Studio Art
Refine your craft, expand your vision, and find your artistic voice.
Why studio art matters:
Muhlenberg’s Studio Art program offers an immersive education in creative expression, grounded in both technical skill and critical inquiry. You’ll develop a deep understanding of art’s place in cultural and historical contexts, working closely with the art history program to view your work through a global lens. Small class sizes ensure one-on-one mentorship from dedicated faculty who will guide you as you explore media, refine your technique, and cultivate your unique artistic voice.
How studio art is taught at Muhlenberg:
At Muhlenberg, studio art students refine their craft in small, faculty-mentored classes while developing critical perspectives through close collaboration with the art history program. The college’s location offers easy access to major museums and galleries in New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and the Lehigh Valley. Frequent trips, visiting artists and scholars, and access to campus studios and the Martin Art Gallery provide rich opportunities to learn, create, and exhibit. Graduates leave prepared for advanced study, professional practice, or careers in fields that value creativity, analysis, and communication.
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The studio art curriculum is designed to help students develop independent creative work, gain in-depth skills in a chosen medium, and build transferable abilities in visual and written communication. Majors explore a range of media such as painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, and photography, while also engaging with art history to place their work in a wider cultural context. The program culminates in advanced studio experiences that prepare students for the professional art world, including portfolio development and public exhibition. Students are encouraged to take part in internships, gallery work, and other hands-on experiences that connect classroom learning with real-world practice. Highly motivated seniors have the opportunity to extend their final projects into a yearlong thesis exhibition, with the potential to earn honors in studio art.
Studio art students have daily access to campus studio spaces and work closely with visiting artists and faculty mentors. You’ll create and exhibit work in the Martin Art Gallery, home to both national and international shows as well as the renowned Tonner Collection. Off campus, internships at local museums and galleries connect you to the professional art community, while the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVIAC) consortium expands your course options to include metalsmithing, architectural design, and more. Study abroad opportunities — from short-term programs to full semesters — allow you to immerse yourself in new cultures and artistic traditions, enriching both your perspective and your portfolio.
Muhlenberg set me up for success by teaching me the power of words, images and transdisciplinary thinking — and giving me the experiences to put that thinking into practice.
Kristen Yngve ’00, an art and English double major, has spent decades collaborating with clients on branding and design via her own creative agency.
Powerful Outcomes
A Muhlenberg education sets you up for success. The liberal arts will hone your ability to think critically, communicate, and problem-solve, skills that are in high demand across all employment sectors.
Art Department News
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Grasso, who was an art major at Muhlenberg, carves wooden sea creatures and sells them from his Asbury Park, New Jersey, storefront.
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Summer Whitley ’24 is a studio art and computer science double major and art history minor from Hazleton, Pennsylvania.
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Working at the Allentown Art Museum gave Yuyang (Hector) Chen ’23 valuable experience he will carry into a master’s program in art business.
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