Rina Goldfield

Rina Goldfield serves as a Continuing Education Instructor at Cooper Union, formally known as The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. She teaches art across all age groups—from children to adults—within the institution founded by Peter Cooper in 1859 on the principle that education drives both personal prosperity and civic virtue. Her role embodies Cooper Union's mission to extend educational access beyond traditional degree programs.

Goldfield holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Cooper Union and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Yale University. These credentials anchor her practice in rigorous artistic training while supporting her cross-generational teaching approach.

Her research centers on material exploration across painting, drawing, bookmaking, and low-tech printmaking. In her course Works on Paper: Indirect Drawing & Low Tech Printing, she guides students through processes where ordinary materials like Doritos, pinecones, and paper bags become artistic media—mirroring her own work where The Book Painting stuffed its hole... and ended up Giving Birth to Yourself Over and Over Again Through Your Head. This philosophy treats material investigation as both technical practice and conceptual framework, emphasizing how physical engagement with media fosters deeper cognitive and creative development.

Prospective students can explore her artistic narrative and portfolio at www.rinagoldfield.com, which features works examining transformation and perception such as the piece where Snakes, Worms, and Milk offered the fruit of knowledge before the bookworm could read the Erotic Calligraphy.