Academic Affairs

Course Syllabus—Liberal Arts

Course Name: Professional Artist Course Number:

Semester: Spring Day: Monday and Wednesday Time: 11:30 - 1pm
Instructor: Alison Williams

NHIA E-mail awilliams@nhia.edu Tel# 603 391 8627

I. Course Description
This course is designed to help NHIA seniors better anticipate and transition into a post-BFA world. Research
and discussion will attempt to make the many aspects of the profession of art understandable and attainable. In
order to approach commercial galleries, curators, not-for-profit spaces, and funding bodies, students in this class
must deepen their personal understandings of their work and learn to place it within historical and contemporary
contexts. As emerging artists seeking greater exposure for their work, students must also confront several
writing challenges, including developing effective resumes, artist statements, and press releases. Students will
discuss the business aspects of the profession of art including taxes and copyright law. Students will learn to
establish, and work through, realistic goals. Finally, all students of the Professional Artist class will generate
professional quality PowerPoint presentations that, among other things, chart the trajectory of their work,
examine artistic influences, and explicate elements of their process and style.

II. Course Goals

Goals are general aims of the class.

 To build knowledge, skills and confidence so that graduates are able to engage, communicate, and
succeed in a variety of professional art settings.
 To teach students to place and understand their work in historical and contemporary context in order to
plan and carry out professional career development.
 To teach and develop writing and presentation skills necessary for excellent communication in the
profession of Fine Art.

III. Course Learning Objectives

Learning objectives are specific outcomes of student learning. Learning objectives should be aligned with
course goals, specifically they are the skills, knowledge, techniques, etc. students passing the course will gain.

 Students will develop a professional presentation. They will present their work both in a historical and
contemporary context and be able to define their artistic direction.
 Students will complete writing projects that will include an artist’s statement and a resume. They will be
able to adapt these to fit a variety of audiences.
 Students will interact with curators, gallery owners and others in the profession in order to understand
how to develop and place their work.
 Students will interact with guest presenters to gain specific skills and knowledge such as small business,
legal, marketing and tax information.
 Students will understand where their work fits within the context of the profession of art and be able to
articulate and act on that knowledge.
IV. Course Delivery

 In-class discussions which present and challenge ideas about the Profession of Art.
 Exercises to encourage critical thinking and writing skills so that students may adapt writing to fulfill a
multitude of situations, including artist statements and resume, letters of introduction and grants.
 Assignments which help students identify and understand their place in the professional art world and
which allow them to set goals and anticipate challenges.

V. Evaluation Procedures

Evaluation Procedure Percent Value to Student Grade

Attendance 20%
Participation 15%
Homework 10%
Real Life Projects 15%
Classwork 10%
Power Point Presentation 30%
TOTAL: 100 %

Required Materials & Texts:

Title: How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist; selling your art without selling your soul
Author(s)/Ed(s): Carol Michels
Publisher: Holt Paperbacks
Year Published: 2001
ISBN: SBN – 13: 978-0-8050-6800-9

VI. Course Lessons, Reading, and Assignments based on Academic Calendar

(See below)

VII. Grading: NHIA has instituted the following grading system: A=outstanding, B=above average,
C=average, D=below average, F=failure. For a more ample discussion on grading, please refer to your student
handbook and to the individual assignment descriptions that I hand out in class.

VIII. Academic Student Accommodations

Students with disabilities, who need academic accommodations, should contact Student Services Director,
Loula Kalampalikis at 603-836-2527 or the Office of Student Services, NHIA, 153 Concord Street, First Floor,
Manchester, NH 03104. Please refer to the Student handbook for Services Available for Students with
Disabilities.

IX. Academic Integrity / Plagiarism Policy

The following is from the Student Handbook:
Academic honesty at New Hampshire Institute of Art is highly prized. All work submitted by students is
assumed to be generated in response to a specific professor’s educational prompts and cannot be used in other
classes without specific permission from both teachers. Submitting your work to two classes, submitting
another’s work as your own, copying papers from the internet or other sources, or using the words or ideas of
other people without giving those people proper credit is academically dishonest and constitutes plagiarism.
Willful academic dishonesty can result in failure of a class at the least, revocation of scholarships and grants,
being placed on academic probation, and at worst expulsion from New Hampshire Institute of Art.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines for in-text citation are the school standard in Liberal Arts
courses. American Psychological Association (APA) in-text citation is appropriate in select social science
classes. MLA and APA guidebooks are available in the Reference section of the New Hampshire Institute of
Art Library. MLA and APA guidelines for citation of text are available in many credible writing handbooks,
online and in the Academic Support Center. Familiarity with these guidelines and adherence to them will
always keep you safe from charges of academic dishonesty. When in doubt, err on the side of caution; quote
directly and cite. Ask your professor, the ASC Coordinator, or you are invited to call, email or ask a librarian
for assistance on using MLA or APA resources.

