As technology advances, creative career opportunities follows suit. Today collegiate students can explore an array of artistic-based career pathways as digital animation, advertising, commercial design, product labeling, and many other options become increasingly available. At the root of these new and innovative careers, however, is the foundational talent of an individual’s artistic ability. To foster these creative talents, community colleges across the country are gaining much-deserved recognition for their outstanding studio art programs.
Community College Studio Art Programs
Coffeyville Community College (CCC)
For students attending Coffeyville Community College, the artistically inclined can enroll in their renowned “Visual Arts Plan,” where an array of classes is taught by expert instructors. As the college explains, “The Art Department at CCC is a place where you can come and explore your creative side. It is a place where you can express your ideas in a variety of mediums.” Offering classes in ceramics, crafts, sculpture, drawing, painting, Photoshop, and design, students can navigate through the many potential pathways to find their own interests while honing their talents. At CCC, students have access to various art studios, all of which are equipped with the necessary tools and materials for both traditional and non-traditional mediums.
Adding to the extensive educational benefits, CCC art students are also provided with scholarship opportunities, where selected students are provided with tuition and/or book and material support. Furthermore, to celebrate student achievements and artistic creations, CCC exhibits student art around the campus. Adding to this, CCC students compete in an annual competition with other collegiate students. In this annual contest, students are judged in categories such as:
- Design
- Photography
- Painting
- Ceramics
- Drawing
- Sculpture
The select winners from each category are awarded with cash prizes to congratulate their efforts and talents.
In this video, an art student shares her experiences.
Chemeketa Community College (CCC)
Chemeketa Community College is another academic institution providing community college students with outstanding studio art opportunities. Among the many courses, CCC also offers, “Well designed art studios (which) provide students the opportunity to use quality equipment and facilities as they learn new and exciting techniques in the various art disciplines.” Classes and focus areas range from topics such as ceramics, sculpture, design, drawing, painting, printmaking, visual communications, and even glasswork. In exploring the less common focus-areas, such as glass, students can enroll in classes that study the concepts of “flameworking,” where courses examining the uses of flame and glass span over four different stages of experience, leading to the fourth and final course which focuses on “Glass Bead Making.” In addition to these beginning courses, students can also study the art of Mosaics, as CCC asserts: “The ancient art of mosaics is a beautiful venue for creative expression. Materials range from glazed and unglazed ceramic tiles, vitreous glass, found objects (recycle and reuse!), and stained glass.” While learning about Mosaics, students explore the different methods and materials in the medium; or, for another glass-based alternative, students can even learn how to make stained glass creations!
Exploring another avenue for unique artistic study, CCC also offers a curriculum focusing on printmaking. According to CCC, “Printmaking as fine art has a rich history. The power and effect of prints can be seen in the 16th century,” as CCC offers a print program that teaches the development of printing skills while guiding students towards more advanced techniques. With a large and open-spaced printing studio, students are able to work on etching, uses of aquatint, while students can furthermore hone their skills while working with woodcuts, linocuts, and monotypes. Best of all, CCC adheres to a completely non-toxic approach to printmaking, where “Through the use of benign methods and materials, the hazards associated with many printing processes have been greatly reduced or eliminated.”
Also expanding on this modernized approach to traditional art forms, CCC’s visual communication courses provide students with opportunities to artistically interact with evolving technologies. Areas of visual communication study include:
- Graphic design
- Interactive media
- Video
- Photography
- Web design
This video describes the visual design program at Chemeketa Community College.
Cerro Coso Community College (CCC)
In addition to both Coffeyville and Chemeketa, Cerro Coso Community College provides students with a fine arts studio program that, “Offers students extensive hands-on experience working with a variety of art media through a variety of courses designed to teach students the elements and principles of design, how to apply those principles to their own work, and inspire students to expand upon their own creativity.”
At Cerro Coso, students can enroll in courses ranging from drawing and ceramics to photography and 2D design. Also, in addition to the extensive studio programs and courses, CCC students can also enroll in an array of art history classes to find out more about the traditional background and evolution of specific mediums and art forms. To complete the Cerro Coso Fine Arts program, students can take, “A combination of courses in the visual arts, drama, computer graphics and music.” In total, a CCC Fine Arts major consists of 24 credit hours of coursework, as class offerings allow students to explore a diverse array of focus areas and subjects.
This video describes the ceramics program at California College of the Arts.
Whether you want to become a sculptor or a Photoshop professional, community colleges can create the artistic foundation you need to excel in any creative career.
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