Post 3

I think that my identity has changed greatly since high school. College and the experiences during it have given me more confidence than I had in high school. I place less importance on how others see me and what they may think about me. Not caring as much about what other people think allows me to figure out more who I am and what I want to create. Since high school, I have become a more independent person and more capable of making decisions for myself. I think that I'm almost totally different person than I was in high school and wish that i could share what I know now with myself back then.

My artwork has developed greatly since high school. Back then I rarely made artwork and did not push myself be creative. I was too worried about what other people would say about what I created to take real risks. I stayed safe and only did things that I knew I could do well. College provided me a renewed sense of creativity, although at times I'm still self-confident about what I make and my skills.

These are my artist trading cards. Each one shares a part of my identity.

High School Visit One

Our first day at the high school went really well. The students had a lot of ideas of what they wanted to do. The theme of the cake is graduation, since three of the group members will be graduating in the spring. They came up with some ideas for what they wanted to put on it, including pictures, books, a diploma. It was difficult to get one of the students involved in brain-storming. When we would ask his opinion he would defer to the other students ideas. I'm hoping that we will be able to get him more involved when it comes to the construction. It was also difficult to convince the students to try different thumbnails for what they wanted to do. They did not seem to understand the idea of making different versions of the cake.
I'm a little concerned about the construction of the cake and how will will make the layers stand up. Hopefully the students will have some creative ideas to solve the problems that arise. It would be interesting to see their past work to assess their level of knowledge about construction and see what their strenghts are. I'm excited to go back tomorrow and work on their projects with them and hope we will be able to make some more progress!

Post #2

I think that being a practicing artist will help me guide students in the classroom, because I have the experience of creating work. Knowing how difficult it can be to come up with ideas and physically create work will allow me to relate with the students experience. I will be able to better provide them with guidance and motivate them to continue with art, even when it gets difficult. Artists develop skills of persistence and expression that can lend themselves to being a great art teacher. In the classroom there will constantly be new challenges facing the teacher. Persistence and creative solutions are essential in dealing with these issues and for keeping students interested in class. As an artist, I will incorporate my work as examples to the students and to demonstrate my passion for the subject. I want the focus of my class to be on the students work, so I will keep the incorporation of my work to a minimum. I will continue to make my own work while teaching on the weekends and during break, because I think that creating your own work provides a creative outlet and serves as a stress reliever. I believe that it is also important to demonstrate to the students your desire and interest in the subject, by engaging in the process with them.

The relationship between creating work and teaching art are very similar. Both present different problems, but can be solved using the same techniques. I think that being a teacher requires a huge amount of creativity and need for constant progression, which can be said for being an artist as well. To balance technical skill and allow for personal creativity, I hope to create assignments in which students can practice their skills but also include personal meaning. I hope to make the projects open ended so students can decide what the outcome of their project will be.

In The Making Assignment 1

A) Claus Oldenburg’s “Spoonbridge and Cherry” (1988) and Raphaelle Peale’s “Melons and Morning Glories” (1813) use very different techniques to invest innocuous objects with symbolic and aesthetic significance. Oldenburg uses scale and location to create significance in his work. His works are oversized sculptures of everyday objects, placed in outdoor locations where one would not expect to see them. Peale uses lighting and placement of the object on the canvas to create a dramatic effect and to emphasize the objects importance.
B) Like Oldenburg, Charles Ray uses size to create aesthetic significance in his work. “Fire Truck,” (1993) by Ray uses size, by enlarging a toy truck and location. He placed it in a realistic street side environment to surprise the viewer. Like Peale, Jean Baptiste-Simeon Chardin uses lighting and placement of objects in “The Ray” (1726) to create drama and symbolic meaning.

Post #1

Much of my high school experience was spent waiting in anticipation for graduation and the move to college. I was a quiet student and always tried my hardest to get high grades. Unfortunately in high school I did not partake in art classes. I found myself entering the "college track," which left little free time in my schedule. Also, the art instructors reputation and course offerings at my school failed to peak my interest. Crafts 1 and 2...really?

I think that my own need for achievement as a student could hinder me from understanding students motivation in the classroom. I never needed any extra incentive to do the work and I know that that will not be the case with most students in my future classroom. This ties into my fear that I will not be able to provided students with projects that capture their attention and in which they want to devote their time. I want students to not only create, but for them to personally invested in the work. As with many new teachers, I'm also concerned about managing a classroom and keeping students on task. I think that one of the benefits of the art classroom is the collaborative environment and the ability for students to converse while creating work. I hope to be able to manage students effectively so I can create an atmosphere where students are eager to enter and create work. I'm most excited about is learning new projects and methods to teach students in the classroom. I think that one of the most thrilling parts of being a teacher is seeing what students can do with a simple idea or lesson plan.