Senior Claire Henzel said the most frequently asked question art majors face is “What are you going to do with that?”

But the growing number of Hillsdale art majors said they find their education helps them pursue many different career paths. The class of ’24 will include 13 art majors, which is double the size of the graduating class of ’22.

According to students in the department, Hillsdale seems to approach the professionalism of the art world through teaching artistry on the basis of tradition and technique. The art department is rapidly growing and providing opportunities for many of the students graduating with art majors.

Seniors Henzel, Emma Widmer, and Gillian Ruch all came to Hillsdale intending to study something they thought would provide more plausible career opportunities outside of fine art. They found the art department offered something they were passionate about and would provide many different opportunities after graduating.

“I wanted to do something creative, but I always discounted art as a career because it just seemed too subjective and wishy-washy in most schools,” Henzel said. “Then I took Drawing I, and that showed me that art can actually be super serious, super classical, and super professional.”

Widmer, who has a minor in biology and is planning on pursuing veterinary school after graduation, explained how influential her artistic education will be for her post-graduation.

“You are trained in the art of observation,” Widmer said. “You can nurture skills, focus really well, and take into account the bigger picture. And that’s been part of my pitch when interviewing for veterinary programs. It just teaches you a lot of discipline, and how to pace yourself, as well as knowing your limitations and knowing what kind of capabilities you are naturally limited to.”

Ruch echoed Henzel and Widmer, pointing to the benefits of perfecting a craft that can be practiced and refined for life. In addition to nurturing her fine art skills, Ruch plans on continuing to develop her online business selling prints, stationary, and stickers after graduating, she said.

“I really want to continue cultivating my fine art skills,” Ruch said. “I need it for my soul.”

Henzel, Widmer, and Ruch all said the professional opportunities after graduating are not at all limiting.

Henzel worked in the graphic design department of The Daily Wire in Nashville over the summer.

“I am looking to hopefully return to graphic design and continue like studio arts on the side,” Henzel said. “It’s normal for most artists to make a living as graphic designers, I do love the medium of graphic design. It is hard to make a living as a studio artist, but the skills they teach you here are widely applicable.”

In addition to internship and professional opportunities, the art department faculty offers serious mentorship to students involved in the department.

The chair of the art department, Julio Suarez, according to Ruch has been very influential to her growth as a student and individual. Suarez plays a large role in the department’s overall growth Ruch said.

“The more Suarez becomes known and the more that the word gets spread of his incredible teaching people are convinced to take Drawing I, and then they get hooked,” she said.

Suarez, who has been the head of the art department since fall 2022, said his transition into the chair of the department has not changed the way the department operates.

“I think that we’ve been doing things a certain way since before I have been here, and we continue to do them the same way now,” he said.

Suarez said the methods for teaching art at the college have stayed the same since the seven years he has been a part of the department. The department has always focused on teaching the fundamentals of drawing, painting, and sculpting.

“The way I teach is very regimented,” he said. “There’s specific skills that have to be classically trained. It’s a lot of learning the grammar and the language of art.”

Henzel and Widmer agreed that the department specifically works to refine students’ ability to master techniques, styles, and mediums.

“It’s a lot of material that is different from the normal academic workload. People think they can get away with not doing the extra hours, but you cannot fake the hard work,” Henzel said. “If you show up not having put in exactly three hours of extra work, Dr. Suarez can immediately tell.”

Widmer said that most projects, if done well, will exceed the required three hour homework time instituted by Suarez.

“It doesn’t matter. You have to put your three hours of homework in as the standard, but you honestly need to be doing more.,” she said. “You’re not gonna get good or fast or efficient if you just put the standard hours in.”

While the hours spent perfecting fine art skills is a large commitment, the seniors said their experiences in the department have helped them grow as students and individuals.

“One of the things that gives us the impression that the department is growing is how many freshman scholarship applicants we have,” Suarez said. “Last year, we had twice as many as we did the year before, and this year may be too early to tell, but if I base it on the number of students who have come in person to show portfolios, I can’t even keep track of how many visits I’ve had. I’m looking forward to what will happen this year.”

Freshman Maria Grazia Stroik, who is intending on majoring in art, said the appeal is rooted in the mentorship of the art faculty, which sets Hillsdale apart from other schools.

“Something that I looked at when researching different colleges and art schools was who the professors were and what kind of art they created. Studying art is all about studying with a master,” she said. “They are masters and understand that there is an objective way to create art. The faculty art from other schools and art schools are not as impressive as Hillsdale’s faculty are.”