Art and Art History

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The Art Program at Mendocino College offers students multiple paths to pursue the arts including Art History, Studio Arts, Ceramics, Painting, Printmaking, and Digital Arts and Media. The College Gallery hosts several different exhibitions a year and ends each spring semester with its annual student art exhibition.

The Mendocino College Art Gallery is housed in the Center for Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). Since its inception in 2005, the gallery has made a significant contribution to the cultural life of Mendocino County, presenting more than 100 exhibitions during this time. Celebrating regional artists, the gallery stays true to its educational role and provides students an opportunity to learn first hand about gallery management, exhibition design and instillation practices.  

The Mendocino College Ceramics department is fully equipped, and state-of-the-art. The ceramic studio incorporates 18 wheels, 5 electric and 4 gas reduction kilns, 1 raku and saggar, and a soda kiln with a dedicated teaching team. We also offer classes at 3 satellite locations: in Ft. Bragg, Lakeport, and Willits. General courses in beginning and advanced ceramics focusing on cone 10 firing along with specialized courses in mid-range, glaze chemistry, kiln operation and repair, mold making, and mold-formed ceramics. 

The clay sculpture classes focus on both representational and abstract approaches, and the exploration of complex low-fire surfaces. We offer a Ceramic Technician Certificate and a transferable Associate Degree in ceramics.

We offer a strong foundation program in studio arts that prepares students for transfer to a four-year art program while also encouraging personal artistic development among community members and non-majors. Core courses leading to an AA Degree in Studio Arts with an emphasis in Painting include Fundamentals of Drawing, Color and Composition, Three-Dimensional Design, World Art History Survey, Painting 1&2 (oil, acrylic & watercolor), Life Drawing and Portrait Painting. Students also have the opportunity to pursue elective courses in Photography, Computer Graphics, Photoshop, Printmaking, Arts and Crafts Marketing, and Art Gallery Management. The Studio Art program strives to serve all of Mendocino and Lake County and offers classes in Lakeport, Willits, Fort Bragg and at our main campus in Ukiah.

The Textiles and Clothing Construction program covers art fundamentals, textile history, weaving, dyeing, printing, fiber construction, presentation and promotion, coupled with the development of personal style in expression and content.