Artist-Mentors

One of the two main components of a student’s course of study in the MFA in Visual Art program at Vermont College of the Fine Arts is a semester-long studio project in which the student develops and/or challenges specific aspects of their art practice under the guidance of an Artist-Mentor who lives and works in the student’s community.

While there is no set prescription for what constitutes this relationship, each Artist-Mentor is asked to engage the student in a rigorous and critical dialogue concerning the conceptual and material issues they confront in their work. An Artist-Mentor is expected to meet with a student five times for two hours each over the course of six months and to complete two written evaluations of the student’s progress. These visits must be evenly spaced throughout the semester.

Who are the Artist-Mentors?

• Each Artist-Mentor has a strong commitment to artistic life which is evidenced in a substantial body of work that has been shown through regular exhibitions in a variety of serious galleries, museums, and other public spaces. The exhibition record should extend beyond the artist’s local community and demonstrate the strong and consistent development of a theme or group of themes.
• Have earned an MFA or have equivalent studio training.
• Have teaching experience at the graduate level (preferred).

Number of Students

An Artist-Mentor may work with a maximum of three students at one time. A student may not work with a particular Artist-Mentor more than twice.

For further information about becoming an Artist-Mentor, please contact Program Director Katrine Trantham at [email protected].