My artwork has changed somewhat from when I was in high school. I still use primarily the same art media, but have learned numerous new techniques for using it effectively and more skillfully. My tastes in subject matter have grown and changed as I've learned and experienced more, and I am more open to trying new things and being more experimental with art in general. Above all, I can honestly say that my sense of what is art or what makes a good piece of artwork has radically expanded, and this has helped me to see the world in a whole new light.
As far as my self-identification, I will try to share what I can.
Personally, I have done a number of things that make me feel guilty, but for this exercise, I feel that the most fitting would be my inability to apply myself as much as I should. While I don't like to rely on others for my sense of worth, often a few kind words from someone I care about and/or respect do quite a lot to make me feel worthy. A lot of things make me laugh, I just don't always laugh out loud. My own mistakes and failures embarass me, sometimes tremendously. I try not to give in to my anger, but I can be infuriated by many things, most often by the ignorance, overconfidence and arrogance of others. Little things, however, can often thrill me - a clever riddle, a funny story, a new way to look at something from a direction I never considered. Comfort for me can come in many forms, sometimes by the kind words or acts of others, sometimes the simple act of letting my guard down and being alone - it all depends, really. A lot of things make me sad, that fact alone being enough to make me feel slightly sad. I suppose wasted talent is one thing that really bothers me, both in others and in myself.
In regards to my personality, I am somewhat at a loss. If I am difficult for others to understand, I am just as difficult for myself to pin down. I like to be artistically and professionally reflective, to an extreme degree at times, but when it comes to who I am inside, it's difficult to say. For the sake of the list given in our book, I'll choose idiosyncratic, insecure, pragmatic and quixotic as the words most closely relative to my personality at this point in time.
Otherwise, I am a caucasian U.S. citizen, male, with a rather large family and a few close friends I consider family. I am a lapsed Catholic, a child of the late 80's / early 90's with baby-boomer parents, low income with average overall health. My tastes range pretty far and wide in relation to music, food and entertainment, with a general focus on art and history. My tastes in art are very open and encompassing, as I can't readily say that I like or dislike something when I might just as easily change my mind later on.
That's who I am in a nutshell. For more information, feel free to ask.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
In The Making: Entry 1
The artist I chose whose work most interested me is Eve Andree Laramee, whose work begins to blur the lines between fact and fiction in real life. The chapter focuses mainly on her 1997 exhibition at the Islip Art Museum in New York, entitled Secret History: Yves Fissiault, Artist of the Cold-War Era, in which she presented, as curator, a number of plausible but artificial documents belonging to a fictional scientist from the 1950's. In doing so, Laramee did not reveal the deception to the gallery audience, and continued to build upon the story of Fissiault in other works in the following years. Part of the enjoyment for the audience was getting to be "in on" the clever joke if they were knowledgeable enough to figure out what was real and what was fabricated. I found the descriptions of Laramee's work to be incredibly interesting and entertaining, as the idea of blurring the line between fact and fantasy has always interested me. Both Laramee and her work are compared in the workbook to the works of Rene Magritte, whose artworks were often more overt challenges to what is fact and what is fiction. Now, on to the questions:
6a. Defend (Rene) Magritte and laramee against the accusation that they are merely frustrating or deceiving viewers. How can obscuring and complicating experience, as opposed to simplifying and clarifying it, benefit viewers?
Personally, I don't feel the need to defend their works per se. I see no harm in creating images or stories that aren't factual but that may closely resemble real life. If we were to hold all such works to task, we would never be done defending them. What Laramee has done (and Magritte, to a lesser extent) is to create a realistic visual novel of fiction, that ties itself directly and indirectly to the history of the Cold War. In that way, it is hardly different from other fantastic creations, a prime example being the movie Forrest Gump. I think the fact that the story could be seen as "true" only to those who don't have the knowledge or interest to dispute it merely proves its worth as an accomplished work of artistry.
6b. Both Magritte and Laramee create meticulously detailed renditions of the unreliable truths they convey. Why do you think they expend this extraordinary effort?
