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ART-100. Introduction to Visual Culture.
This course explores a concept of visuality that crosses cultural and academic boundaries. Students discuss theoretical texts about looking and analyze a wide range of visual materials. The goal is to develop an intellectual framework for engaging with the visual culture in which we live. Three hours per week. Four semester hours. (A, H)
ART-101. Drawing I
A study of drawing as a tool for articulating what the eyes, hand, and mind investigate and discover when coordinated. Through the repeated activity of drawing, students will refine their powers of observation and visualization. Each student will explore the concepts, techniques, materials, tools, and aesthetics of drawing while expanding their expressive, technical, conceptual, and visual skills. Assignments and work in class will relate to drawing from both a historical and contemporary approach. Students will be introduced to a range of artworks, materials, and methods for both producing and conceptualizing drawing. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-102. Painting I
A comprehensive introduction to the medium of paint. Students will develop oil painting skills and perceptual and critical abilities—learning how to paint, how to look at painting, and how to speak about painting. The course will examine both historical and contemporary precedents. Students will learn observational painting techniques as well as strategies for graphic expression and pictorial organization. Slide presentations, group critiques, and readings will supplement studio work. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-104. The Art of Photography I
To explore the expressive qualities of black & white photography as an art form, the student will learn the use of the camera and basic darkroom techniques. The student will learn how to see photographically through a study of contemporary and historical photography, as well as through practical exercises. Students are expected to develop a portfolio of work outside the class meetings. Students must have access to a camera that accepts 35mm film. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.) Art materials fee.
ART-105. Printmaking I
This course introduces the history and context of printmaking, several printmaking processes, and the skills to articulate ideas and meaning visually through basic drawing and 2D design concepts. Students will explore printmaking techniques including intaglio, woodcut, linocut, and screen print. We will investigate the presence and power of reproducible images in contemporary art and visual culture and examine the work of various artists throughout the course. Written reflection and group critiques and discussions will supplement hands-on studio work. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio.Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-106. Sculpture I.
An introduction to the process of making art that transforms topical themes and concepts into three-dimensional form or spaces. Various materials, tools and techniques will be explored as a means to focus design, structural, and conceptual challenges. Projects will be introduced through lectures, slide presentations, and discussion of readings on contemporary practice, and concluded through group critique and discussion. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. Art materials fee. (A.)
ART-107. Digital Photography I.
Students will be introduced to the functions of digital cameras and to the use of Photoshop and other digital tools to enhance captured images and print the images as part of the digital darkroom. Class time will be devoted to working with digital tools, critiques of student work, discussion of assigned readings and reviewing the work of both traditional photographers and digital artists. Students must have access to a digital SLR camera with manual controls. Four hours per week plus extensive individual work in the Lab. Four semester hours. (A.) Art materials fee.
Note: This course does not serve as a prerequisite for upper level photography courses. Students who intend to do advanced level work in Photography should enroll in Art 104-Photography I.
ART-120. Graphic Design I.
This course emphasizes the creation of visual communication through conceptualization and technical proficiency. Students will be introduced to the design process, terminology, and theory used in graphic design. As creative problem-solvers, students will explore the elements and principles of design, typography, and semiotics for concept development. They will reflect on the nuances of target audiences and how the application of color, type, and imagery will vary based on end users, deliverables, and messaging. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART/TD-130. Introduction to Design
In this studio class, students will be introduced to principles of theatrical design and the artistry of imagination. They will explore how theater designers think about images and use elements such as line, shape, space, mass, texture, light and color to create visual expression and communicate dramatic intention in three-dimensional space. Students will gain an understanding of the effect of lighting, scenic and costume design choices for theater and dance productions. Four hours per week. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-150. History of Art I: Ancient Through Medieval
An exploration of the stylistic and conceptual developments of art and architecture from the Paleolithic and “antiquity” through the Gothic period of Europe until approximately 1250 CE. An interdisciplinary approach will be taken to examine a variety of works from ancient Mesopotamia and the Near East, the Ancient Americas, Egypt, Greece, and Rome as well as those of the Early Christian to Medieval periods of Europe. This course is structured as a broad, chronological survey and requires inquiry into questions of form and meaning as well as the relationship between art and society via lectures, discussion, written description and analysis of a work of art, readings, videos, and hands-on activities. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, H.)
