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Course Descriptions
Fine Arts Course Descriptions
(Prerequisites are shown in parentheses.)
ART 101
Art History Survey I
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
An analysis of art, archeology and history in the Pre-historic, Ancient World, Middle Ages, into the Early Renaissance. The focus is on art, architecture and relevant cultural context in the development of Western Art using contemporary methods and theories. Some non-Western history and themes will be included for context.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 102
Art History Survey II
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
This survey of art begins in the High Renaissance and continues through the 1990’s, focusing on European and American Art. Using current methods and theories in art history, specific artworks, artists and styles are discussed stressing the social, political, philosophic and individual influences.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 112
Drawing II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an intermediate level drawing course that advances the perceptual and technical drawing skills developed in Drawing I. In addition to the concerns of observational recording, drawing will be presented more broadly to include conceptual, narrative, personal and collaborative components. Building processes that lead to more refined or complex drawings and the introduction of contemporary concerns and approaches will be explored.
(ART 162)
ART 115
Color Fundamentals
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to color theory and the basic properties of color. Various types of color contrast are studied, and the essentials of subtractive mixing are covered. Psychological and emotional effects of color are also explored.
ART 161
2-D Design/Color Fundamentals
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to the manipulation of the 2-D elements (i.e. line, shape, form, space, color, value, and texture) and principles (i.e. unity, variety, balance, emphasis, rhythm, proportion, and economy), with an introduction to color theory. Processes that lead to distinct, 2-dimensional graphic forms will be linked to content-based projects. The written and spoken use of the language of design and color will be developed though formal analysis.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 162
Drawing I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an introductory drawing course that emphasizes observational drawing through the exploration of traditional drawing techniques and materials. The primary processes of contour, gesture, perspective, and value drawing will be covered. In addition, the ideas of composition, line quality, form/space construction, and use of critical analysis will be introduced and practiced.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 163
3-D Design
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to 3-dimensional design concepts, materials, tools, and processes. The assigned projects will explore line, plane, volume, surface, and spatial organization in three-dimensional works. Forces, such as gravity, that affect balance, gesture, and weight will be investigated. In addition to the formal concerns of 3-D design, consideration of the social, cultural, and aesthetic contexts of work will be explored. The use of terms and language commonly used to describe 3-dimensional works of art will be introduced and used to discuss and evaluate work.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 164
4-D Design (Time Based Media)
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is a continuation of the fundamental design sequence with a primary emphasis on the element of time. Content areas will include the design principles of composition, duration, tempo, progression, and interactivity. Through a series of exercises and projects a variety of media and processes will be introduced including video, sound, sequential imaging, installation, and performance. The use of terms and language commonly used to describe time based works will be introduced and used to discuss and evaluate work.
Required for students in all majors.
(ART 162, 161, 163, PHO 121)
ART 201
Figure Study I (Drawing)
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Through observational drawing this course explores the various historical methods used to describe the rhythms and structures of the human figure. The primary modes are: gesture, sighting and measuring, planar analysis, contour drawing, anatomical analysis, and both optical and planar use of value. There will also be an introduction to the narrative employment of the human figure.
(ART 112- note: Figure Study I is not a prerequisite for Figure Study II)
ART 202
Figure Study II (Modeling)
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces the 3-D construction of representations of the human figure executed from life. The basic geometric, skeletal, and muscular structures of the human body are accurately articulated through armature forming and clay modeling. In addition to modeling the human figure the techniques of mold making and casting will be covered.
(ART 112- note: Figure Study I is not a prerequisite for Figure Study II)
ART 211
Drawing III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 311
Drawing IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are advanced level drawing courses that further build processes, including research, that lead to a more refined and complex drawing practice. Contemporary concerns and approaches are clarified and their processes, form, craft, and content are refined.
(ART 112, 161, 163, PHO 121 for ART 211 / ART 211 for ART 311)
ART 221
20th Century Art History
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
A study of primarily Western art from c.1900 with an emphasis on art after 1945, including images and ideas in painting, sculpture, photography, film, and design. Emphasis is placed on understanding and interpreting works within a cultural context: exploring technological, scientific, social, political, and individual influences.
(ART 102)
ART 222
Art History Special Topics
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
A lecture course on a more specific area of art history than the survey courses can cover. Examples include African Art History, Art of Egypt, History of American Art, Japanese Art, Mayan Art and Archaeology, Native American Arts and Cultures, and Theories of Art Criticism. The subjects rotate on a yearly basis.
