From the traditions of art in history and literature to the economics and politics of contemporary art, craft and design, Liberal Arts courses offer opportunities to explore ideas in a wide range of cultures.
Liberal Arts courses stimulate students to think, discover new interests, uncover unsuspected talents, and find inspiration that will enrich both their lives and work.
All classes encourage students to develop the verbal and visual communication skills necessary for careers in the visual arts. The curriculum reflects the wide-ranging interests and expertise of the faculty, and small classes promote close interaction between students and faculty. Special emphasis is placed on the contributions of artist and women throughout the world.
Liberal Arts courses on the first-year and sophomore levels encourage students to investigate the world of ideas while sharpening their ability to think critically. Art History courses paired with English in the first-year and World History courses on the sophomore level provide an introduction to the study of world cultures from past to present, allowing opportunities for students to examine and discuss some of the major forces that have shaped our post-modern world.
Each Liberal Arts class supports the development of critical reading and thinking, while enhancing students’ abilities to present information and ideas in both written and oral form.
Junior and Senior level electives challenge students to explore special interests—from creative writing, film and the economics of starting a small business, to the politics of art-making in the post-modern world. These electives examine various aspects of art, culture and history in depth, confront real-life problems in contemporary culture, considering issues and options women encounter as they prepare to continue their educations or situate themselves in a competitive marketplace.
All students are required to complete a minimum of 42 credits in Liberal Arts for graduation.
Jonathan Wallis, PhD
Assistant Professor, Chair
Liberal Arts
Education: PhD, MA, Tyler School of Art, Temple University. BA, University of New Hampshire.
Areas of specialization: Modern and Contemporary Art
Current Scholarly Interests: The religious paintings of Salvador Dalí, spirituality and technology in contemporary art.
Favorite work of art: T.V. Buddha, Nam June Paik, 1974.
Professional Activities:
· forthcoming: “Holy Toledo!: Salvador Dalí’s paranoiac-critical mysticism and the Life of St. John of the Cross” in The Dalí Renaissance, Penn State University Press.
· 2006/07 Guest Curator, “Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post Covers.” Atwater Kent Museum, Philadelphia.
· 2006 Commentator, The Life of an Easter Masterpiece: Christ Saint John of the Cross, BBC2 Television documentary.
· 2005 “The Day After: Cai Guo-Qiang’s Mushroom Clouds, Michael Heizer’s Earthworks, and Atomic Activity and Anxiety in the Nevada Desert” Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts, Chicago.
· 2004 “From Rhino Horns to Day-Glo Bunnies: The Legacy of Dalí’s Nuclear Mysticism in Postmodern Art and Science” in Persistence and Memory: Dali at the Centennial. Bompiani Press, 2004.
· 2003 “Case Open and/or Unsolved: Étant donnés, the Black Dahlia, and Marcel Duchamp’s Life of Crime,” Rutgers Art Review, Vol. 20, 2003.