Welcome to the Department of Visual Arts
We are a diverse and vibrant community of artists, designers, scholars and educators who are all focused on achieving excellence in the visual arts. Our mission is to foster an inclusive and inspirational learning environment where every member of our community can realize their greatest creative vision. The undergraduate curriculum offers thirteen specialized areas of study that span studio and design practices, scholarly research and art education. Graduate studies in parallel areas are an integral part of the department and the curriculum is amplified by assistantships and teaching opportunities.
Students at Cal State Fullerton learn firsthand from dedicated and accomplished faculty who are all experts practicing in their fields. At the foundational level, students are introduced to historical and contemporary dialogues, and gain experience in professional practices outside of the classroom through exhibitions, visiting artists, scholars and professionals, internships and community engaged projects. With the guidance of faculty, students are empowered with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to launch their creative careers upon completion of their degrees, or to pursue graduate studies.
The department is recognized for its excellence and Cal State Fullerton is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Our location in Southern California also affords us unique partnerships with a wide range of world class art and design institutions. This is an especially exciting time to be at Cal State Fullerton! The Visual Arts Modernization Project is now complete and our department is housed within in a brand-new facility that strengthens our curriculum and opens up dynamic learning possibilities to students.
Michelle Murillo
Chair, Department of Art
F. tomaselli, Laguna museum
See "Fred Tomaselli Second Nature" at the Laguna Art Musem Through February 2
"Fred Tomaselli '82 (BA, art), has lived and worked in New York since 1985, where he developed his trademark style: crafting mashups of explosive and hallucinatory images and patterns into resin paintings that suspend collaged and hand-painted elements within layers of clear resin."
SCREENGRAB, SHOUTOUT L.A.
Artist/ Educator/ Alum
Tan Jazz Mont Featured in Culture Blog Shoutout L.A.
"I can’t help but be inspired by my interests or the memories I am working through, but I’m mostly a painting nerd! I love setting up the rules of formalism only to destroy them purposefully. ..."
J. orser, "notamuse" (still)
Prof. Julie Orser Featured in Group Show at CTRL Gallery
in L.A.'s Chinatown
The Six artists of "Interiors" celebrate feminine subjectivity and address the female form through a variety of media, from the cinematic to self-portraiture, to the scientific and the abstract.
L. Molina, "MARKING YOU..."
CSUF Alum Awarded Artpace
San Antonio 2025 International Artists’ Residency
Lorena Molina ’12 (B.F.A., art) is Assistant Professor of Photography and Digital Media at the University of Houston and is the founder/ director of Third Space Gallery, which supports and highlights BIPOC artists.