School of Art
Overview
From an idea to a concept to the finished piece, the School of Art is made up of a tight-knit community of makers who ideate and create one-of-a-kind art. Whether it’s using 3D printers, charcoal and a sketch pad, or a pottery wheel, students use cutting-edge technology and traditional methods to produce stunning work that culminates with a gallery exhibition in their senior year. The school is led by award-winning faculty members who exhibit in galleries and juried shows around the world. The breadth and depth of the facilities and studios are unmatched by our peers. Graduates have a solid foundation for a career as a professional artist — producing, marketing, and selling their work or other opportunities such as teaching, advertising/marketing, or arts administration.
Pre-College Portfolio Preparation Workshop
The School of Art's annual Pre-College Portfolio Preparation Workshop is a two-week visual arts class designed to prepare the portfolios of rising high school juniors and seniors for admission to college art programs.
16
A maximum class size of 16 ensures students receive individualized attention.
15
The School of Art routinely welcomes more than 15 visiting artists each year for in-person or virtual demos and lectures.
100%
Every student studying an option in the studio arts program exhibits their work at least once in an RIT gallery space.
Latest News
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August 31, 2026
How new Wayland mural pays tribute to Steuben County village's history
The Evening Tribune features work by Corinn Marriott, visiting lecturer of illustration, who spent roughly 400 hours creating a 750-square-foot mural celebrating the history of Wayland, N.Y., with funding from grants, local businesses, and community members. (This content will require a subscription to view.)
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August 31, 2026
RIT furniture design alumnus uses celebrity commissions as springboard for Miami studio
A storyteller at heart, RIT alumnus Gunther Jacobson '12 (furniture design) has operated Design by Gunther out of Miami for more than a decade, completing work for the likes of DJ Khaled, Shakira and a wide range of design projects.
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June 11, 2026
RIT graduate’s 19-foot dinosaur model finds new home at Ithaca museum
Fingerlakes1 highlights an RIT-created dinosaur reconstruction by Andrew Bovenzi '26 (studio arts) that has been selected for display at the Museum of the Earth, showcasing the intersection of art and paleontological science.
Featured Work and Profiles
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Building a Pipe Organ
A skilled designer and musician, Kelly Cleveland '21 (Furniture Design) constructed an awe-inspiring handmade pipe organ for his capstone project.
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Public Sculpture
Juan Carlos Caballero-Perez, professor of Metals and Jewelry Design, created a near-12-foot sculpture for the Village of Fairport, N.Y.’s Kennelly Park, outside the public library. It was the...
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Editorial Illustrator
Doug Chayka Renowned freelance illustration Doug Chayka '96 has a client list that includes The Atlantic, Boston Globe, New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post and many other publications.
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Student Painting Recognized in AXA Art Prize
Hannah Sitzer '27 (painting option - studio arts BFA) was named a finalist in the 2026 AXA Art Prize student art competition! As one of 40 finalists, Sitzer's “Chatter” painting will be featured in a...
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Metals class forges futures
The Basic Blacksmithing and Toolmaking course is offered this semester through for the metals and jewelry design program.
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Alumna thrives in professional role at jewelry shop
As a young professional, Cece Plympton '25 is carrying out responsibilities that align with the initial goals they established at RIT.
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Undergraduate Programs
The School of Art offers professionally oriented degree programs in studio arts (options in ceramics, expanded forms, furniture design, glass, metals and jewelry design, non-toxic printmaking, painting, and sculpture), illustration, and medical illustration. The studio arts degree is studio intensive and allows you to immerse yourself in a concentration, developing both technical and creative skills. The highly sought-after medical illustration BFA is one of only a few offered in the country. Medical illustrators transform complex information into visual images that communicate with a variety of audiences from patients to doctors to scientists. Graduates of the illustration program work for publishing companies, advertising firms, and corporate art departments, as well as create and design concept area for cinema, games, and animation.
Graduate Programs
The fine arts studio MFA is a two-year program made up of immersive studio courses chosen from painting, sculpture, printmaking, and expanded forms. The program culminates with a thesis and an exhibit in the college’s Bevier Gallery. The Master of Science for Teachers in visual arts-all grades (art education) program prepares students to become certified to teach kindergarten up through 12th grade in New York state.
Student Resources
For internal College of Art and Design resources such as academic information, forms, FAQs and more, visit myRIT. For information about academic advising, visit here.