Senior Seminar: SYLLABUS

Course Description:

Extending the goals of Senior Seminar I, this course will prepare students for the “real world” after graduation. Students will research venues for their work, write grant proposals, residency applications, investigate job possibilities, etc. Contemporary issues in building and maintaining a sustainable sculpture practice are addressed through readings and discussions.

In addition to examining the arts administrative landscape of a contemporary practice, this course analyzes the environment in which artists and arts organizations operate and the structure and management of organizations that present artwork, in both nonprofit and commercial venues. Students will study the various strategies and techniques needed to effectively manage their own art career. This course addresses the whole art system and how various elements/organizations/individuals interact and influence one another.

Existing trends, challenges and ongoing issues affecting the visual arts and visual artists will be examined within social, economic and political contexts through inquiry, critique and debate. Students are encouraged to develop a global perspective of the complex relationships between artists, foundations, residencies, museums and commercial galleries, while developing approaches to problems that enable their art to flourish in an inherently unstable climate. Students will hone critical thinking skills, and oral and written abilities to formulate informed, reasoned, and valid positions on arts administrative related issues. Interactivity and exchange of opinions and observations are encouraged by the instructor and guest speakers.

Required for all students undertaking a senior project in sculpture.

Course Goals:

Provide students with the advanced tools for developing and maintaining a sustainable art practice, focusing on self management, strategic career planning, and the development of one's artistic practice through residencies, grants and fellowships.

Learning Objectives:

Knowledge of:

• Various residencies, grants and fellowship opportunities.

• Administrative resources available to visual artists.

• Common management strategies used by practicing artists.

• Marketing tools for visual artists.

• Digital and in-person networking strategies. 

Ability to:

• Design effective presentations for visual arts professionals that reflects original scholarship, informed assessments, and original insights about managing your own visual arts career.

• Draft and submit strong applications for residencies, grants and fellowships.

• Articulate marketing goals for your studio practice.

• Make strategic plans for your art career

• Write project budgets

• Build an artist’s website

• Work in a self-directed manner as a means of demonstrating leadership aptitude.

Writing:

Every assignment for this course will have some writing component attached to it, the details of which will be tailored specifically to the given requirements for each project.

All assignments are due on the date listed in the syllabus. Unless stated otherwise, written assignments must be printed, and formatted at 1.5 spacing with a font no smaller than 11 pt. Late assignments will be marked down by 1⁄2 grade for each day it is late, and students will fail the assignment if it is not turned in within seven days from the date it is due. Email assignments will not be accepted without instructor prior approval.

Readings:

Contextual readings will be provided by the instructor on a week-by-week basis.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Darcy Bhandari, Heather and Jonathan Melber. “Art/Work - Revised & Updated: Everything You Need to Know (and Do) As You Pursue Your Art Career.” (2nd ed.) 2017.

Photography:

You must photograph every project you complete, these will be due as digital files, at the end of the year as part of your review. These videos offer the basic standards for shooting 3D objects:

Assessment & Grading:

The learning outcomes for this class will be measured by a performance-based assessment of the student’s portfolio. Grades will be given based upon the quality of each class assignment and the cumulative quality of the work demonstrated in the portfolio. Evaluation will be not solely on the success of a solution or project but also by the degree of challenge the students have posed to themselves. Professional expectations: indifferent craftsmanship, lack of participation in class, poor attendance and lateness, failure to complete assignments will negatively affect the portfolio grade.

Regular attendance and punctual arrival is imperative and non-negotiable. 3 absences = automatic failure. 3 lates (under 1/2 hour) = 1 absence. 2 lates (more than 1/2 hour)= 1 absence. Leaving class early is the same as arriving late. 

Participation is a key component of the grade. This includes coming to class with the required materials to work productively, completing all required readings so that the student can participate meaningfully in class discussions, and giving thoughtful feedback during critiques. 

Grades below a “C” mean the student is working below stated expectations. It will be necessary for the student repeat the course with a grade of “C” or better to advance to sophomore standing within their concentration. 

A grade of “C” means ‘satisfactory’ – that professional expectations have been met and that all assignments have been completed on time, with adequate craftsmanship. 

Grades in the “B” range reflect greater effort, craftsmanship and insight. 

The grade of “A” is reserved for extraordinary effort and results.

Grading Criteria:

55% of your grade will be based on the timely completion of all assignments. Late projects/ assignment grades will be lowered by one letter grade per day. Work that has been presented on time may be presented again for an improved grade. Reworking a piece is good artistic practice, and generally leads to an improved piece. Expect to spend 10 hours a week on your projects outside of class. 

45% of your grade will be based on your participation in class- your attitude and your participation in discussions and critiques. If you are not present, you are not participating, regardless of your reason. You need to work on your projects during the in-class studio time, so please plan accordingly. You are also expected to participate fully in any discussions or critiques. 

Unfinished projects may result in a failing grade for the course.

Community Health During COVID-19:

To ensure that each of us has a healthy and safe learning experience, all students are required to remain informed and follow Purchase College Policy and/or any departmental, local, state, or federal laws, rules or regulations for attending classes on campus and in a remote learning environment. 

Within courses that involve in-person contact, all students, faculty members, staff, and visitors are required to adhere to the expectations outlined on the College’s COVID-19 website.  Failure to comply with requirements (e.g. wearing masks, maintaining social distancing) will result in the request to leave the classroom for that in-person class session. Students may also be referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Academic and Professional Integrity:

Plagiarism and Cheating: https://www.purchase.edu/live/blurbs/840-academic-and-professional-integrity

Expanded Practice (non-traditional materials or presentation methods):

There may be options and opportunities to engage in an expanded art making practice through this class (the use of non-traditional materials or presentation methods.) If a student chooses to work in this way, it is important to communicate a clear plan to the instructor.  Through this communication we can ensure that any work does not negatively impact the daily schedule or physical structure of the Visual Arts Building, or other areas on campus. Some practices or activities such as the painting of walls and the hanging of art work from the ceiling must be approved by the Building Manager through instructor request.

The following alterations to the building may not be made:

• The painting of doors, ceilings, floors

• Addition or removal of doors, walls, or any structural element

• Removal (even temporary) of ceiling tiles

The following materials may not be used anywhere within the building:

• Perishable or decaying material, be it animal or vegetable

• Live animals

• Body fluids or parts

• Open flames or potentially hazardous objects or materials (included but not limited to, petroleum derivatives, out-gassing plastic, and chemical solvents.)

Any alteration executed in the course of an approved project or installation must be returned to its original state and will be confirmed by the instructor when finished.

Site-specific works:

All Artworks presented outside of the classroom must be done with instructor permission and proper procedure followed. A #purchART notification form must be properly filled out and posted next to the work. Sites must be given an OK by the instructor and any other affected parties such as residence hall RA’s and building managers. The instructor must follow the #purchART policy guidelines for class wide projects.

Documented Disabilities:

It is my goal that this class be an accessible and welcoming experience for all students, including those with disabilities. You are welcome to talk to me at any point in the semester about course design concerns, but it is best if we can talk as soon as possible about the need for any adjustments. The Office of Disability Resources collaborates directly with students who identify documented disabilities to create accommodation plans, including testing accommodations, in order for students to access course content and validly demonstrate learning. For those students who may require accommodations, please call or email the Office of Disability Resources, 914-251-6035, ODR@purchase.edu.

Communication: 

On campus: Tuesdays and via Zoom

Email: damien.davis@purchase.edu

Phone: 917-283-8653

Schedule an appointment: Via text message.