I'm realizing that I like lists of things

Lists are great, and www.brainpickings.org has a lot of really good lists.

Here's two nice lists:

(Almost) Everything you Need to Know About Culture in 10 Books

7 Must Read Books on Education

Two lists worth working on adding to my check-off list.

Alter Ego

Reminds me of one of my unit lessons about creating an alter ego. Alter egos are always an interesting path to explore!

This is also just a great website to check up on anyways:

If only they'd GET IT!

"What ails us is that we treat student work as only assignments that are due for a grade and not as the one-of-a-kind human accomplishments they are - worthy of celebrating, sharing, and enriching our community." -Dad 

Click Here

It's Done.

My unit is done.

As well as a lot of other things. I just had my last Advanced Painting crit ever on Monday. Basically, that means, my last painting crit ever. My last undergrad painting course EVER is done. And now, after a semester of working, and trying, and experimenting, I'm supposed to stop? I'm supposed to go student teach? I'm supposed to not focus on my growth as an artist? Because, all very suddenly, I feel it. I'm not done here, I've only just begun. I'm good, I've got room to be great. I want to lead that artistic life. I want more classes, more late nights in the studio. I want a studio of my own, dirty and grungy and always prepared for me. My space. My work. I've been inspired, I know which direction I want to take. I finally have favorite artists and things that I know I love and things I know I want to do. Yes, of course I still want to teach. I've always wanted to. It's my dream. But right now, I'm not done with learning about myself as a painter, as a drawer, as a maker, as an artist. I'm not really feeling it. It being student teaching. It being graduating. It being, what, go back home for a year and try to make money in a town stark of inspiration? It being then go try to start a life, start grad school, start a job. No, I want to be here and continue what I'm doing. I watched my friends and peers work and set up BFA shows and I want that, I want to be there. I want to have shows, I want to make more work, to have to time to allow myself to focus on it. To not be distracted by other things, other classes.

Alright, I'm done.

A List

I know now. I have a list of favorites.

Egon Schiele

Herakut

Alice Neel

Nathan Oliveira

Wayne Thiebaud

and Manet, Monet, Derain

It's so hard to limit yourself. I could totally continue. And with more than just painters. But, damn, painters totally do it for me though.

One more.

So I have one more lesson to write for my unit to be complete. Granted, I still have to do a teacher example for one of my completed lessons, but still, one more! Two lessons I have are done on paper, 2-D. The bridge lesson is obviously 3-D. And large. And a group project. So I've been hesitating to start the next because I want to be able to bridge them together.    ...briiiiddggee...   hahahaha I didn't mean to do that!

Matt and Rachel B.'s lesson today got me to thinking about toothpicks, since that's what my group was working with. I remember seeing an artist who used toothpicks on my favorite, ever faithful blog, Sweet Station. Steven J. Backman was the artist's name, and he makes itty bitty building models made of tooth picks, and huge undulating sculptures made of thousands of toothpicks and everything in between including contour "drawings" of toothpicks. His website? www.toothpickart.com. Wha-bam. So I'm thinking this will be my long lesson! Bridge lesson is one day, paper construction is 2 days, written portrait is 2 to 3 days. I'm thinking, this should be a good 5-dayer.

                                              7/8"                                         2,330 toothpicks                           88 toothpicks. 

                            The White house, made of one toothpick!      17.5" in height                The Man of la Mancha himself!

                                                                                                                            (Don Quixote)

Lesson idea

This is made of....

...pencil shavings!

In conclusion...

A nice closer for the bridge lesson we've been working on! Check out what I stumbled upon! A one night bridge demolition! And I thought the building component was the impressive part!

It seem's teamwork is needed here too!

In summation, I'm really happy with how today's lesson plan went. It felt so good too, to see people working together and playing around and overcoming obstacles. It felt successful, and that felt great! I feel like people actually learned something! I feel proud of our hard work and the results we were rewarded with. 

Would you like to learn something today?

The Brooklyn Bridge. Opened May 24, 1883.

How was it built?

Inspections

Bone up on NYS bridge inspection information!

Click here!

Bulletin Board

Teacher Examples

Our bridges!

A simple beam bridge.

Combination cantilever and suspension.

Arch bridge with supporting truss system.

Think about it:

Why would you need a different kind of bridge for a different kind of job?
Post your ideas.

