Art Journal #4

2/20/2022

#IntegrateEverything

As I did my reading for this coming Monday on Integrative Strategies for Contemporary Art, I found myself reflecting on everything that we have learned so far in the semester. So far, we have learned about:

• Visual Thinking and Interpretive Strategies

• Curriculum and Strategies for Art-centered Learning Experiences

  • Integrative Experience within this framework

• Social Justice Art Education

• Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB)

Before learning about these frameworks, and curricula styles,I genuinely thought that art educators chose between teacher-lead projects and student-led projects. But, I have learned that there is so much variation and concepts to consider when you develop your curriculum. So far, I know that I want my curriculum to be choice-based or student centered, I want to use both contemporary and historical artists as example works, I want to integrate social justice issues into my curriculum.

After reading Julia Marshall’s “Five Ways to Integrate: Using Strategies From Contemporary Art,” I have been contemplating a new idea for a curriculum, specifically for Middle School and High School students. This article is all about combining contemporary art with strategies for integrating concepts across different disciplines. I noticed that Marshall suggested many examples that connected the sciences to the arts. I have mentioned in previous journals that one of the reasons I came into this field was to find ways for the arts and the sciences to serve one another. You may recall when I spoke of an experience with a potter in Todos Santos, Mexico: “She spoke on the vital relationship between the scientist and the artist and how this relationship is critical to the future. She reinforced my own ideas about helping people understand the importance of harmonizing the sciences with art within our educational platforms, our morals, and our identities.” When I speak of the scientist, I want to make it known that not only am I referring to one who studies the physical sciences, but a social scientist as well. Harmonizing the sciences with art refers to the very relationships that sociologists form with artists to understand human nature and the problems that result. Therefore, Marshall’s strategies for integrating art with other disciplines can easily be applied to social justice issues. With that being said, here are my new goals for curricula:

• The layout of the classroom will be TAB-inspired. Students will have access to materials to studios that I have opened and done demos for.

• Students will be given an integrative prompt for their project. Sometimes the prompt will offer students an opportunity to research specific scientific concepts. Sometimes it will be a social justice issue to be addressed. And sometimes it will be totally chosen by the student.

• Students will be shown contemporary art that follows the prompt that they have been provided. Artists' concepts will be considered more than their material or technical skills.

• Students will be encouraged to speak and critique each other's work in ways that utilize Visual Thinking Strategies.

I just want to note that these are just my thoughts as I am reading these articles about art education approaches and considering how I will apply them in my own classroom.I’m sure my ideas will change as I grow as both an artist and an educator.

In my own work, I have recently used integrative strategies across the different disciplines/departments in our art building. I have been using fibers techniques to dye my canvases before I stretch and paint on them. As I start my work (that I will be adding to) for my final journal/critique, I want to begin by using this integrative strategy that I have recently been experimenting with, as it aligns with Marshall’s integrative strategies.

Dying my canvas with Indigo, before stretching it serves to:

• Express my own individual research that contributes to my current work. I am currently investigating food/agricultural systems and how these infiltrate/impact culture and humans in general.

• Exemplify how students might integrate both artmaking disciplines and scientific/social concepts into their work.

• Demonstrate how I, a contemporary artist, is using the same framework that I will encourage for my students.

• Create a foundation for a painting that will portray everything that I will learn this semester.