Reviews for ARTT150

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Jason Kass ARTT150 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 01/24/2024	Great guy with interesting lectures and willing to make accommodations.
Jason Kass ARTT150 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/19/2023	I'm not a humanities major. I'm an information science major, and I took this course as a GenEd. Overall, he is a good lecturer. He includes everything he goes over in his slides, and he always posts them ahead of time. Lecture attendance is mandatory/grades, but it kind of boosts your grade if you go (so there's a benefit). He is a nice person and professor, but I have not asked him too many questions. However, he is flexible to change or suggestions, so never be afraid to ask.
Jason Kass ARTT150 Expecting an A+ krm618 12/06/2023	Professor Kass is a genuinely good person who cares about his students. The majority of the class is completing critical reflections every three weeks or so. As long as you take good notes in class and do the weekly readings (short, 2-3 articles or videos) you'll be just fine. The class isn't time consuming at all, and the final is open note and open resource. Professor Kass cares a lot about feedback and will adjust appropriately if students feel lectures should be structured better. Very adaptable, very friendly, easy class.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Anonymous 10/18/2023	Graduated a couple years ago and just came back to write a glowing review for Rex’s 150 class. I’m currently referencing his course packet for work. This packet is the most comprehensive text I’ve ever read; not just for art theory but for philosophy in general. So grateful i took this class; genuinely changed how i view the world
Jason Kass ARTT150 Expecting a B Anonymous 05/04/2023	I really wish I could give this professor a higher rating because he does seem like a genuinely nice person. Responds to emails quickly and was more than willing to work with me when it came to ads accommodations. The content of the class was also very interesting to me as I love art theory. Maybe it's just cause I'm not a humanities major but the constant lack of concrete answers got really annoying by the end of the class. The Weekly responses were definitely draining and the vague feedback didn't help at all. I could not consistently get above a 7 out of 10 despite trying hard and talking to the TA. I felt the grading was very subjective and often times I had no clear answers as to why I even lost points. For the midterm and final you are given the choice of either an artwork, an essay or a quiz. I chose the quiz for both. The quiz was relatively easy especially if you took good notes during lectures. He does ask a few overly specific fill-in-the-blank questions which can get annoying. Overall, I would not recommend this class to anyone like me who likes having a clear and specific rubric for what's correct and what's not.
Jason Kass ARTT150 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/02/2023	Really nice professor and only see him during lectures... which you have to go to get an access code for an attendance point. Discussions are once a week and honestly not too bad, you have weekly responses you have to submit that you discuss and participation is a MUST. You get to decide if you want to submit an essay, artwork with essay, or quiz for the midterm and final. Having those options are really great. Overall good class but can be confusing, not too much work and honestly would take again.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting a B Anonymous 02/07/2023	I did not enjoy this class too much due to the subjects not interesting me and although the professor is not a bad one, his monotone voice on top of the interesting subject caused a class that was hard to stay awake in. Honestly, you don't really have to attend lectures, though I recommend at least attending some due for the attendance grade. The discussions I do recommend attending since quiz reviews happen and the lectures/information is easier to understand than in the lecture or the book. The quizzes aren't too bad but the exams are annoying, have those study guides and notes prepared to check quickly because you will have no time to take on questions. Some of the questions are worded weirdly or have no reason to be there, easy grade but just annoying. Also, DO NOT BUY THE BOOK, it will be discussed in class n can be discussed elsewhere. Only buy it if you really prefer having an in-person copy to mark up!
Jason Kass ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/07/2022	He is very passionate and knowledgable about the material. The workload is very manageable. We had a weekly reading in which we had to write a 300-word reflection on. You have 14 opportunities but only have to complete 10 of them. Attendance to lecture and discussion is mandatory. There is a midterm and final and you can choose to complete a quiz, an artwork, or an essay. The material is really cool if you are interested in art. I highly recommend this class and this professor!!
