Thematic Assignment: Mind-Map

Today Ms. J. gave the Art History AP class a new homework assignment. They are to go to (this really amazing website) http://bubbl.us and create a thematic mind-map of four inter-related artworks. First, the students must choose a theme. Thus far, themes have included male form, female form, sacred spaces, political art/propaganda, images of war/violence, patronage, class structure, narrative, portraiture, symbolism/allegory, funerary monuments, etc. After the select, the students must pick four examples to illustrate their chosen theme. One example must come from the Gothic period, one from the 20th century, one from outside the "Western canon," and one may be any piece the student wants.

I selected "Female Form" as the theme for my mind-map and this is what I created:

I think that this bubble chart is sort of magical. But that's just me. And, of course, you can't read it. So I'll summarize here:

1) Gothic example: Virgin of Paris

2) 20th century example:

The Broken Column, Frida Kahlo

3) Non-Western Example:

Bust of Nefertiti, Egypt

4) Free Example: 19th century
Olympia, Edouard Manet

... I can't tell you how difficult it was to format this post. Luckily, it's full of great images, which all offer interesting commentary on femininity and ideals of beauty throughout the history of art!

20th Century Juxtaposition: Stained Glass

Right now, the Art History AP class is studying the High Gothic period, an era that I absolutely love. The Gothic period is remarkable for many reasons--flying buttresses, sculptural archivolts and tympanums, an emphasis on verticality--but, for me, the most remarkable development during the Gothic period is stained glass. The stone of the cathedrals dissolves and gives way to light, an illusion that tempts even the most dedicated non-believers to return to the church.

How could you not love something like this?

Southern Rose Window at Notre-Dame de Paris

Well, many artists after the time of Gothic period loved stained glass too and utilized the medium in their own individual art pieces. Marc Chagall was responsible for some of the most beautiful stained glass revivals:

Marc Chagall

The America Windows, 1977

Marc Chagall

Memorial, ca. 1965

Then glass art took on a life of its own!

Dale Chihuly

Persian Ceiling, 1999

And, finally, minimalism and fluorescent lights inspired some truly interesting interpretations by Dan Flavin...

Still Life Art

As promised, information about still life paintings!

This post is dedicated to my mother, a person who has suffered considerable angst over my ongoing refusal to "Paint something happy. Like fruit."

Usually, I find still life paintings terribly boring. Tables covered in fruits and vegetables, wine glasses, flowers... Why would I want to paint that? There's no interest or energy. No personality. Right?

I mean, yes. Actually. For the most part.

But! There are really amazing examples of still life paintings! Need proof? Look below!

Juan Sánchez Cotán

Still Life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber, 1600

Roy Lichtenstein

Still Life with Peeled Lemon, 1972

Le Corbusier

Still Life, 1920

Ms. J. really encourages "art from observation," which is a more technical way of saying "still life." She divides art into two categories, one being "art from observation" and the other being "conceptualization or design." The painting class in particular seems drawn to still life painting. Right now we have students painting sea shells, apples, and geometric face forms. Others still are learning elements of interior design and spend their time sketching even the tiniest details to be found in the room. I am not entirely sure why still life work is so pervasive in the classroom... Of course, one could always argue that it is one of the most beneficial approaches when developing technical skills, especially rendering accurate perspective and value. I have always been more attracted to "conceptualization or design" work because I always felt that it allowed for maximum creativity.

Nevertheless, as they say, "When in Rome..."

Incomplete Still Life: Tea Pot and Flower

Mechanical Pencil

Still Life of Horse Model

Mechanical Pencil

Epiphany

I have had a revelation:

Teaching is really difficult.

The Scream

Edvard Munch, 1893

See. He knows.

Usually, I consider myself to possess a (rather lovely) combination of articulate communication skills and general comfort with kids. (Granted, I'm working with 14-18-year-olds so "kids" is a not-so-applicable term. But still.) High school students have a way of challenging your preconceived notions about yourself and your skills. And they seem to sense, like dogs or bees or some other fear-sensing animal, when you question yourself in a classroom. I sometimes wish that respect would come instantly from these students and then simultaneously feel that I am far too clueless to have earned such respect.

