Art Department

The faculty of the Department of Art believes in the importance of art in the life of all humans. We are committed to providing an academic environment in which students will increase their understanding and appreciation of the art of the past while developing a critical framework with which to interpret and respond to the visual culture of the present. A variety of means and media will be employed to help students develop hands-on artistic technical skills and conceptual strategies. Students will be challenged to respond to creation through interpretation.

The Department of Art seeks to thoughtfully engage students in the visual arts to create artworks that are rooted in contemporary and traditional art making practices. Students will demonstrate knowledge of artistic periods and styles relevant to the depth of social and art history. In addition to their work in the studio and art history, students will, through critical analysis and interpretation, explore and understand contemporary issues in the world of art.

 

Achieving such understanding and skills is important within the Christian community as we pursue an art reflective of our commitment to Christ. In art, as in all human endeavors, Christ must be preeminent. To seek this end, is to pursue our calling as stewards of God-given gifts and to explore those gifts within the community of Covenant College and the larger Christian community around the world.

In completing a major in Visual Arts, students are required to fulfill the core curriculum because a broad liberal arts foundation supplies students with a rich background to use as a source for artistic expression.

While at Covenant

• Build a strong portfolio through studio courses, self-initiated projects, and building your social media platform.
• Work in an arts related work study job, such as studio or gallery assistant, digital lab monitor, theater: set/tech/costuming, teaching assistant/art tutor, editor for student publications, and digital design for athletics and theater.
• Take part in exhibition and sales opportunities including local and regional shows, student shows, Covenant’s annual Bakertree Festival, and Sunday Market in downtown Chattanooga.
• Some extracurricular opportunities include: Townsend Atelier: Intensive Workshops with National Artists, Scenic City Clay Arts, Chattanooga Academy of Woodworking, Hunter Arts Programming, and museum visits to Nashville, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

Recent Senior Capstone Projects

• “Theology of the Body”
• “Objects & Pain”
• “Tactile Memory”
• “Empathy of Suffering”

After Covenant

• Our alumni have completed fellowships with organizations like the Harrison Center for the Arts, Hunter Museum, High Museum, Association for the Visual Arts, Phillips Collection, Public Art Chattanooga, CoLab, and Skuid.
• Our alumni have received grants such as Fulbright, SEED, Mustard Seed, and other local grants.
• Our alumni work for arts organizations and design firms in a wide variety of jobs including graphic design, media analysis, advertising, photography, costume design, arts administration, art sales, and advertising displays/marketing.
• Many of our alumni complete further studies at graduate schools across the country. Some recent alumni degrees include MA in Arts Administration, MFA, MAT in Education, MA in Art Therapy, PhD in Art History, and JD in Law.

Q&A with Art Faculty

We hosted a live Q&A session about studying art at Covenant College. Watch the recording to learn more about this program.