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.