Art department moves forward: New Studio Art major
Posted by The Skyliner on January 28th, 2009Rachel Ham
Staff Writer
The academic departments at North Greenville are constantly improving and expanding to draw more students to the university. The Fine Arts department is the latest academic division to go through expansion, specifically the Visual Arts field.
Added this past August, a bachelor of arts degree in studio art is one of the newest majors at North Greenville. Ceramics, drawing, graphic art, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture are the areas of emphasis in the studio art core curriculum.
Before the bachelor’s degree in studio art was offered, a minor in visual art was the only option for students wishing to study art and art history.
Studio art majors will take a variety of classes including Drawing I and II, Design I and II, Art History I and II, Digital Imagery and Twentieth Century Art History.
Students receiving a degree in studio art will “declare an area of emphasis and take nine hours related to that discipline,” Zac Buser, visual arts department chair, said. Eight other studio art courses will count as art electives to complete the major requirements.
Already, there are almost 20 students pursuing a degree in studio art this semester, with more expected to enroll in the major next fall.
Full-time professors currently teaching in the visual art department include Buser, Elena Lee and Blake Smith. Tommy Hance serves as an adjunct professor.
The new classrooms and studios belonging to the department are either being used currently or nearing completion. Classes are being held in the Rosti Building, also referred to “The Studios at ‘Ole 414.” The Rosti Building also contains both sculpture and ceramics studios that are being used for classes.
Next door to the Rosti Building, the Runion Building is almost complete. Shortly after installation of an elevator, the building should be ready for use.
The Runion Building will provide room for several studios, including ones for design, drawing, graphic art, painting, printmaking and photography.
The Runion Building will also have a special “exhibition space named after Lisa and Rip van Riper who generously donated funds to help the project,” Buser said.
These new classrooms and studio spaces will be a huge benefit to the department. The expansions should draw in more potential art majors to the programs.
The improvements will be a benefit to those students looking to perfect their talents here at North Greenville.