Fine Arts
Major and minor offered

The department of fine arts offers courses in the history of art and the studio practice of art and provides an education in the visual arts for both majors and non-majors. It strives to clarify the relationship of the visual arts to other liberal arts disciplines, and to stress their importance as a humanizing force in both the past and present.

The fine arts department feels the above can best be accomplished by study in both the history and practice of art, and requires that majors involve themselves in both components of the department’s offerings. The department offers courses to a large number of undergraduates each term. These courses are intended to satisfy the needs of both majors and non-majors. Fine Arts 116, 117, 215, 217 and 218 (Survey of Art, Survey of Western Art, West African Arts, Buddhist Art and Ritual, and Arts of South Asia) satisfy distribution in humanities; Fine Arts 121 (Introduction to Studio Art) satisfies distribution in arts and expression; Fine Arts 215, 217, 218 and 246 (West African Arts, Buddhist Art and Ritual, Arts of South Asia, and Art and Politics in Nigeria) satisfy distribution in Diversity.

As a complement to the fine arts program, the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery sponsors a program of thematic and contemporary exhibitions, including alternating faculty and alumni exhibitions and an annual student show. Students are often employed in the gallery program so they may develop a working knowledge of aspects of gallery management, including registration, installation, conservation and writing exhibition catalogs. Students are also employed as teaching assistants and in other areas supporting the department’s programs.

Major Requirements

A major in fine arts includes class work in the history of art and in studio art. In addition to the general graduation requirements, a minimum of eight units is necessary for the major; the maximum number of units allowable is 14. This includes both transfer units and courses taken abroad. Transfer students are required to take at least four units of credit in the department. Two of these units must be in studio art and two must be in art history.

Majors are required to take Fine Arts 121 (Introduction to Studio Art) and Fine Arts 116 or 117 (Survey of Art I or II) as early as possible, and at least two additional art history units, at the 200 level or above, and two additional studio units. Further, it is suggested that majors take one unit in philosophy of art or a course in theory or an art seminar. Students interested in studio work should acquire more units in those areas; students interested in the history of art should acquire more units in art history. Students interested in attending graduate school in art history are strongly recommended to study at least one foreign language appropriate to their areas of ­interest.

A suggested program follows:

.History of art: 3 to 11 units
.Studio work: 3 to 11 units

Majors are expected to obtain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in department courses, although a better-than-average grade level is recommended.

Minor Requirements

A minor in fine arts comprises a combination of the history of art and studio work. Minors are required to take Fine Arts 121 (Introduction to Studio Art) and either Fine Arts 116 or 117 (Survey of Art or Survey of Western Art). In addition, four upper-level courses, with diversity of selection, are required for the minor.

Certification to Teach Art

Students seeking initial certification as K-12 art teachers in New York must major in fine arts, taking at least five studio art courses, and also complete the certification minor in education. Fine arts majors intending to complete student teaching after graduation in the University's Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program must complete the same requirements for the fine arts major and the educational studies minor in education (or its equivalent) as undergraduates. Consult the education section of this Catalog and/or speak to the coordinator of the teacher education program in the education department as early as possible.

Honorary Society

The fine arts honorary society offers membership to students who maintain a 3.0 overall average and four fine arts courses with a 3.5 average, or a 3.0 overall and six fine arts courses with a 3.25 average. Applications are solicited once during the academic year and an induction ceremony takes place in the spring semester.

Honors

After declaring a major in fine arts, students are encouraged to consider participating in the department's honors program. Students should consult with the chair of the department early in their junior year to begin to formulate their honors program.

Student Art Union

The Student Art Union (SAU) is an intradepartmental organization that was developed to bring about greater communication among students working in the fine arts. Members include fine arts majors and all students who have an interest in the fine arts department at St. Lawrence. The SAU helps organize the annual student art show and plans various other activities throughout the year.

Faculty

Obiora Udechukwu, B.A., M.F.A., Nigeria (Nsukka)
Charles A. Dana Professor of Fine Arts

Dorothy Limouze, B.A., Goucher; M.F.A., Ph.D., Princeton
Lynn and Terry Birdsong Associate Professor in the Arts and Chair of Department

Chandreyi Basu, B.A., Loreto; M.A., Jawaharlal Nehru; Ph.D., Pennsylvania
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts

Kasarian Dane, BFA, University of Minnesota; MFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts

Mark E. Denaci, B.Ph., Miami University; M.A., Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium; M.A.,
Case Western Reserve; M.A., Ph.D., Rochester
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts

Amy Hauber, B.A., Pittsburgh; M.F.A., Wisconsin (Madison)
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts

Melissa Schulenberg, B.A., Bowdoin; M.A., Purdue; M.F.A., Colorado (Boulder)
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts

Faye Serio
Assistant Professor of Fine Arts