The Art of Maine

Fine Arts Department

2 Fort Road • South Portland, Maine 04106 • 207-741-5500 29 Sewall Street • Brunswick, Maine 04011 • 207-729-0273

Title: The Art of Maine Catalog Number: ARTH 110 Credit Hours: 3 Total Contact Hours: 48 Lecture (or Lab): Lecture Instructor: Michael Branca Office Hours: By appointment Contact Information: [email protected]

The Art of Maine

Course Syllabus Spring 2018

Course Description Maine holds a special place in the history of art and retains a vigorous presence in the contemporary art world. Some of the biggest names in American art history (including Frederic Edwin Church, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Marsden Hartley, Dahlov Ipcar, William Wegman and Andrew Wyeth) found inspiration from the beauty of Maine’s coast and mountains. Others (including Louise Nevelson, William Pope.L, Yvonne Jacquette and a street artist named Pigeon) have looked to the people, politics, cities and culture of the state for the basis of their work. Many more have simply found creative clarity and focus, by living or spending extended time in our state. This class will introduce students to the history and current state of art in Maine, while challenging students to find personal means of creative expression, by making art in a variety of media that addresses what “Maine” means to them. Pre-requisites / Co-requisites: None

Course Objectives After successfully completing the course, the student will be able to: • Identify the work of some of the most well-known artists in American art history through the artwork they produced in Maine. • Recognize and understand the work of a broad range of contemporary artists who are intimately connected to the state. • Gain exposure to many types of artwork created in a variety of conventional and nontraditional media by scores of diverse contemporary and historical artists. • Employ comprehension and vocabulary of visual art concepts to engage in critical discussions. • Develop creative skills and experience working in a variety of art media. • Produce a portfolio of studio art based on personal observations, feelings and experiences of Maine.

Course Requirements • Spend at least three hours per week working on art projects at home. • Complete required weekly readings and demonstrate comprehension in writings and class discussions. • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the most significant artists in Maine-related art history and contemporary art. • Maintain an ongoing sketchbook/journal chronicling observations and experiences in Maine. • Deliver a research paper. • Actively participate in studio work, discussions and critique.

Text and Materials Text: There is no textbook for this course. Weekly readings are provided as digital files posted on the portal.

Materials: There is no supply kit, but you are required to provide all of your own art materials. You will need regular access to a digital camera for multiple projects. Please budget around $30 for supplies for the semester. The specific materials you need will vary depending on how you approach the different assignments. These may include: paints, charcoal, pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, artist’s pens, glues, wood, canvas, posterboard, cardboard, etc. Many projects may be completed using nontraditional media, found objects, digital art, film, video or other media. A portfolio case (purchased or homemade) for protection, storage and transport of flat artwork is very useful.

Student Evaluation and Grading Grades are assigned based on participation in discussions; completion of assignments; self-challenge; time and effort spent; quality of work; understanding of concepts; and growth and development.

Attendance Policy All class meetings are mandatory. Showing up and playing an active role in discussions, exercises and critiques are essential. If you do miss class, it is your responsibility to know and complete all in-class and homework assignments. Two unexcused consecutive absences or more than three total absences may yield an Academic Failure or you may be advised to drop the course. Late arrivals and early departures beyond 15 minutes may be considered absences.

Readings and Written Responses Readings are assigned weekly, to which students should submit a 300-word response paper. Essays should address specific themes presented in the readings and should mention at least two specific artists or artworks. Papers are due via email Monday night at midnight. Late papers will automatically lose 20% if turned in before class begins on Thursday. Papers later than this will not be accepted. Please submit your essay in the body of the email, not as an attachment.

Art Projects Weekly creative projects are assessed as follows: 33.3% Project follows the parameters of the assignment in form and spirit and is completed on time. 33.3% Project demonstrates a working understanding of the specific concepts and learning objectives of the assignment. 33.3% Student challenged his/herself to get the most out of the assignment and executed it to the best of his/her ability.

Your overall grade will be calculated as follows: 93-100 A 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ 0-59 F 90-92 A- 83-86 B 73-76 C 60-66 D 80-82 B- 70-72 C-

A Highest level of commitment, effort and enthusiasm, demonstrated by working independently and carrying through ambitious and challenging projects. All assignments are complete, often taking more than the expected three hours per week. B A high level of effort and enthusiasm. The student demonstrates a sincere level of commitment and a devotion to learning the skills of the class. All or most assignments are complete. C A sufficient level of achievement in quantity and quality of work. Multiple assignments are incomplete or rushed. D Deficiency in commitment and accomplishment. Many assignments are incomplete or rushed. F Extreme deficiency in commitment, understanding and accomplishment. Very few assignments are attempted.

