Syllabus, Part A
A FEW NOTES TO BEGIN WITH -
Everything in this syllabus will be discussed on the first day of class, and much of it is presented throughout the course Modules (blue text are links). Please read this in its entirety at your earliest convenience.
Outside of Class Support:
Here is a list of valuable resources at your disposal. They are here to help you succeed.
- DRD, Disability Resources Department - (707) 527-4278. Find help with equal access for students with verified disabilities.
- SHS, Student Health Services - (707) 527-4445. A broad envelope of resources that include:
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- Clinical Services - a resource for short-term services related to your physical health.
- SPS, Student Psychological Services - for help with stress and emotional difficulties.
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Contact Information for Michael McGinnis, instructor of Art and Design:
My preferred method of contact is to use the Canvas Inbox message system (your inbox). While this is not technically email, it will forward an email to me with your message, and I can respond to you anytime and anywhere. I check emails very regularly. The Canvas Inbox message system is an essential tool in my classes.
I prefer the Canvas Inbox because it never gets spam or outside-of-class messages. My school email gets many dozens of useless and cluttering emails every single day.
If you have trouble with the Canvas Inbox message system, you can reach me via standard email at: mmcginnis@santarosa.edu. Any instructor, staff member, or administrator can be reached this way by using their first initial followed by their last name @santarosa.edu.
If you wish to speak to me via telephone, please contact me through the Canvas app or email, and I will give you my phone number. It is my private cellphone number, so I do not wish to publish it on a website.
Finally, we can schedule a private Zoom meeting if needed on a limited basis and by arrangement. I do keep office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30pm, by appointment. These office hours are in person, and are the easiest way to get one-on-one advice if you have specific questions, or wish to discuss sensitive matters outside of class time. In the event that we have to go back online, office hours are my preferred method of Zoom contact outside of class time because I set that time aside every week, and have the Zoom meeting open and ready for your visit.
Supplies (Materials & Tools) for This Class:
Every project requires certain basic tools and materials. Some projects need the same set as others, which is handy. On occasion though, a special set of unique items may be required. A standard approach in my classes is to vary the semester's projects based upon circumstance. I usually choose from a wide array of projects, but when taught online, I reduce the options to ones appropriate for home completion. Information on some of the possible projects we may do this semester can be found in Possible Projects.
In the normal classroom setting - not online- , many materials and tools are available on-site in limited quantities. When the class is taught online, you will almost entirely need to supply everything yourself. Still, it is quite possible to come out of the class having spent very little money if you are resourceful.
During the introduction of every project you will be instructed on the basic items required. You will have time to acquire them before use. For the most part, you have choices in vendors and the precise version of a material or tool you use. I encourage this so that you learn to make judgments for yourself on what is appropriate, based upon the in-depth criteria given. I consider your ability to discern the qualities of things as an essential skill to develop.
If you feel the need to know right away exactly what you might have to acquire throughout the semester, I urge you to instead be open to the unknown. Rest assured, you will not be asked to spend a lot of money. If it is still a concern of yours, discuss with me.
At present, all you need is a sketchbook and pencil for taking notes and generating sketches of ideas.
Course Outlines and SLOs:
The Course Outline for the Sculpture classes are committee-approved documents that I am asked to review and revise on a semi-annual basis. It is published on SRJC's Curriculum site. Here are links to each course:
Student Learning Outcomes (33A):
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
It is important to understand that course outlines and accompanying, "Student Learning Outcomes" (SLOs), are broad. They do not describe actual projects; instead they are lists of conceptual goals. These goals can be achieved in a variety of ways.
Projects in each sculpture class are designed with SLOs in mind, and you will gain appropriate skills through lecture, exploration, practice, and presentation.
As an instructor, what keeps this class fresh and interesting for me is variety and innovation. This is why I change projects from semester to semester. I am always looking for new, interesting approaches. After more than three decades of teaching, I still find joy in the process.
WHAT IS SCULPTURE?
Sculpture is one of the oldest art forms known, and it has grown out of our ability to create tools for living, and our need for self-expression. In its purest sense, sculpture is a formal object with no other purpose than conceptual. In this way, it is not a container for cooking, or a chair for sitting. In its earliest definition, sculpture was a carved object. But as techniques and material choices developed, so did the definition of sculpture. In time, forming (as with clay) and casting (as with bronze) became predominant methods. Unlike carving, forming could be quickly realized, and casting allowed for repetition. As technology developed further, modern construction techniques entered into sculpture. Pre-made sheet goods could be utilized to assemble works in much more efficient, lightweight, and structural ways. Currently, we are at a paradigm shift in methodology, where concepts can be generated in the non-dimensional digital world, and printed in 3D in a wide variety of materials. In this way, a sculptor can be completely hands-off, and their finished works can arrive through the mail, fully realized, from a printing company.
The oldest sculptures known are figurative in nature. Their form infers their meaning. These stone carvings represented the female form with voluptuous bodies exaggerated to emphasize hips, bellies, buttocks, breasts and genitalia. We believe that these were ceremonial objects or talismans related to fertility. When people transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to semi-sedentary and sedentary pastoral and agricultural societies, sculpture became monumental, complex, and often narrative. Most sculpture was of a religious and ritual nature, made to mark astronomical events, lay the dead to rest, and give glory to gods, rulers, and significant individuals. Take for example Stone Henge, Çatalhöyük history houses, the great Pyramids and tombs of the Pharaohs, The Parthenon in Athens, fine carved jade from ancient China, sculptures of deities and rulers around the globe, of Vishnu, Buddha, Jesus, Olmec heads, and countless others. As these depictions developed in skill and complexity, so did their cost in time and money. These works required patrons, who decided content. Religious, historical war, and political narratives reigned until the post-industrial revolution. Scientific discovery, technological development, an increase in social freedom and living standards was reflected artistically. Figurative work began to represent common people. Then non-representative sculpture appeared, with no need to define anything beyond its pure form. Intellectual investigation began replacing doctrine. Art became increasingly specific and conceptual. Today, the field is wide open. It is both a wonderful and difficult place to be.
What is the impact of this history on you? Where do we go from here?