Why Art?

Students who study art gain the following marketable proficiencies:

Visual Literacy

Foundational studio art courses, such as Intro to Studio Art, Intro to Lens-Based Art, and Drawing and Composition, build students’ capacity to interpret, analyze, and understand the visual language, organization, and communication of ideas.

Creative Problem Solving

Self-determined projects and team building give students experience with brainstorming, evaluating, and testing unconventional solutions to artistic or creative problems.

Technical Skills

A broad range of two-dimensional, three-dimensional, new media, and time-based studio courses provide students with hands-on experience developing technical skills. Advanced studio courses allow students to delve deeper into a medium of interest.

Conceptual Thinking

Individual and group critiques hone students’ skills to express ideas, understand complex concepts, and apply abstract or theoretical perspectives to their visual research.

Experimental Mindset

Studio projects are designed to encourage risk-taking and adaptability. Students gain comfort learning from mistakes and exploring new techniques.

Interdisciplinary Practice

Open class assignments allow students the opportunity to approach topics from other areas of study in a hands-on format that reinforces interdisciplinarity.

Community Building

Studio art courses are intimate and designed to facilitate collaboration. The senior art major experience provides a full year of directed study and rigorous studio work in support of the culminating senior thesis and exhibition. Students learn to support each other and promote empathy through the experience of shared studios, visiting artist programs, and the annual trip to New York City. Courses like Social Practice and a Design Practicum teach students how to work collaboratively.