In at least 250 words,
describe what your creative process is like:
Usually, I am not an artist of
plan. I rarely draw sketches
first. I envision my general idea
in my head and then jump right in.
Sometimes this gets me into trouble with composition and spacing, but
most of the time it works out better than I could have planned. After I have my idea, I find a space to
work. Sometimes this is at a table
or a desk, sometimes it’s on the floor, and sometimes it’s on a couch or my
bed. I gather all the supplies I
think I need and surround myself with it.
Most of the time I have music playing. Sometimes this style is more somber and calm, other times it
has more energy, depending on my mood, or time of day, or weather, or art I am
creating. Usually I like to work
by myself with no one to distract me.
However, I always have my phone by my side. But that still gives me a layer of protection from the real
world because I don’t have to respond to text messages or answer phone calls
while I’m working if I don’t want to.
My
ideal working moment would be: On
a rainy afternoon, I have no other homework or anything to stress me out and
loom over my head as priority, I have nowhere to be, no one I need to call or
email, I have an idea I have been wanting to draw or paint and finally have the
change to get started, I have calming music playing (with poetic lyrics, of
course), I have coffee sitting next to me, and unlimited time to work.
I did the visual exercise drawing with a “unitask” approach. Since I normally have music playing, my
phone by my side, and the computer open while I draw, I put everything away and
had no distractions for this drawing.
I didn’t really feel much of a difference, as far as quality and overall
feel are concerned. It cut back
interruptions, which I’m sure helped in efficiency a bit. I understand that some artists/students
need perfect quiet with no distractions while they create work, but in a
classroom setting I feel like that is hard to come by and not conducive to
discussion between students about their processes and work.
What work of art have you been wanting to create but haven’t had the
time?
I am interested in making a body
of work under the umbrella of IDENTITY (however, many big ideas are integrated
within this idea of identity). In
short, I would like to make memory maps
representing an idea I have labeled “Intellectual
Construction.” Essentially, I
believe our individual identity is made up of three parts of intellectual
construction: memory, perception, and systems.
Memory, the first part of intellectual construction, is simply
ways we store and recall things we’ve sensed. “Recalling memories re-fires many of the same neural
paths we originally used to sense the experience and, therefore, almost
re-creates the event. Memories of concepts and ideas are related to sensed
experiences because we extract the essence from sensed experiences to form
generalized concepts.” Nerve cells in our brain communicate by sending electrical signals,
which trigger the release of chemicals across tiny gaps called synapses. When a few signals are sent over a
short period of time, temporarily, this creates part of our short-term
memory. When signals are
continuously sent, this creates part of our long-term memory. First, we break these new concepts into
their composite parts and store the memory by attaching it to related
memories. When we retrieve this
concept through various triggers, the brain is decoding the stored information
to regain meaning. In short,
memories capture and maintain the essence of an event. Therefore, how reliable are memories? Are they just based on my
perception? Perception, the second part of intellectual construction, evolves
from day to day. How does my
perception (based off of my memories) compare to reality? Is there such thing as reality? The third part of intellectual
construction is a system. A system can be a set of beliefs
and ideals that allow us to process our world. Within the concept of a system is the idea of mapping. A map is a rational, systematic,
construct of understanding the experiential space we inhabit. A map changes our perception from the particular to the abstract. A map is, in
essence, an abstraction of an experience (a memory). Ultimately, the three parts of intellectual construction form a
symbiotic relationship wherein each part informs and transforms the other.
This
leads me to the idea of a memory
map. I would like to create a
series of drawings and paintings, constructing a physical manifestation of an
experience (a memory), using the rational, systematic format of a map. I will focus on techniques including,
perspective (2D and 3D), light, space, line, color, and layers. I hope this series of work will be an
investigation into the formation and evolution of individual identity.
What insights did you glean from the process of developing craft by
doing your studies? How will this information translate into your
classroom practice of helping students develop craft?
Practice Study 1) Blue Print/Map of Childhood home
– location of specific memories
Practice Study 2) Web map of a memory or memories –
making connections
These studies are more about
creatively moving the mind, rather than honing a specific artistic
application. These two practice
studies have given me enough material to get started on my first piece. I have recalled several memories and
made connections between them. I
have created a general concept and structure of these memories.