Final Grade Breakdown Class Participation/Preparedness 40% Weekly Art Projects 28% Response Papers 11% Research Paper 5% Midterm Project 8% Final Project 8%

Semester Outline Rather than taking a traditional chronological approach, weekly topics are designed to cover broad subjects which enable the exploration of historical and contemporary art every week. This will also provide the opportunity to return to the work of certain artists many times over the course of the semester, whenever their work fits a theme.

Week Date Lecture Topic Project Due Article (response due) 1. 1/18 Many Maines (Introduction) - -- 2. 1/25 Maine Art Overview I My Maine / Not My Maine Beem 1/Donohue (1/22) 3. 2/1 Maine Art Overview II My Maine (collage) Beem 2/Hartley (1/29) 4. 2/8 The Draw of the Coast I What Are You Looking At? (I) Carl Little (2/5) 5. 2/15 The Draw of the Coast II Found in Maine Robert Henri (2/12) 6. 2/22 Museum Field Trip (From Maine) Looking Out Barry / Uraneck (2/19) 7. 3/1 The Woods and Mountains Work on Midterm Project Thoreau / Ilex (2/26) 8. 3/8 Photography: More than a Snapshot Midterm Project: Two Maines -- == 3/15 SPRING BREAK ======9. 3/22 3-D: Sculpture and Installation What Are You Looking At? (II) Keyes: Wyeth (3/19) 10. 3/29 4-D: Film and New Media Site-Specific Lippard / Kany (3/26) 11. 4/5 Maine Art Today (Field Trip) 1. Final Project Proposal 2. Work on Research Paper Keyes: Arctic (4/2) 12. 4/12 Folk, Functional and Indigenous Research Paper -- 13. 4/19 The Influence of Skowhegan Profile of a Mainer: From Here David Smith (4/16) 14. 4/26 Close Observation Profile of a Mainer: From Away Steve Martin (4/23) 15. 5/3 Many Maines (Wrap-Up) Work on Final Project -- 16. 5/10 Final Critique Final Project --

Articles 1. “Marsha Donahue on Regionalism” by Marsha Donahue, Maine Arts Journal, Fall 2017. Introduction to Maine Art Now by Edgar Allen Beem, 1990. 2. Excerpts from “Is There an American Art?” by Marsden Hartley, 1938. “All Art is Local” by Edgar Allen Beem, Maine Arts Journal, Fall 2017. 3. Excerpts from Paintings of Maine by Carl Little, 1991. 4. Excerpts from The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, 1923. 5. “What is a Pioneer? A social view” by William David Barry, Women Pioneers in Maine Art, 1900-1945, The Joan Whitney Payson Gallery of Art, Westbrook College, Portland, 1985. “Pioneering Aesthetics” by Joan Uraneck, Women Pioneers in Maine Art, 1900-1945, The Joan Whitney Payson Gallery of Art, Westbrook College, Portland, 1985. 6. Excerpts from Thoreau’s The Maine Woods, 1848. “Camps and Tramps about Ktaadn” by Arbor Ilex [Alexander Holley], Scribner's Monthly 16 (May 1878). 7. “In the centennial of his birth, Andrew Wyeth gets a closer look” by Bob Keyes, Portland Press Herald, April 9, 2017. http://www.pressherald.com/2017/04/09/in-the-centennial-of-his-birth-andrew-wyeth-gets-a-closer-look/ 8. “Being in Place” by Lucy Lippard, Mane Arts Journal, Fall 2017 (reproduced from The Lure of the Local – senses of place in a multicentered society, 1997). “Provincialism” by Dan Kany, Maine Arts Journal, Fall 2017. 9. “Maine artists head to the Arctic in search of a new frontier” by Bob Keyes, Portland Press Herald, August 13, 2017. http://www.pressherald.com/2017/08/13/maine-artists-head-to-the-arctic-in-search-of-a-new-frontier/ 10. “Some Questions: Skowhegan Lecture, 1956” by David Smith (published in The Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture 60 Years, Colby College Museum of Art, 2006. 11. “Captain Upton’s House” by Steve Martin, from Edward Hopper’s Maine, 2011.

