Meet the local female entrepreneurs spearheading a Celtics and Bruins fashion movement inside TD Garden

One of Laura Brodigan's designs available at the ProShop at TD Garden in Boston.

MassArt in the Media
Fashion Design Certificate
Professional and Continuing Education

March 31, 2025

Laura Brodigan, a Lynnfield native and founder of BROdenim, obtained a certificate in fashion design from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is one of the female entrepreneurs spearheading a Celtics and Bruins fashion movement inside TD Garden in Boston.

Read the full article.

More News

Exhibition Strategies: MassArt Graduate Gallery Thinks Beyond Campus

Hyperallergic

Rebekah (Bekka) Teerlink Wright’s Meanwhile Galaxies Collide Featured on GBH’s Community Canvas

MAAM and Triennial Artist Nicholas Galanin Recognized Among Top U.S. Artists

Free events this week: Riverfest, MassArt party, and more

Boston Globe

Colleges of the Fenway Mascots Meet To Kick Off The School Year

MassArt Students Build Mini Cabins With NEFF Wood

New England Forestry Foundation

MassArt Named “One of America’s Best Colleges” by Money Magazine

Repair Project at MassArt Highlights Healing After Conflict

President Grant Returns to GBH’s The Culture Show: From the Smithsonian to Federal Funding for the Arts and Higher Education

MassArt Student’s Artistic Journey Takes Shape at a Young Age

Vineyard Gazette

Free July events: MassArt Art Museum’s Art on the Plaza

MassArt MFA Student Named Top 25 Photographers to Watch

All MassArt news

MassArt Continuing Education Programs Highlighted in Boston Globe

An older man wearing safety glasses and earmuffs is focused on operating a table saw in a workshop, reminiscent of a scene from the Boston Globes feature on craftsmanship. He is surrounded by woodworking tools and machinery, with sawdust lingering in the air.

Photo of Richard Burns courtesy of the Boston Globe.

MassArt in the Media
Furniture Design
Professional and Continuing Education

March 25, 2025

In a feature story about artistic reinvention in the Boston Globe‘s Thrive Supplement on March 23, 2025, participants in MassArt New England and the furniture design certificate program were spotlighted.

“Richard Burns, 70, likens going back to art school as a senior to finding the “fountain of youth.” He enrolled in the Furniture Design Certificate program at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2017, after retiring from a career in software engineering.”

Read the full feature.

More News

Exhibition Strategies: MassArt Graduate Gallery Thinks Beyond Campus

Hyperallergic

Rebekah (Bekka) Teerlink Wright’s Meanwhile Galaxies Collide Featured on GBH’s Community Canvas

MAAM and Triennial Artist Nicholas Galanin Recognized Among Top U.S. Artists

Free events this week: Riverfest, MassArt party, and more

Boston Globe

Colleges of the Fenway Mascots Meet To Kick Off The School Year

MassArt Students Build Mini Cabins With NEFF Wood

New England Forestry Foundation

MassArt Named “One of America’s Best Colleges” by Money Magazine

Repair Project at MassArt Highlights Healing After Conflict

President Grant Returns to GBH’s The Culture Show: From the Smithsonian to Federal Funding for the Arts and Higher Education

MassArt Student’s Artistic Journey Takes Shape at a Young Age

Vineyard Gazette

Free July events: MassArt Art Museum’s Art on the Plaza

MassArt MFA Student Named Top 25 Photographers to Watch

An Art and Design Homecoming: MassArt New England Comes to Boston

For over 40 years, MassArt New England has been one of the nation’s top summer residency programs.

Share related links

Written by Rachael Dubinsky

For over 40 years, MassArt New England has been one of the nation’s top summer residency programs, bringing together professional artists and designers for an intensive, community-focused artmaking experience. Now based on the MassArt campus, the program offers participants expanded resources, specialized studio spaces, and direct access to Boston’s dynamic arts scene, fostering an environment where creativity and collaboration thrive.

Built on the understanding that time and focus for creative work are rare and precious, this program fosters a supportive environment where serious studio art enthusiasts can connect with like-minded peers, learn from expert faculty, and pursue innovative projects.

As the country’s first freestanding public independent college of art and design, MassArt has a wealth of resources and opportunities for exploration, inspiration, and creative pursuits. Classes offered at MassArt New England include Drawing with Thread, Sculpting with Paper Clay Over Wire, The Head Examined (painting), and many more.

