As an art student, you’ll learn how to unify technique and theory across an array of media and disciplines with the option of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts tracks. A strong foundation in art will prepare you for a career as a professional artist, educator, curator and more.
Department Overview
Immerse yourself in the world of art.
The Art Department emphasizes an academic approach to artistic training centered on a strong foundation in design and drawing. In studio courses, you’ll have access to faculty who are equally versed in traditional and cutting-edge artistic practices, technologies and industry-standard software. Through the comprehensive curriculum, you’ll acquire tools to explore critical contemporary issues and a broad foundation in western and worldly art history and theory.
Programs in Western Colorado University’s Art Department will prepare you to pursue a career in graphic design, photography, animation, teaching and museum curation. Areas of study include Art Education Licensure, Art History, Graphic Design, Ceramics and more. This department also encompasses our Master of Gallery Management & Exhibits Specialization.
Artistic expression
Western art students are given the tools to explore critical contemporary issues and a broad foundation in western and worldly art history and theory.
Scholarships
Eligibility
- Full-time formally admitted Art majors
- Students must have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours
Description
To provide scholarship assistance for Art students, and to honor Dr. August (Gus) Grosland, who worked long and hard to support funding for Art students. Dr. Grosland’s record of service to Western and its student began in 1949 and continued through 1979 when he retired.
Amount of award determined by available funds.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Full-time Western Senior majoring in Art
- Overall GPA of 3.0 or above
- Student must exhibit service to the Art program by involvement with the ART League or other co-curricular art activities
- Preference will be given to a BFA Senior Veterans of the United States Armed Forces
Description
This scholarship is provided by Dr. Al Caniff.
Amount: $1000
Selected by: Art Faculty in consultation with the Financial Aid Office.
Application:
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Full-time, formally-admitted Art majors
- Students must have and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or greater
- Preference given to students meeting one or more of the following criteria: demonstrate financial need, non-traditional students, single parents, women, minorities, participants in Western Spectrum and those using technical assistance
Description
Established by Dr. Heather Orr, Professor of Art (Art History), to provide scholarship assistance for Art students, honoring the memory of renowned Mayanist and beloved mentor Linda Schele.
Amount of award determined by available funds.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Full-time, formally admitted Art majors
- Students must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours
- Have and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or greater
Description
To provide scholarship assistance to deserving Art students. Established by Ethel M. Rise, beloved Western librarian.
Amount of award determined by available funds. Renewable.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Full-time Art majors demonstrating financial need.
Description
To provide scholarship assistance to Western students majoring in Art. Established by Gene’s wife, Rebecca, and his two children, Jami and Josh. Gene Tobey provided two of the Art sculptures on the Western campus, The Pathfinder and Bugling Elk.
Amount of award determined by available funds. Renewable.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Full-time, formally admitted Art majors with an 3-D Design emphasis (i.e. sculpture, ceramics, jewelry), who demonstrates a dedication to excellence
- Students must have and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or greater
Description
To provide scholarship assistance for Art students in the 3-D emphases, celebrating the memory of James (Mac) Irwin.
Amount of award determined by available funds.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Full-time, formally-admitted junior or senior female art majors
- Have and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or greater
Description
To provide scholarship assistance for female Art students, honoring Marsha Julio as an accomplished artist, student of nature and exuberant lover of life.
Amount of award determined by available funds.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Student must be full-time
- Junior or senior art majors seeking Art Education Licensure
- Student must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours
- Must have and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or greater
- Demonstrate a strong interest in art education and the potential to become a successful teacher in art
Description
This scholarship is provided by art students, celebrating the memory of Mary L. Alber, Western class of 1942.
Award determined by available funds. Renewable.
Eligibility
- Must be a graduating Art Major with skills in sculpting, preferably in hand built ceramics
Description
The Brian Hirsh Award has been established by Joel and Barbara Hirsh to provide an award to a Western Colorado University Senior majoring in Art. This scholarship serves to honor the art talent of Brian Hirsh, a 2001 graduate of Western who passed away in 2012. The small award is for a graduating senior, to give them a start in their career, perhaps to start a website, to cover a fee or an art show or art supplies; however, there are no strings attached.
Scholarship Recipient Selected by:
The recipient will be determined by the Art faculty, in consultation with Financial Aid.
Application: Contact the Department of Art and Music for scholarship application and deadline information.
970.943.2071 | Quigley Hall 101
Find out more about Western’s Art Program at www.western.edu/art.
Eligibility
- Full-time undergraduate students
- Either be Art majors or non-majors taking Art class(es) having demonstrated artistic talent (regardless of medium)
- Have significant financial need
- Must have a GPA of 2.5 or greater
- All things being equal, preference shall be given to students who have a passion for athletic recreation, historic preservation and/or animal welfare.
Description
The Linda M. Sweitzer Memorial Art Scholarship has been established through the gift from the TWC Foundation (Daniel Warner ’68) to celebrate the life and memory of Linda M. Sweitzer ’71, by providing scholarship assistance to Western Colorado University students who have an interested and demonstrated talent in Art and have significant financial need.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Eligibility
- Full-time Art students
- Have completed at least two semesters (sophomores, juniors, or seniors)
- Have and maintain academic eligibility with a GPA of 3.0 or greater
Description
The Mabel de Koevend Memorial Scholarship has been established to provide scholarship assistance to Western Colorado University Music and Art students. This scholarship was established by members of her family to celebrate the memory of Mabel de Koevend.
Application
Contact the Art Department at 970.943.3093 | Quigley Hall 202
Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 1 for 2022. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Description
The Western Presidential Honors Scholarships, established by the Jack and Marilyn MacAllister Foundation shall be an elite class of scholarships awarded to Western’s highest achieving and most deserving students, celebrating the ideals of academic excellence and service to the campus and community. Recipients of the Scholarships will be members of the Western Colorado University Honors Program.
There are eight Presidential Honors Scholarships of $2500 each. Each year two new Presidential Honors Scholarships will be awarded to two incoming first-year students.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
News & Research
Department Information
Art Department
Department Chairperson
S. Chase Hutchison, MFAArt Department Chair, Associate Professor of Art
Administrative Assistant
Anna FlynnAdministrative Assistant
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Quigley Hall 202
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231