Peers Lesson Plans

So far, I've really enjoyed being the guinea pigs for my classmates lessons! They've been a lot of fun and I've even produced some stuff I'd like to keep! Today from Lauren and Michelle's lesson:

(It's a picture from my crummy phone, if I get a better photograph I will post it!)

Their lesson was on hybridization of materials and ideas. I thought it was a very well executed lesson and really enjoyable too!

A peek at page 2!

It's what I think.

I'm supposed to step back and say 'whoa' to this after all I heard? That lecture was way to based off of one mans opinion for me to believe that he uses feeling, emotion, or anything that could lead to "transcendance" in his artwork.

The Tim Lefens lecture wasn't exactly what I had expected. In fact, it wasn't what I had expected at all. First of all, I had expected the lecture to be on A.R.T, his Artistic Realization Technologies organization that he founded. I would've preferred that and I was interested in hearing more about it. But we mostly were there to listen to his very opinionated views on what constitutes "art." He was basically preaching to the crowd the whole time on what "good art" is and why his falls under that category. And that is exactly what it seemed like. He was talking to the crowd the whole time, giving us his one-sided, controversy-full spiel, while never providing any proof. I hate to compare it to religion, but that's really what it seemed like. Even when I listened in on what other people thought of the lecture, a lot of people seem to agree that he was really trying to push his idea down our throat and not telling us why the other arts are no good. 

Understanding he has a pretty severe visual impairment, I understand why he did not rely on images to introduce us to his art. But still, with so much high talk of how awesome it was, a visual for our sake would be nice. 

Also, I just want to get this out there. Really? Really? Do we know who Da Vinci is? Do we know Duchamp? Do we know Warhol? Do we know Picasso’s ‘Guernica’? You know your audience right? We are all artists at the collegiate level and up. We have had at least one art history class ever. Yes. I'd say we're familiar with those guys. I was confused. Was that a diss to our intelligence or did he not know what sort of lecture crowd he was talking to? The latter might make sense.

Another thing I want to get off my chest is the Truncated Pyramid Theory. I am a strong advocate for arts for everyone. Anyone can do it, participate in it, make it, enjoy it. You don't have to be an elitist bigot to be an artist. I understand that he wants it to be special, to transcend. To have that awe-inspired “wow” factor. But...is that now or is he stuck in the Romantic Era? He seems obsessed on the sublime. All I can think of is Beth Wilson's art history class and Caspar Friedrich's painting, 'The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog.' What makes art so great is that anyone can achieve it. It can be done. And clearly, he knows this. His A.R.T. proves this. This is where I get confused and feel he is contradictory. I guess, he expects everyone to make the same kind of art. The ‘transcending’ kind. Not everyone is interested in that. Or will understand it. The literal and mundane are indeed art. At least in my opinion. Listen, I’m not a huge fan of Warhol, but I sure do bet that some people did stand in front of his soup cans and mouth, “Whoa” being totally and utterly blown away by it’s simplicity and it’s obvious nature. Gah! I feel like I don’t have the right words or the ability to organize my brain thoroughly enough to retort in the manner I’d like to!

And also, I’m sorry I’ve been so critical. Hearing about A.R.T. was nice though. Would’ve enjoyed more of that.

Streaming Live!

Rachel DeVona

Tim Lefens Lecture Notes
more later

Art realizations/technologies

share art experiences as he would to younger people-painting

makes up theories

“Death bed theory”- if you were in nice room, empty, bed, comfy, knew were to dye in 4 hrs, painless, but gone. no one visit you. foot of bed wall. What painting would you put there?


body and spirit co-habititate against wills-davinci

in end, work has to transcend, launch off. not go down with body/literal world

his secret to finding real art, letting go. loose self. “art is high. have to find a way to get there.”

near death experience. resuscitation. went into zone, no sense of body, house parents, light. nothing. endless feeling in every direction. Stunning beautiful. didnt want to leave. Since then looked for things that reminded him of that sublime moment. A sprinkler. Beautiful gestures. Clothes on a line.

“goal tonight, put a bug in ear that might help you.”

duchamp-beginning of the end. the fountain. doesnt make the leap. ran into warhol. opened a flood gate for mediocre artists who could choose to go low instead of go for top. 

coffins out of recycling.

truncated pyramid theory-so many people who can be prima ballerinas/astronauts/at the pinochle. warhol brought down high art. we’re ok, youre ok. took off top of pyramid. everyone can stand on it. all equal. but no more reaching up.