“Spending the day in dedicated studios, working side by side in a community of peers is an amazing opportunity and an unforgettable experience” said Dean of Graduate, Professional and Continuing Education Mariah Doren. “Whether you have been coming for years or are joining for the first time- MassArt New England is the place where artists gather and grow.”

MassArt New England participants spend full days in the studio with faculty and peers. Evenings are spent at artist talks, drawing live models, visiting historic, world-class museums, or doing independent studio work. In fact, the MassArt Art Museum (MAAM), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts are just a stone’s throw away from campus.

“It was wonderful to be back in a working community of fellow artists, to share ideas and responses, and to have support for my work,” shared MassArt New England participant Sue Klau.

Whether refining your craft, exploring new artistic directions, or immersing yourself in a dynamic creative community, this residency offers an unparalleled opportunity for growth and inspiration. Learn more at massart.edu/massart-new-england.

Keeping the Scrolls Turning: A Summer Abroad with Departure

MassArt alum and staff member, Clint Baclawski, MFA '08 Photography, shares his experience showing his art abroad and exploring Amsterdam with family.

View story

A smiling man and boy stand by a canal boat in a sunny city setting, enjoying their summer abroad. The boy wears a green Red Sox jersey and black shorts, while the man wears glasses, a black striped shirt, and a cap. People and trees fill the background.

Be Ready for Your Miracle: The Lasting Impact of MassArt Alumna Ekua Holmes

Illustrator and MassArt alumna Ekua Holmes, BFA ‘77 shares how her art is rooted in love, memory, and community.

View story

A woman smiles beside a vibrant Kwanzaa 2024 Forever USA postage stamp designed by Ekua Holmes, featuring stylized figures dancing and playing drums. An American flag and Smithsonian signage appear in the background, celebrating the lasting impact of culture.

Housing Coordinator Nathan Sherman helps create a campus environment where students can grow and explore their creativity—and makes the most of it himself

Sherman discusses how students’ creativity rubs off on each other (including when it comes to hat-making).

View story

All MassArt news

New Online Interior Design Program Launches

A photo of an aqua room with cream details and a long table with pink flowers in black vases.

Photo: Michael Barnum Studio, LLC.

Announcement
Certificate Programs
Interior Design

November 12, 2024

MassArt is pleased to now offer an online certificate in Interior Design, making this the seventh certificate program offered by the College.

This program is for students with a range of experience, including beginners. Over the course of eight months, participants will gain a foundation in ethics, environmental stewardship, and the evolution of the interior design field. Critical design thinking is a pillar of this new program where students will learn how to compose material boards, create interior presentation drawings, and read architectural drawings. The program also introduces the business aspects of interior design as well as the discipline’s role in the art of building.

Learn more about our new Interior Design certificate.

More News

FIFA World Cup 26™ Boston and MassArt Unveil Official Host City Poster

The 2025-2026 FAFSA Application is Now Open

Faculty Member Matthew Connors Named Rome Prize Winner for Visual Arts

Join us for Art on the Plaza on August 8!

Massachusetts College of Art and Design ranked “One of America’s Best Colleges” by Money Magazine

MassArt Celebrates First Annual Common Good Awards

MassArt Announces Common Good Awards, Celebrating Contributions to Civic Life Through the Arts

MassArt Named one of Forbes 2023 Top Small Business Employers

Forbes

Embrace Ideas Festival: Full Schedule, Everything You Need to Know

NBC10 Boston

Six art-school stars to watch

The Boston Globe

In Its 150th Year, MassArt Presents 2023 MFA Thesis Exhibitions

hyperallergic

Nosenko ‘I’m Glad You’ve Left’ Exhibit Opens at Jamaica Plain Library March 2

Jamaica Plain News

All programs

Studio Arts

MFA Featured Work

A colorful painting consisting of hot pink dripping paint and other colors cascading down a canvas with a background featuring a gradient of color from turquoise to white.

Adrian Negenborn, ’10, MFA Fine Arts 2D LP04221, Acrylic on Canvas, 2023

A collage of stylized birds and flowers in black, white, and beige. The overlapping images of birds with intricate patterns evoke a sense of emancipation. Wings spread across the canvas, creating a layered and textured effect with distinct floral and bird motifs.

