1. Art

The Current Program

The study of art at liberal arts colleges has historically included the study of both art history and studio art. That is so because the practice of art cannot be divorced from theory and history any more than the history of art can be fully understood apart from the practice thereof. Both are necessary to a high-quality art program. Both offer the intellectual and analytical skills that form the basis of a good liberal arts education. At Lewis & Clark College we should remain committed to both.

The major program in Art offers two concentrations: art history and studio art. Students must choose either a studio medium (studio) or a historical period (history) in which to specialize. Studio areas include ceramics, drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, and sculpture. Art history areas are renaissance art, baroque art, modern art; and historical studies of Chinese, Japanese, and American art. Majors must complete 44 semester-hour credits, including three courses in art history (for art history majors) or one course in drawing and courses in sculpture or ceramics (for studio art). The major culminates in either a senior seminar or a senior project, depending on the concentration.

A major question that has always confronted schools seeking excellence in the arts is what the proper balance between history/theory and performance ought to be. At the present time, the curriculum of the Art Department is significantly weighted toward studio art rather than art history. In fact, our art history offerings remain considerably fewer than those at most of the excellent liberal arts colleges we have studied. An approximate balance between the two is the common pattern at the best liberal arts colleges.

A related question is which studio areas ought to be offered at Lewis & Clark and which ones are more appropriate for professional or graduate programs. At Lewis & Clark this question has been complicated by the limited nature of our facilities: even with the construction of the new Fields building space limitations remain a significant problem. It is also a question that has been answered differently at different times in our history.

The Future

Highest priority should be given to expanding the art history curriculum as soon as possible. The array of studio arts to which we commit ourselves should be finally decided in terms of (1) contribution to the liberal arts and (2) the limitations of our facilities.

We must also confront the fact that at the lower levels (not true at the upper-division level) student demand for studio art courses significantly exceeds the current capacity of both our faculty and our facilities. In some measure, that demand reflects a student interest that we expect to continue. But it is also true that our current general education requirements fuel the problem. Students are required to take one course in the creative arts, and all courses in the Art Department count toward the requirement. No prerequisites in art history or basic design exist before students enter courses in studio art. Change in general education requirements could thus have a significant impact on the demands for studio art.

Finally, we note that Department morale has been negatively affected by the fact that most of our studio artists are senior lecturers, most teaching less than a full five-course load. Addressing the issue of the proper status and associated benefits of studio art faculty should be a high priority for the College along with the attendant question of the appropriate training for studio artists who are tenure-track.

Recommendation 1. Art.

Currently the Art Department has 2 FTE in Art History (both tenure-track, one in Western, one in East Asian) and 6 FTE in Studio (two tenure-track, four senior lecturers). With an impending retirement in graphic art, the Commission recommends a shifting of balance between Art History and Studio Art. In particular, we recommend increasing the number of Western Art Historians to 2 FTE tenure lines. Ways should also be found to address in the curriculum the basic design concepts that underlie studio art.