Mission College
Art Department


DIVISION: Cultural Arts and Technical Arts
Department Chair: Helayna Thickpenny
helayna_thickpenny@wvm.edu
Phone: 408-855-5287

The Mission College Art Department offers a comprehensive curriculum of courses including art appreciation, art history, two and three dimensional design, drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics and computer-aided art and animation. These courses are designed to meet the different experience levels of students from beginner to advanced. Art students are given the valuable opportunity to display their work in the Michael P. Vargas Art Gallery in the annual Mission College Art Students Exhibit. Students will have guest lectures and demonstrations and scheduled trips to major museums. We invite all students to join our classes which offer a supportive learning environment that balances fundamental of craftsmanship with creative freedom.

Learning Outcomes:

Art students learn to think critically, creatively, and independently, learn the fundamentals of craftsmanship in a supportive environment and learn to understand and appreciate the diversity of world art. Students also get opportunities to explore artistic expression in two-and three-dimensional media using a wide variety of materials and techniques.

AA Degree/Certificate:
  • Art
  • Creative Arts
  Full Time Faculty

Helayna Thickpenny
Art History/Humanities
helayna_thickpenny@wvm.edu
Phone: 408-855-5287

Lynne Todaro
Sculpture/Metalsmithing
lynne_todaro@wvm.edu
Phone: 408-855-5244

Mark Engel
Drawing/Painting
mark_engel@wvm.edu
Phone: 408-855-5280

Don Shields
Digital Art/Computer Animation
don_shields@wvm.edu
Phone: 408-855-5247

Career Options:

  • Art Librarian
  • Art Therapist
  • Graphic Design
  • Art Conservator
  • Arts Administration
  • Education/Teaching
  • Publishing/Journalism
  • Visual Resources Curator
  • Museum/Gallery Professional
  • Computer Art/Animation Specialist






Mission College
3000 Mission College Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95054-1897
408-988-2200
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