cover 1

Designed by:
Andrew Yaber
Table of Contents

3 Table Of Contents

4 Table of Contents Continued

5 Mission Statement

6 Ennis Hall

7 Professor Matt Forrest

8 Graphic Design with Abraham Abebe

9 Visiting Artist Gary Taxali

10 Gary Taxali Continued

11 Creative Arts Alliance

12 Ceramics with Sandra Trujillo

13 The Leland Gallery

14 The Leland Gallery Continued

3
 15 Photography with Seth Cook

16 Printmaking

17 Painting with Valerie Aranda

18 Painting with Valerie Aranda

Continued
19 Visiting Artist Jeffrey Valance

20 Professor Elissa Auerbach

21 Student Works

22 Student Works Continued

23 Degrees Offered (Concentrations)

24 Degrees Offered (Minors)

25 GCSU Art Instagram

26 Back Inside Cover

4
 MISSION

Analysis and critical thinking are central to the visual experience and production of fine art.
Our goals for our students are to inculcate the visual language as a problem-solving tool, to
bridge the gap between the history of visual cultures, the theories of contemporary art strate-
gies and how they are applied to the production of art. Our students will strive to be visually
literate in order to be able to decipher the relationships between art and society within the
multiple-contexts of history, politics, literature, and issues of gender, identity, and multicul-
turalism. Our mission is to prepare our students to be arts practitioners with sets of skills
and values that will make them active and responsible participants in society. As students of
the arts, we will prepare them to engage in questions of self-expression, artisanship, identity,
community, values, politics, and meaning.

Our changing world challenges artists to become flexible practitioners and participants who
can think, research, organize, and produce work that transforms people, places and our
times. The power of art lies in artists connecting themselves in reciprocal relationships with
their publics, in order to create a more humane life relevant to their time and place. The
Art program provides a balance of Studio, Art History, Museum Studies and theory courses
organized around a combination of core concept and skill courses, visiting artist experiences,
exposure to contemporary art through the Leland Gallery at Ennis Hall, the Museum of Fine
Arts at Underwood House, and independent international learning opportunities, culminat-
ing in a senior Capstone experience. Our program offers small classes and a low faculty to
student ratio, and students will be encouraged to explore media from the tradition of paints to
the

precision of pixels. The program integrates practice and theory through its inter-
disciplinary approach to critiques, with the goal of facilitating the acquisition of the
following skill sets:

COMPREHENSION SKILLS including ability to: investigate and understand visual

arts from diverse formal, theoretical, historical, social, multicultural, and/or interna-
tional perspectives.
ANALYTICAL SKILLS including ability to: research, define, analyze, and critically
formulate positions on relevant issues in visual art from diverse formal, theoretical,
historical, social, multicultural, and/or international perspectives.
PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS including ability to: achieve interdisciplinary and
selected theoretical, social, multicultural, and/or international connections in art
through art-related activities.
SYNTHESIS/INTEGRATIVE SKILLS including ability to: comprehend, appreciate,
analyze, and examine the ways in which ideas about knowledge, creativity, and art
are constructed differently in diverse theoretical, multicultural, and/or international
perspectives.
CREATIVE/SCHOLARLY PRODUCTION & PRESENTATION SKILLS including
ability to: to create, write about, and/or to otherwise manipulate artistic media in a
formal presentation to provide a coherent and cogent visual, oral, and written sum-
mary of knowledge.

5
 ENNIS HALL

Ennis Hall was dedicated in 1920 in honor of Sen. J. Howard

Ennis (1873-1953), who had fought successfully, togeth-
er with President Parks, to ensure that GN&IC would be
adequately funded, able to confer four-year degrees on its
graduates, and no longer be considered a “department” of the
University of Georgia. (Ennis later served as mayor of Milled-
geville from 1924 until 1927.)

The former residence hall was restored and re-opened in July

2014, and was awarded the 2015 AGC Build Georgia Award
(1st place) and the 2015 Sustainable Construction Award by
The Georgia Trust.

Ennis Hall serves as the home of the GC Department of Art.

It features studios, classrooms, gallery spaces, and faculty
offices. Ennis Hall has won the 2015 AGC Build Georgia
Award (1st place) and the 2015 Sustainable Construction
Award by The Georgia Trust.

