Sample Application, Paris - Art History

Three CCC, DVC, or LMC courses you propose to teach in addition to the Life & Culture course:

DVC-ARTHS196 History of Medieval and Renaissance Art (3 units)

Description: A history of Western art from the Early Christian Period through the Renaissance. Stylistic changes are related to significant social and cultural changes. Consideration is given to the changing role of the artist, socially, culturally, and within patronage systems.  CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Paris contains many treasures relevant to this course. First and foremost, the Musée du Louvre is one of the world’s best museums, as well as the most visited museum in the world. It contains substantial collections from the time periods covered by this course. The most famous work is the Mona Lisa, but we would go far beyond her! The collection of High Renaissance Italian artists is particularly good, and I would want to make use of the Raphael and Titian works in particular. Really, almost the entire class could be taught actually in the Louvre, moving from gallery to gallery.

We would need to leave the museum long enough to see the amazing churches of Paris in person. The Gothic style was invented and perfected in this region of France, from the first example of the new style in nearby St. Denis to the incredible fusion of architecture, sculpture, and color that is Notre-Dame de Paris, and culminating with the delicacy and jewel-box richness of Sainte-Chapelle, made in the Late Gothic Rayonnant style. Earlier periods of church architecture are represented in the Romanesque Église de Saint-Germain-des Prés in Paris. Many pilgrimage roads wind through France, and a field trip to some other well-known Romanesque churches such as Conques and Moissac would be well worth the trouble. Chartres, Amiens, Reims, and Rouen cathedrals are also nearby examples of Gothic architecture.

Other Paris resources for the course are the Petit Palais, which has a collection of medieval manuscripts and Northern European painting.  The National Museum of Medieval Art in the Baths of Cluny contains the tapestry cycle of The Lady and the Unicorn and a good collection of medieval sculpture, strong on carved altarpieces. The building itself is a rare example of secular Gothic architecture. The Musée des Arts et Métiers might be a nice addition to show the scientific and technological developments that took place in each age.

DVC-ARTHS197 History of Baroque to Early 20^th Century Art (3 units)

Description: A history of Western art from the 17th century to early 20th century. Stylistic changes are related to significant social and cultural changes. Consideration is given to the changing role of the artist. CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

This is the course that is best suited for being taught in Paris—so much of the history covered has happened in Paris. There is an immense wealth of art and resources that apply to the course material. The only problem will be fitting in enough lecture time with all of the field trips that are possible!

The Louvre will be an important source for the Baroque section of the class. There are excellent collections covering this time period, most notably the enormous 24 painting cycle of the life of Marie de Medici painted by Rubens, and works by important artists of the French Royal Academy, such as Nicholas Poussin. The Louvre’s collections are also very strong in 18^th and 19^th century art, and the large history paintings by Jacques-Louis David, Jean-Baptiste-Dominique Ingres, and Antoine-Jean Gros will also be invaluable. Romanticism is well represented, with major works by Theodore Gericault and Eugene Delacroix.

The architectural resources of the city of Paris will also be a major resource. The Palace of Versailles is located a short train ride from the city, and as the seat of French government for nearly a century and a living illustration of the politics of Royalist Absolutism, is a valuable experience for students. Private residences of the 18^th century are still common in Paris, and were the prime example of Rococo architecture and interior design, for example, the Hôtel de Soubise, which is now a museum housing the National Archives. Soufflot’s Panthéon in the Quartier Latin is an excellent example of Neoclassical design, amidst narrow streets and cafés in the student quarter. Garnier’s Opéra and the city of Paris itself are monuments to new ideas of urban design in the latter half of the 19^th century. Baron von Haussmann’s redesign of Paris to include broad boulevards is immediately apparent. I would take the students on a walking tour, and take them up to the top of the Arc du Triomphe to look at the cityscape, and of course, the Marseillaise sculpture by Francois Rude. We would also imitate the flâneurs of the 19^th century such as Baudelaire by walking through the city and observing the people, culture, and life of Paris, as did the Impressionists. A survey of great architecture in the city would not be complete without a mention of the Eiffel Tower.

