Studio Art Courses

Peter Abrami
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Megan Hildebrandt
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

First-Year Core studio class with an emphasis on techniques of drawing. Focus on line, line weight, continuous line, contour line, sighting, figure, gesture, perspective (two-point, three-point, and isometric/orthogonal drawing), value, color, and texture. Course projects will allow students to envision and understand drawing in a contemporary context.

Zach Meisner
MW 8–11
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Sarah Navasse Miller
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

First-Year Core studio class with an emphasis on creating planar works and exploring formal principles and conceptual concerns. Course projects will allow students to envision and understand planar works in a contemporary context.

Erin Cunningham
MW 2–5
TTH 8–11
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

First-Year Core studio class with an emphasis on creating spatial works and exploring formal principles and conceptual concerns. Working with space, time, structure, process, and material. Course projects will allow students to envision and understand spatial work in a contemporary context.

Katy McCarthy
MW 2–5
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

First-Year Core studio class with an emphasis on time-based media and digital technology. Course projects will allow students to gain awareness of media art and ability to utilize digital technology and time-based media in a contemporary context.

Peter Abrami
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

This class will provide a platform for the continued development of a student’s basic understanding of line, mark, value, surface and composition. Students will experiment with various conceptual and technical methods, traditions, subjects, and expressive possibilities of drawing / works on paper.

Polly Lanning-Sparrow
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Students in this course will experiment with various concepts and technical methods and traditions associated with drawing / works on paper. This class will provide a platform to explore expanded aspects of drawing to understand and represent one’s personal voice in relation to histories and contemporary practices of drawing. Students will develop their drawing and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, assignments based on readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of drawing / works on paper.

Polly Lanning-Sparrow
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Students in this course will experiment with various concepts and technical methods and traditions associated with drawing / works on paper. This class will provide a platform to explore expanded aspects of drawing to understand and represent one’s personal voice in relation to histories and contemporary practices of drawing. Students will develop their drawing and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, assignments based on readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of drawing / works on paper.

Troy Brauntuch
TTH 2-5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Students in this course explore various concepts and technical methods / traditions of drawing to understand and represent the human body in relation to physical space, pictorial space, pictorial design, and themes of concern for each student. Students will develop their drawing and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, assignments based on readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of figurative drawing / works on paper.

Scherezade García-Vazquez
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Students in this course explore various concepts and technical methods / traditions of drawing to understand and represent the human body in relation to physical space, pictorial space and pictorial design. Students will start to develop their drawing “voice” and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, assignments based on readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of figurative drawing / works on paper.

Scherezade García-Vazquez
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Students in this course explore various concepts and technical methods / traditions of drawing to understand and represent the human body in relation to physical space, pictorial space and pictorial design. Students will start to develop their drawing “voice” and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, assignments based on readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of figurative drawing / works on paper.

Dan Sutherland
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Anna Teiche
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Students in this course will be introduced to various painting techniques / methods and histories. Additionally, they will begin an exploration of personal expression. Students will develop their work and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, assignments based on readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of painting and expanded field painting.

Scherezade García-Vazquez
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Students in this course will continue to explore various concepts and technical methods / traditions of painting in order to develop their own painting “voice” and to begin to understand the context of contemporary painting. Students will develop their work and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, assignments based on readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of painting and expanded field painting.

Renee Lai
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Troy Brauntuch
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Students in this course will continue to explore various concepts and technical methods / traditions of painting while further refining their specific concerns or painting “voice” and developing a deeper understanding of the context of contemporary painting. Students will develop their work and critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, readings, art historical references, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of painting and expanded field painting.

Dan Sutherland
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Students in this course will continue to explore various concepts and technical methods / traditions of painting with an emphasis on developing an ambitious, mature, distinct body of work that takes into account an understanding of the context of contemporary painting. Students will continue to develop critical thinking skills through discussion, critique, readings, and weekly exposure to global contemporary practices of painting and expanded field painting.

Eli Durst
MW 8–11
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

This class will introduce you to the fundamentals of black & white photography. You will learn how to use a manual medium-format camera, expose and develop black & white film, and make gelatin silver prints. You will also study aspects of photographic history and begin to define your individual voice as an artist using photography. For the first part of the semester, assignments will be given in order to challenge how you think about and make pictures, both technically and conceptually. The second half of the semester’s assignments are designed to allow for more of your own interpretation. Your final assignment will be to develop a personal project that consists of 20 cohesive images. Class time will be dedicated to slide lectures and discussions, group critiques, class printing, supervised darkroom time, and field trips. You are expected to work hard, complete the following requirements and be dedicated and attentive to your photography and the class.

Helen Jones
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

This studio course is centered around creating film and digital images and serves as an introduction to theoretical discourse examining the multiple roles that contemporary photography plays in our cultural time. Assigned projects will encourage you to create photographs as a mode of personal expression, as well as consider how photographs can obscure as much as they reveal and how what we see is often determined by our beliefs. The core structure of the semester is geared towards gaining knowledge of the tools of digital photography and applying this information towards the creation of compelling images. We will concentrate on the computer and inkjet printer as the counterpart to the wet darkroom. In this class, you will learn about the properties of digital files and how to process images in Photoshop to produce the best possible prints. You will become familiar with the tools available for creating or capturing images (how is the visible made digital?) and disseminating or outputting images (how is the digital made tangible?)