Behnaz Monzavi, ’25 MFA, MFA Fine Arts 2D Emancipation Wings, Woodcut Printmaking on Eastern paper, 2023

A painting with a blue & yellow gradient and two cyclinders - one large black one and one smaller white one.

Dara Morgenstern, ’23, MFA Fine Arts 2D Ext. Columns – Day, Painting, 2022

A painting primarily in neutrals, black and white.

Nate Heilman, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 3D Her favorite pony is rainbow dash: the maximum effective range of an m16 is 550 meters, Mixed Media, 2020

One brick balanced on top of another brick and 3 yellow teacups.

Nate Heilman, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 3D More Than Nothing, Found bricks from the street on my daily walk to the bar, Ikea children’s teacups (*3), spray paint, 2019

A vivid abstract artwork with concentric circular patterns resembling a vortex or spiral, this piece evokes a sense of Multi-Dimensional Love. Its dynamic blend of red, pink, orange, and blue creates depth and movement that draws the eye toward a central black point.

Neetu Singhal, ’20, Fine Arts 2D Multi-Dimensional Love, Acrylic with silkscreen ink, 2020

Surreal painting of a person running on a massive fish partially submerged in the ocean. Its as if day is turning into night, with dramatic swirling clouds above and a geometric shape hovering, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.

Li Wang, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 2D Swimming Day, Painting, 2020

Abstract painting featuring bold, colorful brushstrokes in blue, green, pink, and yellow. Geometric shapes and lines are layered, creating a dynamic, energetic composition with a sense of movement across the canvas.

Tara Hayes, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 2D T Square, Mixed Media, 2020

Painting of several people carrying hay bales in a field under a blue sky. They wear hats and gloves, suggesting a sunny day. One person is reaching upwards. The scene conveys teamwork and agricultural activity.

Halie Smith, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 2D Last Load, Painting, 2020

A vivid painting of a defeated knight in dark armor lying on the ground, with a white egg nearby. The scene is dramatic, with contrasting light and shadow, creating a sense of mystery and tension.

Halie Smith, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 2D Impact 1, Painting, 2020

A triptych of abstract art features swirling shades of red, pink, and black with floral patterns throughout. The paintings density varies with bold brush strokes and subtle gradients, creating a dynamic and vibrant composition that hints at the beauty within emptiness.

Hung-Ju Kan, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 2D Density Versus Emptiness 19-2, 2D Artwork, 2019

Abstract artwork with vibrant colors and bold, swirling patterns. The piece includes various shapes and forms, reminiscent of plants and organic elements, using green, red, blue, and yellow hues. The composition is lively and dynamic.

Huiquan Jiang, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 2D Revival, 2D Artwork, 2020

Titled Xeno, this abstract painting bursts with vibrant, swirling colors—blue, red, yellow, and green—on a light yellow and green background. The dynamic brushstrokes and layered textures evoke a sense of movement and energy, making it an illustrious piece in our featured series.

Huiquan Jiang, ’20, MFA Fine Arts 2D Series Title Xeno, 2D Artwork, 2020

A group of people gather around a large, shiny red sphere in an indoor setting. Like intrigued waves, they flow in conversation and curiosity, some touching the sphere while others discuss eagerly. The atmosphere is lively and interactive.

Wendy Jacob, Professor, MFA Fine Arts 3D Waves and Signs (Balloon), 3D Artwork, 2015

Abstract circular artwork with swirling white patterns over blue, green, and yellow sections. Resembling an abstract Earth viewed from space, textured lines blend like leafy patches of cabbage into a dark outer border.

Stephanie Stigliano, Visiting Lecturer, MFA Fine Arts 2D Earth Cabbage, 2D Artwork, 2016

A person stands sideways against a white wall, resembling an Antarctic explorer with a large, intricate backpack-like sculpture made of woven materials, colorful sticks, and yellow balls. The sculpture spirals upward, creating a striking contrast of lightness against the wall’s starkness.

Nathalie Miebach, ’06, MFA Fine Arts 3D Antarctic Explorer – Darkness to Lightness, Sculpture, 2007

The art installation, titled I Am My Lost, features a large white wall adorned with red, clustered dot patterns resembling bursts or spirals. Two wooden benches sit on the polished floor, inviting reflection as ceiling lights cast a gentle glow over the contemplative space.

