Instructor: Janet Carpenter

Office: A104 (Creative Arts Building)

Address: 50 Phelan Avenue, Box V14, San Francisco, CA 94112

Phone: (415) 452-7267 (Voicemail)

Fax: (415) 239-3131

E-mail: jcarpent@ccsf.edu

Web Page: http://fog.ccsf.edu/jcarpent/Art118mainpage.htm

Office Hours: Online chat, call-in, or in-person Wednesdays (except holidays) 2:00 - 3:00 pm

Biography: BA, Art History, Wellesley College; MA, PhD, Art History, University of Kansas. I have taught at City College of San Francisco since 1995. I am also curator of a private collection of modern Chinese art in San Francisco. I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, and gradually moved west, landing in California in 1991. I love to travel, both within the US and to other countries, especially to see art of all kinds.

Course Description: American Art

AMERICAN ART (Art 118) is a history of American art from colonial times to the present. Painting, sculpture, architecture, and crafts will be examined within their historical, political and socio-cultural background. Students learn to identify works by pivotal artists, recognize techniques and formal visual elements, and critically analyze artwork within its contextual framework.

Prerequisite(s): There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Objectives

When the student has completed the course, s/he will be able to:

1. Analyze the formal visual elements and techniques of individual works of art in different media.
2. Define the various styles of American Art, and demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast stylistic aspects and trends.
3. Evaluate works of art in relation to the sociological, religious, historical, and cultural context in which they were created.
4. Identify individual works of art and architecture by pivotal American artists.
5. Summarize the concepts that define and distinguish the American visual tradition, and demonstrate the ability to discuss and assess these concepts contextually.

Required Textbooks

(Available at the City College of San Francisco Bookstore (new window) http://www.ccsf.edu/Bookstore)

Wayne Craven, American Art: History and Culture, revised 1st edition (an overview of American art from Colonial America to the present and the historical and cultural context in which it was created)

Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing about Art, 9th (or earlier) edition (guide to writing many types of art history papers; discusses punctuation, footnotes, bibliographies, etc.)

Course Requirements

1. Reading assignments in the textbooks
2. Articles and other materials accessed through links in the course
3. Post to discussion forums at least twice a week
4. Descriptive analysis paper (3-5 pages)
5. Research paper (7-10 pages)

Optional Field Trip

This will be an optional meeting at the M.H. de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, for assistance from me on the first paper. See the museum's Web site (new window) http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/index.asp for information on hours and programs.

Special Arrangements

Students who need academic accommodations should request them from the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) located in the Rosenberg Library, Room 323 on the Ocean Campus. Telephone: 415-452-5481 (V) 415-452-5451 (TDD). DSPS is the campus office responsible for verifying disability-related need for academic accommodations, assessing that need, and planning accommodations in cooperation with students and instructors as needed and consistent with course requirements.