The Louvre’s collection ends around 1848, but the rest of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries are amply represented in a plethora of other museums. The most important of these is the Musée D’Orsay, which has excellent collections of Realism by Courbet and Manet, and covers the rest of the 19^th century. The collection of Art Nouveau objects, furniture, and design is particularly stunning, and will be complimented by further walking tours to see Hector Guimard’s famous Metro designs and several Art Nouveau buildings near the Eiffel Tower. Monet’s paintings have been enshrined in the Orangerie and the Musée Marmottan Monet, and the Jeu de Paume also has collections that apply to this course. Other notable sites in Paris are the museums devoted to Rodin, Delacroix, the Romantic Life, Brancusi, Picasso, and Dalí. The major movements of the 20^th century can be seen at the Centre Pompidou and the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. We could also go to the cafés frequented by the Impressionists, Surrealists and Cubists, to see how artists were impacted by the city itself.

As I said above, the concern is far more that there is not enough time to do justice to the resources of Paris that pertain to this course!

DVC-ARTHS199 Contemporary Art History (3 units)

Description: A survey of contemporary art in the United States and Europe from 1945 to the present. Recent global tendencies in art will also be considered. Emphasis is placed on identifying and understanding important contemporary art movements and images, as well as social and political issues that shape the character of art produced during this time.  CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL122 or equivalent.

The Centre Pompidou is the most important resource for this class. It has a world-class collection of contemporary art, and includes temporary exhibits as well. There are two floors devoted to permanent exhibits, and they are organized both chronologically and thematically, which would make teaching from the collections easy and facilitate discussions about the connections between the works. The building itself is a masterpiece of postmodern architecture by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.

The Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and the Palais de Tokyo are other great resources. Beyond these resources, Paris is also a city with a wealth of galleries, many of them near the Centre Pompidou along the Rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais. Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain also offers exhibits of cutting-edge contemporary art. The contemporary art course would depend much more on what is current in the temporary exhibitions in these resources, as all of these facilities are either substantially or entirely dedicated to rotating exhibits. Adapting the class to the current shows would be exciting, and students would truly feel that they have taken part in a once in a lifetime experience. Teaching this course in Paris would be similar to the Seminar in the Arts course I taught at FIDM (see supplementary information), which was predicated on current exhibits and events in San Francisco. Teaching this way is challenging and stimulating, and I always felt like I was able to cover all of the necessary material but from new angles.

Three alternate courses:

DVC-ARTHS195 History of Prehistoric to Ancient Art (3 units)

Description: A history of Western art from the Paleolithic through the end of the Roman period and the beginning of early Christian art. Archeological and anthropological problems are discussed in relation to the study of art styles. The social and cultural background of ancient civilizations and role of the artist will be considered. CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Paris would be a very good place to teach the history of Ancient art. Not only does the city contain a major collection of ancient art in the Louvre, there are other resources that would supplement the vast stores of art and artifacts that the Louvre contains. Highlights of the collection include Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and classical art. From Egypt, a reconstructed funerary chapel from the New Kingdom, several tomb figures from the Old Kingdom, and a good collection of mummies and sarcophagi from all representative periods of Egyptian art, with a particularly strong collection in the Roman period of Egypt. Mesopotamian holdings include the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, Assyrian reliefs and a reconstructed door with lamassu, or guardian figures. The classical collections are strong in the Archaic and Classical periods of Greek art, but truly excel in the Hellenistic period, including the Winged Nike of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo.

Paris contains the National Archaeology Museum, which has a very respectable collection of prehistoric artifacts, most notably extensive holdings of Magdalenian and Aurignacian cultures. In addition, most of the famous prehistoric locations are in the southwest of France, in the Vézere and Lot valleys. The National Museum of Prehistory, located in Les Eyzies des Tayac in the Dordogne has an incredible collection. Many of the caves in the southwest are closed to visitors due to the delicate nature of the art inside them, but there is a replica of Lascaux cave that would be easily accessible on a weekend field trip, if possible.

The archaeological crypt beneath Notre Dame is a truly excellent resource. It really gives the feeling of what a Roman settlement would have looked like, and the didactic information is also well produced and informative. The Baths of Cluny in Paris are also a valuable archaeological resource. Further afield, Provence is a hotbed of Roman ruins, and easy to access by TGV. The Pont du Gard, Maison Carrée, ruins at Glanum near St-Remy, and arena in Arles are the standout sites.

