Art and Art History Courses
Art
102 Creative Process 2-D (1)
Designed to provide the student with the ability to work with and appreciate basic forms and concepts of art in both traditional and contemporary modes. Lecture and studio. Dixon, Feagin, McCauley.
103 Creative Process 3-D (1)
Designed to introduce the student to fundamental concepts in creating and viewing three-dimensional art. Lecture and studio. Chytilo.
121 Drawing (1)
Designed to introduce the beginning student to a variety of drawing media, subject matter and drawing concepts. May be taken concurrently with Art 102. Dixon.
201 Computer Art (1)
Prerequisite: Art 121 or permission of instructor.
Designed to familiarize students with basic skills and techniques in creating digitally assisted visual art. Initial projects serve to introduce software tools; later projects increasingly reinforce skill development while concentrating on idea generation and individual approaches to image making. Peripheral hardware, including scanners, digital cameras, and inkjet and laser printers, are utilized in generating imagery. Feagin.
222, 223 Advanced Drawing: Figure (1/2, 1)
Prerequisite: Art 121.
The human form is represented in a variety of media. May be repeated for credit. Dixon.
231 Painting I (1)
Prerequisite: Art 121.
An introduction to the vocabulary, materials and methods of oil painting. A range of technical and aesthetic considerations will be addressed. Dixon.
241 Photography I (1)
An introduction to the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography: basic functions of the camera, basic darkroom techniques, critique of work. Feagin.
251 Printmaking I (1)
Prerequisite: Art 121.
An introduction to relief and intaglio print processes including woodcut, linocut, metal plate etching, drypoint and aquatint. Idea generation emphasized. McCauley.
261 Ceramics I (1)
An introduction to ceramics as an art form. Begins with basic hand-forming and conceptual problem-solving in clay and then covers throwing, glazing and various firing methods. Chytilo.
262 Pottery and Politics: Examining the Art and Politics of Tea Culture in Japan (1)
Explores the aesthetic traditions and political history of the Japanese tea ceremony and pottery-making. Emphasizes the artistic and meditative execution of tea making with wares of art for tea making and tea consumption, in addition to the study of the practicality of tea as a vehicle for political negotiation, deliberation and social interaction in Japan. Same as Political Science 262. Chytilo/Dabney.
263 Intermediate Ceramics (1/2)
Prerequisite: Art 261 or 262.
A continuation of the processes and techniques learned in Art 261 or 262. Emphasis is placed on creating innovative work with greater skill than acquired in previous classes. Chytilo.
264 Advanced Intermediate Ceramics (1/2)
Prerequisite: Art 263.
A continuation of the processes and techniques learned in Art 263. Emphasis is placed on creating innovative work with greater skill than acquired in previous classes. Chytilo.
271 Sculpture I (1)
Prerequisite: Art 103 or permission of instructor.
Problems dealing with concepts in three-dimensional space and form, and the introduction to the use of basic tools and techniques with wood, stone, metal and mixed media. Chytilo.
301 Video Art (1)
An introduction to the use of video as a medium for individual expression and creativity. Basic video skills and procedures in planning and producing a video are presented through demonstrations, lectures and practice sessions. Working with digital cameras and Premiere editing software, participants become familiar with the operation of the video cameras and editing deck, sound recording, storyboarding, and lighting techniques. Feagin.
303 Advanced Digital Imaging (1)
Prerequisite: Art 201 or 241.
An advanced computer art studio course addressing the special visual and philosophical concerns around digital art making. Development of greater control of the input of imagery using devices such as stylus pads, scanners and digital cameras. Assignments address both paper and pixel output as well as the introduction of interactivity and time-based elements. Feagin.
324, 325 Advanced Drawing: Workshop (1/2, 1)
Prerequisite: Art 121.
Contemporary concepts and techniques related to drawing are explored through studio practice. May be repeated for credit. Dixon, McCauley.
331 Painting II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 231.
Assigned problems for individual solutions. Medium: oil. Dixon.
332 Painting III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 331.
Individually assigned problems in advanced painting concepts and techniques. Dixon.
333 Painting Workshop I (1)
Prerequisite: Art 332.
Individual problems in the philosophical and technical aspects of painting. Self-reliance and individuality of concept stressed. Dixon.
334 Painting Workshop II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 333.
Continuation of Art 333. Dixon.