(Art 102)
Example: Summer Travel Abroad. This course is designed to increase awareness and appreciation of contemporary art through in-depth and intimate exposure to contemporary and historical art, artists, and architecture. Students increase creative thinking skills and global awareness by living in and exploring a foreign culture. Each summer Watkins students have the opportunity to travel as a class led by a Watkins instructor to cultural capitals such as Berlin, Barcelona, Venice, Paris, and London.
ART 231
Sculpture I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is a studio course that deals with sculptural concepts, materials, and processes. The assigned projects will explore new materials and processes and develop conceptual and research practices. Students will be introduced to materials and techniques for producing sculpture including additive and reductive processes. The social, cultural, and aesthetic contexts of the work will be considered. Class discussion and critique are integral to this course.
(ART 162, 161, 164, 163; PHO 121)
ART 232
Sculpture II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Building on Sculpture I, this course further develops sculptural concepts, materials, and processes. The assigned projects will explore advanced materials, techniques, and conceptual practices. Emphasis will be given to the social, cultural, and aesthetic context of the work. Writing, class discussion, and critique are integral to this course.
(ART 231)
ART 233
Studio - Special Topics
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is a studio course with varying topics, reflecting current art issues and/or faculty specializations. These cross-disciplinary topics combine lecture and studio with specific assignments, visiting artists, and field trips. Examples of course topics may include, Foundry Process in Sculpture, Installation Art, Public Art, and Performance and Production.
(30 earned credit hours and instructor’s approval)
Example: Interventions, Art in the Public Sphere: This course is an exploration of art that breeches the gallery wall. It incorporates lectures, readings, discussions, collaborations, proposals, and studio work culminating in the public display of projects produced in the course. Methods, theory, and art are introduced covering a range of topics such as traditional public sculpture, advertising media, activist art, guerilla art, the Internet commons, design projects, and social projects. This course relies heavily on student participation and collaboration, as students are encouraged to work together to realize larger project goals.
ART 241
Painting I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Painting I is a beginning painting course that emphasizes the manipulation of paint and visual form. Observational painting will introduce the student to traditional/historical uses of paint and painting tools. Research and experimentation will expand the students painting vocabulary and begin to clarify historical and personal choices.
(ART 162, 161)
ART 242
Painting II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an intermediate level painting course that advances the perceptual and technical painting skills developed in Painting I. The development of a personal and cultural aesthetic will be introduced. In addition to developing those skills, students will be asked to solve problems that are formally and conceptually more complex. Required reading and writing assignments will support and clarify a personal direction and point of view.
(ART 164, 163, 241; PHO 121)
ART 251
Clay I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an overview of ceramic processes, introducing students to various hand building, wheel working, slip/glaze applications, and kiln-firing processes. Projects deal with aesthetic concerns common to both sculpture and vessel making.
(ART 162, 161, 163)
ART 252
Clay II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Through exploration and instruction the student will develop technical and aesthetic skills in ceramic hand building and wheel throwing processes. Projects are geared toward using clay as a versatile material for all types of object making. Students investigate historical and contemporary artists and techniques. Various tools include the slab roller, extruders, plaster molds, and sand blaster. Slip/glaze applications include both high- and low-fire techniques with gas and electric kilns.
(ART 164, 251; PHO 121)
ART 261
Printmaking I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to the techniques of printmaking and includes the methods of monoprint, intaglio, relief printing, and screen-printing. This class will explore the graphic potential available from the printmaking process. The student will determine imagery and content. The class structure will consist of demonstrations at the beginnings of classes, scheduled workdays, and regular critiques.
(ART 162, 161, 163)
ART 262
Printmaking II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an intermediate level printmaking course with Printmaking I as a prerequisite. Students will continue with screen printing and intaglio processes, and be introduced to polyester plate lithography. The class structure will consist of demonstrations at the beginnings of class sessions, scheduled workdays, and regular critiques.
(ART 164, 261; PHO 121)
ART 301
Figure Study III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an intermediate level figure drawing or modeling course that advances the perceptual and technical skills developed in Figure II and I. Students with an interest in refining figurative skills in drawing or modeling may meet with the introductory figure classes to access the life model. In addition to the concerns of observational recording, building processes that lead to more refined or complex forms and the introduction of contemporary concerns and approaches will be explored.