Ambreen Butt, ’97, MFA Fine Arts 2D I Am My Lost Diamond, Installation, 2011

A suspended abstract sculpture featuring a yellow net with orange rolls and blue wire, hovering above a translucent, irregularly shaped white rock on a gray background.

Nina Hart Morris, ’17, MFA Fine Arts 3D Slumped, 3D Artwork, 2017

Surreal sculpture resembling an abstract form with a pale, fleshy texture. It features a red line on top, scattered glitter dots, and strands of hair, creating an organic yet fantastical appearance against a plain background.

Felicia Deneane, ’17, MFA Fine Arts 3D Unkempt, 3D Artwork, 2016

A vibrant tapestry featuring a pair of colorful fabrics and patterns, including stripes, florals, and abstract designs. The fabric pieces are woven together with meticulous detail, creating a dynamic texture in a variety of colors like red, blue, and green.

Loretta Park, ’16, MFA Fine Arts 3D Part of a pair 1(Detail), Fibers, 2014

A close-up of a ceramic sculpture of a face

Joanna Sokolowska, ’15, MFA Fine Arts 3D Humanscape, 22″ x 12″ x 15″, Sculpture, 2015

Yellow Sculpture made of papier-mâché and house paint shown in a gallery.

Rebecca Scott Newhouse, ’15, MFA Fine Arts 3D To Halve and to Whole, Papier-mâché, house paint, 2015

Person holding a ceramic oval with large hollowed eyes over their face

Lele Zhang, ’14, MFA Fine Arts 3D Unprotection, 3D Artwork, 2014

Art sculpture of a babys face on an oval backdrop. The face is distorted with metal branches protruding through the eyes and mouth. The piece is set on a wooden floor against a plain white wall.

Nicholas Sullivan, ’13, MFA Fine Arts 3D Chronic, Vinyl, plexiglass, aluminum, 2013

A circle of light overlapping the right edge of the photograph with slight hallow of what looks like white string on a black background.

Clive Moloney, ’13, MFA Fine Arts 3D Chin Drawing, Cling film and light source, 2012

Wheel thrown ceramic bowls stacked on top of one another with wood turned plates in between.

Ji In Lee, ’13, MFA Fine Arts 3D Vessels, Wheel thrown ceramic bowls, soda and reduction fired, stoneware clay. Wood turned plates and bowls, oak, poplar, and figured maple wood., 2013

Polystyrene, polyurethane foam, acrylic sculpture made to look like a slice of a tree with a green textured inlay.

Zachary F. Herrmann, ’13, MFA Fine Arts 3D Portrait1, Vinyl, plexiglass, aluminum, 2013

A vivid abstract painting featuring bold, overlapping shapes in blue, pink, yellow, and white. Detailed geometric forms and textures resemble a surreal cityscape under a dynamic sky, masterfully under control with every stroke.

Courtney Stock, ’17, MFA Fine Arts 2D Under Control (Detail), 2D Artwork, 2017

A colorful, abstract art installation featuring knitted bananas and fruit on a yellow dining table. The background includes a large, painted green leaf and mixed media elements. Bright and eclectic textures create a fever dream of patterns that dominate the composition.

, MFA Fine Arts 2D A Fever Dream of Actually Eating at the Dining Table. It’s stable. I promise. (Detail), 2D Artwork, 2017

Abstract painting with a chaotic mix of dark and light strokes, evoking the concept of Matter in Motion. Layers of gray, black, and white dominate, intersected by thin lines and scattered blue dots. The texture appears rough with hints of red and blue accents throughout.

Jessica Tawczynski, ’17, MFA Fine Arts 2D, MFA Studio Arts Matter in Motion (Field), 2D Artwork, 2017

All programs Apply

Studio Arts

MFA

The foundation of our MFA Studio Arts program is an individualized education that helps each student develop artistic vision and voice.

Our full-time, two-year (60-credit) MFA Studio Arts program encourages students to experiment and explore, while refining the technical and conceptual strategies in their work. Students may choose one of three concentrations, in the areas of Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture.

