The Missouri Fine Arts Academy provides a unique program of artistic, extracurricular, and social opportunities to Missouri's talented high school students, and has done so since 1996. Click here to learn more about MFAA...
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MFAA Home > Curriculum
Curriculum (2008)
Development Goals | Guides | Categories of Study
Development Goals
The Missouri Fine Arts Academy has two clearly defined professional development goals:
- To encourage local schools to establish and/or improve programs for artistically gifted youth by providing leadership in curriculum development and teaching strategies
- To provide the state with trained teachers and special materials that can improve education for artistically gifted students
In an effort to reach these goals, the faculty of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy has adopted a standardized curriculum form that meets the requirements of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The Missouri Fine Arts Curriculum Guide
- Provides a course description and rationale
- Defines measurable student objectives
- Links each objective to state and national fine arts standards
- Links each objective to Bloom’s taxonomy, which identifies the objective’s highest level of learning
- Links each objective to suggested method(s) of assessment
- Provides daily lesson plans
- Links each daily lesson with one or more learning styles, as identified by Howard Gardner
- Links each daily lesson with measurable objective(s)
Guides may also contain:
- Assessment tools
- Resource materials
- Pictures of student processes and commentary
Curricular Guides:
(format: Microsoft® Word .doc)
- Community Tea (97K)
- Who I Am (85K)
- Finding Your Own Music (79K)
- Poetry (98K)
- Beginning Jazz (90K)
- Beyond Realism (108K)
- Ballet Technique (86K)
These courses were designed for high school students, but skilled teachers will be able to adapt curriculum to meet their own students’ levels and needs. Missouri Fine Arts faculty whose work is represented here are happy to share their curriculum and welcome questions and feedback, especially from those who have adapted Missouri Fine Arts Academy curricular guides for use in their own classrooms. Contact us regarding the Missouri Fine Arts Academy curriculum by emailing the instructors at their addresses listed on the curriculum guide or by contacting Julie Bloodworth, Director at JulieBloodworth@missouristate.edu or 417-836-6607.
Categories of Study
The curriculum of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy is divided into three distinct categories of study:
- Interdisciplinary Artistic Studies
- Applied Studies
- Coursework Related to Artistic Disciplines—Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts
1. Interdisciplinary Artistic Studies
Each student will spend every class day
morning working in an innovative course of an interdisciplinary nature.
Each interdisciplinary group is composed of about 33 students, including vocalists, instrumentalists, visual artists, dancers, and actors. Each group experience is facilitated by two faculty members with specialties in different artistic disciplines. Students and facilitators in each group work collaboratively to explore a single broad theme. The process of exploration naturally involves students’ participation in experiences that meet Missouri’s performance standards for students in its schools:
- Gather, analyze and apply information and ideas
- Communicate effectively within and beyond the classroom
- Recognize and solve problems
- Make decision and act as responsible members of society
Each of the six interdisciplinary groups creates a unique presentation that illustrates the Academy theme and that incorporates all the artistic disciplines represented at the Academy. These presentations are shared with the rest of the Academy community. A reflection and evaluation session follows the presentations.
Course Objectives (.doc, 39K)
Rationale, Plan and Strategies (.doc, 46K)
2. Applied Studies
All Academy students participate in applied lessons and/or classes.
Applied Dance Courses
Applied Dance (Ollington, Rieger) 14-day course
This course is a dancer's workshop emphasizing modern and ballet technique. These two techniques will be taught on alternating days. Students will develop a structural understanding of how the body initiates and performs movement and will discover personal and dynamic body alignment. They will also develop physical stamina, strength, flexibility, articulation, coordination, musicality, and phrasing. Through this training, dancers will find themselves grounded, centered, and secure. In conjunction with these physical and intellectual pursuits, they will explore the performance energy that goes beyond the body; call it "stage presence," or "projection." Proper alignment and safe anatomical execution of ballet will be emphasized, along with terminology. Modern dance technique may be less familiar to most students than is ballet. In modern dance technique class, strengthening the core and lengthening through the spine and appendages are primary. Based in the concept of Fall and Recovery, this athletic style of dance emphasizes grounding and gaining energy from the earth into full-out momentum and locomotion. Musicality and phrasing are emphasized to assist in capturing the largest dynamic range.
