MassArt Made sells the work of students selected by faculty. Some of the profits are used for scholarships.
MassArt students’ work is selling point
MassArt Made sells the work of students selected by faculty. Some of the profits are used for scholarships.
Selling student artwork at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a tradition. The school holds an annual art auction in December, and it also holds a spring sale. But a retail store never seemed to stick, until now. Earlier this year, MassArt Made opened in the school’s new Kennedy building, and offers art lovers a year-round opportunity to purchase student work. It is Massachusetts’ first college-affiliated retail boutique.
The store currently sells pieces produced by about 50 students, and Ginger Russell, the creative director and manager of the store, says she hopes that number will eventually reach 100 students. Currently, the store sells artwork ranging in price from $60 (for a small, stitched collage) to $13,000 (for a highly detailed, 5-by-6 foot painting). All the items stocked in the store are handpicked by a jury of an alum, non-teaching staff, and other non-staff college affiliates.
“The school has a great small metals department, so there’s a lot of jewelry,’’ Russell says.
Jewelry in the store ranges from $24 necklaces to a $3,000 gold ring. There are handbags and clothes from the fashion department, including a coat that was not only designed by a student, but used fabric also woven by the student. There are T-shirts, greeting cards, and photos as well.
The items are held on consignment by MassArt Made, with students receiving 50 percent of the sale. Another 10 percent, and all profits, are donated to scholarships for MassArt students. To show off its successful alumni, MassArt Made features commercial products ranging from blenders to flash drives. There are DVDs featuring the work of MassArt alum and Academy Award-winning set decorator Nancy Haigh (“Forest Gump,’’ “Dreamgirls,’’ “O Brother, Where Art Thou’’), plus mementoes featuring the work of the school’s most famous alum, photographer William Wegman.
“We love showing off our success stories,’’ says Russell.
MassArt Made is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. The store is located at 625 Huntington Ave., Boston, www.massartmade.com.
Christopher Muther can be reached at muther@globe.com.
Correction: Due to a reporting error, the jurors for the MassArt store were misidentified in an earlier version of this story. Items for the store are chosen by non-teaching staff. 
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
