Department of Fine Arts

Faculty and Fields of Interest

Kurt Wisneski (Chairperson) printmaking

Richard J Creighton sculpture

Alma Davenport photography, printmaking

Anthony Fisher painting

Eric Lintala sculpture

Bryan McFarlane painting

Anthony J Miraglia painting

Elena Peteva painting, drawing

Suzanne Schireson painting, drawing

Marc St Pierre printmaking, photography

Stacy Latt Savage sculpture

Adjunct Faculty

Pamela Hoss drawing

Andrew Nixon drawing, painting

Ellen Watson drawing, sculpture

The mission of the Department of Fine Arts is to enable majors and elective students develop the skills to create a portfolio of paintings, drawings, prints and/or 3-dimensional work. The faculty, themselves working artists, provide a studio-based educational experience that fosters a Renaissance approach to skill based solutions and subjective creativity.

Fine Arts goals are:

to prepare students to become professionals in drawing, painting, printmaking or sculpture
to enable students to gain a thorough understanding, appreciation of, and competence in drawing from life through a rigorous four-year drawing requirement
to encourage students to pursue their personal directions in art by grounding them in the fundamentals of their field
to provide students who wish to pursue graduate education with qualifications for entry and values which will contribute to their success

The faculty recognize the highly competitive nature of the field students will be entering. In addition to providing students with skills to become successful practitioners, the programs seek to instill respect for life-long learning, understanding of the importance of sustained work, and the ability to think critically and solve problems creatively. Fine Arts’ programs provide an educational experience that empowers students to become artists who are committed to their professions, whether exhibiting artwork, teaching, or employment in many related fields. We support our graduates’ contributions to human culture with confidence and dedication.

Specific Requirements for All Majors

All fine arts majors are required to satisfy a 124 credit requirement for a BFA degree. At least 51 credits are required in sophomore, junior, and senior studios. Supporting studios for Painting/2D studies majors are one 200-level sculpture course and one 200-level printmaking course. Sculpture/3D studies majors are required to take one 200-level painting course and one 200-level printmaking course. Painting/2D studies majors who chose printmaking are required to take one 200-level painting course and one 200-level sculpture course. Painting/2D studies majors who chose drawing are required to take one 200-level painting course, one 200-level printmaking course, and one 200-level sculpture course. Figure drawing from the model is required for seven semesters.

All fine arts majors are required to take one ARH 300-level Art History elective course as well as ARH 125, ARH 150, and ARH 200 (pre-requisites). Students may elect to minor in art history. Students are also required to submit their work to faculty for sophomore, junior, and senior reviews. A faculty committee assesses each art major’s progress towards fulfilling appropriate objectives. Seniors participate in a BFA Exhibition and complete a engagement experience that contextualizes their artwork and educational experience.

Studio Electives
Elective credits in studio may be fulfilled by taking studio-based courses in Art Education, Artisanry, Fine Arts, and Visual Design.

Free elective
Any university course satisfies this requirement. Additionally, transfer credits may be applied to fulfill free electives.

Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation fine arts majors will be able to:

express themselves competently in the field of their majors and in drawing
use their skill and technique to solve visual problems creatively and to express their ideas proficiently in written and oral form
depict 2D or 3D forms so that they convey the content intended for the viewer
discern the major achievements in art history, be aware of contemporary art issues, and be able to assess the quality of an art work’s form and content.

Minors

The Department of FIne Arts offers five 18-credit minors. For more information about each, use these links for specific information:

Additional Programs

The Fine Arts Department offers a 36 credit certificate program for individuals who want to expound upon their artistic skills. This program is targeted towards obtaining a media specific certificate in the field of art, that of painting, drawing, printmaking, or sculpture.