(ART 201, 202)
ART 321
Contemporary Art Theory
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
An emphasis on art since 1968. Post Modernism, multiculturalism, Earth Art, Installations, and New Media are the subjects of this class. Rather than looking at the art as part of a chronological movement, the work and artists are discussed as a way of understanding various theoretical and cultural conditions. Although video and digital images will support discussion, this course is primarily a theory/readings course.
(ART 221)
ART 331
Sculpture III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 431
Sculpture IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Nurture the development of a cohesive body of work based on sophisticated techniques and a maturing sense of aesthetic direction. These courses stress the importance of drawing, model making, and research to the creative process. Group and individual discussions emphasize the development of critical vocabulary along with advanced technical exploration.
(ART 232 for ART 331 / ART 331 for ART 431)
ART 335
Time Based Media II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 435
Time Based Media III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are studio-based courses that explore technical and conceptual problems surrounding works that develop over a period of time. Students will be introduced to processes, programs, and techniques for producing time based work, including digital video, sound editing, installation, and performance. Consideration of the social, cultural, and aesthetic contexts of the work will be emphasized. Included is the viewing and research of similar and related contemporary art practices.
(ART 231 for ART 335 / ART 335 for ART 435)
ART 341
Painting III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 441
Painting IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are advanced level painting courses that further build processes, including research, that lead to a more refined and complex painting practice. Contemporary concerns and approaches are clarified and their processes, form, craft, and content are refined.
(ART 241 for ART 341, ART 341 for 441)
ART 351
Clay III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 451
Clay IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Advanced study of aesthetic and technical information as it applies to contemporary ceramic sculpture. Projects include personal concept development with ceramic technologies, investigations into alternative clay techniques, and mixed media, installation, and site-specific considerations.
(ART 252 for 351 / ART 351 for 451)
ART 361
Printmaking III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 461
Printmaking IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are advanced level printmaking courses in which proposals for independent work are contracted. Although students in Printmaking III and IV will be working independently from Printmaking II, attendance is required. Independent research into advanced processes, techniques, and concepts is expected. Work in progress will be critiqued and evaluated during critiques with the Printmaking II class. In addition, individual discussions will be scheduled with the instructor.
(ART 262 for ART 361 / ART 361 for ART 461)
ART 371
Seminar I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Upper Division, Fine Arts majors meet for open studio practices and interdisciplinary research. Students research topics and artists important to personal and cultural developments. Visiting artists, slide lectures, studio visits, and exhibitions are incorporated into the class structure. Students work with faculty to develop a personal body of work that represents depth and breadth of exploration and the use of appropriate form and media. Business aspects of being an artist, such as applying for grants and residencies, photographing artwork, and writing resumes and artist’s statements are covered.
(one of the following: ART 311, 331, 335, 341, 351, or 361)
ART 471
Seminar II
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
ART 473
Seminar III
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
Following Seminar I, students will research topics and artists important to their personal and professional development while working with faculty to develop a body of work that represents depth and breadth. Three times during the semester the content, process, and form of student work is presented and discussed with a committee of regional art professionals. Business aspects of being an artist, such as applying for grants and residencies, photographing artwork, and writing resumes and artist’s statements are further developed.
(Advisor approval required; ART 371 for ART 471 / ART 471 for ART 473)
ART 490
Senior Thesis Exhibition
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
This is a 6 credit-hour course in which students focus on producing a cohesive body of work for their BFA Thesis Exhibition. This studio-intensive class also involves the writing of a related research paper, presentation of a public lecture, and thesis defense. An exhibition of thesis work, complete with statement, invitations, and reception is required.
(ART 471)
ART 495
Art Internship
3 Credit Hours
The internship applies learned skills to a professional, working environment. A semester long internship with an approved professional art institution (for example the Tennessee Arts Commission or the Frist Center for the Visual Arts) provides students with the opportunity to experience a professional work environment. Students work in a supervised professional arts environment assisting with arts production, administration, outreach, exhibition preparation, and art handling. Students will keep a regular work schedule and record a diary of activities with reports to their advisor. It is required that students work 130 hours (for 3 hours credit) during their internship.
(45 completed credit hours and advisor approval)
(Prerequisites are shown in parentheses.)
