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Your Foundation Year at Marywood University 

Welcome!

Your first year as an art student at Marywood University is an important step in your development as an artist.

To help make your foundation year a success, we offer a number of resources to guide you.

Throughout your foundation year, you'll have the opportunity to engage in several art related activities including attending exhibits and visiting artist talks, taking field trips, and participating in the foundation portfolio review. To learn more about art related campus activities, be sure to follow the Art Department on Facebook, X (Twitter), Tumblr, and subscribe to our student WordPress blog, Where Creativity Works for news by fellow art majors and important information about upcoming events.

Art Talent Awards are only available to incoming freshman students. Students who have already registered for classes are no longer eligible to apply for the award.

ELIGIBILITY: If you are an incoming Freshman student and you would like primary consideration for an Art Talent Award, your portfolio AND art essay must be submitted together to the Art Department by November 15. Portfolios received after November 15 and before the cutoff date of March 1 are still eligible for consideration depending on remaining awards. Awards are granted on a rolling basis each spring beginning March 1 and portfolios meeting the November 15th deadline will get first consideration for available awards. The Art Talent Award is based on artistic merits. As such, Arts Administration students are ineligible for this award. Recipients of an Art Talent Award must plan to major in art at Marywood. Once awarded, they are renewable for up to eight semesters of full-time undergraduate study. If a Talent Award recipient changes his/her major to that of one outside of art, the Art Talent Award will be rescinded. 

Note: Any physical or flash-drive digital portfolios must be left with the Art Department 7-14 days for evaluation. Award recipients will be notified by mail sometime after March 1.

DOWNLOADS

Questions?

Give us a call at 570-348-6278 or write to us at art@marywood.edu

The following is a partial list of the most widely used art supplies during Foundation Year. Students are encouraged to purchase these items prior to the beginning of their first fall semester.

Basic supplies needed for the Fall Semester 

  1. Sketchbook for your Foundation Year Visual Journal
  2. Pacer points for printing on campus through the PaperCut "Follow Me" system
  3. Drawing board-large enough to hold 18” x 24” drawing paper (masonite or wood) - masonite is sturdy but lightweight 
  4. Newsprint tablet 18” x 24” 
  5. All-purpose white drawing paper 18” x 24” 
  6. Bristol Pad 11” x 14” 
  7. Sketch pad, 100 sheets, 9” x 12” (possible visual journal) 
  8. Graphite lead pencils 2H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B 
  9. Ebony pencils (soft, rich, black) 
  10. Black Prismacolor pencils (4) 
  11. Conté crayon various colors (make sure they are soft) 
  12. Square compressed charcoal sticks (1 box)
  13. Black India Ink (waterproof) such as Higgins 1 fl. Oz. 
  14. Winsor and Newton designer’s gouache - Primary set of six-14 ml 
  15. Flat brush for watercolor (sheep/nylon head will cost less than sable) 
  16. Two watercolor brushes pointed round, No. 4 and No. 6 (same as above) 
  17. Acrylics in primary colors (red, yellow, blue) student grade acrylic craft paint set in small 2 oz plastic squeeze bottles
  18. Acrylics in secondary colors (orange, green, violet) student grade acrylic craft paint set in small 2 oz plastic squeeze bottles
  19. Small plant misting bottle
  20. Kneaded erasers (2) 
  21. Pink pearl erasers (2) 
  22. White eraser (2)
  23. Masking tape 
  24. White artists tape 
  25. X-Acto knife and a 100 pack of #11 Blades
  26. Utility knife and a pack of blades 
  27. Scissors
  28. Glue stick
  29. Double Sided Adhesive Tape (aka Tape runner), permanent holds better than removable
  30. Spray glue (aka Spray mount)
  31. 24” Stainless Steel Center Finding Ruler
  32. Six 9”x 12” or larger Matboards, 1-2 ply, black or white only (for mounting 8.5x11 works)
  33. Sketchbook for your Foundation Year Visual Journal
  34. Pacer points for printing on campus through the PaperCut “Follow Me” system
  35. Sketch box or tackle box for containing/carrying supplies

Supplies for Art 212 (3-D Design): 

  1. Hot glue gun and “dual temp” glue sticks 
  2. Three (3) disposable dust masks 
  3. Safety goggles or glasses 
  4. Sandpaper (assorted pack), fine, medium, and coarse

Where to Purchase

In addition to this basic list, each teacher may have specific requirements or suggestions, such as purchasing from a supplies list on dickblick.com, utrechtart.com, michaels.com, or another art supply store.

Note: Supplies specific to other foundation year courses can be viewed in the Foundation Student Guidebook. REV 3/2021

Requirements & Guidelines

A foundation year portfolio review is required of all foundation year students. Each year it is scheduled in the month of April and will be held in the 2nd floor lounge, Insalaco Center for Studio Arts (SAC). Signup sheets will be at the main office on the first floor of the SAC.

You are required to register for ART 322-01: Foundations Portfolio Review (0 credits) during fall advising prior to registering for Spring classes. This portfolio review is a mandatory requirement and must be successfully completed to satisfy first year requirements.

