Illustration Faculty & Department Administrators

Colorful painting with a brain and geometric shapes

Sherwin Long, '13 BFA, Illustration Decompartmentalization, 11×14 in, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022View Story

Combining Passion and Purpose: Using Art to Heal

Man standing in a vest and tie shrugging in front of a painting.

Sherwin Long '13 BFA

Alumni

Six raised fists in different skin tones are depicted against a vibrant, collage-style background of newspaper headlines and text. This powerful art piece symbolizes unity and diversity, with purposeful messages of social justice, activism, and the power to heal communities.

Sherwin Long ’13 BFA Illustration, We In This Together.

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Sherwin Long started his time at MassArt as an architecture major thinking he would be a civil engineer. Then one day a professor noticed he was taking all figure drawing electives. Although a difficult decision, Long knew drawing was where his heart was and made the switch to illustration. In what he calls a “transformative” process, Long was able to reconnect with his lifelong love of drawing and find purpose in his artistic practice.

His work, recently featured on GBH’s Community Canvas mural, is heavily influenced by the graffiti and murals in his community with a splash of fine art. Having lived in a variety of Boston neighborhoods up the street from MassArt, from Roxbury to Dorchester to Roslindale and now Jamaica Plain, Long relishes the opportunity to reflect his life experience in his artwork. He also knows that art has the ability to uplift individuals as well as communities.

A painting of a woman over areas of color and text

Sherwin Long, ’13 BFA, Illustration Phoenix rising, 18×24, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 2022

Sherwin Long, ’13 BFA, Illustration Decompartmentalization, 11×14 in, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022View Story

“The message I try to convey in my artwork is one of self-empowerment and the ability to create your own destiny,” Long said. “The vibrant colors, smooth line work, and collage of styles all come from my story.”

Growing up in a chaotic environment, Long often turned to art to cope. And while it might have been easy to retreat before, as he puts it “you can’t hide at an art school.” At MassArt, Long says he found his “inner spirit warrior” by breaking down what he thought he knew and gaining the mental fortitude to become a stronger artist and person. He also credits Head of Illustration, Linda Burke, with lifting him up when he felt like he wasn’t good enough.

“Everyday I challenge myself to make life more interesting,” Long shared. “My time at MassArt showed me there is always an opportunity to improve not only your art, but your life.”

Sherwin Long is a local illustrator from Dorchester and graduated in 2013 with a BFA in Illustration. Learn more about how our creative community is shaping the future of art, design, and innovation for the common good at massart.edu.

Pushing Visual Boundaries as an Illustrator

Abby Ouellette '19 BFA

MassArt alumna Abby Ouellette ’19 explores girlhood, nostalgia, and editorial illustration as a bold, boundary-pushing freelance illustrator.

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A young woman with long hair gazes thoughtfully to the side, holding her hands near her face. She has white nail polish, rings, and wears bows on her fingers—an evocative illustration lit with purple and blue hues.

MassArt Alum Alex Small-Butera Wins Emmy for Animation

Alex Small-Butera '08 BFA

Alex Small-Butera sat down for an interview to explain about how he and Lindsay got from here to there, rising in their careers to receive this mark of achievement from Hollywood on their ability as animators, as artists.

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Lindsay and Alex Small-Butera dressed in formal clothing on the red carpet at the 2024 Emmy Awards.

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Using Artwork to Convey Self-Empowerment

Sherwin Long's Community Canvass mural.

Alumni in the News
Illustration

MassArt alumnus Sherwin Long’s artwork has been selected for GBH’s Community Canvas initiative, displayed as part of Community Canvas on GBH’s Digital Mural above the Massachusetts Turnpike in Brighton on December 10 from 2 to 8 p.m.

“The message I try to convey is one of self-empowerment and the ability to create our own destiny,” Long says. “My life experiences contribute to the vibrant colors, smooth line work, and collage of styles.”

Long is a local illustrator from Dorchester and graduated with a BFA in illustration.

Alumna Ana Crowley Noordzij Selected for GBH Community Canvas

Ana Crowley Noordzij's GBH Digital Mural

Alumni in the News
Illustration

MassArt alumna Ana Crowley Noordzij’s artwork has been selected for GBH’s Community Canvas initiative, displayed as part of Community Canvas on GBH’s Digital Mural above the Massachusetts Turnpike in Brighton on November 15, from 2 to 8 p.m.

The mural features ceramics made by Noordzij. By treating the bowl as the original sculpture, Noordzij explores the beauty of idea synthesis.

“The tactile nature of clay has fascinated me from a very young age,” Noordzij says. “I love that my work goes out into the world to be held and used. The clay leads the way in a meditative process that results in one of a kind pieces.”

Additionally, Noordzij’s artwork was showcased at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square during a live taping of GBH News’ The Culture Show.

Emma Levine (’26 BFA Illustration) shares her MassArt story, her experience as a Creative Director, and the importance of civic engagement.

Emma Levine '26 BFA Illustration

Student

A person with long brown hair, likely a Creative Director, smiles while standing in front of a colorful abstract painting. Wearing a burgundy top, they have a microphone clipped to their clothing, blending their passion for art and civic engagement.

MassArt Illustration major Emma Levine ('26 BFA) talks about how MassArt is helping to shape her future and the importance of voting.

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Faculty Members Named 2024 Boston Artadia Awardees

Faculty in the News
Illustration
Studio Foundation

Faculty members Evelyn Rydz and Gabriel Sosa were named recipients of the 2024 Boston Artadia Awards. Artadia is a non-profit grantmaking organization and nationwide community of visual artists, curators, and patrons.

Student Ari Bowman’s Appears on GBH’s Digital Mural

Student artwork displayed on GBH's digital mural

MassArt in the Media
Illustration

We are excited to share the news that student Ari Bowman’s artwork has been selected for GBH’s Community Canvas initiative. Bowman’s piece was the first to be displayed as part of Community Canvas on GBH’s Digital Mural above the Massachusetts Turnpike in Brighton on Friday, October 18, 2024. Bowman is an illustration major with a sculpture minor.

Additionally, Bowman’s artwork was showcased at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square during a live taping of GBH News’ The Culture Show.