Bachelor of Art (4 years): Art (Studio Practice, emphasis in Spatial Art
Bachelor of Fine Art (4.5 years): Art (concentration in Spatial Art)

Download BA Spatial/Pictorial Art Major Form (PDF)
Download BFA Spatial Art Major Form (PDF)

Admissions Procedures, Information and Application
-Pictorial Arts, Spatial Arts, and Photography

In the contemporary art world, the traditional boundaries between disciplines are collapsing.   A new breed of artist is emerging, one that moves easily among different artistic mediums and processes.   Our program's name, Spatial Art, sets us apart from traditional "sculpture" programs; in a truly interdisciplinary atmosphere, we teach our students to communicate ideas through the creative manipulation of materials and space. We place equal emphasis on the development of technical skills and conceptual skills. We seek students with a keen sense of curiosity and a compulsion to challenge, educate and astound their audience.

Students in the Spatial BFA program begin their studies in the Foundation program, where they obtain technical and problem-solving skills in two and three dimensions. They may then choose from courses in the following sculptural processes:

• Ceramics
• Glass: blowing, casting, and cold glass fabrication
• Metal Sculpture: welding, and bronze and aluminum casting
• Small Metals/ jewelry
• Textiles
• Furniture Construction/ woodworking
• Moldmaking (including plastic vacuum-forming.)
• Figure Modeling

Students may specialize in one area, or move freely among all of them.   The School has extensive physical facilities for each of the areas.   Upper level classes such as The Shape of Space (an installation art class) and Advanced Sculpture allow students to work in new or unconventional media, using the any of the Spatial facilities.   Spatial BFA students also take courses in the other FIne Arts areas (plus electives from any Art and Design area) in order to diversify their knowledge of contemporary studio practice.

We expect our BFA graduates to be able to identify and appreciate the actions and re-actions (both technical and conceptual) of the artists who have preceded them-- but also to explore uncharted artistic territory. While their artwork should communicate "non-verbally", we nonetheless teach our students the skills to verbally articulate the issues, theories or ideas that fuel their work, and to understand their work in the context of contemporary culture. The BFA in Spatial Art program prepares students to begin exhibiting their work in galleries, or to continue their artistic research in a graduate program.   Students are assisted in making connections with the local art community in their final year in the program.   They also receive guidance in the use of Web and other resources to begin competing for gallery representation, grants and jobs on a national or international level.

Faculty/Advisors:
Stan Welsh (area coordinator): ceramics, sculpture, 3-D design
Robert Milnes: ceramics
David Middlebrook: ceramics, sculpture, three dimensional design
Tony May: three dimensional design
Consuelo Underwood: three dimensional design, weaving and fibers
Linda Walsh: ceramics, sculpture, three dimensional design
Shannon Wright, three dimensional design, sculpture

Adjunct Faculty:
David Anderson: sculpture
Rand Schiltz: jewelry/metalsmithing
Monica Van Den Dool: ceramics
Mary White: glass

For more information contact:
Gladys Crowell
Art Secretary
ART 118
School of Art and Design
San Jose State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0089

Phone: (408) 924 -4340
Fax: (408) 924-4326
Email: Gladys.Crowell@sjsu.edu

For complete information on art and design program requirements, see the College of Humanities and the Arts, School of Art and Design in the San Jose State University catalog.