Very often the most important career choice a student will make is yet ahead: the shift in field from what they took as an undergraduate to what they will take in graduate school or in their choice of careers.
In addition to careers as practicing artists, students majoring and minoring in studio art can also enter a wide variety of careers or advanced education relating to design, teaching, consultation, business, commercial art, jewelry design, computer graphics, movie/television production, etc. The digital arts also prepares students for artistic practice in the computer industry, graphic design, and other commercial venues. When combining majors and minors in other disciplines, studio art students have entered fields requiring a dual expertise, such as art therapy (psychology and art); art conservation (chemistry and art); medical illustration (biology and art); film (art and music, theatre, computer science), and graphic design (art and communications).
See What Our Graduates Are Doing
Jack Doloszycki, ’22 (B.A. Studio Art, ceramics focus) Starting in August 2022, Jack Doloszycki will be a full-time Studio Assistant at Jun Kaneko Studio in Omaha Nebraska. Jun Kaneko is an internationally recognized ceramic artist known for large scale, intricately glazed sculptures that can be found in more than 70 international public and private collections. As a Studio Assistant Jack is responsible for assisting in all aspects of the production and firing of Jun’s work as well as the daily operations of a large-scale, multi-faceted studio spanning over three warehouses in Omaha, Nebraska.
Laila Saqer, ’22 (B.A. Studio Art, B.A., Anthropology) In the fall of 2022, Laila will be attending the South Texas Law School in Houston, TX.
Lauren Muskara, ’21 (B.A. Studio Art; B.S., biology, Paideia Design Thinking minor, departmental honors) has been accepted at the University of Illinois- Chicago’s Master of Science degree in Biomedical Visualization and will attend beginning in June of 2021.
Sophia Anthony, Katlyn Hellmer, Danbi Heo, ’19, embarked on a 10-day research trip in May, 2019 with Professor Star Varner, to study the art of Elizabeth Tracy at the Boone County History and Culture Center, Columbia, Missouri; the Archives of American Art and the USPS archives in Washington, D.C., and the Kennebunkport Historical Society, Maine. They are assisting Prof. Varner in a performative, feminist act of recreating a Tracy mural, now missing, originally made for the Kennebunkport Post Office and which became the subject of a national controversy requiring an act of Congress and the signature of President Truman to remove it. The controversy centered on the size of the women depicted in bathing suits on a beach.
Kati Hellmer (B.F.A. ’19) and Sophia Anthony (B.F.A. ’19) were selected for the “Currents” exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the oldest art institution in the nation, in the summer of 2019. Ms. Hellmer received a prize.
Sophia Anthony, ’19 (B.F.A., painting focus, departmental honors) completed a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Chicago in June, 2022, and is represented in New Texas Talent 2022. While at Southwestern, she participated in a summer intensive at the Tyler School of Art in the summer of 2018. She was accepted for graduate study at Goldsmith University’s Master of Fine Arts degree program, London, and chose to attend the University of Chicago. Her work was featured in “Creative Quarterly” in 2020.
Huakai (Sebastian) Chen, ’18 (B.F.A. painting and sculpture focus); was accepted into five graduate programs and has chosen to attend Boston University’s Master of Fine Arts degree program in the fall of 2022.
Elena Gonzalez, ’18 (B.F.A. painting focus, departmental honors); was accepted into the Virginia Commonwealth University Summer Intensive Program, summer 2018. She is employed at the Denver Museum of Art.
William Soller, ’17, (B.A, painting focus, double major in studio art and mathematics) is the Education and Programs Coordinator at the Center for Contemporary Crafts in Houston, Texas. As of 2022, he is in the graduate Master of Fine Arts degree program in painting at Houston Baptist University.
