Arts Educators and Blogging Survey

Hello! I'm trying to find out more about how arts educators (including art teachers in schools, art instructors in community centers, and teaching artists) use blogs as either readers or writers. So if you span the arts and educator spectrum in any shape or form and you have ever read a blog, I'd appreciate your taking the time to complete this 10-question survey. Your answers will help me out as I work on writing my thesis for my Masters of Art Education from Tyler School of Art. My paper deadline is August 1st! So please click on the link below ASAP. Thanks!

Click here to take survey

Stellaaaaaaaaa!

For the past month my teenybopper screenprinters at Fleisher have been layering and layering prints in a round robin abstract exchange inspired by the prints of Frank Stella. Students learned about positive and negative space, geometric and organic shapes, lines, and color as well as representational and non-representational abstraction. Students worked in different pairs for each layer to learn how to work cooperatively. They also learned how to block screens, register, and clean up properly sharing responsibilities. 

 Their first layer was a full page rainbow print using only mylar strips and tape to block the frame. Not all the prints were clean and smooth rectangles, but the resulting textures were interesting and didn't interfere with any intentional imagery. It helped them get the hang of printing and working together.

 Their next layer used designs cut out of contact paper to block the screen. Most of these shapes were geometric, and they had to decide whether to make their image a positive or negative print by choosing what part of the contact paper to place on the screen. They also had to work together to plan their design and how their own shapes would complement their partner's. Before printing, students picked out 4 different backgrounds to print upon, making all of these original monoprints- no editions.

 The third layer was based off of organic shapes primarily. Students again planned designs with their partner, decided on positive or negative space, but this time cut designs out of freezer paper to use as a block. These were intended to be much simpler than the previous designs. Again before printing, students selected 4 different prints to layer over.

 The fourth and final layer was more individual. Prints were exchanged yet again. This time students drew on the screen with caran d'ache water soluble pastels and pulled transparent base over the drawing to monoprint over their images to introduce the element of line.

 So these images show a selection of final prints that resulted through this process. Students selected one print to keep as is. However, the other 3 prints they owned were carried over into one more process....

The prints were cut and glued into abstract collages, breaking the rectangular format. And for those images you'll have to wait, as they haven't been photographed yet. On Saturday the kids had a critique about the final works. They especially liked the opportunity to cut up their prints to turn into something else. We also had fun seeing images in abstraction.

Emerging

The semester is over and I'm slowly emerging. This past Thursday I had my final portfolio review with my graduate advisor, two art ed professors, and a fibers professor. I had an opportunity to share the art I've made in grad school over the past 2 years and discuss how the studios I took have impacted my work and process. After a half an hour review, they conferred privately, and then brought me back in to announce that I passed my portfolio with distinction!

There's still a thesis to write and one more studio intensive this summer. Slowly, slowly, and yet all too fast, graduate school is nearing completion.

I'm toying with the idea of considering blogging as a reflective practice and tool for art educators(especially teaching artists) as a topic for my thesis. The more I repeat that statement , the more sense it is making to me. Poor colored-thread has been neglected lately- I'm not reflecting enough perhaps! 

The viewers speak!

Yesterday was the Big Reveal of voting results for the Battle of the Sexes at the Delaware Art Museum. My Brick House piece was on display with only my last name on the label to obscure gender identification. According to the viewers my work is pretty feminine:

Votes in the 60% range were pretty ambiguous, though, so I'm kind of pleased to have tricked some viewers despite the work having some fiber included. Fiber was definitely considered "female" by voters, whereas tech-based and print-based work was deemed more "male". Here's a list of all the artists who participated. I'm in great company:



Finis!

As you may have noticed from my lack of blog posts, I've been rather busy this past week or two! That's because it was the final run to the finish line of my student teaching experience. We installed an had the "Art of Student Teaching" Exhibit at Tyler with a reception last Sunday of nearly 500 attendees! 2 of my students showed up, thankfully. Here's the layout of my wall:

 My kids' sculpture projects were a big hit. Sculpture doesn't get much play in schools because it takes up so much space, but the kids really love it and need it.

 Here I am with my wonderfully supportive co-op teacher:

After a last week filled with paper writing, binder completing, presentation giving, and very little sleep, I'm exhausted. Today was my very last day, and I'm so touched to hear how disappointed my students were to learn I was going. I'm really going to miss them, and it's nice to know they'll miss me too. As I drove away from school I said to myself, "I'm done!", but instead of relief  it was bittersweet. 

Next up: adventures in residency artistry and a printmaking studio class. Oh yeah, and my thesis. It never ends. And when it does I'll be sad.