Applied Music Courses
Applied Instrumental Studies (S. Spooner) 7-day course
Instrumental music study explores a musician's delicate balance between artistic utterance as an interpreter and technical mastery as a virtuoso. The topics will include interpretation, communication through sound, psychology of music and practice, peer observance/criticism (exploring the artistic and learning experience through others’ performances), performance (master class sessions) and presentation. Classes will be informal, discussion-oriented seminars. You will need to bring at least two prepared etudes or solo pieces to be used for examples. This course alternates with Instrumental Ensembles and Private Instrumental Lessons (Auguston, Cowens, Griffin, Muchnick, Nichols, Polett, S. Spooner) 7-day course
Private instrumental lessons are provided only when appropriate ensembles cannot be formed. Specific instrumental techniques and a variety of musical literature are emphasized in both ensemble and private instrumental lessons.
Applied Vocal Studies (Graber) 7-day course
This course will explore the psychological and kinesthetic skill sets that contribute to success as a professional singer. Even for students whose aspirations don’t include singing as a vocation, the skills and experiences in this course will add to students’ confidence and enjoyment. Vocal mechanism, the connection of the body to the voice, the basics of diction, and song interpretation will be explored, along with discussions on topics such as vocal health, practice techniques and score preparation. Participating students should arrive at the Academy with two to three art songs (at least one in English), prepared and memorized for performance. This course alternates with
Vocal Master Classes (Burnette, Murphree, Owens, J. Spooner) 7-day course
Small numbers of students will be grouped together in vocal master classes, each taught by a master teacher. All students watch and listen as the master works with one student at a time; therefore, students in a master class get the benefit of learning from their peers as well as the benefit of individual attention from a master teacher. Classes will focus on breath control, word articulation, and tonal resonance and placement aimed at the development of a free and flexible vocal instrument. Students are requested to bring two performance-ready pieces ready for showcasing and three contrasting pieces to work on. Music pieces may include musical theatre, art song, or opera, and may be in English, French, Italian, or German.
Applied Theatre Courses
Applied Acting: Real World, Real Character (Herbert, McTier, Vick) 14-day course
"A good acting class does more than impart knowledge; it humanizes. It helps each participant become less narrow and provincial, more a citizen of the world." (Robert Barton, from Acting: Onstage and Off). This summer, Applied Acting will focus on the tools needed to create a believable and meaningful character who lives in a real world with real issues. Drawn from a variety of master teachers and acting methods, these tools will include listening (with eyes and body as well as ears), relationships with others, playing actions rather than emotions, making dynamic physical choices, and—most importantly—living one moment at a time. Theatre students will be divided into three groups, each assigned to one acting teacher with whom they will explore "neutral" scenes (for example, A-B and blank scenes) for fourteen workshop classes.
Applied Principles of Theatre Design (Putman) 14-day course
We will use script analysis on two contrasting plays to develop all the design elements for the two productions. We’ll apply the principles of theatre design, using the play text to determine the who, when, what and how for the action of the play and then research the relationships, time period, locale and themes to present design solutions for scenery, costumes, lighting and sound for "The Eumenides" by Aeschylus and "Death Of A Salesman" by Arthur Miller.
Applied Visual Art Course
Applied Principles of Design: Investigative Installation (Anderson, Bolda, Mai, Squires) 7-day course
As the core course for all MFAA visual arts students, this course will investigate the relationship between individual action and collective impact and the consequences of both. As artists and world citizens, our choices create opportunities to explore and challenges to solve. We all work and create as both individuals and as members of multiple, complex, and fluid communities. Throughout this class, visual arts students will work independently and collectively to build, install, manipulate, deconstruct, and document a three-week long site-specific installation piece. We will explore the relationships between time, physical space, and creative materials in order to gain hands-on experience with principles of design and composition. Documentation includes developing written and verbal critical skills necessary for a collaborative-based approach to art-making.
3. Coursework Related to Artistic Disciplines (afternoon classes)
Each Academy student takes two courses from those listed below.
DANCE | MUSIC | THEATRE | VISUAL ART
DANCE
Composition (Dance, Bryant) 7-day course
How can art communicate? We will explore this question by focusing on that which is common to all people across cultures: the human body. In what ways can a body move, and in what ways can a body inhabit space? We will investigate how our dancing bodies can transmit ideas and meaning through our choreographic use of shape, space, time and quality. We will explore ways to create movement and then investigate approaches to structuring and organizing that movement. We will create dances in groups and on our own, often using improvisation as a tool for creating choreography. We will attempt to explode traditional notions of dance-making by letting go of our assumptions and diving into our creativity.
