Our nationally accredited program has a full selection of offerings in studio art, visual arts education and art history.
If living a creative life and learning about the visual culture of your world interests you, then the Department of Art and Art History has a full array of courses to pique your interest and help prepare you for a career in the arts.
Our majors experience a rigorous foundation in two- and three-dimensional studies, art history and advanced courses using materials and tools rooted in antiquity through the technologies of the 21st century.
In addition to our curricular offerings, we also have an extensive exhibition program in the De Pree Gallery. The program regularly crosses cultural and historical boundaries by hosting a range of exhibitions, from internationally recognized artists to showcasing our current student work. They continually expand the dialogue about the creative process through conversations with visiting artists, lectures, workshops and critiques that are located at points where art and culture intersect.
Hope College is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Because of our superior curriculum, facilities and faculty, Hope is the only private liberal arts college in Michigan with this distinction. Our program has been accredited since 1974.
We also engage members of the art community in Holland and beyond through local exhibitions and programming, and the Borgeson Artist in Residence Program.
We invite you to learn more about the opportunities we have to offer, and we’ll be happy to assist you on your path to the richness that a life in the visual arts can provide.
Program Highlights


Abigail Nasari ’22 and Parker Johnson ’22
“The New York Arts Program has definitely served as a time for growth and connection for me. This program became a safe place where I could explore and have a taste of what working as a full-time artist might look like. I was surrounded by resources for viewing and learning about art from different disciplines and was able to work with an artist personally selected for my own creative goals. My experience in New York showed me the various opportunities there are for an art career and has given me the resources and connections to step into my creative practice with more confidence.”
Abigail Nasari ’22
“During my semester in New York City, I was given the opportunity to work with an amazing artist and work as a graphic design intern at a nonprofit. Being in the city allowed me to explore illustration and develop graphic design skills. New York offered endless opportunities such as visiting art museums, making new connections and enjoying incredible food. As I move forward in my art and design career, the lessons and confidence I gained in New York will definitely be something I hold on to even after college.”
Parker Johnson ’22

Ambrei Koory ’22
“Recording Movement”
"Given the nature of our research and both of our interests in the intersection of faith and artmaking, we desired to explore the questions, “When is art sacred?” and “What makes it so?” I entered into this summer with the expectation that these were unanswerable questions or at least unanswerable within our timeframe. However, throughout Professor Lookerse’s and my exploration of faith and art through the processes of mark making, movement, performance and discussion, I have come away with the possibility of using the method of art making as worship.”

Holle Wade ’20
A Treasure from Heaven: The Reliquary from the Kruizenga Art Museum
“Through this project, I've gained an understanding of what graduate level research would be like and how exciting original research can be. I learned a lot about the function and purpose of reliquaries and about the need for more research into these objects since the Catholic renewal.”

Joanna Locke ’24
Getting to participate in a ceramics intensive at Ox-Bow this summer was such a valuable experience. My professors, Casey and Salvador, created the perfect environment for learning and collaborating. The fellows, residents, teachers, students and staff each brought such a unique point of view to the campus. Being among the community of amazing artists gave me an opportunity to see what future art paths I may follow. I am really excited to bring my new skills back to Hope and to see where they take me!
Recent Blog Posts
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#BLM at the KAM
Posted by Charles Mason, the Margaret Feldmann Kruizenga CuratorA new exhibit in the Kruizenga Art Museum, Black Lives Matter, Black Culture Matters, features fi...
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Sharing the Story: Dr. Damani Phillips’ Hope College Residency
Posted by Dr. Jordan VanHemert, Assistant Professor of MusicI met Dr. Damani Phillips in the spring of 2018. He came to the University of Illinois at Urbana-...
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Reacting to (re)collection
Posted by Sylvia Rodriguez ‘21 and Maddie Zimmerman ‘20Sylvia Rodriguez (‘21) and Maddie Zimmerman (‘20) are art history majors and gallery assistan...
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Kruizenga Art Museum Supports the Big Read with “Truth to Power” Exhibition
Posted by Charles Mason, the Margaret Feldmann Kruizenga CuratorSpeaking truth to power is what a new Kruizenga Art Museum exhibition does through powerful art f...
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A Conversation about Photography, Creative Process and Tugs
Posted by Greg LookerseProfessor Steve Nelson’s exhibition Tug: A Great Lakes Odyssey is a photographic installation c...
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Collaboration is Truly a Gift: Reflections on Faculty-Student Research
Posted by Dr. Anne Heath, associate professor of art historyWorking together this summer, both Emily and I had the privilege of doing what we love to do. Our...
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Walk-In Office Hours
Monday–Friday:
8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Hope by the Numbers
- 98%Satisfaction
98% of previous majors and minors in the Department of Art and Art History ranked their experience as “good” or better.
Learn about our degree programs - 91%Employed
91% of art majors who graduated in 2015 are currently employed.
See what our alums are up to - 12:1Student-Faculty Ratio
With a low student-faculty ratio, you can be sure of positive interaction with our world-class faculty.
Meet our faculty - 100%Visual Arts Education
In 2015, every single one of our visual arts education majors was placed directly into the field after they graduated.
Pursue an visual arts education major