Abby Nash, ’16 (B.A. painting focus, double major art and political science) had a painting selected by Bentio Huerta for the national juried art exhibition, Texas National 2017, at Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas. Throughout 2017, she has work in a traveling exhibit (Re)Invention organized by the VSA, which is part of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. http://media.vw.com/release/1252/
Forrest Aderholt, ’16 (B.F.A. painting focus) presented a solo exhibition at Blue House Too Gallery in Allen, Texas, in October 2016.
Kelsey Baker, ’16 (B.A. painting focus) is Visiting Assistant Professor of Art at Southwestern University. She entered the Master of Fine Arts degree program at Washington State University in the fall of 2018 and graduated in 2020. She won first place in the Abstract Painting category at the 2016 Georgetown Arts Center Art Hop, and her work was selected for the 2016 Austin Art billboard competition.
Jake Pawelek, ’16 (B.F.A. painting and sculpture) presented two solo exhibits in 2016 at the Mercury Project, San Antonio, and The Shop at Design Associates in Sequin, Texas. He has created a commissioned mural for Kuper/Sotheby’s at New Braunfels and has completed over a dozen commissioned works.
Carly Dennis, ’15 (BFA painting focus, double major art and feminist studies) was accepted to and is attending the University of Texas, San Antonio, graduate school for an M.F.A. degree in painting.
Victoria Gadson, ’15 (BFA painting focus) had two works selected for “Seascapes,” an 2015 online art competition, one of which placed in the top ten and one received a special merit award.
Chandler Johnson, ’15 interned at San Antonio-based Overland Partners. The architecture office will build Ellsworth Kelly’s ‘Austin’ chapel at the Blanton Museum at University of Texas, Austin. Currently in master’s program in architecture at the University of Houston.
Jamie Gardner, ’14 ( B.A. painting focus) is attending the University of Texas Dallas graduate school for an M.F. A. in painting. She was selected for the Texas Talent XXII exhibit at Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas.
Nikki Grona, ’14 (B.A. painting focus) is a Senior Stylist at StitchFix.
Anne Bannister ’14 (B.A., photography) Southwestern Graduate is a digital producer at Raise Your Hand Texas. Raise Your Hand Texas is a non-partisan, non-profit public education advocacy organization that is igniting leadership and innovation to strengthen public schools across the state for all 5+ million students. In her role as Digital Producer, she continues her photography as part journalist, part documentary/short filmmaker, part writer, and narrative storyteller.
Kim Dembrosky ’13 (B.F.A., painting) Practicing artist, exhibited at the Museum of Geometric and MADI Art Dallas, in the 2014 Biennial Origins of Geometry exhibition.
Rebecca Gordon ’13 (B.F.A. painting) Practicing Artist, featured in Southwestern Magazine for Exemplary Student Research; had a solo exhibit in Austin, Texas.
Morgan Bailey ’12 (B.F.A., painting, B.A. Biology) was accepted at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and The University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio. She is currently attending medical school in San Antonio and has been accepted into their Global Health program.
Jenna Foster ’12 (B.F.A. painting) Practicing artist; solo exhibition at Wardenclyffe, Austin, Texas 2013; two-person exhibition with Noel Kalmus (B.A. 2012) at the Waco Art Center, October 2015.
Mary Scoville ’12 (B.F.A. painting) Graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at Dallas (2014); currently teaching studio art (digital imaging) at the University of Texas at Dallas; also is the Associate Visual Database Developer for RSi Visual Systems.
Kirby Crone ’12 (B.F.A. painting) Currently in Master of Fine Arts program at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia.
Noel Kalmus ’12 (B.A., painting focus); Two person exhibit, Waco Art Center October 2015 with Jenna Foster ( BFA ’12).
Christine Harris ’11 (B.A. painting focus); is Senior Graphic Designer at Land Design, Charlottesville, N.C.
Duncan Alexander ’11 (B.F.A. painting) Practicing visual artist who is interested in the formal qualities of digital media; won Critic’s Table Award, Austin American Statesman, for graphic work in “The Color of Dissonance”, an opera created by three Southwestern professors: Jason Hoogerhyde (composer), Sergio Costola (librettist), and Kim Smith (art history consultant); exhibited GIF images at Denison University’s Mulberry Gallery. Writes about digital art on his blog Hypothete.
