Painting
The studio emphasis in painting is offered in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees .
The BFA and BA offer intensive studio work organized in a sequence of courses designed to promote the development of concepts and their realization in vital material form. This approach requires a foundation in the fundamental aspects of painting and drawing media, as well as an understanding of the historical, contemporary and social contexts in which painting is encountered. The BFA allows the greatest emphasis on painting and other courses in the School of Art and Design. The BFA is the best preparation for graduate study or professional studio practice in painting. The BA allows the opportunity to develop an academic and career plan that includes a minor outside of the School of Art and Design or a non-English language proficiency. Undergraduate painting studios are located in McKnight Art Center, providing generous space and access time, excellent light and stimulating surroundings.
The MFA is the terminal degree in studio painting. The WSU MFA was one of the earlier programs in the United States, with the first degree awarded in 1955 in painting. List of MFA painting alumni. The MFA is intended for qualified students planning careers as professional artists, either working independently or as artist educators. The graduate painting program is interested in applicants who show passion and dedication to painting as a viable critical and material practice, and use it as an expressive language for articulating observations of contemporary experience. Depth of knowledge in contemporary art history and theory is highly valued. Program emphasis is placed on developing awareness and appropriate application of contemporary art practice and theory to studio painting and contextual understanding of its relationship to the history of art. Technical expertise, an informed conceptual base and a proven professional commitment to studio art practice are essential for recipients of the MFA. Graduate painting studios are located in Henrion Hall adjacent to McKnight Art Center. There are six private studios averaging 240 sq. ft. each. Graduate students have 24 hour access to their studios, and the well-equipped central shop is also located in Henrion Hall. Graduate Teaching Assistantships with substantial financial support in the form of tuition waivers, stipend and graduate fellowships are available each year of graduate painting study.
The Ulrich Museum of Art and Clayton Staples Gallery are located in McKnight Art Center. The Ulrich Museum presents curated and traveling exhibitions of contemporary art by nationally and internationally recognized artists, related visiting artist activities and exhibitions from the permanent collection. The extenstive and nationally recognized Martin Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection is also part of the Ulrich Museum. In 2006, Public Art Review journal named it one of the top 10 campus sculpture collections in the nation. The latest addition to the 76 piece collection is Millipede by renowned sculptor and Wichita native Tom Otterness. Video on Tom Otterness and Millipede. The School of Art and Design Staples Gallery presents work by regional artists and special student exhibitions. The Rhatigan Student Center Gallery offers painting students the opportunity to exhibit their work for a university-wide audience. WSU Shift Space is the School of Art and Design gallery located in the Old Town art and entertainment district in Downtown Wichita. It offers innovative student and guest artist exhibitions that connect WSU to the Wichita community. Shift Space participates in the Wichita Final Friday Gallery Crawl each month.
Art Research and Professional Career Development
WSU painting students are expected to conduct art research and are encouraged to engage in the art profession through exhibitions, artist residencies, study abroad, grant and fellowship activity, and student membership in the College Art Association and Women's Caucus for Art. The Professional Practices in Studio Art and Gallery Management courses provide valuable information for professional career development and activity. Professional Practices is required in the BFA and MFA, and both courses can be taken as art electives. The required Graduate Teaching Seminar provides MFA painting students with beneficial information on teaching methods and professional careers as artist educators. MFA students are encouraged to submit proposals for Graduate School research funding, grants and awards, and presentation of their research at the annual Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects Symposium and Capitol Graduate Research Summit.
Web Resources for Art Research and Professional Career Development
Student Work
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School of Art and Design Mission and Vision Statements
More Information on the Painting Program
BFA Studio Art Degree Requirements
MFA Studio Art Degree Requirements
MFA Application Requirements and Procedures
Application for Graduate Assistantship or Fellowship
Graduate Teaching Assistant Financial Support Information
WSU Alumni Magazine Article on the MFA Program's 50th Anniversary
See the side bar for undergraduate and additional graduate application procedures, and Art and Design undergraduate scholarships. Request additional information on undergraduate or graduate study. Art and Design undergraduate transfer guidelines. Seven starting steps for entering undergraduates. Schedule an undergraduate or graduate campus visit.
Map and Virtual Tour of Wichita and the WSU Campus
McKnight Art Center and Cork Marcheschi's Flint Hills Apparition
Final Friday Gallery Crawl
Final Friday Gallery Crawl at WSU Shift Space
Decorative and Ornamental
Painting and Design
Diane Thomas Lincoln has resigned from her position as Assistant Professor of Painting and Drawing and Director of the Decorative and Ornamental Painting and Design Certificate Program. She serves as Adjunct Faculty fall 2009, instructing several students completing the certificate at the end of the semester. At that time, the certificate program will be discontinued. Diane Thomas Lincoln's dedicated oversight of the certificate program is greatly appreciated by the School of Art and Design and the many students benefiting from her instruction.
Painting Faculty
Painting faculty Robert Bubp, Ronald Christ, Diane Thomas Lincoln and Levente Sulyok are qualified, dedicated and professionally active artist educators offering WSU painting students diversity in background and educational experience, areas of expertise and aesthetic viewpoint. In addition to working directly with the painting faculty, students benefit from other Art and Design faculty through course offerings and critiques of work.
Faculty Work
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The Arts in Wichita and the Region
With a population of 600,000, metropolitan Wichita has an abundance of arts organizations, venues and opportunities for WSU painting students. For a comprehensive listing, visit the Wichita Division of Arts and Culture website. The site includes a monthly Final Friday Gallery Crawl venue map, a listing of galleries and museums, and information on the performing arts, music and film. The monthly First Friday Music Crawl complements the Final Friday Gallery Crawl.
WSU painting students also benefit from visiting art venues in other regional cities.
Kansas City ~ Oklahoma City ~ Tulsa ~ St. Louis ~ Dallas & Fort Worth ~ Denver
Art-Patrol St. Louis provides extensive coverage of visual arts in the St. Louis area. MW Capacity: A Painter Blog for No-Coasters focuses on painters living, working and exhibiting in the Midwest. It provides informative links and enables internet dialogue with other painting students and professionals.
WSU Painting and The International School
of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture
in Umbria, Italy (ISA)
The professional relationship between the WSU painting program and ISA continues to develop, providing exciting and meaningful experiences to painting students, alumni and friends who are interested in travel to Italy, and study or artist residency at a highly respected school. WSU painting now has 28 alumni of instructional or artist residency programs at ISA. The school has intensive and selective programs with excellent faculty, visiting artists, lecturers and scholars. Arranged trips to museums and galleries in Rome, Florence, Siena, Assisi and other Italian cities add to the experience. ISA is located in Montecastello di Vibio, Umbria, midway between Rome and Florence, in one of the most artistically rich and geographically beautiful regions of Italy. ISA was recently named one of the top 10 artist residency programs in the world by ArtInfo.
More Information on WSU Painting and ISA
Map of Italy with ISA Location
WSU Alumni Magazine Article on WSU Painting and ISA
WSU & ISA: 10 Exhibition at the Clayton Staples Gallery, 2009
Statements by WSU Painting ISA Alumni on Their Experience in Italy
WSU Painting ISA Alumni in Italy
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