Art/Music/Theatre 200X Aesthetic Appreciation
Tuesdays & Thursdays 11:30-1:00
Room 101 (The “Green Room”) Instructor: Tara Maginnis 474-7630
email: Tara@costumes.org web site: http://www.costumes.org Office Hrs: I may be found in the costume shop 1-5pm M-F other than when
department and production meetings are scheduled (not known at this time). Purpose: To begin to learn the
vocabulary, basic skills and frame of reference for you to be able to
intelligently discuss aesthetic concerns, and express your ideas and feelings
through artistic media. Grading: Grading is based on a system of points given for class participation
and successful completion of assignments.
The assignments are due on the dates stated and are worth less than
1/2 of their point value if turned in late (see extra credit). The total value of points obtainable in the
regular assignments is 300 pts. Grading
is based on the following table: 1000-900 pts= A This comes out to: 100-90% 899-800 pts= B 89-80% 799-700 pts= C 79-70% 699-600 pts= D 69-60% 599-0 pts= F 59-0% Attendance: Because much of this
class consists of experiencing art, music and film in class, attendance (150
points) and class participation (150 points) is a full 30% of your grade. Repeated unexcused absences will
significantly lower your grade, if not sink it entirely. Show up.
Sketchbook/Journal:
You will be writing, drawing, pasting, etc. into the blank book your
observations, notes and impressions of the art you see, hear and otherwise
absorb throughout the semester. This
journal will constitute another 30% (300 points) of your grade. Assignments: You will be writing 6 short (2-3 page) reports
on musical and theatrical performances that you see, as well as reports on
viewing two art gallery exhibits. The six reports may earn up to 50 points
each. The remaining 100 points are
possible in one’s final project. Final Project: Create an artistic project of your own, in
any media, that can be displayed, or performed, at the time of the final exam
period. Write a short (˝ to 1 page)
explanation of what you were trying to convey with the piece, and why you chose
that media to convey it. (100 points possible). Extra Credit: Besides the regular assignments there are also
areas of possible extra credit that may take the place of a regular assignment
that was missed. Extra credit assignments can be turned in at any time but
carry less than 1/2 the credit of a regularly scheduled (on time)
assignment. In other words, your
assignments are a little like parking tickets - if you don't "pay"
them on time, the "price" doubles and you have to do a double amount
of work to get the same point value. This is to teach you the importance of
deadlines, which exist even in artistic work. Junk
you must buy/scrounge:
Script for The
Importance of Being Ernest, by Oscar Wilde, Blank book at least 8”x10”
(with or without lines as you prefer), Tickets for Fairbanks Symphony and Theatre UAF productions (prepaid –pick up
at box offices), Thursday September 7th: First
Day of Class. Read Syllabus and
introduce yourself. Discussion: What is Art? (Note the Shenandoah Shakespeare
Co. is Performing Richard II at 8:15 tonight, Dr. Faustus on
Friday, Much Ado About Nothing on Saturday go to one of these
performances so we can discuss them on Tuesday – to get free tickets sign up to
usher a performance at the Theatre UAF Box Office). Tuesday September 12th: Try
describing what you saw at the Theatre over the weekend. How do you describe
art? Soda can Demonstration. Assignment: Bring examples of “good” and
“bad” art to class on Thursday. Thursday September 14th: Discussion: What is “good” and “bad”
art? New-Age-Hippy style sound and
smell-o-vision in class experience.