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting a C Anonymous 05/25/2022	Absolutely horrible professor, I have no idea why he's rated so highly. The reviews lie to you. Do NOT take this guy, he so boring and tech-incompetent I wonder how UMD even hired him. His lectures are super boring with his monotone voice and he makes you buy a super expensive textbook that he just reads off of all lecture. There's no visual aid in his lectures at all and you bet he makes attendance mandatory. Also, no phones or laptops in class, good luck not falling asleep. Do. Not. Take. This. Professor. I warned you.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting a B- Anonymous 05/18/2022	One of the most boring professors I've had. The lecture is designed so dull that it is impossible to pay attention. Harsh Grader, made the exams and quizzes unnecessarily hard. DO NOT take this class.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 01/18/2022	Professor Klank was an alright teacher. His lectures were confusing and hard to follow. Professor Klank was very nice and always asked for feedback on the texts we would read. I would not have made it through this class without the amazing TA. Although her communication was not the best, she was very understanding and tried her best to connect with the students during discussions. This course might be tricky for students who have a hard time analyzing old texts. But I would not recommend this course unless it is necessary. For discussions, we would have text that we need to read and then pick quotes from the text, share and analyze them to show our understanding. Also, do not buy any of the texts he recommends, you should be able to find all of them online for no money.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting a B Anonymous 03/29/2021	Such a nice guy and he has so many interesting things to say, except he only says interesting things, nothing relating to the class or the books we read. kinda wack and makes the class a lot harder than it should be
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/09/2016	If you're taking this for gen ed you might feel like the topics have nothing to do with anything, but try paying attention and see if you don't learn something really interesting. Worst case scenario you'll learn something to say on a date that will make you seem halfway cultured. The lectures are dense with information, but once you get used to the flow, you will get a lot out of them. For art majors, you must take this class with Prof. Weil.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting a C Anonymous 05/09/2016	This class is undoubtedly the MOST BORING POINTLESS CLASS EVERRRR. First of all, he makes you purchase a special edition textbook that HE specifically created with his "quotable quotes" so that if you don't have the text, you either have to spend the $90 to get it, or just try to skim by without it. There's no alternative. Secondly, in lecture he may be knowledgable but I wouldn't know it because he speaks so slow and in a boring tone, it's a real struggle not to just zone out. I ended up hardly ever attending class just because every time I went it just seemed like a true waste of my time. His quizzes in discussion are easy, but only if you've read the text. He gives out two 2 hour midterms which are very "words-used-in-the-text" based. He wants you to say exactly what is in the text. It's annoying. He also requires you to take 2 trips to DC and take selfies in front of 20 different paintings/sculpture that he specifically picked out. tl;dr This is the worst class I've ever taken, just because it is SO FRIGGIN BORRRINGGGG. On a lighter note, if you are a person who enjoys debating about an art piece for weeks on end and never really coming to any conclusion, you'll like this class a lot.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 11/09/2015	I hace known him through a few classes, and both theoretical and studio work. Klank is a materialistic ego maniac with a dwarf complex that has left him baffled for the simple fact that he never made it to anything of artistic worth. It's simple: he made it to the art scene of abstract-expressionism when the movement was well out of the picture and very well saturated. In this sense, he could never possibily be an original artist and he certainly is not one now and will never be one in the future, if you'd assume that there is such thing imaginable for him. Due to these matters, his classes are filled with a thirst for confirmation. He spends hours of lectures trying to convince his students, who mostly are taking the class as a CORE requirement and don't give a shit, that he indeed is a great artist. His overt focus on mystic elements of art is also a result of his inferiority complex; an attempt to add a superficial layer of value to his otherwise dull and unbecoming character. He does have a good eye for art though. If you are an art student and can handle a pompous-for-no-good-reason teacher who would rather talk about himself most of the time, I suggest you befriend him and get his personal opinion on your work. He does not care for technique much but his understanding of color and composition is decent. He also knows the art market somewhat well because he used to buy art for rich people. BS and superficial mysticism as well as an attempt to talk to him about mental illness and the subconscious are the easiest tools to manipulate him with. He's certainly not a leader-type person therefore convincing him that you value his work and life is the key to get him to like you and speak highly of you. He is a bit of a creep but a harmless one nevertheless. Take his class, BS your way, agree with him, praise him, get his critique of your work, but then move on. He's not the kind of a professor that you can benefit from for more than one or two classes.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A bcox 09/02/2014	Professor Weil was an extremely knowledgeable lecturer. He had a great, dry sense of humor that kept the subject matter interesting so that it felt more like a conversation rather than a lecture. His grading was fair, and as long as you take notes, you'll be golden for the quizzes and tests, for he rarely asks in depth questions regarding the texts; it's more overarching themes. Overall, I very much enjoyed this class and suggest it.