Read and React
Rosen Chapter 4
This chapter discusses the
igeneration’s need to multitask.
Psychologists have found that “compared to focusing on one task at a
time (“unitasking”), multitasking most often leads to slower performance and
increased errors… However multitasking in real life can be very different than
doing two tasks together in the laboratory. For one thing, there is often unlimited time to perform
tasks in the real world… it may take them longer to do their work but they will
do it just as well.” The fact is,
whether multitasking hinders performance or not, igeners will do it. Evidence is showing that they need to
multitask. While this style of
work may not be ideal in the classroom, I believe it is extremely practical for
the “real world.” Often times in
an occupation you have to be able to do several things at once, if anything,
you must be efficient. Working on
several things at once might be the most efficient work style. In which case, those who can multitask
will succeed. Data has shown that
people who multitask are capable of adding 46% more useable time during the
workday.
Understanding that this generation
will multitask, and that it may be beneficial to foster this style of learning
in order to better prepare them for work after school, our education system
must adapt to meet this very real need.
Due to the increase in technology
and the overwhelming access to media and visual imagery, it is possible this
has “encouraged frequent attention shifts and intense multitasking.”
“Media users are learning at a
young age how to juggle multiple activities, use time efficiently and use
existing technologies in creative ways, albeit sometimes not as originally
intended. While there are
drawbacks to media multitasking, there may be advantages as well.”
Knowing this is the way students
work, “we can no longer assume that students can be forced to unitask without a
loss of attention.” We must adapt
to their style of learning, in order to keep students motivated and engaged in
learning, not bored and uninvolved.
This chapter ends with 3 things
educators can do in order to maximize motivation while also maximizing
learning:
1) Learning environments should allow students the opportunity to
multitask, keeping in mind that the students will self-regulate their
multitasking when necessary.
2) Learning environments should minimize the possibility that two or more
tasks will be multitasked when those tasks might share basic human mental
resources as this will increase dual-task interference.
3) Learning environments should allow for teachers to interrupt students,
for students to interrupt other students, and even for students to interrupt
teachers when appropriate, as long as the interruptions are constructive ones
that enhance the learning process.
Hetland Chapter 5, 9
Chapter 5
Learning to Develop Craft: Using Art Tools, Materials, and Concepts
“Developing
technique was emphasized as an intended learning in every studio class we
observed. But we almost never saw
technique taught as an isolated skill.
Tools, materials, conventions, and skills were introduced in the context
of larger projects that required students to ‘think with these skills,’ rather
than as tricks to be mastered for their own sakes.”
This chapter
focuses on the development of craft in the areas of technique and studio
practice. We are introduced to a
few art educators and their classrooms.
One educator, Beth, takes her students through the use of color theory
and the color wheel. “She lectures
on the color wheel and its history rather than just letting students learn
through trial and error so that students will see that painting is
scientific.” I liked that the
teacher does this because she shows that there is reason behind art, its not
just ideas floating around in the rainbow cloud of someone’s mind. There is truth and fact to art.
Another
teacher discusses the importance of encouraging students to see themselves as
artists. One way he does this is
by having the students keep a portfolio throughout the semester. “They see the work they’ve produced. They see the history of the process.”
I
think it is important to note, “Technique is not something that
constrains. Rather, acquiring
technique gives students control over their works. And as students acquire technique, the begin to ‘think’ with
technique.”
Chapter 9
Learning to Observe: Seeing Beyond the Ordinary
This chapter discusses the importance of true observation, in this case,
through the use of the viewfinder.
In general, students are taught to look closely at the following:
-The
model or source from which they are working
-Their
own artworks as they evolve
-Art processes
modeled and artworks created by the teacher in demonstrations
-Artworks
created by other students
-Artworks from
contemporary or historical artists
Specifically,
in this chapter, students are asked to look through a viewfinder with one eye,
“So that they can learn a new way of seeing—seeing the world as elements in a
composition… Looking through the viewfinder helps students learn to see objects
as only lines, shapes, and colors in a frame.”
One art
educator tells his students “Paintings don’t have to be seen as what they
represent; rather, they can be seen as simply a surface of colors, shapes,
patterns, textures, and forms.”
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