The communal space in the Sculpture department is more than an area to make work for Natalie Mallinoff (BFA '21). It’s where she carved out her place in the PAFA community. Mallinoff was drawn to the school and decided to pursue sculpture after attending PAFA's Summer Intensive program for high…
Luna Garisto (BFA '21) decided to attend the Summer Academy the summer before their senior year of high school to try out PAFA and to build a portfolio that would eventually get them accepted. Summer Academy participants receive the Next Steps Scholarship, which provides financial support to…
In high school, Ivonne Perez (BFA '19) thought she might become a doctor. But after two weeks attending a community college biology program, Perez knew she needed a change and switched to studio art. After receiving her Associate's degree, Perez arrived at PAFA as a transfer student to pursue a…
Professors and faculty members see their students grow as artists and as people during their time at PAFA. For over 30 years, Tony Rosati has led the Printmaking Department at PAFA, he’s seen students struggle and succeed in their work since the introduction of the program in the early 1980s.
Katie Weidlein (MFA '19) embroiders marriage market models onto the dresses, juxtaposing the emotionally charged dresses with examples of behavioral economics. The models attempt to predict the number of marriages. It’s a unique pairing but combining art with economics comes naturally to Weidlein…
SWARM. brings together the work of Didier William and Nestor Armando Gil. The SWARM. curatorial team is sharing more about two upcoming exhibitions, Swarm. and Infinite Spaces: Rediscovering PAFA’s Permanent Collection on a dedicated Tumblr.
I’ve Always Worked Hard is the latest exhibition from PAFA’s Youth Council. The Youth Council is a free after-school program that offers interested teens a chance to create a prominent place for young audiences in the daily life of the museum. The Youth Council organizes poetry nights, poster-making…
The Dorothy & Kenneth Woodcock Archives at PAFA receives more than 300 requests each year from patrons seeking information and assistance locating historical information to support research projects. Hoang Tran, PAFA’s Director of Archives, maintains hundreds of thousands of documents, photographs…
MariJo Miranda (BFA ’21) began exploring art in elementary school as a way to express herself and connect with her peers. Miranda, born and raised in Mexico, knew she wanted to study art in the United States. After spending 5 weeks studying at PAFA through the Summer Academy for high school students…
After graduating with a mathematics degree, a lifelong love of art drew Claire Huber (MFA ’18) to PAFA. Huber's current work focuses on painting celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Selena Gomez, drawing many visitors to this year's Open Studio Night. Her celebrity series will be on display at the…
Morgan Hobbs (MFA '15) discusses her experiences balancing her responsibilities at the artist-run gallery AUTOMAT Collective, and her work as PAFA's Resident Director and Student Life Coordinator. AUTOMAT Collective was the recipient of funding from PAFA's Fine Arts Venture Fund, which awards more…
Nicole Parker (BFA ’17) has always been confident in her technical ability to paint, but going into the 2017 Annual Student Exhibition, she was a ball of nerves. After working with several critics at PAFA, Parker built up her confidence in talking about her work.
Perspectives
About PAFA
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United States’ first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.
