Studio Art

Studio art engages the student in the discipline of visual thinking. The interested student and the aspiring artist study with practicing professionals to gain insight into the creative process and the complex paths to creating art in a contemporary context.

A wide range of courses are offered encompassing Drawing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Digital Imaging. Students also have the option to create tutorials which combine disciplines and investigate new areas. From the introductory to the advanced level, classes are "hands-on," emphasizing an experimental attitude towards materials, independent thought and the acquisition of technical skills.

An active program of events augments classroom activities and develops student awareness of contemporary arts practice. There are ongoing exhibits of student work in The Ramp and Fenwick Hall Galleries while the student-run arts organization GESSO sponsors numerous shows in the campus center. The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery provides a venue for traveling exhibits, contemporary, modern and historic art.

Studio classes demand commitment on the part of participating students to broaden their vision and draw connections between the classroom and the outside world. The studio arts encourage precise observation and invention, inspire discussion, stimulate flexible, innovative thinking and develop creative problem solving abilities.

Studio Art Requirements

Majors

Minimum 10 courses
(Maximum 14), including:

• Fundamentals of Drawing/3D Fundamentals
• One Drawing Course
• 2 Sequential Courses in one media:
  • Drawing
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Photograpy
  • Printmaking
  • Digital Imaging
• Two Art History Courses
• Studio Concentration Seminar

Minors

Minimum 6 Courses
(Maximum 14), including:

• Fundamentals of Drawing
• 3D Fundamentals
• One Art History course 
• 3 Electives in any of:
  • Drawing 
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Photography
  • Printmaking
  • Digital Imaging

Studio art majors and minors are required to participate in the Majors and Minors Review. 

During the senior year studio majors are required to take the Studio Concentration Seminar which focuses on the development of an individual body of work. Students are provided with a workspace in Millard Art Center. Studio Art Majors are required to take the fall semester (VAST 300) and are eligible for the spring semester (VAST 301). While both semesters are strongly recommended for the major, students will be admitted to the spring semester based on an evaluation of their work by studio art faculty. Only students taking the spring semester, Studio Concentration Seminar 2, will participate in the senior exhibition in Cantor Art Gallery.

Students with extensive previous experience may be allowed to bypass either Fundamentals of Drawing or 3D Fundamentals with a portfolio review by a studio faculty member. In such cases students may move directly into intermediate level courses.

The final authority on College and departmental policy, including faculty and course information, is the College Catalog. Please consult the Catalog for more information.