Contact Improvisation (Dance, Bryant) 7-day course
Contact Improvisation is a dance form that was created in the 1970’s in the United States. It is now danced all over the world, in 40+ countries on 6 continents! In fact, people who do not speak the same language can dance contact improvisation together. This style of dance uses movement, touch, momentum and counter-balance to explore new ways of dancing with other people. In this course, we will practice rolling, lifting, flying, inverting, falling and catching both ourselves and other people. Instead of being driven by creating shapes with our bodies, we will focus on our bodily sensations to hone and refine our dancing. Contact Improvisation leads to exciting partner dancing, full of trust, cooperation, curiosity and surprises.
Dancing with Words (Dance, Ollington) 7-day course
This course will focus on the possibilities and problems associated with both creating and improvising movement to words. We will cover fundamentals of compositional and improvisational techniques, differentiate "literal" and "non-literal" motion in relation to verbal accompaniment, and create works of choreography set to words. We will work with poetry, prose, and song. In addition to creating non-verbal movement phrases, the dancers will write pieces for dances.
Site-Specific Movement Improvisation(Dance, Rieger) 7-day course
This class will develop group improvisation skills through listening to internal impulses, others’ movement in the group, and the environment. Listening is the foundation for understanding others, including different cultures and religions. The development of this skill moves us toward being world citizens. Through play and informed choice-making, we will develop skills in the studio. Following that, we will take these skills into indoor and outdoor spaces as performances spaces. Please wear appropriate shoes (tennis shoes or jazz tennis shoes; no flip-flops) for working on concrete surfaces.
MUSIC
Audition Seminar (Music, J. Spooner) 7-day course
The purpose of this seminar is to provide students with information and techniques that will increase their success in any musical audition process. Topics to be explored: effective repertoire selection; performance and interview skills; performance anxiety issues; how to make the best impression at an audition; what to expect on audition day; seeking outside scholarships; and mock audition/interview.
Experimental Music of the 20th and 21st Century (Music, Nichols) 7-day course
Musicians have continually experimented with instruments, notation and sound in order to find new modes of expression. Sometimes criticized or misunderstood in their own time, these innovators and experimenters often supply the creative spark that ignites a whole musical movement. In this course, we will take a tour of the last hundred years of music making, stopping at some of the unusual and interesting landmarks that have influenced the way we hear music today. We will hear and watch many recorded examples of innovation from a wide range of sources, including John Cage, the Beatles, Edgard Varese, the Italian Futurists, DJ culture and Iannis Xenakis. We will also look at current musical trends involving sampling, computer music and the Internet and how they will affect our future.
From Bach to the Beatles: Music’s Influence on Society (Music, Murphree) 7-day course
In this class we will explore how music has helped shape our thoughts, our fashions and our belief systems. We will also explore how music has helped us express ourselves in reaction to events happening around us. You are asked to come to the Academy with at least one example of how you have witnessed music influence the society in which you reside. We will use discussion, video examples, music examples, news reports, and scholarly research concerning this topic. Together, we will explore avenues in which we can have a positive effect on our spheres of influence with our musical gifts. In this class we will explore how music has helped shape our thoughts, our fashions, and our belief systems. We will also explore how much music has helped us express ourselves in reaction to events happening around us.
The Interpretive Musician (Music, Burnette) 7-day course
The purpose of this seminar is to help students understand the value of musical interpretation within various genres. Generally, composers create music with the intent of conveying some type of message, story, emotion, social or political statement. This is true in various art forms, but this course will focus on vocal and instrumental musical interpretation. We will listen to various works and discuss the emotional elements within, the possible story lines, and what the performer did to portray those emotions. The listening exercises will include vocal and instrumental works. Then, the students will all perform various pieces and as a class, we will discuss what the composer intended, what the student communicated through the piece, and how to bring out even more! This is a must-have class for any student interested in performing. As musicians, we have an obligation to bring the stories of the music we perform to life. This class will be a workshop environment that allows for such exploration! All students (vocalists and instrumentalists) should come to class with at least three pieces of music prepared and two extra copies (for accompanist and instructor).
