All seniors pursuing a BFA degree with a Studio Art concentration are required to participate in a senior exhibition. They must enroll in and pass the ARTE 494 Senior Seminar and Portfolio course during the semester in which their exhibition is presented. The venue for the exhibition is provided for the students by the Art and Design Department at the CMU 437CO art gallery in downtown Grand Junction.
Studio Art majors are expected to present a consummate exhibition of their artwork that brings together all the knowledge and skill developed during their pursuit of a BFA degree in Studio Art at Colorado Mesa University. This exhibition and body of artwork should have a specific, well-conceived theme, direction and intent. A formal thesis paper, portfolio and oral defense is required and will exemplify the student's ability to articulate their scholarly artistic focus.
Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for working with a Studio Art faculty member as their mentor as they create exhibition-quality artwork. It is expected that the student should be involved in a dialogue with their mentor professor by the beginning of their junior year. The Art and Design Department recommends that students be enrolled in upper-division studio courses taught by their mentor during each semester prior to their exhibit. Students are responsible for choosing artwork in cooperation with their faculty mentors in order to receive a passing grade.
Students are responsible for following and keeping up with the scheduled timeline as they prepare for this exhibition with their faculty mentor.*
*Faculty mentor must be selected from full-time Art and Design Department faculty only.
2023 BFA Candidate Exhibitions Deadlines
March 2022: Group #1 (Monday, Feb. 27 – Thursday, March 30)
1. Jan. 24, Tuesday:
• Artist Contractual Agreement Form
• Show Title
• 2-3 Images for Postcard (JPEG, 300 dpi, 5”x7”)
• Two sentence artist statement for press release & Backside Postcard.
*If the images and artist statement are not received by the above date the artist will not have an image
of their work represented on the postcard for the exhibition and will not have an image represented or
detailed information about their work published in the Press Release. *
2. Feb. 13, Monday:
• Mailing List (Postcard)
*If the mailing list is not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not mail postcards
to the artist’s individual mailing list. The artist will be in charge of mailing their own postcards and
covering their own postage costs. *
3. Feb. 16, Thursday:
• Inventory list and Label information
*If the label information is not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not print the
labels for the exhibition. The artist will be expected to provide printed labels themselves. The artist will
receive the label template and label sheets with instructions on how to print them to match the gallery’s
printing requirements. *
4. Feb. 25, Saturday:
• Show Install (12:00 – 5:00 PM)
A rubric will be provided in Senior Seminar concerning the installation requirements and grading.
5. Feb. 27, Monday:
• Images & works details for online-shop
*If images and work details are not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not list
the pieces in the exhibition for sale on their online gallery. *
6. March 3, Friday 5:00 – 8:00 PM:
• Opening Reception
Artists are required to stay and maintain the opening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
7. March 31, Friday 12:00 PM:
• Show De-install
• Meeting with the Gallery Director for Patching, painting, and cleaning
*A rubric will be provided in Senior Seminar concerning the de-install requirements and grading. *
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April 2022: Group #2 (Monday, April 3 – Thursday, April 27)
1. Feb. 21, Tuesday:
• Artist Contractual Agreement Form
• Show Title
• 2-3 Images for Postcard (JPEG, 300 dpi, 5”x7”)
• Two sentence artist statement for press release & Backside Postcard.
*If the images and artist statement are not received by the above date the artist will not have an
image of their work represented on the postcard for the exhibition and will not have an image
represented or detailed information about their work published in the Press Release. *
2. March 13, Monday:
• Mailing List (Postcard)
*If the mailing list is not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not mail postcards
to the artist’s individual mailing list. The artist will be in charge of mailing their own postcards and
covering their own postage costs. *
3. March 16, Thursday:
• Inventory list and Label information
*If the label information is not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not print the
labels for the exhibition. The artist will be expected to provide printed labels themselves. The artist will
receive the label template and label sheets with instructions on how to print them to match the gallery’s
printing requirements. *
4. April 1, Saturday:
• Show Install (12:00 – 5:00 PM)
*A rubric will be provided in Senior Seminar concerning the installation requirements and grading. *
5. April 3, Monday:
• Images & works details for online-shop
*If images and work details are not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not list
the pieces in the exhibition for sale on their online gallery. *
6. April 7, Friday 5:00 – 8:00 PM:
• Opening Reception
Artists are required to stay and maintain the opening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
7. April 28, Friday 12:00 PM:
• Show De-install
• Meeting with the Gallery Director for Patching, painting, and cleaning
*A rubric will be provided in Senior Seminar concerning the de-install requirements and grading. *
May 2022: Group #3 (Monday, May 1 – Thursday, May 25)
1. March 21, Tuesday:
• Artist Contractual Agreement Form
• Show Title
• 2-3 Images for Postcard (JPEG, 300 dpi, 5”x7”)
• Two sentence artist statement for press release & Backside Postcard.
*If the images and artist statement are not received by the above date the artist will not have an
image of their work represented on the postcard for the exhibition and will not have an image
represented or detailed information about their work published in the Press Release. *
2. April 10, Monday:
• Mailing List (Postcard)
*If the mailing list is not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not mail postcards
to the artist’s individual mailing list. The artist will be in charge of mailing their own postcards and
covering their own postage costs. *
3. April 20, Thursday:
• Inventory list and Label information
*If the label information is not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not print the
labels for the exhibition. The artist will be expected to provide printed labels themselves. The artist will
receive the label template and label sheets with instructions on how to print them to match the gallery’s
printing requirements. *
4. April 29, Saturday:
• Show Install (12:00 – 5:00 PM)
A rubric will be provided in Senior Seminar concerning the installation requirements and grading.
5. May 1, Monday:
• Images & works details for online-shop
*If images and work details are not received by the above date the Art & Design Department will not list
the pieces in the exhibition for sale on their online gallery. *
6. May 5, Friday 5:00 – 8:00 PM:
• Opening Reception
Artists are required to stay and maintain the opening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
7. May 26, Friday 12:00 PM:
• Show De-install
• Meeting with the Gallery Director for Patching, painting, and cleaning
*A rubric will be provided in Senior Seminar concerning the de-install requirements and grading.*