6
 Receiving his BFA from Slippery Rock Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania in 2005, Matt For-
rest studied at the Magdalena Abakanowicz
University of the Arts Poznan Poland, special-
izing in silkscreen and poster design. In 2008,
Forrest received his MFA from West Virginia
University in Printmaking and in 2020 Forrest
received his Graduate Certificate in Non-
profit Management and Leadership from the
University of Georgia. Forrest has exhibited
nationally and internationally, most recently
including shows at the Sarah Spurgeon Gallery
(Ellensburg, WA), the Janet Turner Print Mu-
seum 11th National Print Competition at CSU
(Chico, CA), the Wheaton Biennial Printmak-
ing Reimagined at Wheaton College (Norton,
MA) and Nothing About US Without US, Flat-
bed Center for Contemporary Print (Austin
TX). Forrest’s research has also been published
recently in both print and digital formats, and
he has been the recipient of several grants to
make printmaking more accessible to students
and individuals with disabilities. Forrest is
committed to expanding literacy through art
within Middle Georgia in partnership with the
Little Library Project.

Currently, he has expanded working with students with disabilities

by integrating tactile art practices for the visually impaired. Matt con-
tinues to work with various outreach groups including the Georgia
Academy for the Blind in Macon, GA.

Matt is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at Georgia College in

Milledgeville, GA, where he teaches printmaking, digital art, and 2D
foundations.

7
 Graphic Design with Abraham Abebe

Abraham Abebe was born and grew up in

Ethiopia. Currently, he is an Associate Professor
of Art, Graphic Design at the Georgia College
& State University. He came to Georgia Col-
lege with the opportunity to develop two new
curricula for the BA in Art with Graphic Design
Concentration and Graphic Design Minor, which
included the development and approval of seven
new courses. Both programs were designed to
better prepare students with the skills, creativity
and imagination. The curricula emphasize on de-
sign theory, history and research to provide stu-
dents direct and applicable methods to redefine
design problems, adopt emerging technologies,
and embrace design thinking to advance diversi-
ty. As a studio artist, Abraham exhibits regularly
both in the USA and abroad. His paintings,
drawings, and installations have been featured in
11 solo and more than 50 group exhibitions.

The Graphic Design concentration provides a learning environment that

nurtures creative thinking and skill development. The curriculum is
carefully assembled to fulfill the growing interest in graphic design
from students in the Department of Art and beyond. Courses are
designed to help students acquire the applicable skills and knowl-
edge of design principles to gain professional proficiency in ev-
ery aspect of the graphic design profession. The concentration
will also prepare students for further study at the graduate
level and to meet the demands of the workforce.

A wide variety of courses are offered including Intro to the

Computer in Art, Graphic Design Studio from beginning
to advanced level, Typography, Publication Design,
Corporate Identity, Packaging, Motion, Senior Capstone
experience that focuses primarily on research, design
ideation and portfolio development, and Special Topics
in Design. The topic will vary from section to section
and may include high-end security printing, environ-
mental design, web design, motion design, wayfinding
design, and exhibition design, among others.

8
 VISITING ARTIST
Gary Taxali is a Canadian contemporary fine artist and
illustrator known for his iconic retro style pop art and
illustrations. Taxali creates mixed-media works on paper,
sculptures, drawings and paintings. His work intersects fine
art, pop culture, design and 1930s style iconography, graph-
ics and typography. He is inspired by vintage comics, pop
culture and period advertisements. Gary Taxali tweaks con-
ventional styling and contexts to cast light on life’s constant
paradoxes, whether sex, love, consumer frenzy, or just that
longing for something else. Taxali delves into the desires,
feelings and
emotional preoccupations that make us all human.
He employs humour, emotions and relatable imagery creating
narratives on the banality and idiosyncracies of everyday life
which he describes as his “preoccupation of constant para-
doxes such as human relationships, love, isolation, economic
despair and frustration.” Taxali characters are a common
theme and reappear in his work, including his iconic toy
monkey and Oh No and Oh Oh characters which have also
been created into designer collectible toys. He graduated
from OCAD University. Gary is recognized as one of the top
100 illustrators in the world in “100 Illustrators” by art book
publisher Taschen (2017). He has been teaching at OCAD
University since 2003 and is
9
 GARY TAXALI