Jazz Improvisation: An Historical Approach (Music, Polett) 7-day course
The study of jazz improvisation is often treated as an extension of harmonic and melodic musical theory. Because of this, many people are intimidated by the task of learning the seemingly endless combinations of chords, scales, and harmonic progressions. By studying improvisation from an historical perspective, much of the mystery is lifted, and a more melodic approach to finding one's creative voice emerges. This course is designed to introduce any musician (yes, string players, woodwinds, pianists, and vocalists are welcome!) to this melodic/historical approach to jazz improvisation. Beginning with the early pre-cursors of jazz through Dixieland, the Blues, Swing, Bebop, Cool, Spanish, Latin, Fusion, Rock, and Free Jazz, we’ll use examples as models to enable each student to understand more and to create unique melodic jazz solos in many styles.
Music and Culture (Music, Castrey) 7-day course
To know something of “the other”, one must observe closely and be open and free from cultural preconceptions. In this class, we will explore the music of several cultures, focusing particularly on Africa, India, and Indonesia. We will analyze musical examples from these cultures and assess how music can both define culture and community and represent the values and relationships of the members of those communities. Students should expect to develop their listening and deductive skills while expanding their musical horizons. Open your ears and minds, and check any ethnocentric baggage at the door.
Music Improvisation Ensemble (Music, Nichols) 7-day course
What is musical improvisation? Spontaneous composition? A conversation? Making it up as you go along? There are a many different kinds of improvisation, and in this ensemble we will explore “non-idiomatic improvisation” (Western improvisation that is not derived from the jazz tradition). We will experiment with different forms of structured and free-form improvisations to create many unique pieces in different ensemble configurations. The types of structures to be explored include graphically notated scores, indeterminate works of John Cage, John Zorn’s “game pieces” and instructional texts. Through this way of working, we will sharpen our listening skills, instrumental techniques and non-verbal communication. We will collaborate as an ensemble while expressing our individuality. Improvisation is our opportunity to create unique and personal pieces of expression. Any instrumentalist is welcome, regardless of improvisation experience!
Rhythm Workshop (Music, Castrey) 7-day course
Rhythm may be defined as the movement of people, things, or sounds through time. Explore the world of rhythm in this interactive workshop. Using body percussion, voices, and other resources, we will investigate asymmetrical timelines, polymeter/polyrhythm, “odd” meters, and non-metered time through exercises designed to increase rhythmic awareness and acuity. *Enrollment limited to 16 students.
The Singing Actor (Music, Graber) 7-day course
The tradition of using singing actors to portray characters in theatrical story-telling has a long and exceedingly rich history. Whether in opera, musical theatre, or any number of related vocal forms, the integration of drama and music presents certain challenges. In this class, participants will investigate the specific trials of the singer/actor/artist. Activities will include acting exercises to aid in the development of character, selection of appropriate repertoire, analysis of character through the musical score, and acting entire songs. We will also explore issues important to the versatile performer such as a healthy self-image, finding your “zone,” finding a balance between vocal demands/acting choices, and performance anxiety. Prior to your arrival at MFAA, please select and prepare 5 different art songs or musical theatre selections that you feel best represent you vocally and as an actor. Avoid the temptation to impress by choosing overly difficult selections like operatic arias. Instead, try to find things you truly enjoy singing and can connect with emotionally. Please bring all music with you and in the correct key.
THEATRE
Improv-intensive Study (Theatre, Vick) 7-day course
As vital as the actor’s preparation is, when it’s time for performance, the actor must be prepared to leave it all behind. After all, acting isn’t regurgitation. The time spent on stage is when the actor lives and breathes instinctively, in the moment. On stage, good actors use all their preparation and research, but their primary focus is listening and reacting to the given circumstances. This class is designed to strengthen this ability to listen and be present on stage. The focus of the class will be improvisational exercises to help make the actor comfortable with the unthinkable: the feeling that you don’t know what comes next.
Living Portraits: Creating the Docu-drama (Theatre, Herbert) 7-day course
"The idea of the play is to suggest that even in a volatile situation, where tribes, countries, cultures, races clash, it is important that some individuals have the ability to walk in the shoes of someone different than them, even an enemy. The theory of the play is that an actor has the ability to walk in another person's 'words,' and therefore their hearts." (Anna Deavere Smith from the introduction to her play, Twilight Los Angeles, 1992). Award-winning theatre artist Anna Deavere Smith, armed with an audio recorder, notepad, and pen has interviewed thousands of subjects all across America "in search of American character." It has become her life work to transcribe these interviews and perform them verbatim. Rebelling against her classical training in Stanislavskian psychological realism, Smith believes that people speak in "organic poetry." According to Smith, capturing this poetry in an interview, and strictly mimicking the subject's speech patterns is essential in creating the illusion of becoming that other person. In this class, we conduct and transcribe interviews toward the development and performance of a text of organic poetry.
