Hite Art Institue Guidebook

Hite Art InstituteBA and BFA programs BA Art History

BA Studio ArtBFA 2D Studio 3D Studio Communication Art & Design Interior Architecture

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The Hite Art Institute, the Department of

Fine Arts at the University of Louisville, is the

largest studio art program and the only PhD

program in Art History in the Commonwealth

of Kentucky. The Department currently has

over 450 undergraduate majors, 60 graduate

students, 22 full-time faculty members and a

full-time staff of seven.

The Fine Arts program in enriched by the

Institute’s Exhibition program and the Visiting

Artist’s and Scholars Program which invites

eminent artists and experts to lecture and

exhibit at the institute. The Institute’s Galleries

also provide students a venue to exhibit work

in Student, BFA, and MA Thesis Shows.

The Frederic Lindley Morgan Chair of Archi-

tectural Design brings a distinguished scholar

or architect to campus for a semester each

academic year. The Visual Resources Center

provides services for classes throughout the

University and is available for student use.

The Margaret M. Bridwell Art Library, one of

the finest art libraries in the region, houses art

journals, texts, a video library, and a collec-

tion of rare books. The University Art Collec-

tion offers Fine Arts students the opportunity

to research and work with an outstanding

collection of prints, drawings, and paintings.

The Cressman Center for Visual Arts, located

in downtown Louisville, houses the depart-

ment’s glass program, expanded sculpture

facilities, and additional exhibition galleries.

Qualified undergraduate students may also

take a variety of interdisciplinary courses in the

Honor’s Program offered by faculty members

in the College of Arts & Sciences. Inter-

ested students should consult the University

Honor’s Program Director (502.852.6293)

or visit their website at http://www.louisville.

edu/a-s/honors/

Outstanding art majors are eligible to apply

for Hite Scholarships awarded through the

department. These scholarships are awarded

on a competitive basis and offer full or partial

tuition for undergraduate students. Applicants

for these awards are evaluated according to

merit (overall GPA above 3.0 and depart-

mental GPA above 3.5), faculty recommenda-

tion, and financial need. Students are eligible

to receive these awards for more than one

academic year, however, they must complete

a new application form each year in order to

be reconsidered.

Hite Art Institute

College of Arts & Sciences

University of Louisville

Louisville, KY 40292

P: 502.852.6794

F: 582.852.6791

email: [email protected]

www.art.louisville.edu

The Department of Fine Arts offers the BA in the History of Art. The BA is

the most comprehensive undergraduate degree in the College. It is awarded

to students who have completed both college-wide requirements and the

requirements of the major. The Art History Program introduces students

to the history and appreciation of the visual arts. For the undergraduate

wishing to major in Art History, the Program provides in-depth study in

Ancient, Medieval, Byzantine, Islamic, Renaissance, Baroque, American,

Modern, and Contemporary western, as well as Asian and Non-western art

and architecture.

AdmissionAdmission to this program is selective. Students who wish to major in fine

arts specializing in Art History must submit an Application for Admission

for a Major in Fine Arts to the Department of Fine Arts (available from

the Department or www.art.louisville.edu). Acceptance depends on satis-

factory academic performance, and artistic, educational, and career goals

which meet the Departmental standard. Art History applicants must submit

an essay which demonstrates sufficient grammar and writing skills, an

understanding of the concept of basic descriptive analysis, and the ability

to succeed in the art history coursework.

To be admitted and to remain in the program, students are expected to

meet the minimum overall grade point standards for the College of Arts &

Sciences. This means students must be in “Good Standing” and have a

minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for consideration. In addition, a grade of

“D” in any department course 300-level or above may not be used to fulfill

a departmental requirement.

AP CreditThe College awards credit on the basis of scores on the Advanced Place-

ment Examination of the College Board [http://admissions.louisville.edu/

apply/ap-credit.html]. Three hours credit awarded for scores of 4 or 5 on

“History of Art” may be used in place of ARTH 250: Ancient to Medieval

Art. Scores should be submitted to the Admissions Office as soon as they

are available.

