“More Than Just Classes”
SVU’s Art + Design Institute prepares aspiring artists to thrive in an increasingly visual world.
Now known as the Art + Design Institute, SVU’s art program has been offering students the opportunity to develop their artistic voice for over 20 years. Going forward, the institute, located in the quaint white house on Walnut Avenue, is doing more than ever to achieve that goal.
Assistant Professor of Art and Art Program Coordinator, Doug Himes, says of recent developments in the institute, “We are rebranding a lot of things. Calling what we do the art program didn’t send out a very good signal, so we rebranded as the Art + Design Institute.”
This change, he explained, helps students catch the vision that the institute is more than just classes. “There are travel studies and course excursions. We sponsor extracurricular activities and offer internships. We do gallery talks and figure drawing sessions every Thursday night.”
“We offer more than students are taking advantage of, and we still want to do more,” he said.
In addition to the Art Major, the institute offers concentrations in Digital Illustration, Printmaking, Videography, and Museum Studies.
Travel Study destinations for the current academic year include the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., The Library of Congress, Denmark, Iceland, and multiple cities in Italy.
Goals and Outlook
According to Himes, the institute’s main goal is to energetically recruit people to come and participate in the arts. “We want them to come, and we’ll do a lot to help them come.” Similar to music programs and athletics at SVU, the Art + Design Institute aims to attract passionate and motivated students, regardless of their field of study.
“We are looking for the motivationally elite, not necessarily the best portfolio,” he said. “If they’re workaholics and if they really love art, we want them here.”
Himes recently traveled with Bryce Pendleton, Recruitment Specialist for the Art + Design Institute, to an event at the Springville Art Museum in Springville, Utah, to meet and speak with prospective students. “We were able to talk to probably 25 people who brought their portfolios, and explain a little more about SVU,” he said.
“It’s a good time for a student to come to SVU. You’ll be welcomed and encouraged.”
Himes exhibited optimism and excitement as he spoke of students’ ability to achieve success through the institute.
“You tell us what you want, and we’ll tell you how to achieve that,” he said, explaining that the challenge many students face in pursuing art is not a lack of connections or resources, but rather uncertainty about which path to pursue.
“One of the biggest hurdles in helping students achieve what they want is getting them to decide what they want. When they do, that opens all the doors… We’re really good at helping students accomplish what they want through networking.”
He mentioned a recent graduate from the institute who had decided to become an art major later in his college career. The student applied to eight graduate schools, and was eventually accepted into his preferred school. “He is rocking it there,” Himes said, “I think he’s one of their very best graduate students.”
Himes emphasized the growing need for individuals with strong visual communication skills, particularly in the fields of graphic design, film, photography, and videography.
“It’s not true that you can’t support a family as an art major,” he said, “Quite the opposite.”
“There are these persistent notions that are absolutely false, and they persist despite all of the evidence that comes in bombarding us every day. I have to keep reminding people, ‘wait, have you looked around lately? Have you seen how much visual art is going on around?’ …You can still be a painter today and make a great living. Gallery directors’ biggest problem is finding a good artist.”
Himes has shown his art nationally and internationally, and has taught at Brigham Young University and Missouri State. His current exhibit entitled “Disparities” is on display in the corridor between SVU’s Main Hall and Chandler Hall.
Student Work
Eva Sorensen
Eva is an art major with an emphasis in graphic design. She worked as a photography intern for the Communications Department for two years and currently works as a Graphic Design Intern for the SVU Art + Design Institute. She does freelance web-development and design in her free time and hopes to be a UX/UI designer after graduation. Her favorite creative medium is photography.
Photos are from her April 2017 senior show titled: Las Manos de Creación.
Colter May
Colter is an SVU art student originally from Bozeman, Montana. Of his artwork he says:
“Throughout the course of my life I have been fascinated by nature and inspired by life in all forms. Consequently, most of my art features various creatures and highlights their natural intricacies.
I hope to continue into a career such as graphic design. Really, any occupation that will allow me to continue to expand my creativity would be great.”
Sarah Austin
Sarah is a senior at SVU majoring in Art and Psychology. Of her experience as a student of the institute she says:
“Since coming to SVU I’ve been able to develop greater autonomy as an artist than I think I would have otherwise, I really love it here. I’ve been involved in teaching art classes/clubs in the community at Enderly Heights, Shenandoah Rehab center, and Earthsong community school.
“I’ve found great mentors in both Professor Crawford and Professor Himes who have taught me not only technical skills, but encouraged me to be contemplative and purposeful in my pieces.
“Art’s gift to me has been of perspective, a different way to communicate and view others. This has led to my current professional goals and aspirations to pursue a graduate school degree in the field of counseling/psychology. My art will continue to inform and be involved in these aspirations.”
Find Your Voice Video: https://youtu.be/Os76qEF3SIE
Official Website: http://art.svu.edu/
Instagram: @svuart
