Department of Art Fall Preview and Open House - Saturday, October 17 & Saturday, November 7, 2009

.: Fine Art

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Our graduates go on to pursue challenging careers. Click here to read one of our alumni success stories.

Bachelor of Fine Art Preview Video

Becoming an artist is an ongoing process of discovery, of yourself and of the world in which you live. Selecting the education which will best enable you to begin to articulate your discoveries is an important step in this process. A university, with its tradition of scholarship and research, provides the ideal setting for studies in Fine Art, one where creative work may develop in association with the many disciplines of the humanities and science.

The Queen's Bachelor of Fine Art program combines the technical, theoretical and critical studies required in the practice of visual art. Studies in the History of Art and other freely chosen courses complete the program.

The program stresses flexibility of approach by integrating introductory work with specialization. We are committed to excellence in four interrelated areas: painting, printmaking and sculpture and time-based media. These media are seen as broad, overlapping areas of experience, each containing many approaches and procedures. Specialization, individual tutorial guidance and studio access also allow study in depth. Final year work consists of individualized studio programs determined with your instructor.

The studio timetable is designed to produce a maximum focus with minimum disruption. The BFA program is housed in Ontario Hall, where well equipped studios and workshops create an atmosphere where learning and research can flourish. The building also houses the extensive Multi-Media Lab and Visual Resources Unit.

All instructors are artists, active in their field. Our Visiting Artist program gives you the opportunity to meet other artists from across the country, and to hear them discuss their work. Field trips are made to exhibitions and workshops, including the annual trip to New York City and North Adams, Massachusetts.

On campus we have the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, well known for its innovative exhibitions and related programming. This treasure within our academic midst has a permanent collection of over 11,000 works of art for study and display.

You are encouraged to exhibit your work at the Union Gallery, which is committed to the professional presentation of student art. It is administered by a managing director and an operating board, made up of BFA students. This gallery provides experience in showing your art publicly and is a valuable training ground in the skills of gallery management.

The Department includes a large Art History program, which offers BA, MA and Ph.D degrees. There is also a Master's program in our Department for the study and practice of Art Conservation. Art History combined with other electives may be used in several ways; as a continuation of general education, to explore the other arts, to complement or support studies in studio art, or to gain the requirements for some future career.

The challenge to think creatively and independently, which this training in visual art encourages, has enabled graduates to pursue a diverse range of careers. Many become artists, teachers at all levels, or play various roles in museums and art galleries. Some become designers and art administrators. With further study others become architects, medical illustrators and art therapists. Many of our graduates are accepted into Master's programs in Canada, the United States and Britain.

Admission to the program is based on image portfolio examination and academic achievement. If you think that our program might fit your needs or you would like to know more, come and see us and talk to our faculty and students