currently tenured faculty at OCAD University in Toronto,

Canada holding the rank of full Professor.
Gary’s body of work encompasses a broad spectrum of media
and appears in many forms. This includes public and private
galleries and museums, leading international magazines,
publications, merchandise (products, posters, designer toys, Other clients include Time, Fortune, The New Yorker, Enter-
fashion accessories, coins, etc.), books and public installations tainment Weekly, Fast Company, Reader’s Digest, Business
in the art, design and experiential realms. He has worked Week, Warner Bros., LA Times, Paramount Pictures, The
with media outlets and publications, including Rolling Stone, Gap, Harry Rosen, Chapters Indigo, Converse, Levi’s, Sony,
GQ, Newsweek, the New York Times and MTV. McSweeny’s, MTV, Coca-Cola.

10
Creative Arts Alliance

GCSU’s Art club, known as the Creative Arts Alliance, is a

place where students of all majors gather and enjoy creative
activities together, including black light painting, movie
nights, and tiny canvas painting nights. Those interested in
joining or receiving notifications for upcoming events, should
contact the student board members

Fall 2023 Student Board:

President/GC Connect – Ansley Rowland, ansley.
rowland@bobcats.gcsu.edu
Vice President – Hannah Hill, hannah.hill1@
bobcats.gcsu.edu
Treasurer – Charlotte Middlebrooks, charlotte.
middlebrooks@bobcats.gcsu.edu
Social Media/PR - Matthias Bell, matthias.bell@
bobcats.gcsu.edu

Faculty Advisor: Valerie Aranda, Professor of

Art, 478-445-2431, valerie.aranda@gcsu.edu
Instagram: @gcsucreativearts
CAA Email: gcsucreativearts@gmail.com

11
 Ceramics with Sandra Trujillo

“I was born in Vallejo, California. I received my BA in reli-

gious studies from the University of California at Berkeley
and received my MFA in ceramics from the University of
Colorado at Boulder.

I have had exhibitions in venues such as the Museum of

Contemporary Art in Atlanta, the Grimmerhus Museum,
Denmark, the Ann Linneman Gallery in Copenhagen, and
the Palacio de Dom Manuel in Evora, Portugal – a UNESCO
Heritage site. I am a Fulbright-Hays fellow. I have been a
resident artist at national and international art centers such as
the Archie Bray Foundation for the ceramic arts in Mon-
tana, where I was the recipient of the Lillian Fellowship; the
OBRAS center in Holland, the OBRAS center in Portugal, the
International Ceramic Research Center in Denmark, Quarry
Tile Factory in Washington, The Mendocino Art Center in
California, and the Ceramic Center-Berlin in Berlin, Ger-
many. My art and academic contributions are included in
journals such as Ceramic Arts and Perception, Drawing,
ArtWeek, and Gastronomica – UC Press. My two letterpress
books FUNERAL FOOD (2019) and Trouble (2021) are
collected in over 75 university special collections nationwide.
I have lectured at public and private institutions and orga-
nizations such as the University of South Bohemia České
Budějovice, the University of Anadolu, and universities. I am
a Professor within the Department of Art at Georgia College
and specialize in ceramics.”

12
The Leland Gallery

Did you know that Georgia College and State University has multiple art galleries? Located
in Ennis Hall, the Leland Art Gallery contains art pieces from current art students as well
as works from other artists. Congratulations to our Fall 2023 Capstone Exhibitors, Emma
Grace Avery, Laila Campbell, Kimberly Cunningham, Lorna Faye, Morgan Helmbold, Derlisa
Prince, Mattie Thompson, Samantha Threlkeld, Kimberly Tran and Emmaline Wellborn!

Please join us for “Ephemera” at Leland Gallery, Ennis Hall, Nov.6-Nov. 24 with reception on
Nov. 9, 5 to 7 p.m. All Department of Art events are free and open to the public, so feel free to
invite or bring your friends and family! There is also always an influx of art being displayed in
the Leland Gallery at all times, so be sure to come by and check it out every couple of weeks to
get a refreshing taste of some truly beautiful artworks.

13
Location: Ennis Hall | West Hancock Street
Milledgeville, GA 31061
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

14
Photography with Seth Cook

Students will learn historical and con-

temporary analytical skills including
the ability to research, define, analyze
and critically formulate positions on
contemporary issues in visual and public
art from historical, ethical, formal and
sociopolitical perspectives.
In this minor program, student also will
learn production skills including the
ability to create, understand and manip-
ulate media, and the ability to complete
and present artworks or projects. Within
the arena of production, the student will
consider how to present and distribute
artwork in multiple formats/contexts
using technological, multilingual, and
other means.

