Visual Art

Study Visual Art at UCCS and earn a degree in an innovative program doing what you love!

The Visual Art program cultivates and celebrates the rich diversity of art and artists through a strong foundation in the history and traditions of art while embracing experimentation and cross-disciplinary collaborations.

The Visual Art option either as a major or minor within the cross-disciplinary VAPA degree offers students a wide range of media options in which to explore their artistic voice including painting, sculpture, fiber, installation, photography, digital media, video, and drawing. Students are encouraged to explore hybrid processes and collaborative relationships between the disciplines of art history, film studies, museum & gallery practice, music, and theatre.

The professionally active faculty creates a supportive environment through which they get to know students as individuals. Studios are well equipped and include foundation, drawing, painting, sculpture, fiber, photography and a state of the art Macintosh computer lab. Opportunities abound to show your work in the annual student show and in local venues. Travel with faculty and friends to see art in the four corners of the world. Participate in the Student Art Club, which sponsors workshops, panels, exhibitions, lectures, and other festive art events.

The visiting artists lecture series give students an opportunity to work with local, national, and internationally recognized artists on a one to one basis. In their senior year visual art majors will participate in a senior thesis show in the Gallery of Contemporary Art and present their portfolio to the students and faculty of the Visual and Performing Arts Department in preparation for a career in the arts and for application to graduate school.

Colorado Springs is home to the UCCS Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the Business of Art Center, The Heller Center, and a range of commercial galleries. The Denver Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, The Lab at Belmar, the Center for Visual Arts, the Sangre de Cristo Art Center and a host of other museums and galleries, featuring a broad array of genres, are a short drive from Colorado Springs.

Visual Art Option: 60 credits

Students intending to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts with a Visual Art option must complete 60 credit hours: 36 in Visual Art, 12 in VAPA, 6 in Art History, and 6 within another VAPA option for a Cross-Disciplinary component.

Visual Art requirements: 36 credits

Core requirements:  9 credits

VA 101 Beginning Studio 2D
VA 102 Beginning Studio 3D
VA 104 Beginning Drawing

Lower Division requirements:  9 credits

200/300 level courses

Upper Division requirements:  18 credits

VA 398 Seminar in Studio Problems
VA 498 Professional Seminar
300/400 level (12 credits)

Art History requirements: 6 credits

AH 150 Art & Ideas: Michelangelo to Basquiat
AH 386 Contemporary Art

VAPA requirements: 12 credits

3 credits VAPA 100 level
6 credits VAPA 390
3 credits VAPA 400 Interdisciplinary Capstone

Cross-Disciplinary requirements: 6 credits

200/300/400 level courses in Film Studies, Museum & Gallery Practice, Music, or Theatre.

Please Note:

Core courses, VA101, VA102, VA104, AH150, VAPA100 level, lay the foundation for the conceptual, technical, and formal skills needed for advanced work these courses must be completed before enrolling in any 200/300/400 level visual art courses.

VA398 & AH386 are companion courses and must be taken concurrently during the junior year  and before enrolling in VA 498
VA498 Professional Seminar is taken the senior year
VAPA 400 Interdisciplinary Capstone is taken the senior year
300/400 level VA courses may be repeated once for credit (Except for VA398 and VA498)

It is recommended that all visual art students meet with a visual art faculty adviser once a year.

Visual Art Minor: 18 credits

6 credits required core; 3 credits 200 level; 9 credits 300/400 level
The core must be completed before enrolling in any 200/300/400 level visual art courses.
200/300/400 level course must be in one media

Required Core: 

VA101 Beginning Studio 2D
VA102 Beginning Studio 3D OR VA104 Beginning Drawing

Links to Local and Regional Art-Related Resources and Museums

Heller Center for Art and Humanities (under construction)
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Denver Art Museum
Denver Museum of Contemporary Art
The Lab at Belmar
Museo de las Américas
Sangre de Cristo Art and Conference Center
Vance Kirkland Museum
Harwood Museum
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
Site Santa Fe
The Wheelwright Museum
The Center for the Visual Arts

For a current schedule or course descriptions please check out the UCCS Bulletin:
http://www.uccs.edu/course.html

Visual Art Director: Valerie Brodar

Faculty

Student Work