(Note Theatre UAF Auditions are 9-6 on Sat. Sept 16th) Tuesday September 19th: Video:
Nosferatu. Assignment: Bring
examples of “moral” and “immoral” art to class on Thursday. Beginning Drawing Practice. Assignment: see BFA Exhibit by Barbara Tudor
held in the UAF Art Gallery 9/18-9/29 Thursday September 21st: Discuss examples of “moral” and “immoral”
art. What is artist morality? Assignment: Listen to CD/Tape over
weekend. Write in blank book your
impressions of each track. Tuesday September 26th:
Discuss the Music, track by track. Pick
up tickets for the Arctic Chamber Orchestra’s Concert on 9/30 Thursday September 28th: Visiting
Artist: KSUA DJ talks about music and being a DJ. Assignment. See Arctic Chamber Orchestra’s Concert on 9/30,
write 2 page review/impressions. See
MFA show by Robin Feinman held in the UAF Art Gallery 10/2-10/6. Write review/impressions of this show or the
Tudor show. Tuesday October 3rd:
Bring sketchbook/journal to class for perusal by Tara (100 points possible) Drawing
your own face (bring pencils and your journal). Thursday October 5th:
Visiting Artist: TBA. Review/impressions of ACO concert due. (50 pts
possible). Assignment: Watch video of Schindler’s List over
the weekend. Tuesday October 10th: Discuss
Schindler’s List
Assignment: Bring an example of
the grotesque in art to class on Thursday. Thursday October 12th: Show and tell discussion of the grotesque in art. Review/impressions of the Feinman show or the Tudor show
due. (50 pts possible). Tuesday October 17th: Drawing inanimate objects (bring pencils
and your journal). Pick up your Winter Shorts tickets at the Theatre UAF box
office. Thursday October 19th: Guest Lecturer: Person involved in upcoming
Winter Shorts show. (Note The Student Drama Association’s Winter Shorts are
scheduled for 8:15 pm Sept 20, 21, 27, 28, and 2:00pm on the 29th. You are required to attend one of these
performances.) Tuesday October 24rd: Drawing
inanimate objects that aren’t there (bring pencils and your journal). Pick
up tickets to the Fairbanks
Symphony Orchestra’s concert on 10/29 Thursday October 26th:
Hippie touchy-feely session where we listen to opera/musicals in the dark. Assignment: Go to the Fairbanks Symphony
Orchestra’s concert on 10/29, write review/impressions. Tuesday October 31th: Not quite
a guest artist: Tara talks about
costuming for film and theatre, how you do it, why it works, with video to show
examples. Written report on FSO
concert due. (50 pts possible). Thursday November 2nd:
Drawing one another’s faces (bring pencils and your journal). Written report
on Winter Shorts due. (50 pts possible). Assignment: Read The Importance of Being Ernest over
the Weekend. Tuesday November 7th:
Visiting Artist: Ask questions of one
of the members of the production team of Ernest. Bring sketchbook/journal to class for perusal by Tara (100
points possible) Thursday November 9th: Work
helping us make The Importance of Being Ernest Costumes! Assignment: See BFA show by Carol Wilbur
held in the UAF Art Gallery 11/13-11/17.
Tuesday November 14th: Guest
Artist: TBA Thursday November 16th:
Dramatic/oral interpretation of literature. Tuesday November 21th: Avant Garde Art videos. Assignment: Watch “American Beauty over Thanksgiving
break. Thursday November 23nd: Thanksgiving
Break. See juried student show held in the UAF Art Gallery 11/27-12/8. Tuesday November 28th: Discussion: American Beauty. Pick up your Ernest
tickets at the Theatre UAF box office Thursday November 30th: Shakespeare
and film, video/lecture on Shakespeare’s influence on the American film. (Note
Theatre UAF’s Importance of Being Ernest is scheduled for 8:15 pm Dec.
1, 2, 7, 8 and 2:00pm on the 9th.
You are required to attend one of these performances.) Tuesday December 5th: Drawing your own face (bring pencils and
your journal). Thursday December 7th: Slide
pontification: The Almost Complete History of Western Art in an Hour. Written
report/impressions of the Wilbur or Student show due. (50 pts possible) Tuesday December 12th: Guest Artist: TBA. Written Report
on The Importance of Being Ernest Due.
(50 pts possible) Thursday December 14th: Tara lectures at you about How to “Fake”
Creativity. Bring sketchbook/journal to class for perusal by Tara (100
points possible) Final Exam Period: Display and performances of art works by the
class. Extra Credit Projects: You can earn up to 25 points of extra credit
for any of the following: An additional theatre review of a live show
seen from 9/7/00-12/16/00 An additional music review of a live show
seen from 9/7/00-12/16/00 An additional art review of a gallery show
seen from 9/7/00-12/16/00 You can earn up to 20 points extra credit by
writing A movie review of a film seen from
9/7/00-12/16/00 A cd review of an album seen from
9/7/00-12/16/00 A web site review of an art or entertainment
site seen from 9/7/00-12/16/00 If you can write either of these categories
of reviews well enough that the Sun Star, News Miner, the New Lemming or
another regular publisher will print it. And if you can show me it has in fact
been published, your extra credit on the review doubles.