Course Catalog 2012-2013

Associate Professor Micaela Vivero, Chair

Associate Professors Ronald Abram, Carrie Olson and Micaela Vivero (Chair); Assistant Professors Tommy White and Sheilah A. Wilson; Visiting Assistant ProfessorJennifer Anable; Academic Administrative Assistant Dyan Couden; Visual Resource Curator Jacqueline Pelasky; Ceramic/Sculpture Technician Stanley Wrzysczynski

In Studio Art we foster independent and creative thought; emphasizing art-making as a means to think about not only oneself, but one’s relationship to the world of ideas from multiple perspectives. We offer two different degree programs in Studio Art, a bachelor of arts (BA) and a bachelor of fine arts (BFA). Both degree programs emphasize individuality, interdisciplinary work, collaboration and community. We encourage the fluidity of learning and see art as a bridge to all areas of study and research. Both the BA and the BFA prepare students in different ways for a variety of post-graduate pursuits, be it graduate school or other professional endeavors in art and related fields. Students who plan to major in Studio Art are strongly advised to seek an advisor in Studio Art at the time of their decision to major. All studio art majors are required to take a series of core courses and students will need to work closely with advisors to strive to complete these core courses by end of the 1st semester in the junior year. Students should expect to work two clock hours per week outside of class for each credit hour of a course.

Our BA students are encouraged to connect their Studio Art major with the curriculum of the college to realize individual approaches to Studio Art that are interwoven with science, social science, humanities and/or other fine art disciplines. A total of 48 credit hours are required, with ten courses coming from Studio Art and two courses from Art History, or another option is one course from Art History and one course from Philosophy (see description below).

Students desiring a BFA degree should discuss their intentions with a member of the Studio Art faculty as soon as possible. Students are required to apply to the BFA program in the second semester of their sophomore year by presenting artwork made at Denison in an exhibition with fellow applicants. Prospective BFA candidates will then be required to meet in the exhibition with the Studio Art Faculty for a discussion about their work and reasons for pursuing the BFA degree. Upon acceptance into the BFA program, the department will notify the Registrar. BFA students are also subject to periodic review of their studio work by the Art faculty. A total of 72 credit hours are required, with a minimum of fourteen courses coming from Studio Art and three courses from Art History. Students may then choose one more elective from either Art Studio, Art History or PHIL-269: Philosophy of the Arts: Aesthetics.

A minimum of six courses (five in Art Studio and one in Art History) should be taken as follows: ARTS 101, four elective Studio courses (one elective must be a 200-level Studio course), and one Art History or Art Theory course.

Studio Art Foundation (ARTS-101).  Directed at both non-art majors and majors, Studio Art Foundation (SAF) is a basic introduction to artistic practice in contemporary culture. Through an interdisciplinary approach and a technical understanding of multiple mediums, the course crosses borders between two-dimensional, three-dimensional and time based artistic disciplines. Campus wide events (lectures, concerts, exhibitions) are used as points of departure in the class to emphasize the critical nature of art making with other content areas of study, theory and research. 4

Introduction to Drawing (ARTS-110).  A studio course in the fundamentals of drawing in several media. Problems in still life, rendering, and perspective will be covered, along with historical and contemporary approaches to drawing. 4

Introduction to Painting (ARTS-115).  Historical and contemporary approaches to painting technique will be covered in readings and discussion and by working with painting materials. 4

Introduction to Photography (ARTS-117).  The photographic philosophy and digital process will be approached from historical and contemporary viewpoints with problems in light, form, texture and composition. 4

Introduction to Ceramics (ARTS-121).  A broad introduction to all ceramics potential. Clay working in sculptural as well as vessel-oriented directions. Slide presentations and discussions with references made to ceramic history as well as to contemporary ceramic art. Students are introduced to a variety of hand building techniques and are encouraged to pursue their individual creative potential. 4

Introduction to Ceramics - The Wheel (ARTS-122).  An introduction to producing Ceramic forms, both utilitarian and sculptural, using the potter's wheel. Image presentations and discussions will introduce students to the contemporary and historical role of Ceramics in art and material culture. Students are introduced to a variety of throwing techniques and surface treatments and are encouraged to pursue their individual creative potential. 4

Introduction to Printmaking (ARTS-131).  As a foundation course, emphasis will be on historical and contemporary concepts in art through the media of printmaking. The course will provide exposure to printmaking processes with direct involvement in one of the following: intaglio, screen printing and relief. Tools, materials and techniques will be fully covered regarding the featured printmaking process. Art issues such as format and content of visual images will be stressed as well as technical procedures for implementing the print. 4

Introduction to Sculpture (ARTS-141).  This course is an introductory course into sculpture. It will concentrate on developing sculptural thinking and working habits, the safe use of basic tools, understanding ways of seeing and the translation of experience into an arts practice. 4

Special Topics in Studio Art (ARTS-165).  Special topic courses with a focus on particular aspects of studio art at the introductory level. 4

