Lorna Simpson Artist Talks

Mechanics of a Formal Research Paper & Scholarly Research Training Workshops

Mechanics of a Formal Research Workshop: Monday, June 30 at 1:30 in lecture.

Scholarly Research Training Workshop: Monday, June 30 at 2:30 in lecture with Heather Nisen.

Heather Nisen (Art & Architecture Librarian):
hnisen@ucsb.edu
http://guides.library.ucsb.edu/art1a

(805) 893-3026

Here is the link to the plagiarism tutorial that the Teaching & Learning Department created:

https://guides.library.ucsb.edu/citation/plagiarism

Paper Format (PAPER TOPIC HERE): 

- 9-10 pages of text (this does NOT include the cover page, bibliography or images)

- Double-spaced

- Cover page

- Footnotes or endnotes

- Bibliography

- Images (at the end of the paper)

- Use at least 10 different research sources (including peer reviewed 
journal articles, books, exhibition catalogs, monographs, etc.)

- Use at least 10-15 citations

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN WRITING & EDITING YOUR PAPER:

1) Do I have the proper number of citations and sources?

2) Did I properly format my citations using MLA or Chicago?

3) Do I have a properly formatted formal bibliography?

4) Did I adhere to the proper paper length?

5) Do I have a clear, and specific thesis statement?

6) Does my thesis statement specifically relate to the final draft of my paper?

7) Did I run spell check (repeatedly)?

8) Did I carefully edit to make sure that I used proper grammar, and were my tenses consistent?

9) Did I formulate clear arguments and substantiate all of my claims with clear and concrete examples?

10) Did I avoid sweeping generalizations and vague assertions?

11) Did I use casual colloquial language in my formal research paper? If so, find more precise ways to describe the point being made.

12) Did I use scholarly research sources such as peer-reviewed journal articles, scholarly articles and books rather than sources such as blogs, Wikipedia, encyclopedias etc (that are not acceptable sources for a formal research paper).

13) Did I properly cite quotes and summaries of other people's intellectual property (footnotes and in-text citations)?

14) Did I avoid excessive biographical information about the artist? Instead I should only include biographical information that is directly relevant to their artistic practice.

15) Would anyone reading my paper understand what I am trying to convey, or do I need to more clearly define the scope of my research and ultimately the point of my paper?

16) Did I place the pictures at the end of my paper? If I embedded them in the text, I need to remove them and place them at the end of my paper.

17) Did I remember to put my name, perm number and section time on my paper?

18) Did I remember to frequently save, backup and email drafts of my paper to myself (just in case my computer crashes)?

19) When I had questions, or needed help, did I reach out to my TA, professor or CLAS?

GENERAL TIPS ON WRITING YOUR PAPER:

1) The selection of a good thesis and supporting examples is an important part of producing a good paper. Be selective. The paper is about how to look closely at works of art and how your evaluation of objects and images is expanded by the specific context in which they are presented.

2) Write primarily with nouns and verbs. Avoid unnecessary (especially vague and imprecise) adjectives and adverbs.

3) Revise and rewrite. Proofread your work. Do not rely solely on "spell check."

4) Use the dictionary to refer to words you do not fully understand.

5) Do not overstate, or excessively use qualifiers (such as very, rather, little, etc.).

6) Use orthodox diction and accurate spelling. ("Its" is possessive; "It's" is a contraction for "it is," "Its' " doesn't exist. "Their" is possessive, "They're" is a contraction of "they are," There is declarative).

7) Be clear. Make references clearly. (Do not use the word "this" as the subject of a sentence).

8) Do not let your opinions get in the way of your writing.

9) Avoid using Wikipedia, blogs, newspaper articles and other materials that are not scholarly. These ARE NOT research materials for a formal research paper.

10) Get to the point quickly. Concentrate on quality of writing not quantity of words.

11) For help with formatting MLA and Chicago citations, visit Purdue Owl: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html

For help writing the paper contact CLAS at 893-3269. They have a writing lab that will help you with papers, and will even proofread your papers. They also offer help specifically to students for whom English is a second language. CLAS site: http://www.clas.sa.ucsb.edu/

Welcome to Art 1A Visual Literacy: Summer Session A 2025

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Art 1A: Visual Literacy! I wanted to reach out to let you know that everything that you need to know about Art 1A will be posted here on the Art 1A website, not on Canvas. Please read everything carefully, I will go over this information in class when we meet, and I will answer any questions that you may have.

Art 1A lectures and sections will be taught in-person. However, the first lecture, on Monday, June 23 will be taught via Zoom from 1:30-3:35 (section will be in-person in Arts 1344 from 4:00-5:25). Zoom link: https://ucsb.zoom.us/j/83111992304

You do not need a pass code to join the Zoom meeting, sign in as an attendee.