ART 101
Art History Survey I
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
An analysis of art, archeology and history in the Pre-historic, Ancient World, Middle Ages, into the Early Renaissance. The focus is on art, architecture and relevant cultural context in the development of Western Art using contemporary methods and theories. Some non-Western history and themes will be included for context.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 102
Art History Survey II
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
This survey of art begins in the High Renaissance and continues through the 1990’s, focusing on European and American Art. Using current methods and theories in art history, specific artworks, artists and styles are discussed stressing the social, political, philosophic and individual influences.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 112
Drawing II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an intermediate level drawing course that advances the perceptual and technical drawing skills developed in Drawing I. In addition to the concerns of observational recording, drawing will be presented more broadly to include conceptual, narrative, personal and collaborative components. Building processes that lead to more refined or complex drawings and the introduction of contemporary concerns and approaches will be explored.
(ART 162)
ART 115
Color Fundamentals
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to color theory and the basic properties of color. Various types of color contrast are studied, and the essentials of subtractive mixing are covered. Psychological and emotional effects of color are also explored.
ART 161
2-D Design/Color Fundamentals
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to the manipulation of the 2-D elements (i.e. line, shape, form, space, color, value, and texture) and principles (i.e. unity, variety, balance, emphasis, rhythm, proportion, and economy), with an introduction to color theory. Processes that lead to distinct, 2-dimensional graphic forms will be linked to content-based projects. The written and spoken use of the language of design and color will be developed though formal analysis.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 162
Drawing I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an introductory drawing course that emphasizes observational drawing through the exploration of traditional drawing techniques and materials. The primary processes of contour, gesture, perspective, and value drawing will be covered. In addition, the ideas of composition, line quality, form/space construction, and use of critical analysis will be introduced and practiced.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 163
3-D Design
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to 3-dimensional design concepts, materials, tools, and processes. The assigned projects will explore line, plane, volume, surface, and spatial organization in three-dimensional works. Forces, such as gravity, that affect balance, gesture, and weight will be investigated. In addition to the formal concerns of 3-D design, consideration of the social, cultural, and aesthetic contexts of work will be explored. The use of terms and language commonly used to describe 3-dimensional works of art will be introduced and used to discuss and evaluate work.
Required for students in all majors.
ART 164
4-D Design (Time Based Media)
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is a continuation of the fundamental design sequence with a primary emphasis on the element of time. Content areas will include the design principles of composition, duration, tempo, progression, and interactivity. Through a series of exercises and projects a variety of media and processes will be introduced including video, sound, sequential imaging, installation, and performance. The use of terms and language commonly used to describe time based works will be introduced and used to discuss and evaluate work.
Required for students in all majors.
(ART 162, 161, 163, PHO 121)
ART 201
Figure Study I (Drawing)
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Through observational drawing this course explores the various historical methods used to describe the rhythms and structures of the human figure. The primary modes are: gesture, sighting and measuring, planar analysis, contour drawing, anatomical analysis, and both optical and planar use of value. There will also be an introduction to the narrative employment of the human figure.
(ART 112- note: Figure Study I is not a prerequisite for Figure Study II)
ART 202
Figure Study II (Modeling)
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course introduces the 3-D construction of representations of the human figure executed from life. The basic geometric, skeletal, and muscular structures of the human body are accurately articulated through armature forming and clay modeling. In addition to modeling the human figure the techniques of mold making and casting will be covered.
(ART 112- note: Figure Study I is not a prerequisite for Figure Study II)
ART 211
Drawing III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 311
Drawing IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are advanced level drawing courses that further build processes, including research, that lead to a more refined and complex drawing practice. Contemporary concerns and approaches are clarified and their processes, form, craft, and content are refined.
(ART 112, 161, 163, PHO 121 for ART 211 / ART 211 for ART 311)
ART 221
20th Century Art History
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
A study of primarily Western art from c.1900 with an emphasis on art after 1945, including images and ideas in painting, sculpture, photography, film, and design. Emphasis is placed on understanding and interpreting works within a cultural context: exploring technological, scientific, social, political, and individual influences.
(ART 102)
ART 222
Art History Special Topics
Lecture, 3 Credit Hours
A lecture course on a more specific area of art history than the survey courses can cover. Examples include African Art History, Art of Egypt, History of American Art, Japanese Art, Mayan Art and Archaeology, Native American Arts and Cultures, and Theories of Art Criticism. The subjects rotate on a yearly basis.
