Live in the moment: Printmaker Magda Leon sees art-making as sacred, and often a struggle: “It’s laborious. That personal moment of just sweating — it’s very private, very genuine. That’s where, for me, the art is. The outcome is the cherry on top.” So value what your art does for you, and maybe you alone. Flamenco choreographer Laura Sánchez says her performance “takes parts of my life where I feel unseen and transforms them into something that can be seen.”

Expect failure: It’s part of the process. When multimedia artist Fred H.C. Liang’s students fear failure, he tells them, “If you look at my studio, it’s a monument to failure.”

“You just have to be fearless. You have to blow it up, make bad things, put them aside. Try and understand why they’re bad,” Donovan said. “All of those experiments lead to other things. It’s about developing your own language, and you can’t do it without practice.”

Read Boston Globe article.

The studio includes an etching, relief, monotype area, a lithography and additional relief area, and a silkscreen area. Students have access to two plate makers and one exposure unit used for all print technologies, along with an on-site darkroom.

The computer area contains three iMAC computers, one 11×17″ scanner, two black and white laser printers to create photo and digital transparencies, a digital projector, and a large format projector screen in addition to the College’s large format printers, laser cutter, and photo documentation equipment.

Morse Study Room, Museum of Fine Arts

In addition to MassArt’s expansive print studios, Printmaking classes have regular visits to the Morse Study Room at the neighboring Museum of Fine Arts, Boston to deepen their studies. Students receive complimentary access to the Museum and can make appointments to study its collection of almost 200,000 prints, drawings and photographs ranging from the beginnings of printing in the 15th century to today.

Iron Print Competition

Each year, we host the Iron Print Competition, a fast-paced printmaking challenge that brings together student printmakers from leading art schools across the region.

About the Iron Print Competition

Each spring, we invite student teams from regional colleges to participate in our Iron Print challenge. Teams of four work together to produce an edition of 10 prints within a limited timeframe.

On the day of the event, within a set time limit, the teams compete against each other to create their image. It must combine lithography, intaglio, relief, and silkscreen, and incorporate a bag of mystery ingredients as well.

A panel of professional artists judge each teams’ edition based on the quality of their image, the quality of their edition printing, their team work, and their sheer creativity. Prizes are awarded at the end of the day.

Master Print Series

For more than three decades, our Master Print Series has brought renowned contemporary artists into the Print Studio at Massachusetts College of Art and Design to collaborate directly with our students. Guided by the expertise of Printmaking professor Fred Liang and professor emerita, Nona Hershey, the Master Print Series has grown into an annual tradition that connects revered contemporary artists with MassArt’s aspiring printmakers, resulting in an exquisite body of work.

Students work in teams through every stage of the printmaking process–from matrix preparation and preliminary proofing to paper and ink preparation and producing consistent, professional-quality editions.

This intensive four- to five-day experience strengthens students’ technical skills and deepens their understanding of professional printmaking practices, encouraging them to approach their own work with greater confidence, precision, and ambition.

Editions produced during the residency are divided between the visiting artist and the department. Proceeds from print sales support future Master Print Series projects, student merit awards, and additional printmaking events such as visiting artist lectures, workshops, demonstrations, and studio visits.

This distinguished artist-in-residence program has welcomed renowned artists including Kiki Smith, Sarah Sze, Dr. Lakra, Winfred Rembert, and Michael Mazur.

Printmaking Trips

Southern Graphics Print Council

Students have the opportunity to take an annual trip to the Southern Graphics Print Council Conference, the largest print organization in North America, allows students to meet and connect with contemporary master printers.

International Fine Print Dealers Association Fine Print Fair

A visit to the Fine Art Print Fair is a living classroom, affording students the opportunity to meet leading art dealers, master printers, and modern publishers from around the world.