Pennsylvania College of Art & DesignGeneral News Archives - Page 2 of 5

PCA&D-York opens expanded exhibition

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s York gallery is excited to be open for York’s October First Friday, Oct. 7, with a new and expanded exhibition. Featuring the work of members of the York community, the Community Exhibition features a new series of 4-inch-by-4-inch panels. They join pieces from the exhibition 10×10 which has been […]

Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

The work of three 2021 Illustration graduates has been chosen to be part of the art collection at Penn State Health’s new Lancaster facility. Joanna Becker of Lancaster, Amelia Mellberg of Columbia, Pa., and Alex Zhao of Harrisburg, Pa., all had pieces selected from those submitted by nearly 300 artists to demonstrate the bridge between the arts and healing. Giclee prints […]

Faculty Grant Series: Profs. Warshawsky and Cochran explore SIGGRAPH conference

Attendance at the national SIGGRAPH conference gives attendees an inside look not only at trend-setting computer graphics and interactive techniques, but also at developments that are so early-stage that they haven’t even had a chance to yet become trends. The summer event, say Profs. Natasha Warshawsky (Chair, Animation & Game Art) and Ellie Cochran (Adjunct, […]

CCE Instructor Profile: Exploring photography’s creative process with Adam Leitzel ’20

Do you love photography and want to learn more about its various forms? This fall, PCA&D is offering a variety of classes taught by our very own Adam Leitzel. Art Support: Product Photography Workshop will be held on Saturdays starting October 15 and Intergenerational Studio: Ages 14-Adult – Analogue Photography runs on Saturdays starting October […]

Breaking into the male-dominated world of music videos with Maggie Rudisill ’15

Maggie Rudisill may have graduated from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in 2015 with her Photography BFA, but her history with the College goes back long before that. The groundbreaking videographer — she’s successfully broken into the male-dominated music video industry — started taking all-ages classes at PCA&D as a child and then, in […]

PCA&D readies for a full Career Day on September 30

More than a dozen internship sites and employers will be on hand for Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Internship Career Day, scheduled this fall for Friday, September 30. Open to all PCA&D students and alumni, the event will be a hybrid of both in-person and remote sessions and will give participants lots of timely […]

CCE Instructor Profile: Learning about Puerto Rican culture with Kathy Rodríguez

Do you love arts and crafts and want to learn more about Puerto Rican culture? This fall, PCA&D is offering a variety of classes taught by Kathy Rodríguez. Intergenerational Studio: Ages 13-Adult – Vejigante Masks on Tuesdays starting October 4; Exploring Puerto Rico – Taino-Inspired Arts and Crafts: Grades 1-3 on Saturdays starting October 29; […]

CCE Instructor Profile: Joshua Keller dives into horror, creative writing, comics, and manga

Do you love writing and want to explore your literary voice? This fall, PCA&D is offering a variety of classes taught by Joshua Keller. Intergenerational Studio: Ages 14-Adult – Mystery/Horror Writing and Discussion on Wednesdays starting October 12; Beginning/Intermediate Creative Writing on Wednesdays starting November 2; Comics and Manga Writing and Visual Narrative: Grades 7-10 […]

Artist Talk: Filmmaker Harrison Smith brings his brand of horror to PCA&D

Filmmaker Harrison Smith can barely remember a time when horror movies didn’t fascinate him. When Bruce the shark terrorized Amity Island in Jaws, the 8-year-old was gleefully hooked. When his grandmother would watch classic horror movies with the young boy, he absorbed everything. Horror, Smith says now, is one of the most honest film genres […]

Matty Guiliano ’14 takes up residency at PCA&D-York

Over a body of orange-red and moss green, spikes of seafoam green and purple give Matty Guiliano’s fantastical cacti a prickly flair. Stripes of blue wrap around petals of pink, white, and yellow, and tiny turquoise, yellow, orange, and white balls soften the overall impact. In fact, the whole sculpture is soft, a deceptive juxtaposition […]

CCE Instructor Profile: Joanna Spicer shares her love of, and skills with, textiles and weaving

Do you love textiles and weaving and want to learn new techniques? This fall, PCA&D is offering a variety of Center for Creative Explorations classes taught by Joanna Spicer. Intergenerational Studio: Ages 11-Adult – Weaving Basics Workshop on September 28; Intergenerational Studio: Ages 11-Adult – Weaving Basics (Afternoon) on Tuesdays starting October 4; Intergenerational Studio: […]

Alex Spangler ’22 combining photography and autos in entrepreneurial venture

Alex Spangler earned his BFA in Graphic Design from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in 2022 – but he and his company, Spec Creative, had already been in business for nearly a year. It’s the story of a hobby and a passion that combined perfectly into a business that now photographs and films automobiles […]

CCE Instructor Profile: Exploring our ‘intuitive artistic language’ with Nichole Madonna

Do you love painting, drawing, and collage and want to experiment with new tools and materials? This fall, PCA&D is offering a variety of classes taught by our very own Nichole Madonna. Books as Art Objects: Erasure, Collage, and Altered Pages Workshop at Garden Spot Village on September 16; Intergenerational Studio: Ages 11-Adult – Drawing […]

Recent achievements in the PCA&D community

Rebecca Adey, Assistant Director of Admissions, has four companion-piece works on exhibit at The Millworks, Harrisburg, through Sept. 11. The sets, Amanita Aries (Amanita meaning fungi, and Aries, for the Ram, and Art Nouveau Billy, include both 2D and 3D pieces. The mixed-media 2D work is made from cut paper and felt, sewn to create an applique of sorts, and then […]

PCA&D marking Hispanic Heritage Month with classes, art, and student activities

As celebrations of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 through Oct. 15) kick off later this week, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is excited to share a roundup of activities that not only honor and observe but also educate and expand creative opportunities: Saturday, Sept. 17: The College’s Admissions Department and Center for Creative Exploration […]

Faculty Grant series: Summer residency concentrated Prof. Aaron Thompson’s focus

Prof. Aaron Thompson’s summer was spent using his PCA&D Research and Practice Faculty Grant developing the potential for a PCA&D Artist Residency Program. “Coordinating with several departments to establish the precedent of an artist obtaining a classroom for two months during the summer was really interesting and rewarding. Everyone was very helpful and excited by […]

CCE Instructor Profile: Justin Quinn’s combination of creativity, a love of knowledge, and a knack for all things digital

Do you love marketing and want to learn more about how to utilize it in a digital space? This fall, PCA&D is offering an adult professional class Digital Marketing Fundamentals on Tuesdays starting Sept. 13. This course will examine the underlying fundamentals of each branch of digital marketing and explain how they can be incorporated […]

College’s first-ever Ampersand Day a success

Our thanks to the hundreds of students who turned out on Thursday to make the College’s first-ever celebration of National Ampersand Day a huge success! “It was exciting to celebrate the additive and inclusive power of the ampersand with our community, and see so much creative expression and art making throughout the day,” President Michael […]

Illustration: Multidisciplinary artist TLaloC visits PCA&D Sept. 9

The artist TLaloC, who also goes by his given name, Eduardo Corral, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work can be hard to pin down to a single medium — or even multiple mediums. Illustration and design, he says, were his “first loves,” and they continue to inform and shape the path that has forked into […]

Graphic designer Jeff DeSantis paying a virtual visit to PCA&D Sept. 13

Jeff DeSantis’ day job is designing packaging for mass retail toys that find their way to the biggest stores in America … but he has an affinity for designing collectible toys, too. His career, with Just Play during the day and with his own company, BxE Buttons, allows him to pursue both. The packaging/production graphic […]

Senior Frankie Reed’s summer internship puts graphic design into practice

The summer between Frankie Reed’s junior and senior years at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design was full of graphic design assignments: social media graphics and event branding and club logos. And the Graphic Design major couldn’t have been happier. All the work was part of their internship with the Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition, an organization […]

Faculty Grant series: Prof. Eric Weeks goes off-grid for Montello residency

Prof. Eric Weeks’ summer Montello Foundation art residency took him about 2,300 miles west, down a 20-mile dirt-and-stone road and into Nevada’s Great Basin Desert. It pulled him out of cellphone range and off the power grid, leaving PCA&D’s Photography & Video Chair to rise with the sun, work solo, and completely focus. And, Weeks […]

Faculty Grant series: Filmmakers invite Prof. David Spolum for extended London studio visit

Prof. David Spolum spent part of his summer in London, diving deep into the film work of the Quay Brothers. His trip, made possible in part through a Faculty Life Research and Practice Grant, gave the Liberal Arts Department professor the chance to study work that these filmmakers have yet to release. Invited by Stephen […]

A message to our BFA alumni: National Arts Alumni Project survey

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is partnering with the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) to learn about how studying art and design has influenced the lives and careers of our alumni. The information we gather will be used to strengthen the College’s academic programs and student experiences, and it will also be used by […]