(Art 102)
Example: Summer Travel Abroad. This course is designed to increase awareness and appreciation of contemporary art through in-depth and intimate exposure to contemporary and historical art, artists, and architecture. Students increase creative thinking skills and global awareness by living in and exploring a foreign culture. Each summer Watkins students have the opportunity to travel as a class led by a Watkins instructor to cultural capitals such as Berlin, Barcelona, Venice, Paris, and London.
ART 231
Sculpture I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is a studio course that deals with sculptural concepts, materials, and processes. The assigned projects will explore new materials and processes and develop conceptual and research practices. Students will be introduced to materials and techniques for producing sculpture including additive and reductive processes. The social, cultural, and aesthetic contexts of the work will be considered. Class discussion and critique are integral to this course.
(ART 162, 161, 164, 163; PHO 121)
ART 232
Sculpture II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Building on Sculpture I, this course further develops sculptural concepts, materials, and processes. The assigned projects will explore advanced materials, techniques, and conceptual practices. Emphasis will be given to the social, cultural, and aesthetic context of the work. Writing, class discussion, and critique are integral to this course.
(ART 231)
ART 233
Studio - Special Topics
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is a studio course with varying topics, reflecting current art issues and/or faculty specializations. These cross-disciplinary topics combine lecture and studio with specific assignments, visiting artists, and field trips. Examples of course topics may include, Foundry Process in Sculpture, Installation Art, Public Art, and Performance and Production.
(30 earned credit hours and instructor’s approval)
Example: Interventions, Art in the Public Sphere: This course is an exploration of art that breeches the gallery wall. It incorporates lectures, readings, discussions, collaborations, proposals, and studio work culminating in the public display of projects produced in the course. Methods, theory, and art are introduced covering a range of topics such as traditional public sculpture, advertising media, activist art, guerilla art, the Internet commons, design projects, and social projects. This course relies heavily on student participation and collaboration, as students are encouraged to work together to realize larger project goals.
ART 241
Painting I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Painting I is a beginning painting course that emphasizes the manipulation of paint and visual form. Observational painting will introduce the student to traditional/historical uses of paint and painting tools. Research and experimentation will expand the students painting vocabulary and begin to clarify historical and personal choices.
(ART 162, 161)
ART 242
Painting II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an intermediate level painting course that advances the perceptual and technical painting skills developed in Painting I. The development of a personal and cultural aesthetic will be introduced. In addition to developing those skills, students will be asked to solve problems that are formally and conceptually more complex. Required reading and writing assignments will support and clarify a personal direction and point of view.
(ART 164, 163, 241; PHO 121)
ART 251
Clay I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an overview of ceramic processes, introducing students to various hand building, wheel working, slip/glaze applications, and kiln-firing processes. Projects deal with aesthetic concerns common to both sculpture and vessel making.
(ART 162, 161, 163)
ART 252
Clay II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Through exploration and instruction the student will develop technical and aesthetic skills in ceramic hand building and wheel throwing processes. Projects are geared toward using clay as a versatile material for all types of object making. Students investigate historical and contemporary artists and techniques. Various tools include the slab roller, extruders, plaster molds, and sand blaster. Slip/glaze applications include both high- and low-fire techniques with gas and electric kilns.
(ART 164, 251; PHO 121)
ART 261
Printmaking I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an introduction to the techniques of printmaking and includes the methods of monoprint, intaglio, relief printing, and screen-printing. This class will explore the graphic potential available from the printmaking process. The student will determine imagery and content. The class structure will consist of demonstrations at the beginnings of classes, scheduled workdays, and regular critiques.
(ART 162, 161, 163)
ART 262
Printmaking II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This course is an intermediate level printmaking course with Printmaking I as a prerequisite. Students will continue with screen printing and intaglio processes, and be introduced to polyester plate lithography. The class structure will consist of demonstrations at the beginnings of class sessions, scheduled workdays, and regular critiques.
(ART 164, 261; PHO 121)
ART 301
Figure Study III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
This is an intermediate level figure drawing or modeling course that advances the perceptual and technical skills developed in Figure II and I. Students with an interest in refining figurative skills in drawing or modeling may meet with the introductory figure classes to access the life model. In addition to the concerns of observational recording, building processes that lead to more refined or complex forms and the introduction of contemporary concerns and approaches will be explored.