Jessie Cragg Dugan ’11 (B.F.A. painting) Technical designer for Henri Bendel, New York; freelance designer; co-owns and operates Texi Leather with art history alumna Laurel McEuen; gave a presentation at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2013 and set up one of the first Etsy online shops featuring “responsible manufacturing”. Owns her own design company, JESSIE DUGAN
Carlos Barron ’10 (B.A. photography) Southwestern graduate has established himself as a photographer of note in his award winning designs for community projects in Georgetown Texas for the San Gabriel River Trail, the Shell House in Rivery Park and the historical presentation of the 1921 Williamson County Flood in San Gabriel Park. Barron is a working photographer whose work was recently chosen for the Best of VSCO Film 04 Journal. http://vsco.co/blog/best-of-vsco-film-04
Ricardo Levario ’10 (B.A. painting) Practicing artist; “Ebb and Flow” exhibition at K Space Contemporary, Corpus Christi, Texas 2012; image chosen for Creative Quarterly competition and for cover art.
Paloma Mayorga ’10 (B.A. painting) Currently Assistant Director, Serie Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting fine art serigraphy and cultural diversity in the art world; solo exhibition at the Emma Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Austin, TX 2013 and again in 2016. In the fall of 2016, Paloma exhibited her one woman exhibit, “Solo Mia,” at the Sarofim Gallery at Southwestern.
Michelle Haberl ’10 (B.A. painting) M.F.A. program at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts; large painting hanging in the Texas A & M School of Architecture
Casey (Grier) Blades ’09 (B.A.) received a Master of Art Education from Texas Tech University in 2014, exhibiting her Master’s exhibition, “Markings: Traversing the Inaccessible,” at the Texas Tech University Center at Junction. She currently teaches art and AP Art History at Cypress Lakes High School in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.
Lauren Cardenas ’08 (B.F.A., painting/printmaking) Graduated from the Tamarind Institute, for the advanced study of lithography and Master Printer Training Program. Completed her Master of Fine Arts degree in printmaking from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri in spring 2011. She is taught studio art at the University of Missouri - St. Louis and was the Technical Assistant/Printmaking workshop manager at Washington University’s Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts in St. Louis, Missouri. She is Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Mississippi.
Carling Hale ’08 (B.F.A. photography); Master of Fine Arts at the Sam Fox School of Design and VIsual Arts at Washington University, St. Louis (2015). Practicing artist.
Alison Kuo ’08 (B.F.A. ceramics), M.F.A., ’14 (ceramics) School of the Visual Arts, New York, currently Program Director of the School of the Visual Arts and practicing artist, New York.
Norma Gaines ’07 (art history), Executive Assistant to the Vice-President of Fiscal Affairs, Southwestern University
Aren Ehman ’06 (B.A., studio art, painting), accepted to the MLitt in Gallery and Museum Studies, St. Andrews University in Scotland, fall 2018; received Master of Arts in Art Education, University of Texas at Austin, 2012.
Bailey Kinkel ’06 (B.A., painting), Landscape architect, graduated from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design with a degree in landscape architecture in spring 2011. Currently employed at the international design firm NBBJ located in Columbus, Ohio, working on international projects.
Albert Bui ’06 (art history/design/arch.), M.F.A. at The Rochester Institute of Technology, practicing industrial designer
Jenna Burditt ’06 (ceramics), masters program at the University of Dallas, ceramics
Xan Koonce ’05 (B.A. painting) practicing artist exhibiting at Cerulean Gallery in Dallas
Sarah Fox ’05 (B.A. painting) practicing artist and designer; Master of Fine Arts degree from University of Texas San Antonio in painting (2015)
Katharine Leal-Powers ’04 (B.A.,painting) Masters program at School of the Visual Arts in art education, graduated in 2006. Established an art school in Houston for youth, Shine Studios.
