillian Palone holds an MFA with Metalsmithing emphasis from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a BFA in Jewelry Design and Metals from Pittsburg State University. Recent exhibitions include Center for the Visual Arts, Denton, Texas, Equinox Gallery, San Antonio, and Bellevue Arts Museum, Seattle, Washington.

fAculty continued

Vincent Valdez received his BFA from The Rhode Island School of Design. His extensive list of solo exhibitions most recently includes McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas Contemporary Art Fair, Houston, Mesa Contemporary Arts Center, Mesa, Arizona, and Federal Art Project, Los Angeles, California.

Ryan Takaba holds an MFA in Ceramics from Kent State University and a BFA from the University of Hawai‘i. His recent solo exhibitions include SMARTart Project Space, San Antonio, Philadelphia Clay Studio, Philadelphia, and G2 Art Sight, San Antonio. Before coming to SSA, he was the Artist-in-Residence/Studio Manager for the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth Ceramics department.

Beck Whitehead received an MFA from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a BA from Trinity University. Whitehead has taught papermaking workshops at Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Pyramid Atlantic, Haystack, and at national conferences.

AreAS of concentrAtion

C e r a M i C s

D r a w i n g & P a i n t i n g

M e t a l s

P H o t o g r a P H y

P r i n t M a k i n g

s C u l P t u r e & i n t e g r a t e D M e D i a

B o o k a r t s & P a P e r M a k i n g ( )Courseworkonly

DISCOVER

C e r a M i C s ( C r M C )The Ceramics program guides students through thinking, verbalizing, and expressing their ideas using visual language while developing an understanding for the material and its processes. These experiences prepare each student for entering the art community and finding their place in the evolving history of clay.

F A C i l i T i e S The Ceramics Studio is extensive and includes areas for clay-mixing, wheel-throwing,

hand-buildings, glazing and decorating, as well as a large kiln yard containing kilns for

various firing methods.

AreAS of concentrAtion

D r a w i n g & P a i n t i n g ( P n t g )The Drawing & Painting Department emphasizes building upon fundamentals, exploring materials, and developing a critical vocabulary. Students gain an understanding of the history of painting while experimenting with style, form, and structure in order to develop a conceptual framework of their own.

F A C i l i T i e S The Drawing and Painting Studios are equipped with natural and other

lighting, easels and tables, sinks, and safe storage.

M e t a l s ( M t l s )The Metals program explores the increasing hybridization between craft, design, and the fine art worlds. Contemporary jewelry-making and metalsmithing have moved beyond their historic focus on technique and traditional materials to in-clude an emphasis on concept, design, and experimentation with nontraditional materials, scale and format.

F A C i l i T i e S The Metals Studio is a state-of-the-art space with excellent lighting and

ventilation and the tools and equipment for techniques such as soldering,

riveting, mold-making, casting, electroforming, enameling, and computer-

assisted construction.

P H o t o g r a P H y ( P H o t )The Photography program centers on the technical, aesthetic, and intellectual edu-cation of students with courses in the his-tory, theory, and contemporary practice of photography. The Department teaches traditional and nontraditional imaging based on a solid technical foundation in photography as well as innovative tech-niques for working across media.

F A C i l i T i e S The Photography Studio is spacious and fully-

equipped with tools and equipment specific to the

medium including a large darkroom with 12 work

stations and several other smaller darkrooms.

Spaces also include a digital classroom and areas for

alternative processes and lighting techniques.

P r i n t M a k i n g ( P r M k )The Printmaking program teaches students the traditional methods of creating multiple origi-nals including relief, etching, lithography and screenprinting. Further study of contemporary innovations in printmaking, in both its techni-cal processes and conceptual underpinnings, builds on this historic foundation.

F A C i l i T i e S The professional caliber Printmaking Studio is considered

one of the best-equipped studios in South Texas, with 70

litho stones and 2 litho presses, 3 large etching presses, and

screenprinting facilities.

sCulPture & integrateD MeDia (siMD)The Sculpture & Integrated Media program draws upon historical precedents to teach the evolution of traditional sculptural techniques and asks how those processes can be coupled with other media and technology, becoming a truly interdisciplinary practice. The pro-gram fosters formal and conceptual growth by exposing students to a wide range of ideas, methods, and practitioners from both the past and present.

F A C i l i T i e S The new Sculpture & Integrated Media Studio is a hybrid environment in which

students have access not only to customary tools and equipment, but to newer

technologies such as CNC milling, digital printing, video and sound production

equipment, as well as new interactive and kinetic platforms.

B o o k a r t s & P a P e r M a k i n g ( P a P e ) Paper studios offer all BFA students an understanding of one of the most basic art materials while instruction in a range of techniques shows the versatile uses of paper pulp for sculpture and painting, or as a base for printmaking, photography and artist books.

F A C i l i T i e S The Papermaking & Book Arts Studios are spacious and well-lit, equipped with beaters

for making paper pulp, moulds, deckles, dryers, and presses for forming paper, as well

as letterpress printers, and other tools and equipment for making artist books.

