The digital lab, up and running since 2008, hosts ten Apple computers, furnished with money donated by the PCA group called Women in the Church.

With the hiring of Ken McElrath, Associate Professor of Art, Covenant’s visual arts program is reaching further into the digital sphere.

McElrath comes to Covenant with years of experience in the business world and graphic design. He began working as an adjunct professor at Covenant two years ago, and his position centered around the development of a digital art program. .

The digital lab, up and running since 2008, hosts ten Apple computers, furbished with money donated by the PCA group called Women in the Church.

Still running two businesses, McElrath has practice combining real work experience, technical experience, and effective communication skills. He hopes that his knowledge of the business world will be of use to students trying to use art to build a career.

“My career has been about solving problems. My art has served a function. It is applied art,” said McElrath.

McElrath’s understanding the functional side of art flows into his understanding of art as a ministry. He concedes that fine art meets human needs, but argues that applied art meets more direct practical needs. In this way, McElrath describes his art as “people-centric.”

“What I do here is help bring creative sensibilities into an applied form that meets human needs,” he said.