ART & AESTHETICS: DRAWING ON OUR HUMAN EXPERIENCE

“Tumbling” Analogue Animation by Alejandro Knoepffler, 2015, Paper, Ink, Film Camera

What is this drawing class about? 

After taking AP Art History my final year of high school, my class was left with questions that I went on to see in many art and humanities courses throughout my years of schooling. What is art? What isn’t art? How do we know something is art? What are the parameters in which art exists? While I think Art History AP was a great informative course, it did not equip us with the theory and self-exploration necessary that these deeper questions require us to address.

By all means, take art history, take humanities courses in English, History, Languages, etc! But for me, when I was finally exposed to theory and frameworks halfway through college, it opened a new avenue for understanding things. Almost like a new dimension from which I could examine the “whys” of literature, art, and social studies.

Given all that, I don’t want this to be a course where all we do is read and write essays. That first theory course that I took was very heavy on the reading and writing, with discussion and application integrated in the course, but taking more of a backseat. In this course we will read, yes, but we will also learn to be critical of art. I want the class to bring a sketchbook wherever they go and take notes, sketches, and imprint their real life.

I want this to be a survey course that briefly touches upon topics I believe address the human experience in visual art & culture.

Is this a professional course? No! I don’t want to sell this as a course people think will advance their technical art skills. This is also not a course that gives a comprehensive history of a certain study. This course is about tapping into yourself and figuring out how to make art that comes truly from inside you.