VA 100
3 credits
Introduction to Visual Art
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students are introduced to a wide range of visual arts techniques and materials in hands-on studio settings. Through workshops with visual arts faculty, students make projects and learn how to show, share, and reflect upon their work in the context of contemporary visual art studio practice. Examples of Indigenous art are core content in this course; when the course is offered as part of the Indigenous Arts certificate, all workshops, modules, and examples will be drawn from Indigenous cultural and artistic practices
VA 110
3 credits
Creating on a Theme
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students are introduced to how themes and concepts inform material and technical decisions in studio-art practices. Each iteration of the course will focus on a theme determined by the instructor. Students will engage with texts, ideas, artistic works, and studio projects that align with the course theme. A praxis-based course, students develop personal and group studio projects in response to the course theme.
VA 113
3 credits
Introduction to Drawing
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students explore introductory drawing skills and the important role drawing plays in Indigenous and global contemporary art and cultures. Materials, ideas, and techniques are demonstrated as students develop strategies for individual expression through traditional and experimental drawing methods.
Note: This course may utilize nude models.
VA 117
3 credits
Introduction to Animation Drawing
Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course introduces animation drawing through a variety of methods. Students will explore aspects of drawing to facilitate the production and development of all aspects of animation. This course covers the basic skills and knowledge of drawing techniques that form the basis of the fully developed animated project. There will be a focus on aspects of line, shape, value, perspective, spatial effects, and composition as related to animated drawing.
VA 180
3 credits
Digital Photography
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course emphasizes the basics of digital photography, beginning with digital camera controls, progressing on to editing fundamentals and techniques, and ending with the production of final prints. The functional and aesthetic impact of digital photography in today’s society is also investigated.
Note: Students with credit for GD 158 cannot take this course for further credit.
VA 195
1 credit
Indigenous Arts Experiential Learning
Prerequisite(s): Admission into the Indigenous Arts certificate.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In this experiential course, students in the Indigenous Arts certificate participate in learning opportunities with artists and cultural knowledge keepers, enhancing their understandings of art practice and/or Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and creating. The focus and scheduling of the course is responsive to student interests, program needs, and artists’ availability.
Note: Students may take this course for credit three times
VA 221
3 credits
Drawing Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100 or VA 113.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students advance their understanding of contemporary drawing principles and practices while expanding their knowledge of Indigenous and global perspectives on drawing. Focused skill development, personal expression and experimentation are explored through black and white and colour applications.
Note: This course may utilize nude models.
VA 223
3 credits
Painting Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students learn about and practice historical and contemporary painting processes. Technical skills and experimental approaches are explored in context, with introductions to painting theory. Examples of diverse approaches to painting, including the work of Indigenous artists, are included.
VA 225
3 credits
Figure Drawing Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100 or VA 113.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students will investigate the formal and conceptual elements of introductory figure drawing while learning how to draw from a live model. A variety of live drawing techniques and in-class material demonstrations inform the experimental possibilities of figure drawing as it pertains to contemporary art practice and discourse.
Note: This course utilizes nude models.
Note: Students with credit for VA 101 cannot take this course for further credit.
VA 231
3 credits
Sculpture Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students explore 3-dimensional properties of objects and materials. Traditional building and fabrication skills are introduced, along with principles of form, concept development, and contemporary studio practices. Students are introduced to 3D and sculptural practices, including examples of Indigenous artworks from a range of historical periods, including contemporary.
VA 251
3 credits
Print Media Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students learn basic relief printmaking methods, including linocut, relief stenciling, and colour applications. Historical and social contexts for understanding print media and examples of Indigenous printmakers are introduced as students develop their own perspective on image development in contemporary art.
VA 260
3 credits
Professional Skills for Visual Artists
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students learn key professional skills necessary for establishing a cohesive body of artwork, exhibiting their work publicly and building an artist’s curriculum vitae, guided by contemporary best practices in the visual arts. Students demonstrate professional skills through a variety of creative research and hands-on activities centered around their own practices. This course culminates in a public group exhibition on campus.
VA 271
3 credits
Interdisciplinary Collaborative Art Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students learn how to engage in group project work from ideation to creation and documentation. Technical skills and conceptual frameworks are developed through creative praxis and group generation of image, sound, digital, and performance-based artworks.
VA 280
3 credits
Digital Photography Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students explore photographic digital image-making through development of technical and concept-building skills in a series of personal projects. Students learn to incorporate contemporary perspectives in art photography and current issues into the content of their work.
VA 283
3 credits
Darkroom Photography Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Introduces the basic principles of black-and-white darkroom photography. Students learn manual camera controls using 35 mm film cameras, followed by chemical processing and printing. Photographic processes involving digital scanning and printing are introduced. Students learn about contemporary concepts and practices in film-based photo art.
VA 295
3 credits
Special Topics in Studio Fundamentals
Prerequisite(s): VA 100.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students gain knowledge of a specific area of studio arts practice, focused on techniques, materials, and relevant concepts related to the topic.
Note: This course will be offered under different letter designations (e.g. C-Z) representing different topics. This course may be repeated for credit provided the letter designation differs.
