STUDIO ART MAJOR
at Meredith College

As a studio art major, you will be prepared to pursue the creation of visual art both professionally and academically. You’ll gain practical and creative experience through interactions with professional artists in a variety of settings, and above all, you’ll learn to make art that matters.

“I am more confident, more sure of myself now than when I was a freshman. Attending college in Raleigh really allowed me to come into my own and truly gain the independence I craved.”
Nikki Wertz
Nikki Wertz, ’19
Studio Art Major

Our Studio Art Majors

The studio art major offers individualized instruction that will help you discover your personal style and preferred media. You’ll learn to function creatively through a variety of experiences designed to help you gain an understanding of the artistic process and human culture. 

In addition to cultivating your artistic skills, the program will instruct you on the basic business practices, legal rights and procedures, and presentation and marketing methods that lead artists to professional success.

The program provides preparation for graduate school or for many entry-level art positions.You will begin the studio art major your first semester of your freshman year in order to avoid delays in graduation and allow time for internships and research studies.

Professor Cameron Johnson and Student Discussing Painting.

Why Study Studio Art at Meredith?

  • Students of the studio art major learn to engage intellectually and creatively to gain critical thinking and problem solving skills that will prepare them for a variety of professional careers.
  • A studio art major will be able to 
    • Demonstrate competency of media specific processes and techniques
    • Communicate concepts evidenced through artist statements, knowledge of art history, and self-assessment
  • Meredith is a signatory school on articulation agreements with the North Carolina Community College System, allowing students who have completed an Associate of Fine Arts degree to enroll at Meredith in pursuit of a B.A. in Graphic Design or Studio Art.
  • Meredith’s Frankie G. Weems Art Gallery showcases a wide variety of artists, media, and subject matter, with new exhibitions featured throughout the year, providing studio art students vast opportunities for learning. 
  • Explore a rich variety of expressive media and conceptual approaches to art, including photography, clay, textiles, painting, video, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, and installations.
  • Gain practical and creative experience not only in the classroom, but also through numerous internship opportunities to interact with professional artists. Internships completed by studio art majors include
    • Artspace
    • North Carolina Museum of Art
    • Claymakers
    • Pullen Art Center
    • Penland Residency
    • Frankie G. Weems Gallery
  • Students have access to scholarships exclusive to studio art majors, including
Adaria Coulter | Drawing
Margeaux Shore | Sculpture
Johanna Cox | Block Print
Jessica Hagen | Sculpture

Careers in Studio Art

A studio art degree prepares students for professional success as well as graduate study. Professional positions held and graduate programs attended by recent graduates of Meredith’s studio art program include the following

  • Graduate School, NC State School of Design
  • M.A. in Studio Art, UNC-Greensboro
  • Graduate School, New York Academy of Fine Arts
  • Graduate Program in Art Therapy, George Washington University
  • Sculptor, Ocala, Fla. and Asheville, N.C.
  • Art Therapist, Newport News Behavioral Health Center
  • Assistant Marketing Manager, North Carolina Museum of Art
  • Web Designer, Cafepress.com
  • Art Teacher, Wake County Public School System
  • Graphic Designer, Meridian Zero Degrees; National Congressional Budget Office
  • Art Gallery Staff, Mahler Fine Art Gallery, Raleigh, N.C.

Nikki Wertz, ’19, is a woman of few words. As a studio art major, she uses her art to tell stories, express herself, and be a voice for social issues that matter to her. It’s through art that she finds her voice.

Take a tour of Gaddy-Hamrick Art Center, the home of visual arts at Meredith College. Our art students benefit from a rigorous but supportive environment led by faculty who are award-winning, professional artists. Meredith offers a wide variety of opportunities for students to hone their artistic skills in the classroom and beyond in arts-rich Raleigh, N.C. Choose from majors in art education, graphic design, and studio art.

Studio Art News

This month, the Frankie G. Weems Gallery at Meredith College features the artist Patrizia Ferreira in the exhibition Precarious HabitatsThe exhibition will be open September 5-29, 2024, with an opening reception/gallery talk on Thursday, September 12, from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

The 2024 senior art exhibition Ruminate: Chew On This will be on exhibition in the Frankie G. Weems Gallery at Meredith College this spring. Tasha Aaron, Kayla Cooper, Shelby Cox, Arianne Gonzalez, Sara Grace Lane, Karlie Mullis, Emma Relota, and Sara-Rose Spann are excited to showcase their unique bodies of work. 

Contact Information
Emily Howard
Head, Art Department
107 Gaddy-Hamrick
(919) 760-8497
howardem@meredith.edu
Art Department »
School of Arts & Humanities »

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