Gallery

Overview

This hands-on course takes the central topic of creativity and examines it from two different disciplines: Computer Science and Fine Art. Students will use a range of processes, both digital and physical, to produce creative visual artwork. Students will also engage with big questions such as: What is creativity? How is creativity important to engaged citizenship? What does a ‘virtuous’ society look like in terms of creating? How is creating both easier and more difficult in the digital age, and how does it intersect with authorship, copyright, and the open source/free culture movements?

Learning Goals

• Comprehend and appreciate a set of complex issues relevant to being engaged citizens.
• Make connections between the evidence and methods from two distinct disciplines in order to formulate arguments about engaged citizenship.
• Express those arguments clearly in writing and discussion.
• Engage in and reflect on experiential learning that connects directly to the classroom experience, preparing you for vibrant Odyssey experiences later in your Hendrix career.

Resources

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Course content

Calendar

If you are in Section 1, you should only look at the left column of the calendar. If you are in section 2, look only at the right column. The color of each date tells you whether your section will be taught by Prof. Gill, Dr. Yorgey, or whether we will all meet together.

Key
Gill
Yorgey
BIG GROUP

Section 1			Section 2
Date	Topic	Links & assignments	Date	Topic	Links & assignments
W 8/19	First meeting (introductions)! 12:10pm on TEC: Creativity (BIG GROUP) team.
F 8/21	Course introduction: big questions and themes
Unit 1: Creativity, failure, and discovery
Date	Topic	Links & assignments	Date	Topic	Links & assignments
M 8/24	Introduction to Unit 1: Creativity, failure, and discovery
W 8/26	Recursive drawing	Project: Generative Drawing assigned (due M 9/28)	W 8/26	Discussion	Syed: How Creativity is Helped By Failure
F 8/28	Discussion: fixed vs growth mindset	How to Help Every Child Fulfill Their Potential; Carol Dweck interview	F 8/28	Discussion	Kentridge: Find The Less Good Idea
M 8/31	Introduction to Context Free Art		M 8/31	Proj. 1-Abstracted Collage (Due M 9/28)	Bring collage materials, paper, scissors, tape
W 9/2	Context Free Art practice lab	Install Context Free Art	W 9/2	Proj. 1-Abstracted Collage	Bring collage materials, paper, scissors, tape
F 9/4	Context Free Art: rules and recursion		F 9/4	Proj. 1-Abstracted Collage	Bring collage materials, paper, scissors, tape
M 9/7	Discussion	Syed: How Creativity is Helped By Failure	M 9/7	Recursive drawing	Project: Generative Drawing assigned (due M 9/28)
W 9/9	Discussion	Kentridge: Find The Less Good Idea	W 9/9	Discussion: fixed vs growth mindset	How to Help Every Child Fulfill Their Potential; Carol Dweck interview
F 9/11	Proj. 1-Abstracted Collage (Due M 9/28)	Bring collage materials, paper, scissors, tape	F 9/11	Introduction to Context Free Art
M 9/14	Proj. 1- Abstracted Collage	Bring collage materials, paper, scissors, tape	M 9/14	Context Free Art practice lab	Install Context Free Art
W 9/16	Proj. 1-Abstracted Collage	Bring collage materials, paper, scissors, tape	W 9/16	Context Free Art: rules and recursion
F 9/18	Wrap up Unit 1
M 9/21	Writing discussion
W 9/23	Draft workshop
Unit 2: Creativity and being human
Date	Topic	Links & assignments	Date	Topic	Links & assignments
F 9/25	Introduction to Unit 2: Creativity and being human
M 9/28	Introduction to Go, part 1	Go resources	M 9/28	Discussion	Taylor: ‘SuperCreativity’
W 9/30	Introduction to Go, part 2	AlphaGo watch party: 7:30-9pm	W 9/30	Discussion	Generative Art: Lewitt, Epler, Eno, Watz, Reas
F 10/2	Discussion: AlphaGo		F 10/2	Proj. 2-Digital vs. Analog after Sol Lewitt (Due M 11/9)	Bring all drawing supplies
M 10/5	Project 2: Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt		M 10/5	Proj. 2-Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt	Bring all drawing supplies
W 10/7	Project 2: Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt		W 10/7	Proj. 2-Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt	Bring all drawing supplies
F 10/9	Discussion	Taylor: ‘SuperCreativity’	F 10/9	Introduction to Go, part 1	Go resources
M 10/12	Discussion	Generative Art: Lewitt, Epler, Eno, Watz, Reas	M 10/12	Introduction to Go, part 2	AlphaGo watch party: 7:30-9pm
W 10/14	Proj. 2-Digital vs. Analog after Sol Lewitt (Due M 11/9)	Bring all drawing supplies	W 10/14	Discussion: AlphaGo
F 10/16	Proj. 2-Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt	Bring all drawing supplies	F 10/16	Project 2: Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt
M 10/19	Proj. 2-Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt	Bring all drawing supplies	M 10/19	Project 2: Digital vs. Analog After Sol Lewitt
W 10/21	Wrap up Unit 2
Unit 3: Creativity and social context
Date	Topic	Links & assignments	Date	Topic	Links & assignments
F 10/23	Introduction to Unit 3: Creativity and social context
M 10/26	Discussion: Copyright and creativity	Laws that Choke Creativity	M 10/26	Discussion	Art that Engages: Swoon & Ai Weiwei
W 10/28	Discussion: free culture	Creative Commons	W 10/28	Discussion	Art that Engages: Allora & Calzadilla and Johnson
F 10/30	Representing digital information		F 10/30	Proj. 3-The Artistic Intervention (Due T 12/8)	work on project plan
M 11/2	Activity: remix		M 11/2	Proj. 3-The Artistic Intervention	work day
W 11/4	Remix project introduction		W 11/4	Proj. 3-The Artistic Intervention	work day
F 11/6	Draft workshop
M 11/9	Discussion	Art that Engages: Swoon & Ai Weiwei	M 11/9	Discussion: creativity and copyright	Laws that Choke Creativity
W 11/11		Art that Engages: Allora & Calzadilla and Johnson	W 11/11	Discussion: free culture	Creative Commons
F 11/13	Proj. 3-The Artistic Intervention (Due T 12/8)	work on project plan	F 11/13	Activity: remix & project introduction
M 11/16	Proj. 3-The Artistic Intervention	work day	M 11/16	Representing digital information
W 11/18	Proj. 3-The Artistic Intervention	work day	W 11/18	TBA	TBA
F 11/20	Wrap up Unit 3
M 11/23	Cross-Dyad Discussion
T 12/8	Art Showcase

