Art & Design

Art & Design header art

Mission Statement

South Suburban College’s Art & Design Department’s educational mission is to provide students with a strong foundation in in the professional practice of art, design, the history of art & design, and to provide the fine arts component of a liberal arts education. Applied foundation art skills of drawing, painting, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, graphic design, digital art and art history, enables our students to coherently express and communicate informed critical judgments and world-views. Practical application of these skills will enhance the daily lives of our students; they will employ these developed abilities in creative problem solving, critical analysis, knowledge acquisition, and express thoughtful representations and reflections upon their world. Our students will use this knowledge in the university transfer curriculum, visual communications workforce, and in our local communities in accord with South Suburban College’s mission of lifelong learning.

Our goal as the Faculty of the Art & Design Department at South Suburban College is to help you become an outstanding artist or designer. In our department you will have the opportunity to:

  • Develop your skills through personal instruction in a supportive work and study environment.
  • Learn not only the why, but the how of art and design… and learn by doing, not just listening.
  • Draw upon the best resources a major community college has to offer, including extensive galleries, visiting artists, and studios with specialized equipment and guidance from Masters level artist instructors

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will have the following outcome competencies after a successful completion of Associate of Arts in Art, Associates in Fine Art in Art, or an Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of art historical movements, trends in contemporary art and graphic design, and major works of important artists and designers.
  • Demonstrate the ability to analyze, develop, and apply appropriate solutions to studio problems relating to visual language.
  • Students will participate in written and verbal critiques and clearly articulate constructive criticism relating to a variety of art and design media, an art history.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in the use of tools, materials, process, and technology appropriate to specific art and design disciplines of; drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, jewelry, graphic design and digital arts.
  • Develop a substantive portfolio of artworks that demonstrates the sophistication and professionalism required for advancement in the field of art and design, academia, and the larger art world.

Description of Art & Design Department Degrees

AAS Career Programs at South Suburban College are designed to prepare the student for immediate employment upon graduation. These programs are not specifically designed for higher education transfer. However, classes and portions of the AAS program may transfer to colleges and universities. Consult the College & Career Success Center for help in selecting courses appropriate for the program at the college or university where you plan to transfer.

  • Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A. – Transfer Curriculum) – The A.F.A. is designed primarily for students wishing to transfer into baccalaureate programs at university with a major in studio art, often leading to a Bachelor’s in Fine Art (BFA) degree. Course selections should be made using the – Master Academic Plan – AFA Associates in Fine Art with Concentration in Art worksheet.
  • Associates in Art (A.A. in Art – Transfer Curriculum) – The A.A. in Art is designed for students planning to pursue a Liberal Arts degree at university in either art history or studio art, often leading to a BA degree. Course selections should be made using the Master Academic Plan – AA and the Art Recommended Curricula For AA Transfer Programs.
  • Associates of Applied Science (AAS Graphic Design) – The AAS Graphic Design serves persons seeking employment, high school graduates, professionals who are upgrading or adding to their job skills or making career changes, and those who seek personal enrichment by developing their artistic talents, or those who may choose to continue their education with an AA or BA at a college, university, or professional school.

Basic Certificate Graphic Design

The Graphic Design Certificate Introduces elements of Adobe Creative Cloud Suite and is designed to provide the fastest possible achievement of academic and professional credentials for entry-level employment opportunity in graphic design and related fields.

Studio Facilities

  • Painting, Drawing, and 2-Dimensional Design Studios – All studios have natural light and equipped with easels and drawing tables. The studios are open during the day and art students are encouraged to use the studios outside of class hours.
  • Art History Resource Library – The library has 25,000 slides, films, video tapes, CD-ROMs and periodicals pertaining to art history and individual artists.
  • Computer Art Lab – Computer art is taught in a Macintosh Lab equipped with computers, color scanner, printers, drawing tablets, and digital camera.
  • Jewelry Workshop – The jewelry shop has tools for soldering, forging, raising, casting, electroforming, anodizing, photo-etching and stone setting available for use.
  • Ceramic Studio – The ceramics studio has 12 electric wheels, 2 large gas fired and 1 electric kiln for low and high firing of ceramic work. Students work with clay mixing and glaze chemistry.
  • Printmaking Shop – The print shop has a Dickerson press, smaller intaglio press, vacuum light table, litho stones, silk screen equipment and woodcut tools to assist in a variety of printing methods.
  • Sculpture Studio – This studio is equipped with hand and power tools, gas and arc welding equipment equipment and a foundry for bronze casting.