Outside the Box: Public-Access Theatre (Theatre, McTier) 7-day course
In this seven-day workshop, we will work “outside the box” of traditional theatre by creating both scenario-based and spontaneous performance in public spaces on the MSU campus. Drawing from the “happenings” of the 1960s as well as the current “improv everywhere” movement sweeping the country, Outside the Box will envision a future of immediate, “public-access” theatre by creating and sharing a public experiment/performance/event each class day. (If this sounds scary, check out improveverywhere.com to see how exciting this can be!)
Vickipedia (Theatre, Vick) 7-day course
Vickipedia is actor preparation in the Google age. Every detail found in the text of a play can be used to open up worlds of imagination that inform other worlds and so on and so on. Using the Internet as a means for our exploration, we’ll work as an ensemble--like the CSI of the theatre. Each clue uncovers another agent used to spur on the actor’s process and inform how we approach performance. Using Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love, we’ll explore a theatre that is laden with information and knowledge waiting to be unearthed and brought alive. Ultimately, Vickipedia is about making connections in the world. From past to present, we’ll follow the trail of these connections, on the way, learning about how plays serve to depict the world and how exhilarating it can be to discover the world of our plays.
What Lies Beneath: A Crash Course in Dramaturgy (Theatre, McTier) 7-day course
Text, subtext, context, pretext, ur-text…we know there is so much more to the script than meets the eye, but how do we discover “what lies beneath”? In this seven-day workshop, we will explore how basic dramaturgy can help us understand the text and enrich the creative choices we make as an actors, directors, and designers. With Shakespeare’s Hamlet and August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson as our case studies, we will discover and use practical tools (many of them online) valuable to the production of both classical and contemporary plays.
World Voices: From the Page to the Stage (Theatre, Herbert) 7-day course
As artists and world citizens, we must broaden our understanding of the world by continually making what is culturally strange more familiar to us, as well as seeing what is familiar to us as strange and complex. We seek out cultural arenas that challenge us, and people whose stories teach us about the similarities and differences that make human existence harmonious. In this class, we will immerse ourselves in the text (and cultural context) of such stories toward the scripting and development of solo performances. We will consider the Voice (point of view) of the author, the Voice of the text, and our own Voice in the interpretation of world literature.
VISUAL ART
Building the Body (Visual Art, Squires) 7-day course
As artists, we do not create art in a vacuum - we respond to the local, national, and global contexts in which we live. At its core, drawing is about learning how to see in new ways. This class will introduce basic figure drawing skills through working with the live human figure in both traditional and public settings. We will explore how the human body fits together through collage, composition, gesture, line, form, shape, and light. Drawing with a variety of media, including pencil, pen, charcoal, paint, and ink, as well as found imagery, will be integrated into our explorations of the figure. While references to historical and contemporary artists working with the figure will be available, we will focus on developing an individual approach to understanding and re-visualizing the human figure.
Community Tea (Visual Art, Cline) 7-day course
In this course, we will employ several clay construction techniques including wheel throwing and slip-casting to create multiple parts of a teapot. We will contribute these elements to a collective stockpile from which everyone may choose. We will not use our own elements, but instead construct a teapot using elements from the collective. We will explore the connection between content and form as we construct our functional teapots as art pieces that thematically link to our own global citizenship. Traditional and non-traditional surface solutions will be investigated and applied before the final firing process and correlate directly to the discovered content of the teapot. We will participate in a study of the importance of the tea ceremony in eastern cultures to understand its communal significance. Written and verbal critiques will facilitate constructive analysis of the creative process and evaluation of our success.