Bring the following items to your review:

  1. Portfolio: Bring 2-3 examples from every foundation, art history, and art studio course you have taken (or are currently taking) during your foundation year (see list below for reference). Be prepared to explain the purpose of each project and how you did or did not meet objectives. Your portfolio must also include a total list of works, the class in which you did them, and the purpose of the assignment or project.
  2. A typed list of works of portfolio content with project name and class
  3. Your Visual Journal
  4. Your Activities Form
  5. Pre-approved foundation year exhibit entries

The purpose of this review is to provide students with feedback regarding their progress, area of emphasis, and future direction as Art Majors at Marywood University. It is intended to foster positive support and development.

Foundation Year Portfolio Review will cover work created in all foundation year courses:

  • ART 101      FoundationYearSeminar 1.0cr.
  • ART 110      Basic Drawing 3.0cr.
  • ART 118      2-Dimensional Design and Color 3.0cr.
  • ART 113      Art History I 3.0cr.
  • ART 233      Painting I 3.0cr.
  • ART 212      3-Dimensional Design 3.0cr.
  • ART 114      Art History II 3.0cr.
  • ART 241      Digital Design 3.0cr.
  • ART 322      Freshman Portfolio Review 0cr. *

* Note: Some of these will likely not have any artwork components like the portfolio review itself and the art history courses.

For further information about the Foundation Portfolio Review, students are advised to speak with their art faculty advisor or contact Prof. Sue Jenkins, Foundations Area Coordinator, at suejenkins@marywood.edu.

Your visual journal is a personal creative book that enables you to personalize and document your discovery, development, and educational journey. Include:

  • Sketches and rough ideas
  • Composed, finish artwork
  • Musings
  • Reminders
  • Reflections
  • Notes and questions


Your journal should reflect your personality and interests. It should tell others what you're about, what grabs your attention, and what you have independently researched and discovered on your own, both in and out of class.

Books on Visual Journals

We recommend the following books on visual journals:

At Marywood, we strive to provide all of our Art majors and minors with opportunities to engage with other students and artists both on and off campus. Activities include participation in local gallery exhibitions, attending guest lectures and conferences, and getting involved with club activities. Check out what we have to offer:

Upcoming Events

Each semester Marywood provides opportunities for students, faculty, and the community to engage with professionals in the arts. We are delighted to host the following guest speaker series: Distinguished Visiting Artists Series, Connect Speaker Series, Fresh Perspectives Guest Artist Lectures, Stretch Conference Speakers, and Visiting Artist Talks. In addition, the art department hosts a variety of gallery openings and artist talks, as well as providing Art Education and Art Therapy symposia throughout the year and bus trips to New York City or Philadelphia each semester (see below).

Art Clubs & Organizations

The Art Department offers several clubs and organizations dedicated to the arts. In addition, Marywood’s Office of Student Engagement offers over 60 extra-curricular registered clubs and organizations.

Art Opportunities

Marywood provides several opportunities for art majors and minors to get involved in publishing and exhibitions throughout the school year, as well as participating in internships and fieldwork as required by their major. Opportunities include submitting work to the school’s literary/art journal for a chance to get published, volunteering to write, design, illustrate, and photograph for TheWoodWord.org, Marywood's digital newspaper, exhibiting work at locale venues in Scranton as part of the city’s First Friday Scranton (see below), internships, calls for entry, and more.

Track Your Activities

In preparation for the Foundation Year Portfolio Review at the end of the spring semester of the student's first year, each Marywood Art student should track their self-directed involvement throughout the year in learning experiences outside usual classroom or studio assignments, projects, and requirements using the Art Department Activities Form.

Activities may include but are not limited to: Art gallery opening(s), bus trips, workshop(s), demonstration(s), using Marywood’s Learning Commons resources or community libraries, on-line resources, Scranton First Friday events, having work published in the Marywood Bayleaf art and literary magazine, participating in exhibitions, service or participation in an art club on campus, volunteering for The Wood Word, service as a Where Creativity Works art blogger, or any other activity you think is appropriate.

First Friday Scranton

The First Friday of each month offers art exhibits, music, performances and other activities.

Time: 6-9 p.m.

Where: Downtown Scranton

For information about how you can show your work, as a solo or group exhibitor, visit firstfridayscranton.com

    Fall and Spring Bus Trip to Philadelphia or New York City

    $35. Each semester we take students into Philadelphia or New York City for the day to visit museums, explore galleries, and sight see. Sign up with Ms. Traci Greening in the main art office, Insalaco Center for Studio Arts (SAC). Space fills quickly.

    • Scranton departure and return times shall be provided for each event. Buses typically leave Marywood at 7am and return by 9pm.
    • Students are responsible for returning to the designated bus departure location on time. Students who miss the return bus are responsible for coordinating their own transportation back to Scranton.

    Foundation Year

    Marywood's Foundation Year in the Art Department roots students in the concepts and skills necessary to ensure competency in visual expression. 

    Visit Art Department