To begin, the chapter does a good job of dissecting Laramee's creation of Fissiault as a pseudo-stand-in for her absent father, a colorful and enigmatic character whose real existence mirrors that or the fictional scientist. Beyond that, I think it relates to some aspects that many humans share, including telling stories, telling jokes and playing harmless tricks. The best stories are those that draw the reader / viewer in and transport them to a place that they can believe in, even if only for a moment, so why not tie a story to real history, tweak some of the details and use the real world to lend plausibility to your fiction? In some ways, it could be seen as a shortcut, but it is quite the opposite, since the task of incorporating a false world into the real world requires plenty of research, knowledge and creativity. The challenge to do so alone may be enough to get most people to invest their time in such an endeavor.
6a. Defend (Rene) Magritte and laramee against the accusation that they are merely frustrating or deceiving viewers. How can obscuring and complicating experience, as opposed to simplifying and clarifying it, benefit viewers?
Personally, I don't feel the need to defend their works per se. I see no harm in creating images or stories that aren't factual but that may closely resemble real life. If we were to hold all such works to task, we would never be done defending them. What Laramee has done (and Magritte, to a lesser extent) is to create a realistic visual novel of fiction, that ties itself directly and indirectly to the history of the Cold War. In that way, it is hardly different from other fantastic creations, a prime example being the movie Forrest Gump. I think the fact that the story could be seen as "true" only to those who don't have the knowledge or interest to dispute it merely proves its worth as an accomplished work of artistry.
6b. Both Magritte and Laramee create meticulously detailed renditions of the unreliable truths they convey. Why do you think they expend this extraordinary effort?
To begin, the chapter does a good job of dissecting Laramee's creation of Fissiault as a pseudo-stand-in for her absent father, a colorful and enigmatic character whose real existence mirrors that or the fictional scientist. Beyond that, I think it relates to some aspects that many humans share, including telling stories, telling jokes and playing harmless tricks. The best stories are those that draw the reader / viewer in and transport them to a place that they can believe in, even if only for a moment, so why not tie a story to real history, tweak some of the details and use the real world to lend plausibility to your fiction? In some ways, it could be seen as a shortcut, but it is quite the opposite, since the task of incorporating a false world into the real world requires plenty of research, knowledge and creativity. The challenge to do so alone may be enough to get most people to invest their time in such an endeavor.
Entry 3: Being an artist / teacher
This entry is driven by questions regarding being a practising artist while also working as an art educator. The two are interconnected and, I feel, quite necessary in relation to one another. I will focus on my individual work as an artist and how it has and may affect my abilities as an art teacher.
Question: How do my art practices and abilities help in the classroom and with teaching?
- I have found my artistic abilities to be quite helpful in a number of educational situations. I have often found it handy to create a quick sketch or drawing to help illustrate my point or to clarify a piece of instruction. When and if I need to do this, I can usually do so fairly quickly and accurately, so as not to take up too much class time. I can also draw out a set of examples or simple instructions and then make copies of them, so I don't have to rely solely on pre-printed media. I have experience working with many different materials and processes, so I feel I can be flexible when necessary. Many types of media can lead diligent artists to develop quite a lot of patience, which is always helpful when working in sometimes stressful situations. Also, as I have worked with different materials, I have already encountered some pitfalls when using them, as well as discovering numerous tips for success, each helping to prepare me for potential problems my students may face. Finally, I believe that the more I try new things, experience new processes and work with new materials, the more I will be able to bring to the classroom through lessons and projects.
Question: How can I incorporate art making into teaching?
- I think that showing your students that you are a practicing artist demonstrates that you care about art and that you "practice what you preach". It shows students that art is a viable means of (self)expression and communication, as well as a source of entertainment and/or relaxation. It can also be helpful as a problem-solving tool, helping you to work out visually or concretely those issues which may be too ephemeral or complex to simply talk through.
Question: Why continue to create art?
- Well, why do I / we do it now? I think that some of the same reasons would still apply: for relaxation, self-expression, self-reflection, enjoyment, etc. As a teacher, it may (likely will) be difficult to find time to create art, but making the effort to do so will help us to be better art teachers, as well as keep us from stagnating or getting stuck in place as artists.
Question: How can I balance the technical skills of teaching art with personally meaningful and creative student artworks / interests?
