Studio Art

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Program Overview

The studio art major is designed both for the student artist and students with an interest in art. The program focuses on students' creative inquiry and provides a platform to develop skills of visual expression and critical thinking, as well as the satisfaction of making art.

Our vibrant faculty is comprised of artists, designers, collectors, scholars, and activists, and our students benefit greatly by collaborating with experts who are actively engaged in the art world. Students learn the techniques and tools to create and analyze artwork inside and outside the studio. Our proximity to the museums and galleries of New York City is a major asset, with class trips and internships available.

A perk of the studio art program is the opportunity to exhibit in the studio and exhibition spaces on campus including the Lukacs Gallery, where art majors and minors are able to have solo and class exhibitions.

A studio art major provides a solid basis for careers requiring creative thinking, problem solving, and visual communication — such as marketing, education, therapy, and public relations — as well as for graduate school and all art-related fields.

Student Learning Objectives & Outcomes

Learning Objectives

1

Create

Think and make creatively.

2

Analyze

Observe, depict, analyze, and interpret sensory information.

3

Understand

Understand how knowledge is socially constructed within and beyond the studio.

4

Identify

Identify an area of interest and articulate why it is meaningful.

5

Consider

Consider the ethical implications of decisions made within our globally interconnected society.

Learning Outcomes

Show evidence of critical thinking about the social and cultural forces that shape decision-making.

Demonstrate skills and practices that enhance their expression and communication.

Clearly articulate comprehension of methods and process within and beyond the studio.

Requirements

To complete a Studio Art major, students will take the following:

  • One (1) of the following Drawing courses:
SART 1012 Introduction to Drawing
SART 1013 Introduction to Figure Drawing
SART 1102 Experiments in Drawing
SART 1101 Digital Tools in Artmaking
SART 1138 From Drawing to Painting
  • Six (6) additional studio art courses, 1000–2000 level
  • Any Art History and Visual Culture course
  • SART 3299: Advanced Projects Seminar 
  • SART 4301: Exhibition Seminar (senior majors)

For an 18-credit Studio Art minor, students must satisfy the following requirements:

  • One (1) of the following Drawing courses:
SART 1012 Introduction to Drawing
SART 1013 Introduction to Figure Drawing
SART 1102 Experiments in Drawing
SART 1101 Digital Imaging to Artmaking
SART 1138 From Drawing to Painting
  • Four (4) additional studio art courses at 1000-level or higher
  • Any Art History and Visual Culture course

Course Offerings

SART 1012 Introduction to Drawing
SART 1013 Introduction to Figure Drawing
SART 1101 Digital Tools in Art Making
SART 1102 Experiments in Drawing
SART 1138 From Drawing to Painting
SART 2235 Advanced Drawing
SART 1011 Introduction to Sculpture
SART 1132 Sculpture: Construction and Subtraction
SART 1137 Motion and Time-Based Art
SART 2232 Advanced Sculpture
SART 1015 Introduction to Painting
SART 1105 Color Workshop
SART 1139 Watercolor
SART 2230 Advanced Painting
SART 1134 Digital Photography
SART 1133 Alternative Processes Photography
SART 1140 Darkroom Photography
SART 2233 Advanced Photography
SART 1014 Introduction to Printmaking
SART 1136 Artist Book Construction
SART 2231 Advanced Printmaking
SART 2900 Special Topics 
SART 3390 Independent Study
SART 3980 Studio Internship
SART 3299 Advanced Projects Seminar
SART 4301 Exhibition Seminar

Stag Spotlight

Justin Gomez headshot

Justin Gomez

Class of '21

Get to Know Justin

Name: Justin Gomez ’21
Undergrad Degree: BA in Studio Art and Psychology
Hometown: Bronx, NY

What were your reasons for choosing Fairfield University?

I chose Fairfield University because I wanted to experience something new. My brother encouraged me to attend Fairfield, and it became my first choice.

How did you choose your major?

I chose to major in Psychology and Studio Art because both disciplines speak to who I am as a person. I am an artist learning to understand others, myself, and how creativity can help us express ourselves.

What have been the best aspects of your experience at Fairfield?