335 Painting Workshop III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 334.
Continuation of 334. A written statement discussing visual and philosophical aspects of a body of work will be presented to the art faculty for review. Dixon.
341 Photography II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 241 or permission of instructor.
Advanced assignments in photography with emphasis on imaginative approach and individual work. Lecture and lab. Critique of work. Feagin.
342 Photography III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 241.
Advanced investigation into photographic materials including medium- and large-format negatives, advanced darkroom techniques and alternative processes with an emphasis on integrating process, materials and concept in an individualized body of work. Feagin.
343 Photography Workshop (1)
Prerequisite: Art 342.
Individual exploration of technical and/or aesthetic issues in photographic media. Emphasizes the development of personal creative expression. Feagin.
344 Photography Workshop II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 343.
A continuation of Art 343. Feagin.
345 Photography Workshop III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 344.
A continuation of Art 344. Focuses on creation of a strong body of work in an area of personal interest, along with compilation into a matted portfolio with images and a well-developed artistic statement discussing the material and conceptual aspects of the work. Feagin.
346 Color Photography (1)
Prerequisite: Art 241.
An advanced photography course introducing the basics of color photography. Covers color theory as applicable to photography, color exposure, color printing process and studio lighting. Emphasizes integrating process, materials and concept in an individualized body of work. Feagin.
351 Printmaking II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 251.
Continuing study of relief and intaglio print processes with advanced applications. Development of personalized imagery emphasized. McCauley.
352 Printmaking III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 351.
Advanced problems in relief and intaglio with emphasis on integration of print processes and development of personalized imagery. McCauley.
353 Printmaking Workshop I (1)
Prerequisite: Art 352.
Workshops provided for concentrated development in all phases of printmaking. Discussion of traditional and contemporary printmaking in relation to individual problems. Concept development is strongly emphasized. McCauley.
354 Printmaking Workshop II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 353.
Continuation of Art 353. McCauley.
355 Printmaking Workshop III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 354.
Continuation of 354. McCauley.
356 Visual Poetry (1)
A study of writing poetry and its presentation in printed form. Intended for writers and visual artists alike, this course teaches the fundamentals of writing poetry and letterpress printing. Participants both write their own poems and, using movable type and hand-operated printing presses, set and print their own poems as broadsides and artists’ books. Same as English 356. McCauley, Mesa.
357 Book Arts (1)
Prerequisite: Art 121 and one other studio art course.
Designed to teach students the traditional and contemporary craft of handmade visual books. Students investigate book forms through hands-on demonstrations to gain experience in a wide range of book structures as preparation for individual creations. Exploration of a diverse range of media in the construction of individual books is encouraged and supported. McCauley.
361 Ceramics II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 261.
A continuation of Ceramics I with more advanced work in ceramic processes and theories including clay and glaze formulation. Emphasis also is placed on development of personal expression and direction with the medium. Laboratory and lecture. Chytilo.
362 Ceramics III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 361.
Advanced problems in ceramic design. Chytilo.
363 Ceramics Workshop I (1)
Prerequisite: Art 362.
Each semester students will explore a different technical and/or aesthetic subject of the ceramic processes on an individualized basis. Chytilo.
364 Ceramics Workshop II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 363.
An emphasis is placed on the student's development in an area of personal interest. Chytilo.
365 Ceramics Workshop III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 364.
Continuation of Ceramics Workshop II. A strong body of work accompanied by a group of images and a written thesis will be presented to the art faculty for review. Chytilo.
371 Sculpture II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 271.
Individually arranged problems in advanced sculptural concepts and techniques. Chytilo.
372 Sculpture III (1)
Continuation of Art 371. Chytilo.
373 Sculpture Workshop I (1)
Prerequisite: Art 372.
Individually arranged exploration and development of specific sculptural directions. A more intense involvement in the visual and philosophical implications of a body of work is emphasized. Chytilo.
374 Sculpture Workshop II (1)
Prerequisite: Art 373.
Continuation of Sculpture Workshop I. Chytilo.
375 Sculpture Workshop III (1)
Prerequisite: Art 374.
Continuation of Sculpture Workshop II. A written statement discussing visual and philosophical aspects of a body of work with accompanying images will be presented to the art faculty for review. Chytilo.