- This is an important question and I think it should be seriously looked at by all educators, not just art teachers. In the case of teaching art, it is important to show students that acquiring new skills and proficiency with new media is necessary to advance in their means of expression. Also, what may be seen as too hard or complicated for some students may be a good challenge to either advanced students or skilled "problem" students.
Question: How do my art practices and abilities help in the classroom and with teaching?
- I have found my artistic abilities to be quite helpful in a number of educational situations. I have often found it handy to create a quick sketch or drawing to help illustrate my point or to clarify a piece of instruction. When and if I need to do this, I can usually do so fairly quickly and accurately, so as not to take up too much class time. I can also draw out a set of examples or simple instructions and then make copies of them, so I don't have to rely solely on pre-printed media. I have experience working with many different materials and processes, so I feel I can be flexible when necessary. Many types of media can lead diligent artists to develop quite a lot of patience, which is always helpful when working in sometimes stressful situations. Also, as I have worked with different materials, I have already encountered some pitfalls when using them, as well as discovering numerous tips for success, each helping to prepare me for potential problems my students may face. Finally, I believe that the more I try new things, experience new processes and work with new materials, the more I will be able to bring to the classroom through lessons and projects.
Question: How can I incorporate art making into teaching?
- I think that showing your students that you are a practicing artist demonstrates that you care about art and that you "practice what you preach". It shows students that art is a viable means of (self)expression and communication, as well as a source of entertainment and/or relaxation. It can also be helpful as a problem-solving tool, helping you to work out visually or concretely those issues which may be too ephemeral or complex to simply talk through.
Question: Why continue to create art?
- Well, why do I / we do it now? I think that some of the same reasons would still apply: for relaxation, self-expression, self-reflection, enjoyment, etc. As a teacher, it may (likely will) be difficult to find time to create art, but making the effort to do so will help us to be better art teachers, as well as keep us from stagnating or getting stuck in place as artists.
Question: How can I balance the technical skills of teaching art with personally meaningful and creative student artworks / interests?
- This is an important question and I think it should be seriously looked at by all educators, not just art teachers. In the case of teaching art, it is important to show students that acquiring new skills and proficiency with new media is necessary to advance in their means of expression. Also, what may be seen as too hard or complicated for some students may be a good challenge to either advanced students or skilled "problem" students.
Entry 2: Quality Art Curriculum
What makes a quality art curriculum? I feel there are a number of things that can contribute to the quality and usefulness of an art curriculum, all of which offer numerous variations and room to maneuver in between. The four main points given by the Spiral Workshop in Chapter 9 of our text (Real World Readings in Art Education) firmly and succintly set up a strong foundation to build upon, and they quite accurately reflect my feelings on the subject.
First and foremost, the immediate requirement for any project is to grasp the students' attention, much like a hook for a sales pitch. Of course, you cannot build an entire program or lesson on student interest, but if a student feels no connection whatsoever to a project, it will be difficult to further build upon that lesson.
Second, the project should be tied to an aspect of art history. Whether utilising an artist or artwork that is ancient, classical, modern or bleeding-edge new, the connection tells the student that what they are participating in is part of something bigger than a class project. It tells students that art is an important part of our world, and has been for most of human existence. While I do feel that it is important to expose students to the work of current, practising artists, it is just as important to present more historical works and then tie the past to the present. In this way, we can show that no single artistic form or style exists in a vacuum, and that all artwork can be seen as a part of a greater whole.
Tied in with these two points is using student interest and other artists' examples to then create a connection with a particular social or cultural issue. By choosing a topic that a student feels strongly about, you can then show examples of how other artists from the past and present have used their artwork to express their opinions, feelings and reactions to issues that affected them. This also helps to illustrate the impact that socially- or culturally-linked artwork can have on the artists' world.
Finally, the introduction of a new or advanced technique, method or art media should be included, for a number of reasons. Students need to encounter and try out many kinds of art media and materials, as the more they are familiar with, the more they will be able to draw on for later use. Different skills and approaches can be brought into their prefered methods of expression, but only if they are open to experiment with them and stretch beyond their comfort zones. Also, if you have already established socio-cultural, art historical and/or student interest connections with the lesson and the new method or technique is linked with those pre-existing connections, the majority of students should want to give it a try and express themselves in a similar manner.
