DIY MFA

‘DIY MFA’ stands for 'Do It Yourself Masters Degree in Fine Art.’

For me, DIY MFA has been a process of rehabilitation and of transformation. I initiated my DIY MFA following the news of my Dad’s terminal cancer diagnosis in 2020. I did this because I knew I was going to need a creative structure to support me through the experience. 

I took inspiration from the general structure of a university MFA course, bringing in mentors and creating a flexible programme structure and outcome objectives for graduation.

I set a curriculum and modules to complete including: 

• Development of studio practice

• Research

• An arts council application (successful or unsuccessful) 

• Collaboration

• An exhibition

• An essay project 

• An online document of the exhibition and essay.

  ✔ The exhibition for my DIY MFA was ‘What Does Life After Death Look Like?’

  ✔ The essay for my DIY MFA is entitled, ‘Once Upon A Time There Was An Exhibition.’

  ✔ The online document is this Life After Death Catalogue.

There were a number of reasons why I felt I was not in a position to take on an MFA at a university. I needed the freedom to work in a way that suited me and my circumstances, which included lockdown, finances, grief, mental health and neurodivergence.

I do not feel that a Masters Degree in Fine Art necessarily makes a person a 'master' of anything - it is an institutional title.

I have said that I will graduate my DIY MFA when I have published this catalogue, however, I still need time. I may decide to change the name of this process going forward.

I'd like to write more about this, but in the meantime, you can see below some things that I drew during my DIY MFA process.