Brianna Hinchey ’04, (painting), attended graduate school, University of Texas, art education
Hillary Mueller ’04 (sculpture) M.F.A. program at Texas State University in sculpture
Andrew Arnold ’04 (painting) graduate of School of Cartoon Studies, works for D.C Comics, New York City (also accepted into the Rhode Island School of Design M.F. A. program) ; currently children’s book illustrator at Roaring Book Press, a division of McMillan Press, New York.
Brady McBride ’03 (painting), former Technical Assistant in the Art and Art History Department, Southwestern University, art teacher at Richarte School, Georgetown, Texas, and practicing artist.
Zabrina Diaz ’03 (painting), Masters degree in art therapy from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, practicing in Chicago
Rachel Obranovich ’03 M.A. in painting (’07), University of Dallas, M.F.A. program in painting ; practicing artist in Zurich, Switzerland.
Meili Peterson Corbin ’03 (painting) M.F.A. American University in Rome (MFA program in painting) ’06; taught studio art at Anderson University, South Carolina; practicing artist.
Clint Burris ’03 (architecture and design) graduate student, Master of Architecture program at Yale University; medical school
Sam McFarlane ’03 (sculpture), formerly graduate student at New Mexico State University in photography (deceased)
Allison Young ’02 (sculpture) M.F.A. from Arizona State University in sculpture; Assistant Professor of Art, Southwestern University (Fall 2008)
Matt Dannelly ’02 M.F.A., at Utah State University, Logan, Utah (ceramics)
Brian Ervin ’02 (painting, architecture/design minor), entered UT Arlington MArch program, currently in digital media
Karen Harton Suderman ’01 (painting) owns and operates studio space and gallery, ArtSpoken; practicing artist
Tyler Francisco ’01 (ceramics) Taught English in Japan, where he studied pottery; teaches in Atlanta, author of book of poetry Blossoms Disappear Green published in ’06
Marlana Cook ’01 (international studies/art history) Chief Registrar/ Manager of Collections, West point Museum, United States Military Academy, Department of the Army; also in masters program New York University
Elizabeth Dinn Marsh ’01 (sculpture). She subsequently earned a 2004 Master of Science in art education from Syracuse University and a Master of Occupational Therapy from Louisiana State University New Orleans Health Science Center.
Libby Schrum ’00 (art minor - design) M.F.A., Rhode Island School of Art and Design, practicing furniture designer. She received the John D. Mineck Furniture Fellowship in 2010 and has been published in the New York Times, Fine Woodworking Magazine, 500 Chairs, among others.
Crystal Hall Doyle ’00 (art history minor) MA in art history, Texas Christian University ; independent curator
Michal Golinski ’99, (architecture) MArch, University of Texas, Arlington
Davis Cornell ’99 (sculpture) practicing artist in Dallas, TX working with sculptor, Harold F. Clayton
Sarah Korthals Jones ’99 (sculpture and photography) Image Coordinator, Corporate Design Group, National Instruments
Katherine Dyll Seale ’99 (art history) MA in architectural history, University of Virginia; Executive Director of a firm that is restoring historic architecture in Dallas, Texas
Nicole Hilborn ’99 (painting, drawing) Graduated from the Biomedical Communications graduate program, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Dallas, Texas; published illustrator.
Daniel Gardner ’99 (English major), M.F.A., Indiana University in ceramics; currently Technical Assistant in ceramics, sculpture, photography and digital arts at Southwestern University.
