The Department of Art is committed to cutting-edge professional art training within the context of a liberal arts university. Headed by a faculty of internationally recognized artists and theoreticians and supported by numerous visiting lecturers, the department provides a strong grounding in the principal art traditions and in the visual language of contemporary studio practice. The department provides students with a broad exposure to the arts and encourages new fields of investigation.
Students work in more than one medium and explore mixed media possibilities as well.
Typically, students drawn to this department are interested in developing and refining their approach to the making and doing of art. The intent of the program is to provide the framework, both through coursework and independent study, to assist each student in the development of his or her own body of work. All majors are required to take foundation courses in the areas listed above, followed by more advanced courses selected from among these areas. Typically, studio courses limit enrollment to approximately 17 students in order to provide ample interaction between students and faculty. The program also stresses the integration of studio work with an inquiry into historical and scholarly aspects of the visual arts.