CurriculumThe Art History curriculum includes a broad range of courses from intro-

ductory classes for non-art majors to advanced graduate seminars on

specialized topics. The program offers courses at all levels in the areas

of faculty expertise, covering Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Early

Christian, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, African, African-American,

American, Modern, Contemporary, and Asian art and architecture. There

are also courses in the history of photography, the history of graphic

design, historic interiors, curatorial studies, and the history of drawing

and prints.

Additional ResourcesThe Art History program is enriched by the Department’s Visiting Artists

and Scholars Program which invites eminent artists and experts to

present lectures on a variety of arts-related topics. In addition, the Fred-

eric Lindley Morgan Chair of Architectural Design brings a distinguished

scholar or architect to campus for a semester each academic year. The

Morgan Professor normally teaches an undergraduate/graduate seminar in

his/her area of expertise.

The Bridwell Art Library, a non-circulating facility, houses art journals,

texts, a video library, and a collection of rare books. The Visual Resources

Center provides services for classes throughout the University and is avail-

able for student use. The University Art Collection, curated in the Depart-

ment, offers Fine Arts students the opportunity to research and work with

an outstanding collection of prints, drawings and paintings.

Qualified students may also take interdisciplinary courses in the Honors

Program, offered by the College of Arts & Sciences.

Completing the BA in Art HistoryCompletion of this program requires work to be submitted for the depart-

ment’s Learning Outcome Measurement. To meet this requirement,

graduating seniors must submit an advanced level art history paper to the

Art History Office. For details, contact the Art History Office, 136 Lutz Hall,

502.852.5914.

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The BFA degree is primarily intended for professionally oriented art students

and those planning to pursue graduate work in studio arts. The BFA

provides the opportunity for a student to go into more depth in the studio

arts. The 2D and 3D Studio tracks allow students to customize their degree

to either focus primarily on a specific studio area or to work cross-media

taking courses in several studio areas.

AdmissionAdmission to this program is selective and competitive. Enrollments

are limited. Current BA students may apply to the program after having

completed the Foundations Program in Studio Art, or equivalent, plus

having completed or are currently enrolled in the 300-level course in the

program track area for which they intend to apply (ART 301, 305, 341, or

351, for 2D Studios; ART 311, 321, 331, or 381 for 3D Studios; ART 371 for

Communication Art & Design; ART 361 for Interior Architecture). Students

must also have a minimum GPA of 3.01 in studio art and art history classes

and a minimum overall GPA of 2.25 to be admitted and to remain in the

program. If accepted to the BFA program, students take additional courses

at the 500-level in one of the four BFA program tracks: 2D Studios, 3D

Studios, Communication Art & Design, or Interior Architecture (see below).

Completion of the Degree

Completion of this degree requires work to be submitted for the department's

Learning Outcome Measurement. For the BFA canidate in 2D or 3D

Studios, this includes a committee review of the candidate's work one

semester prior to graduation and participation in the BFA Exhibition held during

the semester of graduation. For the BFA candidate in Communication Art &

Design, or Interior Architecture, this includes participation in the professional

portfolio review at the end of their professional practice course.

CurriculumStudents complete a minimum of 61 hours of their undergraduate work in

the Department of Fine Arts. All BFA students must complete: The four

Foundations studio courses. Two 300-level studio art courses. 12 hours in

Art History, including two survey courses. The professional practice course

for their specific track.

Studio art courses specific to their track:

2-D Studios: In addition to the above requirements, students will take up to

15 hours of courses at the 500-level in either drawing, painting, photography

or printmaking plus 15 hours in studio art or art history electives.

3-D Studios: In addition to the above requirements, students will take up

to 15 hours of courses at the 500-level in either ceramics, fibers, glass,

sculpture, or installation and site specific work plus 15 hours in studio art or

art history electives.

Communication Art & Design: In addition to the above requirements,

students will take up to 21 hours of courses at the 500-level in graphic

design plus 9 hours in studio art or art history electives.

Interior Architecture: In addition to the above requirements, students will

take up to 24 hours of courses at the 500-level in courses in interior design

plus 6 hours in studio art or art history electives.