Introduction to Drawing for Majors (ARTS-170).  A studio course in the fundamentals of drawing in several media. Problems in still life, rendering, and perspective will be covered, along with historical and contemporary approaches to drawing. 4

Introductory Topics in Art (ARTS-199).  A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit. 1-4

Intermediate Drawing (ARTS-210).  Continued experience in drawing with emphasis on contemporary techniques. Prime objective is increased capacity for responsive seeing and a deeper understanding of drawing as a total medium. Prerequisite: 110 or consent. 4

Life Drawing (ARTS-211).  Study from the human figure in charcoal and other media with emphasis on structure in line, value and color. Prerequisite: 110 or consent. 4

Life Drawing (ARTS-212).  Study from the human figure in charcoal and other media with emphasis on structure in line, value and color. Prerequisite: 110 or consent. 4

Queer Graphix (ARTS-213).  Through a series of drawing and printmaking projects, this studio art course seeks to explore and creatively express queer culture, aesthetics and GLBT art history, as well as notions of identity, gender, orientation and sexuality. Art students will employ traditions of journalistic comics, collage, screen-printing, photo-copies, community collaborative artistic work (zines) and research presentation projects to not only celebrate queer artistic practices but also reveal the often damaging impact society and politics has on self identity and expression. 4

Intermediate Painting (ARTS-215).  Continued painting experience with emphasis on developing individual concepts. Prerequisite: 115 or consent. 4

Intermediate Photography (ARTS-217).  A continuation of ARTS 117. Attention will be placed on generating, evolving and completing a cohesive body of digital photographic work. Prerequisite: 117 or consent. 4

Ceramic History and Contemporary Practice (ARTS-220).  The history of ceramics very closely parallels the development of civilization and culture across the planet. In this studio course, students will draw upon this long, rich history as inspiration for their own work and gain a deeper understanding of the context in which they and other contemporary artists are creating ceramic art. The primary emphasis of ceramic history and its impact on contemporary practice will be explored through image presentations, research, discussions and studio work. Students will use a variety of construction techniques and surface treatments to transform their ideas and research into objects and are encouraged to pursue their individual creative potential. No prerequisites. 4

Intermediate Ceramics (ARTS-221).  Students will hone the skills gained in previous ceramic courses and will focus on refining the application of learned techniques to produce visually and conceptually compelling work. Image presentations and discussions will lead to a deeper understanding of contemporary and historical ceramic art. Students will gain experience in different firing technologies and clay and glaze chemistry. Primary emphasis is on students' individual conceptual and technical development. Prerequisite: ARTS 121, ARTS 122 or Ceramic Multiples. 4

The Ceramic Surface (ARTS-223).  In this studio course students will explore the numerous options for surface expression in ceramic art making. One of clay's unique properties is the ability to faithfully record impressions in its surface - from the fingerprint of a potter to patterned designs stamped into the surface. Today, mark making on clay has caught up with technology, incorporating digital processes into the roster of print technique possibilities. Students will learn to make their own glazes, effectively use slips, glazes, china paints, lustres, print-transfers, photo-decals and alternative firing techniques. Students will explore the relationships between content, form and surface through the creative process, group critiques, readings, image presentations and discussions. Prerequisite: A Denison University Ceramic course or consent of instructor. 4

Ceramic Multiples (Ceramics From Molds) (ARTS-224).  In this studio course students learn to create ceramic objects using plaster molds, how to make casting slip, and the basics of kiln firing. We will explore the relationship between Art, Design and Craft, and students will be encouraged to push the boundaries of where these categories begin and end. Producing ceramic objects from molds allows for greater refinement of the object, unlimited possibilities of form and the potential of creating multiple replicas or variations on one form. Because of inherent associations with industry, technology, and mass-production, objects produced from molds offer unique conceptual possibilities that students will pursue through the creative process, group critiques, readings and discussions. Prerequisite: Any Denison University Studio Art course or consent of the instructor. 4

Intermediate Printmaking (ARTS-231).  Students may work with any printmaking processes in which they have had experience or with the consent of instructor. Processes available to Printmaking II students include: relief, lithography, intaglio or screen printing. Emphasis will be on continued technical and conceptual development. Prerequisite: 131 or consent. 4

Installation/Site-Specific Art (ARTS-240).  In installation art the space is considered like the blank sheet of paper of a drawing. Its goal is the transformation of spaces through the use of objects, images, color, etc. Site-specific art is art that is created in a certain space, where the place is part of the work and adds meaning to it. This Installation/Site-Specific Art studio class will focus on creating objects that will transform a variety of architectural spaces, in which the course and its participants will examine from multiple perspectives ranging from formal concerns to historical research and metaphorical opportunities. 4

Intermediate Sculpture (ARTS-241).  This course focuses on the search for art practices. The students have to develop projects starting out with specific themes that are discussed by the group, but the end product is personal depending on the individual conceptual and aesthetic development. 4

