Peter J Zerillo

What are the concerns that drive one's creative practice? How does one set the terms for its future development? Sophomore Seminar offers strategies for students to explore, reflect upon, and connect common themes and interests in the development of an emerging creative practice that will serve as the basis of their ongoing studies at SAIC and beyond. Students will examine historical and contemporary influences and contextualize their work in relation to the diverse art-worlds of the 21st Century. Readings, screenings, and field trips will vary each semester. Presentations by visiting artists and guest speakers will provide the opportunity for students to hear unique perspectives on sustaining a creative practice. One-on-one meetings with faculty will provide students with individualized mentorship throughout the semester. During interdisciplinary critiques, students will explore a variety of formats and tools to analyze work and provide peer feedback. The class mid-term project asks students to imagine a plan for their creative life and devise a self-directed course of study for their time at school. The course concludes with an assignment asking students to develop and document a project or body of work demonstrating how the interplay of ideas, technical skills, and formal concerns evolve through iteration, experimentation and revision.

Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll.

Recent advancements in digital fabrication, crowdfunding, and direct-to-consumer sales have enabled independent designers to bring their own products to market, challenging traditional designer-manufacturer relationships. This seminar explores emerging models of small-scale production and distribution, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to develop their own independent design practices. Through case studies, guest speakers, and field trips to local factories and fabrication workshops, students will gain firsthand experience with real-world manufacturing processes. Observing material production techniques will inform design exercises, where students develop original product concepts tailored to specific fabrication methods. After each field visit, students will present their ideas through detailed hand sketches. Guest designers and trips to local studios will provide insight into working with manufacturers, navigating funding sources, and executing marketing and distribution strategies. Instruction will also cover technical drawing, specification packages, and online presence as key tools for independent production. By the end of the course, students will have a foundational understanding of how to design, manufacture, and launch their own products, positioning themselves as independent design entrepreneurs.

This studio course is designed for design-focused students in their final year at SAIC who are ready to develop an independent, self-directed design project. It is ideal for those who have cultivated their own design pathway, integrating studies across the four design departments¿Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects (AIADO); Fashion Design; Visual Communication Design; and Designed Objects¿along with studio art courses at SAIC. Whether pursuing a passion project, preparing a competition entry, revisiting an unrealized concept, or exploring a new design territory, students will engage in critical research, material exploration, and iterative making. The course emphasizes conceptual development, project planning, and execution, with outcomes culminating in a publication, exhibition, or online presentation.
Students will engage with a range of readings, case studies, and guest lectures that explore the future of design across disciplines. Topics will include independent design practice, sustainability, emerging technologies, speculative design, and strategies for professional longevity. Course materials will highlight designers and thinkers who navigate hybrid practices, create impact-driven work, or push the boundaries of existing fields. By examining these frameworks, students will develop a long-view approach to their own careers, identifying strategies for sustaining creative work and positioning themselves within the broader design world.
Students will develop a self-directed design project, guided by structured exercises in writing a design brief, envisioning outcomes, resource gathering, and iterative prototyping, culminating in a final public presentation.