Teena McClelland ’98 (painting/sculpture) MFA from School of the Art Institute of Chicago in painting and currently Administrative Director and faculty member at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Julien Meyrat ’98 (architecture) School of Architecture University of Texas, Austin, Texas; practiced in Denver, CO, and currently working internationally out of Dallas and South America
Remi Spriggs ’98 (art history), curatorial assistant at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Bayou Bend, M.A. in History of Decorative Arts from Bard College
Grace Hawkins ’98 (sculpture) practicing artist and teacher for a private school in Austin, Texas
Julien Meyrat ’98, (architecture) School of Architecture University of Texas, Austin, Texas
Mike Gibson ’98 (architecture) Master of Architecture at Arizona State University, working for Dekker/Perich/Sabatini in Aluquerque, New Mexico
Michelle Sutton ’98 (painting & sculpture), taught in Japan
Shelly Mosher (ceramics) MFA in ceramics, Stephen F. Austin University, Texas
Seth Mittag ’97 (ceramics) MFA University of Houston
Aldo Valdes-Bohm ’97 (ceramics/sclupture) exhibitions at Upstream Gallery, Texas Lutheran, Tyler University, Mexi-Arte Gallery Art Palace, Austin. Texas
Arthur Palacios ’97 formerly the director of the Dougherty Art Center in Austin is the curator/owner of Art Palace, an art gallery begun in Austin that received attention in the New York Times; Art Palace gallery is now located in Houston.
Norma Clark ’97 (painting), M.F.A.,Vermont College at Norwich Univ. in painting; solo exhibitions at Concordia College and the Carver Museum, Austin, TX, DiverseArts, Austin; Williamson Museum, Georgetown, Tx; Southwestern University; Bydee Art Gallery, Austin; South Dallas Cultural Center, Dallas; Concordia College, Austin; Unitarian Church; Austin; numerous group exhibitions. Several murals located in Georgetown, Texas.
J. Scott Adams ’97 (architecture/design) MArch, Texas A&M University; interned with Robert Venturi/Scott Borwn architects; Design principal, Overland Architects, San Antonio
Amy Robins Dempsey ’97 (architecture) M.Arch., Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, University of Houston;Practicing in Austin, Texas
Jeffrey Hendricks ’97 (architecture) M.Arch., Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, University of Houston
Clay Hoffman ’96 (painting), designing computer games for Origin Studios in Austin, Texas
Shelly Boykin Mosher ’96, MFA Stephen F. Austin
Julianne Otto ’94 (art history), MA in art history in ’95
Julie (Hoyt) Savasky ’95, Associate Partner, Pentagram Design, Austin, TX
Alys Thompson ’95 (architecture) U.T. at Arlington, School of Arch; U.T. at Austin, M.A. Program in classical Archaeology; studied at University of Bradford, England for PhD in Archaeology on the cost of Roman construction; currently a set designer in Hollywood
John Akin ’94 (painting, theatre, & computer science) M.F.A. in Film Directing, Columbia University, currently a web designer at Line56.com
Tom Morin ’94 (photography) interned in New York, practicing photographer, M.F.A. Rochester Institute of Technology, photography. Returned to Southwestern for a solo exhibition, “Tom Morin: 25”
Heather Carter-Gitterle ’94, (sculpture) accepted to the San Francisco Art Institute, practicing artist, exhibition at City Hall, Austin
May Haberle Burnett ’93 (sculpture), M.F.A. in sculpture from the University of Mass. at Dartmouth
Kris Ercums ’93 (art history) Ph.D. in Asian Art History, University of Chicago;, currently Curator of Asian and Contemporary Global Art, Spencer Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri
Laura Lee (Utz) McCartney ’93 (art history) M.A. in museum education from North Texas State University and PhD in art education at UNT (doctoral research examines visual culture studies); teaching public middle school art and continuing to work with art museums
Brent Bledsoe ’92, Masters of Architecture, Washington University, St.Louis
John Kosty ’92 (architecture) independent work as an archaeological architect, Norway; worked in several architectural offices in Atlanta; surveyor, digital media, Atlanta
Janet Zamecki ’92, (photography) M.F.A. in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute
Jennifer Linton ’92 (painting/printmaking), M.F.A. in printmaking, Indiana University
Grant Smith ’91 (painting) practicing artist, M.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Brad Epley ’91 (painting & chemistry), completed Masters degree in art conservation, interned at the Hamilton-Kerr Institute in Cambridge, England, in art conservation; Chief Conservator, the Menil Collection, Houston, Texas
Adam Bork, attended S.U 1988-91, School of Visual Arts, New York 1991-91. Professional artist, solo exhibitions at Marfa Book Company Gallery (2008); Wichita Falls Museum of Art, TX (2007); Gallerie Urbane, Marfa, TX (2006) Exhibited “Window Works” at Artpace Gallery, San Antonio, 2009.
