Bachelor of Fine Arts
OVERVIEW
Professional and grad school preparation with Saint Joseph’s Bachelor of Fine Arts.
The major is designed around the philosophy of fostering community through art making. In studio courses, students learn to tell stories and solve problems across traditional and new media. We encourage innovation and interdisciplinary approaches as a means of creating new forms. Students also meet through colloquia to discuss contemporary theory, best practices, and creative entrepreneurship.
At a Glance
- Students graduate with a set of competitive skills that include: creative problem solving, visual communication, engagement in analytical criticism, and sensitivity to aesthetics and presentation.
- Personalized career mentoring through advising, public exhibitions and internship experiences.
- The Speakers, Performers, Artists, and Culture (SPArC) Lecture Series brings artists to campus and stimulates discourse in the community.
- Lakeside campus offers a tranquil yet dynamic environment for artistic endeavors.
- Integrates theory and practice- emphasizing importance of art history and grounded in physical practice of making.
CURRICULUM
As fine arts majors, students learn creative problem-solving skills through a curriculum featuring two- and three-dimensional design, drawing, painting, art history, critical theory, graphic design, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and printmaking.
Minors
- A minor in fine arts is available and requires students to take 20 credits of course work.
- A minor in photography is available and requires students to take 20 credits of course work.
The World is Our Studio. The World is Our Laboratory
“We give students permission to experiment. We get them in the field so that they can try things out early on, challenging them to interact with the world and to push boundaries,” says Professor Fuller.
Students in this digital photography class benefit from the expansive beauty of Saint Joseph’s College, advantageously situated on 474 acres alongside Maine’s second largest lake. They are encouraged to explore woods and waters, to document, interpret, and reflect, while honing their skills and developing portfolios.
SOME OF OUR FACULTY
BFA, University of Maine, Presque Isle
BFA, Brigham Young University, Hawaii
STUDENT STORIES
Breaking Through the Silence – Thao Kieu Infuses Art with Activism. “My work is about healing and overcoming trauma. I hope to spark a fire that ignites people to break the silence.”
As a student Nate Winter combined his artistic and business skills to create the life of an artist he was looking for … and he made his name known at Portland’s First Friday Art Walk, where he sold his raku pottery pieces to eager crowds.
Yu Ping Hu helped design the set for the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine’s production of Sleeping Beauty. Hu enjoyed service learning because, she says, “I met many different people and learned to step outside of my own box.”
CAREER MOVES
Just as an education in art is open to individual interpretation, so too is a career in art. Work for yourself as a fine artist, or work in museums, media organizations, schools, or commercial design firms.
ARTS IN THE NEWS
Four student artists launch large-format art exhibition
As the four students step up to their larger-than-life works of art, the terms that come to mind are poise, bravery, talent. Drawing deep breaths and digging for patience, the student artists pick up their brushes, pastels, or cutting tools for the final touches before exhibition.
Wabanaki Drum Group Members Perform, Reminisce with Sisters, and Visit Freight Farm
The Center for Faith and Spirituality and the Center for Sustainable Communities were pleased to welcome The Burnurwurbskek Singers — the Keepers of the Penobscot Drum — to campus in October to share their traditional music and experiences of life on reservations today with students, faculty, and staff, as well as members of the public. Several Sisters of Mercy attended the event, which led to much fond reminiscing about shared family history and the Sisters' time spent serving in several Wabanaki communities across the state.
Shaping a Path: Using Internship Experience to Develop a Career in the Arts
The Fine Arts Department is a small but creative place on the Saint Joseph’s College campus; there, students bring their ideas to life through the medium of their choice. One of these students—Moira DesRosiers ’18—met with me and shared her plans to open a pottery studio after graduation.