Constructed Values (Visual Art, Anderson) 7-day course
This course will use black and white digital photography as a means of investigating the relationship between chance and intention. Learners will develop a formal monochromatic aesthetic that emphasizes composition and arrangement, while exploring the significance of purposeful manipulation and meaning. Through a process of collaboration, learners will explore an organic process of creative problem-solving, which will include investigations of two- and three-dimensional space; the relationship between applied and distressed surface characteristics with that of projected light, shadow, and media; the effects of time and the visual decisions of group dynamics. As they will in the world that surrounds them, participants will be forced to confront the concept that every personal action has an effect upon the larger group of collaborators. Each participant will create and take home a CD portfolio of still images and a handmade book. Each participant should have a digital camera, camera card, USB card reader, USB storage device, and rechargeable batteries. Students who do not have access to the required digital camera equipment should call or email Missouri Fine Arts Academy Director Julie Bloodworth (417-836-6607 or email JulieBloodworth@MissouriState.edu). *Enrollment limited to 15 students.
Drawing from Life: The Journal as Art (Visual Art, Mai) 14-day course
Artists will explore four elements of journal making using various materials, focusing on their autobiographical journeys as an artist. Central concepts to the art making include visual exploration of the unique individual, the cultural collective, and universal responsibility. Focus is on the pages themselves, not the binder; this is not a book-making course. Journals are utilitarian objects transformed by repeated and fond use. They hold life in them, and are works of art themselves. Journals can help artists learn about how they view the world, and what trace it can leave for others. There are four basic elements of visual journaling: observation, reflection, exploration, and creation. Observational journalists are engaged in close observation of the self or the natural world, looking at the traffic on a busy urban street corner or the cloud formations over a mountain range. Observation can move into reflection, the consideration of the significance of the thing observed: I know what it looks like, now what does it mean? Journals of exploration may be literal (a record of a trip) or figurative (a playful investigation). Either way, they help an artist to look outside their usual confines and to revive the senses.
Fictive Spaces (Visual Art, Land) 7-day course
We will investigate the extensive work of renowned French artist Sophie Calle (writer, photographer, installation artist and conceptual artist). Working with the concepts of identity, human vulnerability, and physical and psychological space, each student will redefine and rework a project of Calles. Sample creations/installations may include the chromatic diet, the wardrobe, days under the sign of b, d, and w, the birthday ceremony, the hotel and the detective. Utilizing the mediums of photography, text and sculpture, students will form and evolve their installations (to be included in the student exhibition center). Individuals will also be introduced to the work of interdisciplinary artists Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher through routine art exercises (learning to love you more – an ongoing collaborative web project). Imagine describing your ideal government, recording the sounds that keep you awake, photographing the objects underneath your bed and recording your own guided meditation. All possibilities abound. Please bring a 35mm and/or digital camera, if possible. If not, appropriate cameras will be provided. *Enrollment limited to 12 students.
Fortunate Objects (Visual Art, Land) 7-day course
Focusing on community and the environment, this class will discuss and create eco-friendly architectural structures. After exploring the work of photographer Dionisio González (Spanish) and illustrator Isabell Moltzer (French), students will brainstorm and design innovative cars, houses and furniture (sculptures). Discussion will include the new California Green School Program and their dedication to the environment. Artists will also investigate the work of Alberto Giacometti (Swiss sculptor, printmaker, painter and draftsman) and his recent exhibition at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, France. Following, each student will create a delicate architectural form of thread and needle attached to the wall (a cage of imaginary space). Critical theory, creativity, technique and craftsmanship will be emphasized.
Metaphoric Multiples (Visual Art, Cline) 14-day course
In this course, we will create an abstract modular ceramic sculpture as a metaphor symbolizing the synthesis of form between the organic and synthetic. We will view examples of contemporary ceramic artists, learn the processes behind slip-casting, hand-building, glaze application, and firing to transform objects into a unified composition with a new content. Our goal will be to use manufactured items repeatedly to create a three-dimensional organic sculpture whose content embodies environmental stewardship. Through sculpture we will explore the many facets of the relationship between natural and manufactured objects. We will take the sculptures through both the bisque firing and glaze firing processes. The group will hold informal critiques and conduct journal entries throughout the process to analyze the success of the interpretation.
Mural on the Move (Visual Art, Bolda) 14-day course
This course explores the process of large-scale work and mural painting. We will learn to translate ideas from small-scale drawings to a large-scale format and develop these ideas for public installation. We will work individually as well as collaborate with other artists on how to approach large-scale work for site-specific projects. We will work collaboratively to create a large scale traveling mural as a final project. Yes, traveling! The final mural will be on wheels, allowing for several different site display opportunities. Themes and images for the mural will reflect the MFAA theme of Artist as World Citizen.
