BA in Art History

Julia Wheeler, 2020

Julia Wheeler

How did you decide on the art history major?

My path to the art history major was a long one. Before coming to George Mason, I attended NOVA to get most of my general classes out of the way. When I first started, I had no idea what I wanted to major in, so I started with a general studies major. In high school, English classes had always been my favorite, so in the back of my mind I always thought I would end up as an English major. I had never even considered art history. In fact, I didn’t even know it was a major! My first ever art history class was an elective I took at NOVA because it worked well with my schedule. After that class, which immediately sparked my interest, I took a few other art history survey courses and decided that I had finally found a subject that I loved. Though I applied to Mason as an art history major, I was hesitant to commit to it, as I had based my decision entirely on the few survey courses I had taken at NOVA. Although I had doubts, I decided to stick with it, at least for my first semester.

By the end of my first week at Mason, however, my doubts were gone. I enrolled in two art history classes that semester, Dr. Bauman’s 19th Century European Art and Dr. Ho’s Baroque Art of 1600-1750. I immediately knew that I had made the right decision. By week one, I could tell that these courses were much more in-depth than the survey courses I had taken at NOVA; I was no longer just learning to memorize artist, title, and date. I was learning about these specific time periods, the artists themselves, and the cultures they lived in. I started to realize that there was much more to art history than just the formal qualities of each work. These classes taught me to pay attention to the accepted style of each period, the patron of each work, and why these works were commissioned. I started to realize that art was closely linked to the political, social, and private lives of many people in these periods. After this, I knew my heart was in art history, but the doubts still lingered. I was constantly asked why I would choose this major – I was told countless times that it was not “practical,” that I would not be happy with it, or that finding a career would be difficult. That same week, I had a long chat with Dr. Bauman in her office hours, and she patiently listened and gave me the reassurance I truly needed. My chat with her solidified my choice as an art history major, and I am forever grateful for that! I am so glad that I decided to follow my passion and I always will be.

Are you minoring or double majoring in anything else? If so, how do the two work together – or separately?

I am not minoring or double majoring, but I did recently get accepted into the accelerated MA program for art history. As an accelerated MA student I take classes that will simultaneously apply to both the BA and the MA degrees. Being an undergraduate and taking a class at the graduate level has been difficult at times, but I enjoy the challenge. I have started learning how to read difficult material, condense it, and summarize it so that it is easy to understand. I am refining my critical thinking skills and learning to question everything I read rather than take it at face-value. These skills and many more carry easily over to my undergraduate courses, as they tend to require the same kind of thinking. Additionally, because the graduate-level courses require initiating and participating in group discussion, they have helped me get a bit more comfortable with class discussions, something I have always struggled with.

What have you learned in an art history class that really surprised you/changed your perspective?

One of the biggest things I have learned is that you can’t really understand art without understanding its context. I think that’s why I love art history so much, because I get to learn about the art itself, but also about its history, the culture it was made in, who made it, and why. I was also surprised when I first learned that even though we admire certain works now, they were not necessarily considered “art” in their time! Some were never meant to be seen by the public, some were strictly religious objects, and some were just every-day objects. As an art history student, I have learned that the intended use for an object or painting is just as important as the object itself.

Tell us about your dream occupation…

I am drawn to working in a museum or gallery. I would love to be surrounded by art every day! There is something so incredible about looking at things that were created by people who lived hundreds of years ago. Looking at photos of paintings, sculptures, or other artifacts made in the past is nowhere near as amazing as looking at them in person. That said, I still love contemporary art just as much. I would love to work in any art museum, regardless of what art it holds.

Have you had any internships? Or interesting jobs or volunteer experience? Tell us about it/them.

I would love to intern with an art museum in DC someday. I plan to apply for internships once I graduate from the BA part of my program, as I need one to fulfill a requirement for the MA program.  Recently I have had the opportunity to be a student ambassador for the art history program. Though I have only been to one event so far, I am very happy to help represent the department. I also love connecting with other art history students and professors and meeting people who share a passion for art.

Any accomplishments you’re proud of? Opportunities you’ve taken advantage of? Brag a little!

My biggest accomplishment lately has been my acceptance into the accelerated master’s program for art history. I had no idea if I would get in, and when I first got the acceptance email, I had to read it over a few times to really believe it. Luckily, I had some great professors who encouraged me to apply (thank you Dr. DeCaroli and Dr. Ho!), which was exactly the nudge I needed. It still hasn’t really hit me yet!

This is not quite school-related, but one opportunity I’ve had recently is that I got to visit Puerto Rico over the summer. Old San Juan, especially, was filled with art and history around every corner. I even had the opportunity to go on a walking tour of the city and learn about the architectural plans and how the city was made, including the cisterns throughout the city and the way the building façades changed over time. I learned that because the area has a deep connection with water, seashells are present in much of the religious art throughout in the city. During the trip, I visited cathedrals with intricate pieces of art, visited the historical fort of El Morro, walked on the famous blue cobblestones imported hundreds of years ago, and so much more. It was the best trip I have ever been on, and since then, I can’t wait to travel more.

Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.

One of my favorite things to do is explore new places. This has a lot to do with my love for adventure, but a large part of it is also trying new food. Whether I go to a new country, state, or even just a new city, I always seek out dishes that locals recommend. My favorites to try are anything sweet, spicy, or coffee-related. I especially love trying things that are unique to that specific area. Usually, before I go somewhere new, I look up the best restaurants, cafes, and bakeries to try. I love that different areas have their own special ways to prepare food; even the way that coffee is made can change so dramatically from place to place.