July 1, 2016
For Immediate Release
By Josh Christian, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.— “A true work of art speaks immediately to the spectator,” Vasily Kandinsky, a Russian abstract painter who lived between the years of 1866 and 1944, once said.
Campbellsville University's art and design department attempts to further teach and shape artists who create true works of art by providing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree is a professional degree that provides students with the additional credits needed for them to develop their artistic skills.
“In the Art and Design Department, we teach real-world situations and client-based problem solving that the students can use in the field,” William Morse, associate professor of art, who teaches graphic design and animation at Campbellsville University, said.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree offers a total of 76 credit hours, that are 40 credit hours more than what is required of those majoring in art and attempting to get their Bachelor of Arts degree.
The BFA program offers both a graphic design and animation concentration, which the art and design department has recently seen an increased interest in, according to Morse.
He said the increased interest in graphic design and animation is due to the lack of job opportunities in traditional artistic careers like gallery catering and teaching opportunities.
“In 1995, the digital environment exploded and the field of graphic design offered more job opportunities in the area of Desk Top Publishing, Graphic Illustration, Logo Design, Package Design, Industrial Design and Commercial Advertisement,” Morse said.
Animation has more recently seen an increase, offering jobs for storyboard artists and animators, and there being a need for skills like lighting and texturing, rigging, modeling and character design Morse said.
“The BFA program will benefit any student who is interested in a professional degree and wants to specialize in a particular subject in the visual arts, such as Traditional Arts, Graphic Design or Animation,” Morse said.
Campbellsville University's Art and Design Department offers the creative professionals and advanced studio courses needed to improve skills, according to Morse.
Linda J. Cundiff, professor of art and chair of the art department at Campbellsville University; Davie Reneau, associate professor of art at Campbellsville University; and Azucena “Susie” Trejo Williams, artist in residence and instructor at Campbellsville University, have also worked to make the BFA program possible.
Campbellsville University also offers the BFA degree from a Christ-centered world-view, according to Morse, differentiating it from many other BFA programs in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering over 80 programs of study including 24 master's degrees, seven postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.