Political Posters: DIY Screenprinting (Visual Art, Squires) 14-day course
Throughout history, social movements have used political posters to create visual identity and communicate information. Posters are an accessible means to share struggles, dreams, stories, and visions to a wider public audience. This class will challenge young artists to verbally identify and articulate a social issue about which they are passionate - and then to design a 3 - 4 color poster based upon their ideas. Because silkscreen printing in particular has a rich tradition of poster-making, students in this class will learn how to build and expose silkscreens in order to print a unique edition of their political poster. We will explore historical and contemporary posters and current events in order to brainstorm issues and images and discuss how to develop a creative voice that is informed by interacting with the world around us. Students will gain not only the technical skills of basic screenprinting, but also have an opportunity to think about why and how they are creating images. At the end of the Academy, we will participate in a print exchange so that each student leaves with a copy of their own poster, as well as one from each classmate. *Enrollment limited to 8 students.
Present Tense Future (Visual Arts, Anderson) 14-day course
Designers are often agents for change, particularly in our ever-changing world. Within this world, things we make have great personal and human value, revealing much about ourselves. Present Tense Future is a digital exploration of identity and the authenticity of constructed image. Through a collaborative process combining traditional forms of mark-making and new media, we will explore perspectives of artistic meaning, purpose, and intention. Participants will be forced to confront the concept that every personal action has an effect upon the larger group of collaborators. Participants will create and take home a DVD video/still portfolio. Each participant should have a digital camera, camera card, USB card reader, USB storage device, and rechargeable batteries. Students who do not have access to the required digital camera equipment should call or email Missouri Fine Arts Academy Director Julie Bloodworth (417-836-6607 or email JulieBloodworth@MissouriState.edu). *Enrollment limited to 15 students.
Redefining Art (Visual Art, Bolda) 7-day course
What is the definition of art? Are there limitations to what art can be? Is art always beautiful? What is art for? In this class we will explore how art can be a source for communication as well as visual expression, familiarizing ourselves with artists who have used their art for political, social or personal change such as the Guerilla Girls, Jenny Holzer and Mierle Ukeles. Working with both traditional and non-traditional materials, juxtaposing text and image, even recontextualizing the things we throw away on a daily basis as art, we will also explore an artist’s role in the larger global community, discussing the impact art can have beyond the realm of our daily space. The culminating experience for this class will be a group installation consisting of a three week personal refuse collection, which will address the concepts and issues discussed during the MFAA experience.
Symbolic Site-Specific (Visual Art, Mai) 7-day course
Artists will create two-dimensional black cut paper totems illustrating the artist’s own personal mythology and circles of influence. A symbol is a simplified expression of a complex idea or meaning. The biographical information is retained in the symbol, but is not immediately apparent. We will consider symbolic and diagrammatic forms of representation, experiment with the effect that the juxtaposition of images has on the creation of meaning, and experience the sense of accomplishment, community, and communication that comes from creating a large scale dramatic installation. Central concepts to the art making include visual exploration of the unique individual, the cultural collective, and universal responsibility. These bits of biographical information are condensed and stacked into a series of symbolic forms.
The Utopian Angle (Visual Arts, Land) 14-day course
This course will serve as a photographic laboratory for students to explore ideas of political and social reform within a utopian context. The term utopia can be used to refer to both fictional and actual communities that seek to create ideal societies. Through the media of digital imagery, slides, books and videos, students will explore the exciting architectural disarrangements of photographer Dionisio González (Spanish), the intriguing writings of Sir Thomas Moore (English), the fantastical paintings of Hieronymus Bosch (Dutch) and the whimsical photographs of Karen Knorr (German). Each young artist will then have the opportunity to create two to three complex and highly original art forms (large-scale color photographs and photographic sculptures). The first project will relate to the photographic images of González. His work addresses the idea of recovering buildings that are in ruins due to economic collapse or political negligence in Havana and Brazil (blending the modern with the scattered). The latter will explore the fable-like photographs of Karen Knorr. Working in the digital darkroom students will become proficient with the Adobe Photoshop tools needed to create architectural reconstructions and fictional animal islands. We will erase the line between the possible and the impossible as we create highly imaginative and important works of art. Critical theory, creativity, technique and craftsmanship will be emphasized. Please bring a 35mm and/or digital camera, if possible. If not, appropriate cameras will be provided. *Enrollment limited to 12 students.