Aesthetics in the Popular Culture (open access)

Aesthetics in the Popular Culture

The purpose of this thesis is to consider three opposing statements regarding aesthetics in our popular culture. The first statement is that the youth of this age are demolishing the old standards of aesthetic taste and are creating a nonaesthetic; the second statement is that the youth are enlarging the vision and scope of the accepted standard of aesthetic and changing its direction; the thrid statement is that the creations of the youth in our popular culture of today are neither new nor nonaesthetic, but merely a continuation of aesthetics as they are accepted. One statement will be chosen as the most valid of the three.
Date: May 1968
Creator: Holland, Barbara
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Design and Function of the Interior Space of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center of Dallas, 1980-1989 (open access)

The Design and Function of the Interior Space of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center of Dallas, 1980-1989

This thesis investigates how the interior of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center of Dallas accommodates the three groups which use the space: the patron, the musicians, and the administration. Following the Draft Brief of 1981 prepared by the Dallas Symphony Association's Concert Hall Building Committee, each area is discussed as to what was actually built and what concerns were met. The primary data were the symphony center and interviews with I.M. Pei, architect; Russell Johnson, acoustician of the concert hall; Charles Young, associate of Pei, Cobb, Freed & Associates, interior architect of the concert hall; Carolyn Miller, Trisha Wilson & Associates, designer of the Green Room, Richard Trimble, designer of the musicians' areas, and Joe Pereira, designer of the Administrative area.
Date: May 1990
Creator: McNair, Gay E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Musical/Visual Performance: "A Cat on the Piano" (open access)

A Musical/Visual Performance: "A Cat on the Piano"

In the visual arts, I was interested in creating patterns with clay, glass, and metal, utilizing the visual elements (line, color, shape and texture). I arranged, rearranged, and distorted the elements until I obtained a fragmented, yet, unified pattern. My visual ideas were rhythmical (gestural) in nature with or without the direct stimulus of music. Concepts originated in my mind with symbols and sounds simultaneously.
Date: May 1983
Creator: Ang, Stephen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The creation of Narrative Art Through the Combination of Visual and Verbal Images (open access)

The creation of Narrative Art Through the Combination of Visual and Verbal Images

This project was designed to afford me the opportunity to work with the possibility of combining painting and music through the creation of narrative art. I endeavored to produce a body of work in which the individual paintings and songs would also stand on their own as autonomous works, and still function as components of a work that was larger in scope. The challenge was to develop the visual and verbal elements into a unified whole.
Date: May 1983
Creator: Duwe, Mary Ann
System: The UNT Digital Library
Compositions in Clay and Rhythm (open access)

Compositions in Clay and Rhythm

I constructed ceramic/mixed media instruments, recorded rhythmic music composed for and played on my instruments, and prepared a slide presentation portraying my daily rituals a studio artist. I describe in this paper the process involved in creating this environment and give an interpretation of the work by answering the following questions. 1. What were the rituals that were essential to the creation of my work? 2. In what ways did the use of the different visual and audio media work together to create a unified environment? 3. In what ways was the total experience of the different media a more direct and fulfilling expression of my goals as an artist, or are these goals better fulfilled when working in one media?
Date: August 1981
Creator: Ehrich, Lisa
System: The UNT Digital Library
Altering the Muzak Situation (open access)

Altering the Muzak Situation

The project involved producing a group (16) of audio-visual installations that successfully displayed and exposed various Muzak situations. The following questions, relating to individual pieces, were of concern: 1. What is the basic intent of each installation or piece? 2. Does the piece communicate the intent of the artist? 3. Which installations or pieces will adapt to any space? 4. What visual documentation is necessary to preserve the idea?
Date: December 1979
Creator: Finch, Carl Wayne
System: The UNT Digital Library
Conceptual Structure: The Extension of a Metaphor (open access)

Conceptual Structure: The Extension of a Metaphor

This descriptive report is designed to document the development of this conceptual structure. The purpose is to clarify each aspect of the metaphor and its relationship to the conceptual structure thereby providing more organized , as well as new material to strengthen future work. This metaphor serves as a triggering mechanism for visual imagery.
Date: May 1983
Creator: Loomis, Margaret M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Structuralist Analysis of my Art (open access)