(coursework only)

C u r r i C u l u M M a PBFA courses are taught on the semester system, with courses car-rying three hours of college credit. A typical non-studio three-hour class meets either twice weekly for 75 minutes each class or three times weekly for 50 minutes each class during the 15-week term. Studio classes meet for six hours each week, usually in two, three-hour sessions.

The May term (Maymester) is an intensive, four-week term, during which a limited

number of studio classes are offered. Studios meet for four hours Monday through

Thursday. Some independent studio work is expected.

fAll SPring mAyARTS 1311 (3) ARTS 1312 (3) Choose one:

ARTS 1316 (3) ARTS 1313 (3) PHOT 1000 (3)

ARTS 1213 (3) ARTS 1304 (3) MTLS 1000 (3)

ARTS 1303 (3) PHIL 1301 (3)

ENGL 1301 (3) MATH 1324 (3)

ARTS 1317 (3) PAPE 1000 (3) Choose one: (concentration)

ARTS 2289 (3) GNSC 1301 (3) PNTG 2000 (3)

ENGL 2331 (3) ARTS 2304 (3) MTLS 2000 (3)

PSYC 1301 (3) SPCH 1311 (3) SIMD 2000 (3)

Choose one: Choose one: PRMK 2000 (3)

CRMC 1000 (3) SIMD 1000 (3) PHOT 2000 (3)

PRMK 1000 (3) PNTG 1000(3) CRMC 2000 (3)

PHIL 3289 (3) ARTS 3304 (3) Choose one:

HIST 3380 (3) ARTS 3311 (3) SIMD 2/3000 (3)

ECON 2301 (3) BUSI 3001 (3) PAPE 2/3000 (3)

Concentration Studio 3000 (3) ENGL 3001 (3) PNTG 2/3000 (3)

Choose one: Concentration Elective 3102 (3)

MTLS 2/3000 (3)

CRMC 2/3000 (3)

PHOT 2/3000 (3)

PRMK 2/3000 (3)

BUSI 4002 (3) PSYC 4319 (3)

HIST 4289 (3) Concentration Elective 4104 (3)

Concentration Elective 4102 (3) Free Studio 3/4000 (3)

Free Studio 3/4000 (3) Senior Project 4800 (6)

yearone

yearTwo

yearTHree

yearFoUr

C u r r i C u l u MStudents receive a holistic education that includes a full range of courses such as business, math, science, literature, eco-nomics, and philosophy. These courses are taught with relevance to art and design.

In studio courses, learning about the materials,

technical skills and 2- and 3-dimensional design

fundamentals employed in an array of art

forms, complements opportunities to study book

arts/papermaking, ceramics, metals, painting,

photography, printmaking, or sculpture and

integrated media.

e x H i B i t i o n s & V i s i t i n g a r t i s t sThe BFA may be a new offering, but the Southwest School of Art’s in-fluence has been earned over many years. We are home to a highly regarded exhibition program, with more than 20 outstanding exhibi-tions a year.

Prominent artists from throughout the nation, and sometimes from outside the U.S.,

are invited to lecture, teach or exhibit at SSA; some of these artists recently include

Abelardo Morrell, Sonya Clark, Veronica Riedel, Jon Eric Riis, Catherine Lee, Beili Liu,

John Risseeuw, Laura McPhee, Kim Cadmus Owens, and Dan Sutherland.

GROW

ovidio giberga, Prime(Hand/Shoes), 2012, ceramic, from the exhibition “signal to noise.”

laura McPhee, Rocks from Sawtooth National Forest for landscaping in Sun Valley, Petit Lake Road, Blaire County, Idaho, 2003, photograph, from the exhibition “river of no return.”

s t u D e n t l i F ePrograms, coursework, and campus activities include opportunities to be involved in the lively San Antonio vi-sual arts scene, interacting regularly with professional artists and others involved in the arts, as well as group activities. Opportunities for intern-ships, community service, and study abroad are also available.

H o u s i n gSan Antonio is a great, inexpensive place to live. There are plenty of affordable off-campus housing options for students enrolling in the BFA program at SSA.

Please contact the Admissions Office for a list of potential housing options.

M e a l P l a nSSA provides a meal plan through its own Copper Kitchen Café. The plan covers 75 lunches for the 15-week fall semester and 75 for the spring term, and 20 for the May In-tensive term. The cost for the fall and spring terms is $500, while for the May Intensive it is $150. The Copper Kitchen Café may not be able to cater to all dietary restrictions, al-though healthy choices are offered.

l i B r a r ySSA has partnered with the San Antonio Central Library (right across the street) to provide a full range of library services to BFA students. The library has set aside space for SSA students and faculty and we have part-nered to build a collection of physical and virtual resources that serve BFA students as they progress through the program.