So I'm having difficulty connecting with the students, which an issue I didn't really expect to encounter. I'm torn between relating as a student, which I am, or as a teacher, which I want to become. It's an uphill battle to be sure. And until I figure it out, I will keep muddling through like everyone else.

Wish me luck! And stay tuned for my next post, which will most likely explore still life painting.

Follow-Up on Ridiculous Art Post

After watching the YouTube video of pour painting posted in my previous entry, I became fascinated by the brains behind that outfit--New York artist Holton Rower. I ended up spending Friday night exploring his entire website (Check it out at http://holtonrower.com/) and discovered--to my great surprise--that I love Rower's sculpture more than his painting. He works primarily in found objects including money, pipes, hooks, hair, books, and locks. Scroll down to see three of my favorites!

Here is sculpture created out of rolled up dollar bills and thread. So tiny but so cool!

And this one is made of pipes!

And finally, my absolute favorite of the sculptures:

It's made entirely out of locks and keys! I want it to be a chandelier in my future home. Holton Rower, make that happen, please and thank you.

Love Ridiculous Art?

Then check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d6egUsZvWu4

I wish I could try this. Sadly, Bryn Mawr's Residential Life Office might disapprove of my decision to use my dorm room as a canvas.

Preview: My Art and Inspiration

As promised, this blog will include images of my own art. But why?

My main interest in doing this placement as a teaching assistant is to explore the intersections of art history and art production. How does the study of art history affect art production? And, alternatively, how does studio experience affect one's perception of art history? One way I will look at these intersections is to look at the content and influences apparent in my own art.

I have mentioned in previous posts that I am a primarily self-taught artist. To me, "self-taught" refers to a lack of strict or one-on-one instruction. Now, this does not mean that I haven't taken art classes; on the contrary, I took general arts foundation, photography, textiles, sculpture, and Studio AP in high school and I took a life-study drawing class a few summers ago. But most of my art has been influenced by other artists. Let's look at some examples!

Inspiration: Northfork (Polish, 2003)

Resulting Work: The Guardian

And another...

Inspiration: Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960)

Resulting Work: (No) Vacancy

I won't include an additional image but my Hitchcock graphic novel page was greatly inspired by the work of Frank Miller and his masterpiece Sin City.

Inspiration: Citizen Kane (Welles, 1941)

Resulting Work: Le Petit Citoyen

And finally, a looser association...

Inspiration: Slave Ship (Turner, ca. 1840)

Resulting Work: Turner / Face

Turner / Face was also heavily influenced by a fantastic graffiti piece I found in a book. Anyway, that was a simple preview, a nice introduction, to my own work and the art that has inspired me in the past.

Enjoy!

The Ebbo Gospels and Cy Twombly

In my last post I detailed the "Seven Characteristics of Creative Thinking." In this post I would like to move out of the studio art room and into the Art History AP room. Recently, Ms. J.'s Art History class discussed early medieval art and the Carolingian masterpiece known as the Ebbo Gospels. The Ebbo Gospels are especially notable for their beautifully illustrated pages, created by Benedictine monks near Reims, France. These monks introduced a sort of frenzied, wild energy to their illuminated manuscripts. According to Robert G. Calkins, the poses are nervous and agitated and are most aptly characterized by their "streaky style" executed with "swift brush strokes" (211).

St. Matthew from the Ebbo Gospels, 9th century

Now this is where Ms. J.'s art history lecture gets really interesting! When I took Art History AP, we probably looked at this slide of St. Matthew, turned to a new page in our notebooks and then moved right on to the Lindisfarne Gospels. But Ms. J. interjects into her lectures something known as "20th Century Juxtapositions." Her 20th century comparison for the Ebbo Gospels was the remarkable Cy Twombly. Cy Twombly is primarily known for his early scribble-style painting, somewhat akin to graffiti art, produced on solid color fields.