Grading Policies

Grading for this course uses a cumulative, points-based system. Each assignment will be worth a certain number of points; points earned on all assignments will be added to determine the total points earned in the course.

• Two writing assignments: 100 points each (200 total)
• Two projects in Unit 1: 100 points each (200 total)
• One project in Unit 2: 200 points
• Two projects in Unit 3: 150 points each (300 total)
• Class participation: 200 points

Your final letter grade will then be determined using the following scale, out of a possible 1100 points:

Points	Grade
950-1100	A
850-949	B
750-849	C
650-749	D
< 650	F

Rolling submissions

Projects and writing assignments will be accepted and graded on a rolling basis:

• Each assignment has a deadline which is the absolute last day on which you may submit it.
• However, you are strongly encouraged to turn in the assignment any time before the deadline. If you are really on the ball you could even do it and turn it in the day after it is assigned!
• We will return the submitted assignment to you, with a grade and feedback, within two working days (M-F) of when you submit it.
• If you wish, you may then revise the assignment, taking our feedback into account, and resubmit it (as long as it is still before the deadline). In fact, you can repeat this cycle several times if you start early enough!
• Your grade for the assignment will simply be the grade you earn on your last submission before the deadline.

Note that when making use of rolling submissions you don’t have to turn in a completed assignment—if you have completed only part of an assignment and want some feedback you are welcome to turn it in as-is!