I thoroughly enjoyed being in both “Artist Book Construction” and “Experiments in Drawing with Professor Yarrington.” I felt that I was truly able to be free and creative with every single project, even with criteria to fulfill. In my experience, I can say that these courses were among the first to allow me to have the creative freedom that I did. Many of the techniques that were presented to us were limitless and eventually brought me to an awareness of endless possibilities.

What interesting projects, research opportunity, or leadership experience were you involved in at Fairfield?

After taking Professor Yarrington’s “Artist Book Construction” and “Experiments in Drawing” courses, I was fortunate enough to continue working on pieces that relate to my final project. I was able to use the techniques learned in class and apply them creatively into a book art installation piece. I used the covers of books, folded and cut pages, as well as thread to combine all these elements together. I was excited to have a solo exhibition in the Lukacs Gallery in Loyola Hall, where I displayed and installed more book art pieces.

What would you tell a student who is considering attending Fairfield as an undergraduate?

I would tell any student considering Fairfield as an undergraduate that there are so many resources and opportunities to take advantage of here.

Nicole Chrysler headshot

Nicole Chrysler

Class of '20

Get to Know Nicole

Name: Nicole Chrysler ’20
Undergrad Degree: BA in Studio Art and Psychology
Hometown: Mount Joy, PA

What were your reasons for choosing Fairfield University?

I received a very accommodating financial aid package, and I wanted to go outside of my comfort zone to a new area and new state.

How did you choose your major?

Going into college, I wanted to become an art therapist. I knew I wanted to help people and work in the health field using a creative outlet. However, I made a decision half way through senior year to stray from that path and to pursue a career as psychiatric technician. Changing my mind at the last minute was terrifying, but the resources at Fairfield really helped me figure out what I wanted to do.

What have been the best aspects of your experience at Fairfield?

The best aspects of my time at Fairfield were being a part of the Varsity Women’s Rowing Team, participating in the many traditions Fairfield has created, and meeting some of my best friends from varying states around the Northeast.

What interesting projects, research opportunity, or leadership experience were you involved in at Fairfield?

During my time at Fairfield, I participated in an internship at Silver Hill Hospital. Silver Hill is a psychiatric hospital that treats both adults and adolescents for mental health disorders. I sat in on art therapy, music therapy, and meditation therapy sessions as well as volunteered in the adolescent unit during their school hours. This internship really opened my eyes to what I am interested in and helped me to make the jump from art therapy to a more mental health focused career.

What would you tell a student who is considering attending Fairfield as an undergraduate?

Fairfield is one of the most special things I have ever been a part of. It is a smaller community compared to larger schools, but you make important academic connections and friendships that will last you a lifetime.

Eleanor Sgaramella headshot

Eleanor Sgaramella

Class of '20

Get to Know Eleanor

Name: Eleanor Sgaramella ’20
Undergrad Degree: BA in Studio Art and Creative Writing with a minors in Education Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

What were your reasons for choosing Fairfield University?

I was initially drawn to Fairfield because I wanted a traditional college campus experience after attending high school in New York City and commuting for four years. I liked the location being near both my home and NYC, which opens up so many opportunities to take city field trips and visit there socially. It felt like a good middle ground for me.

How did you choose your major?

I have always loved writing and books, so English felt like the obvious pick for me. I also knew that I had a deep interest and passion for gender and sexuality studies and that was something I wanted to continue to foster. Those are the two things I began with, and as experienced more, it was clear to me that art was something I wanted to add. It has always been a part of my life and is something that I also have a great passion for, so after learning what the studio art major at Fairfield entailed, I was very intrigued by the junior and senior showcases and the opportunity to have work displayed in a gallery for the first time. That, and my already existing love for the craft, made me decide to add studio art into my studies.

What have been the best aspects of your experience at Fairfield?

The best aspects for me were the classes and the clubs I took part in. I found communities with my friends, but also with the clubs I participated in. Also, some classes at Fairfield will stay with me always. As I got further into my studies and was able to continue choosing courses that were centered in my interests, I felt passionate about my work for them.

What interesting projects, research opportunity, or leadership experience were you involved in at Fairfield?