Paige Alana Bowermaster’s America250PA project heads to classrooms across the Commonwealth

The work of Graphic Design senior Paige Alana Bowermaster will soon be in front of thousands of Pennsylvania schoolchildren. Simple line drawings by Bowermaster — worlds away from her typical, highly detailed work — fill a coloring book that both celebrates and educates, in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The project is an official […]

Faculty Grant series: Prof. Robert Young presents at ICON11 national illustration conference

Robert Young, Chair of Illustration at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, was all set to present a paper on discussing and developing style at ICON11, a national conference for illustrators and designers, in June 2020. Then, the Covid-19 pandemic intervened. Young finally had the opportunity to present the results of his experience and research […]

College announces 10×10 exhibition at PCA&D-York

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (PCA&D) is pleased to announce 10×10, an exhibition of 10-inch-by-10-inch works by artists from York and PCA&D faculty, staff, and students, will be on display at PCA&D-York, 133 S. Duke St., York, September 4 through October 22. 10 x 10 exhibitions are a great way to see and […]

Meet the 2022 Orientation Leaders

Some of the first faces a new PCA&D student meets when they arrive on campus are those of our Orientation Leaders. Part guide, part cheerleader, an OL not only takes the student through their first activities, they’ll also serve as a sounding board and guide as the semester gets underway. Here’s a glimpse at the […]

Almanzar-Oree honored by YWCA as 2022 Woman of Achievement

Salina Almanzar-Oree, Program Coordinator at the College’s Center for Creative Exploration, has been named one of five Women of Achievement honorees by YWCA Lancaster. This event — the 6th annual — showcases the accomplishments of women and gender expansive individuals who, through career and volunteerism, live out the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering […]

The Center for Creative Exploration kicks off a new year of Art Recess for Adults

Kids get recess: So should grownups. Adults have a chance to fuel their creativity and tend to their emotional well-being at Art Recess, a lunchtime art-making break sponsored by Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Center for Creative Exploration (CCE). Participants can bring their lunch and make some art, or bring a craft they’re already […]

Aubrey Maurer ’22 sculpts a future in an Emerging Artist Residency

For Aubrey Maurer, 3D design and sculpture with ceramics have been a natural fit with her artistic leanings. “The handmade element, the 3D element of sculpture expands that flat 2D feel, and it just comes to me.” The 2022 Fine Art BFA graduate has been selected for Millersville University’s Emerging Artist Residency and will bring […]

PCA&D announces new Board of Trustees leadership

Russell D. Urban was elected Chair of the Board of Trustees of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design at the Board’s July meeting. He replaces Audry K. Carter, who will serve as Past Chair. Urban has served as Vice Chair of the Board for the past three years. James Warner has been elected to serve […]

Admissions Counselor Osmyn Oree ’11 selected as artist-in-residence at Franklin & Marshall College

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design Admissions Counselor Osmyn Oree isn’t a flashy, theatrical photographer when it comes to the portraits he creates. Instead, the fine art photographer says, “I like to keep things relatively simple. That’s me, as a photographer, being real with people.” Since the start of 2022, Oree — a 2011 BFA […]

Summertime student interns building brands with The Agency in York

Completing a classroom project for a grade is one thing. Completing a project on behalf of a client? Making your pitch, adjusting your designs, accommodating special requests, and taking into account everything from print costs to client deadlines? That’s a whole other level of real-world challenge that designers and artists face on a regular basis. […]

Logo by Alicia Groff ’22 debuts at Threshing Wheat Ale release party

A new beer collaboration between Winding Path Brewing Co. in York County and Lancaster’s Tellus360 Irish pub and community space is a nod to the traditional methods of Amish and Irish farmers, to wheat ales, and to community partnerships. But how to represent all of that in a logo? Add PCA&D art and design students […]

‘Self Conscious’: Artist in Residence Karin Wengenroth ’17, Fine Art, pushes her boundaries in new exhibition

At the beginning of her tenure as the 2021-22 Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence, Karin Wengenroth said she planned to use her yearlong position to “explore what feels like a new medium.” Now, nearly a year later and with the opening of her exhibition, Self Conscious, a dozen works in the College’s gallery bear […]

Catching up: Recent accomplishments in our PCA&D community

A mural by Salina Almazar-Oree, Program Coordinator at the Center for Creative Exploration, recently was unveiled at the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley in Bethlehem. De Boriken, al Mundo is a tribute to baseball star Roberto Clemente in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his death while on a humanitarian mission. “I admire (Clemente) for his dedication to his […]

Pennsylvania Art & Design programming explores York

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is establishing partnerships in York, Pennsylvania, and working to understand and learn from the larger arts-based and educational community within this dynamic and diverse region, thanks to the generous and visionary leadership of The Powder Mill Foundation. This is an initiative of the College’s current strategic plan as the […]

Art Alley events, a partnership between Center for Creative Exploration and the city, debut July 1 First Friday

This summer, the Center for Creative Exploration (CCE) at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design will partner with the City of Lancaster to program free make-and-go offerings and creative experiences for all ages in the newly branded Art Alley. The partnership launched with May’s First Friday and will continue through October 7th. CCE will bring […]

Rain Supple ’20 building whole new worlds with Obsidian

Pulling inspiration from real life and from nature, Rain Supple has stepped into the chance to design immersive environments we’ve never seen before. Earlier this year, the 2020 Animation & Game Art BFA graduate joined Irvine, Calif.-based Obsidian Entertainment as an Assistant World Builder — a position that has stretched her skills and made use […]

Free two-day online workshop June 23-24 open to all educators

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Center for Teaching & Learning will be holding a free, fully virtual, two-day workshop for educators, Supporting the Whole Professor: Overcoming Obstacles and Cultivating Curiosity, Thursday and Friday June 23-24. This event is open to all educators, says Mariah Postlewait, Director of the College’s Center for Teaching & Learning, and […]

Recent accomplishments in our PCA&D community

Salina Almanzar-Oree, Center for Creative Exploration Program Coordinator, was awarded an Equity Partner Grant by Lancaster County Community Foundation’s Equity Council. The grant will support Taller Pa’lante: Art in Parks, return pop-up engagements in neighborhood parks that will encompass mini murals, make-and-take projects, and investing in a youth mentee who will learn how to conduct […]

Super Nikki: How a mural project united and healed a community

Can art heal? Can a mural painted by artists, friends, and community continue, even after nearly two decades, to unify people in tribute and remembrance? In Berks County’s Wilson School District, the answer is a resounding yes. Art can have a profound and lasting impact on those who view it — and on the artists […]

Art Garden grows creativity of a new kind

The PCA&D Art Garden has been the location of murals and memorials, art classes, critiques, and public art installations. This summer, it’s the location for creativity of a different kind. Four raised-bed gardens have been planted with vegetables, herbs, and flowers, a joint project between the city police Office of Community Engagement and The Mix, […]

Applications now open for 2022-2023 Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence

Applications are now open for 2022-2023 Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence position at PCA&D. Those who apply must be graduates of the BFA Fine Art program at PCA&D, and artists who work in any medium are invited to apply. Some basic details The residency runs the academic year, from the start of classes in […]

Not into game design? Here are 3 other ways to combine art & gaming

Without art, the games we have come to know and love would be nothing but lines of script on a screen. It takes teams of artists many years to create the expansive and immersive worlds, characters, and weapons in our favorite games like Elden Ring. However, artists are needed in the industry for far more […]

Commencement 2022: The Class of 2022 joins the ranks of PCA&D alumni

The Class of 2022 became Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s 46 newest alumni on May 6, receiving their BFA degrees in front of a standing-room-only audience of family and friends at the Barshinger Center for Musical Arts. A recording of Commencement can be found below. PCA&D was honored this year to welcome […]

PCA&D’s The Agency providing design work to five York non-profits this summer

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has partnered with Give Local York to select five York non-profits to receive design services this summer. The winning York non-profits were announced during the big Give Local York event on May 6. Each organization will receive valuable design services that they otherwise could not afford from The Agency, […]

Lancaster Museum of Art and PCA&D’s CCE pair up to lead summer art camp ‘From Making to Museum’

Lancaster Museum of Art and Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Center for Creative Exploration (CCE) are partnering on a unique in-person summer art camp for students in Grades 2-6 that uses the museum’s permanent collection not only to teach about what it’s like to work in the museum world, but also to inspire new […]

Class of 2022 Commencement scheduled for May 6

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is proud to celebrate our 40th Commencement with the Class of 2022 Friday, May 6, at 10 am at Barshinger Center for Musical Arts, 620 College Ave., Lancaster. Ceremonies also will be live-streamed, at pcad.edu/stream. Noted future-of-work strategist and author Heather McGowan will receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine […]

Young Artist classes a la carte is back for 2022: Build your own art camp at the Center For Creative Exploration