(ART 201, 202)
ART 321
Contemporary Art Theory
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
An emphasis on art since 1968. Post Modernism, multiculturalism, Earth Art, Installations, and New Media are the subjects of this class. Rather than looking at the art as part of a chronological movement, the work and artists are discussed as a way of understanding various theoretical and cultural conditions. Although video and digital images will support discussion, this course is primarily a theory/readings course.
(ART 221)
ART 331
Sculpture III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 431
Sculpture IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Nurture the development of a cohesive body of work based on sophisticated techniques and a maturing sense of aesthetic direction. These courses stress the importance of drawing, model making, and research to the creative process. Group and individual discussions emphasize the development of critical vocabulary along with advanced technical exploration.
(ART 232 for ART 331 / ART 331 for ART 431)
ART 335
Time Based Media II
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 435
Time Based Media III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are studio-based courses that explore technical and conceptual problems surrounding works that develop over a period of time. Students will be introduced to processes, programs, and techniques for producing time based work, including digital video, sound editing, installation, and performance. Consideration of the social, cultural, and aesthetic contexts of the work will be emphasized. Included is the viewing and research of similar and related contemporary art practices.
(ART 231 for ART 335 / ART 335 for ART 435)
ART 341
Painting III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 441
Painting IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are advanced level painting courses that further build processes, including research, that lead to a more refined and complex painting practice. Contemporary concerns and approaches are clarified and their processes, form, craft, and content are refined.
(ART 241 for ART 341, ART 341 for 441)
ART 351
Clay III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 451
Clay IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Advanced study of aesthetic and technical information as it applies to contemporary ceramic sculpture. Projects include personal concept development with ceramic technologies, investigations into alternative clay techniques, and mixed media, installation, and site-specific considerations.
(ART 252 for 351 / ART 351 for 451)
ART 361
Printmaking III
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
ART 461
Printmaking IV
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
These are advanced level printmaking courses in which proposals for independent work are contracted. Although students in Printmaking III and IV will be working independently from Printmaking II, attendance is required. Independent research into advanced processes, techniques, and concepts is expected. Work in progress will be critiqued and evaluated during critiques with the Printmaking II class. In addition, individual discussions will be scheduled with the instructor.
(ART 262 for ART 361 / ART 361 for ART 461)
ART 371
Seminar I
Studio, 3 Credit Hours
Upper Division, Fine Arts majors meet for open studio practices and interdisciplinary research. Students research topics and artists important to personal and cultural developments. Visiting artists, slide lectures, studio visits, and exhibitions are incorporated into the class structure. Students work with faculty to develop a personal body of work that represents depth and breadth of exploration and the use of appropriate form and media. Business aspects of being an artist, such as applying for grants and residencies, photographing artwork, and writing resumes and artist’s statements are covered.
(one of the following: ART 311, 331, 335, 341, 351, or 361)
ART 471
Seminar II
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
ART 473
Seminar III
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
Following Seminar I, students will research topics and artists important to their personal and professional development while working with faculty to develop a body of work that represents depth and breadth. Three times during the semester the content, process, and form of student work is presented and discussed with a committee of regional art professionals. Business aspects of being an artist, such as applying for grants and residencies, photographing artwork, and writing resumes and artist’s statements are further developed.
(Advisor approval required; ART 371 for ART 471 / ART 471 for ART 473)
ART 490
Senior Thesis Exhibition
Seminar, 3 Credit Hours
This is a 6 credit-hour course in which students focus on producing a cohesive body of work for their BFA Thesis Exhibition. This studio-intensive class also involves the writing of a related research paper, presentation of a public lecture, and thesis defense. An exhibition of thesis work, complete with statement, invitations, and reception is required.
(ART 471)
ART 495
Art Internship
3 Credit Hours
The internship applies learned skills to a professional, working environment. A semester long internship with an approved professional art institution (for example the Tennessee Arts Commission or the Frist Center for the Visual Arts) provides students with the opportunity to experience a professional work environment. Students work in a supervised professional arts environment assisting with arts production, administration, outreach, exhibition preparation, and art handling. Students will keep a regular work schedule and record a diary of activities with reports to their advisor. It is required that students work 130 hours (for 3 hours credit) during their internship.
(45 completed credit hours and advisor approval)