Thursday, March 19, 2026

Welcome to Art 1A: Visual Literacy Spring Quarter 2026

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, March 30 will be taught via Zoom from 12:30-1:45 (Monday and Tuesday sections will be in-person in Arts 1344). 

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, April 18 and Saturday, May 9. 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 books as soon as possible because you will have written assignments due the first week of class. The course reader and books are on reserve at the library.

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 StudentsYou 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 is available for purchase at the Associated Student Ticket OfficeLocation Information and Hours HERE.
2) John Berger's Ways of Seeing is available from the Campus Bookstore and Amazon (Click HERE). Also on reserve at the library.
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) Harmonia Rosales, Chronicles of Ori: An African Epic. On reserve at the library. Purchase from the Campus BookstoreAmazon, Chaucer's Books & W.W. Norton & Company.
5) The Course Syllabus can be found HERE.
6) The Calendarwhere your weekly reading and writing assignments are located, can be found HERE.
7) Information about Lectures and Sections can be found HERE.
8) The Research Paper prompt can be found HERE.
9) The UCSB Library Art 1A Research Page can be found HERE.
11) View the UCSB policy about Academic Integrity and Academic Dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, furnishing false information, unauthorized collaboration and misuse of course materials) HERE.
12) Fill out the museum liability waiversAll trips require Liability Waivers: 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.
13) Information about the Department of Art 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 S26 Museum Field Trips to LACMA & The Getty Center

This quarter we have two spectacular field trips planned. Our first field trip is to the Getty Center and the second field trip is to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). 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 LACMAthere is an alternative field trip for you to attend on your own during the week of our LACMA or Getty TripsThe 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/d5ddf326-5613-45c8-8184-331dde538479?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: THE GETTY CENTER ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18 AT 1PM

FIELD TRIP #2: LACMA ON SATURDAY, MAY 9 AT 12:00PM

MANDATORY LIABILITY WAIVERS (PLEASE FILL OUT ALL OF THEM TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ALL OF THE FIELD TRIPS)https://powerforms.docusign.net/d5ddf326-5613-45c8-8184-331dde538479?env=na3&acct=36d87d60-c882-4887-835a-bc389fb776dd&accountId=36d87d60-c882-4887-835a-bc389fb776dd

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, APRIL 18: 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 1A and/or Art 196 students in a single vehicle), then you are eligible to receive free parking, otherwise you must pay $25.00 for parking. Only students in my classes 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

FIELD TRIP #2 ON SATURDAY, MAY 9: 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, May 9. 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

5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: (323) 857-6010

Parking costs $23.00 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).

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

Nota Bene: The museum trip is all-day immersive experience, and therefore the museum field trip is in lieu of both of the Art 1A lectures, and the Art 196 seminar meeting 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).

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Art 1A Artist Talk Featuring KeyShawn Scott on Wednesday, March 11

Untitled (2025). Courtesy of KeyShawn Scott

 Who: KeyShawn Scott
What: Art 1A Artist Talk
When: Wednesday, March 11
Where: Ellison 2626
Instagram@sklamar_

Artist Bio: 

KeyShawn Scott holds a BA in Art Studio from UC Davis and is currently an MFA candidate at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His artworks have been featured in exhibitions such as "What You Give" at the Latino Center of Art & Culture in Sacramento, CA, "Larger Than Life: Murals in the Making" at The Barn Gallery, Woodland YoloArts, CA, and at the Glassbox and Red Barn Galleries at UCSB. He is also recognized for his contributions as a Recreational Leader at the Greater Vallejo Recreation District, where he mentored and engaged with young artists. KeyShawn’s practice spans drawing and installation, exploring how systems of visibility, order, and control shape everyday experience. His work examines vulnerability, identity, and the educational, commercial, and social structures that influence how we move, see, and are seen.

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Art 199 Cohort Glass Box Gallery Exhibition & Art 1A Artist Talk

What: Art 199 Cohort Glass Box Gallery Exhibition
When: March 2 - March 6
Reception: Thursday, March 5 from 4-6
Who: Bethany Close, Elyse Harris-Crayton, Payton Gomez, Kelly Andrade, Maddie Cupples, Sarah Howard, Arpie Hakobyan

ART 1A ARTIST TALK: Monday, March 9 12:30-1:45
WhoBethany Close, Elyse Harris-Crayton, Payton Gomez, Kelly Andrade, Maddie Cupples, Sarah Howard, Arpie Hakobyan
Where: Ellison 2626

Monday, February 23, 2026

Art 1A Artist Talk Featuring Eric Beltz on Monday, March 2

Who: Eric Beltz
What: Art 1A Artist Talk
When: Monday, March 2 from 12:30-1:45
Where: Ellison 2626
Websiteericbeltz.com
Instagram: @poisonoakman

About Eric Beltz,

Eric Beltz is a pencil artist who lives in Buellton and works in Santa Barbara. He teaches drawing at UC Santa Barbara where he also received his MFA in 2004. Beltz has shown extensively across the United States including at the Museum of Arts and Design (NY), the Mint Museum (NC), the Contemporary Arts Museum (TX), the Frye Museum (WA), and both the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Art, Design, and Architecture Museum at UCSB. His work has been featured in Art in America, the LA Times, the Village Voice, the New York Times, Juxtapoz Magazine, and other publications. Beltz has had numerous solo shows in Los Angeles and New York.

Sunday, February 22, 2026

Art 1A Assignments to Clear Unexcused Absences

If you have missed a lot of classes, with unexcused absences throughout the quarter, then you should do these assignments to clear them. As you know, 5 or more unexcused absences will result in failing the class. However, if you had emergencies, and can provide me with a note from your doctor, from Student Health, or from your CAPS, DSP, CARE Counselor (for the specific dates in question)– then those absences will be excused. These are not extra credit assignments to improve your gradeThese papers are due no later than Friday, March 13 by 5:00 PMSubmit them to KeyShawn via email.

Please noteIf you did not go on the museum field trips, or the alternate museum field trip, then you have 2 unexcused absences for each of the trips, and you will also be missing the graded weekly assignment those weeks.

To clear unexcused absencesWatch the recorded Arts Colloquium Artist Talks found below, and write a 2-page Artist Talk response. Each talk and written assignment clears a single absence. Therefore, if you need to clear more than one absence you will need to do more than one of these assignments. 

You may submit up to 3 assignments total:
1) Tia-Simone GardnerRecorded Talk
2) Nicholas Galanin: Recorded Talk
3) Alisha Wormsley: Recorded Talk

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

HONORS GLASS BOX GALLERY ART 1A TALK ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25

WHAT: Honors Cohort Glass Box Gallery Art 1A Talk
WHEN: Wednesday, February 25 from 12:30-1:45
WHERE: Glass Box Gallery (Arts  Building 534, Room 1328)
WHO: Tyler Alexander, Cameron Bibas, Bethany Close, Alex Edrozo, Payton Gomez, Elyse Harris-Crayton, Tomiko Osawa, Gaby Smith, Açúcar Viana Araujo and Jennette Wolfe
WHAT ELSE TO KNOW: The reception is from 4:00-6:00PM.

N.B.: Make sure to meet at the Glass Box Gallery, not Ellison Hall. Please arrive on time.