Seth Cook is an artist from the Bayou Teche region of

south-central Louisiana. He utilizes the swamps and marshes
of his home as a point of departure for his versatile studio
practice. Cook holds a B.F.A. in photography from the Uni-
versity of Louisiana at Lafayette, and an M.F.A. in photogra-
phy from Indiana University, Bloomington. In 2021, he was
awarded ‘Juror’s Selection’ from the New York Center for
Photographic Art for his alternative process photography. In
2020, he was named one of Lenscratch’s ‘Top 25 to Watch.’
Also, in 2020, he accepted a ten-month residency with
Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center in
Cincinnati, OH, where he worked and taught as their ‘Scholar
in Residence.’ His work has been displayed nationally and in-
ternationally, including in South Korea, Louisiana, New York,
California, Colorado, and Massachusetts.

15
Printmaking

The Georgia College & State University Printmaking Depart-

ment is located at the former Atlanta Gas Light building or
Miller Annex. Comprised of several rooms fully equipped for
a variety of print processes, our department prides itself on
the inky fingernails and dynamic imagery of our print stu-
dent community. In addition to the coursework, our students
travel to printmaking conferences, participate in national and
international print exchanges and exhibitions and have the
opportunity to work with visiting artists and scholars in the
printing of fine art editions.

Students are provided with the opportunity to work in-

tensively with the various processes of relief and intaglio
printmaking, expanding their artistic vocabulary through
the unique visual qualities offered by the wood, linoleum,
zinc and copper matrices. Technical and conceptual expec-
tations exceed those of the introductory printmaking course.
Students will engage in written historical research related to
the media, and through their visual and written work are en-
couraged to challenge current preconceptions regarding what
constitutes printmaking and the fine arts.

16
Painting with Valerie Aranda

Valerie Aranda is an artist from Tempe,

Arizona. Based in Georgia, she has been
teaching at Georgia College, Georgia’s
Public Liberal Arts University, since 2002.
She received her BFA in Painting from
Arizona State University in 1992 and her
MFA in Visual Arts from the University of
California, San Diego, in 2000. Along with
teaching, Aranda has a studio practice in
Milledgeville, Georgia, where she continues to experiment
and create new work while also working on communi-
ty-based projects and taking commissions.
Working with various mediums, sizes, and subjects, Aranda’s
work includes mixed media drawings and paintings where
she creates textures and imagery that converge natural,
artificial, and surreal worlds. Using cultural symbols, varied
landscapes, built-up textures, and juxtaposition, she negoti-
ates the terrain of art-making until landing a place reflecting
her identity complexities. Her paintings are hybrids of nat-
ural and artificial environments to create realms that reflect
on her human experience. A recent project with Impronta
Casa Editora based in Guadalajara, Mexico, allowed her to
work sequentially using linocut printmaking as a new medi-
um to explore identity, migration, and sense of place.
Projects include murals, exhibitions, and residencies in
Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, California, Texas, Chi-
cago, Missouri, Wisconsin, Guadalajara, and service with
the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture based
in San Antonio, Texas

17
“ My art-making process is a direct reflection of my identity regarding
how I use materials and methods to create expressive artworks. In my
art process, I mix paint, layer materials, and peel back surfaces which
all speak to my constant search for a sense of place and belonging.
I am from here, but in different instances, the environment I live in
tells me that I am not. My art is both reflective and affirming. Using
cultural symbols, varied landscapes, textures, and juxtaposition, I
negotiate the visual/material terrain until landing a place that reflects
my identity’s complexities. In a sense, my art digs out a space reflect-
ing my reality. The action and process of piecing together and paint-
ing and drawing in are ways I excavate ideas and emotions embedded
in the materials, ultimately reflecting a hybrid form and a personal
identity.
”

Students who minor in Painting are focused on developing visual liter-

acy, technical competency, method and process, color/design concepts,
content exploration, collaboration and cross-disciplinary approaches to
painting.
Painting begins with developing ones technical vocabulary, artistic meth-
od and critical evaluation skills set within a cross-cultural context. Then,
students continue to develop their artistic and critical thinking skills. Top-
ics in the program include approaches to painting the human figure, ma-
terial exploration and investigation of the expressive potential of painting.
The Painting III course is dedicated to muralism. In this course students
learn mural development, design and production within a cross-cultural
art context. Students continue to build artistic skills as they work collab-
oratively on-site-specific mural projects within the community. Finally,
Painting IV is a further investigation of the technical, expressive, and
conceptual potential of the painting medium.

