Rinehart School of Sculpture

The Rinehart School of Sculpture is the MFA granting sculpture program of the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was ranked in 2016 as the #3 MFA degree program in the country for sculpture by U.S. News & World Report.

When the American sculptor William Henry Rinehart died in 1874, he left most of his estate in trust for the purpose of "aiding in the promotion of a more highly cultivated taste for art among the people of my native State, and of assisting young men in the study of the art of sculpture who desire to make it a profession. " Originally administered by the Peabody Institute, the Rinehart School of Sculpture opened in 1896 under MICA's leadership. In his name MICA established the Rinehart School of Sculpture and a Rinehart fellowship.

Notable alumni include Hans Schuler (1899), Elizabeth Turk (1994), Doug Hall (1969), and Mary Miss (1968). Notable faculty include Raymond Puccinelli (Dean, and sculpture instructor starting in 1958).

Past Directors of Rinehart have included J. Maxwell Miller (1923–1933), Hans Schuler (1925–1951), Tylden Streett (Acting Director 1960-1961), Norman Carlberg (1961-1998), Maren Hassinger (1998–2018). Jann Rosen-Queralt. (2018-2021).

Dolores Zinny was appointed Rinehart School of Sculpture MFA in August 2021.

Rinehart is built on a small cohort; students are given direct one-on-one access to faculty and internationally renowned guests. The oldest program of its kind in the country, Rinehart expands and reinvents the tradition of sculptural practice.

Rinehart's spacious, individually assigned studios are one of the most vital aspects of the program, which opens onto a common work area with a comprehensive fabrication shop.

Core to the program is the seminar room where peers interact, exchange ideas, and receive Guest Lecturers for critical readings and writing workshops, balancing intensive studio practice with a rigorous focus on history and critical theory.The Rinehart Seminar consists of weekly lectures and discussions led by Program Director Dolores Zinny and renowned visiting artists, curators & professionals from other disciplines, such as journalists, architects, and scientists. Recent visiting artists include Tony Cokes, Chakaia Brooker, Alexandra Grant, Coco Fusco, Matt Mullican.

These outstanding professionals give public talks, engage in give-and-take class meetings and seminars, and have one-on-one consultations with students. This time provides students with a solid theoretical framework for positioning themselves and their artistic practice within current local and international dynamics.

Each semester is focused on an exhibition and its evaluation; upon completing the MFA program, the students will have a four-exhibition portfolio.