Art Education

Associate in Arts Degree
Art Education

View the full list of Curriculum Guides (applicable for students admitted prior to Fall 2024) and Degree Maps (applicable for students admitted Fall 2024 and after).

Learn from Professional Artists

At Barton, art students don't just study technique—they gain insight into what it truly means to be a working artist. Our faculty bring decades of professional, real-world experience into the classroom, helping students bridge the gap between artistic passion and professional practice.

• Mark Freeman (3D Art) and Philip Jacobson (2D Art) offer over 30 years of combined professional experience, helping students not only refine their craft but also understand the practical aspects of building a career in the arts.

The Art Department also collaborates with the Shafer Art Gallery and visiting artists to offer:

• Lectures
• In-class demonstrations
• Community workshops

These experiences give students direct exposure to the art world, enriching their education with hands-on learning and professional insights.

Art Instructor - Mark Freeman

Mark Freeman
freemanm@bartonccc.edu

MFA Ceramics
BFA Ceramics
BS Education

Classes: Ceramics, Design, Art Appreciation, Art History

Mark is a lifelong Kansas resident with deep ties to the local art community. He graduated from Barton Community College in 2006. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Fort Hays State University in 2011.

From there, he and his wife Bambi took on an artist apprenticeship with Carol Long Pottery in St. John Kansas. While working with Carol Long, they built their own studio and business, Freeman Pottery. They continued to make their living as artists attending national-level art festivals and shows until their son Henley started preschool. Mark has always been passionate about teaching and sharing knowledge with others. While working as a professional artist, he and his wife Bambi would often teach workshops at high schools, community colleges, and art centers.

In 2019, Mark went on to accept the art instructor position at Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kansas. Following the completion of a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics at Fort Hays State University,   Mark has now joined the faculty of the Fine Arts Program at Barton Community College teaching ceramics, design, and art history.

“I am very passionate about ceramics and its historical role in human civilization,” says Mark. “I started out making strictly functional pottery and have since transcended to ceramic sculpture. Understanding the materials and processes is the key to spreading the knowledge for creating well-made art. Nothing is more satisfying than the AH HA! moment of creative inspiration.”

 Art Instructor - Phil Jacobson

Philip Jacobson
jacobsonp@bartonccc.edu

Fine Arts Instructor
MFA Painting & Printmaking
MA Painting & Sculpture
BS Studio Arts, Culture Anthropology, & Comparative Religion
Apprentice to Ernst Fuchs

Classes: Drawing I & II, Painting I & II, Historical Painting Techniques for Contemporary Practice and Independent Studies

Professor Phil is an Artist, Author and Teacher and hails from upstate New York. He holds an MA in Painting and Sculpture from Northern Arizona University and an MFA in Painting & Printmaking from the University of Denver, and a BS in Studio Art and Cultural Anthropology from Empire State University. A high point on his journey in Education and the Arts came when he was 19 and turned down ivy-league scholarships to study painting and printmaking in Vienna, Austria under the renowned artist, Ernst Fuchs.  After this, Jacobson traveled extensively, and visiting other cultures and places has become a deep passion for him. The professor founded and directed the School of Extended Studies at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado where he served as the Dean for seven years.  In 1997 Ernst Fuchs requested that Prof. Phil formally carry on his teachings, and he has been holding his international painting seminars ever since. In 2012, his partner, Mantra Cora (Magdalene Jacobson), joined him in organizing and teaching in the seminars. Ms. Jacobson also offers several courses at Barton, including Portrait Drawing, Watercolor and Independent Studies.  Phillip has participated in more than 100 exhibitions and his writings have been read worldwide. Considered a central figure in the genre of Fantastic Realism and Visionary Art, he is the author of the now classic; DRINKING LIGHTNING - Art, Creativity, and Transformation from Shambhala Publications and PROMETHEAN FLAMES- Rekindling and Re-visioning the Creative Fire, both of which include Introductions and Forewords by Ken Wilber, Ernst Fuchs and, Prof. Michael Schwartz.. The professor joined the faculty at Barton in 2019 teaching Drawing. Painting and Historical Techniques for contemporary expression. He will soon be adding Printmaking to that list.

Adjunct Faculty

Aimee Hanson
Adjunct Faculty: Art History I and II

Magdelene Jacobson (Mantra Cora)
Adjunct Faculty: Portrait Drawing, Watercolor I & II and Independent Studies

Magdalene was born in Gdansk, Poland, relocated to England in 2006, and then to the USA in 2016 with her husband, Prof Phil, and their daughter, Liya. In 2013 Mantra completed her B.A. in Visual Arts at The University of Salford in England. She has closely studied techniques of painting with Prof. Phil, Ernst Fuchs, and De Es Schwertberger and drawing and painting as an Erasmus Exchange Student at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Macerata in Italy. A 4-month long internship at the Phantasten Museum in Vienna, Austria, followed her Erasmus Exchange program. It was there that she assisted the internationally renowned artist, Ernst Fuchs, daily. 

Mantra has been co-teaching with Prof Phil every summer since 2012 in their international Old Masters-New Visions painting seminars. In 2023 the seminar took place in Kerala, India and in summer 2024 it will be in Delphi, Greece. In 2016 she organized some 100 artists from around the world for the now-historical exhibition: "A Legacy of Light" and also co-created and edited the catalog for the show. This exhibition took place at Castle Gloggnitz in Austria. Her art has been exhibited internationally, including the UK, Italy, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, and the USA. In 2019 Mantra and her family relocated to the Midwest and she joined Barton Community College as an adjunct faculty member where she teaches Portrait Drawing, Watercolor, and Independent Studies (drawing and painting). Mantra has completed her first year of studies in the MFA Program at Fort Hays University where she is majoring in Painting and Photography.

Christina Lamoureaux
Adjunct Faculty: Digital Design, Watercolor

Todd Mobray
Adjunct Faculty: Digital Photography, Digital Image and Video Editing, Multimedia Presentations

Teralyn Morriss
Adjunct Faculty: Art Appreciation

Beyond the Classroom: Real-World Exposure

The Art Department works closely with the Shafer Art Gallery, located on Barton’s campus, to give students access to a wide range of enriching experiences, including:

• Guest artist lectures that bring national and regional voices into the conversation
• Live in-class demonstrations from practicing artists across different disciplines
• Hands-on community workshops that allow students to engage with the public and share their craft

These partnerships provide students with valuable networking opportunities, professional exposure, and creative inspiration, while connecting classroom learning to the broader artistic community.

Visit the What Can I Do with My Major? webpage to find helpful resources on career paths, employers and more!