Why Study Art?
In this time of radically new concepts and emergence of new media, emphasis is placed on a wide variety of creative experiences. The artist, designer, and scholar with professional concerns should be prepared to meet the modern world with both technical skills and the capacity for innovation. PLU’s visual arts programs stress individualized development in the use of concepts and skills.
Concentrations
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts Education (BAE)
As a PLU student, you have the opportunity to chart your own paths through a wide range of artistic styles and media. From traditional techniques that are thousands of years old, to generating digital works that look to the future of art and design. Art history, theory, and criticism courses engage you in the analysis of creative works from the prehistoric to contemporary trends in the field. Class sizes are intentionally limited giving you opportunities for individualized attention and focused concentration.
The art faculty comes from a variety of backgrounds with a wide range of experiences and skills. They believe that creativity and freedom of expression are central to the welfare of an enlightened global society.
Career Opportunities
What you do after PLU is important to us. PLU is proud to have alumni who are self employed as studio artists, freelance photographers, graphic designers, consultants, and gallery directors. Others are teachers and administrators in public or private schools, art museums, vocational programs, and government art and recreation departments.
PLU graduates are also employed in business and industry as graphic and product designers, technicians, art directors, and editors.
The PLU program will also prepare you for graduate study in fine or applied art, conservation, art publishing, museum studies, art history and criticism.
Overview
The various fields of art are competitive and demanding in terms of commitment and effort. Nonetheless, there is always a place for those who are extremely skillful and highly imaginative. The department’s program stresses both, attempting to help each student reach that ideal. Instructional resources, when coupled with dedicated and energetic students, have resulted in an unusually high percentage of graduates being able to satisfy their vocational objectives.
What We Offer
Students may choose among a generalized program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree; a more specialized program for the Bachelor of Fine Arts, in which each candidate develops a specialized area of competence; or a Bachelor of Arts in Education program that builds skills for future teaching opportunities and possible credentials at various levels.
Requirements
We have sought to minimize prerequisites, enabling students to elect courses relating to their interests as early as possible, but majors are urged to follow course sequences closely. It is recommended that students interested in majoring in art declare their major early to insure proper advising. The status of a transfer student shall be determined at their time of entrance.
Degrees in Art
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a degree designed to prepare students for a career in art or for admission to graduate school. Students may choose to specialize in one of three emphasis areas:
- Two Dimensional Media, including drawing, painting, photography, electronic imaging and printmaking.
- Three Dimensional Media, including sculpture and ceramics.
- Graphic Design, focusing on commercial and institutional art applications. Internships are an integral part of the design emphasis.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) is a liberal arts degree with an emphasis in studio art and art history. Candidates for this degree are registered in the College of Arts and Sciences and must satisfy the foreign language requirement.
The Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAE) with Art Certification leads to an initial Washington state teaching credential. Candidates are registered in the School of Education.
Minors in Studio Art, Art History and Publishing & Printing Arts are available.
Exhibition Programs
The Department of Art maintains two galleries in support of its programs. You may be one of the qualified students selected to work as gallery assistants.
The University Gallery presents a stimulating exhibition calendar featuring work in all media by professional contemporary artists of regional, national and international stature. The Wekell Gallery displays student work throughout the academic year. Additional student work is informally displayed throughout Ingram Hall, the home of the Department of Art.
As a graduating senior, your work will be showcased in both the University and Wekell Galleries.
Course Requirements
For a list of course offerings check-out the catalog »
Faculty
Jp Avila, Assistant Professor and Co-Chair
M.F.A., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Graphic Design
Spencer Ebbinga, Assistant Professor and Co-Chair
M.F.A., Arizona State University
Sculpture, Ceramics
Bea Geller, Associate Professor
M.F.A., Rochester Institute of Technology
Black and White Photography, Electronic Imaging
John S. Hallam, Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Washington
History of Art
Heather Mathews, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Texas - Austin
Modern and Contemporary Art History and Criticism
Kathryn Sparks, Curator of Visual Resources/Lecturer
M.A., Western Washington University
Michael Stasinos, Assistant Professor
M.F.A., New York Academy of Art
Drawing, Painting
The following artists-in-residence and lecturers are members of the Department of Art:
Craig Cornwall, Printmaking
Steven Sobeck, Ceramics
Susan Watts, Art Education
Come Visit
As a prospective student we invite you and your family to visit the galleries, classrooms and studios at any time. Appointments to visit specific classes or faculty members can be made by calling 253-535-7573.
For more information about the art program, faculty, events and PLU galleries visit www.plu.edu/~artd