Untitled 1970

Untitled Part V (A Painting in 9 Parts), 1988

Pan II 1980

Cy Twombly's work is absolutely gorgeous and does indeed seem to evoke the same frenzied energy present in the Ebbo Gospels. And this approach to teaching, the addition of 20th Century Juxtapositions, seems to me to be a representation of the sixth characteristic of Ms. J.'s Seven Characteristics of Creative Thinking. Need a reminder of number six? Here:

6. Seeking Connections - See the similarity between disparate parts.

Perfect!

Seven Characteristics of Creative Thinking

My supervising teacher--let's call her Ms. J.--has "Seven Characteristics of Creative Thinking" posted in her art room. Here they are:

1. Receptivity - Be open to new ideas; welcome new experiences.

2. Attentiveness - Every experience is potentially valuable.

3. Conviction - Tenaciously pursue an independent path.

4. Curiosity - Research unusual topics; analyze unfamiliar systems.

5. Wide Range of Interests - With more components, the number of combinations increase.

6. Seeking Connections - See the similarity between disparate parts.

7. Complexity - Combine the irrational with the intuitive.

I love these principles! They are particularly interesting to me considering my high school studio art experience, which was primarily structured in two straightforward parts: 1. Here is a new medium or artistic idea. Look at this example. 2. Do it yourself. The supplies are on the table!

(Of course, I don't necessarily mean to condemn this approach to studio instruction. For an independent and creative student, this approach is actually often wonderful; it allows for maximum experimentation and very personal results. And for me, as a younger student, too much teacher intervention always felt somehow intrusive. For me art has been too personally driven to welcome a teacher with rigid expectations.)

But Ms. J. seems to want to use these principles to guide students without restricting them. And I think that posting the principles in her room exhibits a remarkable sense of understanding of the average high school student; many high schoolers limit themselves. They enter situations with firm ideas in mind though they often know so little about the wider world and the history of art in particular. These Seven Characteristics encourage students to be cognizant of ideas and art as of yet left unexplored and ask them to incorporate many varied approaches to their creative processes.

The Education Experiment: The Beginning

This is the post where it all begins.

I am Kristen, a 21-year-old senior at an all-women's college outside Philadelphia. Art History AP decided my major for me during my junior year of high school and it's still the perfect fit five years later. My passion for the history of art directed me towards Bryn Mawr College, a collegiate gothic paradise with rigorous academics and the most eccentric traditions one could ever encounter. Bryn Mawr boasts one of the top undergraduate history of art programs in the country and it has been both a joy and an honor to work with the professors employed here.

Nevertheless, the program has its limits and has never been able to provide an environment in which I could explore the intersections of art history and art production. For although I am an amateur art historian, I am also a particularly unreliable breed of visual artist with very little formal training. On the contrary, I have primarily taught myself the basics of visual art through life observation and a careful study of pre-existing artworks. And let's be honest, my art would be nothing of note without being hugely indebted to a vast amount of trial-and-error and an overactive imagination, which both fuel the entire enterprise. My art usually represents an odd amalgamation of traditional, recognizable artistic influences spiced up with elements of popular culture (including but not limited to graphic novels, film stills, and graffiti) and my own undefinable... charm. Let's call it charm.

Luckily, Bryn Mawr is up to the challenge to fill in any gaps in my education and offers an independent study option known as Praxis III, a course made up of two parts: 1) a "real world" placement, usually an internship the spans the duration of a semester and 2) a self-designed curriculum meant to supplement the practical experience provided by the placement.

And this is where we begin. I am embarking on a Praxis III quest that will combine my experiences as a history of art major with the hands-on experiences I'll gain as a student observer and teaching assistant at a nearby all girls school. I will be attending three different classes--Art I (a visual art foundations class for 9th graders), Painting/Drawing, and Art History AP--and examining the ways in which high school art pedagogy differs from that of a liberal arts college. As the semester progresses, I will be keeping this blog to chronicle my observations and my opinions, all of which will be injected with random tidbits of art trivia and visual treats. Additionally, I myself will be jumping back into the world of visual art production and creating art pieces to supplement, represent, and reflect my findings in the classroom.

So stick around! There are so many wonderful artistic curiosities awaiting us!

~ Kristen