I was able to complete two internships, one with a Fairfield photography professor as a darkroom intern, and another at the Pequot Library in Southport, Conn., where I worked in the special collections department. Both of these experiences were amazing. As a darkroom intern, I got to further the new love I'd developed for manual process photography after taking a darkroom class at Fairfield, and I also got to work with my professor on his personal art. At the Pequot Library, I got the opportunity to learn about library cataloging and work with historical children's novels, getting to look at pieces of history and learn about them and their owners from what was left on the pages.

What would you tell a student who is considering attending Fairfield as an undergraduate?

I would tell someone considering Fairfield that I met people there that I can't imagine not having in my life, and that those people include professors and administrators I've gotten the pleasure to work with. The people in the two departments I was most involved with, English and Studio Art, are wonderful and encouraging and are connections I hope to continue for years to come.

How have the resources and opportunities offered to you through Fairfield helped you move closer to achieving your career goals?

By having the relationships with prior internship contacts, and Fairfield faculty and staff, I am able to rely on having references as I am searching for a job. I have people who know me well, that I know I can rely on for recommendations and such, which provides me a great security. I also know that I have faculty at Fairfield I can look to for advice or words of wisdom from experience about anything I am confused about as I begin to navigate this new chapter of life after college.

More About Studio Art

Life After Fairfield

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Life After Fairfield

A studio art major provides a solid basis for careers requiring creative thinking, problem solving, and visual communication. Studio art students graduate from Fairfield prepared for a broad range of careers, and have successfully gone on to pursue jobs as:

  • Marketing professionals
  • Professional artists
  • Therapists
  • Public relations professionals
  • Art Gallerists

School of Communication, Arts, and Media Alumni Panel

Learn how Fairfield's Career Services can support your post-graduate goals, and how our tight-knit alumni network can build career and mentoring opportunities that last a lifetime.

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Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

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Diversity and Inclusive Excellence

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As a Jesuit, Catholic university, Fairfield is dedicated to diversity and inclusion; to radical hospitality in service of racial, social, and economic justice.

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Internships

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Internships

Professional internships allow students to gain valuable hands-on experience in fields related to studio art through supervised work for artists in galleries or museums.

Internship possibilities include:

  • Working as an artist assistant
  • Working on social media for a local business
  • Working in a gallery, museum, or arts non-profit
  • Working in a printmaking atelier

Student Resources

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Student Resources

Exhibition Spaces

Class and individual exhibitions take place several times per year, and exhibitions by contemporary artists are also featured:

Lukacs Gallery

Lukacs Gallery image

Experimental Space

Experimental Space image

Gallery 10
(which includes exhibition and work space for capstone students and independent studies)

Gallery 10 image

Art Studios

The Studio Art Program has five Studios located in Loyola Hall:

Painting Studio

Painting Studio image

Printmaking Studio with Digital Lab

Printmaking Studio image

Darkroom/Alternative Photography Studio

Darkroom Studio image

Mixed Media & Drawing Studio

Mixed Media & Drawing Studio image

Fairfield University Art Museum

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Fairfield University Art Museum

The Fairfield University Art Museum (FUAM) is a dynamic space for engagement with the visual arts on the campus of Fairfield University. The museum consists of two spaces: the Bellarmine Hall Galleries and the Thomas J. Walsh Art Gallery in the Quick Center for the Arts.

The Bellarmine Hall Galleries present the museum’s small but choice permanent collection of European and American paintings, drawings, prints and photographs, as well as Asian, African and Pre-Columbian objects. Objects on long-term loan include antiquities and medieval pieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Yale University Art Museum, the Worcester Art Museum, and the American Numismatic Society; Asian art on loan from the Columbia University Collection; and European paintings and objects borrowed from private collections.

FUAM presents special exhibitions showcasing works of art in all media from a broad swathe of time periods and world cultures, ancient to contemporary, in both the Bellarmine Hall Galleries and the Walsh Gallery.

Visit the FUAM Website

Visual Arts Blog

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Visual Arts Blog

Catch up on the latest news and follow the exciting activities and artistic adventures of our visual arts students, alumni, and faculty on Fairfield's Visual Arts Blog.

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Faculty

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Faculty

The College of Arts and Sciences is home to a vibrant community of faculty and staff devoted to the process of invention and discovery. Meet the passionate members of our Studio Art program.

Meet the Faculty

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