VA 2XX
99 credits
Visual Arts Second Year
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
VA 300
3 credits
Creative Research Methods
Prerequisite(s): One of VA 100, VA 110, or (12 credits in AH, FILM, GD, MEDA, SOCA, THEA, or VA).
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students engage with a range of creative research methods, tactics, and strategies to identify their own creative research interests. Students learn how to apply creative research methodologies to their artistic work by incorporating, practicing, and enacting ideas and theories in their own art practice. Topics include de/anti-colonial methodologies, embodied practice, archival methods, and ethics in artistic research.
VA 301
3 credits
Creative Praxis
Prerequisite(s): One of VA 100, VA 110, or (12 credits in AH, FILM, GD, MEDA, SOCA, THEA, or VA).
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students focus on how to integrate themes, theory, and studio practice. They will learn to identify and develop specific questions to drive artistic research and studio practice. Each course offering will address a theme determined by the instructor and center learning about how to incorporate thematic concepts and ideas into material and formal decision-making to build strong, de/anti-colonial contemporary studio arts practices.
VA 310
3 credits
Art, Gender, and the Body
Prerequisite(s): VA 100 or VA 110.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Through studio projects, students challenge gender stereotypes and biases, developing perspectives on art as a tool for resistance, empowerment, and healing. Students engage in a critical examination of the social, cultural, and historical contexts that shape how gender and the body are represented and experienced in various forms of art. Indigenous and global perspectives inform how art can be a powerful tool for expressing identity, reclaiming cultural heritage, and challenging dominant narratives about gender and the body.
VA 311
3 credits
Place and Art-Making
Prerequisite(s): VA 100 or VA 110.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In this studio-based course, students explore the relationship between place and space with focus on the importance of land-based methods and the ways in which Indigenous ways of knowing and being inform understanding of site and locality in contemporary art. Creative projects, guests, texts, and discussions promote critical thinking and reflection on the complex issues surrounding land, sovereignty, and colonization. Student art practices are enriched by engagement with diverse perspectives and experiential learning.
VA 321
3 credits
Advanced Studio: Painting and Drawing
Prerequisite(s): One of VA 221, VA 222, VA 223, VA 224, or VA 225.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students expand their knowledge of painting and drawing techniques. Indigenous perspectives on drawing and painting are explored through the study of Indigenous artists’ practice. Self-directed projects experimenting with thematic, formal, and conceptual principles in contemporary art are developed in consultation with the instructor
VA 325
3 credits
Advanced Studio: Figure Painting and Figure Drawing
Prerequisite(s): One of VA 221, VA 223, or VA 225.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students elaborate on their study of painting and drawing techniques related to live, timed, and untimed inclusive representations of the human figure. Formal, conceptual, and technical depth is prioritized as students complete in-class sessions, design their own projects, and work independently, in consultation with the instructor.
Note: Draped and undraped (nude) models are present for in-class sessions
VA 331
3 credits
Advanced Studio: Sculpture
Prerequisite(s): VA 231.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students respond to their environment with theoretical and philosophical frameworks, furthering their understandings of diverse contemporary sculpture practices and contexts, including Indigenous sculpture. Interdisciplinary and 3D materials, techniques, and approaches are expanded upon through demonstrations and self-directed projects.
VA 351
3 credits
Advanced Studio: Print Media
Prerequisite(s): VA 251.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students explore the possibilities of mixing multiple print mediums. Photo-based printmaking and digital printing strategies are incorporated with traditional print techniques and materials. Conceptual development of projects is contextualized within diverse Indigenous, traditional, and contemporary print media cultures.
VA 360
3 credits
Professional Development and Practices
Prerequisite(s): VA 260.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students learn about career pathways in visual arts, explore post-graduation career and creative opportunities, and identify how to meet their personal and professional goals related to their art practice. Guest speakers complement in-depth analysis of required components and skills necessary for participation in the contemporary cultural sector. Students develop grant applications, professional application packages, and complete the course with a post-graduation action plan.
VA 365
3 credits
Documentary Video Storytelling
Prerequisite(s): 15 credits of university-level arts courses. It is also recommended that students have FILM 110 or FILM 120 and one of the following: VA 160, VA 165/ENGL 165, VA 170, or VA 272. Alternatively, students should have some other experience of working with film or video production.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course offers students knowledge of key concepts and practical skills in documentary storytelling for digital video. Students will develop a short documentary video (of approximately ten minutes in length) from the proposal/treatment stage through pre-production, production, and post-production. Students will be introduced to the work of Canadian filmmakers, who have long been considered leaders in the documentary genre.
Note: This course is offered as VA 365, FILM 365, and JRNL 365. Students may take only one of these for credit.
VA 366
3 credits
Documentary Video Production
Prerequisite(s): VA 365/FILM 365/JRNL 365 or interview and portfolio review. One of the following is strongly recommended: VA 160, VA 161, VA 271, or VA 180.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course offers students with previous video production experience an opportunity to develop and direct a short documentary video project from the proposal/treatment stage through pre-production, production, and post-production. Students will be exposed to a range of approaches and skills for crafting compelling documentaries that say something about culture, society, history, or contemporary life.
