Program Overview

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MFA, Painting & Drawing Concentration

The Master of Fine Arts degree in studio art with a concentration in painting and drawing is for students interested in formal inquiry through material, technical, and conceptual interrogation. Our program promotes interdisciplinary exploration, and our students work with faculty across the School of Art and university. MFA students investigate traditional and exploratory methods used in contemporary painting and drawing. Our graduates also develop the communication, research, and critical thinking skills needed to be thriving creative professionals.

Program Highlights

Curriculum

Our program follows a rigorous, three-year course of study. The first two years of study include coursework in painting, drawing, and electives in the School of Art and across the university. In the third year of study, students are responsible for developing, executing, and defending a project of their own design. Along with other School of Art MFA candidates, these projects culminate in an exhibition and/or presentation at the School of Art’s Ewing Gallery.

Facilities

Discovery requires the freedom to explore. Our MFA students have access to extensive facilities and individual studio spaces around campus.

Exhibition Opportunities

We encourage our graduate students to present their work publicly. There are regular opportunities to exhibit at Gallery 1010, Tennessee’s only off-campus, student-run gallery, and other local galleries.

Assistantships

The School of Art minimizes the financial burden of graduate studies by awarding teaching assistantships with a full tuition waiver, stipend, and health benefits to eligible students.

Artists in Residence and Visiting Artists and Scholars

Our students benefit from frequent interactions with accomplished artists in our prestigious Artist-in-Residence Program and Visiting Artists and Scholars Program.

Current Graduate Students in Painting and Drawing

• Babajide Francis Akinnawo
  • Area of Study: Painting + Drawing
• Darwin Estacio Martinez
  • Area of Study: Painting + Drawing
• Lethamaga Richard Mabula
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Alimohammad Parvaresh
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Neto Soul
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Julia Walters
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Chase Williamson
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing

Faculty in Painting and Drawing

• Joshua Bienko
  • Associate Professor
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Rubens Ghenov
  • Associate Professor
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Mary Laube
  • Associate Professor
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Maurice Moore
  • Assistant Professor
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing
• Jered Sprecher
  • Professor
  • Area of Study: Painting and Drawing

Painting and Drawing News

• Alumni Spotlight: Painter Marta Lee
• Student Study Abroad + Residency Reports: Summer 2025
• School of Art Holds 2024 Kimberly D. Iles Awards Ceremony

Areas of Study

• Art History
• Ceramics
• Cinema Studies
• Painting & Drawing
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Time-Based Art

Resources

• Media Pool
• smART Lab
• Wood Shop
• Letterpress Lab

Opportunities

• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Scholarships
• Graduate Assistantships & Aid
• Artist Residencies + Internships

Art at UT

• Ewing Gallery
• Downtown Gallery
• Gallery 1010
• Local Exhibit Spaces
• MFA Exhibition Catalogs
• Faculty Work
• ArtBox: Limited Edition Prints

School of Art

• College of Arts and Sciences
• 1715 Volunteer Blvd
• 213 Art + Architecture
• Knoxville, TN 37996

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
• The flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System and partner in the Tennessee Transfer Pathway.