This Summer the Center for Creative Exploration (CCE) is offering a buffet of diverse opportunities for weeklong and multi-day, youth art classes on the PCA&D campus and beyond. Students in grades 1-9 have the opportunity to piece together morning and afternoon classes along with a selection of intergenerational classes for the whole family. A mixture […]

PCA&D and CCE use art to capture interest and motivate young students’ academic achievements

Art classes that stretch the imagination of students who already see themselves as creative are rewarding all by themselves. But art has a deeper impact even than that: Studies continue to show that taking art classes positively affects student performance in other subjects, too: Math and reading scores are higher for 8th-grade students who reported […]

‘Skill Set’, art by CCE instructors, opens exhibition

Skill Set, an exhibition of art by Center for Creative Exploration instructors, has opened at Garden Spot Village, New Holland, and runs through the end of April. CCE instructors whose work is on display include Bill Cifuni, Dobe, Sheri Hansen, Rich Johnson, Adam Leitzel, Abigail Saurbaugh, Adam Serrano, Leah Limpert Walt, and Jason Ward. The […]

PCA&D expands its articulation agreement with Harrisburg Area Community College

HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, and the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (PCA&D) recently signed an expanded articulation agreement that gives additional HACC students a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree at PCA&D. HACC President and CEO John J. “Ski” Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D., and PCA&D President Michael Molla were joined by representatives of both […]

CCE and PCA&D counseling collaborate to bring Art as Self-Care to educators

The profession of teaching has never been a low-stress career: Add in a pandemic (and its resulting toll on physical and mental health) and it’s been a rough few years for educators. Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Center for Creative Exploration and PCA&D Counselor Michael Hoober recently paired up to present Art as Self […]

Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Seniors in the Fine Art and Photography & Video departments in April presented Artist Lectures outlining their senior thesis work. The April 4 event is connected to the Professional Practices 2 class taught by Prof. Matt Chapman. Presenting students include Cassandra Aaron, Isiah Bates, Adelaide Biehn, Woodrow Clapper, Kylie Hileman, Ryn Martino, Aubrey Maurer, Na’Chelle Morris, Callie Morton, Emily Reifsnyder, Cheyenne Snow, Nicole Stoltzfus, Kennedy Toomey, and Jaymi Vilardo. Otherworldly, […]

Make and Create Weekend a chance for immersion with the Center for Creative Exploration and the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen

Learning a fine art or fine craft skill may seem like a high barrier to overcome: Where do you find the materials? The facilities? The instructors? The time? PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration and the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen are teaming up to provide all of that during the weekend of April 23-24. For those […]

Working with life models: An interview with PCA&D Model Coordinator Evan Kitson

Just about every student works with a live figure model at some point in their years at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design — no matter their major. Especially as they move beyond their Foundation year, some majors find less need to collaborate with a figure model, but that base of figural representation and anatomy […]

New retrospective opening April 8 honors PCA&D co-founder Tom Scullin

The impact of Tom Scullin’s art career isn’t just seen in his prolific output of painting, or the books he’s authored, or the hundreds upon hundreds of students he taught during nearly four decades in higher education. If his impact was confined just to that list, it would be remarkable enough. But, it could be […]

PCA&D wins 7 communications awards from CUPRAP

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s prospective student viewbook, poster, acceptance mailer, website blog, College rebranding, and other communications efforts were honored at the recent Spring convention of CUPRAP, the College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals. Made up of the communications teams from nearly 100 colleges and universities, CUPRAP is the largest organization […]

Building a path forward with Career Services

“Career preparedness” is sort of a buzz phrase that can mean lots of different things. Maybe you’re an art and design school student looking for a summer internship that will make the most of skills you already have while challenging you to build new ones. Maybe you’re a senior on the cusp of graduation and […]

2 seniors win national packaging design honors

Two Graphic Design seniors, Christina Clemente and Jose Rosado, have earned national honors in packaging design in the annual Graphic Design USA competition. Clemente is involved with the student chapter of AIGA, the professional association of design, where she serves as secretary. She also was part of a 2022 Designathon team working to develop new […]

Artist Talk: Fine Artist Neil Callander addresses ‘spearing the white whale’ of a blank canvas

As an artist and educator, painter Neil Callander draws from each experience to feed and nurture the other: Work in the studio helps him refine what he teaches, and work in the classroom helps him distill his next steps in the studio. The PCA&D community will benefit from that experience on March 31, when Callander […]

Filmmaker David Godin’s work combines what can be ‘learned’ with the inner voice of instinct

When you combine instincts with knowledge, powerful results can spark what happens next. That’s underpinned the career of filmmaker David Godin, who speaks at PCA&D March 29 as part of the College’s Liberal Arts Speaker Series. From humble Hi-8 home video beginnings to a career developing work for clients and for his own personal projects, […]

Zach Heffelfinger ’14 brings ‘Sensical Nonsense” to a solo exhibition at PCA&D

When Zach Heffelfinger left PCA&D in 2014 with his BFA in Illustration, he says, he wasn’t quite sure what the next steps would be. A couple of months of R&R were followed by landscaping and home renovation jobs, then with a substitute teaching position. Then a trip to Florida “put my life on a new […]

Artist Talk: Photographer Len DeLessio talks about building a connection with your subject — no matter who they are

The transfer of personality and presence into a photograph can be a tricky challenge. The subject may be bathed in a stage spotlight, relaxing with family, or simply standing by a window lit by natural light but, no matter what, using a camera to capture something unique is a hard-won gift. Len DeLessio’s gift started […]

Eric Weeks and Paul Rider: Faculty Life Grant Recipient presentations

Professors Eric Weeks and Paul Rider will present their latest photographic work supported by the faculty grant program Friday, March 4, 1:10-2 pm in the Learning Commons (Room 214). ERIC WEEKS In reference to Edward Ruscha’s quietly contemplative Twentysix Gasoline Stations, published in 1962, Twentysix Wawa Stores is a film, print, and artist‘s book project documenting the convenience store […]

Kelly Phan ’22 named a Graphic Design USA Student to Watch

Graphic Design senior Kelly Phan has been named a GDUSA Student to Watch 2022 by Graphic Design USA. The annual honors, which recognize undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students, turn the spotlight onto “top students ready to burst on the design scene.” Just 100 students from across the country were selected. Prof. Pam Barby, Chair […]

The Agency stepping up to fill a creative role in the community and beyond

An initiative that began last fall with four students has taken off this semester, preparing PCA&D students for real-world work with branding and advertising clients. The Agency is a new in-house creative services program launched this academic year as an in-house internship site. It provides “real-time business experience with real consequences” says Bill Dussinger, Graphic […]

Center for Creative Exploration building partnership with Garden Spot Village

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Center for Creative Exploration (CCE) has a new partner in its mission to bring opportunities to creatives of all ages: Beginning this winter, CCE is collaborating with Garden Spot Village to operate several workshops at the retirement community’s eastern Lancaster County campus. In some cases, the class will be […]

PCA&D purchases adjacent property; exploring campus expansion

A Lancaster city building with a storied history has been purchased by Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. The building, with entrances at 224 N. Prince and 223 N. Water streets, neighbors the 204 N. Prince Street College. Most recently, the building was the long-time home of The Chameleon Club, a music and cultural landmark […]

CORE Gallery collaborates with BLAC on ‘Works Cited’

CORE Gallery has collaborated with BLAC, PCA&D’s Black Led Art Coalition, for CORE’s new exhibition. Works Cited, which opened last week in the CORE space. In its curatorial statement, BLAC says that Works Cited ” is an exhibition that addresses the way that our fight for equality as African Americans is not a fad, nor was it spontaneously […]

Artist Talk: Illustrator Mai Ly Degnan talks about finding your ‘personal voice’

When Mai Ly Degnan sits down to create a new illustration, she’s melding the immediacy of hand-drawing with a deft skill at digital refinements: and that work has found fans far and wide. The award-winning illustrator and illustration professor presents an Artist Talk at PCA&D on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 1 pm in the College […]

January accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Several artists with current faculty and staff ties to PCA&D are exhibiting in Demuth Invitational: Lancaster Landscape now at the Demuth Museum, 120 E. King St. The show is open through Feb. 27 with the work of nearly 50 artists, including Salina Almanzar (CCE); Becky Blosser (Chair, Fine Art); Evan Kitson (Fine Art & Illustration); and Eric Weeks (Chair, Photography & Video). In addition, Robert […]

Artist Talk: Award-winning magazine designer Ryan Stalvey writes his own creative story

Ryan Stalvey says he always wanted to be “that cool ad man in the suit and fedora,” even though “in all honesty, I had little idea of what he actually did. I just knew I could draw and wanted to look like him when I did it.” So he may not always be wearing a […]

