The School, which was called Department of Art Education when it was established in 1981, was upgraded in September, 2010. Among China ’s Top 8 academies of Fine Arts, the School first initiated art education after China introduced the policy of reform and opening-up. The first Dean of the Department of Art Education was Prof. Guo Shaogang, the famed educator of art and the great master of oil painting. Many other experts also made outstanding contribution to the founding and development of the School, such as Wang Zhaomin the famed master of watercolor painting, Hu Juzhan the educator of art and the master of water color painting, Jiang Jin the renowned master of industrial art and traditional Chinese painting, and so on.
The school has seven academic emphases: Art Education, Water Colors, Commercial Space & Sign Design, Exhibition Art & Design, Integrated Art, Photography and Digital Art, and Film & Television Art Modeling. Besides, it has three departments: Department of Elementary Art Education, Department of Postgraduate Studies, and Department of Continuing Education. Moreover, there are four research institutes: Institute of Research of Art Education, Center for the Research of China Art Education, Center for the Research of Commercial Space & Sign Designs, and Institute of the Research of the Integrated Techniques of Contemporary Watercolor Painting. Altogether there are 61 staff members, including 54 Teachers, 29 Professors and Associate Professors, and 17 MA Supervisors. There are more than 1000 undergraduate students and about 80 postgraduate students.
After thirty years of teaching reform, the school has formed a multi-level system featuring the integration of Art Education, Watercolor Painting, and Commercial Space & Sign Design. In the past few years, the School has made remarkable achievements. The graduates and their works have been well received at the job market. A few graduates of the school won the title of National Excellent Art Teacher and that of South China Excellent Teacher. For years some students of the school have won the golden medal of China Environmental Art & Design Award. The mascots of the 8thEthnic Group Sports Meet and the 8thNational College Students Sports Meet were designed by the students of the school, and some of the students’ works were included in national art exhibitions.
Present leaders:
Dean: Long Youzhong
Secretary of the Party Branch: Liu Di
Vice Dean: Liu Sanjian