Boston University Art Education

NEWS: Join CFA in congratulating Boston University Professor Lynne Allen for her appointment as interim dean of the College! 👏 As Dean Harvey Young prepares to conclude his service on June 30, internationally recognized artist and scholar Lynne Allen steps back into the role effective July 1.

Allen, professor of art, printmaking, chair of print media and photography; former director of BU School of Visual Arts; and a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow, also served as CFA interim dean in 2015–2017, when she was Young’s immediate predecessor.

“Serving as interim dean nearly 10 years ago was a responsibility I took very seriously, and I approach this opportunity with the same commitment,” Allen says. “I’m humbled and honored by the confidence placed in me and by the opportunity to work alongside the many talented people at CFA. I really believe in the faculty and the staff at the College of Fine Arts." ❤️

As interim dean, Allen plans to maintain and grow Dean Young's programs, while paving the way for the next dean. At the same time, Allen will continue to teach in the Print Media & Photography program, a firm believer that "you can’t really be a good leader if you don’t know what the students are thinking.”

Read more about Allen's appointment in BU Today ➡️ http://spr.ly/6186B8Hwbj

CREATE: Each year, graduating seniors in BU School of Visual Arts’ painting, printmaking, sculpture, and graphic design programs take part in a group exhibition showcasing their thesis projects that represent the culmination of four years of hard work.

This year’s BFA thesis exhibition, on view at 808 Gallery through May 9, features pieces by 37 students, whose work is a testament to their creativity, their mastery of different mediums, and the singular view that each brings to their art.

BU Today recently spoke with four graduating BFA students about their thesis projects, and here's what they had to say... ✨

🎨 Mackenzie Jutras, painting. "I want the viewers to know that this is someone who has so much love coming from her and toward her. I wanted the portrait [of my friend] to be strong and direct. I want her to look at the viewer, almost challenge them, so they take away that this is someone who has strength and power."

📖 Truck Schachtman, printmaking. "I hope they’re willing to sit with it and look at it not just as an art piece, but also as an expression of emotion and physicality. I like using a lot of blacks. There’s a lot of darkness that is hopefully going to translate as very rich and very evocative. I want people to get lost in my prints."

⚒️ Nathan Arteaga, sculpture. "I think that has become a point in my practice, of not wanting my work to be understood, because I think that that’s for me to understand. Once it leaves my studio, once it’s on public display, it is no longer mine. I want viewers to be able to reflect on their own interpretations and experiences with the piece."

💻 Rye “Brian” Liu, graphic design. "I want viewers to have an immediate sense of curiosity and enjoyment, especially through the colors and playful forms. Rather than directing a specific interpretation, I hope the work feels familiar in some way and encourages people to make their own connections."

More in BU Today ➡️ http://spr.ly/6186BB5I84

Please give a warm round of applause to our May 2026 on-campus CFA Art Education graduates pictured here at their final thesis exhibition!

Graduating MA in Art Education student Jieun Lim '26 presented with BU Assistant Professor of Art Education Felice Amato at the a2ru conference at UW-Madison. Their workshop was entitled: "Embodied Encounters: A Brown Paper Puppet Workshop for Health Science Practitioners."

Throwback to one of our first Summer Studios sessions here at BU where we brought together Art Educators from all over the world for a weeklong residency to deepen their practice and explore their own creativity! This will be our 16th summer! Would you like to join us this time (you don't have to be enrolled in a degree program to participate)? Click here to reach out and find out more: https://www.bu.edu/cfa/visual-arts/summer-studios/

Do you have any questions about our many Art Education graduate degree programs? They are all outlined at the link below, and we would be happy to answer any questions you have moving forward! Experience a cutting-edge curriculum taught by master teachers, with online, on-campus, and hybrid paths—so you can advance your career as an art educator and thought leader.

MA IN ART EDUCATION (2025) - BU CFA Landing Pages Transform Your Creative Future Grow as an artist and teacher with an MA in Art Education at Boston University. Experience a cutting-edge curriculum taught by master teachers, with online, on-campus, and hybrid paths—so you can advance your career as an art educator and thought leader. Your Path, Y...

Will you be in Boston sometime over the next month? Stop by and see our end of year Art Education and MFA Thesis shows on display at CFA! More details here:

Visual Arts Thesis Exhibitions | College of Fine Arts Every Spring, Boston University School of Visual Arts hosts group exhibitions showcasing the work of graduating students in the undergraduate and graduate programs. Thesis Exhibitions typically are held on campus in the BU Art Galleries at the College of Fine Arts, including the Faye G., Jo, and Jam...

https://www.bu.edu/articles/2026/bu-alum-muppet-legend/

BU Alum Is ″A Muppet Legend″ Fran Brill, who spent more than 40 years “sweepin’ the clouds away” as a "Sesame Street" Muppeteer, receives a Lifetime Achievement Award

Be transported to another world! Rebecca "Beatle" Darcy lives in Marrakech, Morocco with her husband, who was born and raised in a small village in the Atlas Mountains. Beatle made many of these masks by needle felting wool she sourced locally. Made in AR600: Contemporary Issues in Art Education.