5302.001 MA Studio in Art:Ceramics

subject to change

Instructor: Louis Katz, Office: CA 113C , Office Telephone: 825-5987, louis.katz@tamucc.edu

Office Hours
M-F 10:30-11:30

Basic MA Exhibition requirements for students of Louis Katz.

Mount an exhibition of work meeting the quality requirements of the committee. The exhibit must be mounted in a professional manner. It must be documented with 20 still images unless this requirement is waived by the art faculty. Documentation must be included in the Supportive Statement (thesis) and as a disk. The exhibit must also include an artist's statement approved by the committee or committee chair. This requirement may be waived by the committee or committee chair in cases where the parties conclude that a statement is not needed. The costs of mounting the exhibit, unless approved in advance by the gallery director will be borne by the student. The student will install or arrange to have their work installed under the supervision of the gallery staff.

The supportive statement will demonstrate that the artist is an expert on their work. That they understand how it fits into contemporary and historical work in its genre. The statement will demonstrate a formal understanding of the work and a technical understanding even where this appears obvious to other clay workers. During the "Defense" the student will answer any and all questions about the exhibit, the artist statement and the supportive statement to the satisfaction of the committee. The defense is meant to be a private affair, but the student may invite the chair, or dean to sit in as an ex officio member if they are willing.

While the committee will ultimately determine the format of the supportive statement the following might serve as a good checklist.

The Supportive Statement should:

• Describe the body of work physically. This should include, color, surface texture, perhaps proportions, physical composition.
• Describe the historical roots.
• Describe recent roots.
• Describe other contemporary work that is similar, and how robust the similarity is.
• Describe the works conceptual stance, is it primarily formal, representational, conceptual, etc. If it is all of these things this can be discussed.
• Describe why you are the person making the work , what is it about you that makes this work a good fit for you. If it is not a good fit but you make it anyway describe the circumstance that brings you to make this work.
• What aspects of this work are easily read from it. What things does the casual viewer see?
• What aspects require more thought experience of knowledge than the casual viewer can see?
• What is in the work that no one but the arts sees?
• What are the technical challenges in the work, how were they overcome?
• If you had a crystal ball and looked 5 years into the future, what kind of work would you be making? How might your work have grown? Put another way, where is the weakness in the work? Where is the opportunity?
• What is the perfect circumstance for display of your work? How would the exhibit be organized, and where?
• Why is the work important?

The supportive statement's purpose is not to be easy reading for the general public, although it should be technically well written.The supportive statement will demonstrate that the artist is an expert on their work.

The supportive statement is due in a rough form 2 months before the exhibit. At this point it needs to only be turned in to the instructor, although early circulation to the committee is encouraged. The finished version (unbound but stapled And electronically) is due to the faculty 1 week before the thesis defense. Any agreement for a late statement must be agreed upon by all members of the committee.

It is expected that the M. A. supportive statement will be three to five pages (750-1250 words). It must demonstrate that the artist is an expert on their work.

Supportive statements will be checked for plagiarism. Plagiarism in a thesis statement is serious offense and may subject the student to a failing grade, suspension from the University or a lessor penalty. Please make sure that other peoples ideas and quotes are properly noted.

( 13.02.99.C3.01 Procedure for Academic Misconduct Cases) ( http://studentaffairs.tamucc.edu/StudentCodeofConduct.pdf ).

Thesis Defense

The dates of the exhibition will be determined with the gallery director. Details of off campus exhibits must be approved by the committee before the semester of the exhibit. A signed copy of the receipt for the binding of four copies of the approved and signed supportive statement must be turned in to the faculty member prior to a grade for the class being assigned. Failure to do this in a timely matter might require the student to sign up for another Thesis Class at additional cost. Please get this done in a timely manner.

The thesis defense should be scheduled by the student with the committee. It should take place during the exhibition.

The thesis defense is the opportunity for the faculty to ensure that the students supportive statement adequately demonstrates their expertise. If the committee deems this not to be true, corrective measures will laid out for the student and a timetable for completion will be given the student.

Hopefully the work will already be of MA exhibit quality. If the committee deems this not to be true, corrective measures will laid out for the student and a timetable for completion will be given the student.

Supportive Statements will be bound according to university library requirements for Thesis Statements unless this requirement is waived by the committee.

Electronic Documentation Guidelines:

File names

• All images, movies, sounds and text items must be labeled in the following manner:
• The file name consists of your first name followed by your last name with no space and the first letter capitalized.
• After the name either title the piece or number the file.
• After the number or name the appropriate suffix should be included as in BurtReynolds07.jpg or BurtReynoldsLeaningTower.jpg .
• Please use leading zeros for numbered slides as in: BurtReynolds07.jpg rather than BurtReynolds7.jpg. That way they alphabetize in numerical order.
• All images should be listed in a slide or documentation list or index included on the disk and in the printed statement.