ART-160. History of Art II: Renaissance to Modern
A study of architectural monuments, paintings, and sculptures from the Renaissance through the Modern periods. A chronological approach and an inquiry into form and meaning will guide an exploration into the changing concept of space, time and society. Readings from other disciplines will be used to examine contextual issues, such as the political and religious uses of arts, the relationship between art and science, the profound social transformations that occurred during the period and the political significance of artistic practice. Issues such as class, gender, reception and spectatorship, racism, and Eurocentrism will be addressed. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, H.)
ART-201. Drawing II
A continuation of the study of form through drawing emphasizing more sustained studio work. Students must develop their techniques in significant independent work beyond the contact hours. Students are expected to develop a portfolio of work outside the class meetings. Prerequisite: ART-101 or permission of instructor. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. Art materials fee. (A.)
ART-202. Painting II
An upper-division painting studio course that expands on techniques and concepts introduced in Painting I. Students will advance material skills and perceptual and critical abilities. The course will examine both historical and contemporary precedents. Students will work through a sequence of assignment prompts that present different conceptual and pictorial challenges. Emphasis is on sustained work and personal exploration. Students will expand their techniques in significant independent work beyond scheduled class hours. Prerequisite: ART-102 or permission of instructor based on portfolio. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio.Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-204. The Art of Photography II
A continuation of Art-104. Students will investigate spaces and places defined by time with visual tools that record light. They will convert cultural, social, political, and philosophical issues into visual statements using the medium of photography. Students are expected to develop a portfolio of work outside class meetings. Prerequisite: ART-104 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work. Four semester hours. (A.) Art materials fee.
ART-205. Printmaking II
Printmaking II will introduce students to a range of printmaking processes. We will experiment with painterly screenprinting techniques and screenprinting on textiles (t-shirts, totes, etc.) as well as larger-scale color woodcut/relief, lithography, collagraphy, and large-format color monotype techniques. Students will produce a portfolio of prints, with a focus on growing personal imagery and technique. The course is appropriate for students seeking to expand their exploration of printmaking processes beyond Printmaking I as well as students with special interest in painting, drawing, and/or design. Prerequisite: ART-105 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-206. Sculpture II: Media, Time, Place
This course explores historical and contemporary definitions of sculpture through the incorporation of multiple objects and media, site specificity, and the element of time. Lectures, slide presentations, videos and readings will frame investigations, and writing and group discussion will aid in an ability to analyze artworks critically and articulate ideas. Prerequisite: ART-106 or permission of instructor. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.) Art materials fee.
ART-208. Special Topics in Studio Art
The course offers an opportunity to develop creative ability using various two- and three-dimensional media not covered elsewhere. Specific course focus will vary from semester to semester, but topics may include painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, mixed-media or cross-disciplinary practices. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work. Four semester hours. (A.)
Note: Art materials fee will vary by section.
ART/MCS-209. Documentary Photography
This course introduces students to the concepts of visual documentation, social documentary style, photojournalism and ethics in photography as well as an historical perspective on the works of visual social documentarians. Students are required to conduct field work collecting digital still images to create visual narratives on a range of issues. Students enrolled in this course will need access to a digital camera to complete assignments. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-210. Studio Practice
In this course studio art majors and minors develop a body of work, engage in critical discourse, and develop a foundation in professional practices. Assignments include an artist statement, research paper, presentation and journal. Students’ weekly progress in the studio will also be assessed. Prerequisite: Two introductory studio art courses or permission of instructor. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-220 Art of the Ancient Americas
Through a variety of media—textiles, ceramics, metallurgy, painting, and sculpture—this course explores some of the major indigenous artistic traditions of what is now known as Latin America, the culturally defined regions of Mesoamerica, the center of the Americas, and the central Andes. We will consider made objects and architecture within the contexts of geography and the environment, artistic processes (techniques and materials), socio-political and religious status, ritual and performance, and language, writing, and mythology. Objects from local and regional collections will be featured. The course is suitable for first-year students and students new to art history. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-220 and ART-320.
ART-230 Art of the Ancient Andes
This course considers artworks of the ancient cultures of the central Andean region of South America from the earliest mummification to the stonework of the Inka. Students will engage with these distinct cultures and artworks within the contexts of geography and environment, artistic process, sociopolitical status, ritual and performance, and sacred spaces and landscapes. Special attention will be given to textiles (fiber materials, dyes, and techniques of weaving) through hands-on activities, demonstrations by artisans, and a visit with alpacas! Objects from local and regional collections will be featured. The course is suitable for first-year students and students new to art history. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-230 and ART-330.
