Coordinated studies,
|
"Creativity in Contemporary American Culture: The Artist & the Writer" |
Faculty Office Office Hours Phone Email
Pesha Gertler 0228E RC By Appointment (206)528-4570 pgertler@sccd.ctc.edu
Michelle Kelly IB2423C/8 By Appointment (206)527-3752 mkelly@sccd.ctc.edu
Class Meets: 5:30 9:50 p.m.
Mondays and Wednesdays
Classrooms: CC 2153 and AS 1627
Program Theme:
What is creativity? In our culture, we admire and yet are often intimidated by the mysterious nature of creativity. In this 10-12 credit writing and drawing workshop, we will begin to demystify the creative process, examining issues confronting, and techniques utilized by writers and artists. Through class discussions of readings drawn from diverse American cultures, projects in writing and drawing, and through museum/gallery visits, we will work together to develop a deeper understanding of issues involved in creativity and help each other discover and hone our own artistic and writing processes.
Key Questions We Will Explore:
• What is creative observation?
• What are our own creative
processes?
• What is the relationship
between creativity and structure/form/technique?
• What is the relationship
between creativity and analysis? In what ways do creativity and analysis
complement each other?
• How is one’s art affected
by one’s political, racial, gender, and cultural backgrounds affect one’s
art?
• How do different pieces
of drawing or writing reflect pieces of the artists’ identities?
• What are some cultural
expectations for artists and writers?
• Can trends in artistic
and literary expression shape and reflect contemporary culture?
Prerequisite:
Every student MUST show verification of placement into English 101: NSCC placement test results or Final Recommendation Form from previous NSCC English class (the white form).
Texts:
Seeing and Writing by Donald McQuade &
Christina McQuade
The Bedford Handbook, 6’th ed, Hacker,
Diana
Living Color: A Writer Paints Her World
by Natalie Goldberg
Additional readings to be provided during
the quarter
Required Materials:
• 9 x 12” drawing pad
(not sketch) 100 sheets (for weekly homework)
• 18 x 24” white drawing
pad (not sketch)
• 2B Conte crayons, 1-2
stick pkg of each, black, white & red (The red is called sanguine,
French for blood. These crayons come in several shades from brown,
to orange, to red. Red or orange work best for our project.)
• 3 single stomps or 2 double
ended
• 1 box soft vine charcoal
get the round, not square sticks, they are about pencil thickness
• “Char-kole” by Alpha
Color, 2 sticks this is in the bookstore; you don’t need the whole
box.
• 1/2” or 1” masking tape
this can be shared with another student.
• Inexpensive drawing
board with metal clips at the top you will still need the tape.
• Erasers: small gum,
small kneaded, and chamois
• Workable fixative
you can share this with another student.
• Portfolio (Simple and inexpensive
is fine, as long as it is rigid. Your drawings will be damaged in
the reddish paper ones and part of your portfolio grade is based on the
condition of your work. A beautiful drawing with folds across it
says, “Please give me an F.”)
Utrecht on Capitol Hill and Artist & Craftsman on 45th in the U District are your least expensive sources of art supplies. You can also shop at Dakota Art Supply on Roosevelt, at Daniel Smith on 1st Ave South, or at Seattle Art Supply near Pike Place Market. All are in the phone book so you can call for directions.
Course Requirements:
1) Attendance and Participation): As a member of our learning community, you need to be here, everyday, prepared to actively work with instructors and students. This means coming to class on time and participating in all class activities. If for some reason you must be absent or late, it is your responsibility to inform the instructors and to find out what you missed. Class is not the time for socializing with your friends. We ask that you are attentive to and respectful of the work being done by your fellow students and save your socializing for outside of class.
2) Seminar Paper): Each week, you will write a one-page paper based on that week’s reading assignment (mostly in Seeing & Writing). Seminar papers are designed to help you cultivate the art of brevity and selectivity, and to provide a base for seminar discussions.
3) Drawing Projects): There will be 5-6
drawing projects, briefer exercises, and a drawing homework journal in
which you will do 1 - 4 drawings a week plus a brief written reflection.
The in-class projects help to develop specific skills and techniques, and
they are also designed to demonstrate how to create a complete work of
art. The homework journal is less formal, a place to develop hand/eye
coordination and individual ideas through practice and repetition.
This will be checked weekly throughout the quarter.
4) Formal Essays): You will write 4 formal essays of varying lengths. Specific guidelines will be provided in ample time before each essay is due.
Each formal essay will involve writing at least
one draft, getting and providing feedback with peers, revising and editing,
and evaluating the writing process before turning in the final draft.
The instructors will not read and edit rough
drafts but would be happy to discuss them with you during office hours.
5) Gallery Visits): Artists learn visual thinking not just through practice, but also through looking closely at the work of other artists. You will have assignments to visit galleries in April and May, where you will answer questions pertaining to each group of shows. There will be 2-3 weeks to complete each of the assignments outside of class hours.
6) In-class Writing): This will provide
“warm-up” exercises for the formal essays. Often, these
will give the
verbal (or writer’s) equivalent of the artist’s approach.
You will receive more detailed guidelines for Seminar Papers, Drawing Projects, Formal Essays, and Gallery Visits throughout the quarter as needed.
* FOR ENG 299 STUDENTS ONLY: You will be required to write a short, additional paper and/or an informal class presentation.
Policies:
• All of your out-of-class assignments
must be keyboarded.. Handwritten material will not be accepted.
• Late material (writing
or drawing) will not be accepted.
• All assignments must not
only be your own work, but they must also be written or drawn specifically
for this course. No part of them may be taken from projects completed
for previous or concurrent high school or college courses.
• Your attendance and participation
are essential within this learning community; therefore, there are no
excused absences or latenesses except for emergencies at the discretion
of the instructors.
• As a common courtesy
to our learning community, please do not have cell phones, pagers,
or other sound electronics on during class.
• Please refrain from
talking when students are writing, in the studio, or when someone is addressing
the class.
• Students disrupting
the work of the class will be asked to leave for that class and will
be marked as absent.
Statement on Diversity and Classroom Learning:
Respect for diversity is a core value of NSCC. Our college community fosters an optimal learning climate and an environment of mutual respect. We, the college community, recognize individual differences. Therefore, we are responsible for the content and tone of our statements and are empathetic speakers and listeners.
Students with Special Needs:
Students with physical or learning disabilities
should inform the instructors and also contact the NSCC Educational Access
Center (527-3697) for assistance. We must also be informed if you
are already working with the
email: mkelly@sccd.ctc.edu
phone: office 206-527-3766
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NORTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE - 9600 COLLEGE WAY N., SEATTLE, WA 98125
ART DEPARTMENT (206) 528-4535 email - echriste@sccd.ctc.edu