DVC-ART105 Introduction to Drawing, Color, and 2-Dimensional Design (3 units)

Description: Presentation of drawing concepts and techniques, perspective, as well as color theory fundamentals, with emphasis on design principles and composition. CSU, UC. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Part of this class deals with the history of drawing techniques, and for that purpose, the Louvre would be an invaluable resource. I could send students on scavenger hunt trips to find examples of different styles and techniques, and then create individualized assignments around the exploration of those techniques.

The city of Paris, with all of the boulevards and places would be a marvelous subject for perspective studies (and students would be following in the footsteps of the Impressionists!) The city also offers incredible public gardens, from the Jardin Luxembourg to the Bois de Boulogne and the Jardin des Plantes that would be perfect for students to do studies of value, contrast, and volume. Still life subjects abound in the many markets: Marché aux Puce St. Ouen for the brocantes, or antiques, and the Marché aux Oiseaux et Fleurs on the Ile de la Cité showcases birds and flowers on Sundays—both are excellent for developing skills in composition and design. Walking tours of the city would provide students with ample sketching material, and it might be fun to take them to one of the major cemeteries such as Père-Lachaise to find more unusual subjects. The cemeteries would be particularly good for value studies, as most of the sculpture in them is not painted.

Color studies would bring the class back to the Louvre, but a potential side trip might be to Giverny, where Monet spent many years immersing himself in color. If Giverny is not possible, we could go to the Orangerie to see his paintings instead, where students could learn from the close-up riot of colors in the reflections of the Water Lilies. Complementary, analogous, and warm and cool compositions will all be illustrated.

Finally, Paris is very rich in small museums made from artists’ studios and homes: Eugene Delacroix, Antoine Bourdelle, and Gustave Moreau have all had their studios and homes preserved as museums. Visiting these locations would give aspiring artists a better understanding of how artists live and work.

DVC-ARTHS193 History of Asian Art (3 units)

An introduction to major art forms and traditions in Asia from prehistory to the present. Artists, patrons, cultures, religions, and their intersections will be covered. Comparisons will be drawn between the course material and other artistic traditions, especially Western societies. CSU, UC. CSUGE Area C1; IGETC Area 3A. Recommended eligibility for ENGL116/118 or equivalent.

Paris is also a world-class city for Asian art. The Musée Guimet, Musée Cernuschi, Institut du Monde Arabe, and Musée du Quai Branly are all devoted to non-western art.

The Musée Guimet is the primary resource. It contains major collections of all of the cultures covered in the course, and includes a Buddhist temple in its grounds. Second on the list of resources is the Cernuschi, which also contains a strong collection in Chinese and Japanese art.

The Branly’s architectural design is almost as spectacular as the objects it holds, including a living wall of plants and lush gardens. The museum also contains ethnographic objects. It is the repository of the Louvre’s collections of non-western art.

What have you done that demonstrates your ability to organize or initiate programs or activities?

I taught a course called Seminar in the Arts for several semesters at FIDM (the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising). This course was based around field trips to different cultural activities including plays, concerts, museums, and galleries. This provided experience in organizing and coordinating outings and group visits, and in researching the current events of a city. It also gave me experience in adapting a set curriculum to a constantly changing range of activities. I currently organize multiple field trips every semester.

I am very experienced in curriculum creation and review. I have served on the DVC Curriculum Committee for two years, and I have developed experimental and topics courses including History of Photography and Visual Culture in Painting and Professional Practices. I currently review courses for the C-ID statewide articulation board.

As the current Art Department Chair, I am experienced in organizing and assisting events, fundraisers, and exhibitions, as well as reviewing, writing, and editing courses, program review, and Student Learning Outcome assessments.

I am interested in interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and am a Teacher-Consultant at the Bay Area Writing Project. I have participated in several local conferences and workshops on writing across the curriculum. This has made my approach to assignment and course design flexible, and focused on critical thinking skills.

Recruitment:

Research polls conducted by the University of Illinois suggest that most students who participate in a study abroad program receive information about the program (in order of most to least often) through a website, through information from other students who have participated in the past, from Study Abroad Fairs and/or informational meetings, and through Faculty members.

