Minor in Studio Art

A Beloit student shows his charcoal covered hands after doing a sketch in his drawing class.

Express your vision with visual arts

What is Studio Art?

Studio art is the study and practice of visual creation through hands-on exploration, experimentation, and critique. It focuses on how ideas become images, objects, installations, or digital works. Students work across multiple media while developing technical skills, visual literacy, and a personal creative approach.

Studio art emphasizes making as a form of thinking. It combines craftsmanship, conceptual development, and cultural awareness, helping students understand how visual work communicates meaning within artistic, historical, and social contexts.

Why study Studio Art?

Studying studio art strengthens creative problem solving, visual communication, and the ability to develop ideas through sustained practice. Students translate abstract concepts into tangible form, receive and apply feedback, and refine their work through revision and experimentation.

The studio art minor pairs well with fields that include media studies, education, psychology, theatre, creative writing, museum studies, and marketing. It is valuable for students who want to build a portfolio, enhance design thinking skills, or incorporate creative practice into another academic or professional path.

Why study Studio Art at Beloit College?

At Beloit College, studio art is rooted in hands-on learning, close faculty mentorship, and access to professional-level creative spaces. Students work in studios that support drawing, painting, new media, and experimental practices, while engaging in critique-based courses that emphasize thoughtful dialogue and artistic growth.

Campus is a creative resource with access to the Wright Museum of Art and Gallery ABBA, a student-run gallery that regularly showcases undergraduate work. These spaces invite students in the minor to exhibit work publicly, learn about curation and installation, and engage with art beyond the classroom.

Studio art at Beloit College encourages interdisciplinary exploration. Students combine visual art with performance, media, writing, or community-based projects. Those interested may consider majoring in studio art or pairing the minor with related offerings such as media studies, museum studies, visual studies, or performing and applied arts.

Details

Specialization

Minor

Credits Required

6 units (24 semester hours)

Format

In-person

Related Departments & Schools

Related Offerings

Studio Art curriculum

Students in the studio art minor build foundational skills in visual creation while exploring contemporary and historical approaches to art making. Coursework emphasizes studio practice, critique, and conceptual development across a range of media.

Courses introduce foundational techniques, visual thinking, and creative exploration while allowing students to work across media and approaches.

[ART 115] Introduction to Drawing and Design: This studio course introduces the basic concepts, techniques, and processes of design and drawing. Pencil, ink, collage, charcoal, and other media are used to foster a comprehensive understanding of the descriptive, formal, and expressive possibilities of drawing and design.

[ART 125] Introduction to New Media: This course is designed to investigate the basic techniques, concepts, and practices of digital imaging, as well as to support students’ conceptual development. The application of photographic and graphic-related software, such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator Creative Suite, are introduced in this course.
[ART 205] Introduction to Painting: This course is an introduction and interrogation of the painting process. Students investigate the ways in which a visual language is constructed and the importance of theory, philosophy, and practice. Students are introduced to the relationship between the intuitive and cognitive creative process.
[ART 384] Senior Seminar in Art: A course concerned with theoretical and practical issues related to the senior art exhibition, including installation practices and publicity. The course also covers career issues such as artist résumés, graduate school portfolio applications, and copyright law.

Studio Art outcomes

Completing the studio art minor at Beloit College equips students with creative confidence, visual communication skills, and experience translating ideas into meaningful artistic work.

Students completing a studio art minor will be able to:

Create original visual work through experimentation and critique.
Apply foundational techniques across multiple artistic media.
Analyze visual culture and artistic form.
Communicate ideas effectively through images and design.
Respond constructively to feedback and revise creative work.
Integrate artistic practice with other academic or professional interests.

Advertising & Creative Development: Develop concepts, produce materials, and support campaigns that promote products or services. ($50,000 → $110,000+)
Entrepreneurship & Small Business Development: Plan ventures, test ideas, and coordinate operations for new or growing businesses. (highly variable)
Film, Video & Multimedia Production: Create visual or audio content by planning, filming, editing, or producing multimedia projects. ($45,000 → $90,000+)
Fine Arts Practice & Exhibition: Create original artworks, develop studio practice, and exhibit work in galleries or community spaces. (highly variable)
Illustration & Visual Storytelling: Develop illustrations, characters, and visual narratives for publishing, entertainment, or digital media. ($40,000 → $90,000+)
Interior & Spatial Design: Shape interior environments by planning layouts, selecting materials, and supporting aesthetic and functional goals. ($45,000 → $80,000+)

Reviewed on November 2025. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salary figures shown here are estimates. Actual pay will vary by position, industry, location, education, and experience. Some pathways and positions may require additional education or certifications. For more detailed information, please explore reputable career and salary resources.

“Nobody’s afraid of comics,” says John Porcellino, who sees comics as a way to make poetry more accessible. “Comics and poetry are similar…there is rhythm in poetry, and rhythm in comics.”

When comics meet creative writing

A chance encounter at a Beloit book event grew into a unique classroom collaboration where comics and creative writing sparked new ways for students to tell their stories.

Jared Saathoff’24 inspects a rare book at the Newberry Library in Chicago.

Exploring museum careers and rare books

In late November, Beloit faculty and students took advantage of the college’s partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago to participate in a panel about careers in the museum industry, followed by an exploration of the Newberry Library’s rare book collection.

María Aschenbrener’21 explores her new city with new friends.

Vested in art, education, and community

Washington, D.C., native María Aschenbrener ’21 has been an artist for much of her life. Just a few months after completing her 9th semester, she landed a dream job at the Denver Art Museum. Her passions for art and community grew at Beloit and have made the Denver art scene feel like home.

Jake Quatt’19 drafting what became the Winter 2020 cover.

The Artist Behind Our Cover

Jake Quatt ’19 worked with the college’s magazine staff to create this cover illustration for the Winter 2020 issue of the Beloit College Magazine.

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