Trinity University provides a broad and interdisciplinary approach to both art and the history of art, with primary focus on Western cultures, Latin America, and ancient western Asia. The Deaprtment of Art and Art History supports students' desires to express themselves through art and to be involved in the creative process. It provides students with opportunities to create art, and leads them to understand works of art and visual images through historical analyses. To this end, we offer a blend of theory and hands-on courses.
Students may major or minor in art history or art, or pursue a combined minor of art and art history. Students often choose art history as part of a double major, particularly with modern languages, history, or classical studies; however, many combinations of majors are feasible. The art major provides students with a pre-professional base for a wide range of careers in the arts, teaching, and the business and professional world, or for advanced study at the graduate level.
While the Ruth Taylor Fine Arts Center is being renovated (completion is scheduled for March, 2006), the departmental office and visual resources collection, which houses over 140,000 teaching slides, are housed in Storch Memorial Hall 012. Art history courses will be taught in Storch Hall classrooms that are arranged for both lecture and seminar classes and are equipped with dual slide projectors. Photography and digital art labs will be located in Laurie Auditorium and the Richardson Communications Center, respectively. During the renovation, sculpture and ceramic studio courses will be taught at 110 Kings Court; painting and drawing courses at Heidi Lounge; and printmaking courses at the Southwest School of Arts and Crafts.
Art courses include beginning and advanced courses in ceramics, digital art, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Art history course offerings include both introductory and advanced courses in a wide variety of disciplines such as Art & Archaeology of Ancient Egypt, Archaeology of Ancient Mesopotamia and Persia, Greek Architecture, Roman Art & Architecture, Northern Renaissance Art, Italian Baroque Art, Spanish Colonial Art and Architecture in Mexico, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, Theories and Art of the Russian Avant Garde, Twentieth-Century Architecture and Urbanism, and Museum Studies.
· Curatorial and educational internships at the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Marion Koogler McNay Museum, and other arts and cultural institutions
· Guest lectures and symposia presented by internationally-known art historians, artists, and critics; the venue for many of which is the Stieren Arts Enrichment Series
Art and art history majors have the opportunity for curatorial and educational internships at the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Marion Koogler McNay Museum, and other arts and cultural institutions in the area. The department encourages students to study abroad, usually in their junior year. Recently, students have attended programs in Florence, Rome, Venice, Madrid, London, Paris, and Edinburgh. The department and its student organization, Alpha Rho Tau, organize field trips to museums in San Antonio and other cities, including Austin, Houston, and Dallas. The art and art history department's program is supplemented by guest lectures and symposia presented by internationally known art historians, artists, and critics. Students also experience art through selected exhibitions around the Trinity campus.
Trinity's Department of Art and Art History prepares students to enter top graduate programs and to excel in a variety of professional endeavors. Careers related to the study of art history include teaching, writing, museum professions, art conservation, commercial dealership, publishing, visual resources management, librarianship, advertising, and arts administration. Other closely related fields are archaeology, architecture, anthropology, urban studies, and historic preservation. Because of the acceleration of scientific input to these fields, students should expect to complete some preparation in the natural sciences and computer technology. Graduates of the art and art history department hold directorships and positions of leadership in museums and universities, graphics, advertising and design fields, and many are practicing professionals in the fine arts.
Dr. Mark B. Garrison, Chair
Department of Art and Art History
(210) 999-7648
mgarriso@trinity.edu
www.trinity.edu/departments/art_history