18
 Visiting Artist Jeffrey Vallance
For over thirty years, Jeffrey Vallance has turned a critical
and humorous eye toward his own wide-ranging experienc-
es. Based on the artist’s memories and adventures, Vallance’s
drawings, sculptures, installations and performance-based
works make reference to his childhood in California, voyages
to the Polynesian Islands and Iceland, residences in Las Vegas
and the Arctic, sojourns to the Vatican, and to his celebrated
Blinky the Friendly Hen project in 1978, when he held a fu-
neral service for a frozen supermarket hen at Los Angeles Pet
Memorial Park. The artist’s examination of these experiences
combines a pseudo-anthropological approach with an art
historically informed practice, and addresses themes of faith,
myth, ritual and popular culture, along with the geopolitical
landscapes of the past and present.

Born in 1955 in Redondo Beach, California, Vallance cur-

rently lives and works in Los Angeles. He received a BFA
from California State University, Northridge in 1979 and
an MFA from the former Otis Art Institute of the Parsons
School of Design in Los Angeles in 1981. A 2004 John Simon
Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellow, the artist is
currently a visiting assistant professor in New Genres at the
University of California in Los Angeles. Among Vallance’s
many solo exhibitions since the mid-1970’s, his most notable
include The Vallance Bible at Centre d’édition contemporaine
in Geneva, Switzerland (2012), The Word of God at The Andy

Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh (2011-2012), The Vallance

Bible at Centre d’édition contemporaine (2010), Lars Pirak
of Lapland, an intervention project at Ájtte Sámi Museum in
Jokkmokk, Sweden (2009), Relics and Reliquaries at Grand
Central Art Center in Santa Ana, CA (2007), De Kabinetten
van De Vleeshal in Middelburg, Holland (2007), Preserving
America’s Cultural Heritage at LACMALab, Los Angeles
County Museum of Art (2006), among others.

His work has also been included in group exhibitions at the

Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Barbican
Centre in London, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, Contemporary
Arts Museum in Houston, TX, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf IN
Germany, Tate Gallery in Liverpool, UK, UCLA Hammer
Museum in Los Angeles, Witte de With Contemporary Art in
Rotterdam, among others.