I would try to tailor my recruiting to this research to make it as effective as possible. First, I would produce a brief YouTube video about the program to embed in the Study Abroad website and which teachers could show in class, or embed in their course learning systems for students to access.  I know of several of my current and former students who plan to participate in Study Abroad in Florence in SP13, and I would ask them to participate in some recruiting efforts upon their return to provide students with a personal perspective.

I would use social media and networking techniques to maintain and capture student interest, including Facebook, Twitter, and blogging and would create a mailing list of all interested students with periodic contact to provide exciting information about their destination and keep interest level high.

I would be happy to work at a Study Abroad table in the common area of the colleges, to provide information and brochures. I will visit classes and conduct informational meetings.  To summarize, I am very committed to putting time and energy into recruiting to ensure that the program is successful.

Informal advising/Support:

I am already exploring alternative methods of student contact, including Google Voice, which allows students to text me for support and information. I would like to continue this practice, and perhaps add additional methods of communication such as Skype.

I have an excellent rapport with students, many of whom feel comfortable in asking me for assistance. I have conferred with students on college applications and internship opportunities, and my student evaluations always focus on my openness, helpfulness, and engagement with students. Comments have included: “She’s very open to assist students; she’s very patient, and good at answering questions” and “I love Ms Koblik’s enthusiasm and spirit for what she teaches. She has never talked down to a student and is always welcoming interpretations and constant comments or questions.”

I have also spent several years coaching water polo at both the high school and collegiate levels, including travelling with the teams. This provides relevant experience in advising and supporting students outside a school context, and taught me that this is a role I enjoy and feel effective in.

Travel:

I participated in a Study Abroad program while I was in high school. I lived in Germany for a month, and hosted a German student for a month. My host family were Turkish immigrants to Germany, and were Muslim, so the experience was multicultural on several levels. I had a great relationship with my exchange partner, and we still keep in occasional contact.

I have also travelled internationally with my collegiate, Junior National, and most recently club water polo teams. I have visited Cuba, Italy, Greece, Germany, and the Netherlands on training and competitive trips, so have extensive experience in travelling with a group of people with diverse interests, and in negotiating and mediating various goals and needs.

I have lived in both Hawaii and New York—very diverse environments! I enjoyed both experiences, and I know that I am a quickly adaptive traveler who enjoys new experiences and settles in to new places and customs quickly and easily.

Lastly, I have travelled on my own and with friends and family on several European trips, including to Paris, London, and Florence. My husband also travels extensively and is supportive of my travel. I planned, researched, and organized large parts of these trips in consultation with my travelling partners.

Foreign Languages:

Spoken and written German at a conversational level—has gotten rather rusty! 4 years of German instruction at the high school level.

Spoken and written Italian also at a rusty conversational level—4 quarters of Italian at the college level.

Basic French phrases and conversation—I have been wanting to take French for the past few years, and would certainly make this a priority if selected for the Paris study Abroad program.

Personal Statement:

I am an energetic, enthusiastic person who loves to teach and learn. I am very excited about providing students with the priceless opportunity to experience another culture through study abroad, and feel that Art History is a particularly good fit for a study abroad program. One amazing thing about teaching art history at the community college is the students who return after travelling abroad and write to me or drop by my office to tell me what a difference my class made to their travel; how they found their experience was enriched by knowing something about the art and cultures they studied in my classes. Hearing from former students is one of my favorite parts of the job! I would love to have the opportunity to guide students while they experience another culture, and see amazing artifacts, architecture, and artworks in person.

Special qualifications:

Art History is a particularly good fit for the study abroad curriculum. Students have a natural interest in the art and culture of a location. I have visited Paris and have extensive knowledge of the art, architecture, and culture that will be covered in my courses, and I have the energy and enthusiasm that a study abroad teacher needs. I have diverse travel experiences, and am an empathetic, pragmatic person, which I believe would also be an asset to the program.

Personal/financial arrangements:

Yes, I would be able to make the necessary arrangements. My husband is supportive of my desire to teach study abroad, and his job as a photographer is flexible to the degree that he would consider coming along with me. Whether I travel alone or with him, financial arrangements will not be an issue.