The Department of Fine Arts and the Hite Art Institute of the University of

Louisville offers undergraduate Studio Art majors the choice of two degrees:

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts. The faculty are committed to

providing our graduates with technical competence, aesthetic judgment

and a strong dedication to artistic quality within the framework of a solid

liberal arts background.

The BA degree is primarily intended as a program for art students who

wish to receive a broad experience in studio practice within the context of

a liberal arts education. Students are required to complete the Foundations

curriculum plus a minimum of four courses at the 300-level in different studio

areas. Well prepared students may take up to six additional hours at the

500-level with the consent of their advisor and the instructor of the course.

All undergraduate students in the Department of Fine Arts are required to

complete a non-art academic program of General Education requirements.

Students in the Bachelor of Arts program are also required to achieve

competency in a foreign language.

AdmissionsAdmission to this program is selective. All students wishing to major in fine

arts specializing in studio art must submit an Application for Admission

for a Major in Fine Arts to the Department of Fine Arts (available from

the Department or www.art.louisville.edu). Acceptance depends on satis-

factory academic performance, as well as artistic, educational, and career

goals which meet departmental standards. Studio Art applicants must

submit a portfolio which shows artistic potential and demonstrates an apti-

tude for perceptual and conceptual development. (Students without a port-

folio should complete ART 101 – Fundamentals of Drawing and Design to

acquire more experience and build a portfolio toward application.)

Applicants must meet the minimum overall grade point standards for

the College of Arts & Sciences. This means students must be in “Good

Standing” and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for consideration. In

addition, a grade of “D” in any department course 300-level or above may

not be used to fulfill a departmental requirement.

AP CreditThe College awards credit on the basis of scores on the Advanced Place-

ment Examination of the College Board [http://admissions.louisville.edu/

apply/ap-credit.html]. Three hours credit awarded for scores of 4 or 5 on

the Studio Art “2-D Design Portfolio” may be used in place of ART 105 –

Foundation 2-D Design; on the “3-D Design Portfolio” in place of ART 106

– Foundation 3-D Design; and on the “Drawing Portfolio” in place of ART

115 – Foundation Drawing I. Scores should be submitted to the Admissions

Office as soon as they are available.

Additional ResourcesThe Hite Art Institute Galleries feature rotating monthly exhibitions of

national and regional artists, craftspersons and designers, as well as provide

students a venue to exhibit work in Student, BFA and MA Thesis Exhibitions

annually.

The Hite Art Institute’s collection of artwork includes 3,000 pieces, mostly

prints, and spans the last 500 years. Students in the fine arts program

can gain inspiration, learn techniques and develop scholarly insight from

a collection that includes works by such famous artists as Rembrandt and

Picasso. The Bridwell Art Library, a non-circulating facility, houses art

journals, texts, a video library, and a collection of rare books. The Visual

Resources Center provides services for classes throughout the University

and is available for student use

The Visiting Artists and Scholars SeriesThroughout the academic year, the Institute’s visiting artists and scholars

program sponsors lectures, workshops, exhibits and demonstrations by

nationally recognized artists, craftspeople and art historians.

Completing the BA in Studio ArtCompletion of this program requires work to be submitted for the

department’s Learning Outcome Measurement. To meet this requirement,

graduating seniors must submit eight images from 300-level studio art

courses, a statement, and complete a short questionnaire. For details,

contact the Fine Arts Office, 104 Schneider Hall, 502.852.6794.

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The drawing program consists of intermediate and advanced level courses

for students who wish to pursue drawing as an area of specialization or to

develop their drawing skills in relation to other studio areas. Students may

work in a variety of traditional media, including graphite, charcoal and pastel,

and are encouraged to explore the use of new and mixed media as well. Our

program allows work in either abstract or realistic idioms. Regular courses

are supplemented by a visiting artist program and by special topic courses,

such as Landscape Drawing and Anatomy and Life Drawing.

A large well-equipped studio provides individual working spaces for non-

figurative drawing and ample community space for complex projects and

drawing from live models.

art 305: Drawing and Composition

art 505: Advanced Figure Drawing

art 506: Advanced Drawing Concepts

art 517: Directed Study - Drawing

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The painting program offers instruction at all levels. Based upon the premise

that excellent painting may occur within a tradition, or outside of it, our

program adheres to no single school of thought, but is structured to allow

students to begin to develop their own vision through disciplined training.