381, 382 Process (1/2, 1)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
The process of making and conceiving art, often from a multi-media, interdisciplinary point of view. Examples: The concept of assemblage, photo-sensitive media, readings for current art, structural systems, critical studies of the college collections, color perception and performance, current drawing concepts. Staff.
296/396 Professional Practices in Art (1/2)
Designed to provide the emerging artist with multiple experiences in preparation for professional opportunities in the fine arts. Must be taken spring semester of the senior year. (It is strongly recommended that students interested in graduate school take this class in the junior and senior year.) Chytilo, Dixon, Feagin, McCauley.
Art History
115 Art of the Western World (1)
An introduction to art of the Western world in its historical context. Offers an overview of the arts of Western culture framed within historical, religious, political, economic and social events. Incorporates basic tools of art historical analysis and criticism. Wickre.
116 World Art (1)
An introduction to world art in its historical context, considering the dominant arts of each continent framed within historical, religious, political, economic and social events. Incorporates basic tools of art historical analysis and criticism. Wickre, Staff.
206 Art of Egypt and North Africa (1)
Explores how works of art and architecture contributed to these important cultures. Looks closely at art in its religious and socio-political contexts, including especially the contents and decorations of tombs and temples in the Nile river valley. Also examines architecture and art objects from Mesopotamia as reflections of early ideas of personal religion and the city-state. Staff.
208 Early Christian and Byzantine Art (1)
Provides a foundation of knowledge in Early Christian and Byzantine art, including painting, sculpture, textile, metalwork, glasswork, architecture and illumination created from the period of the late Roman Empire and early Middle Ages to the fifteenth century in the Eastern Empire, or Byzantium. Emphasizes the identification of works, styles, artists and the broad political/religious contexts in which pieces of art were conceived and executed. Staff.
209 Art of Greece and Rome (1)
Explores visual art and architecture as integral to the construction of knowledge and value in these ancient cultures. Focuses on Greek and Roman art in its original stylistic, iconographic, religious and socio-political contexts from the Stone and Bronze Ages through Classical Greece and Imperial Rome. Wickre.
212 Art and Religion of the Medieval World (1)
Studies art and Christianity in Western Europe from the late Roman Empire to the fifteenth century, including consideration of style and iconography, through art forms ranging from catacomb paintings to manuscripts for private devotion to Gothic cathedrals. Considers interpretations of the Middle Ages from the ninth century to the present, emphasizing how these interpretations reflect and construct the intellectual traditions of their authors. Staff.
213 Art and Science of Leonardo's Day (1)
Investigates Italian Renaissance painting and sculpture from 1400 to 1550, including works by Giotto, Piero, Leonardo, Michelangelo and others. Considers interpretations of Renaissance art, architecture and science, and the concepts of Humanism and Renaissance from the time of Petrarch to the present. Wickre.
214 Baroque Art (1)
Explores the diversity of artistic styles in Europe between 1600 and 1750. Considers the expanding concepts of world geography, trade and colonization and its impact on art, an awakening sense of self for both artists and patrons, systems of training, theories of gender in the production and consumption of art works, and ways of describing and inscribing gender, race, class and sexual orientation in baroque art. Wickre.
216 Modern and Contemporary Art (1)
Survey of twentieth and twenty-first century European and American painting, sculpture, photography, and time arts. Examines stylistic trends, changes in ideas about the nature and purposes of art and the relationships between art and society. Discussion of the impact of contemporary critical theory on the evolution of the art of the twentieth century. Wickre.
217 American Art, 1600-1913 (1)
Examines the major cultural movements, artists and art works in what would become the United States from the colonial period to the advent of modernism with the Armory Show in New York in 1913. Wickre.
219 Impressionism: Précis to Prologue (1)
Critically examines paintings of the Impressionists in France in the context of historical documents from the period, contemporary critical writings about the artists and paintings, and the art historical texts generated about the art. A study of Impressionism's roots in French romanticism and realism introduces the course. Special attention is paid to the particular historical circumstances that gave rise to Impressionism as a movement, and to the gendered nature of both the production and reception of Impressionist paintings. Wickre.
220 American Indian Art (1)
Examines the art history of American Indian cultures in the United States, with a focus on traditional arts at the time of European contact, in the immediate aftermath of that contact, and on the emergence of a contemporary arts culture within American Indian contexts. Also considers how mythology and stereotyping have created an image of "the Indian" and how that image was and is used in majority culture. Presents a broad array of resources, including Albion College's collection of American Indian objects and prints, and public and private art collections. Wickre.
