Career & Academic Pathways >> Visual & Performing Arts

Contact Information
Gary Quinonez (Department Chair)
(831) 645-1302
gquinonez@mpc.edu
For Additional Info
• Download our Info Sheet
• Visit MPC Sculpture
• Connect with a Counselor

Program Overview

Sculptors use a variety of materials to realize their ideas in three dimensions. The Sculpture program focuses on both conceptual and technical elements within the arena of three-dimensional arts. Core classes provide fundamental principles of sculptural art and study of emerging fabrication methods. Students gain hands-on experience with traditional and non-traditional mediums, with electives enabling focused study in wood, metal, stone, mold making, and more.

Job Outlook

Graduates may work or exhibit in art galleries or museums, or seek further education in fine arts. Industrial design for products ranging from cars to sofas is another potential career path for Sculpture graduates, with the product design and development services industry set to grow by nearly 11% through 2026. There is also a plethora of cutting-edge jobs to explore in the digital realm, from 3D art for virtual environments to CGI animation to industrial design for 3D printers.

Potential Careers

Craft Artists	$24,770 - $77,270
Museum Curators (may require additional training)*	$38,590 - $101,990
Commercial & Industrial Designers	$39,460 - $134,670
Fine Artists Including Sculptors	$39,820 - $176,460
3D Artists/Technical Illustrators (may require additional training)*	$52,179 - $98,603

MPC Degrees and Certificates

Sculpture and 3D Arts - Associate in Arts (AA)
Sculpture and 3D Arts - Certificate of Achievement (COA)

Year 1

FALL	UNITS	SPRING	UNITS
ENGL 1A	3	Area A2	4
MPC Elective	2	MATH 10 rec.
ENGL 101A rec.		ARTB 3	3
LIBR 50	1	ARTD 1B, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A,	3
ARTD 1A	3	or 7B
ARTD 7A	3	Area F	3
ARTD 1B, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 3	3	ETNC 4 or 5 rec.
or 7B		MPC Elective	1
		PERS 10 rec.

Total Fall Units	15	Total Spring Units	14

Year 2

FALL	UNITS	SPRING	UNITS
Area B & Lab	4	ARTD 1C-D, 2B-D, 3B-C, 4B-C,	3
ARTD 1B, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A,	3	5B-C, 6B-C, or ARCE 3A
or 7B		Area D	3
ARTD 1C-D, 2B-D, 3B-C, 4B-C,	3	HIST 4 or 5 rec.
5B-C, 6B-C, or ARCE 3A		Area E2: ARTS 10A, 12A, 40A	3
MPC Elective	3	41A, 60, or 62A rec.
ENGL 2 rec.		MPC Elective	3
MPC Elective	3	SPCH 1, 2, 3 rec.
		MPC Elective	3

Total Fall Units	16	Total Spring Units	15

This is a suggested sequence of coursework and is one pathway for students to earn their degree/certificate. This is not an official educational plan. A counselor is able to assist you with creating a personalized education plan based on your academic, career, and personal goals. For more information about counseling and up-to-date program requirements, please visit www.mpc.edu/counseling.

Testimonial

Joseph Kohnke

Over my time taking sculpture classes at MPC, I explored both traditional and non-traditional sculpture and developed my craft with the use of various materials such as wood, metal, oil based clay, and basic electronics. I also explored different forms of sculpture including woodworking, metalworking, kinetic sculpture and mold making. Being able to explore all of these methods and mediums, while being introduced to a large collection of artists, greatly influenced who I am today as an artist as well as an educator. I look back on my early years of sculpture classes at MPC with Gary Quinonez with great fondness and gratitude.

Rachell Hester

In my tenure as a student of Monterey Peninsula College I attended many of the courses through the Sculpture Department. The sculpture courses and 3D Arts and Technology / Rapid Prototyping classes, provided specific skill building opportunities. I was able to explore and experiment with aesthetics, technology, and functionality in tools and materials. I built up skills, teaching capacity, and collaborative attitudes around 'making' which lead to my current job in the Library Makerspace at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). In the Library Makerspace, as the Makerspace Coordinator, I lead a team of student assistants in facilitating access to materials, tools, and technology training. These activities range from low tech tools and craft materials to high technology tools for rapid prototyping including equipment like 3D printers and laser cutters. I gained invaluable experience that supports my position through the courses offered at the MPC Sculpture Department where I learned essential problem solving skills and developed collaborative people skills experience. Gary Quinonez, and the many talented sculpture department teachers, support staff, and technicians, provided positive support and feedback in classes. Students engaged in challenging projects that enabled a thorough understanding of both the technology itself and the integration of aesthetics within the design process.