Visual Arts at the MIWSFPA gives students a solid foundation from which to build an exciting and dynamic career.
Our studio classes provide hands-on experience in a wide range of techniques and technologies, while courses in the History of Art and Visual Culture develop critical thinking, writing, research, and communication skills.
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What are some career pathways a degree in Visual Arts can offer you?
- Professional artist
- Curatorial work in art galleries, museums, and artist-run centres
- Arts administration
- Law (copyright, repatriation of cultural artifacts, cultural property)
- Writing and publication
- Teaching
- Graphic design and web design
- Analogue and digital animation
Read on to see what our talented graduates are up to, and learn more about what a degree in visual arts can do for you!
Graduate Spotlight
Brittany Reitzel, Major in Visual Arts and Studio Art
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Brock University alumna Brittany Reitzel (BA ’16, BA ’19) has earned the 2020 Audain Travel Award.
Brittany Reitzel (BA ’16, BA ’19), a Brock Visual Arts alumna, was recently honoured with the Audain Travel Award for her series of works “Wallflowers” — small ceramic sculptures that document the cohesion of body and environmental expression.(Fall 2020)
The $7,500 award, given to five post-secondary students annually, encourages travel to view and study art, allowing honourees the opportunity to engage with different artist communities worldwide.
Reitzel, who is now pursuing her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at the University of British Columbia, plans to use the money to travel to Japan, when it is deemed safe to do so, to explore the practice and history of ceramic art. She will meet with leading professors in ceramics education at the University of Tokyo and visit the renowned pottery towns of Mashiko, Arita and Hagi.
“The research I will complete will aid me to further understand the history of ceramics as a material, and explore the ways clay, body and land are connected outside of Western perceptions,” she says. “This trip will help me further engage with how an area’s resources can impact artistic work.”
“My art practice focuses on translating sensorial input of the experiences I have with the natural environment in the Okanagan,” she says. “I believe the more I can synchronize with the rhythm of nature, the stronger my work becomes.”
Read Brittany’s full story here.
Carina Magazeeni, History of Art and Visual Culture, Curatorial Studies
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Carina Magazeeni, History of Art and Visual Culture, Concentration in Curatorial Studies, 2013
“I attribute so much of my personal and professional path to the encouragement and support that I received while at Brock, from my peers and professors. Being part of an academic environment that nurtured individuality and fostered a relational approach to teaching and learning allowed me to broaden my perspective on what a degree in art history and visual culture could translate into post-graduation.”
“Since graduating, I’ve worked as a curator, designer and cultural worker (amongst many other part-time gigs). My practice is rooted in critical collaboration and driven by queer, feminist and decolonial politics and strategies within and beyond gallery spaces.
Currently, I’m the Director of the Union Gallery, which is a student-centered professional contemporary art gallery at Queen’s University. It feels like a true gift—to be able to contribute to the visual landscape and future generation of artists in this capacity. I try to impart the same level of care and support that has been afforded to me and share the lessons I have (and continue to) learn along the way, from the many teachers I am fortunate to have in my life.”
– Carina Magazzeni (BA ’13)
HAVC, Concentration in Curatorial Studies
Brittany Brooks, Bachelor of Arts, Visual Arts
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Brittany Brooks, Bachelor of Arts, Visual Arts, 2016
Brittany Brooks, Bachelor of Arts, Visual Arts, 2016, is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice includes animation, illustration, performance and music. Since graduating from Brock University, she has been working at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto as a Curatorial Assistant. One of the highlights of this position included working on Kent Monkman’s exhibition Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience, touring nationally. Artist residencies at Spark Box Studios, White Rabbit Arts and The Green Belt Gallery cultivated her solo exhibition Rutabager and her original handmade layered projection show The Fireside Book of Fictitious Folk Songs. Her musical project Creature Speak released a full-length album Shadow Songs (2016) and earned international praise. She is an active member of the St. Catharines arts and cultural community and a Jr. Programmer for the In the Soil Arts Festival.
“VISA’s program has helped me apply my artistic skills to everything I do and develop my practice into a career. The instructors helped me learn the importance of being able to talk about my own work, and I also learned many practical skills regarding collaboration, art production and exhibiting. My favourite courses are the ones that allowed me to experiment and try out new media. The VISA Program has a remarkable sense of community and encourages students to be active in numerous events both on and off campus. I’ve become part of a network of local artists and cultural professionals, and have had many opportunities to showcase my own work in the local
community’s cultural events.”