Course General Description

In addition to traditional media, SVA offers experimental practices in digital sculpture and the emerging field of bio-art. From figure studies to cutting-edge con­ceptual approaches, our department prepares the fine arts student to enter a myriad of professions and graduate programs. Courses in art history and contemporary art theory inform creative approaches to diverse aesthetic practices. The Fine Arts Department at the School of Visual arts is unique. The fine arts student at SVA can choose an individualized course of study. Our new Fine Arts Digital Lab hosts private workstations equipped with up-to-the-minute software and instruction. Our digital sculpture initiative boasts computer-driven cutting machines for fabricat­ing sculpture. Painting classes include projects in direct observation or photography, and/or abstract methods. Our faculty consists of professional artists, critics and curators whose work has achieved both national and international recognition. In addition, the Fine Arts Department sponsors many events and field trips to museums, galleries and artists’ studios to prepare the student for professional-level experience in the fine arts. With Chelsea’s art scene at our back door, students stay tuned in to art history in the making. Networking opportunities inside and outside SVA prepare our students for job placements and career development. For example, you might land a studio job assisting an instructor or a visiting artist, which could become access to a gallery, which could lead to your first show. In senior year, we invite dealers and curators to open studios showcasing your work, a twice-yearly chance for you to make important connections. On the other hand, we focus on all avenues of creative production. Our almuni have worked at top art museums, animation studios, education venues, art therapy practices, public art and other allied professions.

School General Description

Welcome to New York City, SVA’s hometown, and the leader of today’s creative economy, with more than 14,000 creative businesses and nonprofits. According to the EY Global Talent in Global Cities 2015 study, New York attracts more creative talent than any other city in the world because it “enjoys a unique cultural scene, embedded in a cosmopolitan and forward-thinking urban environment.” There is no better place to study, practice and work as a creative professional. Critique is a vital and challenging part of the educational experience in a college of art and design. Participating in this practice requires students to be open and vulnerable while they present their work for discussion and questioning, and to trust the transformative powers of the process in service of the work. Through the frequent repetition of this act of openness, students and faculty share and strengthen their humanity, empathy and kinship and their work evolves.