ARTS 280 - Advanced Studio in Painting and Drawing

How do we define a Mark? What purpose does it have and how do we make our mark in the world? These and other questions will be addressed through a series of drawing studies in which students create instances of gesture and meaning. Giving equal weight to both form and content, we will explore contemporary art practices by examining diverse themes such as time, scale, and improvisation. Non-traditional media, collaborative groups, and site-specific projects will be utilized.    

This course addresses current or timely topics in the area of Studio Arts. Topics can vary from semester to semester. May be repeatable for credit.

Students will be charged a V & PA lab fee upon registering for this course.

Fall 2024 Topic: The Spectrum of Abstraction

Just over a century ago in the Western canon of art, the first modern abstract painting was created (credited to Wassily Kandinsky in 1909-1911 and recently revised with work by Hilma af Klint from 1906-1915). Despite cultural and technical developments since that time, many of the questions posed by early abstractionists still engage artists today - Can simple forms convey complex ideas and deep meaning? How does color alone influence perception? What role might this contemplative practice play in a rapidly changing world? Through a series of mixed media assignments, students will address these issues by creating art works that examine abstraction across various historical movements. Investigation of contemporary themes will encourage experimentation with new concepts and processes.

 

Prerequisites: Any ARTS Drawing or Painting course

Anticipated Terms Offered: periodically