The Department of Studio Art in the Claire Trevor School of the Arts takes a wide-ranging, interdisciplinary view of contemporary art practice. With an emphasis on experimentation and innovation, UCI Studio Art is viewed as a leader in genres addressing cultural identity and emerging technologies. The Department provides students a solid theoretical and technical foundation from which to approach art making as both process and product. Each student is encouraged to develop an individual, disciplined direction approach to media, materials, and techniques. To this end, the curriculum provides studio experiences in drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, digital imaging, and video. Visiting artists, theorists, curators, and other arts professionals are an integral part of the program.
A state-of-the-art Studio Art building was completed in Fall 2002. The new facilities house offices, faculty and student studios, and classrooms. The University Gallery provides a venue for student shows as well as faculty and guest artist presentations. The CyberA provides a campus to present and view digital art informally.