5 Benefits of Getting an MFA
People pursue their MFA for a variety of reasons. Some want to immerse themselves in their craft, knowing that being in an MFA program will push them to create. Others want to develop a solid collection of work for their portfolio, made even better with access to the best equipment that many universities have to offer.
Some graduates of our Photography & Integrated Media MFA program share their reasons for getting an advanced degree, and what they found valuable about the process. An MFA in Photography provided a way for them to come into their own as artists, explore how they create, and develop their ideas in a close-knit community that challenged and supported them. If you’re ready for a meaningful experience and up for the hard work, here are five reasons to pursue your MFA.
1. Exploring Your Artistic Process
Like many MFA students, Traci Marie Lee '16 started her fine arts education as an undergrad. A study abroad trip to Ireland in her junior year propelled her to seek an MFA after graduation. She realized she had so much more to explore and learn about herself as an artist. “I had so many philosophical and intellectual ideas that I was hungry to pursue within my art process, and going through an MFA program seemed like the best, most intensive and purposeful way to do that,” she says.
The MFA program provided Traci Marie what she needed—a competitive atmosphere and an intensive working environment. “It was the kind of specific pressure I needed to flesh out some of my ideas and wants as an artist, and really go after them with abandon,” she says.
Traci Marie is now the owner and head photographer for Thread Photography where she specializes in fine arts weddings, an approach that combines documentary-style photography with a fine arts background.
She also exhibits her work in the U.S. and abroad. Some of her more recent showings include the 2017 Exhibition of Alternative Photography, a curated group exhibition at The Far Eastern Art Museum in Khabarovsk, Russia, and Witching Hour: Imagery from Darkness, a juried group exhibition at PhotoSynthesis in Connecticut.