A creative journey: Fine Arts 101

THIS CLASS IS CONFUSING, OH SO CONFUSING! Fine Arts 101, Creative Being is an interesting class, especially if you are not in the fine arts.

I am a science student who said, “Hey, the description of this class on the academic calendar looks cool, so, why not?”

I’ll give you a moment to read the calendar description and absorb everything about it because the actual class hits you with an onslaught of sensory overloads that a small 2-sentence description just can’t entail.

In this class, you go through a daily tidal motion from I LOVE THIS CLASS to I HATE THIS CLASS, in the span of a mere lecture.

If I’m being fair though, the class can be enjoyable because I have a passion for art. As my capacity to learn continues to be filled with science aspirations, it’s nice to be reminded of my love and to be challenged by it.

I would recommend this class to anyone in any faculty, who in some form or another enjoys the creative arts, whatever discipline it may be. This class explores the creative process and what it means to be creative in different areas of art. It asks questions about yourself and how your creative process inspires you.

Every week, there is one 2 hour lecture and one 50 min tutorial. In the lecture, we talk about the provided readings pertaining to different artists and their work. Usually, during the last hour there is a guest lecturer, most often a professor of the fine arts faculty talking about his or her craft.

The most notable professor we have had so far is Professor Stephen Ross who teaches English Theory 461, with a very interesting and confusing lecture about existence, the universe, religion and God.

This brings me to my point: as a science student who has been taught in a very specific and structured way – this class where everything is open to interpretation, where your notes are different from the person sitting next to you, can be very unsettling. There is no ability to distinguish between what is definitive and what is opinion; however, I still hold this class as great because it challenges you to think differently.

We also had Maureen Bradley come talk to us. She is the producer and director of a new movie called Two4one. It is a romantic comedy that addresses the issues of sexuality and gender identification which are growing topics in Canada. It’s lectures like these that bring to light new issues that help change your perception of the world.

This class also promotes you to explore Victoria and its arts. You need to complete 4 written assignments by the end of the semester which involves you attending 4 bespoke art events of 4 different artistic backgrounds around the city and writing about your experience.

As a first year student, new to the city of Victoria, this was a great introduction to the culture of both UVic and the city. For that alone, this class is worth a try.

I’ll leave you with some of the notes I took at Professor Patrick Boyle’s incredible improv night he does at the Makehouse organization and leave you all the challenge of trying a class that is way outside of your faculty.

The overall experience of this class is great. The professor and the TAs are exceptional. The huge spectrum of choice and direction can be daunting, but an exciting change of pace for students who are not in the arts!