We are interviewing some of the generous MFA students and alumni who have donated to our MFA 2020 Fund, which will support scholarships for future Black, Indigenous, and People of Color MFA students.
Our current goal is to raise $40,000 by March 1, 2022, allowing us to increase the size of the yearly grant to match the other MFA merit awards.
Please join us in learning more about Dan McAvey ’22 and his creative practice.
Which year will you graduate and what brought you to MCAD for your MFA? Could you speak a little bit about your background?
I will graduate from the MFA program in 2022. Before starting the program at MCAD, I spent 20 years working in higher education in student development and mental health research, but art-making has always been part of my life practice. Several years ago, I started teaching studio art classes in community settings. This confirmed my suspicion that teaching art would be a good fit for me, and I decided to combine my two passions of art and student development to pursue an MFA to further my art practice and teach in higher education. I had the benefit of living in the Twin Cities and so I visited MCAD several times—for Open Studios, Research Presentations, the Thesis Show—and made the determination that this campus would be a great fit for me.
How has your art changed while at MCAD?
During my time at MCAD, my practice has become much more process-oriented. I have come to embrace the experiments and failures as much as the confident successes. My paintings have become looser, more layered, and more emotional. I have developed a much deeper understanding of my own artwork, why I make it, and why I need to share it.
What is next? Any new projects or jobs that are in the pipeline?
I am in the process developing my thesis project for the spring while seeking residencies for the summer and teaching jobs for the fall. I will serve as a reviewer for the MN State Arts Board grant process this spring and look forward to helping local artists to connect with resources they need.
You donated to support our MFA 2020 Fund, which benefits future Black, Indigenous, and People of Color MFA students – thank you! What motivated you to contribute to this scholarship effort?
I truly believe in the value of education. But it is a tremendously expensive endeavor that our society has made even more difficult for BIPOC students to achieve. This scholarship will help reduce some of the financial barriers to enrollment while communicating the value: “You have a place here.” Donating an artwork to this scholarship through the MCAD Art Sale was a beautiful way that I—and a patron—could collaborate to support this cause. It felt right on so many levels!