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 08/09/2014	Let me start out with "TAKE THIS GUY'S CLASS." It's easy, it's interesting, it's enlightening, and it just may change your life. Do the reading, go to class, and go to discussion. There is so much extra credit you'd be a fool to not get AT LEAST a B (I got an A+, easily). Now, the deets. Rex is absolutely delightful. His penchant for turtlenecks and oval eyeglasses, his shaved head and pursing of the lips, his snarky and pretentious yet non-intimidating way of explaining things is exactly what I would have wanted from an art professor. (I urge you to youtube "Sprockets SNL" but imagine an American if you want a preview of what I'm talking about.) I signed up for this class because it filled one of my CORE requirements. I was not expecting much, but I know the things I learned in this course will continue to benefit me throughout the rest of my life. I came into this class having no formal training in art, philosophy, or art appreciation. I left feeling like I had a baseline understanding in all fields, and with a passion to learn more. I have always enjoyed going to museums (there are two museum assignments in this course; go and enjoy the free museums of DC! This is a luxury!), but when on outings with more artsy friends I was without the vocabulary or historical context to contribute meaningfully to our conversations. Now, I feel like an art boss. And you can, too. This class isn't about memorization, but without going to lecture it is (very hard to get full credit, attendance is mandatory) and hard to digest the readings unless you pore over them. Rex's explanations and summaries are crucial to understanding the material and enjoying the course. The exams focus on broadish facts, but there are essay questions that ask the test taker to elaborate on the themes of each writer. As long as you explain what you're doing with an informed modicum of intelligence you will do well. So, in closing, do you like art? Do you need a CORE? Are you an art major? Have you always loved art but felt deficient in your conversations with "art" friends in the context of your own life or in historical context? If you ANY any of these things, take this class. It changed my life for the better, and it might change yours.
Rex Weil ARTT150 bpate 07/11/2014	Prof. Weil's Art Theory class was definitely interesting. This class is very lecture-based and you must do the readings on time in order to do well. Some of the readings are more difficult to understand, but he is very good at explaining meaning and letting the class know what we need to focus on and remember. If you come to class, discussion, and do the readings accordingly, you should have no problem earning a A or a B.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Anonymous 05/13/2014	Really wish I had gotten to take this course with a different professor. Klank is really unorganized and often changed due dates of assignments and would forget to tell all the sections. He has a terrible attitude and often would ask students for their opinions and then tell them they were wrong. When students expressed distress, he told them to stop trying and that he didn't care if anyone liked him because he had ten-year and couldn't be fired. I wish I had had a professor who cared about his students and his job instead of just being a crappy prof because he knew he could get away with it. This is really disappointing to me because the actual material and readings for this class are really interesting.
Rex Weil ARTT150 mchewnin 06/13/2013	Intelligent and funny, Prof. Weil is by far, the best! Rex’s teaching style builds on these attributes, as he gradually proceeds to make a dense subject thoroughly interesting, easily digestible, and thought provoking. The sensitivity displayed to his students is unparalleled, as he is always available to assist you, either after class, office hours, or via e-mail. Trust me on this one folks – don’t miss this class – it will have a lasting impact.
Richard Klank ARTT150 nhchoi 05/19/2013	I think this class could have been much more engaging thereby making the students more responsive to the material being taught. I was frustrated with the lack of structure in the class and the elusive requirements listed for assignments, that often times I didn't want to listen to Klank even though a lot of the things he said still rung something inside of me. The course material is very interesting and speaks to things that can be seen around you, but the way it is taught doesn't do the material justice.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A markdonohue4@gmail.com 11/20/2012	I am a business student and was worried going into this class (I only took it as a CORE class). Nearing the end of the semester, I have to say this is one of the greatest classes I have ever taken. If you are in college to actually learn about yourself and the world around you, I think this will be a great course to take. However, I think some students expect a simple outline of what they have to do to get an A in a class and they will do that minimum just to get that much closer to their degree. Not saying there is a problem with that, but that mindset limits learning and the real purpose of higher education. This is where I think most people get frustrated with Klank's teaching method. With that said, the work is not hard at all in the class, as far as work goes its probably one of the easiest classes I have ever taken. You can browse over the readings and say a few words in discussion classes and discussion exams and do fine. BUT this is the class where I have had to THINK the most... I have experienced news ways of thinking that relate to every aspect of my life, not just art.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting a B- wombat 05/15/2012	The course packet can be intimidating at first, but if you do the assigned readings, go to class and actually listen to what he is saying, you will do fine with minimal studying. Take care not to fall behind though, because the packet is quite difficult to pore through on your own due to its volume as well as some of the unfamiliar language that is used. As for Professor Weil, he is very chill and his manner of speaking is likewise. It may be too chill for some who can get lost in his droning rhetoric, but I appreciated it because it gave me time to jot down notes and often write down what he was saying word-for-word if it seemed super important. He's got a great sense of humor, doesn't take the material too seriously and is also very understanding. I had an unfortunate situation where I missed a LOT of class throughout the second week of the semester but he was nice enough to not completely annihilate my grade as per the course policy. He makes himself available despite his busy schedule to answer questions, administer make-ups and tend to other official business such as nailing you if you use the Internet on your art gallery assignments. Overall great class, great guy. Take art theory with him and you won't regret it.