I have two simple aims, first, to give you the tools you need to face a work of art alone, to see it for yourself, think it through, and draw your own conclusions—instead of taking what “experts” say for gospel.

Then, I’ll help you hone your sharing skills—being able to tell other people what you’ve seen and thought, to “teach” us in a clear, logical, persuasive way.

It’s more than “reporting back” in class what you read at home last night (or writing a paper that’s really "What books I found in the library.”) I want to know what you figured out, what you came up with, decided.

I ask you to tell us “where your mind has been”—how you learned what you learned. This “story” lays out the mental process you went through, your journey.

As you work, I want you to be the detective—skeptical, questioning, exploring the different ways you could explain a given fact, testing what you read against the work of art.

Taking in the broader context—what was happening politically, socially (in the artist’s life) at the time the work of art was created—, you’ll learn to think your way back into other cultures and times, to see the work through their eyes.

You should find yourself growing in areas such as:

visual awareness
sensitivity of eye, heart and mind
spontaneity
creative response to the work of art
concentrated attention over extended periods
understanding versus mere memorization
the ability to probe deeply for causes, patterns, motivation
distinguishing fact from opinion.

All my classes work this way. What is listed in the menu in the left column is handouts that give the details, about working at home, class discussions, researching and writing papers.

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