Department of Fine Arts

The Fine Arts Department at Ohio Wesleyan, created in 1864, was one of America's first college art departments. Today, the department honors its distinguished tradition by focusing on the art and world of today. We value exploration and innovation across artistic media, while stressing a solid foundation in the liberal arts.

The pairing of the focused arts education with a robust liberal arts education helps student-artists develop a more confident, personal, informed, and insightful artistic vision.

Fine Arts faculty make sure students learn solid fundamental skills, a historical base, and theoretical framework, but they also encourage all students to discover and develop their unique expression.

Our alumni include successful artists working and exhibiting around the world, as well designers, educators, and entrepreneurs.

Department Features

  • Our facilities include a sculpture studio with an indoor foundry and outdoor courtyard for iron casting, jewelry and metals facilities, a photography studio, and a 3,500-square-foot painting studio.
  • We offer general experience through a broad B.A. program and professional preparation with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Fine Arts majors may concentrate in studio art, art history, or fine arts education.
  • Students have access to our studios 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Available Majors

Studio Art

This major can be pursued as a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Majors focus on concentration(s) of their choice, including ceramics, computer imaging, drawing, graphic design, metals, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is for students preparing to become professional artists, art teachers, graphic designers, or to enter any of the related professions. Students can elect to combine various media concentrations when creating their desired programs.

Studio Art Major

Art History

Art History majors study the art of the past in the context of its historical and cultural setting. We offer courses that cover many different periods and cultures.

Art History Major

Art Education

The Art Education program is designed for students pursuing K-12 certification. This program prepares students for primary and secondary art, as well as art supervisory positions. Students enroll as BFA majors with additional coursework in the Education Department and supervision for student teaching coordinated with both art and education professors.

Art Education Major

Available Minors

Fine Arts Studio Minor

Requirements

A minimum of six courses consisting of ART 110 and ART 111, two two-dimensional studio courses including ART 112 or ART 351 or both, ART 113, and one additional three-dimensional studio course. The declaration of minor form will be submitted upon completion of two required courses. Courses taken credit/no entry may not be applied toward the minor.

Art History Minor

Requirements

Six courses consisting of ART 110, ART 111, two additional art history courses, and any two studio courses. The declaration of minor form will be submitted upon completion of two required courses. Courses taken credit/no entry may not be applied toward the minor.

Meet Our People

OWU is people. Brilliant, engaging, passionate, friendly, genuine people. Meet some of them here.

Kristina Bogdanov

Professor in the Department of Fine Arts

Professor Bogdanov says, "Love the art within yourself, don't love yourself within art."  She teaches ceramics, drawing, figure drawing, and 3D design.

Carol Neuman de Vegvar

Emeritus Professor of Fine Arts

A medievalist, Professor Neuman deVegvar also teaches Classical, Renaissance, Baroque, and Islamic art. She has lectured and published internationally on early western medieval art, and she serves as consultant for several museums and collections in England.

Frank Hobbs

Professor in the Department of Fine Arts

Professor Hobbs says, "I enjoy sharing my experiences and perspectives as a practicing artist with students in the classroom, setting up learning situations for them that challenge them to see for themselves, to think visually, and to find ways of giving shape and form to their own experience and intentions."

Jeffrey Nilan

Professor in the Department of Fine Arts

"My ultimate goal is to enable each student to locate their own voice and then to effectively communicate that voice using the visual language."

Creating an Exhibition

Ross Museum Director Erin Fletcher (left) and Assistant Director Tammy Wallace review the 2018 Faculty Art Exhibit.

Werner Student Art Gallery

The Werner Student Art Gallery, operated independently by the Student Art Guild, is the showcase for student exhibitions throughout each year.

Jonathan Quick

Professor Quick displays his work at the 2018 Faculty Art Exhibit in the Ross Art Museum.

Frank Hobbs

Professor Frank Hobbs stands with his work at the 2018 Faculty Art Exhibit.

Slide Library

Currently estimated at more than 150,000 images, the slide library supports all areas of visual studies in the department.

Kristina Bogdanov

Professor Bogdanov displays some of her painted ceramic work at the 2020 Faculty Art Exhibit in the Ross Art Museum.

Richard M. Ross Art Museum

OWU's Richard M. Ross Art Museum enriches the community, the university, and the lives of our students by mounting exhibitions of artists from around the world. The museum has four gallery spaces, and each year it hosts the BA/BFA Senior Exhibition. The museum's programming relates to and enriches the course offerings.

Jeff Nilan

Professor Nilan displays his photography at the 2020 Faculty Art Exhibit in the Ross Art Museum.

Department Contact Info

Location

Edgar Hall 108
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
P 740-368-3600
F 740-368-3611
E finearts@owu.edu

Department Contact

Chair: Kristina Bogdanov
Professor in the Department of Fine Arts
Haycock Hall 112
740-368-3607
kkbogdan@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Tammy Wallace
Edgar Hall 108
740-368-3601
tpwallac@owu.edu