News

Laura Deliz in the studio.

Laura Deliz '21: From Puerto Rico to Philadelphia

Laura Deliz '21 attended an arts-focused high school in Puerto Rico but always felt a little different than her fellow students and knew her path would be different. She took a gap year to study at an atelier and shore up her fine art skills, which is where she learned about PAFA. Philadelphia was…
Perspectives
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Marguerite Lenfest to Be Honored at PAFA's Annual Scholarship Fundraiser

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is pleased to announce that Philadelphia philanthropist and longtime PAFA supporter Marguerite Lenfest will be the honoree at the 118th Annual Student Exhibition (ASE) Preview Party. Marguerite and her late husband, H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest, have been…
Press Release
PAFA News

Drawing Student Lets Insects Infest Her Art Practice

During a museum trip to see an exhibit of dinosaur and fossil illustrations, Drawing student Gillian Cavoto '19 realized she could perhaps make a career out of her love or art and science. Cavoto now spends time at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University as a visiting artist where she…
PAFA News

A New Spin on Old News

Headline after headline, the news of the day left an impact on Painting student Bethann Parker '19. She started painting issues of The New York Times in November of 2017 and soon realized she wanted to dedicate an entire year to exploring her perception of current events. With the help of PAFA’s…
PAFA News

Before the Hudson River School There Was the Schuylkill

Though many learn that American landscape painting begins with the Hudson River School, looking back a little further reveals that Philadelphia—and PAFA—is at the heart of this tradition. Coming to PAFA this June, "From the Schuylkill to the Hudson: Landscapes of the Early American Republic," tells…
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More Than 500 Artworks Added to PAFA's Permanent Collection in 2018

In 2018 PAFA added over 500 historic, modern and contemporary works to its permanent collection of American art. The newest acquisitions and gifts—many of them by women, artists of color, and artists not frequently seen in museums—include works by painter Joan Brown, a mixed media installation by…
Press Release
kat martinez '21

Kat Martinez '21: Cuban-American Artist Paints Her Family’s Story

The idea of things not always being what they initially appear to be resonates with Kat Martinez (BFA '20). As a first-generation Cuban-American, she has a complicated relationship with the island and expresses it through her art. After meeting MFA Chair Didier William, Martinez knew she wanted a…
Perspectives
PAFA News

Making a Political Statement in His Paintings

After two years spent at the University of Pennsylvania through the PAFA-Penn program, Nicolas Tomlinson '19 is back in his studio at PAFA and turning those concepts into art. Tomlinson looks to historical figures in the black community and music as a source of inspiration and personal expression.
Perspectives
PAFA News

Child's Play Leads to Inspiration for MFA Student

Like many artists, she’s using the drawings of another artist to spark her creativity and create something new. But MFA student Sam Dominik pulls her inspiration from her young nephew’s scribbles. She came to PAFA after meeting MFA Chair Didier William, who set her on a different path.
PAFA News

Memorial Award Helps Graduates as They Begin Their Professional Careers

The Anne Bryan Memorial Award was established in 2015 to support PAFA students on their artistic journey. The annual award is given to a select student each year to develop their professional careers. Previous award recipients Fang Fang Ren (BFA '17) and Aubrey Brown (Cert. '18) discuss how they…
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PAFA Receives $200,000 Grant to Create New Papermaking Studio

PAFA has received a $200,000 gift from the Richard C. von Hess Foundation to help build a new papermaking studio in the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building as part of its expansion of the Brodsky Center and printmaking initiatives in the School of Fine Arts.
Press Release
PAFA News

From Art Studio to Archaeological Dig

Second-year student Leslie Pickel stepped outside the studio to work on an archaeological dig site in Tuscany, Italy this summer. Over the course of three weeks, Pickel and her fellow diggers worked at a site on the top of a mountain, eventually discovering an Etruscan wall. Now back home in the…

About PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United State's first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the fine arts, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and a world-class collection of American art. 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.