Mixed Media Sculpture (ARTS-243).  Combining theory and practice in the sculpture studio, this topical intermediate sculpture course focuses its central objective around an overarching relevant interdisciplinary theme that varies per semester. Along with theoretical readings and presentations, a series of sculpture projects will be developed by each student to explore the selected research theme created with a range of techniques and materials. Course materials may include plaster, wax, fabric, found objects, wood, and metal. The works will acquire meaning based not only on the form, but also on the material the work is made out of and its connotations. Importance will be given to the investigation on the theme, to the process of sculptural creation and to the end products, the final sculpture. 4

Fiber Arts (ARTS-244).  This studio art course is an introduction to the basic expressive potential of weaving and macrame to create two- and three-dimensional works. The use of natural and/or artificial materials will be introduced and a combination between structural and non-structural materials, to make the composition work as an image, object or installation. The artworks created will be the result of an analytic process guided by information acquired, the interpretation of that information and experiences lived by each participant of this class. 4

New Media: Internet Art (ARTS-245).  This course will focus on the artistic generation of meaning through the technology of new media. Within the art curriculum the challenge will be to work with this technically advanced medium for the purpose of personal expression. Instruction will be in the form of lectures, tutorials and demos and there will be a lab for introducing theory and works of electronic art/music for discussion and inspiration. Questions concerning our relation to and with digital media and the nature of the electronic arts and their potential to be interactive will be probed throughout the semester. 4

Special Topics in Studio Art (ARTS-264). 4

Special Topics in Studio Art (ARTS-265). 4

Performance Art (ARTS-267).  This studio art course will focus on processes of creating and executing actions that may have an artistic content. In this course the participants will generate actions that will be performed. Prior to the execution of artistic actions the participants will be exposed to a wide range of artistic performances from different backgrounds, ritualistic actions in different cultures from ancient to contemporary. We will be working on the approach to art practices from the production of meaning and the relationship between art and life. The main objective is to use actions as a way of discovering arts practices. This course fulfills the Oral Communication general education requirement and a Fine Arts Division requirement. 4

Intermediate Topics in Art (ARTS-299).  A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit. 1-4

Introduction to Animation (ARTS-308).  Animation is the illusion of motion created by the consecutive display of slightly varying drawings or models of static elements. In this course, students we learn the fundamentals of traditional animation techniques, as well as cover many aspects of the more experimental contemporary forms of stop-motion animation processes. Students will be given several animation "studies" over the course of the semester that will offer them experience with different types of stop-motion and computer key-framed techniques, as well as experience in story-boarding, sound recording, character movement and rig development, and post digital effects work. In addition to workshop projects, students will be exposed to outside readings and film viewings. 4

Advanced Drawing (ARTS-310).  Continued drawing experience with emphasis on developing individual skills, concepts and expression. Prerequisite: 210 or consent. 4

Advanced Painting (ARTS-315).  Continued painting experience. Prerequisite: 115 or consent of instructor. 4

Advanced Photography (ARTS-317).  Students also are directed into a critical analysis of photography from a theoretical, technical and historical perspective and are introduced to the medium format camera. Prerequisite: 117 or consent of instructor. 4

Advanced Ceramics (ARTS-321).  This course requires a working knowledge of the ceramic process. Students work in depth, developing a personal approach to the medium, acquiring greater competency in terms of concept and technique. Prerequisite: 121, 221 or consent. 4

Advanced Printmaking (ARTS-331).  Students may work with any printmaking process in which they have had experience or with the consent of instructor. Processes available to Printmaking III students include: relief, lithography, intaglio or screen printing. Experimentation and innovation, both conceptually and technically, will be stressed for the advanced student. Prerequisite: 231-232. 4

Advanced Sculpture (ARTS-341).  Prerequisite: 241-242. 4

Junior Arts Practicum (ARTS-345).  Through independent project work, readings, oral presentations, and individual/group discussions, this course will focus on the universal studio practice of critiques to further develop student skills to describe, analyze, interpret and understand their own artwork and its goals as well as the work of others. Students will also pursue research throughout the semester to make important connections between their creative practice and the art historical/theoretical context in which they work. This course is required for all studio art majors. 4

Directed Study (ARTS-361).  For the student of marked creative ability who wishes to pursue advanced subjects not otherwise listed, such as design, graphics, or history and criticism. 1-4

Directed Study (ARTS-362).  For the student of marked creative ability who wishes to pursue advanced subjects not otherwise listed, such as design, graphics, or history and criticism. 1-4

Independent Study (ARTS-363). 1-4

Independent Study (ARTS-364). 1-4

Advanced Special Topics (ARTS-365). 4

Advanced Topics in Art (ARTS-399).  A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit. 1-4

Senior Art History Project (ARTS-400).  Studio, B.A., B.F.A. 3

Visual Arts Practicum (ARTS-401).  Theory and creative practice in selected areas of the visual arts. Majors are required to enroll in the Visual Arts Practicum twice in their senior year in conjunction with a 300-level course in their area of specialization. This class is for Studio Art majors only or by permission of instructor. 4

Senior Research (ARTS-451). 4

Senior Research (ARTS-452). 4