Art (Studio Art)

If you feel called to create, studio art is the major for you. As an Alverno art student, unlike at other programs, you’ll explore a wide variety of art-making techniques and media, like drawing, painting, ceramics, metalwork, fused glass, fibers, digital photography, sculpture, book arts and papermaking.

Our program will help you perfect the technical skills of your personal expressive practice and show you how you can use art to make a dramatic impact on our community. We’ll also provide you with a rich foundation in art history, introduce you to STEAM principles, greener studios, community participation and general liberal arts studies.

The Alverno difference

At Alverno, we are small by design. We know your name, your career aspirations, your personal challenges and your strengths. We curate learning to meet your individual needs, connect you with people in the field and help you set personal goals. You are not just a student to us — you are a lifetime member of our community.

We will help you lay a strong foundation for a successful career. Because of Alverno’s unique abilities-based curriculum, our studio art majors graduate with stellar communication, leadership, media and problem-solving skills. You’ll be that much further ahead when you interview for a job, lecture at an exhibition, facilitate a workshop or lead other projects as a community art advocate.

"Not only do faculty help prepare the artist to identify their primary medium, but they also prepare you with research and presentation skills as well as how you can get involved in your community.”

— Felonee, Studio Art major

Coursework

All Alverno students must complete 120 credits to earn a bachelor’s degree. You will begin studio art courses during your first year along with your general education requirements. Our light-filled classrooms are not only designed to help you explore different media, but also to be as green as possible so you can embrace sustainable art practices. In courses that are co-taught by art and science faculty, you can approach your work through a STEAM lens that merges science and art. And you’ll have access to working artists ― every semester, you’ll work with fellow students and a visiting art professional to develop a community art mid-semester assessment, which gives you practice planning collaborative group art projects.

Hands-on experience

There are so many opportunities to apply what you’re learning thanks to Milwaukee’s dynamic, active arts culture. Our students have interned at such locations as the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Charles Allis Art Museum, Wisconsin Visual Artists, Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, the Milwaukee Film Festival, the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Boys and Girls Club, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Special Collections Library and the Wisconsin Book Bindery, among others.

In addition to internships, our students embrace many opportunities to share their art with the college and broader community. You can participate in our annual juried art competition, display work in our campus-wide display venues, learn gallery management skills, work with the campus gallery director to design your senior exhibition, apply for work-study job opportunities to learn behind-the-scenes aspects of managing visual art exhibition spaces or work as a studio assistant to develop an advanced understanding of materials and classroom management. Our well-connected faculty can also help you network, invite you to participate in collaborative public art projects and explore ways to exhibit your work off campus.

Career opportunities

You may choose to pursue studio art on a full-time basis, or you can maintain your studio practice while working for a museum, gallery, community center or art-themed nonprofit organization. Others use their artistic skills in the business world, focusing on areas such as product photography, graphic design or other design fields. Some students also choose to enter graduate programs in such areas as museum studies, design, art history or studio art.

Admission requirements

Your first step is to apply for admission to Alverno by completing the free application at alverno.edu/apply. You should mark your intended major as art.

You will be paired with professional academic advisor who gets to know you, helping you chart your path and register for classes, as well as with a faculty advisor who will support your success to graduation.