If you have time conflicts with work, or with other classes, then you should make arrangements to be available these days, or consider taking Art 1A another quarter. There are also two Los Angeles museum field trips that are an important part of the class. We are offering an alternative museum field trip in Santa Barbara for one of the field trips, if you can't get to Los Angeles twice. Please make sure that you are available on Saturday, July 12 and Saturday, July 26. These two museum field trips are in lieu of the lectures those weeks, but sections are still scheduled. Students are responsible for their own transportation to the Los Angeles and Santa Barbara museums. Neither UCSB, nor the UCSB Department of Art will furnish transportation, or organize it. However, students tend to organize their own carpools each quarter.

Please purchase your course reader and book as soon as possible because you will have written assignments due the first week of class. The course reader is on reserve at the library, and the book is on reserve every single quarter.

Please fill out the Art 1A Questionnaire (HERE), and return it to me and your TA ASAP. This will help us get to know you, and it will also let us know whether you are having any technology issues. You can find our contact information HERE.

Course Reader (cover pictured below) and book information (please have them in your possession before class meets for the first time). The course reader is on reserve at the library.

 

1) The Course Reader (cover shown above) is only available from Associated Students. You can purchase a physical copy (HERE).

Weekly assignments are due the first week of class, and if you don't have your course reader you can use the Reserve Copy at the Library so that you do your first assignment on time. The physical copy will be available for purchase at the Associated Student Ticket Office. Location Information and Hours HERE.

2) John Berger's Ways of Seeing is available from the Campus Bookstore and Amazon (Click HERE).

3) Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. On reserve at the library, but you can download a free copy when you log into the library website (using your UCSB Net ID).

4) The Course Syllabus can be found HERE.

5) The Calendar, where your weekly reading and writing assignments are located, can be found HERE.

6) Information about Lectures and Sections can be found HERE.

7) The Research Paper prompt can be found HERE.

8) The UCSB Library Art 1A Research Page can be found HERE.

9) The UCSB Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) can be found HERE.

10) View the UCSB policy about Academic Integrity and Academic Dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, furnishing false information, unauthorized collaboration and misuse of course materials) HERE.

11) Fill out the museum liability waivers: All trips require Liability Waivers: and they will be linked to here, once they are available. Fill out all three of the liability waivers (HERE). Simply sign and date them. You must use your full legal name as it appears on eGrades and GOLD.

12) Information about the Department of Art can be found HERE.

13) The UCSB Diversity Statement can be found HERE and the University of California Diversity Statement can be found HERE.

14) The UCSB Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) contact information can be found HERE.

15) The UCSB Health and Wellness website can be found HERE.

16) UCSB Department of Art Intellectual Challenge Policy: "Intellectual challenge and academic rigor are among the foundations of our program. Our faculty foster communities of inquiry and free speech based in self-awareness, individual responsibility, and an informed world view. We encourage divergent opinion and cogent argument, believing lively debate, exposure to differing viewpoints, and a certain level of discomfort are essential to intellectual and artistic growth.

 

In our classes, students will be shown work and introduced to theories and practices that may challenge their beliefs and assumptions. Students are expected to think critically rather than react impulsively; to consider opposing viewpoints and others’ opinions and experiences with openness and thoughtfulness; and to engage in a manner befitting themselves as artists and scholars in this university, an institution of higher learning."

Art 1A Museum Field Trips Summer Session A (2025)

This quarter we have two spectacular field trips planned. Our first field trip is to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the second field trip is to the Getty Center. There are simply too many important exhibitions between these two museums, and therefore we will have two field trips. These field trips are all day events, and they are in lieu of the lectures that week. If you are unable to go to the Getty Center or LACMA, there is an alternative field trip for you to attend on your own during the week of our LACMA or Getty Trips. The alternative trip is to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (details below). You must attend one of the Los Angeles field trips, and can do the other in Santa Barbara, if you can't make the trip to LA twice. It is by far preferable that you attend both Los Angeles field trips.

PLEASE FILL OUT ALL THREE OF THE LIABILITY WAIVERS ASAP:

All three liability waivers are in this one link. Be sure to sign and date all three, and you must use your first and last name. Link HERE: https://powerforms.docusign.net/617c99b5-0029-4e2f-893b-a196a28a3eb6?env=na3&acct=36d87d60-c882-4887-835a-bc389fb776dd&accountId=36d87d60-c882-4887-835a-bc389fb776dd

A FEW TIPS TO PREPARE FOR OUR FIELD TRIPS:

1) Be sure that you have our emails with you! If you arrive late, you want to be able to find us at the museum. However, try to leave early so that you arrive on time, because reception isn't good in all parts of the museums, and you may be waiting a long time before we see your email.