Four named winners of PCA&D faculty development grants

Four Pennsylvania College of Art & Design faculty members were awarded Fall 2021 grants through the College. These funding opportunities, awarded twice annually, are open to all full-time and part-time PCA&D faculty as well as instructors in the College’s Center for Creative Exploration. Awarded grants in this most recent round are: Research & Practice Professional […]

Book covers by two PCA&D juniors published by Sunbury Press

A book cover needs to be original while still fitting in with a specific genre; striking enough to grab attention from the books around it on a bookstore shelf, yet not so off-kilter that it alienates potential readers; and ultimately, distinct enough that it creates an identity for the title. It’s a tall order. And […]

Cheers! Two PCA&D artists tapped for Spring House Brewing collaboration

The work of Sami Halfpenny ’23, Illustration and Brigitte Errickson ’19, Fine Art, will be featured on Spring House Brewing products this year. Their art joins that of Center for Creative Exploration instructor Zack Wilkinson, whose Thirst For Adventure piece was tapped for July’s Artist Collaboration beer. The PCA&D artists were among the dozen chosen […]

Joanna Becker ’21 exploring the wide-ranging world of book illustration

Lancaster-based artist Joanna Becker only graduated from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in 2021, and she already has wrapped up illustrating her third book, with more projects and art passions in the wings. How is that even possible? Well, for starters, her string of projects began even before she received her diploma, working on […]

Sculptor and theater group with PCA&D ties selected for Lancaster’s PACE Neighbors project

An almnus and a theater group with collaborative ties to the College and our Center for Creative Exploration program are two of the five local artists chosen to participate in the City of Lancaster’s PACE (Public Art Community Engagement) Neighbors project. Congratulations to Matty Geez ’14, Illustration, as well as Lancaster’s Teatro Paloma for their […]

December accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Rebecca Adey, Assistant Director of Admissions, is exhibiting four works at Millworks, Harrisburg, through Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. The four pieces focus on two birds, the phoenix and peacock, featuring a mount of each along with a matching papercut portrait. “With the closing of 2021 and emergency of a new year, both birds are perfect representations of […]

Chris Morris ’19 dives into virtual reality as a 3D artist with MajorMega

The kickoff to Chris Morris’ career was thanks to attending a guest speaker program on campus. The longevity of his career has been thanks to his embrace of all aspects of 3D design and willingness to jump wholeheartedly into a learning curve. And now, one of the most recent results of that work is taking […]

College announces Fall 2021 Dean’s List

Congratulations to the following 90 students who have been named to the Fall 2021 Dean’s List at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design: Omar Almanzar ’25, undecided, Lancaster Abigail Altman ’24, Illustration, Rockville, Md. Aiyana Alvarado ’25, Graphic Design, Harrisburg, Pa. J. Aman ’22, Illustration, New Providence, N.J. Lauren Antanavage ’23, Animation & Game Art, […]

Dan Helwig joins College as Vice President of Development

Dan Helwig brings a long record of successful advancement and development fundraising to PCA&D as the College’s new Vice President of Development. In this position Helwig, who joined the College this fall, is responsible for leading and managing the College’s Development program, including individual, corporate, and foundation giving, bequests, the annual fund, grants, and special […]

Collaboration with Teatro Paloma leads CCE into workshops featuring Spanglish monologues and theater games

When you’re faced with a sense of “ni di aquí, di de allá” — being neither here nor there, culturally speaking — finding something that grounds you, and provides a sense of belonging, is a powerful thing. Maybe it’s language, shared with others in your group while forming a bridge to “the outside.” Maybe it’s […]

For Rachel McInerney ’18, Illustration, ‘creativity’ means ‘Kaos’ and life as a DJ in Shanghai

Sometimes, the creative path forward looks like befriending and learning from older, more experienced artists. Sometimes, it looks like challenging your introverted nature by venturing alone into new settings. Other times, it may feel like the world opening up when you find a creative niche — say, music — that really moves you. If you’re […]

February CCE classes: ‘small-bite’ time investments for a big impact

February’s the shortest month, and PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration has themed its February offerings to reflect this with plenty of shorter “small-bite” classes. Recognizing that the month can be filled with busy schedules, school holidays, and the always-present threat of snow, these one-or two-session classes pack a lot of fun and learning into short […]

November accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Work by nearly a dozen artists with PCA&D ties was part of a Nov. 19 community art show and silent auction to benefit the work of CWS Lancaster, a nonprofit organization that works to resettle refugees. CWS Lancaster recently partnered with NPR’s StoryCorps American Pathways program to record podcasts with local refugee storytellers. Those recordings […]

Fine Art seniors present “Avid Vanguard” at the Demuth

Avid Vanguard, a collection of works created in Senior Studio, is celebrated with an opening reception Friday, Dec. 3 at the Demuth Museum, 116 E King St. The show, says Assistant Professor and Fine Art Chair Becky Blosser, “is the culmination of focused dedication to developing a studio practice. From this, themes and formal explorations […]

Business Bootcamp a chance to refine ideas for a creative career

A business plan that lives only in your head can sometimes kind of get stuck there: Where to begin? PCA&D’s recent Business Bootcamp worked to fill out some of those ideas, get them down on paper, and push them a few steps closer to reality. Led by PCA&D instructor Holly Mosher, the full-day Business Bootcamp […]

Recent alum Benjamin Farley ’21 joins PCA&D as Esports Team coach

Benjamin Farley was 10 when he was introduced to the classic Xbox game Halo 2. He started with the game’s single-player campaign. Then he quickly switched to multiplayer. Once he went into battle head-to-head against other players, he says he was “stunned by how much fun it was.” There was a strong player community, he […]

Student Council leadership chosen for 2021-2022

The PCA&D student body has chosen its Student Council leadership for this academic year, turning to several new faces to act as liaisons with college administration and to serve as a sounding board and organization body for student initiatives. Congratulations to: President Dzifa Charity Lassey ’24, Graphic Design Vice President Mak Sherrid ’24, Illustration […]

Kelly Phan’s work will brand the 2022 Senior Show & Celebration

Congratulations to Kelly Phan ’22, Graphic Design, whose design work has been chosen to brand the 2022 Senior Show & Celebration in May. Her bold, Bauhaus-inspired peacock, tied to the College’s own branding colors, will appear on tickets, banners, social media, and other promotional materials next spring. Phan was one of six finalists, chosen after […]

Atten-TION! PCA&D students, alumni invited to sign up for Nov. 20 Business Bootcamp

Plenty of art students dream of turning their passion into a business. The knowledge of how to accomplish that, though, isn’t always easy to attain. Instead of “flying blind” toward that goal, it helps to have a strategy, feedback, and guidance that will help boost chances of success. That’s the premise behind PCA&D’s upcoming Business […]

Eric Dyer’s zoetropes are the models of a modern motion artifact

Modern art sometimes relies on cutting-edge technology to make its point, but artist Eric Dyer turns photos, 3-D objects, and kinetic sculpture into a modern reimagining of a 19th-century optical device: His zoetropes pull art into a physical 4th dimension, he says, counterbalancing the virtual, screen-filled world that surrounds our 21st-century lives. “As the material, […]

Alumna Amy Boone McCreesh ’07 brings her creative life insight to Artist Talk Thursday

For PCA&D alumna Amy Boone-McCreesh, her time in art school was a great opportunity to learn how others — her peers and already-established artists — were managing to navigate the art world. Returning to her alma mater gives her a chance to do the same for current students. The interdisciplinary artist and 2007 graduate of […]

PCA&D Admissions now accepts the Common App

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has joined the growing number of colleges and universities which accept The Common Application, known as the Common App, as part of its admissions application process. This decision simplifies the application process, allowing students to fill out one application that then is accepted by any college or university that […]

October Commencement honors the Classes of 2020, 2021

It felt more like May than October, as a sunny warm day greeted members of the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 for their long-awaited Commencement ceremonies. With family and friends in the stands at Clipper Magazine Stadium, the event paid tribute to these two groups of new alumni who graduated in the […]

Alexia Eggleston honored with this year’s Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is pleased to announce that Alexia Eggleston of Laurel, Maryland, a junior Photography & Video major, has been selected as the 2021-22 recipient of the Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship. Eggleston’s participation in College and department activities and professionalism led to the recommendation for the scholarship. Eggleston is a […]

Curator Lauren Nye visits PCA&D Oct. 22 to present Artist Talk

When Lauren Nye graduated with her BFA in sculpture and art history, she wasn’t sure where her career would take her. What she did know was that she wanted it to be in the arts. She knew to take advantage of opportunities when they arose, and she knew to pull in experience wherever she could. […]

Meet your Alumni Council: PCA&D establishes its first alumni advisory body

After nearly 40 years, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design and its predecessors have long had an unofficial network of graduates. But there’s been no official way for alumni to benefit from College initiatives — or for current students to learn from the ever-growing network of PCA&D alumni. As of this year, that’s all changed. […]

