Visual Arts Minor

Survey course of historical periods of Western art from ancient to contemporary. The course will explore major examples of painting, sculpture, and architecture as they reflect social and political influences. The fundamentals of art aesthetics are taught, including the art elements and design principles which create the development of form.

Beginning studio course in drawing using black and white media. Studies in line, space, composition and perspective. The student will learn to draw the proportions of the human figure.

Studio course in acrylic painting, exploring conventional and contemporary techniques. Presentations will include artistic development from naturalism toward abstraction and color theory.

Studio course teaching drawing techniques through applying the basic concepts of visual art; line, shape, value, texture, space and composition. Color theory and design are emphasized, using graphic media, pastel, ink and watercolor.

Survey of the visual arts including painting, sculpture, architecture, photography and film, from the Ancient World through the present. The interconnection between American and world culture is explored.

This course is designed for students studying to become teachers, art therapists, dentists, as well as those interested in ceramics as amateurs. Students will learn several hand-building ceramic techniques and various firing techniques, such as textural, glaze and underglaze painting. Students will produce ceramic tiles, handmade tableware and Jewish religious objects.

Intermediate studio course teaching concepts and techniques of visual art through drawing and painting. Perspective with transparent objects and figure and portrait drawing will be taught using mixed media. Prerequisite: COAN 224 (MCDN 224).

A studio course in varied techniques of acrylic painting based on the styles of contemporary artists. Students will build and stretch their own canvas and apply the stain technique. The styles of significant Jewish colorfield painters will be presented. Students will learn how to critique contemporary art, including abstraction. A guided trip to a NYC art museum or gallery, such as MOMA or the Findlay Gallery, will enhance the appreciation of techniques in the contemporary art world.

This course presents a survey of modern art and architecture from the mid- to late 18th century to the 20th century. Additionally, the class will learn how to “look” at art and architecture by examining the aesthetic nature of art. Methods of criticism and aesthetics will be considered as well as their historical and contemporary sources.

This course focuses on the methodological, theoretical, and concrete implications of representation in Jewish Art. Prerequisite: COAN 101. May not be repeated for credit.

Introduction to the field of children’s book illustration. Students will explore and apply a variety of media, including gouache, watercolor, printmaking, mixed media and technology. Various illustration techniques will lead to development of personal style while developing problem-solving skills. Videos, slides, book references, museum and gallery visits will expose students to a variety of images.

This course explores the relationship between the Tanach and rabbinic texts and the archaeological sites and artifacts associated with Judaism in ancient Israel. Special emphasis will be on the discoveries in the land of Israel and neighboring countries. Students will become acquainted with art and architecture, pottery, household objects, numismatic and epigraphy evidence. Students will become well-versed in the archaeological vocabulary necessary for understanding the readings.

This course combines a series of structured projects with historical research to explore the principles of design as they apply to three-dimensional forms. Students will experiment with methods and materials during their art making process and learn to create work where craftsmanship is an integral component. Competency in handling tools and various sculptural materials is stressed, as is the interrelationship between 3 and 2-dimensional design. Each class will include discussions of sculpture and architecture throughout history. Students will visit a major local art museum.

In this course, the student will be taught the basics of two-dimensional design as related to graphic design and desktop publishing. The basic vocabulary of visual form will be taught. Materials and board skills necessary for these projects will be explored. The development of the students’ visual creative skills will be emphasized. Projects will be assigned to familiarize students with the concepts presented. Successful completion of the course will require the student to produce projects which reflect their cumulative understanding of the concepts and skills taught.

This course uses camera and photographic processes as vehicles for artistic expression, perceptual discovery and design, and explores traditional and experimental use of photographic processes. Students provide their own cameras and basic materials.

The course offers a combination of theoretical approaches, examples and artistic creative expression. Readings and case studies illustrate the approaches to art therapy. Art exercises in the workshop sessions will teach the students how to discover the meanings behind the symbolic images latent in art works. During in-class critiques, students will present their artworks and observe and discuss the content of the work of their peers. Prerequisite: PSYN 101.

A continuation of PSYN 209 which covers humanistic, Gestalt, behavioral, cognitive and expressive arts therapy, techniques that strive to empower clients to take responsibility for their self-actualization. Art workshop exercises, which apply in practice the theories studied in the lecture sessions, will help students become aware of their inner selves as expressed in the symbolic images in their drawings. During in-class critiques, students will present their artworks and observe and discuss the content of the work of their peers. Prerequisite: PSYN 209.

An introduction to the music that forms the basic concert-hall repertoire, as well as folk styles. Music organization forms and style will be studied. Current issues as well social and political influences on music will be examined. The lives of the great composers will be discussed and their music played in class.

The interplay between tradition and innovation as a recurrent theme in the presentation of various contexts and regional styles of Jewish music.