CAAP Creative Journey

Chicago, home to one of the country's largest concentrations of working artists, designers, and other creative professionals, is a city renowned for its unparalleled architecture, innovative public art, and world-class museums and galleries. In this course, students explore diverse contemporary practices through an interactive presentation series, including studio visits with Chicago's leading art historians, artists, designers, writers, and other creative professionals. Each presenter discusses their practice, followed by a guided workshop that asks students to respond through various exercises, from making to performance to writing. Through the presentations, studio visits, and corresponding workshops, students reshape their definitions of contemporary art and design, explore the difference between cultural production and consumption, and learn what it takes to become a successful creative professional in the 21st century. This course is ideal for artists and those interested in exploring the professional paths of creative individuals and the opportunities available in the arts.

This course provides students with the opportunity to blend traditional techniques with cutting-edge digital methods, as they experiment with a range of media, including drawing, sculpture, image transfer, collage, laser cutting, and 3D printing. Begin with exciting mini-projects and hands-on demonstrations to spark your imagination and get ideas flowing, then refine concepts through engaging discussions before completing a final project that reflects your unique style and interests. Additionally, students will discover the latest trends in art, featuring inspiring work from contemporary artists who are pushing boundaries today.

In this hands-on studio course, students will develop new works of art to enhance their portfolios for upcoming college applications and select, revise, and edit their existing works. Through dynamic workshops and one-on-one meetings with SAIC faculty and admissions staff, students will discover the most effective way to document and organize their work and represent their unique points of view as artists to the colleges of their choice. This course also emphasizes studio time and faculty support in creating final projects to enhance students' overall portfolio presentation. Additional resources, such as artist presentations and visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and other cultural institutions, supplement the course curriculum.

Art does not end when you finish a piece; sharing your work with the public plays a vital role in the artistic process and deserves equal consideration. In this course, students explore traditional and contemporary presentation methods, ranging from high-end galleries and museums to online exhibitions and artist-run shows. In addition to in-class examinations of what an exhibition can be and its impact on how artwork is viewed/received, students organize and assemble their exhibition, from marketing to presentation choices, artist statements, and installation to the opening reception. Visits to the Art Institute of Chicago, SAIC's Sullivan and SITE Galleries, and other Chicago venues help inform discussion and research. Students should have finished portfolio-quality work that they are ready to exhibit before taking this course, as it does not cover studio time or techniques.