Course Descriptions
ART201 - History of Art
This course traces world cultural development through the arts of architecture, sculpture, and painting. The emphasis is on the social, economic, political, and geographic influences on the stylistic characteristics, subject matter, and art forms of diverse world societies and epochs, from pre-history to the present. Field trip and laboratory fee may be required. PREREQUISITES: None
ART202 - Aesthetic Experience in the Contemporary Visual Arts
The primary objective of this course is the development of sensitive taste in the comprehension of the contemporary arts for further enjoyment. The course will present an aesthetic approach to the appreciation of the visual arts of architecture, sculpture, and painting, with emphasis on the critical analysis and appraisal of art from recent and contemporary eras. Field trip and laboratory fee may be required. PREREQUISITES: None
ART203 - Art Appreciation Through Drawing
This introductory course in art appreciation examines mark making as the essential and primary means of expression. Lecture, visual aids, research, and writing explore the human creative impulse of artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, and the untrained outsider artists. The student will develop a primary vocabulary of form, materials, and methods for creative expression. A unit of productive drawing exercises may be included. Laboratory fee required; field trip may be required. PREREQUISITES: None
ART204 - Art Appreciation Through Painting
A continuation of ART203, this course traces the development of contemporary modes of painting from their origins in early 19th-century France, England, and America. Various modes, both realistic and abstract, are studied through illustrated lectures, readings, discussions, and writings. Productive painting exercises in watercolor mediums for both creative awareness and expression may be included. Laboratory fee required; field trip may be required. PREREQUISITES: None
ART205 - Studio Painting
This is a studio art course. Note: this course does NOT count toward the humanities distribution requirement for general education. Laboratory fee required. PREREQUISITES: None
ART206 - Craft and Design
This course develops an appreciation of the arts from the aesthetic and contextual appreciation of the utilitarian, practical, and sometimes not practical, objects most frequently referred to as crafts. The student will examine the relationships of fine art to craft, the craft object as product of particular cultures, the utilitarian and ritual purposes to which these objects are put to use, and how their creation corresponds to these purposes. The course will demonstrate how craft reflects the age and culture in which it was created. There will be opportunities to learn how these crafts are made through hands-on practice. Note: this course does NOT count toward the humanities distribution requirement for general education. Laboratory fee required. PREREQUISITES: None
ART212 - Art of Rome and Florence (Study Abroad Only)
This course explores Italian culture from the Ancient Etruscans, through the Christian era, the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque eras. Students will write assignments that analyze the characteristics of period styles, the socio/political/economic context, and that develop skills in the aesthetic appreciation of Italian painting, sculpture and architecture. Students will travel to various sites in and near Rome and Florence. This is an intensive course to be completed in 9 days with a prior class meeting time and post trip class meeting. Students will have guided tours to important sites in Rome, Florence, Siena, Castignano and Pisa. Written reflection and exercises concerning aesthetics, the formal elements of art, reasoned subjective analysis and impressions based on student's experiences will document the experiential portion of the course.
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