Please note: RISD FigureWorks is no longer accepting registrations for 2008. Details for the 2009 program will be posted as soon as information is finalized. In the meantime, we are leaving the 2008 information on this page for reference. Please note that schedules and fees may change for the 2009 program.

RISD FigureWorks | June 8-28, 2008
The human figure is perhaps the greatest vehicle for expression available to the visual artist. A simple turn of the head, an open mouth, a clenched fist — things that in life come and go in an instant, yet in the still frame of a drawing, painting or piece of sculpture, generate a story line for each person viewing the image.

RISD FigureWorks is an intensive three-week exploration of the beauty and complexity of the human form, combining three traditionally distinct disciplines -- Drawing, Painting and Sculpture -- into one collective course of study. With an emphasis on anatomy and écorché, the FigureWorks approach is a cross-pollination of two- and three-dimensional information, providing the artist with a comprehensive overview of the figure and its representation in a visual language.

THE PROGRAM | CALENDAR | REQUIREMENTS | TUITION + FEES | TO REGISTER | FOR MORE INFORMATION | FACULTY BIOS

THE PROGRAM
The condensed yet substantial FigureWorks format is unique to RISD. During the first week, through a combination of drawing and modeling in clay, students focus on visualizing the major proportions and three-dimensional geometric volumes of the human body. This approach provides a strong foundation for painting and drawing classes in the second week. During the final week, students continue to paint while working on an écorché (an anatomical study that begins with a sculpture of a skeleton upon which the individual forms of the muscles are added). Throughout the program, students participate in studios, lectures, demonstrations, group and individual critiques and museum visits, all designed to explore and resolve a range of issues.

Each aspect of the program can be tailored to serve the needs of beginning as well as more advanced students.

FigureWorks Sample Schedule

REQUIREMENTS
All participants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Knowledge of the English language is essential and is required of all students. International students not enrolled in the RISD degree program must score at least 580 on the TOEFL written exam (or a minimum score of 237 on the computer-based TOEFL test, or at least a score of 93 on the TOEFL iBT internet-based exam).

TUITION + FEES
Most FigureWorks students elect to live on-campus, but locally-based students may choose to commute. For those living on-campus, room and board are included in the overall fee. Participants are provided a private bedroom in one of RISD’ s recently renovated residence houses, conveniently located near RISD’s main dining center, “The Met.” Tuition and fees for the program are:

Participants living on campus (tuition, housing and dining): $3,950

Commuting participants (tuition only): $2,950

A $250 nonrefundable deposit is due upon registration. If registering before April 11, you may submit a deposit and be billed for the balance. All accounts, however, must be paid in full before a student can attend any portion of the program. If registering on or after April 11, the entire program fee is due upon registration.

TO REGISTER
All participants must complete and submit the FigureWorks Registration Form. Be sure to complete the forms carefully (both pages!), as incomplete forms cannot be processed.

All non-US citizens who are not already enrolled in the RISD degree program must fill out a Student Visa Information Form (SVI) . In most cases, an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for an F-1 student visa is required for study at RISD. If the I-20 is required, the SVI form must accompany complete program registration and materials, deposits and a $150 administrative fee, all of which must be received by April 1, 2008 (earlier submission is strongly recommended). Soon after receipt of the SVI form, a Declaration of Finances Form will be sent to students. It must be returned with information certifying that the student has adequate funds for tuition, living expenses and transportation back to his or her home country.

Registration may be completed by mail, fax, or in person, as follows:

Registering by Mail
Mail completed forms and fees to:
FigureWorks Program
RISD/CE
Two College Street
Providence, RI 02903-2787 USA
Payments may be made by check, money order, VISA or MasterCard. Checks returned for insufficient funds incur a $25 fee.

Registering by Fax
Fax completed registrations to 401 454-6218. Payments must be made by VISA or MasterCard.

Registering In Person
Bring all forms to the RISD Continuing Education office, 20 Washington Place, Providence, during regular office business hours: Monday - Thursday, 8:30am to 8pm; Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm; some Saturdays (call to confirm), 8:30am to 12:30pm.

Late Registrations
Registrations received after April 11 must include tuition and fees in full. However, as long as spaces are available, students may continue to register through May 9.

Confirmation of Registration
A confirmation packet is sent to each student who registers by the May 9 deadline.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you still have questions after reading the appropriate form, call 401 454-6209 Monday-Thursday, 10am-5pm and Friday, 10am-3pm, or 401 454-6200 during regular business hours. You may also send us your questions on the Catalog Request Form. Be sure to include your phone number and/or email address and a program advisor will contact you.

FACULTY BIOS
While many RISD faculty members and guest professionals will be involved with the wide variety of lecture, field trip and discussion components of the FigureWorks Program, the following three faculty members will guide the studio process and the overall progress of individual participants:

Jeff Hesser
BA, Humanities, University of Chicago; MFA, Sculpture, University at Buffalo; MFA, Figurative Studies, New York Academy of Art. Hesser is an instructor at RISD and has also taught at various art museums. Awards include the Walter Hancock Prize at the National Sculpture Contest and the Tallix Foundry Prize at the National Sculpture Society Annual Exhibition.

Michael Peery
BFA, Fine Art, Utah State University; MFA, Painting, New York Academy of Fine Arts. Peery is a painter and has taught at the Lyme Academy, New York Academy and the Woodstock School of Art. He has won numerous awards and has had both solo and group exhibits of his work including at the Golden Street Gallery in New London, CT and The Fort Wayne Museum of Art.