blog

X storytelling

Illustration of Robespierre in front of the guillotine

Ian Gabriel’s ‘Supreme Beings’

  • 25 days ago

  • by Ben

Ian Gabriel (’20) has just released his thesis story! It’s a fantastic look at revolution through the eyes of Maximilien Robespierre. It’s Paris, France; 1791, the eve of the Champ …    More
Black images of a bottle, a sports fan #1 hand, a sherrif's star on yellow background

Welcome to the 2020 Digital Short Story show!

  • 2 months, 2 days ago

  • by Ben

Enjoy the stories! Curators’ Statement: From animation and interactive apps to comics and picture books, the digital short stories and their accompanying physical artwork are the culmination of the 2nd …    More
Photograph of Nada Mohammed posing with a stuffed Pikachu.

Nada Mohammed (’20) takes over!

  • 3 months, 27 days ago

  • by Ben

We’re proud to have Nada Mohammed (’20) kick off our Spring Takeovers! She’ll be showing us snippets of her thesis, ‘Becca Blooms’. The story: After years of dealing with bullies …    More
A photograph of a group of people with laptops and notebooks sitting around a table where an older man gesticulates.

Story Of/ will stretch your storytelling muscles

  • 9 months, 12 days ago

  • by Ben

We are excited to announce that applications for the 2019 Story Of/ workshop are now open! Story Of/ is created and produced by Nathan, MFAVN alumna Jenny Goldstick, and Joan …    More
Image and Context class at MFAVN, orange text reads, "A Tribute to Amy Winfrey By Vanessa Dolfinger" on top a black background with a green zig zag cutting across the image three quarters of the way down. The word "Fiends" is obstructed but visible in the green gap, along with a small fuzzy black ball with arms, eyes and sharp teeth.

WATCH: Image and Context 2019

  • 9 months, 19 days ago

  • by Ben

For this project students were tasked to create an animation using kinetic type inspired by an artist / artwork of their choice. This class is called Image and Context, taught …    More
Story Of prototyping lesson, Photograph of a woman with brown hair in a black sweatshirt looking down at a notebook.

WATCH: Life Of / Jesse

  • 9 months, 25 days ago

  • by Ben

Life of/ is an annual visual prototyping challenge. This year, we present “The Life of Jesse”, a collection of visual stories based on randomly selected “defining moments” in the life …    More
Illustration of a sleeping girl with dark hair and brown skin. An animated cloud pattern moves across her sleeveless top and shorts.

Elizabeth Gu’s Misbelief: Aquarium

  • 10 months, 11 days ago

  • by Ben

See ‘Aquarium’ here Aquarium is a series of 3 animations with ordinary mundane occurrences that reimagine the outlines of people’s clothing as a window to unexpected otherworldly environments. It is based …    More
Illustration of a brown skinned, dark haired woman with her eyes closed as warm light shines on her, the title across the top reads, "AQUARIUM."

What misbeliefs do you carry with you?

  • 10 months, 17 days ago

  • by Ben

Misssbelief is a series of short narratives illustrating the surreal world of childhood through the lens of misbeliefs held by the narrator that informed their worldview as a child. Watch the …    More

MFA Visual Narrative Info Session – November 8, 2019

  • 10 months, 22 days ago

  • by Ben

Register for a spot here Hello Storytellers! In the MFA Visual Narrative program, creative writing and image-making are considered a single language—visual storytelling. Only when we have mastered this language, …    More
A black and white photo of a woman with curly dark hair, in glasses and a hoodie, eating and taking a selfie.

WATCH: One-Minute Mood (short films)

  • 10 months, 29 days ago

  • by Ben

One-Minute Mood (short films) Black, White and One Color | Taught by Nathan Fox and Anna Eveslage with work by the Class of 2021. In this project, students were challenged …    More
Ink illustration of the front of a house with a porch, black railing, and bushes and foliage in front.

Andrew Taylor’s “With Mary Gone”

  • 1 year, 1 month ago

  • by Ben

“With Mary Gone” is a true story about my family’s struggle to feel at home while dealing with the ever-present threat of a violent and unpredictable neighbor. Andrew is a …    More
Black and white photograph of a person opening their mouth wide, pulling their necklace, wearing a baseball cap.

