Above: In progress work from last year’s Directed Practice
By Page Olsen ’20, Staff Writer
The syllabus, structure and outlook of studio art courses changed when LVC switched to online learning due to COVID-19 concerns.
With some exceptions, LVC’s studio art classes require several materials and significant space for students to work on projects. Additionally, these courses rely on in-progress feedback from both professors and other students.
Michael Pittari, professor and director of creative arts, shared how his classes are changing.
“I’m teaching Portfolio & Publishing Studio, which is a fairly straightforward transition to online since the projects are all completed using Adobe software,” Pittari said. “As long as everyone has a computer, software and good internet access they can complete the work.”
Directed Practice, the capstone studio course for creative arts majors, has more obstacles in this transition. Students took their projects and materials home from the studio to continue working. Progress documentation and class critiques will happen online.
“I hope we can keep a good level of dialogue, and I have confidence in this group of students,” Pittari said.
In prior years, Directed Practice produces the student thesis exhibition in the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery. With campus closing, the future of this next exhibition is in question. Faculty are considering either mounting the show and having small reception or none at all, or creating an online exhibition.
Dr. Grant Taylor, professor of art and art history, also commented on how his classes are adapting. For Printmaking Studio, students brought home supply kits and will be sent ink.
“We will continue to pursue our print projects, but we will hand print rather than use an etching process,” Taylor said.
Taylor will record tutorials for the upcoming three projects.
Darkroom photography studio is now switching to digital photography. Students will submit assignments in black and white.
Prior to the news that on-campus classes will not resume this semester, Rebekah Nickel, a junior creative arts major, shared her thoughts on an emotional social media post online. With her permission to share, Nickel’s words express a student’s perspective of this change.
“Thursday night this week, less than 24 hours after getting an email from the school that we weren’t shutting down and that all the activities were still going on as planned, we got another email saying that we were shutting down and switching to online classes,” Nickel said. “My roommates and I started packing that night and went to our classes the next day. The art professors were all scrambling to figure out how to do these classes in person, because not all classes can easily be switched to online.”
After explaining how some of the studio art classes are transitioning, Nickel noted that art classes are not alone in this frustration.
“I hope we’re able to go back and finish the semester right away,” Nickel said.