Images, like voice and color, are all different. Without hesitation, I can admit to not knowing at all where this drawing practice is going. It is interesting to look at these as images only out of the context of my studio. I like; the drips, the circles, drawing, the lines, how different they look. There is more to do.
I'm interested in looking at these images from the different perspective which is through the image of the image --- using this blog as a sort of journal. Not ready to step back from the work. Its too early. Simply interested in seeing; in looking. I'm interested in describing memory; through the description telling a story. There is much distance to go here; I'm interested in recording the process.
This and that and that and that. Things that are pieces but not yet connected. How one comes to know the process they are working within; or not know. We are, at times only allowed to follow. To follow without knowledge of the path. There are many things to dig deeply into when participating with Philip Guston's work. Freshness. A deliberate and translatable vocabulary that is also unapologetic in presenting both generosity and isolation. In this video from SFMOMA we get a taste of Guston's intentional listening to the work. Inspiring!
We are building our endurance and persistence in all grade levels and specifically in 6th grade.
Exploring color through mono printing a series of images based on one of three themes ( the great outdoors| under the sea| architecture). The students are now taking three of the mono prints and incorporating them into a larger painting.
It is so interesting to me how we as elementary level art educators have the opportunity from one rotation to the next to fine tune lessons. We gather data and instruction is driven based on the data.
Here is an example of data driving instruction; and we are still working through it.
Criteria was introduced.
Students gathered their mono prints.
Demonstration was given; careful language was given around choices being your own.
Students went to work and WHOA! They all looked like what I had done in the demonstration. I cut up my mono prints; they cut up their mono prints. I started to paint a tree; they started to paint a tree. And it went like this for the class period. I walked around and talked with students about their choices and came to understand through our conversations that they didn't really have a grounding in what their work was going to be about for them and by them. I put those pieces in storage for the next time this group is back and thought about how I might be able to move the next rotation of 6th graders deeper into their work before they start on their paintings so I could do this with the class I just saw and the 6th grade group I had yet to see.
So, with the next rotation of 6th graders ( I have three) here’s what I did.
Criteria was introduced.
Then we re-watched and discussed the video by Jane Hirshfield TED Metaphor.
After a discussion about where and how metaphors can be used in writing and visual arts the students wrote one metaphor or simile about their theme.
Students came up with a variety of things like 'Flexible as an octopus' or 'A wolf pack is like a sturdy tree'.
Then when I demonstrated all I showed was how to glue the paper onto the frame; important first step since the frame will be incorporated into the work. The beginning results of the student work are much more grounded in their personal vision. I stepped back and out of the doing and gave them verbal permission without visual permission (cutting up their mono prints).
I made these choices to step back and take a deeper look at imagery in a new way because the students were trying to understand their theme but needed grounding in a narrative. Looking into and writing a metaphor about their theme gave the students a context for their narrative image.
Here's my plan book. I always fill it out on the weekend so I have some time to think about what the week ahead will look like; where this rotation is in the lesson or unit; what guiding reflection sentence stems we will address.
Art educators know this; sometimes you need more or less time than you've allotted. Planning is like budgeting. We are budgeting the time according to the need of each particular art class. Often I think of the plan book as a map. A suggested way to get there but this can and will change with each class. The goal is the learning. I write the learning at the top of each class period so I can keep track of where we are going and when I need to, not if I need to but when I need to, I refer back to it. I am, at heart, still wondering around the studio classroom with my students. We get interested in something and we go in that direction but it is my responsibility to bring them back to the learning by helping them to see or discussing where the cool thing we just figured out about color fits into our learning about harmony or portraits. One way I have found are guiding reflection sentence stems. These are direct fill in the blank questions that students begin with one sentence stem and end with another sentence stem. We close the class with the students either offering their learning to the whole group or a turn and talk model at tables. The reflection process helps the students 'do what artists do..' that is to say they are thinking about what they have done the day or rotation before and they they are looking ahead to considering the possibilities of their work in the current class.
Here are some examples from 4th grade collograph portraits:
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