Again, these are simply my ponderings on the approaches given in our text. In the actual classroom, some or all of these aspects may not be present, but they should all be relatively achievable in many cases.
First and foremost, the immediate requirement for any project is to grasp the students' attention, much like a hook for a sales pitch. Of course, you cannot build an entire program or lesson on student interest, but if a student feels no connection whatsoever to a project, it will be difficult to further build upon that lesson.
Second, the project should be tied to an aspect of art history. Whether utilising an artist or artwork that is ancient, classical, modern or bleeding-edge new, the connection tells the student that what they are participating in is part of something bigger than a class project. It tells students that art is an important part of our world, and has been for most of human existence. While I do feel that it is important to expose students to the work of current, practising artists, it is just as important to present more historical works and then tie the past to the present. In this way, we can show that no single artistic form or style exists in a vacuum, and that all artwork can be seen as a part of a greater whole.
Tied in with these two points is using student interest and other artists' examples to then create a connection with a particular social or cultural issue. By choosing a topic that a student feels strongly about, you can then show examples of how other artists from the past and present have used their artwork to express their opinions, feelings and reactions to issues that affected them. This also helps to illustrate the impact that socially- or culturally-linked artwork can have on the artists' world.
Finally, the introduction of a new or advanced technique, method or art media should be included, for a number of reasons. Students need to encounter and try out many kinds of art media and materials, as the more they are familiar with, the more they will be able to draw on for later use. Different skills and approaches can be brought into their prefered methods of expression, but only if they are open to experiment with them and stretch beyond their comfort zones. Also, if you have already established socio-cultural, art historical and/or student interest connections with the lesson and the new method or technique is linked with those pre-existing connections, the majority of students should want to give it a try and express themselves in a similar manner.
Again, these are simply my ponderings on the approaches given in our text. In the actual classroom, some or all of these aspects may not be present, but they should all be relatively achievable in many cases.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
High School Art Experiences
I will limit this post to my experiences with art in high school (the whole story would be far too long and frightful to remember). I didn't take a lot of art classes in high school as I wasn't a very good art student (this realization was recently confirmed by my former H.S. art teacher). I never cared for the projects and was reluctant to try new media and processes, doing so only if I had to. I only wanted to draw, and even then, only the subjects or images that I cared about. I drew constantly, filling the margins of my notebooks until they were black, and kept numerous sketchbooks at home that I'd work from cover to cover. My drawings were rarely about personal issues, but I constantly tried to improve my abilities and make my drawing style changed and evolved continuously.What I do know of high school students comes largely from my remembrances of my own H.S. experiences, along with my ongoing interactions and student field work with teeneagers in & out of school. Teenagers, especially in high school, can be very mercurial, with numerous changes occuring rapidly and often randomly. These changes can be internal, external, fleeting, lasting, emotional, physical, mental, social, real, imagined, important, frivolous, depressing, exciting, confusing, life-affirming and uncategorical - any or all of the above and more. The teenage years can be all these things and are often astounding and confusing in their impact on students' lives. With such a potentially explosive melting pot of emotions and hormones and feelings, coupled with the effects of our national / global / consumer / popular culture as well as possible familial, religious and economic factors, this can be an unbelievably odd and frustrating time in a child's life.
All of these factors could be seen as fears on my or others' parts when it comes to working with high school students. I can't say that it frightens me (as I already experienced it firsthand) but I must always remember that it can be a difficult time in the lives of my students. We all need to be aware of what may be cause for concern or what needs to be addressed in order to help students to deal with and possibly move beyond their problems. I believe that teaching high school students can be very enjoyable and rewarding, but to always expect the unexpected, either for good or bad. That fact, in and of itself, is exciting to me, as is the chance to promote student artwork that is self-reflective and allows for self-expression. The fact that young children wish to talk about their art does not disappear when they reach puberty - they need an environment that they are comfortable enough in to share their thoughts and feelings about their work. I know that there is a lot to be learned from working with students of this age, far beyond any example I could give, but I definitely feel that art can be an incredibly important aspect of many students' lives and be a cornerstone in how they choose to express themselves.
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