The Center for Advanced Mentored Studies

A vital link in the education of emerging artists.

The Center students gain access to master faculty—top contemporary artists and educators—over a three-year period, providing rigorous inquiry and steady direction for their individual practice. Students gain the critical levels of knowledge and mentorship necessary to take the next, important steps of becoming serious contributors in their chosen fields.

Anderson Ranch offers The Center programs in the fields of Photography, Painting and Drawing, Sculpture, Digital Fabrication and Ceramics.

The programs, which include studio work, critical dialog and critique, offer artists the opportunity to expand the scope of their current practice as well as their ability to develop a critical eye regarding their work. In addition to weeklong or two-week workshops each year, participants engage in mid-year portfolio reviews as well as quarterly meetings with faculty to discuss their ongoing work and progress. At mid-year, the faculty conduct an online critique with the entire group.

Programs within The Center are generously underwritten by Becky and Mike Murray and Pam Joseph. 

The Center Workshops

  • IV

    Level IV

    Students have advanced skills and knowledge of the ceramics field. Students are highly motivated, have a minimum of five years experience in the field and have a portfolio of their artwork. Typical students are academics and professional artists.

Aug 14 - 25, 2023

The Center: The Mold and Matrix: Ceramic Process and Narrative Form

Ebitenyefa Baralaye, Del Harrow

Tuition $2,250
Code C1114-23

This three-year mentorship program is intended for ceramic artists interested in critical feedback as well as being immersed in a creative community who are at a point of transition in their lives, careers, or artistic practices. Emphasis is placed on seeking connections, metaphors, and symmetries between processes for forming clay and developing ways of generating meaning. The objects we make tell stories and propose worlds. A coil or mold are both techniques for forming clay and also propositions about the meaningful interface of material, body, mind, economy, and culture. We focus on ways stories emerge from physical objects and how narratives give structure to physical form. We welcome participants from many different backgrounds and experiences, centering on work in clay but with the potential for different outcomes: work in other materials, writing, sculpture or design.  This is the first year of a 3-year program; please note that the cost of tuition, studio fee, and the registration fee is per year. If you have an interest in joining this program, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Click here to apply.   Please contact Andrea Jenkins Wallace for more information. awallace@andersonranch.org

Learn More

  • IV

    Level IV

    Photography students have advanced skills and knowledge of photography and digital image processing. New Media students have advanced skills and knowledge of video, multimedia, coding or animation. Students are self­-motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.

Aug 21 - 25, 2023
9AM-5PM

The Center: Visual Storytelling and Documentary Photography Projects

Ed Kashi, James Estrin

Tuition $1,850
Code P1222-23

This three-year mentorship program is intended for documentary photographers and photojournalists interested in new ways to tell stories with greater authorship and control as well those who are at a point of transition in their lives, careers, or journalistic  practices.  This program focuses on how to create a long-term personal documentary project and get it seen. The ultimate goal is to find a subject that speaks to a personal passion, document it in a distinctive style, then disseminate the work. Participants become more effective storytellers by engaging in new technologies like digital video. virtual reality and social media; as well as traditional mediums like the written word and physical prints. Workshop content includes guest lecturers who represent a wide variety of professional aspects in photojournalism including ethics, book publishing, freelancing, and working for print and web publications as well as NGOs. This is the first year of a 3-year program. Future workshops will be held on August 19-23, 2024 and August 18-22, 2025. Please note that the cost of tuition, studio fee, and registration fee is per year. If you have an interest in joining this program, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until March 1, 2023. Click here to apply. Please contact Andrea Jenkins Wallace for more information. awallace@andersonranch.org

Learn More

  • IV

    Level IV

    Students have advanced skill and knowledge of painting and drawing. Students are highly motivated and self­-directed, have a minimum of five years experience in their field and have multiple portfolios of their artwork. Portfolio review is required for admittance to some Level IV classes.

Aug 21 - 25, 2023
9AM-5PM

The Center: Topics in Painting: Studio Practice and Critique

Shahzia Sikander, Holly Hughes

Tuition $1,700
Code D1224-23

This three-year advanced mentorship program encourages each student to push their studio practice. Working at a rigorous pace, engaging in critical dialog with the group and with the instructors in individual critique, artists refine and expand their investigations. Wide-ranging topics include concept and approach to contemporary art practice as well as technical and material explorations. Students are expected to work independently with the support of their class peers and instructors, raising the ambition of their own studio goals. Although primarily a painting workshop, participation by installation artists and other artists working across media is encouraged. The goal of the series is for students to gain community, develop insight into their work and, through discussion, challenge themselves to reflect on their artistic intentions. This is the second year of a 3-year program. Please note that the cost of tuition, studio fee, and registration fee is per year. If you have an interest in joining this program, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until March 1, 2023. Click here to apply. For more information please contact Liz Ferrill at lferrill@andersonranch.org

Learn More

  • IV

    Level IV

    Photography students have advanced skills and knowledge of photography and digital image processing. New Media students have advanced skills and knowledge of video, multimedia, coding or animation. Students are self­-motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.

Aug 28 - Sep 1, 2023
9AM-5PM

The Center: Visual Storytelling and Documentary Photography Projects

Ed Kashi, James Estrin

Tuition $1,850
Code P1323-23

This three-year mentorship program is intended for documentary photographers and photojournalists interested in new ways to tell stories with greater authorship and control as well those who are at a point of transition in their lives, careers, or journalistic  practices.  This program focuses on how to create a long-term personal documentary project and get it seen. The ultimate goal is to find a subject that speaks to a personal passion, document it in a distinctive style, then disseminate the work. Participants become more effective storytellers by engaging in new technologies like digital video. virtual reality and social media; as well as traditional mediums like the written word and physical prints. Workshop content includes guest lecturers who represent a wide variety of professional aspects in photojournalism including ethics, book publishing, freelancing, and working for print and web publications as well as NGOs. This is the first year of a 3-year program. Future workshops will be held on August 26-30, 2024 and August 25-29, 2025. Please note that the cost of tuition, studio fee, and registration fee is per year. If you have an interest in joining this program, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until March 1, 2023. Click here to apply. Please contact Andrea Jenkins Wallace for more information. awallace@andersonranch.org

Learn More

Participants

Program Participants

View Current & Past Participants

“The program was essential to completing my long-term documentary project. It can be difficult to find the time for a passion project when you’re working on your own, especially when your work is emotionally challenging, and having my classmates ready to talk through the difficulties I faced helped me in more ways than I can count. I so value the people I met and the work I was able to produce through this program and know that it will continue to impact my work and career.”

-Lauren Justice, Graduate of The Center

In the News

Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Tell us what you're interested in!