Art Department

The Art Department at Gaston College provides students of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds the opportunity to strengthen their communication skills, develop their aesthetic and artistic awareness, and foster critical thinking.

We offer a range of quality courses in well-equipped classrooms: Two Dimensional and Three Dimensional Design, Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture, Digital Photography, Printmaking, Art History, and Art Appreciation as well as a range of online course options.

The AFA in Visual Arts prepares our students for the transition to a four-year college/university degree in such fields as Fine Arts, Art Education and Art History.

Whether you plan to major in Art or are simply seeking personal enrichment, the Art Department at Gaston College is a great place to begin!

Gallery Spaces:

The Gaston College Art Department features the work of local and regional emerging and professional artists in its exhibition program.

• The Jeanne Rauch Gallery in the Rauch Science and Fine Arts Building (RCH) has approximately 1,100 square feet of floor space and 150 linear feet of wall space.

• The Beam Gallery in the Dewey F. and Prue K. Beam Center for Visual Arts (CVA) has approximately 600 square feet of floor space and 60 linear feet wall space. The Art Department and the Student Art Club sponsor three Student Art Shows & a Holiday Sale in this space each academic year.

For more information or exhibition inquiries please contact: Liliya Zalevskaya, Gallery Coordinator at [email protected]

Ceramics Studio:

Very well-equipped space with 12 electric wheels, 4 Skutt electric kilns, Olympic Raku Kiln, Bailey slab roller, Bailey and Brent extruders, clay mixer, de-airing pugmill, and glaze room.

 Sculpture/Woodshop studio:

Equipment for Slip casting, welding, plasma cutter, multiple saws, planer, jointer, panel saw, lathe, etc..

 Painting/Printmaking Studio:

2 printing presses, easels, upright storage for student paintings

2-D Design/Drawing Studio:

Light table, student artwork storage area, matt cutter

 Computer Lab:

The Art Department computer lab has 14 computers equipped with digital media programs including Adobe Photoshop, a Smartboard system, a large projection screen, a student lounge area with Art books and periodicals

Other Resources:

A wide range of temporary exhibitions are scheduled each semester and lectures, gallery talks, and visiting artists supplement classroom and studio work.