Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D) announced that, following a competitive national search, Jenny McGee Dougherty ’05 has been appointed as the new Director of Artists at Work. McGee is a painter, textile designer, and arts organizer based in South Portland, Maine. Jenny earned her BFA in Printmaking from MECA in 2005 and has since held leadership roles as Associate Director of SPACE Gallery, Administration Director of TEMPOart, and, most recently, as the Associate Director of Artists at Work & Alumni Relations at MECA&D. In addition to her studio and textile practice, she has taught youth art in Berkeley, CA and Ladakh, India, and created large-scale public murals.
Of the appointment, President Laura Freid shared, “Jenny understands MECA&D and the needs of our students. Under her leadership, she will develop career readiness programming within the curriculum and strengthen connections with community partners, employers, and internship providers. Her strong commitment to helping students develop the skills they require to thrive as creative professionals will honor the strong legacy of Artists at Work while evolving to meet the needs of students and the ever-changing creative economy.”
McGee follows Jessica Tomlinson, who retired in August, continuing and expanding upon the work that Tomlinson spearheaded, including managing an online job board, the Above & Beyond grant, internships, the Professional Studio Practice course, the Art & Entrepreneurship minor, Portfolio Day, pop-up shops, and fellowships with organizations like the Nature Conservancy.
McGee commented that she is “thrilled to step into the role of Director of Artists at Work. Having had the opportunity to help shape this program for the past several years, I know how meaningful it is to support students and alumni as they navigate creative careers. I look forward to collaborating with faculty and staff, and to continue growing this program in support of our amazing students.”