Art Projects

Project 1: My Maine / Not My Maine (3 points) 1. Submit three of your own photographs that show a side of Maine that is important to you. You might focus on the natural environment, a particular community, a culture or subculture, your family or friends, or anything else that encapsulates your relationship with the state. 2. Submit three of your own photographs that document a part of Maine that is outside of your personal experience or within which you feel like an outsider. 3. At least three pictures must be taken specifically for this project. 4. Include brief written explanations describing when and where you took the photos and the significance of your choices. 5. Photographs may be printed or submitted digitally. Digital files may be emailed as attachments or shared on Google Drive.

Project 2: My Maine Collage (3 points) This is one of several assignments designed to chronicle what Maine means to you. This project should bring together notes, sketches, photographs (yours and/or other people’s), found objects, articles, quotations, etc. You may undertake it as a traditional “cut and paste” collage, a three-dimensional assemblage, or a digital photomontage using Photoshop or a similar program. You might also decide to enhance your design with areas of drawing or painting (physically or digitally). Give your project an overarching theme based on a word or phrase (possible examples: “The Way Life Should Be;” “Cold;” “Friendly;” etc.). Structure your design to reflect the chosen theme.

Project 3: What Are You Looking At? (I) (3 points) Create a work of art (or series of works) based on close, intimate observation of nature or society. Use any medium you choose, including drawing, painting, collage, mixed media, photography, digital art, video, etc.

Project 4: Found in Maine (3 points) Create a found object sculpture (“assemblage”) using items collected in the state and which say something about the specific place they were found. This might include objects found in nature, collected off the street, printed materials, etc.

Project 5: (From Maine) Looking Out (3 points) Create a work of art which addresses Maine’s role in the greater world. Projects may address politics, culture, nature, etc. Consider the perception that people from other places might have of our state. Consider industries such as paper-making and ship-building that have an impact on the world beyond Maine’s borders. Consider artists, writers and other thinkers whose work has made an impact outside of area code 207. Some outside research might be helpful.

MIDTERM PROJECT: Two Maines (8 points) Create a project which addresses the contrasts and/or conflicts between two different sides of our state. Your “Maines” may be determined in terms of politics, culture, subculture, personal experience, history, nature, civilization, etc.

You have two weeks to complete this project and it is worth significantly more than a typical project (eight points instead of three). To be eligible for full credit you must bring your work in progress the first week (15%).

Project 6: What Are You Looking At? (II) (3 points) Create a work of art (or series of works) based on close, intimate observation of nature or society. Use any medium you choose, including drawing, painting, collage, mixed media, photography, digital art, video, etc.

Project 7: Site-Specific (3 points) Create a work of art in a public location (may be indoor or outdoor, in-town or in-the-woods, etc.), in which you respond directly to the space you have chosen. Projects may be temporary or longer-lasting. Works must be presented to the class as carefully crafted photographs (or a series of photos), which should stand up as independent works of art by themselves.

Project 8: Final Project Proposal (1 point) In at least 100 words, describe your theme and explain your goals for the Final Project (see assignment below). Discuss materials and size. Please also include a sketch of the layout and any supplemental images that might help communicate your idea. This might include concept drawings or photographs, and/or images of other artists’ work that might act as inspiration for your work.

RESEARCH PAPER (5 points) In a 1000-word paper, compare and contrast the work of a contemporary Maine artist (or art movement) and a historical Maine artist (or art movement). Include photographs of all artworks you discuss and be sure to include all artist names, artwork titles, medium and year produced (whenever possible). Discuss the similarities in creative vision and overall philosophy along with what factors set them apart. Your research should explore more than just the basic biographies of the artists. Look for critical analysis of your chosen artwork by contemporary critics as well as articles written when the work was produced. You should also consider political, societal, cultural, and other factors that contributed to the decisions to make a certain type of art at a particular time. Support these claims with additional research. Consider also the influence (if any) that Maine had on the artists and their work. Be sure to cite all sources in a properly formatted (MLA) bibliography. A list of websites is not a bibliography.

Project 9: Profile of a Mainer I: From Here (3 points) Create a work of art in any medium which tells the story of a person you know who can be described as “from here.” The artwork may be literal or symbolic. It might include an image of the person but it does not have to.

Project 10: Profile of a Mainer II: From Away (3 points) Create a work of art in any medium which tells the story of a person you know who can be described as “from away.” The artwork may be literal or symbolic. It might include an image of the person but it does not have to.