19
Professor Elissa Auerbach
Elissa Auerbach received her Ph.D. in seventeenth-cen-
tury Dutch and Flemish art from the University of
Kansas in 2009 and began teaching at Georgia College
in 2006. Her research examines the depiction of the
Virgin Mary as a traditional Roman Catholic theme in
early modern Dutch visual culture and related devel-
opments in devotional practices, science, and domestic
conduct after the Reformation in the Netherlands. Her
current research focuses on the phenomenon of spiri-
tual pilgrimage to illegal places of Catholic worship in
post-Reformation Dutch altarpieces, prints, illustrated
books, and maps.
Her research examines how Dutch artists adapted tradition-
al representations of the Virgin Mary for a broader market
after the Protestant Reformation and how Marian imagery
might’ve impacted Protestant theological teachings in liter-
ature. Auerbach’s research will now be part of an exhibit in
Amsterdam, honoring the 350th anniversary death of poet
and Calvinist preacher, Willem Sluiter (1627-73). The display
coincides with a symposium scheduled for December at Vrije
Universiteit, a public research university in Amsterdam.
“It is a great honor for my research on the 17th-century
Dutch Calvinist preacher Willem Sluiter to be included in a
scholarly exhibition about him,” Auerbach said. “It seems I’m
one of the few Americans who has worked on a devotional
book Sluiter first published in 1669 about the Virgin Mary.”
The exhibit and symposium are being organized by Dutch
scholar Ellen Vujevic in collaboration with the Netherlands
Museum De Scheper in Eibergen. The organizers have
published articles about Auerbach’s research in two news-
papers in that region. Auerbach began teaching at Georgia
College in 2006 and received her Ph.D. in 17th-century
Dutch and Flemish art from the University of Kansas in 2009.
Her dissertation on Sluiter is called, “Re-Forming Mary in
Seventeenth-Century Dutch Prints.” In 2017, IKON: Journal
of Iconographic Studies published her article, “Domesticating
the Virgin in Early Modern Netherlandish Art.” It included
research Auerbach presented in 2016 at the 10th Internation-
al Conference of Iconographic Studies at the University of
Rijeka in Croatia. She’s always been fascinated by the Virgin
Mary’s depiction as a traditional Roman Catholic theme in
early, modern-Dutch visual culture, and how that representa-
tion relates to developments in devotional practices, science
and domestic conduct after the Reformation in the Nether-
lands. John Calvin and other Protestant leaders put the Virgin
Mary at the center of their criticisms of the Catholic Church,
which gave rise to the Reformation, Auerbach noted. In the
decades after Sluiter published his book, however, the mother
of Christ grew in popularity in Dutch Protestant devotional
literature and art. “I discovered Sluiter’s book like a needle in
a haystack in Special Collections at the Amsterdam Universi-
ty Library,” Auerbach said. “Sluiter’s illustrated book was the
missing link I needed to help make sense of the resurgence
of interest in Mary among Dutch Protestants in both their
religious practices and art patronage.” “Sluiter was one of the
first Dutch Calvinists to author a book on Mary’s virtues,”
she said, “which was quite a risk at the time—given that John
Calvin had condemned Marian devotion as sacrilegious.”
Auerbach was interviewed for a press release on her research
for the exhibition website by Sluiter’s ninth-generation
descendent, Peter Sluiter, and journalist Arend Heideman.
Peter Sluiter is a contributor to the exhibition and a retired
human rights activist. He was formerly secretary general of
the European Parliamentarians against Apartheid. Auerbach
is currently researching the phenomenon of spiritual pilgrim-
ages to illegal places of Catholic worship in post-Reformation
Dutch altarpieces, prints, illustrated books and maps.
Her recent publications focus on spiritual pilgrimage to
forbidden holy sites in the Northern Netherlands; the do-
mesticated Virgin Mary in scenes of the Holy Family in early
modern Netherlandish visual culture; pilgrimage and liminal
landscapes in the Dutch Republic; Marian Piety in post-icon-
oclasm Haarlem in Hendrick Goltzius’s print series, “The Life
of the Virgin;” and Cartesianism in Rembrandt’s print, “The
Death of the Virgin.” Auerbach uses her research in courses
she teaches, including Northern and Italian Renaissance Art;
“From Rubens to Rembrandt;” “Sacred Things in the Middle
Ages;” “The Ancient and Medieval Worlds;” and “From the
Renaissance to the Modern World.”
At Georgia College, Auerbach also has taught and directed
faculty-led summer study abroad programs in Amsterdam,
Paris and Rome.
20
Student Works

“Space Stranger”
Andrew Yaber

“Koi Pond”
Hannah Hill

21
“Jim”
Ty Watson

“Meant to Print”
Hannah Leach

22
Degrees Offered (Concentrations and Minors)

Art History and Visual Culture

The Art History and Visual Culture concentration provides an opportunity to develop an
understanding of the history, theory, and visual culture of art from prehistory to the present
day. The concentration offers a wide variety of courses, including courses about the art of an-
cient Egypt, African art, medieval relics and reliquaries, Italian and Northern Renaissance art,
Baroque art in Europe, Art Since 1950, Latin American art and film, art theory, and the visual
culture of gender, race, and ethnicity. The Art History and Visual Culture concentration cul-
minates in a one-semester Senior Capstone experience. Capstone students work directly with
a professor to research and develop a selected topic that culminates with a written paper and a
public presentation.

Fine Art Studio

The Fine Art Studio concentration track provides an opportunity within the liberal arts frame-
work for students to develop skills, experiential practice and multicultural understanding of
studio arts with a fine arts focus. A wide variety of courses are offered including basic art skills
such as Drawing and Two-Dimensional Design, traditional art history surveys and upper-level
Studio Art courses in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, and Printmaking.
The Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art concentration track culminates in an interdisciplinary year-
long Senior Capstone experience. The first semester of the senior year involves working closely
with a professor and members of the Art Faculty to research and develop skills and ideas for a
Senior Thesis Exhibition. The second semester of the senior year is focused on creating a body
of original artwork and mounting a Senior Thesis Exhibition for public presentation.

