Studio SIP Information

Kalamazoo College

Art Department

 

 

Tom Rice, Professor

Richard Koenig, Associate Professor and Department Chair

Sarah Lindley, Associate Professor

Christine Hahn, Assistant Professor

Dhera Strauss, Instructor

 

 

 

STUDIO ART SIP GUIDELINES

 

Senior Individualized Projects (SIP) in Studio Art will all be for one unit. SIPs are to be advanced level work and a faculty member must agree to supervise your project. It is up to the sponsoring faculty member to approve your project. Faculty members have the discretion whether to supervise your project or not. Students should have considerable experience, equivalent to at least two courses, in a medium before registering for a SIP in that area.

 

        

REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION

 

  • At least two courses in the area of the intended SIP—due by end of Junior Spring Quarter
  • Document of Intent—due by end of Junior Spring Quarter
  • Completed SIP Proposal form and outline—due quarter before SIP Quarter
  • SIP contract—due at least a quarter before SIP Quarter

 

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SIP

 

Body of Work

Thesis Exhibition

Thesis Defense (Orals)

Sip Document:

 

á       a cover sheet (designed so that your sip title and name show through the cut-out of official sip binder, which is available at the college bookstore)

á       Narrative description of the development of the work from nascent stage to completion (include influences and relationship to other work in the similar genre)

á       a sheet of thumbnail images of your work for easy, quick viewing

á       a separate artist statement

á       a numbered image list that corresponds to...

á       a CD with your PowerPoint presentation (see "Presentations") and twenty medium resolution images of your completed sip work (save your images around 7Ó x 9Ó at 150 dpi for this)

 

 

TIME TABLE

 

Normally students will register to do their SIP in the fall or winter of their senior year. A one unit SIP can be completed during the summer on rare occasions if the student has the required experience and the summer SIP unit is necessary to complete 38 units for graduation. The summer SIP unit will be credited during the fall of the senior year as an overload. Please note: the written component of a Studio SIP will be due one week after the end of your exhibition.

 

 

THE THESIS EXHIBITION

 

Students will be required to have an exhibition of SIP work in the gallery of the Light Fine Arts Building. The exhibition is to be hung in consultation with your SIP supervisor and must meet his or her standards of professional conditions. These may include, but are not limited to:

 

  • An Artist Statement
  • Resume
  • Advertisement for the Exhibition
  • Proper Labeling
  • Appropriate Presentation (framing, installation, labeling etc.)
  • Reservation of the space and lobby for reception
  • Documentation of Exhibition

 

The date of your exhibition will be determined by the Art Department Faculty.

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA:

 

Sip grades are awarded as follows: Honors, Pass, Fail. Honors will be retained for those students who demonstrate exceptional performance in all requisite components of the SIP (see above "Requirements of the SIP).

 

 

To receive a grade of Honors:

 

The body of work must demonstrate

  • Exceptionally high level of technical mastery of skills in the particular medium
  • Exceptionally high level of conceptual understanding, awareness and expression

 

The Thesis Exhibition must demonstrate

  • Professional level of presentation in all of the categories required above

 

The SIP report must be

  • A document that goes beyond the normal expectation of a well written, carefully researched, thoughtful and provocative narrative charting the progression of the project. It should include a well-written artist statement, a discussion of influences and reference to contemporary art that has been done in a similar vein. The report should be both a reflection upon the SIP work and a discussion of projects that you have in mind for the future.

 

 

The thesis defense must demonstrate

  • A well researched knowledge of the genre of your work
  • A broad knowledge base of other artists working in the same genre
  • How your work fits within the context of contemporary art
  • Exceptionally high level of conceptual understanding of your work
  • Exceptionally high level of technical understanding of the medium
  • Exceptionally high level of personal insight about the work

 

 

To receive a grade of Pass:

 

The body of Work must demonstrate

  • High level of technical mastery of skills in the medium
  • High level of conceptual understanding, awareness and expression

 

The Thesis Exhibition must demonstrate

  • A level of presentation that would be expected of graduating seniors in all of the categories required above.

 

The SIP Report that demonstrates

  • A well written, well researched, thoughtful and narrative charting the progression of the project. This should include a well-written artist statement, a discussion of influences and reference to contemporary art that has been done in a similar vein. The report should be both a reflection upon the SIP work and a discussion of where the work might head in the future.

 

The thesis defense that demonstrates:

  • A knowledge of the genre of your work
  • How your work fits within the context of contemporary art
  • A high level of conceptual understanding in your work
  • A high level of technical understanding of the medium
  • A significant level of personal insight about the work

 

 

Fail—if you fail to meet any of the criteria listed above to pass the SIP you WILL fail.

 

 

 

Other information:

 

Tedrow-Little-Tyler Fund: This provides a grant for materials used for your art SIP (or a grant for living or research expenses, in the case of an internship or research), for up to $200. Please make a written request for funding to the Art Department Chair. The Business Office requires receipts for expenses; give them to the department chair, who will send them to the Business Office.

 

Senior Comprehensive Exams: This requirement will be discussed with you in the spring of your junior year.

 

Honors in the major and academic prizes in art: There are no specific criteria, but usually required are outstanding, on time achievements in art course work, in an art SIP, and in Senior Comps, and strong support of the Art Department and its other students.