School of Art, Craft, & Design

Painting Studio

The Painting program teaches the discipline of painting as a visual language both upholding tradition and seeking innovation. The program's goal is to empower students with a broad range of representational skills, a confident command of materials and processes, and a powerful vocabulary of symbols, metaphors, themes and subjects.

The program starts with a strong grounding in materials and techniques. The skills of painting from observation, organizing formal structure, developing narrative content and strengthening individual expression are emphasized. Issues of representation are engaged through projects that inspire risk-taking and discovery. Students also explore abstraction and conceptual concerns, and learn mixed media approaches to extend the painting experience.

Being a painter means understanding the long history of the medium and how one can use it, disrupt it, and include oneself in that history. The program is structured to underscore individual studio work that is assessed through one-on-one and group critiques.

Art history courses and critical discussions contribute further to a student’s understanding of the important role played by artists in society. Many students discover extensive connections between contemporary issues and the medium’s rich history. As a result, painters learn to document their times, express a personal vision, and influence public discourse on culture and society through painted communication.