Intermediate Painting: Patterns and Grids
Course Description
Summary
“In the context of pattern, the elements of drawing take on an unexpected weight. Thicken a line here, flatten a curve, deepen the tone—it’s not simply a form that changes. The rhythm of the whole alters. The effect of variants in pattern, sometimes violent, is hard to describe in the usual formal terms. Our aesthetic vocabulary was built for unique forms and close aggregates, and in pattern nothing is unique or closed. Orchestration is all.” — Amy Goldin
Patterns do not observe boundaries or limits; they continue indefinitely. In this course, we will examine and activate the properties and powers of pattern in paintings and drawings. Pattern is composed of three elements: motif, interval, and repetition. Artists such as Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Agnes Martin have deployed patterns and grids to challenge the conventions of painting as a singular, narrative, or discursive image.
Learning Outcomes
- Developing and maintaining a rigorous studio practice through regular assignments and independent work
Developing the capacity for solitude and fruitful self-reflection
Augmenting problem-solving and problem-finding skills
Investigating complicated ideas by practicing the art of conversation
Developing the capacity to think together in order to collaborate successfully
Prerequisites
One 2000-level painting course and permission through the application process.
To register: Email jblackwell@bennington.edu with “PATTERN” in the subject line. Submit a brief paragraph outlining your interest in the course, how it fits into your Plan of Study, your current term, and any other Visual Arts courses you intend to take next term. Students will be notified of their enrollment status by email. Incomplete inquiries will not be considered.