2) I would suggest eating a big breakfast since we won't be taking a break for lunch until later in the day. Furthermore, pack snacks for the road, and for lunch, unless you want to treat yourself to food at the museum.

3) If you are driving from Santa Barbara, be sure to give yourself at least two hours to drive to LA. You never know what kind of traffic that you will encounter.

4) Wear comfortable shoes and clothing! We will be doing a lot of walking and hiking up stairs, so you want to be very comfortable.

5) Charge your phone since you will want to take a lot of pictures at the museum.

FIELD TRIP #1: LACMA ON SATURDAY, JULY 12 AT NOON

FIELD TRIP #2: THE GETTY CENTER ON SATURDAY, JULY 26 AT 1:00PM

MANDATORY LIABILITY WAIVERS (PLEASE FILL OUT ALL OF THEM TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ALL OF THE FIELD TRIPS):

All three liability waivers are in this one link: HERE. Be sure to sign and date all three.

Students must submit the liability waiver forms for each trip, and will not receive free admission without them. If you show up to the museum without having done this, you will have to pay full admission and you will not legally be recognized as part of the UCSB Department of Art field trip. If you have difficulty filling out your DocuSign Liability Waiver, then email your professor and our Undergraduate Advisor, Hannah Vainstein: arts-undergraduate@ucsb.edu. 

FIELD TRIP #1 ON SATURDAY, JULY 12: LACMA AT 12:00PM:

Students must submit the liability waiver form, and will not receive free admission to LACMA without it. If you show up to the museum without having done this, you will have to pay full admission and you will not legally be recognized as part of the UCSB Department of Art field trip. If you have difficulty filling out your DocuSign Liability Waiver, then email your professor and our Undergraduate Advisor, Hannah Vainstein: arts-undergraduate@ucsb.edu. 

MEETING AT LACMA:

We will meet at LACMA at the Wilshire Blvd. entrance next to the ticket office and Chris Burden's Urban Light sculpture (shown picture above) at 12:00PM on Saturday, July 12. LACMA will be providing us with free admission to the museum, but they do not provide free parking. I will be waiting for you with your free admission ticket.

Please read all guidelines HERE before your visit. https://www.lacma.org/plan-your-visit

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone: (323) 857-6010

PARKING & DIRECTIONS HERE

Parking costs $21.00 per vehicle, and it is not part of our free admission. You can also park on the street in the surrounding neighborhoods, and at parking meters (but you will have to periodically run back to your car to feed your meter).

FIELD TRIP #2 ON SATURDAY, JULY 26: THE GETTY CENTER AT 1:00PM:

Students must submit the liability waiver form, and will not be able to attend without it. If you have difficulty filling out your DocuSign Liability Waiver, then email your professor and our Undergraduate Advisor, Hannah Vainstein: arts-undergraduate@ucsb.edu. 

We will be meeting at 1:00PM on the museum side of the tram drop off (shown above). If you are carpooling (2 or more people from Art 130 and/or Art 1A students in a single vehicle), then you are eligible to receive free parking, otherwise you must pay $25.00 for parking. Only Art 130 students are eligible for free parking. Parking Information: https://www.getty.edu/visit/center/parking-and-transportation/

The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Parking and Transportation Information HERE

http://www.getty.edu

ALTERNATIVE MUSEUM TRIP: If you are unable to attend the Getty Center, or LACMA then you can go on your own on a different day, or do the alternative trip to the SBMA, but you must attend at least one of the LA museums with our class.

ALTERNATIVE TRIP to SBMA: This is in case of an emergency that prevents you from attending one of the two LA museum field trips, but not both.

Santa Barbara Museum of Art
1130 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: 805.963.4364
@sbmuseart
Tues - Sun 11 am - 5 pm
Thurs 11 am - 8 pm
Closed Mondays and holidays

Free to students with ID

https://www.sbma.net

Nota Bene: The museum trip is all-day immersive experience, and therefore the museum field trip is in lieu of both of the Art 126 seminar meetings that week. If you do not go to the museum that week, or do the alternative museum field trip, then you will have two absences and a zero on the writing assignment that week. Take a selfie at the museum, and photographs of the works of art that were of interest to you, and include them in your paper (see assignments  in the "Reading" tab at the top of the website).

Tiffany Aiello Art 1A Artist Talk on Wednesday, June 4 from 12:30-1:45

Tiffany Aiello. Dead End, 2023, 36" x 48", Oil on canvas. All images courtesy of the artist.