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting a B Jaddy93 04/26/2012	Weil is a great teacher and keeps the lecture interesting with his humor. I don't regret taking the class even with the monster size course packet. All the topics and people we went over in class constantly comes up in ALL of the classes I have now and I'm sure will appear in the future.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A AugustineDylan 03/08/2012	A wonderful course. Professor Weil is a phenomenal teacher. He never condescends and is extremely understanding. I recommend this class for anyone looking to expand their aesthetic consciousness or for anyone who just wants to understand art a little better.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A dhruvpatel 03/07/2012	Professor Rex is a wonderful professor. Class is quite boring but discussions help tie to together the concepts. Its good to at least try to read and then wait for him to review everything at some point to drill the information in. The 2 museum assignments arent too bad at all.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A sdean825 03/04/2012	Rex is the best professor I have had so far. He is funny and interesting. I love his sense of humor and his exams were easy. The class has a lot of required reading and the reading is dense, but he goes through it in lecture to really help you understand. I highly recommend taking this course.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 06/21/2011	Book is a waste of money. I BS'd the field trips and papers but apparently the TA's were all fools and didn't care much. Lecture was as exciting as watching paint dry. Paint that would talk to you every second with "I am now drying. ____% dried". None of the class cuties went to lecture, so it was just a nasty sausage fest that made me want to throw up. Consider taking it with another professor... Verdict: Klank - Jokester.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A Lunar01 05/23/2011	This class will involve a lot of BS on your part, just to get that out of the way. The professor will go on a tangent every class so attending or not is up to you. However, the professor will literally read the exam answers on the class before the exams so you should definitely attend the class on those days. Discussions are required because they are a big part of your grade. You will have to make some questions about the readings and you will occasionally have discussion exams but they are nothing too difficult. The class is really easy so you should not having too much trouble if you do all your assignments.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting a a Anonymous 04/16/2011	This course is incredibly boring. You will be expected to go to 2 museums in DC and do extensive reports on them. the midterm was 2 parts & closed book. Prof. Weil is a very nice guy but he talks very slowly and it is very easy to space out and not listen at all. If you enjoy debating the definition of "art" for 15 weeks, then you will be a happy camper.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/16/2010	I thought this class was pretty cool. I didn't realize how much theory was in the class, but it wasn't bad at all. The TA grades very easily. There is a LOT of reading to do, which I didn't do, but still managed to do very well in the class. You are assigned to go to museums in DC to see artwork, but I found some of the work interesting so it wasn't so grueling. Buy the books online or used at bookholders. His class might not make sense at first, but I began to understand things he was saying towards the end; the material is so simple, yet abstract. He does talk a lot about his life, which I think he plays up, but he seems to tie his stories into the class material. Overall, pretty good class and a nice teacher.
Leslie Berns ARTT150 Anonymous 11/08/2010	She doesnt follow the syllabus and is extremely easy. You dont have to read the book unless she tells you to take notes which she will collect or a quiz. As long as you show up and dont fall asleep, you should get a minimum of a B.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/19/2010	The guy was average as a professor and in general the class was really easy. Attendance was 33% of or grade. There are assigned seats as if we were all kids in gradeschool again. There are many exhibitions we need to go to over the course of the semester to write 2 midterm papers on. The exams are just his self-defined material on beauty, the spheres of mind, etc.. Everything was just so boring and idiotic in general. To be honest I only went to class because we had a rather beautiful and alluring TA. If she weren't TAing the course there would be no point in going anymore. That's how bad the class is in terms of excitement.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/13/2010	What complete BS. Do not take it if you're willing to sit hours on end and listen to his life stories. Every lecture consists of him in front of the class force-feeding the students to accept his ideals. Naturally a theory class is subjective, but prepare to have your opinions deflated into nothing because he's extremely pompous and arrogant. The course itself is complete trash. Utter nonsense words are used to describe the simplest terms. The TA's have no faith or interest in the class. There's ALOT of miscommunication and it's very unclear when assignments are due. The thing about it is that you WILL get an A if you go to these "discussion" exams, and exhibitions. Your paper grade will be based on the mood of the TA. If he's having a bad week, watch out. Midterm and final is okay since they go through all the garbage material with you, so all you have to do is memorize. REALLY difficult to enjoy the class and it's a COMPLETE waste of time. Consider taking Weil for this CORE. Klank is just ...ugh.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an F Anonymous 03/24/2010	Class is just pure nonsense. Everything is so naturally unnaturally idiotic. There are all these garbage terms one has to review, plenty of laughable exhibitions one has to go to, and jokester discussions and attendance that one must attend to avoid losing 1/3 of your grade over. TAs are not only uninterested in teaching the course, but they have the AUDACITY to give 64/90+ ppl a failing grade on the midterm paper. Do not take this class for a core. If you are an art or sociology major.... good luck. May your devastating journey net you a passing grade.