(so far, i think he’s sorta a jerk, of course everyone can make art. it is anything. it is anything. can be about anything. really generalizes.)

the literal, the banal, mundane. 

if you’re aware it’s a canvas, then you havent left yet. if you can tell it is, not it. gotta be gone. not know where you are. take you away. its not art if someone tells you it is. goal get lost.

double funnel theory- artists supposed to be egotistical. not true. bad way to make art. to get to higher scale, diminish self, so many things coming into you. smaller funnel. getting smaller smaller. out. 

camped out in utah by self. never saw stars like that. felt little. 

some great art isnt great. dont be drawn in by what is art.  (ok, true)

picassos guernica-dead, hates michaelangelo. all crap crap crap.

skiing in wyoming. “do not cross line” goes up 20 ft. steep. “im 18, what the hells up there” goes up. white in front of face. then a huge spacial bowl with giant breeching paleolithic rock. mythic power. vast space. 

high goal of art. go for the awesome. “no myth, no art”-his brother

post warhol allowed art to become sociopolitical. extra art. can be part, but not role. if you think of art as being free and not tethered art. no race no age just forget it. dont know anything about it . you have the art, take aboriginal, just see it and moved. don’t have to know about the politics. timeless art.

Two plateaus theory- a chasm. one plateau higher. make the leap. freakin scary. what if i dont make it? but if you dont try? stay with the masses of people. those people start to rationale why its better over here. Elitist assholes on the tall plateau.

one of his paintings- when loosing sight make tactile brushstrokes. embed rib bones in acrylic gel. Dave greenfeld, rib place. dave brought in ribs. put em in dishwasher, may be meat on em but no sauce! didnt want to leave them outside, animals get em. put em in bedroom. woke up. raccoons in room left door open. didnt want to get up. yelled at them. didgeredoo pvc pipe sounds scared em away. put ribs in trashcan, fire to clean. police. what are you doing, makin ribs? no abstract painting. put it out. ribs on the roof to dry later. Jamaican neighbor referenced jeffery chalmers. reporter with dog. dog went crazy.

through bones onto painting-black viscous goo, when he lost the feeling of suburbia. closed eyes threw. missed entirely. 

when he learned he was gonna loose vision, miserable about loosing art, painting. when he let go, i can still paint. paint monochromes anyways. Jamaican loves yellow painting. fridge repair man. kid comes in house runs up to painting “beautiful red painting”

dog into room with painting, growled, wouldnt go back in for month.

tim- yale think im a country bumpkin?

central ave west critic- its not what they think of you, what you think of them

A.R.T- when going through meltdown, realized how much he loved art. if i wasnt be able to keep it, im gonna pass it to someone else. ended up with nonverbal quadriplegic. linked with them. could tell something there. everyone else/staff was talking babytalk. how could you make a painting if you couldnt move? he saw them as super cool outsiders. saw they were hot to go from eyes. found simple ways. eye movement point system. head mounted laser pointer. one guys had such perfect laser control. tiny triangles. then everyone realized it was weed leaf. gruff sorry. 

realization.org email him, he’d love to talk! (Well, that’s cool!)  a.r.t.lefens@artrealization.org

Presenters

Today was the first day of lesson plan presenters. I thought that, generally, everyone did really well! I was engaged and interested. I'm posting here to share a photo of one of my end results from my role as student. In one groups lesson we were able to keep our project and I'm glad we could!

From Shanna (rhymes with banana, not Shaun-ah) and Nick's "Home" lesson:

My text about 'home away from home' was as follows:

I first feel at home in New Paltz as I drive towards town through the winding mountain road.

New Paltz is where Shaun and I met, fell in love, and now live.

It's just so comfortable here.

Also this...

If you wanna play around with bridge building, there's this program. Very cool.

http://bridgecontest.usma.edu/download2011.htm

Plus, there is a ton of cute little bridge building games that do teach some basics of structural integrity. Here's one:

http://armorgames.com/play/3999/cargo-bridge

Building bridges

Inspiration for partnered lesson plan. An 2008 lesson taught by my dad for his Art/Library class for 7th/8th graders.

