Fine Art
The goal of the Art Department is to provide students with an education in aesthetic awareness, training in the creative skills necessary to produce quality visual art and a strong foundation in the basic principles of design and art history.
Studio art courses stress aesthetic knowledge and perception of our visual surroundings as vital to the complete development of a well-educated person. This awareness is the foundation for all creative endeavors and is the philosophy which guides the department as a whole.
Gain Experience in the Real World
The Art program expands beyond the regular classroom through several means: visiting artist workshops, art club, trips to local art centers, extended trips to national galleries and museums. Students are taught how to develop professional quality portfolios of their creative work for presentation to galleries, employers, and transfer institutions. Students are encouraged to participate in NWC student art shows as well as other regional and national competitions.
Two galleries at Northwest College create a forum for students to show their work and to see the work of professional artists in a series of regularly scheduled exhibits. Students gain experience in maintaining a gallery space, hanging shows and planning openings.
The Art program offers an Associate of Arts degree which is fully transferable to a four-year institution.
Click here for A.A. in Art degree requirements
Sample Courses
Drawing I (ART1050) An introduction to the vocabulary and skill of drawing for both the experienced and inexperienced student. Emphasis placed on mastering traditional drawing techniques, along with increasing the student's confidence in his or her skill and visual literacy.
Water-Based Media II (ART1260) This is an intermediate course in transparent or opaque watercolor. Emphasis will be placed on the student developing individual style. Assignments ill encourage creative problem solving, advanced exploration of color, technique, and observational studies emphasizing values of light and dark.
Ceramics II (ART 2420) concentrates on throwing on the potter's wheel. Through demonstrations and lectures I will familiarize you with basic methods of construction, decorating, glazing, and various firing techniques. You will explore the endless possibilities of clay while fulfilling individual assignments. At the end of the semester students will have a working knowledge of various ceramic forming techniques and an understanding of visual elements and the principles of design.
Art Portfolio (ART 2465 - Capstone Course) deals with the organization and presentation of portfolios: how to plan them; how to design them for different purposes; how to display art work by reproducing it both graphically and photographically; how to compose a resume and artists statement; and finally how to present yourself to obtain the assignment or position you are seeking.