Leslie Berns ARTT150 Expecting an A cake 02/15/2010	Best teacher ever. Hands down very understanding and listens to her students. You can have a personal relationship with her because she really cares for her students. BEST TEACHER EVER!
Leslie Berns ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/23/2009	Prof. Berns is a great teacher. I went into this class not expecting it to be easy or interesting. Turns out, it was probably my best and easiest class this semester. The class is really laid back, and she does everything in her power to help you out. The midterm and final were really easy, as long as you review your notes you should get an A. There are 2 museum visits over the course of the semester which kinda sucked, but if you go they are easy points. I highly recommend this course.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/10/2009	I got an A+ in this class. Before taking the class, I did not think it would be a very interesting class just by the name "Art theory", but it actually was very interesting. At times you may not understand the reading assignments for homework but, Prof. weil does a great job of going over the reading. DEF go to the lectures otherwise you will fail this class. I got a A+ in this class, I did well on the exams, not so well on the quizzes. And he gives up to 8% extra credit, hard class if you don't pay attention and do your work, easy class if you do. PS at times class may seem a little boring but it actually is more of a philosopy class than it is art
Leslie Berns ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 11/13/2009	She's awesome. Take her class if you can. The class is so laid back and to get an a, just participate in the discussions and read the readings.
Leslie Berns ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 11/04/2009	Nice teacher. If you're gonna take ART150, I would take it with her. She is very easy.. you barely have any quizzes during the week, but you do have to do the reading so you can discuss it in class. You have the option to stay quiet,but talking about it makes her like you more! The textbook is everything you need to know for the tests and the textbook is not difficult to understand either.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Anonymous 08/21/2009	He seems like a nice and cool guy, but I have problems with his class/teaching style. The TA had little interest in the class and there didn't seem to be much communication with him and Klank. REALLY difficult to get a concrete answer on what exactly the assignments were and when they were due; very unclear. Klank went on tangents ALL lecture then would try to cram in important actual information that was relevant to the class. Very, very difficult to take notes on his class, as most of the class is him telling stories (albeit usually interesting ones).
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A tulch 04/10/2009	Definitely one of my favorite professors at UMD so far. I don't think everyone got his sense of humor, but his dry, subtle remarks were hilarious. He's really into old school rap. You should go to class because the reading is hard to understand without Rex going over it in lecture.
Richard Klank ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/27/2008	The professor is very, very tangential. Essentially, his teaching style involves telling stories about his life, that often don't relate to course material. I also didn't care much for the course material, which was highly conceptual. For example, the class' definition of "form" was "the thing that makes the thing the thing that it is". He's very nice and a lenient grader, but I struggled to pay attention in lecture.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Anonymous 11/08/2008	He is a really good professor, although sometimes his monotone voice put me to sleep. He's a pretty cool guy, gives lots of extra credit, open book/note exams, etc. It's a reallly easy A. You'll like it if you're into philosophy.
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 08/06/2008	Boring class, but he lets you use your notes on the tests so you cant complain about that. Real easy. Gives out extra credit alot so go to class. I think perfect attendance gives you an extra 5% at the end of the semester so it really helps your grade
Rex Weil ARTT150 Expecting an A Anonymous 04/30/2008	Going to class will help you do well. Even though his lecturing is boring, if you take notes and listen, you'll do fine. He gives a bunch of little extra credit things, so go to all of those and they'll really boost your grade, since the class is out of such few points
Richard Klank ARTT150 Anonymous 04/24/2008	AMAZING teacher- can make the most boring stuff interesting.