Art Studio

Overview

The Department of Art and Design provides an excellent studio art program for its majors, minors and postgraduate students in recently built and renovated facilities utilizing state-of-the-art technology. While students are encouraged to develop their creative, intellectual and technical potential in the visual arts, they also have the opportunity to pursue minors in diverse areas such as anthropology, business, geography, history and more.

Emphasis is placed on the development of conceptual and visual vocabulary, as well as the ability of students to discuss their work within historical and contemporary contexts. At SIUE, students build upon a core foundation of skills in order to produce meaningful and engaging works with diverse objectives. Our students are challenged to view themselves as professionals on the first day they step into a classroom.

Students in the art studio program at SIUE have the opportunity to explore coursework in:

All areas of study are taught by faculty who are practicing art professionals who, maintaining vigorous national exhibition schedules, make SIUE’s art studio program one of the most comprehensive in the region.

What can I do with an art studio degree?

Students specializing in art studio at SIUE will be prepared for a wide variety of careers, including:

Museums
Art galleries
Cultural institutions
Academia

Our students are also well prepared for graduate school. Recent graduates are pursuing advanced degrees at Indiana University, the University of Nebraska, Maryland Institute College of Art, The State University of New York at Albany, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Syracuse University, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Rhode Island School of Design, among others.

Many alumni live and work in the St. Louis metropolitan area and our graduates have found successful careers at many established institutions including Craft Alliance, St. Louis Artworks and the Laumeier Sculpture Park and Museum. They have exhibited in local and regional galleries and museums and many have gone on to receive commissions, become master printers, preparators, gallery directors, designers, museum staff and university educators.

Hands-on Learning

Our students have access to the extensive collection of cultural objects housed in the University Museum and installed around campus. This allows for firsthand study of original works of art, as does SIUE's location in the St. Louis metropolitan area. St. Louis is home to many museums and cultural institutions, including:

Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM)
Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM)
Laumeier Sculpture Park
Cahokia Mounds
And more!

SIUE students also participate in AIGA student events and have earned internships at the St. Louis Science Center and Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Students in the art and design program have the opportunity for their work to be on display in the Art and Design West Gallery, which is a recently constructed, 3,600-square-foot exhibition space. The Gallery hosts approximately 10 exhibitions each year, featuring national artists, as well as SIUE students and faculty members. Our students have also been regularly represented in exhibitions at the student gallery at the Edwardsville Art Center.

The annual Sculpture on Campus event provides 12 students the opportunity to design and install large-scale outdoor sculpture throughout campus. Students whose designs are chosen receive a stipend and the professional benefits of proposing, designing and installing major sculptural works that are on view for a full year. Each year, guest jurors award student prizes at the Sculpture on Campus reception after the campus-wide sculpture walk.

To enhance the academic program at SIUE, the Department of Art and Design has robust Exhibition and Visiting Artist Programs. These programs provide an opportunity for both majors and non-majors to become acquainted with well-known artists and artwork brought to the University.