310 Women and Art (1)
Examines the roles women have played as creators, subjects, patrons and critics of art through history. Special emphasis will be placed on theories of the social construction of gender through art in all periods and on responses of contemporary women artists to such constructions. Wickre.
311 Art as Political Action (1)
Examines art that invites or encourages social awareness and/or action. Includes studies of "high art'' media, such as photography, painting and sculpture, and non-traditional art forms including performance art, public murals, crafts, environmental art and others. Thematically arranged around politicized issues such as race, rape and domestic violence, concepts of the body, pacifism and war, poverty, illness and AIDS. The course begins with political movements that relied heavily on visual images to achieve their purposes. Wickre.
312 Race and Its Representation in American Art (1)
Examines representations of individuals and groups who traditionally have been viewed as "others'': African Americans, Native Americans, Asians and Chicanos/Chicanas as contrasted with images of members of the dominant culture. Considers how visual art has served to reflect social conditions and situations and to construct identities for all ethnic groups in the American psyche. Wickre.
313 History of Prints (1)
Focuses on how artists have used the forms and techniques of printmaking to express themselves visually from the fifteenth century to the present. The course uses three approaches: (1) art history lectures and discussions based on readings; (2) connoisseurship in studying prints from the College's permanent collection; and (3) practical application in producing prints in some of the major printmaking techniques. Students will begin to understand how the potential and limitations of various traditional techniques enable particular types of visual communication. Emphasis is placed on student-facilitated learning, exploration, discovery and collaborative processes. Wickre, McCauley.
314 Art of Rome (1)
A survey of the history of Roman art and architecture with a specific focus on Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire, from the sixth century B.C. to the fourth century A.D. Subjects include the major buildings and monuments of Rome, monumental relief sculpture, portrait sculpture, and paintings in the private homes of wealthy aristocrats. Principal themes cover the form and function of buildings, the role of narrative in relief sculpture, image-making in portraits, and the problems of defining style in house painting. Staff.
315 Earth, Art, and the Environment (1)
Examines American (U.S.) and European art and architecture that interacts with the environment and calls attention to the benefits and consequences of human interaction with the environment in a national and global context. Focuses on art, architecture and design projects produced from 1960 to the present and materials that set the context for artistic concerns about the environment beginning in the nineteenth century. Wickre.
317 Theory and Method in Art History (1)
Introduces students to a variety of methods used to interpret works of art. Examines the specialized literature of art history from the sixteenth century to the present. Theories and methods will be applied to art from all periods. Wickre.
320 Feminist Art (1)
The 1970s Feminist Art Movement introduced to the art world a revolution in attitudes and practices. The significant reverberations of that movement are felt to the present. Covers the social context, causes and effects, and major players in the Feminist Art Movement as well as its continuing impact. Wickre.
326 Issues in Contemporary Art (1)
Examines issues, theory and art from the 1960s to the present, from the standpoint of theory, practice and the objects produced. Focuses on painting, sculpture, and new media from around the world and emphasizes critical reading, writing, and discussion. Wickre.
328 Encounters: Indian Art (1)
Examines the encounters between Europeans who came to North America in the fifteenth century and the indigenous people they met when they arrived. Begins with an exploration of North American populations before contact and traces the intersections of peoples through the nineteenth century. Wickre.
329 Art of Constantinople (1)
A survey of the art and architecture of late antiquity and Byzantium with a special focus on Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire from 330 A.D. to 1453. Covers themes including the inheritance and transformation of the classical tradition; empire-building and the urban development of Constantinople; the arts of the capital as they relate to the empire's provinces; developments in Byzantine church architecture; and the form and function of portable religious and luxury arts. Considers the design, technique, patronage and reception of Byzantine works of both monumental and portable arts, including the meaning and significance of sacred and secular spaces in urban civic and religious ceremonials. Staff.
Special Studies
187, 188, 189 Selected Topics (1/4, 1/2, 1)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
287, 288, 289 Selected Topics (1/4, 1/2, 1)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
387, 388, 389 Selected Topics (1/4, 1/2, 1)
An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
391, 392 Internship (1/2, 1)
Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
401, 402 Seminar (1/2, 1)
Staff.
411, 412 Directed Study (1/2, 1)
Staff.