Photo courtesy of the san antonio Public library

AdmiSSionS At SSA

t i M e l i n e :Applications are currently available online

FeBRuARy 15 – Priority application & scholarship deadline

MARCh – Acceptance and award letters mailed. Applications will continue to be accepted; however, applicants who apply early will have a greater chance of receiv-ing scholarships

June – Applications close for Fall

EXPRESS

a D M i s s i o n r e q u i r e M e n t s

The application can be found online at www.swschool.org

•Completedapplication,onlineorpaper

•$40applicationfee

•ResultsfromACTorSATexaminations(ItisrequiredthatSATorACT scores include the Writing component)

•Officialhighschoolandcollegetranscripts(ifapplicable);

— If home schooled, verification that the home school has

been recognized by the state of residence of the applicant,

detailed outline of the home-school curriculum, including

subject areas studied, time spent on each discipline, and,

if applicable, grades awarded. A home-school academic

portfolio may fulfill this requirement.

— A certificate of General Educational Development (GED)

from the American Council of Education is considered

equivalent to a diploma from a U.S. high school.

— For applicants from countries other than the United

States, SSA generally uses the standards established by

the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and

Admissions Officers to determine the equivalent academic

achievement.

•Essayresponsetooneofthequestionsfoundontheapplicationform(follow directions on the application)

•Threelettersofrecommendation

•Digitalportfolio(seenextpagefordetails)

•EvidenceofEnglishproficiency(asneeded)

•Additionally,ifapplicable,anyotherdocumentsormaterialsrequiredto obtain a student visa.

•Resume(optional)

•Interview(optional;mayberequiredbytheAdmissionCommittee)

P o r t F o l i o r e q u i r e M e n t s•ApplicantsmustsubmitadigitalportfolioonaCD.Theportfolio

should consist of 10 to 15 images of the applicant’s original work. Please provide no more than three detail shots. Digital portfolios should not be submitted as an email attachment or as a PowerPoint or digital slide show.

•StillimagefilesshouldbeformattedasJPEGs,withpixeldimensionof800 x 600 or smaller, with a DPI of 300. The applicant’s name, address, and email address must be clearly labeled on the CD. Please check the CD to assure that files are readable and accessible before submitting it for consideration.

•Digitalportfoliosmustbeaccompaniedbyawritteninventorydetailingthe following: the names of the files on the CD, the title of the works, the medium or media of the works depicted, the actual size of the works, the dates of the works, and computer platform (MAC or PC).

•Theportfolioinventorysheetmayalsoincludeaverybriefcommentary by the applicant on concept, process, or other relevant information.

•Thedigitalportfolioshouldalsoincludescansoftheapplicant’sresponses to the application exercises found on the application form (See information below)

•Digitalportfolioswillbecomepartofthestudent’sfileandwillnotbereturned. Applicants should retain a separate copy of their materials.

e x e r C i s e sComplete both of the two exercises on 8.5x11 sheet of paper in either graphite or conte-crayon. Include the exercises with the digital portfolio.

•Createastill-lifeofnofewerthanfourobjectsofdifferentsizes,shapes, and textures. Draw the still-life using direct observation and a variety of shading techniques such as hatching, cross hatching, stumping, veiling, and smudging.

•Selectatleastthreeelements(realorimagined)thatexpressyourinterests or personality. Keep your individuality in mind as you select and draw the elements and make decisions about composition, line quality, shading, texture, or pattern.

s C H o l a r s H i P s•Studentsseekingscholarshipsshouldsubmitashortessayoutlining

reasons that SSA should consider them for a scholarship. They should also include a copy of their (or their family’s) most recent tax returns or a FAFSA. Federal financial aid will not be available for at least two years after the program starts.

•Scholarshiprecommendationswillbemadebytheadmissioncommittee and will be based on academic merit, artistic merit and on the basis of need. For maximum scholarship consideration, students should apply by the priority deadline.

t u i t i o n & F e e sTuition is charged on a per credit basis at the rate of $595 per credit hour.

Years 1, 2 and 3 require 33 hours each or $19,635. Year 4 requires 27 hours or $16,065. These charges are subject to change.

Fees (per semester)

Student Activity Fee ......................... $150 Technology ............................................. 50 Registration ............................................ 60

Part Time Student Activity ..................75

Orientation – One Time ..................... 100 Graduation – One Time ..................... 100

Studio Materials

Some studio courses require a studio fee. This information will be included in the course syllabus.

CONNECT

ovidio giberga, Conspicuous Consumption, 2012, terracotta, raw porcelain, glass & mixed media, from the exhibition “signal to noise.”

s a n a n t o n i oSan Antonio is a culturally diverse, big city with a small-town feel and a vibrant art scene. It has award-winning restaurants, historic sites, and spectacular annual events out-doors like Fiesta and Luminaria.

The Southwest School of Art is right in the

middle of it all, perfectly located along the

famous River Walk downtown. We’re only

a short walk to the San Antonio Museum

of Art, Artpace, The Pearl, and the Tobin

Center for the Performing Arts.

V i s i t C a M P u sOpen houses and tours are scheduled throughout the year. We invite you to come see our amazing facilities, meet our outstanding faculty, and understand what makes SSA the perfect place to create your future.

For information on visiting, please contact the

Office of Admission at Southwest School of Art:

office of AdmiSSion 210.224.1848 eXt 308

AdmiSSion@SwSchool.orgwww. SwSchool.org

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