Ellen Mueller

SECAC 2020

by Ellen Mueller on November 26, 2020, no comments

This year at the SECAC Conference 2020, I’m excited to be presenting on 2 different panels. You can check out the full conference program PDF too.

The first one is “Self-Publishing as Social Practice,” on Friday, December 4 at 4:00pm EST/3:00pm CST and is described as:

As social practice becomes more widely accepted and integrated into higher education, various sub-topics have become more visible, including self-publishing. From zines, newspapers, and field guides, to books, manifestos, and maps, self-publishing as a form of social practice has spread into wide-ranging art and design courses due to its low cost and accessibility, for both makers and readers. This panel seeks submissions that address wide-ranging manifestations of self-publishing as social practice from artists, designers, and art historians. For the purposes of this panel, we will categorize social practice as social engagement and collaboration with individuals, communities, and institutions as a form of participatory art. Topics of investigation could include, but are not limited to, integrating technology, looking at the past, present, and future of these practices; examining existing or proposed courses focused on this subject; and sharing particularly effective assignments related to this area of study.

The panelists are:

  • Sarah Sharp, “The Tool Book Project”
  • Teresa Audet, “Self-Publishing for Craft Education”⁠
  • Alanna Stapleton⁠, “How-to Zines: Sharing Everyday Knowledge and Building Community”
  • Trina Fernandez, “Keeping Us Conformed: A Brief History of the Punk Zine”

 

The second panel is “Demystifying the MFA Application Process,” on Thursday, December 10, 1:00pm EST/ Noon CST with Paul Catanese and Noelle Mason, and is described as:

This workshop is designed to provide guidance on key aspects of the MFA application process that are often shrouded in mystery. We’ll address how to research and evaluate MFA programs in light of your career goals; how to prepare a portfolio that speaks to your strengths; key questions your application essay should be answering; as well as understanding the who / when / how of asking for recommendation letters. The workshop will be conversational, with ample time reserved to address your questions and concerns. This session will be facilitated by Paul Catanese, Director of Graduate Studies for Art and Art History at Columbia College Chicago, Noelle Mason, MFA Program Coordinator at the University of South Florida School of the Arts, and Ellen Mueller, Director of the MFA Program at Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

SECAC is offering free registration to graduate and undergraduate students for the online conference this year (Nov 30-Dec 11). Undergrads need a faculty member to email on their behalf; grads can email directly — secac2020@vcu.edu