Studio Art

Hands-on Experiences, Diverse Mediums, Skilled & Well-Connected Faculty

As a studio art major at Queens, you’ll grow your artistic abilities by generating ideas, developing concepts and techniques, and presenting through a hands-on approach in the studio. You will become well-versed in creative and critical thinking while also learning to work within different mediums such as paint, clay, fabric, and more. And you’ll do all of this in a community and a city where the arts are celebrated at every turn.

Our campus is home to the newly renovated and state-of-the-art Gambrell Center, which includes multiple galleries, and our city features numerous galleries and museums, with the Mint Museum, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts, and the McColl Center for Art + Innovation all just a few miles away.

Meet Anna Mcnerney ’16

“Without the studio art major at Queens, I don’t think I would have discovered my passion and decided to pursue a master’s program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA, studying Marital and Family Therapy with a deep concentration in Art Therapy.”

Program Highlights

• Studio art majors also have opportunities for internships and hands-on experiences with more than 30 art museums and galleries in the Charlotte area, and our well-connected faculty members can facilitate targeted introductions to help you land coveted internships and apprenticeships.
• Students can choose to double major in studio art and arts management and business, which allows you to broaden your skill base and your marketability.
• We also offer 24-hour access to studio space to all our students the freedom to perfect their craft whenever inspiration strikes.

Your Degree in Action

Our graduates emerge from our program ready to take on a variety of roles, including:

• Artist 
• Designer 
• Illustrator 
• Educator 
• Restorer 
• Consultant 
• Curator 
• Gallery owner 
• Community arts organizer 

Selected Courses

Ceramics (ARS 200) – This course will introduce the basic materials and techniques used in the creation of hand-built and wheel-thrown ceramic vessels and sculptures. This is primarily a skills-based, hands-on course, with an emphasis on successfully creating ceramic objects. Conceptual and formal applications will be equally emphasized.

Printmaking (ARS 201) – This course introduces traditional techniques in the printmaking processes of intaglio (etching and engraving), woodcut, and letterpress. Students are encouraged to explore imagery and content while balancing technique with subject matter.

Sculpture (ARS 300) – This course will explore the basic elements of three-dimensional form and space. Representational modeling, abstraction, and basic fabrication techniques will be covered. Presentation, collaboration, and conceptual development will also be emphasized.

Painting (ARS 301) – This course introduces the traditional techniques of oil painting through studies of pictorial elements with emphasis on structure, shape and color. Formal elements are emphasized.

Program Contact

Meet Your Professors