Sonja Madsen is a second-year MFA student at Maine College of Art & Design. Sitting in her studio in the Metalsmithing & Jewelry Design department, she describes the progression of her work, her cohort community, and the scholarships that make it possible.
Sonja Madsen MFA ‘27. Photo by Natalie Conn, Salt ‘07.
What brought you to MECA&D?
Soon after I finished undergrad, I started looking into MFA programs. I’m really interested in being a professor or curator, so I knew that an MFA was the next step for me. I really fell in love with MECA&D’s campus. Maine was just so gorgeous when I visited, too, and it felt like the right fit.
What has it been like to build community here?
The MFA cohort is so incredibly supportive and giving with their time, resources, and knowledge. It’s been really exciting to be thrown into a cohort of eighteen people who are so willing to share anything they know about a medium or a material. Everyone is such a resource, and it’s been great to build connections with people that I never would have met otherwise.
Coming from a liberal arts college, I’d never been steeped in such an arts-focused community before. It’s been really eye-opening to be able to stop into people’s studios, drop everything, and just talk about everything art.
I’ve been so supported and pushed in a wide variety of directions. I love bouncing new ideas around with my cohort because they have so many different unique perspectives and experiences. It’s been really amazing.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned at MECA&D so far?
The biggest thing I’ve learned at MECA&D is how critically important art is in the world. Particularly in a time when it feels like art might not be the most important thing, it’s a great reminder that art is an important refuge and means of communication in a time when those things are increasingly hard to come by.
It’s been eye-opening to come to a place where I can be dedicated to improving my practice, improving the concepts that drive my practice, and articulating it all. I don’t think I fully appreciated how critical my own practice was in my life.
Foreign Archaeofauna by Sonja Madsen MFA ’27.
What opportunities have you taken advantage of since being at MECA&D?
The Teaching Assistant opportunity that’s a part of the MFA program has been so valuable in building connections with professors that I otherwise might not have been in contact with. I’ve built up a new skillset while partnering with faculty as a Teaching Assistant (TA).
Last spring, I TA-ed for Matt Hutton in the Woodworking & Furniture Design department, and I had zero woodworking experience ahead of time. I got to learn all about the equipment alongside the BFA students, and I got connected with Bennett Morris in the Fab Lab, too. As I’ve supported other students in learning about the laser cutter and 3D printing materials, it led to such a great dynamic that now I’m the Fab Lab technician, running a bunch of equipment that I would have been afraid to touch at this time last year.
I think people here have such a willingness to jump in and teach a new medium, a new material, a new process, a new piece of equipment. It’s really wonderful. Without being at MECA&D, I would likely have gone the rest of my art career without using a CNC machine or a laser cutter, and now I’m incorporating that technology into my practice.
What has surprised you about your time at MECA&D?
I’ve been surprised by the material exploration. I knew it would be a part of the program, but I didn’t realize how integral it would be for me. The MFA program really focused on experimentation and trying new materials, and that’s become really critical to my own process.
I now primarily work in beeswax, polystyrene, and acrylic, three materials that I never would have imagined working in. I’ve dabbled in papier-mâché, as well as other forms of wax and wood. I came into the program with a metalsmithing background, and weaving these other materials into my process has been so essential.
What have the summer intensives been like?
The summer intensive is intense, like the name suggests, but it’s so worth it. Coming in as a first year, you jump right into the program surrounded by the full cohort and are inundated with visiting artists. The studio visits were really eye-opening for me to think about my own process, the contemporary art world, and other people’s practices.
Seeing the difference from my first summer to my second, I can tell how much my horizons have expanded and how much experimentation has impacted my process.
What opportunities have you had at the college that you wouldn’t have otherwise imagined possible?
I’m a little bit all over the place because of the amount of opportunities I’ve taken advantage of. Working as a Teaching Assistant and as a studio monitor in the Fab Lab are great because I ultimately know I want to be a professor someday, so getting teaching experience on-campus is so valuable.
I also work in the Institute of Contemporary Art right now, as well as the Writing Center in the library. I’ve been building connections with my MFA cohort and with BFA students that are excited to be putting their first steps toward a future artistic career. Getting to work with an array of students and faculty has been fantastic, and it’s an atmosphere that you can only get here.
How have scholarships and financial aid impacted your experience at MECA&D?
Scholarships have definitely made it possible for me to be here. I relocated from Minnesota to be here, and the cost of relocation alone was an adjustment. Portland isn’t the cheapest place to live, so scholarships that support my tuition have helped me to take time to pause and really focus on pushing my own practice and career. It’s allowed me to experiment and develop my art in new ways.
Sonja working in her studio. Photo by Natalie Conn, Salt ’07.
What three words would you use to describe your community here?
Involved, passionate, resourceful.
What’s your favorite spot on campus?
I’m biased, but I would have to say my own studio. It’s where I spend the most time. The Fab Lab is really great, and I also have to shout out the library. Those are my favorite places, but I love to be in my studio the most.
How does creativity show up in your life?
Right now, creativity shows up most when I’m on campus surrounded by a creative and motivated hungry group of peers. We’re all so excited and honored to be able to work and make art right now. It’s so important to be in a community of people that is so committed to showing up and making work together.