Rich Tu of MTV talks to us about his story

  • 1 year, 9 months ago

  • by Ben

MFA Visual Narrative and SVA Library present a talk by MTV’s Vice President of Design Rich Tu (MFA 2009 Illustration as Visual Essay), who discussed his work, process and the …    More
Black and white photograph of two figures kissing, silhouetted by the light from the window behind them.

WATCH: One Minute Mood | A student story challenge

  • 1 year, 10 months ago

  • by Ben

In this project, students were challenged to employ filmic devices learned in an intensive week-long video visual storytelling workshop to create a piece that communicates a specific tone or mood …    More
Photograph of an in progress drawing of a city.

Interview with Ana Lozada, creator of ‘Failed State’

  • 1 year, 10 months ago

  • by Ben

Ana Lozada (MFA Visual Narrative, Class of 2019) is a Venezuelan illustrator, designer and visual storyteller originally based in Osaka. Due to her diverse international experience, her influences range from …    More

STORYTELLERS! INFO SESSION on 11/10… JOIN US

  • 1 year, 10 months ago

  • by Ben

REGISTER HERE Join Nathan Fox, Chair of MFA Visual Narrative and learn about the MFAVN curriculum and our philosophy and approach to visual storytelling, and meet faculty, alumni and current …    More
Photo from above of a figure drawing text on paper.

The Class of 2018, Masters of Fine Arts!

  • 2 years, 2 days ago

  • by Ben

We bid farewell to the Class of 2018, a group of talented and hard-working storytellers. We look forward to all the tales you’ll tell, the lives you’ll improve, and the …    More
Several figures all working in a studio.

Journey to ‘And Then…’ 2018

  • 2 years, 1 month ago

  • by Ben

It’s been one hell of a trip, but the annual thesis show for MFA Visual Narrative’s Class of 2018 is here! Let’s check out some moments that really capture the …    More
Sketchy illustrations of two figures with light brown skin and dark hair.

Monster Sibling Rivalry by Anjelika Vayas

  • 2 years, 1 month ago

  • by Ben

Monster Sibling Rivalry by Anjelika Vayas is an epic tale that has to be read to be believed. The Digital Short Story premiered at DSS 2018. Monster Sibling Rivalry: The …    More

Beloved Beatrice by Freya von Mizener

  • 2 years, 1 month ago

  • by Ben

Beloved Beatrice by Freya von Mizener is a Digital Short Story worth playing! The narrative game is a fascinating, creepy, sad experience. The story: To Beatrice, there’s no sign of …    More
Face of a Black figure with short hair in front of a collage of computers.

Abigael Puritz’s ‘Anastrophe’

  • 2 years, 1 month ago

  • by Ben

Abigael Puritz’s ‘Anastrophe’ Following a Digital Dark Age, where most of the data on the internet was lost, the society of 2063 has moved on to a world populated by …    More
Different colored scribble drawing.

WATCH: Ethan Gould’s PERICARDIA promo

  • 2 years, 2 months ago

  • by Ben

PERICARDIA is Ethan Gould’s thesis story. This video gives you a peek at what you’re in for. Be prepared! Ethan is asking the questions “What if a city never stops …    More

Alison Paul’s ‘Diagram for Disaster’

  • 2 years, 6 months ago

  • by Ben

NO|ON is an annual tradition around here. Students are asked to take an object (all of which are different objects but the same color) and tell a story about it. …    More

Watch the MFA Visual Narrative Info Session!

  • 2 years, 7 months ago

  • by Ben

We streamed our Info Session on Facebook Live. What a blast! If you missed it, no problem. Just watch the replay here. If you have any questions about our program, …    More

MFA Visual Narrative partners with Pop-Up Magazine!

  • 2 years, 9 months ago

  • by Ben

 Pop-Up Magazine will be in NYC 10/30 at Lincoln Center! The MFA Visual Narrative program is proud to partner with Pop-Up Magazine, the live storytelling event heralded by the New York Times as …    More

Building Interactive Worlds Across Media with Matthew Weise

  • 2 years, 10 months ago

  • by Ben

Interactivity has become a large part of the storyteller’s toolbox. Whether through immersive virtual worlds, video games, non-digital board games or participatory theater, storytellers need to know how the settings, …    More

Bruja, by Michelle Nahmad

  • 3 years, 27 days ago

  • by Ben

Michelle’s Artist Talk, July 18th, 6pm at 209 E. 23rd St Come to the closing reception on July 21st, same time and place! Bruja is the thesis story by Michelle …    More