While beginning painting students are given a solid foundation in the discipline,

advanced students, depending upon their respective stages of development,

are encouraged to explore avenues of expression pertinent to their own

interests. A primary objective of the program is to encourage awareness

among students that learning about oneself and the world in which one lives

is as important as developing visual skills.

Large studios, with north light, afford painting students on all levels ample

working space. Studios remain open for students’ use at times other than

class hours. An unencumbered area in advanced painting is reserved for

viewing paintings in progress and for critiques. Models are available for

those students involved in figurative work. The department’s Visiting Artists

Program continues to bring notable painters to campus to speak about their

own work and to critique students’ efforts.

art 301: Introduction to Painting

art 501: Advanced Painting

art 502: Directed Study - Painting

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The Printmaking Program provides instruction in all traditional printmaking

techniques: Relief (Woodcuts and Linocuts), Intaglio (Etching and Engraving),

Silkscreen and Lithography. Students are able to work with newer

technologies such as photo processes and computer designs.

The program emphasizes personal expression and encourages original

and serious contemporary concepts in printmaking.

Visiting artists in the field are invited to participate in the program and

often show their work and demonstrate special techniques. Field trips

to important print exhibitions and to museums are also a feature of the

printmaking program.

art 341: Introduction to Printmaking

art 541: Studio Practice - Printmaking

art 542: Digital Printmaking

art 543: Directed Study - Printmaking

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The photography program explores the unique qualities of the medium

and its possibilities for personal expression. Through a series of visual

assignments students experiment with the various reasons for making

photographs: as documents, as images designed and directed by the

photographer, and as social commentary. Instruction is tailored to the

individual student’s needs and abilities with the hope that each one will

find her or his own voice. Students learn fundamental camera, darkroom

and electronic imaging skills necessary for convincing picture making.

While photographic technique is stressed, emphasis is always given to

ideas and how to make those ideas visual and exciting. In addition to the

studio courses, all photography students are required to take a class in

the history of photography.

The photographic facilities include a large (fourteen person) darkroom for

beginning classes and a smaller (four to six person) darkroom for advanced

students. There are individual darkrooms for printing both color and black

and white. One studio is equipped with professional lighting equipment

and view cameras.

art 351: Introduction to Photography

art 551: Photo Technique and Process

art 552: Color Imaging

art 553: Advanced Photography

art 554: Alternative Processes

art 555: Directed Study – Photography

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Taught within the context of a broad liberal arts curriculum, the ceramics

program places strong emphasis on developing a repertory of fundamental

techniques that give students a basis for further experimentation. An unusually

high number of our graduates continue to work professionally in the field,

teaching and supporting themselves as ceramicists.

The program has studio facilities equipped for throwing, handbuilding, and

firing clay, with electric and gas kilns for high temperature reduction tech-

niques. In addition to the regular course offerings of our faculty, we feature

annual workshops conducted by internationally acclaimed artists.

art 331: Introduction to Clay

art 531: Advanced Ceramics - Wheelthrowing

art 531: Advanced Ceramics - Sculptural Form

art 533: Glazes and Firing

art 534: Directed Study - Ceramics

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The fiber program provides instruction in two major areas: surface design

and fiber construction. The fiber curriculum includes traditional as well as

nontraditional techniques, not as an end in themselves, but as a means to

develop a vocabulary for contemporary expression. The design process

and its relationship to materials and techniques is stressed at introductory

levels while the advanced student is encouraged to focus and develop a

strong personal direction.

Nationally recognized artists and professionals in textile related fields are often

invited to lecture and conduct workshops. We use our regional galleries and

museums as resources for both contemporary and historical work in fiber.

The fiber studio has facilities for dying, printing and papermaking, and is

organized to accommodate a broad range of surface design processes.