‘Hate has no place here’: A letter from President Michael Molla

Dear Campus Community, I’m writing to firmly restate our values as a College: Hate has no place here. A number of our neighboring colleges have been experiencing hate speech through social media, particularly centered around a reemerged sharing platform that is a haven known for cyberbullying, bigotry, harassment, and trolling on college campuses. Today, some […]

11 honored for their student work in computer graphics competition

Nearly a dozen recent graduates of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design have been honored in the SIGGRAPH2021 Faculty Submitted Student Work competition. SIGGRAPH is the world’s largest conference on computer graphics. The work of these Animation & Game Art and Illustration students is now shared here worldwide for educators to use in their classrooms (drag […]

September achievements in the PCA&D community

Ellie Cochran ’19, Graphic Design, has been awarded the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania Impact Award, which recognizes a woman in technology whose contributions have had a positive impact in the Entrepreneurial/Small Business sector. Cochran is Creative Director at the Lancaster LGBTQ + Coalition. Dyneisha Gross ’20, Graphic Design, has been named a Woman Designer to Watch […]

Poetry as Public Memory: PCA&D presents first program in its 2021-22 Diverse Voices series

The Liberal Arts Department kicks off its Diverse Voices Speaker Series for the year on Thursday, Sept. 30, at 7 pm. That evening the College presents Composing Culture, Poetry as Public Memory with moderator Dr. Jennie Keohane, a rhetorician and scholar of public memory texts at the University of Baltimore; Joseph Ross, the author of four books of poetry […]

CCE instructors dive deep into professional development offerings

Is something on your wishlist to learn, but you just don’t have hours upon hours free to get started? Jump-start your learning with a one-session workshop through PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration. In the space of an evening, you’ll get tips and tactics you can use, and enough information to put that new knowledge into […]

Emily Reifsnyder ’22 designs digital book for the PCA&D-Zayed University exchange and exhibition

A simple blog exchange of photos and ideas between PCA&D photographers and students in the United Arab Emirates has morphed into an ebook compiled and designed by Emily Reifsnyder ’22. The Photography & Video major recently completed PCA&D-Zayed Photography Exchange, a digital photo book that highlights the ongoing collaboration between Pennsylvania College of Art & […]

Meet Karin Wengenroth, the 2021-22 Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence

When Karin Wengenroth was a Fine Art student at PCA&D, her senior thesis centered on abstracted and contorted figure painting, she says, “oil for the most part, but also silkscreening and soft sculpture.” Now the 2017 graduate is back on campus as the 2021-22 Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence. She’s working out of the […]

Phillip Kieffer ’19 brings his talents back to PCA&D in a pair of Center for Creative Exploration classes

PCA&D is thrilled to welcome Phil Kieffer back to campus this fall to teach a pair of classes in the College’s Center for Creative Exploration. An award-winning animator and artist, Kieffer is a 2019 graduate of PCA&D’s Digital Media department, now Animation & Game Art. In the CCE program, Kieffer will be mentoring two classes: […]

CCE mural heading from Art Garden to Lancaster Museum of Art

A group of young Center for Creative Exploration students has an important message about creativity: Creativity isn’t the “possession” of any one special group. You don’t have to be “chosen” to be creative. The act of being creative, these 7th- through 9th-graders confirm, belongs to everyone. Creativity Belongs to the People, a collaborative mural made […]

Public Artist Talks are a highlight of Alumni Exhibition programming

In conjunction with the 2021 Alumni Exhibition on display in the Gallery at PCA&D through Oct. 31, a full schedule of programming has been planned by Exhibitions Director Alex Schaufele. The slate of events includes public Artist Talks (both in-person and virtual via Zoom), a public Artist Panel, and student studio visits. Be sure to […]

August accomplishments of note

PCA&D has awarded Research and Practice Grants to five members of the faculty for ongoing projects: Shwarga Bhattacharjee (2D Design Adjunct) participation in the Chautauqua Visual Arts Residency Program in Chautauqua, N.Y.; Adam Del Marcelle (Graphic Design Adjunct), project and documentary presentation to the Attend (to) Futures Conference this fall in Cologne, Germany; Troy Hollman […]

Artist Talk: Tom Whalen visiting PCA&D

Looking to build a career in an art field? Art skills are crucial, says Tom Whalen, but so is “nimble adaptability” and some familiarity with business skills. Whalen, whose graphically bold work is sought-after by clients such as Lucasfilm, Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios, The Beatles, Metallica, Primus, The Black Keys, and Microsoft, will be on […]

Introducing new PCA&D faculty; announcing new faculty positions

With the opening of a new PCA&D academic year, we also welcome new faculty and staff joining the College community, and those who are stepping into new roles: Joining PCA&D Emily Artinian (Fine Art): Artinian produces artists’ books, text-based art, installations, and audience participation works. Some of her areas of focus have included narrative and […]

Healing Arts Artist in Residence Jennifer Quigley presenting Aug. 27 talk

Jennifer Quigley, a locally based artist whose work runs the gamut from painting and photography to sculpture and mixed media, will present an Artist Talk to the PCA&D community Friday, Aug. 27, at 5:15 pm. The Q&A-style presentation is designed so that PCA&D students can learn more about Quigley’s large-scale public art installation Art Heals, […]

A snapshot look back at Orientation Week 2021

Five days of Orientation events filled the week before PCA&D’s Aug. 23 start date — five days of meetings and presentations balanced out by ice cream, walking tours, pottery painting, sketch sessions, movies, and more. It was, as President Michael Molla shared with the Class of 2025, an opportunity to “really explore what living a […]

‘Show and Tell’ kicks off 2021-2022 in CORE Gallery

CORE Gallery at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has kicked off its 2021-2022 season of shows with Show and Tell, a curated exhibition featuring the work from PCA&D’s class of 2022. Show and Tell introduces new students at PCA&D to the work of their fellow classmates, and gives the Class of 2022 the opportunity […]

Lancaster Chamber publishes article by members of BLAC

Earlier this summer, the Lancaster Chamber published an article by BLAC, PCA&D’s Black Led Art Coalition, as part of its Words That Activate Change series. The article’s three authors — Delaina Jolley ’22, Illustration; CamRyn Mickens ’23, Animation & Game Art; and Kendall White ’23, Illustration — addressed “How Art Students Respond to the Unprecedented Events.” They talked […]

Mentoring program helps bring PCA&D’s new Data Visualization Certificate to life

This is the story of mentorship, PCA&D community, and expanding the ways artists and designers can impact the world around them. The culmination of all of those elements: a new certificate program, Data Visualization, that teaches students to use effective design principles and analytics for information design. Seth Crider, a PCA&D alumnus and instructor for […]

Todd Snovel named Vice President for Student Affairs & Community Engagement

Todd Snovel has been named Vice President for Student Affairs & Community Engagement at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. A member of the College’s staff since 2019, Snovel previously served the PCA&D community as Director of Development & Strategic Initiatives. “We are delighted to have his extensive experience in higher education, government, and nonprofit […]

Learning and teaching design with data

by Tom Newmaster Adjunct Instructor, Graphic Design When it comes to teaching package design, one thing there is no shortage of is opinions. Design gurus will share what they believe works, what they think of as best practices, what’s cutting-edge. But when you get to the marketplace, it’s the consumer’s opinion that counts. […]

Young Artists, fun opportunities: Summer at the Center for Creative Exploration

From clay classes for the youngest artists just out of kindergarten to an esports camp for middle- and high-school-age artists that introduces them to that field’s careers and creativity, the Center for Creative Exploration’s summer classes and camps for young artists offer a huge range of experiences designed to spark creativity and skills. The late […]

Registration is open for college credit courses as well as literary inspiration: Check out our CCE summer sessions

PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration’s schedule of summer classes is a blend of college credit-bearing options for pre-college students, classes that use the written word to spark creativity not only for writers but for visual artists as well, and a selection of single-session workshops that provide a quick boost of inspiration or a glimpse at […]

Ultimate Art Camp for Grades 5-9 pairs the Center for Creative Exploration with the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen

Picture an arts camp for kids that very well could make the parents jealous: That’s pretty much the reaction when people learn about what’s going on at Ultimate Art Camp, a weeklong August experience for young artists in grades 5-9 that pairs an instructor from Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Center for Creative Education […]

Congratulations to our Spring 2021 Dean’s List students

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has announced names of students achieving Dean’s List status during the Spring 2021 semester. Congratulations to these 126 students: Abigail Altman ’24, Illustration, Rockville, Md. Jennifer Aman ’22, Illustration, New Providence, N.J. Lauren Antanavage ’23, Animation & Game Art, Frackville, Pa. Isaac Baker ’21, Graphic Design, Frackville, Pa. Charles […]

