In this yearlong rigorous trans-disciplinary thematic studio experience, students from a variety of majors investigate ways of being a creative person in today’s world. Topics include contemporary practice, social and global issues, personal and professional development, historical and theoretical perspectives, as well as MICA-specific initiatives. Through creative work, dialogue, the written word, research and presentations, students work individually and in groups to reflect critically on course content as they consider the rich array of possibilities for twenty-first century art and design. The course culminates in a self-reflective portfolio presentation integrating all first year courses.

In this yearlong rigorous trans-disciplinary thematic studio experience, students from a variety of majors investigate ways of being a creative person in today’s world. Topics include contemporary practice, social and global issues, personal and professional development, historical and theoretical perspectives, as well as MICA-specific initiatives. Through creative work, dialogue, the written word, research and presentations, students work individually and in groups to reflect critically on course content as they consider the rich array of possibilities for twenty-first century art and design. The course culminates in a self-reflective portfolio presentation integrating all first year courses.

Investigate visual organization principles and explore color theory. This introductory color and design course will teach both additive and subtractive color mixing, as well as composition in multiple dimensions. First year students will experiment in both analog and digital media, using paint, print, and light. This course is unique in its narrative methodology.

Examine the ubiquity and power of patterns while becoming conversant in color theory. This introductory color and design course will teach both additive and subtractive color mixing, as well as composition in multiple dimensions. An exploration of pattern design and application will provide structure to first year students’ immersive experience with both analog and digital media. This course uses patterns as a topical point of entry to investigate the way color informs meaning.

Discover a process-based approach to creating objects in space. This first-year fabrication course provides a comprehensive introduction to the creation of multi-dimensional works in a variety of media. Students will explore spatial reasoning, learn to select the appropriate tools and materials to suit their projects, and undertake a crucial primer on shop safety. This course is unique in its iterative methodology, following a project through several stages of development to its final form.

Unpack the intricate relationships between the human body, technology, and our material environment. This first-year fabrication course provides a comprehensive introduction to the creation of multi-dimensional works in a variety of media. In addition to discovering new ways to understand how our human bodies interface with built form and physical space, students will also undertake a crucial primer on how to use tools and materials safely. This course’s innovative conceptual framework scaffolds a holistic education in a wide range of technical skills.

Delve into the production of time- and lens-based works. This course offers a well-rounded introduction to the interaction between time, the lens, and the tactile world. First year students will experiment with an array of techniques, including video and audio production, as well as still photography and stop motion animation. This course is unique in its breadth of scope, with assignments designed to encourage experimentation and the cultivation of new ideas about systems and time.

Immerse yourself in innovative multimedia idea mapping. This course introduces first year students to novel methods of data visualization, contextualized by a larger inquiry into the possibilities of time-based art. Using both analog and digital techniques, students will learn to analyze and map patterns found in human behavior and daily life. This course is an exciting space for students looking for ways to integrate emerging technologies into their studio practice

Can art be a force of social and political change? This class will introduce students to “social practice,” an emerging type of participatory art activism, which seeks to bring about positive change within specific communities. Through the interdisciplinary lens and research-based methodology of social practice, students will develop an ethical framework to think critically and responsibly about their role as artists and designers within social, political, and economic systems of power. By tracing the lineage of social practice along with key case studies of the field, we will explore the risks, strategies, and impacts of socially engaged modes of working. Students will make work with consideration for urban issues such as race relations, economic forces, livability, privilege, power, education, sustainability, poverty, urban planning, history and access. The course will include field trips and guest lectures with local leaders and experts in Baltimore, with consideration for MICA’s relationship to the city.

This studio course will offer an introductory exploration of the social, environmental and political issues of the present climate crisis. We will examine the interconnected issues of climate change and social justice, learn how artists and designers are responding and engaging with their audiences, and develop knowledge and creative skills in relationship to these challenging, inspiring and deeply relevant conditions. Students will produce a series of visual projects using mediums and processes determined by the individual class member.

Drawing is an active form of thinking and a cultivable skill that can be used to support a range of art and design disciplines. This studio intensive course explores the principles, techniques, media, and applications of drawing through analog-based perceptual drawing practice. Central to this course is the “Tradition and Innovation Research Project,” in which each student researches a historical tradition of drawing, presents on that chosen tradition, and, in a culminating sustained project, creates a drawing or set of drawings that innovates on that tradition.

Drawing in the twenty-first century is a dynamic field of inquiry characterized by a range of material and conceptual approaches. Building on analog and digital experiences from Drawing: Tradition and Innovation, this course provides students opportunities to enhance their drawing practice using a variety of media to: investigate the lens and the frame as formal and conceptual tools; articulate structural aspects of dimension and space; and explore aspects of time through sequential or iterative processes.