About Studio Art
In all studio classes equal consideration is given to technique, form, subject matter and content.
In studio art, alternative 100-level introductory courses lead to 200- and 300-level courses in the general fields of drawing, painting, and printmaking; sculpture, installation, and image and text; and photography, digital media, and internet literacy.
The 200-level courses include figure drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, photography and digital media. Projects are normally introduced with images of historical and contemporary art, amplified in discussions of related readings and conclude with a group critique. The 300-level courses serve both as advanced explorations of the above media, with some courses having a particular themes and others operating more as group independent projects, and as junior seminars with weekly discussions of critical readings and presentations of short papers.
Students are required to take four units of art history, including Art 201 and at least one course in non-Western art; seven units of studio art, including two 100-level art courses in different disciplines.
The junior qualifying exam in studio art, normally taken at the end of the junior year, is a pivotal step toward the senior thesis. Students critically reflect on their artistic practice throughout their college career, situating their work within broader creative and intellectual contexts. Through written analysis and visual presentation, they articulate key themes and influences, leading them to contemplate on the direction of their thesis. The exam culminates in a 45-minute discussion with faculty, where students engage in dialogue about their work and ideas.
It is a spare and accelerated program of study, but it well prepares most students for the independent and focused, creative and written work of the thesis.