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Open (AVI10)

This course offers an overview of De’VIA visual arts as a foundation for further study. Students will become familiar with the elements and principles of De’VIA design and the expressive qualities of various materials through working with a range of materials, processes, techniques, and styles. They will learn and use methods of analysis and criticism and will study the characteristics of particular historical art periods and a selection of De’VIA art and the art of other cultures.

Note: De’VIA, (Deaf View Image Art) explores Deaf experience on a personal cultural or physical level using formal art elements.  Many artworks instinctively or intentionally reflect De’VIA elements such as:

  • Intense and contrasting colours
  • contrasting textures and values
  • emphasis on eyes, mouths, ears and hands
  • motifs, metaphors, insights and perspectives of Deaf experience 

Reference: For a list of links, please click on “Visual Arts Resources”.

Overall Expectations

By the end of this course, students will:

  • apply an understanding of the De’VIA elements and principles of design to personal, historical, and contemporary artworks;
  • differentiate artworks by Deaf artists via period, style, method, and materials;
  • demonstrate knowledge of a segment of early Deaf art history, and contrast with examples of the art of other cultures, nations, and groups;
  • use materials and processes to create art objects that express their intent as a Deaf person;
  • apply the elements and principles of De’VIA design;
  • produce two- and three-dimensional De’VIA artworks, using a variety of materials, tools, processes, and technologies;
  • apply visual arts research and technology to the Deaf Culture Centre’s extensive visual arts collection, resources & library;
  • apply critical analysis to their own and acknowledged artworks through participation in a variety of art-viewing strategies;
  • explain, through critical analysis, the function (e.g., political, religious, social) of their own artworks and of De’VIA artworks;
  • demonstrate an understanding of connections between art and cultural identity or context.

Specific Expectations

By the end of this course, students will:

  • apply the elements and principles of De’VIA design to their own art, to historical artworks, and to natural and constructed environments;
  • understand and apply the De’VIA elements and principles of design as expressive components in their personal creative works.
  • demonstrate knowledge of the De’VIA art history timeline (e.g., Helen McNicoll 1800’s to the rise of the De’Via movement through Betty Miller, Mother of the De’VIA movement, early1970’s, to present;
  • identify, research, and describe visual characteristics and themes found in De’VIA and other cultures’ art (e.g., compare and contrast Hubert Greene’s artwork with the Group of Seven’s work, Igor Kolombatovic’s artwork with Georgia O’Keefe’s work);
  • classify De’VIA artworks according to specific historical qualities or styles (e.g., native pottery artwork [Tony McGregor], impressionist artwork [Helen McNicoll], UK Carnaby Street, Mod style) [Dawn Moncrieffe]);
  • demonstrate the ability to incorporate personal perspectives and interests as a Deaf person in their art;
  • describe how some of their own studio activities are influenced by historical or artist’ artworks;
  • produce De’VIA artworks using traditional and new technologies (e.g., video, computer, scanner, photocopier, digital camera) (refer to Mosdeux, Jonathan Gunita, Ava Cardinalli, Maggie Van Vorst’s artwork);
  • demonstrate the ability to create representational, abstract, and non-objective artworks that convey ideas or concepts of the Deaf community, culture or individual (e.g., warmth, conflict).
  • use appropriate art vocabulary to describe the artwork, materials, processes, and technologies;
  • identify possible meanings in examples of De’VIA artwork (e.g.,Vanessa Vaughan’s Red Curtain painting, Maggie Van Vorst’s, Seeing Language sculpture, Uzi Buzgalo’s, Six Days in 1967 painting);
  • demonstrate an understanding of several art-viewing strategies;
  • describe the materials used and steps followed in the creation of a particular artwork;
  • use critical analysis to examine expression in student and professional artworks;
  • explain how artistic intentions are expressed in specific examples of historical and student artworks (e.g., Pamela Witcher’s desire to bring attention to the values of the Deaf community);
  • describe how art can imitate life (imitationalism);
  • explain the organization of visual content in the creation of artworks (eg. Uzi Buzgalo’s and or Pamela Witcher’s paintings, Dawn Moncrieffe’s carpet designs or Ava Cardinalli’s photography).
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