Studio Arts Department Braces for Inevitable AI Revolution in Artistry
By Marco Santana
Dustin Boise is realistic when it comes to artificial intelligence’s place in art education.
The Beacon College professor of studio arts understands that AI is here to stay but his goal has been to teach students its role. After all, the emerging technology is just the latest in a line of innovations that have affected his field. In fact, innovation and shifting tools have become more common when it comes to the artistic process, he said.
“There have always been technologies that come along and shape and shift the way we make and perceive art,” he said. “Artists have always worked along the edge of change.”
As tools change, artists learn to adopt and adapt. Boise said it’s no different than when tubes of paint debuted, allowing artists to leave their studios.
“It just changed how they perceived things,” he said.
Still, he knows the impact of this shift will be felt across the industry. The controversy of using artificial intelligence in art exploded in 2022, when a Colorado State Fair awarded a champion ribbon and prize to a piece of art created by AI. At the time, the event set off a heated debate about AI’s role in creative pursuits.
Not long after, the legendary auction house Christie’s sold AI-generated images, touching off even more conversation about copyright and artistic integrity. But those controversies did little to stop AI’s use in art. Composers, musicians and, of course, painters have started to dabble more in AI, Boise said.
“This isn’t just 13-year-old Timmy in the basement,” he said. “These are established artists.”
One advantage Boise has when it comes to his approach to art education is that he often incorporates the tools of the trade into his curriculum. So it’s not out-of-character for him to talk about camera lucida (optical device used as a drawing aid by artists) or other art-specific techniques that support an artist. AI naturally fits within that scope, said Boise, who took a nuanced approach to the topic.
“We are creating a space for them to look at it and think about it within the historical canon of art history,” he said. “For us, that’s the biggest thing.”
Although Boise certainly advocates for exploring how artificial intelligence plays a role in art, he emphasizes that it has not yet become widely accepted at Beacon College. The school, in general, has started to merely explore opportunities that might arise by using it as a tool, he said.
One way, for example, has been introducing artificial intelligence-embedded options like Microsoft’s Copilot in the writing center. Boise compares it to visiting a writing center on campus. While it serves as a place to get help from others, ultimately the writer will benefit from the knowledge they gain.
“Our students are no different than any others,” he said. “You have to be taught how and when to use tools like artificial intelligence.”
As more AI is used, Boise stressed that it’s just as important for professors and educators to be able to detect when it is used in order to ensure students learn what they need to.
But that’s not enough to completely deter its use, he said.
“We teach students to self-reflect and create thoughtful art regardless of what medium they are in,” said Boise, noting that one student used art to make molds that turned into marshmallow puffs and suckers. “We want the student to think about what they want to create and find the best medium to do that in.”
Sometimes, he said, that could include input from AI. The goal is to let students know their options so that they can create the best art possible.
“We want students to develop a creative confidence so they are better equipped,” he said. “They can decide how, if or when to use emerging tools.”