Embracing the Mess by MFAVN’s Liz Enright

  • 3 years, 4 months ago

  • by Ben

Last Fall, if asked about how my thesis project was going, my mouth would have landed somewhere between a grimace and a smile. The thesis committee had given my pitch …    More

FIND YOUR STORY at MFAVN

  • 3 years, 9 months ago

  • by Ben

“The Universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” —Muriel Rukeyser “FIND YOUR STORY” is the mission of the MFA Visual Narrative program at the School of Visual Arts in …    More

Barbara Geoghegan presents ‘Rona’

  • 3 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

Rona is a selkie, a young woman who can turn into a seal. Lonely and isolated within her own selkie pod, Rona grows interested in a nearby island inhabited by …    More

Jon Bero presents ‘Yuki’

  • 3 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

There is beauty in the broken, but Yuki, a deer plagued by anxiety, isn’t able to see it. As a result of a misguided attempt by his closest companion Michi …    More

Alexandra Beguez presents ‘The Offering’

  • 3 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

The Offering is a cautionary tale about how relationships change over time, facing the consequences of your actions, and finding your place in the universe. Maite lives on Talus, the …    More

Presenting the Sweaty Palms comic anthology!

  • 3 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

We’re so proud to support Liz Enright, MFAVN student, on her latest publication, Sweaty Palms! She and her partner-in-comics Sage Cofey are gathering some of the brightest talent in comics in …    More

MFAVN 2016: Summer Memories: Mapping the Met

  • 4 years, 1 day ago

  • by Ben

One of the highlights of the summer was our Second Year students’ Mapping the Met project. What is Mapping the Met? It’s a wonderful new way of looking at the …    More

MFAVN Thesis Presentations, July 19th at 6pm

  • 4 years, 26 days ago

  • by Ben

Please join the MFA Visual Narrative program as our thesis students proudly present their eight cutting-edge multi-media storytelling thesis installations. The projects in the exhibition, “And Then”, reflect the uniquely …    More

Setting up the 2016 thesis show, ‘And Then…’

  • 4 years, 28 days ago

  • by Ben

2016’s And Then… show was an excellent example of immersive storytelling. Each graduating student has been charged with showing their story in a way that engages the audience. You’ll have …    More

Welcome to our new students! Profile of Shannon Oertle.

  • 4 years, 1 month ago

  • by Ben

Shannon Oertle is the latest new MFAVN student under the spotlight. Shannon’s work struck us as whimsical, with a wonderful sense of childhood. Her application’s imagery and storytelling give us …    More

2016 MFA Thesis Exhibit

  • 4 years, 1 month ago

  • by Ben

  RSVP for free tickets to the reception here Join us for the next showcase of our third year students. We’ll see work by Alexandra Beguez, Jon Bero, Anelisa Garfunkel, Barbara …    More
Jenny Goldstick Sketchnotes

Indiecade: Sketchnotes by Jenny Goldstick

  • 4 years, 3 months ago

  • by Ben

Jenny Goldstick, our sketchnote reporter-at-large, attended Indiecade, an event dedicated to celebrating independent games. She came back with amazing insights into gaming, comics and interactive storytelling. From Sequential to Interactive: Visual …    More

Pepo Pérez talks to us about story

  • 4 years, 5 months ago

  • by Ben

We were delighted to discuss story with cartoonist, illustrator and MFA Visual Narrative International Scholar Pepo Pérez. He spoke about his work and process and discussed the making of his …    More

MFAVN presents Visualized: Climate

  • 4 years, 5 months ago

  • by Ben

How can storytelling help us manage climate change? MFA Visual Narrative, in partnership with the 2014 Visualized conference, presented a panel discussion, led by Paul Miller, that focused on the …    More

The Visual Narrative Thesis Projects: Jenny Goldstick

  • 4 years, 5 months ago

  • by 1 Trick Pony

Jenny Goldstick has impressed students and faculty alike with her perspective on the world, and her ability to visualize that perspective with her work. From her fantastic Sketchbook Notes, to …    More
Anna Eveslage photographer storyteller

MFAVN talks to photographer (and alum) Anna Eveslage

  • 4 years, 6 months ago

  • by Ben

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Anna Eveslage to talk about photography, constructed visual narrative and her thesis project, Eating Alone. In the podcast we discuss one piece …    More

Five innovative storytellers to watch

  • 4 years, 6 months ago

  • by Ben

There’s enough storytelling talent out there to choke Galactus. Yes, that Galactus. Everywhere you look you see stories that can pull you in and keep you in. If you’re not careful …    More

Alison Paul and students mural up UConn

  • 4 years, 6 months ago

  • by 1 Trick Pony

Alison Paul, Class of 2015, was a fantastic student who happens to also be an excellent teacher! Here’s a video showing off one of her class projects at UConn. From …    More

Thanks for coming to our Riso PRINT SLAM show!

