11824_JFKU_Catalog Front Cover.indd - John F. Kennedy University

College of Graduate and Professional Studiesarts & ConsciousnessArts & Consciousness (A&C) offers programs for artists who areinterested in exploring the deepest personal, social, and spiritualdimensions of art. e curriculum encompasses studio art,academic investigation, personal growth, arts and healing, andcommunity arts. e spiritual aspect of art is emphasized as itrelates to the individual, the community, and the role of the artistin contemporary society.All courses are designed to encourage the integration of body, mind,and spirit through the exploration of individual creative sources andthe cultural and philosophical contexts which give art meaning. eprogram stresses the student’s use of direct experience as an artistfor the creation of objects, events, and activities which facilitategrowth and transformation in others. Sometimes this takes the formof professional performances and exhibitions, sometimes itmanifests as teaching, healing, or ritual. Students are encouragedto explore a variety of media as part of their creative investigation.Media such as painting, drawing, printmaking, digital media, videoart, poetry, and book arts may be explored in courses offered as partof the degree program. Students also work independently in suchdiverse media as sculpture, ceramics, film, music, and photography.FacilitiesJohn F. Kennedy University’s Berkeley Campus allows A&C studentsto work and exhibit together in a multidisciplinary arts community.is 15,000 square-foot facility is located in Berkeley, California,approximately 20 miles from the main Pleasant Hill Campus. ereis a large general-purpose studio and a separate critique andmovement studio. A professional-quality gallery space is availablefor the exhibition of student work as well as the work ofdistinguished artists from the community. e campus offers adigital media facility for student use as well as digital videoequipment. e campus library includes a collection of books andperiodicals pertaining to the arts and museum studies. e Arts andHealing Network Slide archives includes slides, written materials,and a computer database documenting the work of approximately400 contemporary artists from the United States whose artworkdeals with some aspect of healing.MentorshipsA&C students often choose to work with specially selected artistsand organizations in the Bay Area. ese mentorships are anintegral part of the A&C curriculum and allow students to explorea broader range of technical and professional perspec tives thanwould be possible in a more traditional academic environment.Students select artists or community organizations whose work isrelated to their own interests and they work individually with thementor for a specified period, with clearly stated goals andobjectives. Individual mentorships often form the basis forlong-term professional relationships with other artists and theyintroduce A&C students to the Bay Area arts community.Community mentorships give A&C students an opportunity to usetheir training to serve the community as healers and teachers.Group mentorships allow students to work in small groups with asingle mentor in order to facilitate collabo rative works or to exploreareas of special interest.exhibitionse A&C gallery, located in the arts annex, offers a significantexhibition and performance space for Bay-area artists—particularlythose working with some aspect of art and spirituality. Exhibitionsand gallery lectures by invited artists give students direct contactwith the art and artists who are trans forming the world. eseexhibitions also allow the larger community to participate in theexciting new developments in A&C. Approximately 3,500 peopleeach year visit the A&C gallery. Student group exhibitions are alsoheld throughout the year related to their studies in TransformativeArts.Visiting artistsAn important aspect of the A&C program is the frequent presenceof prominent visiting artists, whose work gives students a sense oftheir own connection to the outside art world. Gallery lectures aregenerally offered by artists whose work is exhibited in the A&Cgallery. In addition, each quarter, visiting artists are invited to offerspecial classes to A&C students as part of the regular A&Ccurriculum (as a way of facilitating dialogue with artists whose workconnects to the mission of A&C). Many classes taught throughoutthe year feature invited guests whose lectures are open to all A&Cstudents.Master of arts in Transformative artse Master of Arts (MA) in Transformative Arts degree emphasizescreative process as a vehicle for transformation, professionaldevelopment and community change. Students develop expertisein the investigation and facilitation of creative empowerment, whichcan be applied to any field or human endeavor. With equal emphasison transformative processes and the development of professionalskills, tools and practices, students may chose career concentrationsin the fields of Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Healing or Education,according to each student’s individual interests and stated focus. Allconcentrations have the potential for linking to certificate programsat JFK University. Students develop a strong foundation for careersas leaders, consultants, and educators in Transformative Arts.Coursework consists of experiential creative practices, studio arts,theory and discussion. Some courses are supplemented with anonline component for additional dialog and resources.Students in the MA in Transformative Arts program acquire theknowledge to become innovative shapers of culture through thepractice and study of the creative process. Our alumni are artists,teachers, healers, creative facilitators, business owners, and culturalleaders who are generating innovative approaches that linkcreativity, community service, human growth and consciousness.Program Learning Outcomes• Artistic Development, Practice, Process and PersonalTransformation. Demonstrates dedication and commitment toongoing creative practice and skill development. Demonstratesa unique, personal approach in utilizing expressive qualities ofmedia or medium to achieve psycho-spiritual growth.Demonstrates knowledge of creative process and practice inrelationship to intention and outcomes of specific works;• Cultural Inquiry/Research and Influences. Demonstratedawareness of links between spirituality, personal and culturaltransformation and creative self- expression. Identifies artisticinfluences in creative works and philosophical/cultural/contemporary context for artistic practice;JOHN F. KENNEDy UNIvERSITy College of Graduate and Professional Studies 75College of Graduate andProfessional Studies