Art stirs the inner being, as images and sound tap into our deepest fears and joys. The unique capacity of the arts to map uncharted cultural and moral values makes them an essential tool for many human ecologists.

College of the Atlantic's arts and design program emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to art and design issues. The program promotes a multidisciplinary approach to art and design as part of a general education in human ecology, while allowing students to specialize in a variety of unique concentrations.

Arts and design courses at COA — in music, painting, drawing, photography, video and film, graphic arts, landscape architecture and design, sculpture, museum studies and ceramics — enable students to explore the realms of self-expression and cultural dialogue and to learn to communicate through multiple media.

COA offers a vibrant curriculum in Arts & Design. The college's inspirational oceanfront campus, set amidst a local community with a rich cultural heritage, provides an excellent setting for students pursuing visual and performing arts, music, architecture, and design. 

Students focusing in Arts & Design usually choose a set of foundational courses providing them with a base of skills, techniques, and aesthetic and design principles. Studio courses are project and problem centered: the COA faculty guide students through experiences that develop technical and creative skills. Projects stimulate and refine the aesthetic vision of each individual student. The college also offers a wide variety of intermediate and advanced classes to prepare students interested in graduate or professional work in Arts & Design or related fields. Students frequently develop further advanced skills by creating independent study projects in which they work one-on-one with a faculty member.

The arts provide a unique vehicle for addressing and expressing issues in society, culture, and the environment. The expressive qualities of the arts, their ability to make a sophisticated analysis of fundamental problems, and their ability to encapsulate the values of every era, make the role of the artist an excellent option for students concerned about the environment and social problems. Through Arts & Design, students develop the technical and aesthetic skills necessary to express themselves and their insights through music, visual media, and designed environments.

Courses

AD009Architectural Design Studio

In this design studio students are introduced to the field of architectural design and the design process. We examine various aspects of this functional art including scale, texture, volume, void, light, rhythm, and form. Basic principals of architectural structures and a brief historical overview are presented. Students attempt to apply these principals in solving practical problems. They are expected to develop basic architectural drafting skills to represent three dimensional space in two dimensions. The course includes model building skills and an actual design project. Level: Intermediate. Prerequisites: Recommended Introduction to Arts and Design and/or Two-Dimensional Design. Offered every other year. Class limit: 11. Lab fee: $25. *ADS*

AD234Animation

This course explores animation as a form of creative expression, experimentation and personal vision. Various techniques, such as drawing, cut-out, painting on film, and under-the-camera collage, will be introduced. Students will create flip-books, video pencil tests and 16mm animated films. Students will be given exercises and assignments that guide them through processes for making art. Various artists' animated films will be screened and discussed. History and concepts related to animation and film will be introduced through screenings, readings and discussions. Level: Intermediate. Prerequisite: Introduction to Art and Design, 2-D Design or Signature of Instructor. Lab fee: $50. Class Limit: 12. *ADS*

AD443Animation II

The class further develops ideas, skills, and animation projects through a mix of: in-class projects/demos/skill based activities, readings, discussions, screenings, presentations, and individual meetings with the instructor. Students will write a production plan that will serve as an outline of each student?s project(s) for the term. The instructor will provide useful activities, information, resources, critiques and guidance. A schedule of presentations of student works-in-progress will be created. Readings will address ideas and theories related to animation studies and processes. Advanced animation techniques may include camera work and sound design. Work completed over the term may be a single longer animation or a series of animated shorts depending on the student?s preference and animation goals. However, all students will be expected to produce advanced level work and encouraged to experiment and push their work to the highest level. Students will be evaluated on their projects, participation in critiques and discussions and overall level of engagement with the course material and class. Level: Advanced. Lab fee: $80. Pre-requisite: Signature of Instructor. Class size: 12 *AD*