ArtQuest 2005: Core of Discovery, is an abroad sponsored by the Principia College Art Department. The title for the abroad is derived, in part, from that which Thomas Jefferson gave to the official team of men who were asked to explore the large tract of land purchased from France and known as the Louisiana Purchase. He asked Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead a group of men on a journey officially sanctioned as the Corps of Discovery.

This abroad will feature several interconnected themes.
-The nature of discovery itself—historical, cultural, conceptual, spiritual. What is at the core of all creative discovery?
-The rich relevance to the artist of the discovery process itself. How do we make discovery practical?
-The impact that the European discovery and settlement of the new world had upon the indigenous population in North America. How do we evaluate this impact objectively?

These themes will, of course, be translated into the daily activity of students as they keep journals, draw on-location, visit museums, and absorb art history.

Program Staff
The program is technically directed by Glenn Felch but there will be specific contributions from Dan Kistler, David Coughtry, and Judith Felch. In addition, a guest art historian is also expected to contribute to this program.
There will be one individual, whose name will be announced shortly, serving as resident counselor for the entire abroad.

Preliminary Itinerary
The program will start in Elsah, and continue in Western USA for 3 weeks. The abroad will then return to Elsah for additional art history and studio work. The final five weeks will be on-location in France with several days in Senlis, Giverny, Rouen, Honfleur, Bayeux, Fougeres, Chartres (Picardie, Normandy, Brittany). The final week will be back in Paris for visits to the many art museums there. The abroad will conclude in Paris, after which students may choose to make their own arrangements for traveling in Europe before returning home.

Academics
A total of fifteen (15) quarter hours credit will be earned on this program during fall quarter, 2005. Final grades for all courses will be determined by the program directors.

ARTS 402: On-location Studies 8 QH
This course will be the on-site production of a consistent sketchbook-folio based upon a range of practical skills adapted to the process of “observation, invention, study, and original thought.” The student will use appropriate media and will be introduced to a great variety of artist’s sketchbooks and on-location imagery. Students will be shown how to gather information that will be useful for future studio work. Students will also learn how to produce aesthetically satisfying and useful “finished” sketches that reveal maturity.

ARTS 403: Journal Discovery 5 QH
Methods in writing thematic, mature, journal entries based on a variety of prompts: taking classroom notes, gathering research notes, taking field notes appropriate to the process of making art; making individual observations, prioritizing historical and cultural information and helps the student demonstrate why it is important to be orderly and thorough with this aspect of the creative process. The artist must learn how to think clearly, logically, analytically in order to produce mature art.

ARTH 251: Art History Workshop 2 QH
This workshop is comprised of two series of lecture. The first set of lectures focuses on the culture of the Native American tribes of Montana. The second set is a condensation of the course “Paris and its Art” and prepares students for accessing the art, architecture, and sculpture found in Paris and specific other locations in France. The purpose of this workshop is for students to have a common understanding of some foundational ideas of cultural diversity and historic perspective upon which they can build during their on-location research.

Pre-requisites: ARTS 102, 201, & 220 (210, 281, 230, and 302 preferred)