Alexander Birchler
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Inquiry of specific themes in photography which can include: photographic intervention, photography since 1945, photo book making, abstraction in photography, appropriation in photography, and lighting for photography.

Audrey Blood
TTH 11–2
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Enrique Figueredo
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

This course will introduce students to a wide range of printmaking processes. Students will be presented with demonstrations and hands-on instruction, with projects using the modern mediums of silkscreen and risography to the more traditional processes of relief, intaglio and lithography. Completion of this intensive course will allow students to choose which intermediate printmaking courses they wish to pursue further.

Annie May Johnston
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

This course will allow students to work with a wide range of silkscreen approaches, starting with stencils, hand-drawn techniques and photoemulsion, to photo-realistic CMYK processes, digital manipulation and repeat pattern. Using demonstrations and hands-on instruction, projects will be framed around the history of print and the multiple, production, publication and popular culture, print as protest, and its role in pattern and decoration. Students are encouraged to experiment and incorporate other mediums as they create and develop their work.

Enrique Figueredo
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

This course expands on traditional woodblock printing and introduces students to multi-block color printing and color reduction printing. Students will investigate the possibilities of creating and recording reliefs by studying frottage and collagraphy, and modern applications through the Fab Lab such as laser cutting and 3D printing. Projects will demand the dedication required to hand carve multiple blocks of wood and linoleum. Demonstrations on hand carving techniques will be supplemented by visual references of the historical development of the media and its impact on art history, cultural styles, and social movements.

Annie May Johnston
TTH 11–2
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Advanced Print Workshop is an all-media print course. While new concepts and techniques will be introduced, students will build on their pre-existing knowledge of any print process to develop print-based artworks that revolve around their chosen portfolio focus. There will be an emphasis on research, group critique, and contemporary practice, and time will be allotted for one-on-one instruction to guide students in realizing strong and advanced bodies of work that could be displayed as a curated group or solo show by semester's end. Students are encouraged to experiment and incorporate other mediums as they create and develop their work.

Enrique Figueredo
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

This course will investigate the presence and possibilities of printmaking out in the public realm. Students will study artists and movements in the sphere of “public art” and “street art,” occupy non-traditional spaces as their platforms, and learn the printmaking techniques utilized out in the field. The course will focus primarily on the versatility of serigraphy: wheat paste and posters, printing on fabric and repeat pattern wallpaper, and how these items can transform a public space. We will also explore how a relief can be activated outside of the traditional studio and become an accessible interactive object for the passerby. Students will be introduced to the influence and ephemerality of public art, and the material consequences of installing their artwork out in the world. Students will consider their concepts and voice given the visibility of their work within their community. In addition to critiques, this course will feature trips to public art locations, readings with short writing responses, and conversations about artistic practices and professional art world trajectories.

Only pre-reqs are Art Core and ART 310P. Due to complex administrative issues, the online Course Schedule does not list the accurate prerequisites for the class. The only prerequisites for ART 376P are completion of the Art Core and ART 310P Introduction to Print. If you meet those pre-reqs and wish to take the class, email your advisor with your EID and intention to take the class so she may clear you to register.

Margo Sawyer
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

John Stoney
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

In this course students will receive an in-depth introduction into the field of sculpture and will explore many different methods of making and relating to objects. Students will learn to think of their immediate environment and familiar objects as potential sculptural materials and exhibition spaces. We will cover basic technical processes including mold-making and armature construction as well as general principles on how to develop concepts, finish surfaces, and display completed work. We will read about and discuss various issues and practices in contemporary sculpture and students will work to develop their own focused studio practice as well as the specific language to discuss their work and the work of their peers.

John Stoney
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Consult Course Schedule or inquire with instructor for course description and information.

John Stoney
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Consult Course Schedule or inquire with instructor for course description and information.

Margo Sawyer
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

In this course we will focus on installation art. Through critical texts, videos, and readings, the course will look at the history of installation and its conceptual underpinnings. In addition, students will make site-specific installation work, use digital tools to create virtual spaces, participate in generative exercises, and respond to installation related readings.

Mark Kovitya
TTH 11–2
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

This course introduces students to computer modeling, 3D data acquisition, and various forms of digital fabrication. Specifically, students will use Rhinoceros 3D to digitally model and render virtual forms. Photogrammetry, structured light and laser scanning will be used to digitally capture 3D data and the department’s laser cutters, 3-axis CNC router, 4-axis CNC milling machine, 3D printers, UV printer, and vinyl cutter will be used to physically realize student designs. Personal research, lectures, media, readings and discussions will supplement software and hardware demonstrations during the course.

Mark Kovitya
TTH 11–2
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

This course introduces students to computer modeling, 3D data acquisition, and various forms of digital fabrication. Specifically, students will use Rhinoceros 3D to digitally model and render virtual forms. Photogrammetry, structured light and laser scanning will be used to digitally capture 3D data and the department’s laser cutters, 3-axis CNC router, 4-axis CNC milling machine, 3D printers, UV printer, and vinyl cutter will be used to physically realize student designs. Personal research, lectures, media, readings and discussions will supplement software and hardware demonstrations during the course.