We are scheduled to teach our lesson on Tuesday the 22nd. We'd like to do a similar plan to the above in that the students are given one class period to build a bridge out of everyday items and materials found in the classroom, but at the end of class their structures will be taken apart. Some notes from the bridge maker/Mr. Dad:

"At the end I always asked, Why did you work so hard when you knew I was going to take it apart?

What did I do? What was the best part of the exercise.

Their answers reinforced the reason for the project: empowered to work and fail, a willingness to overhaul first-starts with a better idea, transforming non-bridge items into bridges through visualization, a pervasive confidence that "we can do this," doing well for its own sake (personal pride)."

I really couldn't have said it any better. I think it is very important to accept changes and destruction and failure and to learn from it. All the time as an artist and a human I'll be in the middle of something when I realize, hey, I just don't like it or it's not what I want it to be so I'll scrap the whole thing! Whether that means gesso-ing over a painting, taking a half made scarf off the needle and unraveling it, or deleting an essay and giving it a make-over. I'm not afraid of failure, I will re-start with a better idea, I have visualized what I want, and I take personal pride in what I do. I think they're beautiful lesson objectives valuable to life and not just the art room. 

Some tips for you

So, I don't know if any of you guys are checking fellow classmates blogs, but if you are, HEY LOOK! I got something for you here. Read it, it might help you.

So I had an interview for my position as a student teacher at Onteora High School. The teacher who contacted me was speaking on behalf of herself and another art teacher from the school that was interested. We set up an interview and portfolio review day. As well as a portfolio of artwork, they wanted to see any lesson plans that I actually taught. Well, I had only taught one lesson to a class of 1st graders in Duzine, so I brought that and some others. I brought one of my earliest lessons from Kim's class, my unit plan from Margret's class, an in progress plan from Art for the Exceptional Child, and the worksheet from Theory and Practice. 

First of all, be prepared to talk about EVERYTHING! I got there, they asked me who all my teachers were. All of them. Good thing I have a memory for names, so I listed off a bunch of professors I have had here in New Paltz. Then they told me they were interested because they are both "products of New Paltz!" But, among the volley of questions they fired at me were some of the following. 

Why do you want to teach art? 

What is a controversial topic for you? (Art ed work v. visual art work and 'Those who can't do teach'. We got into a whole conversation about the problems they had in NP trying to get a show in the Dorsky and not being allowed to, even as an art ed MA!)

Where might you take students on a field trip?

What would the purpose of that trip be?

What would they gain from it?

What sort of lesson would you teach from it?

How would you start it?

How would you teach them "art speak"?

Which class would you preferred to be place in? (Studio art, ceramics, painting/drawing, AP art, metals)

Why?

Why do you think we want you to come after your elementary placement and not before?

What is a lesson you might do with that class?

What is something you have trouble with/need to improve upon?

Why should we choose you over your peers?

What makes you different from them? (Sorry guys, they forced me to take out my bragging box!)

AND SO MANY MORE! It was draining! But I just kept a light and flexible attitude and it went well. I really had to slow myself down and think about what I wanted to say, so I wasn't just spewing bullshit. They were pretty serious, but there was a nice balance between seriousness and light-heartedness to the interview! They showed me around the school a bit and on my way out, I got a handshake and a "we look forwards to having you in one of our classrooms next spring!" Wooo, score!

But, damn. I was nervous. I was glad that the night before I drove up just to familiarize myself with the route. I suggest that. But driving in the truck with the windows down and the music up helped soothe my nerves!

So if you actually read this, I hope it can help you be prepared for your interviews. Who knows, maybe these guys were just super thorough! 

High school...

Setting up the display case for our mentor teacher:

Andrea preparing a tile with red-slip for an absent student:

Yup.

Recontextualizing

I've been giving our presentation some thought this past week. Andrea and I chose recontextualization as our Post-Modern theme and Damien Hirst as the artist used to represent it, on the spur of the moment. Now, as I've mentioned before, I'm not to keen on Mr. Hirst. So we asked our mentor teacher for some sculptor/cermacists suggestions. She gave us a great list of names new to both of us. 


Among those names was Marilyn Levine whose work, upon researching, I found our mentor teacher had referenced to her Studio Ceramics class as an example of trompe l'oeil. Amazing work, realistic jackets, boots, bags and belts all made from clay. Even a satirical series of mugs, seemingly made out of sneaker leather, velcro, laces, zippers and all! 


Next was Richard Notkin, who makes some crazy sculptural teapots! 