Note: The course is offered as FILM 366 and VA 366. Students may take only one of these for credit.
VA 371
3 credits
Advanced Studio: Interdisciplinary Collaborative Art
Prerequisite(s): VA 271.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students expand their understanding of participation and partnership as a radical, de/anti-colonial way of sustaining artistic practice. Theory and principles of collaboration, cooperation and spectatorship are examined and implemented to provide pathways for meaningful collective practice. Working in groups, students research, plan, develop and share works where audiences are part of meaning-making. Experimental and unconventional art-making modes are required.
VA 383
3 credits
Advanced Studio: Photography
Prerequisite(s): VA 280 or VA 283.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students focus on the integration of conceptual development and contextual awareness within contemporary photographic art. Studio techniques such as studio lighting, colour printing, and experimental processes are explored. Students have the option to explore various formats of camera. Students explore the role of photography within contemporary visual culture through oral presentations and group critiques.
VA 391
3 credits
Socially Engaged Art Practices
Prerequisite(s): One of VA 100, VA 110, or (12 credits in AH, FILM, GD, MEDA, SOCA, THEA, or VA).
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Through collaboration with peers and a partner organization, students will develop de/anti-colonial community relationships and awareness of care practices through a creative project. As artist-citizens, students will challenge historical narratives and negotiate meaningful, ethical, cultural contexts for creative work. Using artistic research methodologies, group decision-making and consultative processes, students in the class will develop visual arts projects with the aim of acknowledging and expanding community relationships.
Note: Field trips outside of class time will be required.
Note: Students with credit for VA 390 cannot take this course for further credit.
VA 392
3 credits
Public Art
Prerequisite(s): One of VA 100, VA 110, or (12 credits in AH, FILM, GD, MEDA, SOCA, THEA, or VA).
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students work as a group on a collaborative public-facing arts project, such as a mural or installation. In partnership with an organization, students propose and develop a project intended for placement in an accessible, regional community setting. Working as an artistic team, the group negotiates concepts, develops a timeline, and completes their on-site project within a budget. Students engage with principles of positionality and place, Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and community goals.
Note: Field trips outside of class time will be required.
Note: Students with credit for VA 390 cannot take this course for further credit.
VA 395
3 credits
Special Topics in Visual Arts
Prerequisite(s): One of VA 100, VA 110, or 45 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students gain in-depth knowledge and experience in an advanced studio technique, in a specific conceptual or theoretical approach to art production, or in a particular area of professional practice.
Note: This course will be offered under different letter designations (e.g. C-Z) representing different topics. This course may be repeated for credit provided the letter designation differs.
VA 3XX
99 credits
Visual Arts Upper Level
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
VA 405
6 credits
Senior Studio Project
Prerequisite(s): VA 300 or VA 301.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Over two semesters, students refine and expand the conceptual components, material choices, and technical execution of a major studio project through experimentation, research, writing, critiques, and faculty/peer feedback. Indigenous ways of knowing and being guide participation and studio presence of participants. Students will install, publicly present, and document their final body of artwork in preparation for a public exhibition.
Note: This course is offered as VA 405A and VA 405B. Students must take both in the same academic year to receive credit.
Note: Students with credit for VA 402 or VA 404 cannot take this course for further credit.
VA 405A
3 credits
Senior Studio Project - Part I
Prerequisite(s): VA 300 or VA 301.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Over two semesters, students refine and expand the conceptual components, material choices, and technical execution of a major studio project through experimentation, research, writing, critiques, and faculty/peer feedback. Indigenous ways of knowing and being guide participation and studio presence of participants. Students will install, publicly present, and document their final body of artwork in preparation for a public exhibition.
Note: This course is offered as VA 405A and VA 405B. Students must take both in the same academic year to receive credit.
Note: Students with credit for VA 402 or VA 404 cannot take this course for further credit.
VA 405B
3 credits
Senior Studio Project - Part II
Prerequisite(s): VA 405A
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Over two semesters, students refine and expand the conceptual components, material choices, and technical execution of a major studio project through experimentation, research, writing, critiques, and faculty/peer feedback. Indigenous ways of knowing and being guide participation and studio presence of participants. Students will install, publicly present, and document their final body of artwork in preparation for a public exhibition.
Note: This course is offered as VA 405A and VA 405B. Students must take both in the same academic year to receive credit.
Note: Students with credit for VA 402 or VA 404 cannot take this course for further credit.
VA 490
3 credits
Directed Studies in Studio Practice
Prerequisite(s): 33 credits in AH, SOCA, or VA, and department permission.
Corequisite(s): None,
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
A self-directed course in which a student proposes and realizes a body of work. Through independent work and regular consultation with the instructor, the student formulates their own creative research pathways, executes a major project, reflects upon studio processes and material studies, and develops critical and contextual awareness of their proposed subject matter.
VA 4XX
99 credits
Visual Arts Fourth Year
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
