Fine Arts
"The arts have been with us since the dawn on human consciousness. The arts are how we as individuals and as a culture express our thoughts and feelings about the world we live in. At Western we're committed to helping our students take their rightful place in this long history of human creativity. Western students with a passion for the musical, theatrical, and visual arts develop their craft and creativity in an environment of one on one instruction and support." - Randy Horst, Associate Professor of Art and Chair of the Fine Arts Department
General Information about Fine Arts Degrees
Students interested in the arts have several degree options at Western.The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Visual Arts is for students interested in pursuing careers in the visual arts such as working at art galleries, museums, or being a studio artist. The BA offers students the opportunity to combine their art degree with specialized study in crafts media such as glass blowing, with business classes so that one can both make and market their artwork, or with interdisciplinary study in the arts for students interested in arts administration careers. The capstone to this degree is a thesis project or internship.
Western also offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Secondary Education with majors in Art and Music, minors in Art, Drama, and Music, and a broadfield in Art (meaning ceritification solely in Art). Art, Drama, and Music students are certified to teach K-12, giving them employment possibilities in both elementary and secondary schools.
Sample positions held by graduates:
- public school teachers in the arts
- studio artists
- graphic designers
- public relations
- state government
- art gallery
- sculpture lab with casting equipment, gas and arc welder, and trip hammer
- crafts lab with glass furnaces, annealers, batching room, and sand blaster
- printmaking and B&W photography labs
- computer art lab
- ceramic lab with wheels, slab roller, extruder, and electric, gas, and raku kilns
- private and group practice rooms
- computer music lab
- two proscenium stages
- Studio degrees in the Visual Arts
- Art Education
- Art Therapy
- Music Education
- Drama Education
- Arts Administration
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Fine Arts Faculty
Theatre FacultyJudy Ulrich, Professor of English/Drama/Humanities
Ph.D. in Theatre, Michigan State University
Music Faculty
Dr. Jeri Bonnin
J_Bonnin@umwestern.edu
Visual Art Faculty
Barney Brienza, Professor of Art
M.A. in Ceramics, Western New Mexico University
Randy Horst, Associate Professor of Art, Chair
M.F.A. in Drawing, Bowling Green State University
Eva Mastandrea, Professor of Art
M.F.A. in Painting, University of Montana