Rebecca Cheney Hendricks ’91 (painting/printmaking), accepted into M.F. A. program, Washington University, traveled in New Zealand and Australia to study Maori tattoos
Laura Wilson Larkin ’91 (painting/printmaking), Masters in Library Science, University of Texas, Library Sciences, Book Conservation. Currently Lake Conservator for Special Collections, working with rare books, Harvard University Library.
Keith Guehring ’91 (painting/printmaking), M.Ed., University of Houston, (94), currently teaching art and computer graphics in Houston, practicing artist
Wendy Helburn Mather ’91, (architecture) MArch, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, University of Houston; interior design firm in Phoenix
Tasha Clark Hock ’90 (sculptur. e) M.F.A. in Sculpture, Washington University, St. Louis, now at Franconia Sculpture Park, Shafer MN
David Suttle ’90, (architecture) M.Arch. from U.T. at Arlington, School of Architecture, interned in Boston and teaching at the Boston Center for Architecture
Jennifer Jones ’90, (art history) taking advanced degree work in Copenhagen, Denmark
Georgianne Hewett ’90 (art history), Director of Alumni and Parent Relations, Southwestern University
Philip Henry ’89, (architecture) ran his own furniture design firm in Ohio, studied Japanese temple carpentry in Nata, Japan; currently building timber frame buildings in Vermont
Janis Abel ’89 (art, architecture/design) March program, Univ. of Houston School of Architecture
Elizabeth Schlatter ’89 (art history), M.A., The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., currently Deputy Director and Curator of Exhibitions, University of Richmond Museums, Virginia, independent curator. and author of Museum Careers: APractical Guide for Novices and Students and many exhibition catalogs. In 2017, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the College Art Association, the preeminent international arts leaderships organization of art historians, artists, and critics.
Elizabeth Lane ’87, (ceramic/sculpture) M.A. ceramic sculpture from Stephen F. Austin University, Texas
Brooke Stroud ’82 (painting) works in the registrar’s office for the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, and is a practicing artist
Ann Worthing ’80 (painting), practicing artist, M.F.A. from the University of Chicago
Denny Pickett ’71, (political science and art), M.F.A., Texas Tech University, Assistant Professor of Art, Baylor University, exhibited with Meredith Long Gallery, Houston, Texas. Memorial exhibition at Southwestern University 2010.
Diane Greer Sanberg ’69, Coordinator for Docents at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas
Sharon Rork (architecture/design) March program, University of Houston
R. Brent Bledsoe,(architecture/design) MArch, Washington U Arch School
Katherine McDowell Frey, (architecture/design) MS in Historic Preservation, Univ. of Pennsylvania, currently Project Architect at Ford, Farewell, Mills and Gatsch Architects, Princeton, New Jersey
Cass Van Winkle (architecture/design), worked in Rockefeller Center design studio
Eric Wivagg (architecture/ design), Texas A &M program in construction management, currently building contractor
Jennifer Getson (art history), Ph.D in art history
Anna Nau, Ph.D. program in architectural history
April Martin, Ph.D program, New York University
Ashley Schmidekamp, M.A., Art History, University of Texas, Visiting Assistant Professor of Art History, Southwestern University fall ’08