A Structuralist Analysis of my Art

This project is an investigation into the sources of sustained, thematically related images through a series of drawings, prints, photographs and sculpture. Because I have always worked best when I have hit upon an image or set of images of considerable symbolic depth, and because I have generally found such images intuitively, a major portion of this project is to determine if such images can be discovered more consciously.
Date: May 1976
Creator: Sale, Mary Chlotilde Loper
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Illustrative Documentation of Afro-American Vernacular Dancers From the 1900's to 1945 (open access)

An Illustrative Documentation of Afro-American Vernacular Dancers From the 1900's to 1945

It was impossible to document all of the important dancers of the era; however, certain individuals were notably exceptional. The purpose of this study was to document and illustrate some of those dancers who impacted and influenced the development of American vernacular dance during the early twentieth century through the mid-1940's. The individuals chosen were as follows: Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham, John Bubbles, Bill Robinson, Earl "Snakeships" Tucker, James Walker and Charles Green (Chuck and Chuckles), Katherine Dunham, Honi Coles and Cholly Akins (Coles and Akins) Josephine Baker, The Derry Brothers (Ananias, Jimmy and Warren), Eddie Rector, Willa Mae Ricker and Leon James. Emphasis was concentrated on capturing an accurate likeness of the individuals as well as on establishing a specific mood. Since all of the above-mentioned individuals were dancers, a special effort was made to recreate the lighting and aura of the stage.
Date: May 1992
Creator: Woosley, Brigitte J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Development and Testing of an Instrument to Evaluate Aesthetic Judgments (open access)

The Development and Testing of an Instrument to Evaluate Aesthetic Judgments

This study was concerned with the development and testing of an instrument to measure levels of aesthetic judgement making. The review of evaluation methods for aesthetic judgement resulted in a two-part instrument. The review of related literature demonstrated that the majority of instruments for aesthetic judgment employed a naive to sophisticated judgment comparison to determine levels of aesthetic sensitivity. The inadequacy of a score reporting only the degree of agreement between the subject's choice and the choice of a panel of experts without indicating the source agreement was discussed. Content analysis of aesthetic responses used in research studies by Wilson and Morris were presented as an alternative means for determining aesthetic criteria. Part one required the subject to select the better of two art works and to state the reasons for the choice. Part two, a self-scoring component, consisted of the Wilson categories presented as typical statements containing the primary criterion for the category. The subject was instructed to select the statements that were closest in meaning to his initial response.
Date: December 1978
Creator: Brumbach, Mary Alice
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Evolution of Symbols Generated In a Body of Work (open access)

The Evolution of Symbols Generated In a Body of Work

In order to discover more about the nature of my work, I conducted an investigation of the evolution of symbols generated in a body of work. For the purpose of this study the term symbol was defined as something that represents the term symbol was defined as something that represents another entity by association, resemblance, or convention, specifically, a material object or image used to represent an idea.
Date: August 1987
Creator: McKenzie, J. Michael
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Visual Arts Philosophy of Roman Catholicism as Manifested in the Works of Four Commissioned Artists Completed for the 1987 Sanctuary of St. Rita's Catholic Church (open access)

The Visual Arts Philosophy of Roman Catholicism as Manifested in the Works of Four Commissioned Artists Completed for the 1987 Sanctuary of St. Rita's Catholic Church

This thesis investigates how the visual arts philosophy promulgated in the 1960s by the Second Vatican Council of Roman Catholic Churches is manifested by commissioned artists for a particular parish. The primary data were the new sanctuary and the artworks, which include stained glass by Lyle Novinski, a carved-glass Marian Shrine by Claire Wing, bronze Stations of the Cross by Heri Bartscht, and wooden medallions depicting two saints carved by Don Schol. This paper reviews pertinent ecclesiastical doctrines along with interpretational publications, physically and iconographically describes the sanctuary and artwork, and considers aspects of the relationship between patron churches and the artists they commission.
Date: August 1989
Creator: Siber, Elizabeth G. (Elizabeth Gaye)
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Effect of Art 135-136, Foundations of Art, on Design Judgment of Elementary Education Majors at North Texas State University (open access)

