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Department of Art
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ART AT MSU DENVER
"The goal of my work is knowledge. I do not see life and art as separate.”
Howardena Pindell
The Department of Art at Metropolitan State University of Denver is a vibrant, diverse environment full of options for students interested in pursuing a degree in a creative field. Whether you are interested in being a professional artist, designer, educator or researcher, you will learn traditional methods of art production and research as well as innovative approaches to art and design.
Art students are analytical, critical thinkers who use their creativity daily. They work independently and collaboratively to develop thoughtful responses to the world around them, and emerge as artists, designers, educators and scholars.
The Auraria Campus is a stone’s throw from the heart of downtown Denver’s art museums and Performing Arts Center, the Santa Fe Art District and MSU Denver’s Center for Visual Art, so students are tapped into Denver’s creative economy. Our graduates have become curators, archivists, art installers and entrepreneurs, and have gone on to graduate schools at Virginia Commonwealth University, Columbia University, Goldsmith’s University, London and more.
No matter what your ultimate career goals are, the degrees in the Department of Art at MSU Denver offer you the flexibility of diverse options so you train to become an innovative creative professional. And MSU Denver is the most affordable four-year university in Colorado, so you won’t be burdened under a mound of debt.
FALL 2019 MSU DENVER BFA THESIS EXHIBITION
NOVEMBER 1 - 30, 2019
The Fall 2019 BFA Thesis Exhibition is a culmination of MSU Denver studio art and communication design students’ education as artists and designers. MSU Denver BFA Thesis exhibitions are held bi-annually at the Center for Visual Art. These dynamic exhibitions offer a chance to see some of MSU Denver's best and brightest emerging art and design talent.
STUDENT FOCUS
KANDICE CLEVELAND | COMMUNICATION DESIGN
We are very proud to share that Communication Design major, Kandice Cleveland, recently had her review of the Francesca Woodman exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art published in the international online contemporary art magazine, This is Tomorrow.
Cleveland, who was enrolled in ARTH 4480 Art Theory and Criticism over the summer, 2019, was mentored by her Theory and Criticism instructor, Rosanna Van Mierlo, who has an extensive background in contemporary art criticism. Van Mierlo put Cleveland in touch with an editor she knew at This is Tomorrow, who was looking to generate a stronger critical culture in Denver, particularly among emerging professionals.
Asked why she took on this extra-curricular opportunity, Kandice said “I always enjoyed writing, so I was on the lookout for opportunities to do both design and writing. After graduation, I would really like to combine both writing and Communication Design, so perhaps I will publish children’s books or short stories.” We think Kandice’s future looks bright since she’s combining her creativity and critical skills in ways that make her well-positioned to meet any challenge she sets for herself. Congratulations, Kandice! Read her review here.
FACULTY FOCUS
YUNJIN LA-MEI WOO | STUDIO ART
MSU Denver Department of Art welcomes our newest full-time faculty member! Assistant Professor Yunjin La-mei Woo is a socially-engaged artist and a cultural-studies researcher. Born as the granddaughter of a Korean shaman, her artistic practice is informed by her research on various notions of humanness and how such notions intersect with issues of power, gender, class, and ethnicity. Her creative work ranges widely from installation to video, performance, sculpture, writing, and participatory projects. Woo has exhibited, published, and presented her creative work and research in various venues both internationally and nationally. She earned her BFA and MFA from Seoul National University, South Korea, and is currently working on her PhD dissertation in Communication and Culture at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. You can find more about the material structures that Yunjin has built here.
VISITING ARTISTS, SCHOLARS & DESIGNERS
ADÉ HOGUE | FEBRUARY 5, 2020
Adé Hogue is an art director, designer, and lettering artist specializing in hand-created type. He has worked with various agencies in Chicago for brands such as Nike, ALDI, Mercedes-Benz, Moen, Teavana, and The Atlantic. Doing more than pushing pixels, he takes ideas and turn them into something physical using his hands to blend the beautiful with the practical. Adé has presented his personal work in exhibitions such as Typeforce, an annual juried showcase of typographic artists in Chicago. He has also been an invited speaker at design and creativity conferences such as Top Con, Creative South, and Adobe MAX. In the fall of 2017 he was selected as one of PRINT Magazine’s New Visual Artists—an annual roundup of 15 of the best creatives today under 30. Currently, Adé runs his own design studio and freelances for a range of clients while teaching lettering and typography courses at DePaul University.
CAREER PROSPECTS
HERE'S WHERE AN ART DEGREE FROM MSU DENVER MIGHT TAKE YOU
Commercial design and graphics, environmental design and architecture, education, business, crafts, and fine arts all offer an array of possibilities for art graduates. Graphic designer, museum curator, art teacher, jewelry designer, photographer, illustrator, and many, many more.
According to the most recent Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) Economic Activity Study, which collects data from the nonprofit organizations that receive funds from the SCFD in the seven-county Metro Denver area, “Employment in the arts reached an all-time high in 2017, with 11,820 jobs, an increase of 10% over 2015.”
DATA AND INSIGHTS
ARTS GRADUATES ACROSS DISCIPLINES
The idea of working across artistic disciplines is far from new, but evidence suggests that such crossover is becoming an increasingly important part of artistic careers. This DataBrief detailing the under-acknowledged prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of multi-disciplinary arts practice, from the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP), provides arts educators and arts policymakers with highlights of SNAAP data and insights into the value of arts-school education: Arts Graduates 'Oscillate Wildly' Across Disciplines (SNAAP DataBrief)
OUR PROGRAM OPTIONS
Phone:
303-615-0300
Office Location:
Arts Building, Suite 187
Auraria Campus
Accreditation
The Department of Art at MSU Denver is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design.