A student lifts a printmaking screen while working in her studio

Students convene in a graduate studio space

Studio Arts MFA Concentrations Expand all

Students are encouraged and challenged, and through rigorous study, creative exploration, and critical discourse, each artist’s body of work deepens and evolves, along with the student’s ability to place their work in the context of contemporary practice.

A woman with glasses and a dark sweater gestures towards a large, abstract painting on the wall, highlighting its 2D art style. Another person stands partially visible in the background within the brightly lit room, suggesting a studio or gallery setting.

MFA Painting Critique with Cecilia Vasquez.

A person in a blue shirt and black hat stands as the image hero in front of a large, detailed painting depicting multiple nude figures in earthy tones. Another person with curly hair sits nearby, partially visible. The room, with its overhead lights, exudes an art studio vibe.

A student looks at her laptop while presenting in a graduate level critique

Dialogue and critique are key components of an education in the studio arts, and at MassArt critique is viewed as a creative act. The rich dialogue among students, faculty, visiting artists, and critics takes place within the framework of core classes, electives, presentations, and excursions off campus. Our approach illuminates new pathways for each artist’s work, helping students to build a sustainable practice, and to develop perspective and empathy as artist citizens of the world.

An aerial view of MassArt's Print Studio.

People wearing aprons stand around a metal table in a print studio, looking at prints.

The Printmaking department’s Master Print Series, featuring visiting artist, Kiki Smith.

A professor points and talks about a student work hanging up on a while while a student observes and listens.

Faculty member, Fred Liang observes student work in a class critique. Photo by Tony Luong

Woman concentrating on a project at a desk in an art studio, surrounded by art supplies and inspiration images on a wall. Shes wearing a denim shirt and has her hair in a bun. The room has a white brick wall and natural light from windows.

Majors have studio space in the Print Studio

Two people in a workshop discuss a paper design. One wears a beanie and apron, the other glasses and a smartwatch. The background includes tables, art materials, and a bulletin board. Others are working at tables.

The Printshop in the 2D Fine Arts/Printmaking department.

In our MFA Studio Arts program Sculpture concentration, you’ll explore sculptural mediums using our exceptional facilities in glass, clay, wood, and metal, and more.

MassArt’s full-time, two-year (60 credit) MFA Studio Arts program is committed to an expanded understanding of the sculptural medium.

With the support of faculty working across a range of media and disciplines, students engage in rigorous experimentation and collaboration, and the resulting work–from clay vessels to collaborative performance–reflects a highly personal investigation. Students with an expanded sense of practice are also encouraged to explore technology, performance, and the moving image as possible vehicles for their ideas.

MFA Students looking at work in their studio space.

MFA students have their own studio spaces with areas dedicated to collaboration and critiquing with fellow graduate students.

Two people work in a carpentry workshop. One is focused on measuring a wooden board at a table filled with tools, while the other works with a power tool in the background. The space is filled with woodworking equipment and projects.

Many students standing at tables working in a woodshop.

A Wood Carving class in the Woodshop with faculty member Annie Meyer.

At the MassArt exhibit, people interact amid ceramic vases on pedestals. Two individuals share a laugh under vibrant banners, while others admire the artwork. The gallery buzzes with creativity and community spirit, embodying the essence of artistic work and expression.

Featured Work

Adrian Negenborn, ’10, MFA Fine Arts 2D LP04221, Acrylic on Canvas, 2023

Behnaz Monzavi, ’25 MFA, MFA Fine Arts 2D Emancipation Wings, Woodcut Printmaking on Eastern paper, 2023

Dara Morgenstern, ’23, MFA Fine Arts 2D Ext. Columns – Day, Painting, 2022

MFA Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the Studio Arts MFA program are expected to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes.

Create a 21st century studio practice based on personal vision to develop a body of work that is unique and reflects an authentic perspective
Demonstrate technical and formal proficiency in chosen media, alongside openness to investigations in other disciplines
Locate one’s work within contemporary art, art history, and larger cultural contexts
Strengthen visual analysis and verbal articulation skills as a foundation for critical dialogue and conceptual frameworks.
Develop awareness of the diverse cultural, historical, and experiential dimensions in one’s own artwork and in that of others, as tied to geography, time, and larger ideologies
Demonstrate best practices in the studio, including well-being and safe use of tools, equipment, and materials
Acquire professional skills for sustainable studio practices beyond the educational context, including the ability to present, write about, and discuss your work.