About the DepartmentDepartment of Art and Art History
Mission
The Department of Art and Art History values the universal human need for artistic expression and celebrates the contributions of artists in all cultures throughout history. We are committed to high quality teaching that develops the creative spirit, intellectual potential, and aesthetic sensibilities of every student. Through our teaching and advising, we prepare majors for professions in the visual arts. Our faculty, staff, and students collaborate to offer programs, activities and service projects that enrich the college campus and community at large. It is our belief that every person can contribute to the vitality of the arts in contemporary society and to the betterment of our shared communities.
Study in art history and the visual arts, in the context of the liberal tradition, is intended to help students become intellectually mature and to encourage creative development within a larger context.
The objective of the Art department is to educate students in the visual arts and to assist them in developing their perceptual and technical skills to handle problems of their craft. Studio Art majors are guided to develop a studio practice that is conceptually rigorous, inventive, and open to contemporary questions inside of and outside of the arts.
The Art History major involves students both in academic studies and in experiential involvement in art history. Students in the senior seminar have designed, presented and published original research,curated independent exhibits, commissioned original art works, and landed internships at prominent galleries and museums. After graduation, students have pursued careers in auction houses, galleries, museums, historical societies and colleges and universities.
Students in Art Education work closely with faculty from the Education department and the Art and Art History department. The curriculum engages the students in a rigorous studio program along with the teaching education program to prepare them for careers as both artists and teachers.
Majors in Art or Art History are encouraged to take advantage of international and domestic study programs, including programs in Ireland, Denmark, Italy and the United Kingdom that are ideal for Art or Art History majors. The department allows appropriate coursework from approved programs to apply toward the major.
See all available programs
Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We are collaborating community-wide to incorporate new strategies for student-centered classrooms and inclusive pedagogy. We acknowledge the power dynamics of the college structure and aim to facilitate courses with the professor as a guide rather than the sole expert in order to create class environments based on trust and collective foundations of knowledge that encourage creative expression and critical thinking.
Together with students and our colleagues around campus, we are generating intercultural understanding so that we may continue to address and dismantle discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity, gender, cognitive differences, physical differences, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic location, and other social identifiers.
One of our initiatives is reconciling with Native communities through conversation, curricular redesign and incorporation of Native artists, theorists, and histories into our courses. The Gustavus campus sits on the homelands of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, specifically Waȟpékhute and Waȟpéthuŋwaŋ land. We recognize Native people as the original and enduring stewards of this land.
Currently we are working on:
- Removing barriers to accessing materials, equipment, and space through a student tool-library, peer-mentorship, and redesigning non-compliant spaces.
- Creating accessible courses and assignments using universal design principles.
- Building trust among students and faculty members in order to encourage personal expression and generative criticism.
- Incorporating metrics of access and inclusivity into regular reflections on teaching and learning.
- Using written reflection, self-assessment, and one-on-one meetings to encourage a student's individual perspective when assessing their artwork and art historical writing.
- Programming collaborations for artist talks and exhibitions with a focus on generating opportunities for artists who have experienced more barriers to success.
- Equitably representing artists who have faced structural boundaries from art institutions in course presentations and discussions, and examining the systems and individuals who created and maintain the discriminatory boundaries who have excluded them from art institutions.
As we invite feedback and adjust to new information, we will continue to adapt and update our strategies for student-centered classrooms and inclusive pedagogy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do with a degree in art or art history?
Graduating with a major from the Gustavus Art and Art History Department prepares you to enter into creative practice in a variety of fields. Currently, our alumni are employed as art educators, museum curators, technicians in lab and research settings, leadership development consultants in the nonprofit sector, entrepreneurs, software developers, professional artists, professors in higher education, architects, graphic designers, interior designers and landscape designers.
As an art major, what will I study?
Are you interested in film and media studies? Do you love drawing with compressed charcoal? Do ancient ruins inspire you and you want to learn more about art from around the world? No matter what courses you choose to take, the Gustavus faculty will challenge you to think about art’s purpose and function in our social, cultural and economic context. The classes required by the major aim to help each student grow technically and conceptually. Foundation courses focus on skill development, as well as the exploration of ideas, form and materials. Upper level courses allow for more in depth study of a specific media. We offer courses in a wide range of media including digital photography, ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking, video and metal sculpture. You may also decide to add a minor such as Film, Media Studies or Arts Administration. Our major has a junior and a senior seminar that include professional development and aid in preparation for the Senior jury and exhibition at the Hillstrom Museum.
What makes being an art major at Gustavus unique?
Majoring in art at Gustavus offers you the opportunity to study the fine arts within a liberal arts context. Student diversity of majors feeds the knowledge base and perspectives of the class dynamic. The small class sizes and close knit community allow majors to seek feedback from all professors in the department. In the words of a current studio art major, Mia Cannon, "Choosing to major in art allows you an interactive learning environment. The professor guides you, but you have agency over your studio practice." Another unique feature of Gustavus is that seniors have 24 hour access to their own senior studio spaces.
Can I double major?
Yes, in fact it is very common to double major. Students at Gustavus are highly encouraged to pursue any field(s) that may interest them, from Classics to Biology to the Studio Arts, and therefore double majoring in various related or unrelated fields is possible.
What types of media are accessible to me at Gustavus?
Courses are offered in Drawing, Ceramics, Painting, Analog and Digital Photography, Video, Graphic Design, Web Design, Metal Sculpture, and Printmaking. Upper level courses often encourage cross-pollination and exploration of media. For example, students in Advanced Printmaking create installations that interweave print and sculpture. Read more about the curriculum by exploring the catalog here.
Are there opportunities to exhibit our artwork?
At Gustavus, the exhibition of artist works is highly valued. Not only does the college regularly display the works of professional artists in its galleries, but there are also opportunities for students to display their work as well. Every spring, the Sophomore Art Majors and Minors have a co-exhibition, followed by the Junior Art Majors Exhibition in the Schaefer Gallery. The Senior Art Exhibition takes place each year at the Hillstrom Museum of Art.
What opportunities does Gustavus offer outside of the classroom that would make me a better artist?
Being immersed in a liberal arts context offers the opportunity for our artists to gain knowledge and ask questions in a larger community of scholars and learners. The relationships built within the campus enhance the consideration you, as an artist, bring into the studio. As a student here, you will be encouraged to explore the core principles of our school including social justice issues. We also offer the opportunities to have off-campus experiences through internships.