Paier College (formerly Paier College of Art) is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

for-profit

art college An art school is an educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, including fine art – especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. Art schools can offer elementary, secondary, post-second ...

Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the List of cities by population in New England, fifth-most populous ...

. Previously located in

Hamden, Connecticut Hamden is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant". The population was 61,169 at the 2020 census. History The peaceful tribe of Quinnipiacs were the first residents of the ...

, Paier is the only independent art college in Connecticut.

History

In 1946, Paier was established by Edward T. and Adele K. Paier as the Paier School of Applied Arts in West Haven, Connecticut. Paier absorbed students from the Whitney School of Art when it closed, leading to the new title Paier School of Art. Paier moved to New Haven in 1954 and then finally to 6 Prospect Court in Hamden in 1960 and in 1963 expanded to its present location. In 1982, Paier was accredited as a 4-year degree-granting college. In 2019, the Paier College of Art named Joseph Bierbaum, former president of Stone Academy, as its new president to succeed former president Jonathan Paier. In March 2021, Paier announced a name change from Paier College of Art to Paier College and plans to move its campus to

, into facilities formerly used by the

University of Bridgeport The University of Bridgeport (UB) is a private university in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. In 2021, the university was purchased by Goodwin University; it retain its own n ...

, before the start of the fall 2021 semester.

Academics

Paier College of Art focuses on training students for technical and professional careers as artists. Paier offers five

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases. Background The Bachelor ...

(BFA) degree programs as well as four certificates and one

Associate degree An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation, and below a bachelor's degree. The fi ...

. The college also offers part-time and evening classes, continuing education, and electives in general education and liberal arts.

Accreditation

Paier College of Art is licensed by the Connecticut Board of Governors of Higher Education and is accredited by the

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States that provides national accreditation to private post-secondary educational institutions. It is recognized by the U ...

. It was also previously a member of the

International Council of Design Schools International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

.International Council of Design Schools , https://www.ico-d.org/members/index

Campus

Located in a suburban neighborhood, Paier's campus is composed of four buildings and maintains relationships with local student housing options in the surrounding community. Paier is situated just north of New Haven (pop. 124,000) and numerous cultural resources like Yale's Art Gallery, museums, libraries and theaters. Paier is within commuting distance to Hartford (38 miles), New York City (78 miles), and Boston (154 miles) by car, bus, or train.

Galleries and events

Paier has a student gallery and a faculty gallery. The campus hosts annual Winter and Spring Art Shows, sales as well as a Fall Paier Picnic.

Notable alumni

Paier College of Art has graduated successful artists including: * Romas Kukalis, Canadian-American artist * Vance A. Larson, painter *

Don Maitz Don Maitz (born June 10, 1953) is an American science fiction, fantasy, and commercial artist. He has twice won the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist, science fiction's highest honor for an artist. His peers in the Association of Science Fi ...

, science fiction/fantasy artist * Tim O’Brien, who has drawn covers for ''Time'' Magazine, ''GQ'' and ''Rolling Stone'' * Howard Porter of

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

and

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

Joseph Reboli Joseph Reboli (September 25, 1945 – June 4, 2004) was an American painter based in Stony Brook, New York, known primarily for his oil paintings of local landscapes and subjects from the Three Village area and the East End of Long Island. Bi ...

, painter *

Ruth Sanderson Ruth Sanderson (born 1951) is an American illustrator and writer of children's books. Biography Sanderson graduated from the Paier College of Art in Connecticut in 1974.Stevens (2001), 107. She is a member of the Society of Illustrators, the S ...

, book cover illustrator *

Walter Wick Walter Wick (born February 23, 1953) is an American artist and photographer best known for the elaborate images in two series of picture book activities for young children, ''I Spy'' (1992 to 1999) and ''Can You See What I See?'' (2002 to 2013), ...

, co-creator of the ''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'' series *

George Wildman George Wildman (July 31, 1927 – May 22, 2016) was an American cartoonist most noted for his work in the comic books industry. From 1971 until 1985 he was a top editor at Charlton Comics, where he also became the long-time regular artist on ...

, cartoonist

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paier College Of Art Buildings and structures in Hamden, Connecticut Private universities and colleges in Connecticut Art schools in Connecticut Design schools in the United States Educational institutions established in 1946 Universities and colleges in New Haven County, Connecticut 1946 establishments in Connecticut