ART/TD-231. Lighting Design
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of lighting design. The class focuses on the five functions of light: visibility, focus, modeling, mood, and spectacle; and the four qualities of light: intensity, color, distribution, and movement. Additionally, students explore basic lighting technology and the tools necessary to create a theatrical lighting design. This course is made up of a combination of lectures, class discussions, and projects. Class participation is essential to the success of this class. Students are asked to think critically and express ideas about their own work as well as the work of others. Four hours per week. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART/TD-232. Scene Design
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of scene design. The class focuses on enhancing students’ analytical, research, drawing, and spatial problem-solving skills. Students develop ideas using traditional drawing, rendering, drafting, and model making to communicate ideas as we transfer them into the art of storytelling. Additionally, students explore basic stage technology and the tools necessary to create a theatrical scene design. This course is made up of a combination of lectures, class discussions, and projects. Class participation is essential to the success of this class. Students are asked to think critically and express ideas about their own work as well as the work of others. Four hours per week.Four semester hours. (A.)
ART/TD/MUS-233. Sound Design
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of sound design. The class focuses on creating an environment with sound through the use of Foley, pre-recorded media, and music. Additionally, students explore basic sound technology and tools to create a theatrical sound design. This course is made up of a combination of lectures, class discussions, and projects. Class participation is essential to the success of this course. Students are asked to think critically and express ideas about their work as well as the work of others. Four hours per week. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-240 Maya Art and Architecture
This course investigates the Classic Maya (c. 150 – 900 CE) of modern-day Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, through their art, architecture, mythology, and writing. With special emphasis on ceramics—students will design and create (in the sculpture studio) a ceramic vessel that reflects engagement with information offered in the course—we will explore a variety of artistic materials and techniques as well as archaeological sites throughout the region. Students will study cultural interactions with areas on the Maya periphery, the histories of discovery of Maya art, and the ethical and theoretical issues related to its collection, interpretation, and display. Objects in local and regional museums will be featured. The course is suitable for first-year students and students new to art history. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-240 and ART-340.
ART-250. Special Topics in Art History
A focused exploration of special subject areas and/or periods in Western, Asian and African art. Students will utilize regional museums and archives for individual research projects. Museum trips required. This course could also be held off campus. Open to all students although a course in art history is strongly recommended. Three hours per week. Four semester hours. (A, H; potentially DN or GN, depending on topic.)
ART-260. Special Topics in Art History — Study Abroad
A focused exploration of special subject areas and/or periods in art conducted in a foreign location. Individual research projects and museum and historic site excursions required. Open to all students, although a previous course in art history is strongly recommended. Three hours per week. Four semester hours. (A, H.)
ART-270. History of Photography
An introduction to photographers and their images from 1829 to the present with attention to photographic images created from diverse cultural perspectives. Emphasis is on the development of photography as a fine art. Readings will be selected from artists and critics in the field. Open to all students. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, H.)
ART-280 A Visionary Aesthetic: Shamanism and the Art of the Ancient Americas
How did shamanism, or a “transcendental worldview,” influence the making of ancient American artworks? How did ancient American artists solve the visual problem of representing the ambiguity, paradox, and flux central to shamanic experience? Are some media and techniques better suited to expressing an otherworldly perspective? This course explores those questions and interrogates the use of shamanism as an interpretive framework for the understanding ancient American art, including a variety of media and techniques, architecture, and the sacred landscape. As a group, we will engage with artworks from ancient contexts in Mesoamerica, the Center of the Americas, and the Central Andes region of South America as well as by contemporary indigenous shamans and ethnographic accounts of practices. These sources will also guide a critique of shamanic analyses and the use of the term “shaman” as well as examinations of global contemporary “shamanisms.” This course is suitable for first-year students and students new to art history. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-280 and ART-380.
ART-291W. Critical Perspectives on Art.
This course explores the tools available for understanding art through a variety of art historical investigations of a single artist, monument, genre, theme, or work. Students probe “behind the scenes” of art history, and try out various methods for interpreting and writing about art. This course is required for all Art majors (both studio and art history concentrations). Three hours per week. Four semester hours. (A.)
