The Art Department is part of the College of Arts & Sciences

A Letter from Colin Blakely, Department Head, Art

Welcome to the EMU Art Department Website! Our department is built around a fantastic community of students who are dedicated to the study and application of art, faculty who are committed teachers in addition to accomplished artists and scholars, staff that keep the department and all its co-curricular and outreach activities running smoothly, and alumni and friends that give us support on so many levels. This site is designed as both a showcase and a resource for all of these groups.

There are many exciting features of the site that I hope will bring you back on a regular basis:

In addition to the news and events sections that provide ongoing information about department events, I will use the section of the site to talk about some of the larger, long -term endeavors in which we are engaged. As you can see, we are growing in all sorts of ways!

Capital Improvements

All sorts of exciting capitals improvements are underway in the department. Major renovations on  Ford Hall were just completed in order to bring it into compliance with ADA standards. Through these renovations, we are the proud recipients of a new elevator in the building (there was none previously), remodeled bathrooms, and some very nice changes to West facade of the building. This is something the department has been pushing for for many years. It is exciting to see the project actually come to fruition!

Next summer, the entire heating and cooling system in Sherzer will be replaced. Climate control in that building is something we have struggled with for many years. The improvements to our learning environment that results from this project will be substantial.

Further on the horizon, but perhaps most exciting of all, initial planning is under way for a facility on campus that will collectively house all the Arts as well as the College of Technology in a single integrated and interdisciplinary space. It has been a longstanding dream to get the entire department into a single facility. Adding other related disciplines into the mix makes the possibilities of this project all the more exciting.

In the shorter term, there are two important capital endeavors the department is trying to realize over the next five years. One is a relocation of our sculpture facilities. Our current building has long been in disrepair, leading to an educational environment that is much less than ideal. The department has submitted a plan to the university that would move sculpture out of its current facilities, and in the process bring all our 3 dimensional areas into a single, shared space. The collaboration and synergy that would result from such a consolidation would be immense. This is something the department has been trying to do for many years, and we are closer than ever to making it a reality!

In addition, we are currently working on a plan to bring all our M.F.A. graduate studios, currently housed in 5 buildings, into a single consolidated location. The need to encourage community among our graduate students is a top priority of our program, and over the last five years, we have taken many successful steps to do so. Consolidated studios would be invaluable to these ongoing endeavors.

New Web Site Design

This site, launched in summer 2010, represents a yearlong effort to update the previous department site with a new design that allows us to update the information contained in its pages on a continual basis. We are excited by its dynamic nature, and hope it will bring visitors back time and again.

New BFA Degree

Almost 5 years in the making, we are on the verge of implementing major changes to our Bachelor of Fine Arts Program. This will expand the degree to make it truly competitive with other professional level degrees in studio art. Some of the highlights of the curriculum include an expansion in requirements from 54 to 81 credit hours, new required courses in Digital Media and Studio Foundations, and a capstone course and accompanying senior exhibition for all students graduating from the program. It represents an outstanding and well-conceived balance between traditional skills and conceptual/interdisciplinary approaches to art making.

New Gallery Programs Director

The art department is happy to welcome Greg Tom as our new Gallery Programs director. Greg comes to us most recently from the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit where he was Deputy Director of Exhibitions, Programs and Development. His unique background is a perfect fit for the position, and we are excited to be working with him! Greg's hire comes on the heels of the reirement of our former Gallery Programs Director, Larry Newhouse. Larry was the first full time director for our gallery, and served the department for 10 years. His contributions to the department and to making the gallery programs what they are today will not soon be forgotten!

Faculty Changes

Professors Barry Avedon and David Tammany both retired this year. Each was with the department for over 40 years, and with their departure comes the loss of an invaluable insight into where the department has been and where it is going. They will be missed, but we wish them all the best!

Two new faculty will be joined our ranks this fall. Jason DeMarte joinied us as Assistant Professor of Photography. Jason comes to us from Mississippi State University, where he was Assistant Professor of Photography, Jason has over 10 years of full time teaching experience and an impressive exhibition record. We look forward to the leadership he will provide in our photography program

Jason Ferguson joined our 3D foundations faculty. Jason comes to us from Idaho State University, where he was Assistant Professor and coordinator of their sculpture program. Jason brings with him a great combination of traditional knowledge in sculpture and the ability to use it in a truly interdisciplinary context. His background will add a great perspective to the department.