University of Texas at Austin Department of Art and Art History

The Art and Art History Department is proud to announce that MFA alum, riel Sturchio, has been awarded a 2026 Guggengeim fellowship!

riel Sturchio received their MFA in Studio Art from UT in 2018. One of 76 Guggenheim fellowship recipients in visual art this year, Sturchio has been recognized by the Guggenheim foundation for outstanding work in photography. Please join us in congratulating them on this incredible, well-deserved achievement (& learn more at the link below)!

https://art.utexas.edu/news/mfa-alum-riel-sturchio-named-2026-guggenheim-fellow

Headshot by Thalassa Raasch, arm model by Dr. Kanwal Matharu, 2026.
Works featured are by riel Sturchio

Join us tomorrow afternoon from 2 – 3:30 PM for an opening reception celebrating the newest Fieldwork Projects show on view at the Visual Arts Center, “Aesthetics of Health: The Storyteller Portraits.” Remarks will be at 2:30 PM.
 
“The Storyteller Portraits” is an exhibition comprised of works informed by the Department of Art and Art History class Aesthetics of Health, taught and led by Megan Hildebrandt and Dr. Susan Rather.

The class explored the intersection of art and healthcare from the perspectives of an artist (Hildebrandt), who has creative experience in clinical settings, and an art historian (Rather), who believes that basic engagement with art history can enhance the capabilities that 21st-century collaborations between healthcare and museum education professionals seek to cultivate.
 
🔗 More info in our bio!

🪲This week Carlos Rosales-Silva’s Painting III class participated in a demo where they turned cochineal into pigment and paint. Cochineal is a parasitic insect that lives on cacti that can be chemically processed to create a vibrant natural reddish pinkish hue.

Although the process takes longer than just a class, the students were able to see the different steps, including the formation of carmine, and to help make the final paint smooth by grinding the pigment and oil mixture together.

Last week the photography area hosted our freshmen students for a workshop using our 8x10 rail camera (lovingly known as “Chonk” in the lab). Take a look at the photos they made as a class!

🖌️Are you a current high school junior or senior interested in applying to our Studio Art program? Join us for a Studio Art Portfolio Review Workshop!

These workshops will give students the chance to receive one-on-one feedback from tenured College of Fine Arts Studio Art faculty as they prepare their portfolios. They are best suited for students applying, or nearly ready to apply, for Fall 2026 freshman admission to the Studio Art program.

Workshop Options (space is limited):
— In-Person Workshop: Saturday, October 11, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
— Virtual Workshop: Wednesday, November 12, 6:00–7:00 PM

🔗 Link in our bio to sign up for the workshops and for more details on the application process, including our Studio Art Application Requirements and Preparing a Portfolio webpage.

This morning, Megan Hildebrandt’s Core Drawing class trekked their way up the 102 stairs to the top of Mount Bonnell where they spent time sketching all the different points of view 🏞️🏙️

First week of freshman year on film 🤩

Some gems that art and art history freshman Hannah Owen documented on a disposable camera of her first week of college around campus 🪩 ⭐ 🤠

🗞️News from the Department of Art and Art History, summer edition, now available! Our department stayed busy the past few months with lots to share from faculty and staff, current students, and alumni.

🔗Link in our bio to catch up on all the exciting news and to subscribe to future editions!