Writing Assignments

You will complete two writing assignments in the course. You will be given several weeks to complete each assignment, in which you will draw on class discussions and assignments to explore a particular set of questions.

For each writing assignment, we will have a “workshop day” where you will give and receive peer feedback on a draft. You are also welcome and encouraged to make use of rolling submission to get feedback from us as well.

Assignment	Points	Due
Writing prompt 1	100	Sep 23 (draft) / Oct 5
Writing prompt 2	100	Nov 6 (draft) / Nov 23

Projects

You will complete five creative projects in this course: two for Dr. Yorgey, two for Prof. Gill, and one combined project.

Project	Points	Due
Abstracted Collage	100	Sep 28
Generative Drawing	100	Sep 28
Digital vs. Analog after Sol LeWitt	200	Nov 9
Artistic Intervention	150	Dec 4
Remix	150	Dec 4

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Expectations and Resources

Attendance

Our class will meet synchronously every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12:10-1:00 in Microsoft Teams. If you wish to request approval to participate in class asynchronously, you must apply to the Provost’s office.

Attendance is required, and you will receive points for attendance and active participation in group activites. If you know you will need to be absent on a particular day, please let us know ahead of time by sending an email or a message in Teams.

The default mode of attendance should be with your microphone muted and video on. We recognize that you may have good reasons (either technical or personal) for turning off your video, and will not ask questions. However, if you are able, we highly encourage you to keep your video on for the most part, since it contributes substantially to everyone’s sense of engagement and connection (not least of all our own!).

With all that said, it’s easy for connection issues to occasionally prevent you from attending despite your best intentions. If this happens just let us know! We certainly do not want to penalize you for events outside your control.

Writing Center

The Writing Center continues to support the Hendrix community online. Contact us to work on your projects with a peer Writing Associate. We can assist you in all fields and genres, from the brainstorming stage to revising a full draft. You can schedule an appointment in advance or for the moment of booking. Simply visit www.hendrix.edu/writingcenter/, click on “Book an Appointment,” and follow the instructions. For all services, you will have two options: synchronous assistance (through a Teams video or audio chat) and asynchronous assistance (where you email us your work and we respond with our feedback). Choose the option that best suits you! Please contact pruneda@hendrix.edu for more information.

Library

Bailey Library’s mission is to collaborate and empower all members of our community so that they become their best selves, cherish the scope of human knowledge, and positively contribute to the world. Whether face-to-face or remote, librarians are happy to help locate quality resources supporting research and classroom work and to assist with the critical evaluation of academic information. Librarians and Library Associates provide individual research assistance by appointment and video chat or by email. The library building is open Monday-Friday 8-5pm, but access to the library’s online resources is available 24/7. You can visit the library’s website at https://www.hendrix.edu/baileylibrary/ for more information, to book an appointment, and to access the library’s Discovery search, Class Guides, and databases.

Learning Accommodations

If you have a documented disability or some other reason that you cannot meet the above expectations, and/or your learning would be best served by a modification to the usual course policies, we would be happy to work with you—please get in touch (via Teams or email)! The course policies are just a means to an end; we don’t care about the policies per se but we do care about you and your learning.

It is the policy of Hendrix College to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law. Any student who needs accommodation in relation to a recognized disability should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course. Students should also contact Julie Brown in the Office of Academic Success (505.2954; brownj@hendrix.edu) to begin the accommodation process.

Physical and Mental Health

If you are struggling with your health in a way that makes it difficult for you to fulfill your responsibilities in the course, please let us know! We would love to work with you to come up with reasonable and realistic accommodations to help you succeed in the course. There are also several resources available to all Hendrix students, even remotely:

• The Hendrix Medical Clinic offers both in-person and tele-health appointments; Hendrix students get three free appointments per semester.

• The Hendrix Office of Counseling Services also offers free remote appointments, and can help with a host of issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, or relationship difficulties. Call 501-450-1448 to make an appointment.