An adjacent weaving area provides space for loom and off-loom processes

including tapestry, basketry, and feltmaking.

art 381: Introduction to Fiber/Mixed Media

art 581: Advanced Fiber - Surface Design

art 582: Advanced Fiber - Surface Design

art 383/583: Advanced Fiber - Papermaking

art 582: Directed Study - Fiber

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The sculpture program provides an opportunity for development on many

levels. Entering the program, students learn basic skills with tools and mate-

rials, and begin an investigation of spatial organization and communication

through three-dimensional form.

Advanced courses offer an opportunity to develop both conceptually and

technically in sculpture. Working with a variety of media, students are intro-

duced to genres within the discipline, from fabrication of the discrete object

to installation. Through group discussion and critique, students develop

the skill of critical thinking, and learn to view their work within a social and

historical context.

The sculpture studio is a spacious, modern facility with a complete wood-

shop, metal fabrication equipment, and areas for working with plaster, clay,

and stone. Graduate students accepted into the M.A. program are eligible

based on availability for a private graduate studio located within the sculp-

ture facility.

The Visiting Artists program brings a number of nationally recognized sculptors

to campus each year to lecture on their work. It provides students with the

opportunity for individual instruction from sculptors of national significance,

enriching the critical dialogue within the program.

art 321: Introduction to Sculpture

art 521: Practices of Sculpture

art 522: Sculpture Strategies

art 521: Directed Study - Sculpture

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The Hite Art Institue offers Introduction to Glass, a 300 level course intended

for beginners with no experience. In it students learn the fundamentals of

hot glass and glassblowing. The focus is on the primary skills needed to

create basic shapes from hot glass. Students learn techniques including

gathering glass, using tools and creating different shapes on the blowpipe.

A variety of vessel forms are demonstrated with an emphasis on teamwork

and communication. Hot Glass is a 500 level course offered to students who

have completed the 300 level introductory class. In this level students expand

upon the techniques learned at the introductory level and experiment with

and create new shapes in their work.

art 311: Introduction to Hot Glass

art 511: Advanced Glassmaking Techniques

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Graphic design, the planning and development of visual communication, is a

very broad discipline. Designers create books, magazines, visual identification

systems, web sites, packaging, advertising, architectural graphics, informa-

tion graphics, museum displays, and many other applications. However

diverse in its usage, all graphic design shares the same purpose–the articu-

late exchange of information between people through the use of image and

word. [AIGA Career Guide]

The Communication Art & Design studio art track is a professional prepara-

tory program leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. It is intended to

prepare students to eventually assume leadership positions in the field of

graphic design. The Communication Art & Design program at the Hite Art

Institute is focuses on three aspects: conceptual development, compositional

eloquence, and technical proficiency. These aims are accomplished through

both hand and computer-based work.

art 371: Introduction to Graphic Design

art 571: Letterforms I

art 572: Letterforms II

art 573: Identity Systems

art 574: The Book Form

art 575: Packaging

art 576: Web Site Design

art 577: Advanced Web Site Design

art 578: Video

art 579: Directed Study - Graphic Design

art 590: Design for Public Issues

art 598: Portfolio - Graphic Design

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The Interior Architecture Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program is accred-

ited by the Council for Interior Design. The program prepares students

to assume leadership positions in many careers. The Interior Architecture

Program is based upon dual strategies: conceptual development and technical

proficiency.Creative thinking in Interior Design has a close relationship to all

forms of artistic activity. Good designers use an understanding of society

and culture to form critical judgments about people’s lives.

Conceptually, our Interior Architecture program is based upon the principles

of Interior Architecture as defined by John Kurtich and Garret Eakin in their

book Interior Architecture. These include an emphasis upon the enclosing

structure, both as a reference, and as a guide for the selection of furnish-

ings, the importance of both three and four dimensional design thinking, the

importance of light, and the use of color and materials to impart a human

character.

art 361: Drafting for Designers

art 561: Interior Architecture - Design Process

art 562: Interior Architecture - Spatial Concepts

art 563: Interior Architecture - Hospitality

art 564: Interior Architecture - Institutional

art 565: Directed Projects - Interior Architecture

art 566: Interior Construction

art 567: Textiles and Finishes

art 568: Building Systems

art 596: Professional Development

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Hite Art InstituteCollege of Arts & SciencesUniversity of LouisvilleLouisville, KY 40292

art.louisville.edu