  • 4 years, 7 months ago

  • by Ben

We had a blast hanging out with you at the PRINT SLAM show! “It was really inspiring to see RisoLAB take shape over the past few months,” Nathan Fox, Chair …    More

The MFAVN One-Stop Shop!

  • 4 years, 7 months ago

  • by Ben

Looking for a last minute gift? Check out these comics, coloring books, novels and more — all created by our students and faculty! The Goddess Coloring Book: Traditional Images to …    More

Welcome Lisa Cron!

  • 4 years, 8 months ago

  • by Ben

We’re delighted to announce the newest member of the MFAVN family, Lisa Cron! Lisa has worked in publishing at W.W. Norton, as an agent at the Angela Rinaldi Literary Agency, …    More

Join Nathan Fox at our next Info Session

  • 4 years, 9 months ago

  • by Ben

Come one, come all! We’re running an Info Session for the 2016 registration period. Info Sessions are designed to give you a deep look at what MFAVN is all about. …    More

We have one second to get your attention.

  • 4 years, 10 months ago

  • by Ben

As storytellers, one of our ongoing tasks is to stay aware of what our audiences are up to. Apparently, a lot of us multitask between 2+ screens so it can …    More

Say hi to our faculty at SPX 2015!

  • 4 years, 10 months ago

  • by Ben

Our faculty is all over the place these days. Not in a scattered kind of way, but in a how-can-we-possibly-keep-up kind of way. Luckily, we can say with certainty that …    More

High Fidelity virtual reality is coming

  • 4 years, 10 months ago

  • by 1 Trick Pony

Right now you and I are sitting in three dimensional space, moving through the fourth dimension and interacting in…what? The digital dimension? Yes, don’t worry, this is going somewhere. The …    More
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann-Gorden

Our inaugural class! Looking back (Part 1)

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by 1 Trick Pony

We’ll be doing some reflection in the coming weeks as our inaugural class, the class of 2015, finish their theses. I’m a sentimental guy, so I spent an hour browsing through …    More

NEW CLASSES ALERT! Workin’ on the Riso.

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

We have some exciting plans in store this Fall and they have a lot to do with RISO! Two, two-color Risograph (Riso) Duplicators to be exact! What’s a Risograph? Can you eat …    More

Tell stories together

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

One of the lessons we live by every day at MFAVN is often overlooked by many…“Work on your stories with other people.”It’s risky. It can be painful. It can also …    More

NO|ON 2014: Walter Tyler’s “Jonas and the White Bear”

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the annual …    More

NO|ON 2015: Thomas Slattery’s “Appendage”

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the annual …    More

NO|ON 2015: Ella Romero’s “Breach”

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the annual …    More
Jie Ren MFAVN

NO|ON 2015: Jie Ren’s “Cocoon Rebirth”

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the …    More

NO|ON 2015: Michelle Nahmad’s “Adrift”

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the annual …    More
Cady Juarez NO|ON

NO|ON 2015: Cady Juarez’s “Intervention”

  • 4 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the annual …    More

NO|ON 2015: Mary Georgescu’s “Undercurrents”

  • 5 years ago

  • by Ben

Mary GeorgescuWhat is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the …    More

NO|ON 2015: Liz Enright’s “The Lonely Beatrice Baum”

  • 5 years, 3 days ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the annual …    More
Featured Video Play Icon

NO|ON 2015: Christina Mattison Ebert’s “Ginseng”

  • 5 years, 5 days ago

  • by Ben

What is NO|ON? Short for “Narrative Object, Objective Narrative” it embodies the idea that every object contains its own narrative and every successful narrative strives for a unique objective. For the annual …    More
Benjamin Marra

MFAVN Podcast: Benjamin Marra

  • 5 years, 11 months ago

  • by Ben

“I’d like every panel of my comic books to change the story,” Benjamin Marra (Blades & Lazers) tells us. Reading Marra’s comics is like being swept down a water slide. …    More