MLA Boot Camp

 

Purdue University, in my home state of Indiana, has compiled a website that is the undisputed leader in online writing advice, the OWL. Here is the link to their MLA Formatting Guide.

Your final paper will incorporate at least three legitimate sources, and these sources will be listed in the proper MLA format on a separate page at the end of your essay. 

Spend some time on the OWL. Be patient. Let me know if you have questions: csmith@dcad.edu.

Class on April 15

Hello, Writing for the Arts Students,

First Thing: I apologize for not allowing enough time for a genuine conversation/debate on the topic of cultural appropriation last Wednesday. We are going to spend the first part of class on this. What do you think about the issue? Is it important to you? Why or why not? 

Second Thing: I've uploaded an example of the Delaware Contemporary Project on your respective Populi page. The file is titled "CSmith_TDC". Please use the same file-naming convention for your document. The folder is titled "TDC Draft."

On Monday, each student will upload their file and give a brief presentation/critique. If your literary piece is more than 500 words, that's not a problem. A thousand words is probably getting into TL:DR territory. My text was 569 words and I had to cut it down considerably. 

The 9:30 section should upload no later than 9:00 am on Monday, April 15. Students in the second section that begins at 11:00 should upload no later than 10:30 that morning. 

Let me know if you have questions: csmith@dcad.edu

Art & Cultural Appropriation: Debate & Discussion

 

Artists have always struggled with these issues, but only in recent years has the awareness of cultural appropriation gained traction as a significant problem. This video/discussion gives a great introduction to the debate. Next week we'll talk about "aesthetic appropriation" when we examine the case of Roy Lichtenstein. 

One of the animations, "About a Mother" is referenced in this video. Here's the link. 

TDC Project

 

Preparing for Visit to The Delaware Contemporary (TDC)

 Ten artists are featured in TDC's current group exhibition "RECRAFT".

Click on the links. Maybe choose one to three artists that interest you. That way you'll be prepared when we visit on Wednesday.

Hyperallergic is Funny (Kind of?)

 

Satire has an ancient history in art discourse. Every year, Hyperallergic publishes humor pieces on April 1. It's very hard to believe that anyone "falls" for these stories. 

Can humor open doors that critical analysis can't? Are some things and topics simply not funny? For instance, I find the stories that reference Israel's war against Palestinians objectionable. What do you think?

Articles and Resources: Art & Craft? or Art vs. Craft?

 

I assigned my class to read this article on scrapbooking (which talks directly about troubling the arts/crafts divide), and then I gave them the choice to read one additional essay of three options—one about sewing and mending clothing, one about woodworking, and one about quilting. These are less explicit in their approach to the central question, though I am planning to group students by the essay they chose to read and have them discuss and present to the rest of the class what each author’s approach to crafting illuminates within the larger conversation. Essentially we’re asking, “What does this author’s relationship to craft have in common with what we know about an artistic practice and art’s function or goal in society?” They’ve reflected quite a bit on this concept through readings and discussions from our first unit, so I am hoping the connections will come easily.