At A Glance

Gain the tools you need to push your artistic boundaries in both traditional and new media while engaging with diverse art traditions and theories across cultures and times.

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Carthage art students make and study art in a breathtaking setting, mastering traditional and new media as they push the boundaries of their vision. Ideally located between Chicago and Milwaukee, Carthage offers opportunities for students to engage with great works of art in internationally recognized museums, prepare for careers in the creative economy, and develop lifelong professional connections.

Studio Art and Art Education

Studio art majors work closely with their professors and peers in a range of traditional and new media techniques in spacious, well-equipped studios. Students develop professional skills through internships, annual portfolio reviews with faculty, and solo thesis exhibitions. Community is formed through communal and individual studio spaces for seniors, on campus exhibition opportunities, and art organizations in preparation for life beyond Carthage.

Carthage’s studio art courses:

  • Painting
  • Drawing
  • Illustration
  • Ceramics
  • Sculpture
  • Printmaking
  • Photography
  • Animation
  • Digital Arts
  • Video
  • Film
  • Performance
  • Installation
  • Sound
  • Light
  • Crafts

 

The art history and theory courses allow students to study visual art as an enduring cultural legacy. Courses are designed to provide the intellectual framework for understanding and interpreting visual culture, and to provide students the analytical skills necessary to discuss the complex modes of artistic expression across the ages.

Carthage offers a major in art with K-12 public school licensure that provides the necessary preparation to obtain a Wisconsin state license in art education. This major develops the skills students need to be practicing artists as well as effective teachers.

Community Connections

The Carthage art curriculum promotes connections to the local community and networking.

Central experiences include visiting artist workshops, studio visits with professional artists, and exhibition opportunities on and off campus.

Each studio art major conducts a senior exhibition highlighting their abilities. Multiple artists have left a lasting imprint by painting campus murals through a paid summer research program.

 

Art Facilities

In the H. F. Johnson Center for the Fine Arts, students enjoy sunlit studios and critique galleries, as well as a photography lighting studio, a printing output lab, and a computer lab equipped with the latest video-editing and imaging software. Exhibition spaces include the H. F. Johnson Gallery of Art, Visual and Performing Arts Lab, and Campbell Student Union Art Gallery, a student-run space. Additional exhibition opportunities are coordinated with neighboring institutions and local/regional galleries.

Learn more about our art facilities

 

Art Student Organizations

Student art organizations include the Student Art Board, Art Club, The Carthage Film Association, and Kappa Pi, the Honors Art Fraternity. These student-led organizations provide professional networking opportunities such as the Annual 24-Hour Drawing Marathon, Print-a-Rama, panel talks, peer critiques, and field trips. Each semester, organizations facilitate outings to Chicago, Milwaukee, and abroad — visiting commercial galleries, museums, and art fairs.

Learn more about arts organizations

 

  • Abigail Smith

    “Carthage has been instrumental in shaping my artistic journey and providing me with the skills and knowledge I need to pursue my dreams in the art world. I am excited about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead.”

  • Kelsey Spofford

    “I have been able to explore my individuality through academics as well as develop lifelong friendships. Being at Carthage has given me opportunities like no other.”

  • Basil Kiracofe

    “The tools Carthage has to offer have given me the opportunity to succeed as a student and prepare for the future.”

 

Arts Careers: Preparation for the Future

Studying and making art within a liberal arts curriculum at Carthage uniquely prepares students as innovators and leaders in the arts. Opportunities for internships with regional galleries and museums, professional art studios, and design firms offer students real-life experiences, networking building, and potential jobs. Strong critical thinking skills, technical knowledge, and visual communication abilities extend to a variety of arts-based fields, including:

  • Professional artist
  • Art historian
  • K-12 art educator
  • Curator
  • Art therapist
  • Arts administrator
  • Art critic
  • Arts writer
  • Community arts educator
  • Arts outreach coordinator

Learn more about careers in art