Marianne Hoffmeister Castro
TTH 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Introduction to video, digital, net.art, and multiple media art forms with an emphasis on experimentation and a DIY approach to production. Focuses on the history, theory, and evolution of media art practices and their relation to the Internet and social media networks.

Kerry Maguire
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Advanced practice of media art exploring time, space, and reality through multidimensional forms. An investigation of media technologies and networks: aesthetically, formally, theoretically or conceptually using traditional media, new media, and immaterial approaches.

Kerry Maguire
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Advanced practice of media art exploring time, space, and reality through multidimensional forms. An investigation of media technologies and networks: aesthetically, formally, theoretically or conceptually using traditional media, new media, and immaterial approaches.

Michael Smith
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Consult Course Schedule or inquire with instructor for course description and information.

Hannah Spector
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Consult Course Schedule or inquire with instructor for course description and information.

Hannah Spector
TTH 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag

Consult Course Schedule or inquire with instructor for course description and information.

Katy McCarthy
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

Study in digital video, sound, and animation, with emphasis on the exploration of cinematic time and its time-based installation. Guided inquiry into the relationship between video and video projections, and technics and technology.

Teresa Hubbard
F 11–2
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Ethics and Writing flags

This lecture class will seek to provoke critical thinking and discussion on how artists use philosophy, theory, and criticism in the production of making visual art. As a class, we will visit local exhibitions and write responses about our experiences. We will also read and respond to a selection of texts exploring how aspects of the Anthropocene, critical race theory, gender identities and non-binary feminism can inspire contemporary art making.

Megan Hildebrandt
TTH 11–2
Instruction Mode →  Hybrid
Fulfills →  Ethics and Independent Inquiry flags

In this course, the Department of Art and Art History collaborates with a variety of clinical partners to explore the intersection of art and healthcare. By creating art with and for cancer patients, caregivers, and clinical staff, Aesthetics of Health students use their art to make connections and build relationships with others in a clinical setting. This is a wonderful class for students interested in community-based practice, the application of therapeutic arts, science and medicine, and inserting a higher level of empathy into their creative work. Instructor Approval Required.

Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful
MW 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

This theorical and praxis-focused class centers on legacies of activisms in the burgeoning field of socially-engaged art/social practice. It therefore serves as a point of departure for critical reflections on the most pressing issues raised by the work of socially-conscious creatives: artists’ visions versus participants’ expectations and needs; and long-term commitment with collaborating communities and their demands on artists. What is the fine line between revindicating or fetishizing disenfranchised individuals and groups? What are the roles—yes, plural—of the artist when traveling, being and becoming with communities sometimes far away from their own? What happens with the connections forged when the work is complete and the artist returns home? Our group will engage in conversations on the possibilities of art for self and collective transformation, and the potentialities of envisioning new worlds that we can inhabit. Similarly, we will explore together somatic exercises dealing with space, presence, and care. Some of our class will take place outside of the classroom as we commune with communities in the city of Austin, Texas.

Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful
MW 8–11
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face

In this class the entire city of Austin, Texas, is given preeminence in order to serve as the encyclopedic tool for a series of theoretical discussions and practical exercises in strolling, journeying, parading, pilgrimages, processions and the like. Each week participants take to the streets to put in motion individual or group actions dealing with, but not restricted to, the topic of walking: from window shopping to strolling through managed nature (e.g. parks). Participants comb block after block for the purpose of becoming familiar with what may be to some an uncharted territory. In the classroom, our group engages in conversations prompted by lectures on the works of artists/scholars on the subject of walking, as well as by the participants’ experiences as pedestrians, which bring to the forefront issues of accessibility. For whom and for what bodies have cities been planned and designed and what needs to change? Some of the seminar presentations address sites of disasters, places of mourning, and monuments deemed as historic, among others. Similarly, to be discussed is the phenomenon of tourism, and the current movements of people pushed away from our communities/cities/countries by the economic exploitation caused by globalization and by the unfolding destruction of our planet in the hands of corporations and conspicuous consumption. The majority of this class will be held outdoors as much as possible and will include somatic practices dealing with embodiment, space and bodily awareness, and care.

Rachael Starbuck
M 5–8
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Writing flag

Zach Meisner
W 2–5
Instruction Mode →  Face-to-Face
Fulfills →  Writing flag

Restricted to BFA Studio Art majors

The Professional Practices course focuses on the exploration of professional practices as they relate to the field of visual arts. This course leads students to investigate and gain knowledge of the many options available to help achieve their professional goals. Students will go through a series of exercises to improve their writing, presentation and organization skills to best support their artist career.

Individual projects to be completed under faculty supervision. Requires completion of at least fifteen semester hours of upper-division coursework in studio art and a grade point average of at least 3.00 in upper-division studio art.

Restricted to Studio Art and Art Education Majors, requires approval by Studio Art Assistant Chair to register.

Fulfills →  Independent Inquiry flag