Why Study Art?
Unleash your creativity through innovation, experimentation and exploration in a wide range of specialty areas.
The art major or minor at Pacific offers a wide variety of artistic disciplines, including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, metalsmithing and jewelry, digital and darkroom photography. Students gain hands-on experience through independent and collaborative artistic research and projects, where you'll work with peers, gain expert guidance, and bring your artistic vision to life.
As an art major, you can take advantage of enriching and creative opportunities, including:
- Faculty-mentored senior capstone projects
- A travel course to Hawaii
- Field trips to regional galleries
- Internships with local artists and art centers
- Courses in sustainability and civic engagement
Art students learn to create expressive, well-crafted artwork that explores a variety of concepts grounded in historical, contemporary, and theoretical contexts of art. As an art major or minor, you’ll learn how to use tools like 3D printers, laser cutter/engravers, CNC routers and a full suite of wood shop tools. In the 2D studio, you’ll have access to plenty of space for painting and drawing, a printmaking studio with a Conrad intaglio press and silkscreens, a digital photo lab, and a traditional darkroom.
What Can You Do with an Art Major?
Graduates with an art major from Pacific University are professional artists and photographers, landscape designers, illustrators, teachers, gallery directors and art therapists. Many art students pursue graduate school for a master of arts in teaching or a master of fine arts. Others pursue business opportunities, such as starting art galleries and working in design firms.
By studying and creating art, you'll develop powerful transferable skills like critical thinking, risk-taking, and meticulous attention to detail. Pacific students can also pursue a dual major or a minor in art if they want to expand their studies and career options.
Art on Campus
The Permanent Art Collection at Pacific University is an extension of the Kathrin Cawein Gallery’s exhibition program and includes over 1,200 original works of art from regionally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed artists. Exhibits change monthly throughout the academic year and are provided at no cost to the public through the Department of Art.
The Art Club supports a variety of crafty activities around campus including pumpkin painting for Halloween, bike decorating for Bike Week, tie-dying, and the Human Body Canvas project.
