After more than 20 years at companies such as Gap and AT&T, Sally Richards '20 decided to focus on her art. She began by taking classes in the Continuing Education program, subsequently enrolling in PAFA's Certificate program to expand and refine her skills. That desire to zero in and focus has…
Charles Mason III '19 is about to graduate with his MFA. His art has always centered on race, but the way he expresses that has changed over the course of his two years at PAFA. As other students prepare for the ASE, Mason has chosen to exhibit his thesis at a local art gallery.
Studying art was a dream Rebecca Segall '20 knew she would get to someday, but wasn’t sure how, or when it would happen. Life took her on a different path as she raised her family and started a business. She eventually took a few classes at the Main Line Arts Center, but it was a chance meeting with…
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) announced the addition of 130 historic, modern, and contemporary works to its permanent collection. Acquisition highlights feature works by an array of historical and contemporary artists, including George Hitchcock, William J. Glackens, Wangechi Mutu…
The practice of printmaking has Jonathan Lyndon Chase (MFA ’16) thinking about his work in new and different ways. But an opportunity from the Brodsky Center at PAFA gave Chase the chance to tread new ground. As the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the Brodsky Center at PAFA, he has had the…
PAFA students Justine Ditto '17 and Alyssa Ebinger '18 have been accepted into the prestigious lithography program at the Tamarind Institute in New Mexico. Each year, eight students are accepted into the program; this year, two of the eight selected are from PAFA. Tamarind’s Printer Training Program…
PAFA is pleased to announce the election of Jonathan Hirsch to its Board of Trustees. Hirsch is co-founder and partner of IG Wines Ltd, and will serve as the co-chair of Bacchanal in 2019.
Nat Bombeke ’22 grew up in a community of artists. Since he knew so many PAFA graduates, it only seemed fitting to follow in their footsteps. At PAFA, printmaking captured Bombeke’s interest. After seeing the joy printmaking has brought him, he wants to make sure more people have access to the…
PAFA is proud to announce the acquisition of nearly 80 artworks from the collection of the prominent American educator, civic leader, and arts advocate, Dr. Constance E. Clayton. The collection, which spans the late 19th to the late 20th centuries, contains works primarily by African American…
"Illustration is not a style, it's not a medium, it's an approach," Illustration department chair Jessica Abel says. By utilizing core skills learned in PAFA's First Year curriculum, along with classes in other departments, Abel helps Illustration students discover their visual voice.
Visitors to the newly-opened Rhoden Arts Center will encounter seven works by the late sculptor John Rhoden. PAFA acquired the estate of Rhoden, which includes more than 275 works by the African American sculptor. The works on view in the Arts Center serve as a precursor to the Rhoden exhibition…
For her first try as a curator, Jiatong Tian '20, took over two floors at the FMC Tower and exhibited the work of more than 35 PAFA students and alumni. Tian's show, "Song of Colors," is the fourth exhibition of the FMC | PAFA Art Initiative, a unique program that displays student artwork throughout…
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.