What: Artist Talk featuring Tiffany Aiello

When: Wednesday, June 4 from 12:30-1:45

Where: Ellison Hall 2626

Website: https://plasticanimal2001.neocities.org/

Instagram: @plasticanimal2001

Tiffany Aiello. Omen, 2025, 40 x 40", Oil on canvas.

Artist Bio:

Tiffany Aiello an interdisciplinary artist from Northern California. She received a BFA in Studio Art from Sacramento State University in 2023 and is currently pursuing an MFA in Art at UC Santa Barbara. Her creative practice is propelled by a lifelong interest in zoology, the solidarity of outcasts, and guided by her experiences as a neurodivergent woman. Through overstimulating and peculiar juxtapositions, she invents worlds with figures that exist at the intersections of human, beast and object.

Tiffany Aiello. Trotalong, 2023, 12 x 36”, Oil on canvas

Artist statement:

Tiffany explores the tumultuous human experience using animal metaphors and anthropomorphic vessels, woven together with humor and tragedy. She portrays hybrid worlds through an idiosyncratic lens, where things exist in the spaces between and outside binaries. Inspired by the escapism offered by niche online subcultures, her current body of work explores the body/soul dichotomy and the malleability of identity through the role-playing actions of character performance, masking, puppetry, and synthetic avatars.

Picture of Tiffany Aiello's studio.

Lyra Purugganan Art 1A Artist Talk on Monday, June 2 from 12:30-1:45

Photograph Courtesy of Lyra Purugganan

What: Artist Talk featuring Lyra Purugganan

When: Monday, June 2 from 12:30-1:45 PT

Where: Ellison Hall 2626

Website: lyrapurugganan.com

Instagram: @lyrapurugganan

Artist Bio:

lyra purugganan (they/she) is an interdisciplinary artist born in Manila, Philippines and raised in Columbus, Ohio. They received a BFA in printmaking from The Ohio State University in 2021 and a MFA at UC Santa Barbara in 2024. lyra is based in Southern California and Central Ohio, and was named the UCSB College of Creative Studies 2024-2025 Teaching Fellow. 

Influenced by craft and materials, queer culture, and the midwest DIY music scene, lyra explores selfhood and their intersecting identities, disrupting systems through the misuse and misplacement of materials. 

As an emerging artist, lyra has exhibited at OSU Urban Arts Space, 934 Gallery in Columbus, Ohio, UCSB Architecture, Design, and Art Museum, and the Greater Los Angeles MFA Show at CSU Long Beach. Recently, lyra is a co-recipient of the Greater Columbus Arts Center artist project grants and has attended the Haystack Mountain School summer sessions.

Emily Baker Art 1A Artist Talk on Wednesday, May 28 from 12:30-1:45

 

Photograph by @morganeshots

What: Artist Talk featuring Emily Baker

When: Wednesday, May 28 from 12:30-1:45 PT

Where: via Zoom https://ucsb.zoom.us/j/83111992304

Website: https://www.emilyabaker.com

Instagram: @emilyallisbaker

Shouldering the Outmoded, 2023 (All photographs courtesy of Emily Baker).

Artist Bio: 

Emily A. Baker is an artist and researcher based in Atlanta, Georgia. With a BFA in Interior Design from California State University, Chico, and an MFA from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Baker has exhibited work nationally and internationally. Residencies include Salem Art Works, The Vermont Studio Center, The Steel Yard, and The Santa Fe Art Institute and Penland’s Winter Residency. In 2022, her work was presented at the International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art in Berlin, Germany. She received an exploratory research grant from the Hagley Museum & Library supported research into DuPont’s contribution to the textile industry, specifically the rebirth of nylon’s image post-WWII. In 2024, she held her first international solo exhibition at ProjeckTraum FN in Friedrichshafen, Germany. She is a recent recipient of the 2024 Reed Fink Award in Southern Labor History at the Southern Labor Archives, Georgia State University Library, the 2025 Nexus Fund from Atlanta Contemporary. She now is an Assistant Professor of Sculpture at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Artist Statement:

Baker’s work studies manufacturing industries and honors the industrial past while actively re-envisioning who is included in its future. By investigating the worker’s role in relation to automation, technology, and trade, her work bridges gaps between materials, industries, and bodies, fostering a deeper connection to the products we use and the journeys they have taken. Centered on identity, repair, and retroactive healing—both within the body and of place—she expands upon the fragility of industry alongside the economic and seismic shifts shaping the future of work.

White Hot, 2025 white neon mounted on PVC print, steel, print 30” x 40”

Source image from AL Tech

We Were Here, source image from AL Tech