January 18

-Blog for 10 minutes about Terry Tempest Williams--respond to one of the following questions:

1-On page 746, Terry Tempest Williams describes her family's relationship to the land--how would you describe the role of geography in your family? What role does the place(s) you're from play in your family's history?
2-On page 747, Terry Tempest Williams details the ritual of bird watching with her grandmother and how it shaped her understanding of the land. What rituals shape your experience of "place"? Hiking? Camping? Fishing? Gardening? Hunting? Farming? Describe those experiences in as much detail as possible and reflect on how they've changed your perception of environment.
3-Describe an experience of environmental loss.

Land/Art Earthart Activity:

Robert Smithson: "Spiral Jetty"

-Photograph: Robert Smithson's landart/Earthart sculpture Spiral Jetty--which extends 1,500 feet into the Great Salt Lake.

Questions to ponder: How does Smithson's "Spiral Jetty" invite viewers to interact with it? How does it reflect both the environment of the Great Salt Lake and environmental damage to the Great Salt Lake?

Patrick Dougherty: "Restless by Nature"

Questions to ponder: How does Dougherty's process reflect his intent? What does the impermanence of his materials mean to his art? What does his art say about environment and community?

Tyree Guyton: "The Heidleberg project"

Photographs:
Artist Tyree Guyton represented and revitalized his Detroit neighborhood through his work at the Heidelberg Project.

Questions to ponder: What's hopeful about his artwork? What's painful about it? How does it represent his perception of place?

http://www.studio360.org/episodes/2008/01/11/segments/91625





In Groups: Chose one of the artworks we talked about in class. Discuss: What do you think the artists intent was? How would you support your conclusions in a visual analysis paper? (Post response to comment section of the blog, make sure to include the name of everyone in your group to receive credit)


Homework: From Refuge, “Epilogue,” pp. 732-759, Eula Biss essay: "No Man's Land": http://www.believermag.com/issues/200802/?read=article_biss