Alex Schaufele joins PCA&D as the new Director of Exhibitions

Alex Schaufele’s long experience of tying gallery and community together, and using museums to engage and educate, takes another step July 1 when she joins Pennsylvania College of Art & Design as the Director of Exhibitions. Arriving from the University of Notre Dame’s Snite Museum of Art, where she was Assistant Curator of Education, Public […]

Tempo Clubhouse forms its first job training program in higher ed with PCA&D

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design recently has partnered with Tempo Clubhouse to provide employment opportunities within the College’s Facilities Department. PCA&D is the first higher-education partner for the Tempo Clubhouse program, which provides an avenue back to employment for people who are receiving mental health services. At PCA&D, Tempo employees are trained to provide […]

Kelly Phan is winner of 2021 Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is pleased to announce that Kelly Phan of Lancaster, a junior Graphic Design major, has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship. Kelly’s participation in College and department activities and her professionalism led to the recommendation for the scholarship. According to Pam Barby, […]

PCA&D announces faculty promotions and additions

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is pleased to announce upcoming promotions and additions to the College’s faculty and staff: Michelle Fogel has been promoted to Assistant Professor in General Humanities and will also work with students this fall as a faculty persistence mentor. Fogel has been a part-time faculty member in the Liberal Arts […]

Summer esports camp is a deep dive into the careers (and the fun!) of the esports world

There’s much more to esports than fun and games (though there’s plenty of that, too): Take a look at the job listings for esports and video game production. There are team marketers and public relations managers, game designers and coders, artists and animators, writers and audio engineers…for starters. And the job opportunities just keep growing. […]

PCA&D grants BFA diplomas to the Class of 2021

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design was pleased to confer BFA diplomas on 59 members of the Class of 2021 during Senior Sendoff ceremonies on May 7, 2021. Full Commencement ceremonies, for both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020, are scheduled to be held Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, at Clipper Stadium in […]

PCA&D partners with Nimblist to stretch College’s LiveX major and new minors

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is excited to welcome Nimblist as the first partner of the College’s newly created Institute for Leadership, Creative Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. The Institute is the College’s new hub for multiple strategic initiatives and curricular innovations. It will merge entrepreneurship with creativity, developing opportunities for students to build leadership skills […]

“Art Heals”: Scenes from the June First Friday unveiling

On June First Friday, artist Jennifer Quigley’s exhibition, Art Heals, was officially unveiled in the College Art Garden and on the facade of PCA&D. She’s the first Artist in Residence for the College’s Healing Arts Residency, an initiative of PCA&D’s Institute of Learning, Creative Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. That institute currently is collaborating with the local […]

Black Artist Waystation holding Juneteenth celebrations in PCA&D Art Garden

This time last year, PCA&D’s Art Garden was the epicenter of Lancaster’s Black Lives Matter protests and mourning — days of anger prompted by the recorded police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and mourning the names and lives of so many others who have died in similar circumstances. This week, in the presence of […]

Grace Keefe ’22 hits a home run with new Lancaster Barnstormers merch

Step inside the stadium gift shop of Lancaster’s minor league baseball team, and you can’t miss the ballcaps bearing a new design for the 2021 Lancaster Barnstormers. It’s a contemporary swoosh of orange tones, a “LANC.” abbreviation that feels like it’s in motion, accented by a heart in the center of the “A” and held […]

Recent achievements of note in the PCA&D community

The work of Artzbeat ’21, Fine Art, was featured in the May 28 edition of The Burg, a community magazine and daily online news site that covers the Harrisburg, Pa., region. She was recognized as the Artist in Focus for her work at PCA&D as well as her work on the Harrisburg mural covering Midtown Cinema. The […]

Teaching & Learning Center hosting free 2-day workshop for educators

After a year of rapidly changing demands in the field of education, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is hosting a free, online, two-day workshop for educators at both the K-12 and college level. Under the direction of PCA&D’s Center for Teaching & Learning, the June 17-18 event features speakers who are experts in the […]

Catch up on Career Day 2021: Watch these sessions with employers and guest speakers

PCA&D’s Career Day in late April was a chance for students to learn more about careers that are their end goal after art school, to explore other options they may not have considered, and to make connections with potential employers. And, in at least one case, to immediately snag a great summer work experience. Rising […]

College holds its annual Creative Careers event with Lancaster 5th-graders

Don’t let anyone tell you that young kids aren’t interested in creative careers. PCA&D’s annual events that introduce School District of Lancaster 5th-graders to the possibilities of what an art degree and life as an artist can be like are always a flurry of activity and excited chatter. This year, those two sessions were no […]

PCA&D’s unveiling of Art Heals, with Artist in Residence Jennifer Quigley, set for June First Friday

In her sun-filled fourth-floor studio at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, artist Jennifer Quigley stands back and examines a 3D bandage leaning against the wall. About 3 feet across, the “X”-shaped Band-Aid-style is a smaller version of those that will be mounted on the facade of the College in June. Across Prince Street, in […]

‘Meet Our Majors’ events: Determining your path in art and design school

Trying to determine whether art and design school is the right move for you — and then sorting through the different pathways open to you once you arrive — is a lot easier when you can talk to people who teach and help guide students once they settle on art school, and who can explain […]

For Kelly Phan ’22, designing the Class of 2021 exhibition book was a lesson in balance and insight

If compiling a nearly 140-page book encompassing works from 58 artists, writings from College administration, and input from several editors, while working to specifications set up by senior faculty and staff and a professional printer, sounds like a massive undertaking … Kelly Phan would probably agree. While working on her other classes as well, the […]

Behind the scenes with the co-curators: “Sincerely Yours,” the Class of 2021 exhibition

Five members of the Class of 2021 were selected for a special opportunity to co-curate the senior exhibition. Nicole Denzler, Photography & Video; Mandi Hall, Fine Art; Alexis Lebesco, Illustration; Regina Marie Mehaffey, Graphic Design; and Rachel Stork, Fine Art. These students were selected out of a pool of applicants for a competitive position within […]

Behind the scenes with the student curators of the Class of 2021 exhibition, “Sincerely Yours,”

As part of an exhibition and curating internship, five members of PCA&D’s Class of 2021 collectively produced this year’s senior exhibition, featuring one work from each member of their graduating class. We asked the co-curators — Nicole Denzler, Photography & Video; Mandi Hall, Fine Art; Alexis Lebesco, Illustration; Regina Marie Mehaffey, Graphic Design; and Rachel […]

Introducing the Class of 2021: PCA&D hosts Senior Send-Off ceremonies in the Art Garden

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design welcomed its new cohort of alumni Friday during in-person morning celebrations in the Art Garden and an afternoon online conferring of degrees. Under a large white tent filling much of the Art Garden space, students and faculty gathered by major to mark an exceptional achievement: completing their final year […]

PCA&D Graphic Design and Illustration departments ranked regionally, nationally

A pair of national publications has recognized Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in their recent rankings of design and art programs: GD USA Magazine, a business-to-business source for graphic design professionals, has named Pennsylvania College of Art & Design to its list of top graphic design schools in the United States. The compilation represents […]

PCA&D wraps up Spring Lecture Series: Here’s how to watch our guest speakers

This spring, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design hosted six distinguished speakers as part of a lecture series featuring curators, art historians, and artists. The presentations brought a multitude of perspectives to our College community centering on exhibitions, history of Chicano/a/x art, and individual contemporary creative practices. “COVID-19 canceled many activities and imposed countless restrictions […]

PCA&D awarded Truist grant to support scholarships, LiveX major launch

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $125,000 from the Truist Economic Growth Fund, formerly BB&T: $50,000 of the grant will support scholarships for students who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color. The remaining $75,000 is earmarked to accelerate the launch of PCA&D’s BFA in live […]

College announces new faculty grant initiatives

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design recently announced two new tracks for Professional Development Funding open to all College faculty: full-time, part-time, adjunct, and faculty of PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration. The application process is now open, and grants will be awarded in early June. The goal is to support faculty as they achieve both […]

Virtual Career Day combines inspiration, information… and lots of employment connections

Combining employer meet-and-greets, question-and-answer sessions, opportunities to share resumes, and a keynote by design historian Gökhan Ersan, PCA&D’s second Virtual Career Day April 21 is designed to be much more than a sit-and-watch-a-Zoom-presentation event. Instead, the goal is to be useful. Eye-opening. Educational. A gateway to internships, mentorships, fellowships … and jobs. “One year after […]

CCE’s public outdoor art workshop a highlight of River Towns Plein Air 2021

The first bursts of Spring often bring an urge to be outdoors, and a renewal of creative energy — maybe even more so this year, after a year of pandemic social distancing. This year, one of the region’s major art celebrations of Spring’s return is happening in the first home of Pennsylvania College of Art […]

