Art Department
Art Department Overview
The Department of Art serves a valued role both in the cultural growth of the university community and in a student’s preparation in the visual arts as an undergraduate major. Three types of students are encouraged to counsel with the art faculty: those who seek to pursue a visual studies program as a central integrating element in their liberal arts education; those who wish to pursue a studio arts program in preparation for graduate or professional studies; and/or those who wish to pursue a major in art education leading to certification.
In addition to a full set of course offerings in studio arts and art history, the Department of Art also manages gallery programs. Together, the Eugene and Leona Olson Gallery and the Eugene Johnson Gallery of Art offer exhibitions in a wide range of media by ethnically diverse female and male artists of regional, national, and global reputations. The Visiting Artist Lecture Series is a rich component of the gallery programs, allowing students to interact with artists from the art community at large through formal lectures and informal dialogues.
Student exhibitions are also an integral part of the gallery programs. These function in tandem with sophomore, junior, and senior year reviews. The culminating experiences are the Senior Thesis Exhibitions and the juried Raspberry Monday Exhibition. Through these exhibitions, students and their works enter into a crucial involvement in the wider visual/verbal dialogue stimulated within the community by the gallery programs.