Jenya Frid
1170 Ocean Parkwav I I B
Brooklvn. NY 11230
718.377.4549
Dean H. Randolph Swearer
Parsons School of Design
66 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY I 00 I I
Dear Dean H. Randolph Swearer
I am writing to you to express my bewilderment at your recent decision to close the Parsons Printmaking Department. I was very surprised to hear that, because up until now I was very happy with the actions vou have taken to improve the school. However, this last decision seems so illogical. I am afraid it was made in ignorance of what the Printmaking Department actually is.
I do not want to be boastful, but at the time I chose Parsons as my undergraduate school four years ago, I had a lot of other possibilities to select from. I was graduating from LaGuardia High School of the Arts second in my class, with a 4.1 GPA. I received many scholarships and awards, including a Parsons Centennial Scholarship, based on my achievements in academic and art fields. I decided to attend Parsons instead of other schools because it promised to provide the most solid and diverse education.
While at Parsons, I have been on the Dean's list every semester. I chose to major in illustration because of this department's creative freedom and diversity. I have succeeded at everything I tried, whether it was learning to express conceptual ideas in my illustration, or learning the basics of graphic design and having a job in that field for the last 3 years, or studying art history and foreign languages. However, I must say that none of my classes have taught me as much as the printmaking classes I have had an opportunity to attend.
It is in those printmaking classes that I have really grown as an artist and designer. I have learned to create things I have never even conceived of before. I have had a chance to experience things firsthand, not through the barrier of the computer screen, which, no doubt, played a part in my current success. I have developed close relationships with printmaking teachers, not because they were easy on me, but because they were simultaneously critical and inspiring, very knowledgeable and also able to share their knowledge with the students in a coherent way. I learned to approach each project I undertake thoughtfully and logically, thinking out the steps I will need to take in order to complete it successfully. This was helpful to me not only in printmaking, but in every life situation as well. In printmaking, I was able to interact with students from every department, and make friends among people I would otherwise never meet. Making art alongside with communication designers, product designers, painters, photographers, I learned from them and they had an opportunity to learn from me. It makes me verv sad that the future generations of students will be denied this experience.
I agree with you that there are a lot of things in Parsons that need to be improved, and I am very excited about some changes that are already happening. For example, I am thoroughly enjoving my Senior Liberal Studies Seminar, Design and Rhetoric. The professor let us know that this class is part of your plan of improving the liberal studies curriculum. I am also very impressed with the new computer lab at 55 West 13'h Street. However, getting rid of printmaking will not improve the digital design department, which, to be honest, still needs more improvement. So far, I was not entirely happy with any of the digital classes I had to take every semester, even though I did reasonably well in all of them. While the subject matter appealed to me, I felt that a lot of the time the professors were not able to communicate the subject to the students. Absolutely the opposite is true of the Printmaking department. Every professor there is exceptional, and I am not aware of any students who are unhappy with their printmaking class choices.
I am happy to learn that you have a grand vision for this school As a graduating student I also have a vision, and my vision includes a new. improved and expanded printmaking department. Even now, Parsons has the best printshop facilities in the city,. which attracts not only beginner students. but also established artists. There are enough schools in NYC that provide a better digital environment than Parsons does. There are no schools that have an equally good printmaking department. Instead of getting rid of it to replace it with something new we should invest in this treasure we already have. With the right kind of advertising, this printshop could become the attraction to students from the whole country. I would be happy to discuss with you my vision for the Parsons Printmaking Department in an individual appointment.
I have been taking printmaking classes for the last three years, and also have an apprenticeship in the famous Kathv Caraccio Printing Studios. Some people would consider me a printmaking expert, but to me it is clear that I am just a beginner. As a future alumni, I was hoping to continue taking printmaking and other classes in Parsons. However, if the printshop does not exist, I not only will be unable to support Parsons, I will be ashamed of having studied there. I sincerely hope you will reconsider your decision.
Sincerelv,
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