Established in 1974 as The Homewood Art Workshops, the center was an informal opportunity for Hopkins students, regardless of experience, to learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting. Eugene Leake, renowned painter and former president of the Maryland Institute College of Art, was the program’s first director.

Fast-forward to today. The center* has grown exponentially in popularity, offering courses in drawing, painting, photography, cartooning, sculpture, and printmaking. A dedicated space in the Mattin Center has become a hub for the visual arts, and students can now declare a minor in visual art.

Here, Craig Hankin—who is retiring this year after more than 30 years directing the program—gives artistic advice to senior student Amy He.

By the Numbers:

• # of years the art program has been in existence – 44
• # of courses offered in a given semester – 14+
• # of faculty teaching at the center – 10
• # of students taking visual arts courses in a given semester – 165

*On its 40th anniversary, and for the first time offering a minor in visual art, the Homewood Art Workshops became the Center for Visual Arts, a name more accurately reflecting its role on the Hopkins campus.