Recent PCA&D community achievements

Recognizing recent accomplishments by students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design: Four Graphic Design seniors have been named winners in the 2021 Graphic Design USA Student Package Design competition. Bringing home national-level honors are: Isaac Baker, Jia Bernstein, Zorina Eckman, and John Hollas. All four are members of Prof. Tom […]

Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence applications are now open

The College’s Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence Program is now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 academic year. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 28. APPLY HERE This on-campus residency is open to any Fine Art graduate of PCA&D or its predecessor, the Pennsylvania School of Art & Design. Artists who work in any medium […]

Take a deeper dive into the 2021 Faculty Biennial, a showcase of wide-ranging talent

As the 2021 Faculty Biennial comes to a close, take a moment for a deeper dive into the work of our full-time faculty members featured in The Gallery at PCA&D and on our website. The Biennial has served as a celebration of the College’s tradition of mentorship and education, inspiring us with their dedication to […]

Collaborative workshops break isolation and result in community exhibition, ‘Zammesei’

Months upon months of pandemic restrictions can take a toll on anyone — especially a community that thrives on interaction, on collaboration, and on opportunities to learn and discover. The College’s Center for Creative Exploration partnered with a local senior living community to figure out how to bridge that isolation. The result is a new […]

CCE exhibition pays tribute to the connection between visual art and music

If you’re learning Photoshop fundamentals, few things would be more boring than a dry recitation of “how tos” when it comes to adjustment layers, cropping, lighting effects, and other basic skills. But if you’re imaging an album cover? And shooting photos using a green screen? And looking up musicians you love to see how they […]

Documenting the 2021 Faculty Biennial with Cameren White ’24

This is the final post in a series highlighting the creative contributions of students at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design who worked behind the scenes to make the 2021 Faculty Biennial in the Main Gallery. From Trenton, New Jersey, Cameren White ’24 is on the CORE Gallery curatorial board and does special video […]

Na’Chelle Morris ’22 documents the Main Gallery’s 2021 Faculty Biennial

This is Part II of a series highlighting the hard work and creative input of students who worked behind the scenes to make the 2021 Faculty Biennial a success. Na’Chelle Morris ’22, the official photographer of PCA&D’s student-run CORE Gallery, was assigned to document the 2021 Faculty Biennial for the Main Gallery. Charged with documenting […]

Patience, persistence, and portfolio: Advice from illustrator Eric Wilkerson

In his nearly 20-year career, illustrator Eric Wilkerson has worked in the video gaming, film, commercial, advertising, and publishing industries, as both a staff member and freelancer, providing concept art, matte painting, and art direction services. He’s designed characters and theatrical costumes, works in digital and traditional media … it’s a wide-ranging resume. And his […]

2021-2022 Fine Art Alumni Residency now accepting applications

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Fine Art Department is again sponsoring an alumni residency, for the 2021-2022 academic year. Application details can be found here. Deadline for applications is Friday, May 28. The residency, open to one graduate of PCA&D or its precursor, the Pennsylvania School of Art & Design, is an opportunity to […]

A conversation between landscape and humans: Artist Talk by photographer Sebastian Mejia, March 25

Sebastian Mejia’s love of photography, and his photographic eye, have been strong since before his teen years in Colombia, even before his father gifted him his first camera: a 1980s Canon A-1 35mm reflex. Once Mejia became a student at School of Visual Arts in New York City, his artistic insight became apparent to his […]

College announces Commencement plans for Class of 2021 and Class of 2020

A message from Michael Molla, President, Pennsylvania College of Art Design: March is a month of change and transition — we can feel the arrival of spring in the air as we shift into a new season and consider the approaching end of this academic year. This time prompts us also to think about the […]

Designathon 2021: A 12-hour sprint to create new branding for 8 regional nonprofits

The clients (and alumni) were online; the timeframe was 12 hours instead of the traditional 24; and gauging by client reactions Saturday night (yes, there were some giddy tears of happiness), Designathon 2021 was a massive success. Organizer and Graphic Design Department Chair Pam Barby, along with faculty members Bill Dussinger and Laura Korzon, and […]

4 seniors nab national packaging design honors

Four Graphic Design seniors have been honored in Graphic Design USA’s 58th Annual Package Design Awards. They all are members of Tom Newmaster‘s Packaging Design class. Congratulations to: Isaac Baker: Taino Batata Sweet Potato Chips; Jia Bernstein: Crescents Potato Chips; Zorina Eckman: Sonos Audio Entertainment; John Hollas: Holy Chip Hell Fire and Chili Lime Chips. […]

College introduces Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshop series this spring

This semester, PCA&D presents a three-part Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Spring Workshop Series: An Inclusive PCA&D Begins with You. It features three programs open to the greater College community: The first in the series was held earlier this month. Antiracism 101: Being an Ally, Accomplice, and Co-Conspirator at PCA&D was a presentation by Justin Brown, […]

Part I: Students behind the Faculty Biennial, Jaymi Vilardo and Isiah Bates

Part 1 of a series highlighting the students who worked behind the scenes to make the Faculty Biennial. The Faculty Biennial is an important tradition that celebrates faculty members for their dedication to the College’s mission and showcases their creative talents. This year’s rendition of the exhibit has been enhanced by the hard work and […]

Center for Creative Exploration Spring classes are open for registration

Registration for the Spring session of Center for Creative Exploration (CCE) classes has opened, and it’s a long list of opportunities packed into the April-June timeframe: Adult Professional Development & Single-Session Workshops The four Professional Development classes — Effective Design: Color & Typography, Intro to Digital Marketing, Intro to JavaScript, and Intro to UX/UI — all meet twice weekly to […]

Recent notes of accomplishment in our PCA&D community

Two members of the College faculty, Becky Blosser (Assistant Professor, Fine Art) and Eric Weeks (Assistant Professor and Chair, Photography & Video), as well as alumnus Marlin Bert have work in the current Demuth Invitational: Illustrations from the Stories that Inspire. The exhibition is open for timed in-person visitation at The Demuth Museum in downtown Lancaster here, and online here, through Saturday, […]

Learning Commons: Digging into Online Critique Sessions with Jasmyn Stokes ’23

Some of the most useful parts of the learning experience can also be pretty uncomfortable when you first face them. Take the practice of critique. Showing a work in progress to other artists, taking in their constructive suggestions and criticisms, and explaining your choices, is a time-honored part of art school. It helps artists figure […]

Directions in Contemporary Art zine goes on display at Street Road Artists Space

A month after wrapping up their online exhibition, Beyond Things Left Unsaid, a collaboration with Lancaster Museum of Art, PCA&D’s Fine Art seniors are once again on display. A zine created by members of Prof. Henry Gepfer’s Directions in Contemporary Art Class is on exhibit at Street Road Artists’ Space. The Chester County project integrates […]

Zorina Eckman and Madeleine Lyash named “Students to Watch” by GDUSA

Graphic Design seniors Zorina Eckman and Madeleine Lyash have been named 2021 Students to Watch by Graphic Design USA. The online news source and magazine covers people, projects, trends, technology and products for graphic design professionals nationwide. “Maddie and Zorina fully understand the power of design,” says Graphic Design Department Chair Pamela Barby. “They are creating […]

‘Look badass’ is the most common design request: Zak Keller of Atomic Design

Zak Keller has been earning paychecks in show biz for the past 23 years. In that time, he’s been a Technical Designer, Art Director, Set Designer, Audio Engineer, Production Manager, Video Designer, Carpenter, Prop Master, and Charge Artist for hundreds of productions ranging from theater, opera, musicals, dance, episodic television, touring concerts, music festivals, sports, […]

Prof. Jason Ward’s Drawing Workshops building a community of creatives

Art students itching for out-of-classroom guidance or a practical demonstration to expand their learning won’t always find what they’re looking for sitting solo in the studio. The Learning Commons is working to remove some of those hurdles with biweekly Drawing Workshops held during Saturday Study Tables. Led by Fine Art faculty Jason Ward, the workshops […]

Admissions Ambassador Kylie Hileman ’22, Fine Art

WATCH KYLIE’S INTERVIEW MEET KYLIE HILEMAN: I am a Junior (Year 3) as of right now, I’m from Nescopeck/Berwick, PA. It’s in very rural central PA. I don’t have a minor, but if I could’ve snagged one, I would’ve loved to minor in Illustration. (Instagram: @k_j_h_art) What do you remember about your first visit […]

When Stars Are Scattered: National Book Awards finalists Jamieson and Mohamed

Visual art, combined with literature, is an immensely powerful way to tell a story. That artistic collaboration is what brought together Newbery Honor-winning graphic novelist Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, who grew up in the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Their resulting graphic novel, When Stars Are Scattered, tells the childhood story of Mohamed and […]