The Effect of Art 135-136, Foundations of Art, on Design Judgment of Elementary Education Majors at North Texas State University

This paper is a report of research at North Texas State University concerning the effect of Art 135-136 on the design judgment of elementary education majors. It describes the measurement of the level of design judgments of elementary education majors who have completed the course and those who have not.
Date: January 1966
Creator: Smith, Dana F. R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Assessment of Arkansas Middle school/Junior High School Art Programs Using National Art Education Association Standards (open access)

An Assessment of Arkansas Middle school/Junior High School Art Programs Using National Art Education Association Standards

The purpose of the study was to make an assessment of Arkansas middle school/junior high art programs using National Art Education Association standards. Data were collected from questionnaires, curriculum guides, and school visitations. Participating in the study were 127 schools enrolling 53,502 students of which 14,755 (28%) were taking art classes. For comparisons, the state was divided into five regions.
Date: December 1986
Creator: Teague, Barbara A. (Barbara Ann)
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Investigation of Serial Painting (open access)

An Investigation of Serial Painting

The purpose of this thesis was to follow a given subject from its inception on a rectangular surface through a series of paintings to a point where the shapes and forms of the original painting culminated in a shaped surface. Each painting except the first one in the series would contain less of the subject than the preceding.
Date: August 1972
Creator: Hetzel, Raymond E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Five Buildings in the Dallas Central Business District by I.M. Pei and Partner Henry N. Cobb: A Stamp on the City's Direction (open access)

Five Buildings in the Dallas Central Business District by I.M. Pei and Partner Henry N. Cobb: A Stamp on the City's Direction

The purpose of this study is to examine I. M. Pei and his partner Harry Cobb's downtown Dallas architecture within the context of their overall stylistic development. This paper explores the structure of five buildings within the framework of the city, and addresses their possible influence on the city's future architectural direction. The thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter I introduces and states the problem as it discusses the fabric of Dallas architecture. Chapter II outlines a brief biography of I. M. Pei, looking to those who have influenced him, while discussing the key public buildings of his stylistic development. Chapter III is devoted to Pei's first structure in the city, the Dallas Municipal Administration Center. Chapter IV explores the concepts of his planned Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. Chapter V outlines a brief biography and focuses on the work of Harry N. Cobb: One Dallas Centre, ARCO Tower, and the Allied Bank Tower. Chapter VI summarizes the contributions of Pei and Cobb by placing them within the context of twentieth century architecture, and pointing out their specific achievements with their additions to the fabric of Dallas architecture.
Date: December 1986
Creator: Malesky, J. Barney (James Barney)
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Series of Self-Portraits Made In Jewelry Form (open access)

A Series of Self-Portraits Made In Jewelry Form

The problem consisted of creating a series of jewelry pieces in metal which embody the concept of a self-portrait. Each piece in the series has a physical outside and an inside area in its structure which together form a conceptual self-portrait. Each piece was partly preplanned in detail and partly spontaneously executed. The spontaneously executed parts of the individual pieces serve to include the presence of the subconscious self-image. The series when viewed as a whole or as individual parts will give an insight to my self-image.
Date: December 1978
Creator: Jones, Deborah Jan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Edward Larrabee Barnes's Dallas Museum of Art: An Architectural Development Study (open access)

Edward Larrabee Barnes's Dallas Museum of Art: An Architectural Development Study

This study examines the development of Edward Larrabee Barnes's design concepts for the Dallas Museum of Art, from preliminary concepts and program statements by Director Harry Parker and Dallas Museum trustees, through initial planning and architect selection, to site selection, the Program and Space Study, Barnes's early conceptual plans, and his Dallas Arts District master planning. Influences on Barnes's work and his career development leading to the Dallas commission, his most ambitious museum to date, are examined. Discussion and documentation of design development is based on schematic studies, presentation drawings, models, and trustees' minutes. Design changes during construction and all phases of expansion planning are also discussed. The conclusion summarizes historical influences on the design and Barnes's fulfillment of program concepts.
Date: August 1989
Creator: Koerble, Barbara Lee
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Consideration of Visual Aspects of Art in Motion Picture Awards (open access)

