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Sculpture

Sculpture

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Degree Type

Emphasis

Department

Art & Design Department

Sculpture integrates a variety of materials, techniques and media allowing artists to uniquely communicate their emotions and ideas. If you want exposure to drawing, casting, metal work, digital tools and everything in between, the Sculpture emphasis will provide you with new paths to creativity.

Program Overview

Sculpture program

Discover your own unique form of creative expression.

The Sculpture emphasis offers you the opportunity to work with a variety of materials and processes—carving or constructing objects in wood, clay and metal—and procedures used in casting bronze, iron and aluminum. In the program, you’ll also be able to explore electronic and kinetic functionality in contemporary sculpture, including mechanical motion, sound and kinetic environments. Through coursework in ceramics, sculpture and jewelry, you’ll gain a diverse range of skills and exposure to different types of creative media. While the program teaches traditional methodologies, our experienced faculty will encourage you to pursue ambitious projects and maintain an experimental approach.

Metal works

Professor Al Caniff teaches sculpture students how to pour molten metal.

Program Requirements

At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 66 credits is required, including the 39-credit BFA Foundation Courses, six credits of Art electives:

Course List
Code Title Credits
BFA Foundation Courses
ART 000Exhibition and Convocation Attendance (six semesters with “S” grade required)0
ART 119Foundation Drawing I3
ART 171Foundation Design: Two-Dimensional3
ART 172Foundation Design: Three-Dimensional3
ART 173Foundation Design: Digital Art and Design3
ART 219Foundation Drawing II3
ART 222Art History I3
ART 223Art History II (GT-AH1)3
ART 319Intermediate Drawing3
Art History (300 level)3
ART 400Artist's Portfolio/Senior Exhibition3
ART 419Advanced Drawing3
ART 491Seminar in Art3
Art History (400 level)3
Total Credits39

And the following 21 credits:

Course List
Code Title Credits
ART 203Introduction to Ceramics3
ART 230Introduction to Sculpture3
ART 235Introduction to Jewelry3
ART 330Intermediate Sculpture3
ART 430Advanced Sculpture I3
ART 431Advanced Sculpture II3
ART 432Advanced Sculpture III3
Total Credits21
Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredits
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 171 Foundation Design: Two-Dimensional 3
ART 119 Foundation Drawing I 3
HWTR 100 First Year Seminar 1
ENG 102 Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) 3
MATH 105 Mathematics for the Liberal Arts (GT-MA1) 3
Gen Ed General Education 3
 Credits16
Spring
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 172 Foundation Design: Three-Dimensional 3
ART 173 Foundation Design: Digital Art and Design 3
ENG 103 Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) 3
OR
Gen Ed
General Education
Gen Ed General Education 6
 Credits15
Year Two
Fall
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 230 Introduction to Sculpture 3
ART 203
or ART 235
Introduction to Ceramics
or Introduction to Jewelry
3
ART 222 Art History I 3
ART Intro ART Elective 3
ART 219 Foundation Drawing II 3
OR
Gen Ed
General Education
 Credits15
Spring
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 223 Art History II (GT-AH1) 3
ART Intermediate ART Elective 6
ART 219 Foundation Drawing II 3
OR
Gen Ed General Education
Gen Ed General Education 3
 Credits15
Year Three
Fall
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 330 Intermediate Sculpture 3
ART 235
or ART 203
Introduction to Jewelry
or Introduction to Ceramics
3
Gen Ed General Education 6
ART Intro/Advanced ART Elective 3
 Credits15
Spring
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 430 Advanced Sculpture I 3
ART 319 Intermediate Drawing 3
ART 300-400 level Art History course 3
ART Intermediate/Advanced ART Elective 3
Gen Ed General Education 3
 Credits15
Year Four
Fall
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 400 Artist's Portfolio/Senior Exhibition 3
ART 431 Advanced Sculpture II 3
ART 491 Seminar in Art 3
ART Intro/Advanced ART Elective 6
 Credits15
Spring
ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance 0
ART 432 Advanced Sculpture III 3
ART 300-400 level Art History course 3
ART 419 Advanced Drawing 3
ART Intermediate/Advanced ART Elective 6
 Credits15
 Total Credits121

Courses listed in the Fall are only offered in Fall. Courses listed in the Spring are only offered in the Spring. With the exception of ART 286 Introduction to Watercolor, and ART 271 Typography and their Intermediate counterparts, Intro classes are exclusively offered in the Fall and Intermediate courses are offered exclusively in the Spring. Advanced offerings are available for all disciplines every semester.

ART 000 Exhibition and Convocation Attendance and ART 319 Intermediate Drawing are offered in both the Fall and the Spring.

Careers


Top Skills

  • Art Gallery Management
  • Attention to Detail
  • Color Theory
  • Drawing and Painting Techniques
  • Effective Communication
  • Sales and Marketing



Career Pathways

  • 3D Modeler
  • Art Director
  • Craft Artist
  • Curator
  • Model Maker
  • Motion Picture Sculpter

Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth.

Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation. Wondering how you can apply your program of choice to your intellectual and personal journey? Check out our “What Can I Do With This Major?” tool to explore the diverse opportunities and pathways within any degree program.

Scholarships

Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your Scholarships

Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.

Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.

Find your Scholarships

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 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.

Apply

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).
  • 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.

Apply

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.

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.

Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.

Get Involved

Sculpture student

Make your education a life changing experience.

A college education is so much more than just taking classes. Expand your community and network, while gaining hands-on experience in your field.

  • Gallery Exhibits: Students have opportunities to display their work in numerous shows, exhibits, convocations and galas—on campus and in the community.
  • Pathfinder Magazine: An annual publication for student creative work.
  • Student Art League: A branch of the Council for Creative expression, the Student Art League is dedicated to providing visual arts, experiences, professional development, educational opportunities and outreach for Art students.

Artistic expression

Western’s Sculpture program focuses on the techniques of carving, casting, chiseling and molding artistic expressions.

Department Information

Art & Design Department

Department Chairperson

Tina Butterfield, MFA

Professor of Art; Art & Design Department Chair

Contact Information

970.943.3093

970.943.2329

Campus Location

Western Colorado University
Quigley Hall 202
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231

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