Introducing Digital Art Drop-Ins with Prof. Natasha Warshawsky

PCA&D students who are working to expand and refine their digital art skills don’t have to work alone to puzzle out assignments, find inspiration, or practice a new technology taught in the classroom. Every Wednesday from 7:30-9 pm, an online Digital Art Drop-In gives PCA&D students a way to explore, to catch demos, to reinforce […]

Admissions Ambassador Adan Harris ’23, Animation & Game Art

WATCH ADAN’S INTERVIEW MEET ADAN HARRIS: I’m in the class of 2023, I come from a small town called Chambersburg [PA], but I actually went to a school called Waynesboro in the next town over. I don’t have a minor currently but I may take one in the upcoming semester. (Instagram: @harrisadan) What do […]

Student and alumni advice highlights PCA&D’s Spring Preview sessions

If you want to learn more about how to pace school assignments, how to figure out your creative path, and how to take advantage of what’s coming up next in your art and design school career, it makes sense to turn to the experts: Your fellow students themselves, and alumni of your college. This semester’s Spring […]

Ekphrasis: CCE class explores the practice of using art to inspire … more art

Lovers of the arts are yearning for the days of experiencing creativity of all kinds in person. Cultural institutions are struggling to maintain connections with their communities. To bring the two together, Center for Creative Exploration instructor Erin Dorney is hosting a winter ekphrasis creative writing class that offers students and institutions the chance to […]

Admissions Ambassador Kennedy Toomey ’22, Photography & Video

WATCH KENNEDY’S INTERVIEW MEET KENNEDY TOOMEY: I’m a Photo junior going for an Art History minor. I grew up around Spring Grove, Pennsylvania. (Instagram: @fallingintofocusphoto) What do you remember about your first visit to PCA&D? KT: My first time at PCA&D, I remember being super excited to see the school had a darkroom. […]

Peacocks leveling up: Introducing PCA&D’s Esports Team

Every good video game tells a story. Maybe it’s the tale of a quest. Maybe it’s the challenge of championship battle. Or maybe it’s the vision of a future you’re playing to build and defend — or even the future of video games that connect to education, healthcare, and social justice? At Pennsylvania College of […]

Facing roadblocks? That’s a great thing, says Jan Wilker of design studio karlsssonwilker

Jan Wilker, of creative studio karlssonwilker inc., will present a Virtual Designer Talk, “This is How We Do It,” Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 1 pm. karlssonwilker, based in Queens, New York, specializes in branding, signage, wayfinding, and environmental design, as well as packaging, interactive, fashion, strategy, and ideation. Their projects have been varied, from projects rebranding […]

In the news: Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Tyler Barton, Program Coordinator for PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration, spent a week in December at Modern Art in Lancaster working on his next novel, as part of the gallery’s “Don’t Forget How to Write” project. Passersby could provide prompts and ideas for Barton’s novel as he worked in the gallery’s display window. His first book, […]

Admissions Ambassador Jose Rosado ‘22, Graphic Design

WATCH JOSE’S INTERVIEW MEET JOSE ROSADO: I will be graduating in the year 2022. I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [and] I am a Graphic Design major. (Instagram: @joserosado.creative) What do you remember about your first visit to PCA&D? JR: I remember a vibrant and busy day as it was an open house / […]

Fine Art senior Brittany Lare wins Demuth Foundation award

The senior Fine Art students’ recent online exhibition hosted by Lancaster Museum of Art, Things Left Unsaid, has resulted in a special award for one of the artists. The Demuth Foundation, which operates Lancaster Museum of Art, recently announced Brittany Lare ’21, Fine Art, as winner of its Artistic Impact Award for her crocheted diptych 1950 […]

College’s Learning Center expands Study Tables after Fall semester success

Juggling college classes mid-pandemic offers a special set of challenges: Handling a mix of classes that are both online and in-person — or navigating a schedule that’s completely online. Learning new ways of interacting with classmates and professors, new ways of working on collaborative projects, new ways of incorporating feedback and critique. And figuring out […]

Admissions Ambassador Alicia Groff ’22, Illustration

WATCH ALICIA’S INTERVIEW MEET ALICIA GROFF: I’m a current junior here at PCA&D! I’m from Ephrata, PA, so I have been in Lancaster County my whole life. I’m majoring in Illustration, however, I am not enrolled in any of our minors. For my extracurriculars, I have been branching out to dabble in different fields and […]

Pixar’s Erica Milsom: ‘I love being told a good story’

Erica Milsom is a storyteller at heart, using film as her medium of choice. Collaboration, she says, “is the essence of filmmaking.” On February 1, Milsom, an award-winning writer and director for Pixar Animation Studios, presents an Artist Talk online to the PCA&D community. A member of the studio’s production team for 2015’s Inside Out, Milsom […]

Liberal Arts Chair Linda King Brown named Dean of Faculty

Linda King Brown, Assistant Professor and Chair of Liberal Arts, will serve in a pilot role as Dean of Faculty. In this role Brown, who has been a faculty member at the College since 2005, and full-time since 2009, will serve as a liaison on behalf of faculty to campus stakeholders and community partners. This […]

PCA&D collaborates with Franklin & Marshall College to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Delaina Jolley ’22, Illustration, represented PCA&D in a collaborative panel discussion, “MLK and Today,” with Franklin & Marshall College. You can view a recording of the January 2021 discussion below. Jolley, a co-founder of BLAC (Black Led Art Coalition) at PCA&D, joined F&M junior English Literature major Eniyah Brown-Moore and Michael Bright, F&M’s Residential Coordinator for […]

PCA&D hosts photographer and cultural activist Lonnie Graham Feb. 4

For photographer and cultural activist Lonnie Graham, the immediacy of his chosen medium has the potential to “defy comprehension.” It can, he says, “articulate a narrative that has the capacity to surpass literature in terms of its capacity to describe.” A Pew Fellow and Professor of Visual Art at Penn State University, Graham also serves […]

Lancaster City turns to PCA&D’s Yamilet Orengo ’22 to illustrate its celebration of Three Kings Day

Yamilet Orengo ’22, Illustration, got a taste of real-world quick-turnaround projects with a special end-of-year commission for the City of Lancaster. Three works by Yamilet were used to highlight this month’s video celebration of Three Kings Day, or Feast of the Epiphany, created by the City of Lancaster and Triode Media. The 4-minute video, which […]

Alumnus Justin Carney ’20 featured in Portrait Magazine monograph

When Justin Carney was younger, a camera was always present when his family got together. “It was sort of a family member in our household,” he says, there to record what was going on … and before too long it was Carney himself doing the documentation, with a little disposable camera in his hands. That […]

Nathalie Pacheco and Steven Dinnocenti join PCA&D Admissions team

Two faces already familiar to the PCA&D community, alumna Nathalie Pacheco and former Admissions Partnership Coordinator Steven T. Dinnocenti, officially become part of the Admissions team this month. Pacheco, a 2015 PCA&D Illustration BFA graduate and freelance illustrator, joins the Admissions team full time as an Admissions Counselor. Pacheco is bilingual in Spanish. An important […]

Congratulations to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List students

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has named 114 students to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester. Congratulations to: Abigail Altman ’24, Illustration, Rockville, Md. Jennifer Aman ’22, Illustration New Providence. N.J. Lauren Antanavage ’23, Animation & Game Art, Frackville, Pa. Isaac Baker ’21, Graphic Design, Frackville, Pa. Frank Barbera ’21, Illustration, […]

New faculty joining PCA&D for Spring 2021 semester

This spring, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design welcomes seven new faculty members to the College, teaching courses in business, film, art history, science, mathematics, esports management, and drawing. Mehrnoosh Fetrat Fetrat will be directing an International Cinema course for PCA&D students this semester. She has extensive experience teaching at the university level, including courses […]

Judging books by their cover

Chances are, whether you’re looking for your next read by wandering the shelves of a bookstore or library, or scrolling through your phone, book covers have the potential to lure you to even more options than the book you started out searching for. PCA&D students in Maria Cummings-Miller’s Junior Publication Design class took on the […]

Young Artist Classes: What Kids & Parents are Saying

Art classes for kids can solve the problem of “What are we going to do today?”, but what other benefits can these creative experiences offer? At PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration, we want Young Artist classes to do more than simply occupy a young student’s attention or give structure to these long pandemic days. We […]

Socially Distant but Creatively Close: Share an art class with a friend or family member

As the pandemic forces us all to stay home, stay safe, and stay distant, that separation can be difficult, especially over the holidays. Though technology can help to keep us connected, it can’t always match the richness of sharing important moments with those we care about. But don’t despair—there’s a cheat code, a life hack: […]

Faculty member Adam DelMarcelle uses ‘Mariah’ app to turn augmented reality into activism

For years, the Sackler family has been a player in the world of global art philanthropy. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has a Sackler Wing; so does the Louvre in Paris. England’s University of Oxford has a Sackler Library, and the Guggenheim has a Sackler Center for Arts Education. But the art world has […]