Center for Writing Excellence

KURT NICAISE

INTRODUCTION TO SEQUENCED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

It is not necessarily the norm to incorporate writing assignments into the college level studio art curricula. However, I believe that it can be an integral and vital component to complement the studio experience. A writing assignment can serve to broaden the student’s understanding of the art that they are learning to make while exposing them to the art of today’s more-recognized artists.

Because of this belief, I have committed to designing a writing component for my courses. I fulfilled this commitment this past semester, but I believe that I could have done a better job. So,

I turned to Miami’s Center for Writing Excellence for assistance. Through their “Improving Student Writing in Content Courses” workshop, I have learned to invest my time upfront in designing writing assignments that work, set up realistic criteria for evaluation, and evaluate the students writing in a time effective way.

I designed this assignment specifically to expose my students to contemporary artists and push them to “get inside their heads.” I want them to gather information, wonder, find intrigue, and speculate. I am interested in their thoughts and the complexity of their thinking.

SEQUENCED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS FOR STUDENTS

Painting 2,3

Fall 2004

Kurt Nicaise/ Instructor

knicaise@fuse.net

Text Box: INTERPRETATION OF PAINTING THROUGH INVESTIGATION: LONG WRITING ASSIGNMENT FOR THE STUDIO ART CLASSROOM

Format: Investigation, Collection of Related Materials and Final Writing Assignment of 750-1000 words

Due: Components of this assignment will be due over the next 6 weeks

Points: 60 (out of 500 for the semester)

Learning Objective:

This assignment is designed to get you to examine the work of contemporary painters and investigate their conceptual platforms for making art. (Consequently, I hope to get you to think about why you want to make art and prepare you for developing a conceptual platform of your own.)

Method:

This assignment will be carried out individually and through small group interactions. You will be researching contemporary painters, their conceptual platforms, and their paintings. To do this research, you will be using databases, periodicals, books and electronic sources. After researching, I will expect you to rely on your own insights, critical ideas, and enlightened interpretations. I am interested in information that you have found only when it substantiates your thoughts and insights.

Alignment with Course Objectives:

Students will be able to better analyze their artwork and the artwork of other artists in a critically constructive manner.
Students will view and examine contemporary works of art.
Students will improve in their oral and written conversations about art.

Due Dates:

Components of the project will be due over the next 6 weeks. If your work is late for any reason, you will at best receive one-half credit for that component of the project. If you miss class for any reason, it is your responsibility to get the work to me. I will accept email submissions.

Process:

I will select several pairs of contemporary paintings (in the past 40 years) made by two different artists and assign each of you a pair of paintings. I will not tell you who the artists are… This is YOUR investigation!
Two other students in the class will have the same pair of paintings. They will be your group members. Use them!
You will investigate the artists who made the paintings, collect relevant information, and write about what you have found, including your insights and interpretations.
You will keep materials for this assignment in a pocket folder or folio.
On each of the due dates, you will discuss your findings and writings in your groups, and then consider their critical suggestions.
You will be graded on each of the 6 components in the project.

DUE	ACTIVITY	POINTS
1	Investigate the Paintings Determine who the artists are When the works were painted Titles, sizes, and media. Add to your portfolio	5
2	Broaden Your Investigation Collect at least 5 other examples of work by EACH of your 2 artists (at least 10 total). Also include their titles, dates, sizes, and media. For each artist’s work, print chronologically, in COLOR, one or two works on a page. Add to your portfolio	5
3	Who Are They? Investigate the artists’ lives. Develop biographical sketches of your two artists on separate pieces of paper. It is okay to “cut and paste” from sources (please include citations). Include their pictures, if you like. You may use bulleted formats. You choose! Reflect on what you have found out. Write freely about what you found interesting or intriguing about these artists’ lives. These will NOT be graded for spelling or grammar. Add to your portfolio	10
4	What Drove Them to Paint? Investigate the artists’ conceptual platforms. Find out why they painted, what they thought about, what were their conceptual and esthetic concerns? Write freely, expressing what you found out and YOUR reactions to why these artists made their art. What motivated them? Where did they find inspiration? What internal struggles or questions drove them to paint? What aspect of this do you find interesting or intriguing? You may find external reasons or circumstances surrounding the making of the work (perhaps they had an upcoming show at the Whitney?), BUT I am interested in knowing your thoughts on your artists’ conceptual concerns and internal struggles that are expressed in their work. These will NOT be graded for spelling or grammar. Add to your portfolio	10
5	Interpret the Paintings Now, look back at the original two paintings that I gave you, and prepare a first draft of your written paper. In light of what you have discovered and learned about the artists, how do YOU interpret these paintings? What do YOU think they mean? (Revise) Why do YOU think, the artists painted these works? (Revise) Do YOU think the works were significant in any way based on the context of the artist’s body of work? (Revise)	10
6	Refine the Written Interpretations Based on comments from your group members and me revise your paper and submit in a final polished form. Written papers should have a smooth and logical progression of thought that illustrates insightful and perceptive critical thinking. You should use proper spelling and grammar (syntax or sentence structure). They should have a 750-1000 word count.	20

Criteria for Evaluation of Final Writing Component:

Criteria	Rating	Score
Overall Quality and Sophistication: To what degree is the paper engaging, insightful and perceptive, precisely crafted? Does it exemplify critical thinking?	Outstanding	Out of 8
	Adequate
	Poor
Interpretation of Paintings: To what degree are your interpretations and assertions about the paintings substantiated through references to specific elements in the paintings?	Outstanding	Out of 3
	Adequate
	Poor
Utilization of Research: To what degree is the knowledge you gained in the investigation process integrated into your asserted positions?	Outstanding	Out of 3
	Adequate
	Poor
Writing Style: To what degree do you express your ideas fluently and precisely using effective vocabulary and sentence variety?	Outstanding	Out of 3
	Adequate
	Poor
Mechanics and Grammar: To what degree do you use properly spelled words and grammar abiding with standard written English?	Outstanding	Out of 3
	Adequate
	Poor

Miami University

Center For Writing Excellence