ART-308. Advanced Special Topics in Studio Art
Students will examine advanced and experimental processes not covered in the regular curriculum. Topics may focus on various two- and three-dimensional media, mixed-media or cross-disciplinary practices such as painting/drawing, photography, installation, performance, alternative distribution systems, new media or collaboration. Students may be required to exhibit, perform, publish, or distribute their work to an audience outside of the classroom. Prerequisites: one course in Studio Art at the 100 or 200 level or permission of instructor. Four hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A.) Art materials fee.
ART-310. Advanced Studio Practice
In this course studio art majors and minors develop a body of work, engage in critical discourse, and develop a foundation in professional practices. These activities prepare majors for the Studio Capstone (Art-455) and will benefit minors as well. Assignments include an artist statement, research paper, presentation and journal. Students’ weekly progress in the studio will also be assessed. Prerequisite: Three introductory studio art courses or permission of instructor. Four semester hours. (A.) Art materials fee.
ART-320 Art of the Ancient Americas
Through a variety of media—textiles, ceramics, metallurgy, painting, and sculpture—this course explores some of the major indigenous artistic traditions of what is now known as Latin America, the culturally defined regions of Mesoamerica, the center of the Americas, and the central Andes. We will consider made objects and architecture within the contexts of geography and the environment, artistic processes (techniques and materials), socio-political and religious status, ritual and performance, and language, writing, and mythology. Objects from local and regional collections will be featured. This course is offered at the same time as ART-220 with additional required work. Prerequisite: ART-150 or 160 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-220 and ART-320.
ART-330 Art of the Ancient Andes
This course considers artworks of the ancient cultures of the central Andean region of South America from the earliest mummification to the stonework of the Inka. Students will engage with these distinct cultures and artworks within the contexts of geography and environment, artistic process, sociopolitical status, ritual and performance, and sacred spaces and landscapes. Special attention will be given to textiles (fiber materials, dyes, and techniques of weaving) through hands-on activities, demonstrations by artisans, and a visit with alpacas! Objects from local and regional collections will be featured. This course is offered at the same time as ART-230 with additional required work. Prerequisite: ART-150 or 160 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-230 and ART-330.
ART-340 Maya Art and Architecture
This course investigates the Classic Maya (c. 150 – 900 CE) of modern-day Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, through their art, architecture, mythology, and writing. With special emphasis on ceramics—students will design and create (in the sculpture studio) a ceramic vessel that reflects engagement with Maya ceramic styles—we will explore a variety of artistic materials and techniques as well as archaeological sites throughout the region. Students will study cultural interactions with areas on the Maya periphery, the histories of discovery of Maya art, and the ethical and theoretical issues related to its collection, interpretation, and display. Objects in local and regional museums will be featured. This course is offered at the same time as ART-240 with additional required work. Prerequisite: ART-150 or 160 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-240 and ART-340.
ART-350. Advanced Special Topics in Art History
A focused exploration of special subject areas and/or periods in art. Students will utilize regional museums and archives for individual research projects. This course could also be held off campus. Prerequisite: ART-150 or 160 or permission of instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, H.)
ART-371. Modern Art
The term “modernism” generally refers to aesthetic issues and practices that developed in response to 19th- and early 20th-century social forces of “modernity,” such as technology, industrialization, urbanization, politics, economics, and culture. Within the domain of the visual arts, avant-garde artists waged ideological and aesthetic debates against institutions of academic art. Through a critical exploration of visual and literary texts, this course considers the roles played by critics, curators, theorists, historians, politicians, and the popular press in shaping and defining “modern art.” Prerequisite: ART-160 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, H.)
Note: Students who have previously taken ART 280 may not take ART-371.
ART-372. Contemporary Art
This course examines artistic movements from the late 1950s to the present, with special emphasis on contemporary visual culture. Course content focuses on international, political, economic, and cultural conditions that occasioned artistic movements, as well as representative artists working in various idioms and critical responses to them. Topical readings, lectures, visual interpretation, student presentations, and discussion inform the exploration of media, technology, scale, audience, the museum and gallery system, public art, the art market, the “culture wars,” and censorship, to name a few. Prerequisite: ART-160, 290W, 371 or a 100-level studio art course, or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
ART/GWSS-373. Feminism and Gender in Art and Art History
This course investigates the influence of political, activist, and scholarly developments in feminist and gender theory on artistic practice and the discipline of art history. Course material explores how feminist consciousness and theories of gender have led artists, critics, and theorists to innovative representational strategies and to challenge, revise, and reinterpret art historical narrative. In the process, the course focuses on how such interventions alter the stories that artists and scholars tell. Prerequisite: ART-160, 290W, 371, or 372; or permission of the instructor. Four semester hours. (A, DN.)
