Art

Do you have an eye for color…form…visual expression? Do you enjoy creating with your hands? Then you’re invited to join with others like you on a journey to explore your talents. You’ll begin with a guided foundation of fundamental art concepts, then focus on the specialization of your choice.

All the while nurturing your creativity, the acclaimed KU program artist-faculty will mentor and guide your professional development. You’ll explore a variety of approaches and media ranging from traditional to digital, study new techniques, and experience the creative environment of professional studios and galleries.

Areas of specialization include ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and textiles. The program is taught by the Department of Art and Design.

Students from across the university may enroll in the Minor in Art, which requires completion of 18 credit hours of art courses.

Galleries and Exhibitions

The KU community holds the visual arts in high regard, with multiple opportunities to display and view art on campus:

Marlin and Regina Miller Gallery, KU's premier gallery, hosts group exhibitions by professional artists of national and international reputation, senior exhibitions (group shows by majors), and site-specific installations created as part of our artist residency program.

Sharadin Art Building offers constantly changing displays of student classwork.

New Media Gallery provides space for individual student exhibitions and installations.

McFarland Student Union Student Gallery hosts curated shows by KU students of all majors.

Art Faculty
Our faculty are widely recognized in their chosen disciplines. Their artwork is included in prestigious national and international collections, including The Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Washington's Corcoran Gallery and The Hirschorn Museum. Art faculty have been honored with numerous awards and fellowships from private foundations, state arts councils, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Extracurricular Opportunities

• The Art Alliance Club and Applied Digital Art Club provide opportunities to engage with visual arts professionals in a variety of ways, from meeting visiting artists to hosting arts events for the KU community to attending art openings and guest lectures.
• Big Art Day is an annual day-long celebration of the visual arts that includes career path talks by invited art alumni, a departmental luncheon, and student awards.
• The Department of Art and Design and the College of Visual and Performing Arts host visiting artist lectures from New York, Philadelphia, and across the country.

Post-graduation, art majors pursue employment as visual artists. The art major is also preparation for working in higher education, art therapy, museums and galleries, curating, community arts programming, arts administration, art restoration and conservation, and a host of related careers.

Sample Career Options

• Artist
• Gallery Assistant
• Photographer
• Studio Assistant
• Art Therapist
• Arts Administrator
• Conservator
• Fabricator
• Museum Preparator
• Museum Registrar
• Art Handler
• Jewelry Maker
• Printmaker
• Teaching Artist
• Professor of Art

Student Learning Outcomes