It is acceptable to include a PowerPoint® of the images but the images must also be submitted separately as .jpg's, .tifs or .png images. Twenty still images are expected.

Movies may be included in the documentation but like with PowerPoints there should also be still images. Please use a common codec for movies such as one played by Windows Media Player® or Apple QuickTime®.

Other concerns

Text Documents on the CD should be in Word®, RTF, plain html, or text format. If your documentation is more complex than these guidelines allow then please discuss your needs/concerns with your committee well (a semester is suggested) in advance of the deadline so that a suitable format can be agreed upon. As well as including a CD with your material for the library please make a copy for your committee chairperson and the chair of the department. Label the CD's clearly with your name, the year and the words "Thesis Documentation" as in Burt Reynolds 1984 Thesis Documentation Deadlines

Requirements for a grade of "A"

• Exhibition professionally mounted and lit in the judgement of the professor and ontime.
• A defense that shows that the student is an expert in all areas related to their work including but not limited to those mentioned in the supportive statement section above.
• The student passes their defense.
• All documentation for the exhibition and statement completed before the end of finals. For this purpose a signed receipt for the printed supportive statement stapled to a plain paper copy of that statement will be sufficient to issue a grade. If the bound copies are not recieved by the end of the next long semester the grade may be changed to an F.

A grade of B will given if all the requirements for a grade of A are met but the students defense or the exhibition is lacking in professionalism or timeliness, or the defense or supportive statement lacks excellence.

A grade of F will be given if the student fails their defense or fails to turn in their documentation. The class may be repeated for credit.

Incompletes will be given to those called to active US military duty in accordance with university policy. Other incompletes are at the instructor's discretion. They must be out of the students control and unavoidable.

Required Notices

• The College of Arts and Humanities complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. If you need disability accommodations in this class, please see me as soon as possible. Please have your accommodation letter from TAMU-CC Services for Students with Disabilities Office with you when you come see me. If you suspect that you have a disability (physical impairment, learning disability, psychiatric disability, etc.), please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office (located in Driftwood 101) at 825-5816.
• It is a College of Liberal Arts recommendation that students meet with an academic advisor as soon as they are ready to declare a major. The Academic Advisor will set up a degree plan, which then must be signed by the student and a faculty member.
• Because art studios use materials and tools that could be dangerous, safe and cooperative behavior by students is absolutely necessary. The studio course instructor will be the ultimate judge of cooperative as well as safe and unsafe behavior. Individuals engaging in uncooperative and/or unsafe behavior will be cautioned and instructed once by the instructor. If a second occasion of uncooperative and/or unsafe behavior occurs, that student will be un-enrolled from the course and given a “wd” with no refund of tuition and fees. (per Dean Richard Gigliotti) I
• Grade Appeal Process
  As stated in University Rule 13.02.99.C2, Student Grade Appeals, a student who believes
  that he or she has not been held to appropriate academic standards as outlined in
  the class syllabus, equitable evaluation procedures, or appropriate grading, may appeal the
  final grade given in the course. The burden of proof is upon the student to demonstrate the
  appropriateness of the appeal.
  A student with a complaint about a grade is encouraged to first discuss the matter with
  the instructor. If the problem cannot be resolved at this level, the student may take the steps
  below.
  1. Presentation of grievance to instructor. (This step must be taken within fourteen
  calendar days after the beginning of the next term.)
  2. Appeal to department chair or area coordinator.
  3. Written appeal to the University Academic Standards Grievance Committee.
  4. Preliminary review and advising by an ombudsman appointed by the Provost.
  5. Submission of file by department chair to the chair of the University Academic Standards
  Grievance Committee.
  6. Review of file by committee chair and submission of case to committee.
  7. Proceedings of the University Academic Standards Grievance Committee. (Committee
  holds hearing, reviews data, presents findings to all parties, and makes recommendation
  to Provost.)
  8. Decision by Provost.
  9. Final appeal in writing to the Provost if student or instructor thinks appropriate procedures
  have not been followed.
  For complete details, including the responsibilities of the parties involved in the process
  and the number of days allowed for completing the steps in the process, see University Rule
  13.02.99.C2, Student Grade Appeals, and University Procedure 13.02.99.C2.01, Student
  Grade Appeal Procedures. These documents are accessible through the University Rules
  Web site at http://www.tamucc.edu/provost/university_rules/index.htm.
  For assistance and/or guidance in the grade appeal process, students may contact the
  Office of Student Affairs.