Graphic Design
The Graphic Design concentration provides a learning environment that nurtures creative
thinking and skill development. The curriculum is carefully assembled to fulfill the growing
interest in graphic design from students in the Department of Art and beyond. Courses are de-
signed to help students acquire the applicable skills and knowledge of design principles to gain
professional proficiency in every aspect of the graphic design profession. The concentration
will also prepare students for further study at the graduate level and to meet the demands of the
workforce. A wide variety of courses are offered including Intro to the Computer in Art, Graph-
ic Design Studio from beginning to advanced level, Typography, Publication Design, Corporate
Identity, Packaging, Motion, Senior Capstone experience that focuses primarily on research,
design ideation and portfolio development, and Special Topics in Design. The topic will vary
from section to section and may include high-end security printing, environmental design, web
design, motion design, wayfinding design, and exhibition design, among others.

Museum Studies
The Museum Studies concentration is a Bachelor of Arts degree program offered in the Depart-
ment of Art. It is one of only a few undergraduate programs of this emerging field offered in the
United States. Students in this program learn and understand the internal operations of a mu-
seum organization. The courses include Introduction to Museums Studies, which explores the
history and function of museums, their missions, diverse collections, exhibition programming,
and interaction with audiences and communities. In Exhibition Design, presents museum
and gallery design principles and exhibition construction techniques. Critical and Curatorial
Theory & Development focuses on curatorial practices for the development of exhibitions and
collections in a museum environment. Museum Administration focuses on the organizational
structure of museums.

23
Ceramics (Minor)
Ceramics art students are exposed to the scope of ceramic materials to gain ideas about ob-
jects and craft through study and hands-on practice. Through lectures, daily demonstrations,
readings, and studio work, GCSU students are encouraged to perform their learning skills and
combined techniques to transform their clay mineral into finished creative designs and discover
personal artistic direction. Beginning with Ceramic art and Global Foodways, GCSU students
will gain a foundation for methods and historical ceramic forms with rich cultural practices
associated with their varied functions. Additional special topics courses are offered and will add
to the breadth of student experience.

Painting (Minor)
Students who minor in Painting are focused on developing visual literacy, technical compe-
tency, method and process, color/design concepts, content exploration, collaboration and
cross-disciplinary approaches to painting. Painting begins with developing ones technical vo-
cabulary, artistic method and critical evaluation skills set within a cross-cultural context. Then,
students continue to develop their artistic and critical thinking skills. Topics in the program
include approaches to painting the human figure, material exploration and investigation of the
expressive potential of painting. The Painting III course is dedicated to muralism. In this course
students learn mural development, design and production within a cross-cultural art context.
Students continue to build artistic skills as they work collaboratively on-site-specific mural
projects within the community. Finally, Painting IV is a further investigation of the technical,
expressive, and conceptual potential of the painting medium.

Photography (Minor)
Students will learn historical and contemporary analytical skills including the ability to re-
search, define, analyze and critically formulate positions on contemporary issues in visual and
public art from historical, ethical, formal and sociopolitical perspectives.
In this minor program, student also will learn production skills including the ability to create,
understand and manipulate media, and the ability to complete and present artworks or projects.
Within the arena of production, the student will consider how to present and distribute artwork
in multiple formats/contexts using technological, multilingual, and other means. To minor in
Photography, students must complete 15 credit hours in this area. Courses include Photography
I, II, III and IV.

Printmaking (Minor)
The Georgia College & State University Printmaking Department is located at the former
Atlanta Gas Light building or Miller Annex. Comprised of several rooms fully equipped for
a variety of print processes, our department prides itself on the inky fingernails and dynamic
imagery of our print student community. In addition to the coursework, our students travel to
printmaking conferences, participate in national and international print exchanges and exhibi-
tions and have the opportunity to work with visiting artists and scholars in the printing of fine
art editions. Students wishing to minor in Printmaking must complete 15 credit hours. Courses
include Drawing II and Printmaking.

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 @gcsuart

The official Instagram account of the

Georgia College and State University
Department of Art

Follow to stay up to date on gallery events, artist talks and

more!

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 back inside cover

Designed by:
Andrew Yaber

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