The Consideration of Visual Aspects of Art in Motion Picture Awards

The writer, who, as an art student, has a special interest in the visual qualities of motion picture art, has undertaken to investigate the extent to which the visual aspect of art was outstanding in motion pictures receiving awards during the years 1951 through 1954. As a result of this investigation he hopes to reach some valid conclusions concerning the chronological and geographical distribution of visually excellent pictures during the period and to consider the consequences of those trends which can be identified.
Date: 1956
Creator: Jones, Billy Jack
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Value of Commercial Art as an Area of Instruction in the High School (open access)

The Value of Commercial Art as an Area of Instruction in the High School

For several years the author has considered the problem of commercial art instruction in high school. As a graduate art major, high-school art teacher, and free-lance artist in the advertising art field, it has been his opportunity to investigate and evaluate a program which offers more specialized training in commercial art than is now being offered in most of the secondary schools.
Date: August 1953
Creator: Neale, Bill R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Black Revolution: A Turning Point in American Negro Art? (open access)

The Black Revolution: A Turning Point in American Negro Art?

The Black Revolution, an American social upheaval of this century, poses numerous questions and challenges to all segments of our culture. For the artists, black and white, there is a dilemma of commitment as regards the acceptance of Black art for its merit without approval of the white artist. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the Black Revolution would be a turning point in American Negro art.
Date: August 1971
Creator: Silvey, Patricia J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Analysis of Selected Contents Related to the Usage of Art and Aesthetic in Two Texts in Art Education (open access)

An Analysis of Selected Contents Related to the Usage of Art and Aesthetic in Two Texts in Art Education

Because the terms art and aesthetic are often ambiguously used, the purpose of this study was to develop a method of analyzing and clarifying their usage in written texts. Chapter I includes hypotheses and assumptions of this study. The first hypothesis was that it is possible to develop a systematic, objective, and replicable method of analyzing and clarifying the usage of art and aesthetic in art education texts. The second hypothesis is that, as a result of this analysis, it is possible to compare the usage of art and aesthetic in one text with the usage of these same terms in another. The two texts chosen as sources of data were Becoming Human Through Art by Edmund Burke Feldman and Emphasis; Art by Frank Wachowiak and Theodore Ramsey. The assumptions upon which this analysis was based are (a) that frequency of mention indicates author emphasis, and (b) that, based on analysis which indicates emphasis, summary definition of an author's teaching beliefs regarding art and aesthetic would be possible. Although both hypotheses are accepted, limitations of the method result from the subjectivity which existed in the selection of variables, the inference of contextual meaning which determined placement of variables in categories, …
Date: December 1976
Creator: Pierce, Dorothy Manes
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dreams as a Source of Imagery (open access)

Dreams as a Source of Imagery

Dreams can be defined as a series of thoughts, images, or emotions that occur during sleep. The impression of strangeness, which is certainly a characteristic of dreaming, comes from three primary performances: (1) a loosened temporal and spacial world, (2) short attentional controls and (3) fewer critical evaluations. In dreams, time and matter are not bound by physical properties, and scenes may change with remarkable rapidity or awesome slowness. One out of three people can recall dreams upon awakening. During a night's sleep there are usually three separate dream periods per night, which contain at least two dream stories within each period.
Date: December 1979
Creator: Penn, Patricia L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Status and Content of Middle/Junior High School Art Programs in Texas (open access)

The Status and Content of Middle/Junior High School Art Programs in Texas

The purpose of this study was to examine the status and the content of the middle/junior high school art- programs in Texas. A questionnaire designed to elicit information concerning the art program was sent to middle/junior high school art teachers in Texas. The responses were analyzed according to the school district size, the grades comprising the school, and the school enrollment using simple descriptive statistics. This study revealed the following areas concerning the typical middle/junior high school art program in Texas: school district size, school enrollment, art enrollment, grades in school, types of art courses, teaching objectives and approaches, art budget, resource materials, and art equipment.
Date: December 1983
Creator: Gentry, Sharon K. (Sharon Kay)
System: The UNT Digital Library