11-Jan Mon Introduction

13-Jan Wed Michelle Ray - Accessing resources
18-Jan closed Martin Luther King Day
Debunking myths and legends – what is the art world really
20-Jan Wed like? Experiences and thoughts – Fears and hopes
25-Jan Mon Artist statement exercises – homework exercises
27-Jan Wed Glen images? Documenting artwork
1-Feb Mon Writing – resumes, cards, letters
3-Feb Wed No Class - visit Boston Friday
8-Feb Mon Resume - Artist statements due
10-Feb Wed Biography – elevator pitch
15-Feb Mon Presenter – gallery (Art 3)
17-Feb Wed Applications for galleries
22-Feb Mon MFA - panel

24-Feb Wed MFA - discussion research websites

1-Mar Mon Wed site presenter Erwan
Alternative spaces – visit Boston First Friday with business
3-Mar Wed cards
8-Mar closed Spring Break
10-Mar closed Spring Break
15-Mar Mon Presentation prep & grant writing
17-Mar Wed Goals – 1 yr, 3yr, 5yr (making plans)
22-Mar Mon Presentation prep -
24-Mar Wed Seniors send invite for final exhibition to located gallery
29-Mar Mon Marketing yourself
31-Mar Wed Legal matters, tax etc
5-Apr Mon Goals – 1 yr, 3yr, 5yr (making plans)
7-Apr Wed Presentation prep - Small group
12-Apr Mon Goals – 1 yr, 3yr, 5yr (how to set yourself up to follow up)
14-Apr Wed Presentations
19-Apr Mon Presentations
21-Apr Wed Presentations
26-Apr Mon Critique of presentations
28-Apr Wed Round up

Student responsibilities:
• Timely submission of assignments – no late work will be accepted. No exceptions. This class is founded
on the fact that the real world does not operate within the realm of excuses and late notices. The
Professional Artist class assumes an attitude of responsibility and the highest level of work ethic.
• Attendance at all classes is mandatory. Tardiness is unacceptable for the reasons stated above.
• Commitment to reading all material presented
 • Keeping a notebook/ folder of handouts
• Diligent email communication with faculty
• Contributing to peer review and group work. The Professional Artist needs to be able to interact and
work with a diverse range of individuals and groups.
• Participate in class critiques and discussions
• Give Oral presentations
• Do self-directed work and self-evaluations. The Professional Artists needs to be able to be objective
about their work and understand the market for their work.
• Writing papers and other writing assignments done to the highest level.

Evaluation Procedures:
NHIA has instituted the following grading system
A = outstanding
B = above average
C = average
D = below average
F = failure
For fuller description of specific grading criteria please refer to the information below, in the student handbook
and to individual assignments descriptions.

Student Grades will be based on the following

Attendance: 20%
Students will abide by the attendance policy stated in the Student Handbook.
Tardiness is unacceptable.
3 tardy = an absence
3 absences and a conversation will occur with the faculty, student and the student’s advisor
On the 4th absence a grade of F may be assigned
It is your responsibility as a student to communicate any reasons for absences and to make arrangements to
make up any missed work. The faculty will not seek you out to address absences or tardies but it is expected
that as a professional you will seek them out to address these. Each absence, excused or not excused, needs to
be explained. Absences for illness or death of a family member or similar will be excused, illness will only be
excused with a Dr’s note.

Participation: 15%
Participation is essential in this class and in the Professional Art world. Students will be required to be fully
involved in discussion and dialogue with faculty and each other. This includes listening to all instructions,
asking questions in order to fully comprehend instructions, being involved fully in group discussions and
critiques, asking questions about and making comments on information given by presenters. Asking questions
about and making comments on information presented by faculty and other students.
NO IPODS, NO computer use unless specific to class.

Homework: 10%
Students are expected to complete homework assignments that supplement and/or prepare them for class work.
Homework for this class is essential and in part is established as a way of encouraging independent attitudes and
generating good work practices that students can bring with them into the art world. Grading will be on
completion, comprehension, timeliness and other factors presented as criteria for specific homework projects.
Homework is required to be presented in a Professional manner.

Real Life Projects: 15%

Students will identify two exhibition possibilities then complete and submit exhibition applications. Student will
also prepare written materials for future submission to grant and residency bodies.
These projects will include:
Research and identification of (by visiting and reading about) exhibition possibilities
Research and Identification of marketing possibilities
Research and Identification of networking possibilities
Research and Identification of possible grants and residencies
Each student will be required to participate in at least one first Friday evening in Boston as well as field trips to
visit a museum and Galleries.

Materials for submission to exhibition will include:

Application completion
Resume completion
Artists Statement (specific to each future application)
Other required materials depending on submission requirements stated

Students will also be required to present:

3 variations of Artists Statement
3 variations of a cover letter
These materials are required to be presented in a Professional and Artistic manner.

Class work: 10%

In addition to the projects above there will be additional class work projects. Each of these will be presented
with grading criteria and will include completion, comprehension, and timeliness as well as other criteria
specific to each project.

Power Point Presentation: 30%

1. Each student engaged in class will present a 10-minute Power Point presentation to a gathered audience of
faculty, students and staff as their final project.
This is designed to instruct students on how to make successful presentations. Presentations will make use of
Power Point and Digital Projection as audio and visual aides. You will be allotted 10 minutes for your talk.
Your 10-minute talk should present a case or argument for your work as well as showcase your development.
You should use your Capstone Paper as the basis for this talk. It is required that you present an artistic context
for the development of your work during your talk -- influences, references and visuals -- alongside
representative samples of your work.

2. You should think of your talk as a performance and therefore you should practice it. One page of double
spaced text can be read in 5 minutes, so plan accordingly.

3. You should try to bring up at least these 4 issues in your talk:

• The content of your work and how it has developed over time, including the artistic context in which
you have developed it as outlined above. These are the artistic ideas that underpin your work.
• How the work is made and how this has effected the development/subject matter choices in your work
• The art world context(s) and other general contexts in which you expect your work to be understood
(historical, contemporary as well as subject matter) for example if your work is about mechanics you
should be able to explain the mechanics as well as the work itself.
• Which direction your work is going after NHIA

4. You will be evaluated on:

• Preparation – knowledge of material and equipment
• Clarity of message – what is the point of message
• Clear transmission of message – select words and images carefully to get across the point
• Appropriateness – knowledge of audience
• Delivery