Tyler Blog

July 11, 2023

Tyler Alum Tim McFarlane (BFA '94) Aims for the Monumental in His Work

Author: Wanda Motley Odom

As part of his artistic journey, Tyler alum Tim McFarlane (BFA '94) has in recent years veered toward the monumental.Putting his typical works on canvas or panel aside, McFarlane has preferred work at the large scale afforded him by murals and other wall-based installations -- applying acrylic paint, drawings and sculptural forms complete with silver and frosted Mylar, pushpins, nails, tape to walls and other surfaces. Read More

June 22, 2023

Henry Morales (BFA '21) on Personal Trajectories and Finding Purpose Through Art

Author: Emily Herbein

Henry Morales (BFA '21), Tyler's Program Coordinator for Academic Enrichment, feels right at home working for his alma mater -- having the opportunity to assist students in collaborating with the arts in their community, something that he feels passionate about. He also recently curated an exhibition at Haverford College, centered on a multigenerational Latinx experience. Morales credits his personal and professional growth to his time pursuing his undergraduate degree at Tyler, which is what he hopes to encourage within the events he organizes for students. Read more about his career trajectory and advice for students still trying to find their footing. Read More

June 22, 2023

Printmaking Graduate Exhibition on Display at Partners and Son

Author: Emily Herbein

When it comes to distributing a work of art far and wide, there are few avenues better than printmaking to share the wealth.In the spring 2023 semester, MFA students in Associate Professor Amze Emmon’s Graduate Printmaking Projects class put this truth to the test with a collaborative publication of works by more than 30 artists across the United States and in Belgium, Brazil, Indonesia, and Iran.Entitled “HELP YOURSELF,” the publication is on exhibit at Partners and Son in Philadelphia from June 23rd to August 6th. The creators have described it as “a poly-vocal collection of creative work responding to the theme of self-help from artists from around the world.” Read More

June 12, 2023

Alex Strada Awarded Graham Foundation Grant

Author: Emily Herbein

Assistant Professor of Photography Alex Strada has received a Graham Foundation grant for her research project House of D, which explores the history of New York City's Jefferson Market Library, a lavishly decorated Art Deco icon in Greenwich Village that served as the Women’s House of Detention (WHD) from 1932–1974. The WHD was once championed by NYC officials and prison reformers as a “school” to punish women, transgender men, and gender nonconforming people who broke the law or flouted societal norms. Thousands were detained in the heavily congested, fortress-like prison, including activists Angela Davis, Afeni Shakur, and Andrea Dworkin.  Read More

June 12, 2023

William Toney on: Curating Meaningful Exhibitions

Author: Emily Herbein

William Toney, Graduate Assistant at Temple Contemporary and current MFA candidate in Tyler's Photography program recently curated his first exhibition, Message Received, which was on view until June 17th. The exhibition engages artists from Tyler as well as Temple at large in conversations surrounding the relationships between visual art and the written word. Toney speaks on his experience curating this exhibition, his role working in Temple Contemporary this year, and what he hopes to bring to the space in the upcoming months.Describe your role with Temple Contemporary? How does this position speak to your larger goals as an artist? Read More

June 8, 2023

Barbara Chase-Riboud (BFA '56) Reminisces on Tyler's Early Years

Author: Emily Herbein

Artist, writer, and poet Barbara Chase-Riboud (BFA '56) spoke with Serpentine Galleries, which organized a recent exhibition of work that spanned seven decades of her career. Barbara Chase-Riboud: Infinite Folds, which was on view October 11, 2022- April 10, 2023, showcased her " innovation in sculptural technique, exploring memory, history and power through monumental sculptures and works on paper," Serpentine Galleries writes. "Her unique approach to sculpture and materiality involve "the interplay between folds of cast bronze or aluminum and coils of wool and silk which are knotted, braided, looped, and woven.""For me," Chase-Riboud says as she opens the interview, "sculpture was never a hobby. Sculpture was something integral to life." Read More

May 15, 2023

John Dowell (BFA '63) Honored by TILT Institute

Author: Emily Herbein

Tyler alumnus John E. Dowell Jr. (BFA ‘63), Professor Emeritus of Printmaking, was honored at the TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image's annual fundraiser, InVISION, on May 4, the proceeds of which support TILT’s programming and events, educational programs, exhibitions, and artist residencies. Dowell was recognized for his six decades-long career in fine art, painting, photography, and printmaking — works that he has shown in more than 50 solo exhibitions and that reside in the permanent collections of 70 museums.  Read More

May 12, 2023

Alumna Finds an Intersection of Fine Art and High Fashion

Author: Emily Herbein

Tyler alumna Kaitlyn Riccardi (BFA ‘19) earned her degree in painting and drawing, and her combined passion for the fine arts and fashion landed her at one of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses: Louis Vuitton. Working as the first artisan with the brand’s King of Prussia location, Riccardi hand paints custom designs onto their iconic luggage.   Read More

May 11, 2023

Tyler 2023 Diploma Project Unveiled at Graduation

Author: Emily Herbein

Tyler's 2023 "Diploma Project," a special gift to the graduating class made by a distinguished alum, is a one-of-a-kind cast pin to celebrate their achievement. Since 2019, the Tyler School of Art and Architecture has presented its graduating students with a special class gift: a unique work of art made by one of Tyler’s renowned alumni — a tradition that connects two generations of creatives.  Read More