Art Practice Major Seminar

In this WIM course, students develop writing skills specific to the Art Practice discipline, including Artists Statements, Research Statements, and Grant Proposals, which are required of all professional artists. These written materials are created in tandem with a paired body of exploratory artwork which the texts elucidate and inform. Through iterations of writing and artworks, students experience how each of these practices, writing about artwork and making artwork, refine and advance each other. Students leave this course with an articulated artistic vision, an understanding of the specific context in which they see their work developing, and a set of research questions on which to base future bodies of work. The critical thinking, writing, research techniques and artistic materials developed in this course will prepare students for the more self-directed work required in the 200 level studio courses and in the Major Capstone course leading to the majors senior exhibition. This course also prepares all Art Practice majors to produce the written and portfolio materials required for our honors application (an Artists Statement, Work Proposal and Portfolio), should they desire to do so.