FINAL PROJECT: My Maine (8 points) Create a work of art or series of related pieces that tells a story of your relationship to the State of Maine. Choose an overarching word or phrase (such as “home,” “community,” “Vacationland,” etc.) to help focus your concept. Use any medium or combination of media.

SMCC POLICIES

End-of-Course Evaluation Students complete evaluations for each course attended at SMCC. Evaluations are submitted online and can be accessed through the student portal. Students can access the course evaluations beginning one week before the end of classes. The deadline for submission of evaluations occurs Monday at 5 p.m. following the last day of the class. You will receive an e- mail to your student e-mail account when course evaluations are available.

ADA Syllabus Statement Southern Maine Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and employer. For more information, please call (207) 741-5798. If you have a disabling condition and wish to request accommodations in order to have reasonable access to the programs and services offered by SMCC, you must register with the Disability Services Coordinator, Sandra Lynham, who can be reached at 741-5923. Further information about services for students with disabilities and the accommodation process is available upon request at this number. Course policies about online testing are modified to suit each individual’s accommodations.

The Learning Commons: The library, tutoring and writing centers, and open study space are located on the second floor of South Portland’s Campus Center and in the Midcoast’s LL Bean Learning Commons and Health Science Center. Here you can find free academic support through individual and online tutoring, information literacy/research librarians, and professional academic strategy/planning mentoring. There are many desktop and laptop computers as well as printers, reserve textbooks, and other academic tools available for use within the Learning Commons. Services are offered by appointment or as drop-in assistance. To access services, visit My Learning in My Maine Guide. Students consistently report that the Learning Commons is an inviting and friendly place to seek academic support or study. Those who make use of the Learning Commons regularly have been shown to be more likely to succeed—take advantage of this exceptional resource for this, or any of your classes.

SMCC Pay-for-Print Policy Each semester students receive a $20 printing credit. The balance resets at the end of the semester and any remaining credits are removed. The College’s pay-for-print system monitors printing on all printers (including those in general access labs, library printers, Tutoring Services, Campus Center Lounge and technology labs). Be sure to log OUT of the system when you’ve finished your printing, to prevent unauthorized access to your account. Students can check the number of pages they have printed by using the Printing Balance tool available on SMCC computers (located in the lower right corner of the screen, near the clock). Departments with work study students who need to print documents for the department should contact the Help Desk at 741-5696 to have a special account set up. To find ways to reduce your printing charges, please go to the IT Help tab on My SMCC. If you have questions about the pay-for-printing policy or your printing charges, please contact the Help Desk at 741-5696 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Refunds: Print jobs are eligible for a refund in the event of mechanical or electronic error on the part of the printer, print server, or software used to submit the job. Jobs are not eligible for a refund in cases where the job was not set up correctly, was submitted multiple times, or the student is not satisfied with the result. To request a refund, please bring the offending print to the IT Department in the basement of the Ross Technology Center. Refunds will be granted in the form of a credit to the student’s account.

Add-Drop Policy Students who drop a course during the one-week “add/drop” period in the fall and spring semesters and the first three days of summer sessions receive a 100% refund of the tuition and associated fees for that course. Please note any course that meets for less than the traditional semester length, i.e., 15 weeks, has a pro-rated add/drop period. There is no refund for non-attendance.

Withdrawal Policy A student may withdraw from a course only during the semester in which s/he is registered for that course. The withdrawal period is the second through twelfth week of the Fall and Spring semesters and the second through ninth week of twelve-week Summer courses. This period is pro-rated for shorter-length courses, usually 75 percent of course meeting times; please check with the Registration Office. To withdraw from a course, a student must complete and submit the appropriate course withdrawal form, available at the Registration Office. This process must be completed either in person or by using SMCC e-mail accounts.

Plagiarism Statement If an instructor suspects that a student has knowingly committed a violation defined in the Maine Community College System Policy on Student Grade Appeals and Academic Misconduct, the instructor has the authority to review the alleged misconduct and determine the grade that the student should receive for the assignment and the course. The instructor may assign a failing grade for the assignment or course and may require the student to complete additional work for the course. The instructor may consult with the department chair and/or the College’s chief academic officer prior to making such decisions. If a student seeks to challenge an instructor’s determination, the student should submit a grade appeal. Grade appeal forms are available in the Advising Office on the South Portland Campus or in the administrative offices in the Learning Commons on the Midcoast Campus. An instructor may also refer the matter to the College’s disciplinary officer for review under the procedures of the MCCS Student Code of Conduct.