ART-380 A Visionary Aesthetic: Shamanism and the Art of the Ancient Americas
How did shamanism, or a “transcendental worldview,” influence the making of ancient American artworks? How did ancient American artists solve the visual problem of representing the ambiguity, paradox, and flux central to shamanic experience? Are some media and techniques better suited to expressing an otherworldly perspective? This course explores those questions and interrogates the use of shamanism as an interpretive framework for the understanding ancient American art, including a variety of media and techniques, architecture, and the sacred landscape. As a group, we will engage with artworks from ancient contexts in Mesoamerica, the Center of the Americas, and the Central Andes region of South America as well as by contemporary indigenous shamans and ethnographic accounts of practices. These sources will also guide a critique of shamanic analyses and the use of the term “shaman” as well as examinations of global contemporary “shamanisms.” This course is offered at the same time as ART-280 with additional required work. Prerequisite: ART-150 or 160 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, GN, H.)
Note: Students cannot enroll in both ART-280 and ART-380.
ART-381. Art Internship
An academic/work experience under the supervision of an internship adviser and an on-site supervisor. Students must document their experience according to the requirements delineated in the College catalogue section on Internships. Contact art faculty for further details. Open to juniors and seniors. The term during which the internship work is performed will be noted by one of the following letters, to be added immediately after the internship course number: A (fall), B (winter), C (spring), or D (summer). Internships undertaken abroad will be so indicated by the letter I. The intern must complete a minimum of 120 hours of work. Prerequisites: approval of an internship adviser and three courses in art. 120 hours. Graded S/U. Three semester hours. (XLP.)
ART-382. Art Internship
An academic/work experience under the supervision of an internship adviser and an on-site supervisor. Students must document their experience according to the requirements delineated in the College catalogue section on Internships. Contact art faculty for further details. Open to juniors and seniors. The term during which the internship work is performed will be noted by one of the following letters, to be added immediately after the internship course number: A (fall), B (winter), C (spring), or D (summer). Internships undertaken abroad will be so indicated by the letter I. The intern must complete a minimum of 160 hours of work. Prerequisites: approval of an internship adviser and three courses in art. 160 hours. Graded S/U. Four semester hours. (XLP.)
ART-390. Research in Art History.
Readings and independent research under the supervision of a faculty adviser. A substantial written paper on a specific topic in art history is required. Prerequisites: Eight credits of coursework in Art History beyond the 100 level, demonstrated competence in the specific area of study, a written project proposal, and permission of a department faculty member who will serve as project adviser. Four semester hours. (A, XLP.)
ART-391. Research in Art History
Content, prerequisites, and requirements are the same as for ART-390. Four semester hours. (A, XLP.)
ART-401. Special Projects in Studio Art I
Independent work on a creative project approved and supervised by a faculty adviser. An oral presentation is required. Prerequisite: A portfolio of creative works or permission of instructor. Four semester hours. (XLP.)
ART-402. Advanced Special Projects in Studio Art II
Advanced independent work on a creative project approved and supervised by a faculty adviser. Prerequisites: ART-401; and a portfolio of creative works or permission of instructor. Four semester hours. (A, XLP.)
ART-450W. Seminar in the History of Art
In this course, students will further develop research criteria and techniques, using museum and library resources, in topics in a specific era of art history. An oral presentation is required. Prerequisite: ART-150 or ART-160, ART- 200W, and permission of instructor. Three hours per week plus museum trips. Four semester hours. (A, H.)
ART- 455. Capstone in Studio Art.
Preparation of a studio art major’s professional portfolio, senior exhibit d oral presentation. Students will demonstrate a familiarity with larger visual, historical and theoretical contexts of all three course components as well as a thoughtful implementation of artistic media and methodologies. Each student will develop an independent project in a medium of choice under the guidance of the advising instructor. Prerequisites: ART-101, 200W, 150 or 160, and 2 electives of studio art at the 200 level or above. Three hours per week plus extensive individual work in the studio. Four semester hours. (A, CCAP, XLP)
ART-491. Research/Independent Work
This course is open to candidates for departmental honors and to other students, with the permission of the instructor. Four semester hours. (XLP.)
ART-492. Research/Independent Work
A continuation of ART-491. An oral presentation is required. Prerequisite: ART-491. Four semester hours. (XLP.)