Recent News

2023 BFA Exhibit event covered by Mustang News
Jun 9, 2023
"Yours Truly” art exhibit highlights innovative graduating student work

Announcing the Art & Design 2023-2024 Scholarship Recipients
Jun 5, 2023
We are pleased to announce the well deserved 2023-2024 Student Scholarship winners!
Burt & Virginia Polin Visual Arts Scholarship
Elise Coatney & Julia Neils
Denise Waters Art Award
Mreettika Prema Yousuf, Isabella Borda, Celeste Gutierrez
J.W. Van Dyke Scholarship
Audrey Siu
John Mendenhall Memorial Scholarship
Jacob Crock
The Kurt O. Brown Scholarship
Vivian Jameson
Kodak Professional Photography Scholarship
Fenn Bruns
R.W. Andrews
April Marshall & Sofia Rowley
William B. Turner
Celeste Ibarra

Art Prom event covered by Mustang News
May 31, 2023
We need to celebrate art:
Cal Poly Students bring back Art Prom
Original story by Makayla Khan, Mustang news

Art & Design Faculty- Ava and James Werner featured in Cal Poly Magazine
May 25, 2023
Understanding Our Waterlinks
Original story by Robyn Kontra Tanner, Cal Poly Magazine
“What water do you come from?”
It’s a question the Māori people of New Zealand ask instead of “How are you?” or “Where are you from?” when meeting someone new. Unlike those questions, which focus on the individual, the inquiry immediately grounds the conversation in one’s connection to the natural environment.

Take a Look Inside the Graphics Studio at Walt Disney Imagineering
May 15, 2023
Art and Design Department
Thursday, May 18th
5:00–6:00 PM
Baker Bldg. 180, Room 0114

Art & Design Students Place in CSU Create Competition
May 11, 2023
Art & Design Alum Honored as "Disney Legend"
May 1, 2023
Robert "Rob't" Coltrin, CAl Poly Alum
Art & Design Alum Honored as Disney Legend
Rob’t Coltrin (Art and Design, ‘86) was recently honored as a “Disney Legend,” the highest honor given at The Walt Disney Company. Coltrin has worked for the company for 29 years as an Imagineer, creating new attractions and "lands” for various Disney Parks. During his time as an art and design student at Cal Poly, he was involved with Cal Poly Choirs where he helped write, design, choreograph and direct shows. After graduation, he worked on shows such as the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Grammy Awards before joining the Walt Disney Imagineers in 1990. There, he began as a show set designer before moving through many disciplines and landing his final role as an executive creative director. Coltrin was officially inducted as a Disney Legend during the 2022 D23 Expo.
Read more at D23, Walt Disney's Official Fan Club.
Watch the Acceptance Speech at the D23 Expo.
P/V Senior Rachel Dyer's Fashion Photography Takes Her to Maui
Apr 25, 2023
Rachel Dyer (Photo/Video '23) started working as a photographer for local Bridal fashion and accessory company Untamed Petals last June while a junior in our Photography and Video concentration. This winter they took her to Maui to shoot their just released fashion campaign "After Party"
In addition to this recent campaign, Dyer has been working for other local brands such as Indigo Clothing in Atascadero and a SLO-based jeweler Lucky Lucky Studios throughout her time at Cal Poly.

"The 2023 Student Juried Showcase" Opens Spring Quarter at University Art Gallery
Apr 18, 2023
The 2023 Student Juried Showcase
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly’s University Art Gallery will present “The 2023 Juried Student Show,” A grouping of work from every medium, carefully selected from a much larger pool of submissions.
This year’s Juror was Chen Tianquitao, a visiting professor of photography in the photo department here at Cal Poly.
An opening reception was held on April 13th in the gallery, which is an event that also featured the Annual Release of .RAW Magazine.