The School of Visual Arts (SVA) now offers a groundbreaking program, the MFA in Visual Narrative. The MFA is built on an innovative approach to storytelling: the education of the “artist as author,” which puts equal emphasis on creative writing and visual expression. This flexible, low-residency 60-credit program is designed for working professionals and recent graduates from all creative disciplines who are interested in incorporating visual narrative into their art practice. The program is chaired by editorial illustrator and comic book artist Nathan Fox, who graduated from SVA in 2002 with an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay. “Great visual storytellers challenge our notions of self and truth, engaging an audience to its core,” Fox said. “That level of visual narrative becomes an experience, a moment not soon forgotten, a memory forever cherished. These works have withstood the test of time, becoming part of our history and cultural identities.”
Students in the program will be on campus in Manhattan for three intensive eight-week summer residencies. During the fall and spring semesters, they will work online, synthesizing the skills and crafts presented in the summer sessions. During the summers, students will attend classes and seminars and work in the studios for eight to ten hours per day, six days a week. The summer sessions will concentrate on advanced writing, digital media and the process and craft of visual storytelling. Faculty members include Jennifer Daniel, illustrator and graphics director; Edward Hemingway, feature reporter, comic writer and children’s book author; Ross MacDonald, author, illustrator and designer; Matt Madden, writer and artist; Leonard Marcus, children’s book illustration expert; Benjamin Marra, comic book writer and artist, founder and publisher of Traditional Comics; Matt Rota, illustrator; and Ben Zackheim, Senior Product Manager and Director for AOL Games. His work has appeared in the The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine, Interview, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Wired, ESPN The Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Mother Jones, Spin, Mad Magazine, Image Comics, Vertigo, Dark Horse Comics and Marvel. In addition, his art has been featured in projects for MTV, the Burton US Open 2009, the Nike House of Hoops, the 1800 Tequila 2012 Essential Artist Series Bottles, Instant Winner, REAL Skateboards and many others. School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City is an established leader and innovator in the education of artists. From its inception in 1947, the faculty has been comprised of professionals working in the arts and art-related fields. SVA provides an environment that nurtures creativity, inventiveness and experimentation, enabling students to develop a strong sense of identity and a clear direction of purpose. Media Contact: Gayle Snible at 212.592.2209 or [email protected].
