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Skidmore College
First-Year Experience

Scribner Seminar Program
Course Description

Forging Utopia: Practical Lessons from the Arts and Crafts Movement

Instructor(s): David Peterson, Art

A deep dive into the Arts and Crafts Movement; its utopian aspirations, aesthetic ideals, and the impact it continues to have on the things we make, the things we value, and the way we live.

This course will survey the literary and artistic works of important figures such as John Ruskin, William Morris, and Elbert Hubbard, set against the larger social, political, and industrial upheavals of the late 19th century.  In addition, students will investigate the innovative design theories and craft ethics championed by the Arts and Crafts Movement through hands-on work in the Art Department’s metalsmithing studio.

Course Offered