Beth Cavener Stichter's work was very recognizable. I've seem images of her work before, probably in some other student's presentation in some other class. It's beautiful work, in a sort of subtly grotesque manner. 


Kate MacDowell's work reminded me quite a bit of Stichter's. Purely carved animals on display, exposing themselves to the viewer. Vulnerable and viewed. Also like Sticter's, strangely human. 


Ah Xian makes beautifully decorated busts. These works that clearly influenced one of our mentor teacher's lesson plans. She has the students create a 'Surreal Self Portrait' ceramic busts. We've seen several example's of past students busts and I immediately thought of them when I saw Xian's work.


Last on the list was Jeff Kell, who's work reminded me of my own Basic Ceramics professor's first lesson. In our lesson we had to research a historic vessel and imitate it and then personalize it. The historic referencing of classic ceramics is strong in Kell's work.


So from this list alone, we've got some great artists to choose from for our presentation. And to just keep our eye on!

Spot o' Tea?

I want to make a movie like this. Do you?

Books!

The school library is a great resource, obviously! Some of my recent checkouts have been The Molecular Gaze: Art in the Genetic Age, I Want to Spend the Rest of my Life Everywhere, with Everyone, One to One, Always, Forever, Now., and Art + Science Now. That last one I saw displayed on the Sojourner Truth Library webpage as a recent buy. So I quick snagged it!

The book with the ridiculously long title, I Want to Spend... is, go figure, a Damien Hirst book. Granted, I'm not a Damien Hirst fan. JUst puttin' it out there. Buuuut his book is one of those fun playful art books, with foldouts and hidden pockets, stickers, a magnifying glass and pull-tabs. So it was pretty hard to resist. Like his work. You may not want to spend a lot of time looking and examining his work, but you do. You can't resist it.

All of these books share a theme of mixing science with art. I love that.


My boyfriend is a chemist and we love it when our fields meets. Which happens more than one might assume. Whether it's in the solvents I use for painting and printmaking, or the chemical composition to the oil paints I use and the different viscosities of painters mediums to the oxidation process that happens in the kilns, science and art is all over. And that's just in the making of art!

These books put on display artists who make work about, or inspired by, different sciences. In Art + Science Now there are seven sciences represented in the table of contents, including: Molecular Biology, Physicals Sciences, Kinetics & Robotics and Living Systems. Many of the images look surreal, and weird and bizarre combo of the arts and science. You almost don't know which it is. Is it art? Or is it science? But then, there is a sort of art to science. Oooo weee oooo, just Twilight Zone-d you all!

                                                                               
What has also been brought to my attention lately is the 500 books. I bought 501 Great Artists over the summer, just for some perusing fun. Then in the library I took out 500 Self Portraits. Then at my field placement in a ceramics classroom, my mentor teacher showed me her book 500 Cups. Aha! 500! These books are related! That took a while to figure out.  I'm assuming my "501 Great Artists book is also one, if not, it's certainly a business venture to gain the popularity the 500 books have attained.


So guys, go check out the library! Lots of awesome lesson plan ideas there!

Accordion Fold Book

Materials: drawing pen, pencil

fabric scraps

water color paper/construction paper

rubber cement

scissors/X-acto

long, rectangular drawing paper strips (suggested 6”x18”)

Cardboard ‘bookends’ (suggested 4.5”x5”)

Book Content

Choose a room in your house. Pick an everyday appliance/object. How does that object differ depending on the owner, the location, time period, function, size and/or style?

Research. Go to friends and families homes and observe the location, time period, function, size, style of their matching object. Take photographs for reference.

Consider where to place the drawings on the paper. Linear and academic design? Composed to set up a narration or setting?

Make multiple simple ink drawings of your researched object. Suggested 2 or 3 per panel. Repetition of the objects enhance elements of design. Create contrast based on where the object is coming from. Variety and interest are attained by making variations of the same object.

Book Covers

Choosing from your own collection or the classroom bin, cut fabric to the size of the bookends. The fabric should reflect the room where the object can be found. Use for interior of covers. Fabric can also be used for the exterior. If used, then make a smaller paper book title page that can be glued on top, the fabric bordering it. Whether or not fabric is used, alter paper so that the use/purpose of the object is emphasized.

Secret Pocket

Adhere somewhere to the book, the ‘secret pocket’. Insert in it something associated with your object. You may embellish it how you like. Text, images, collage.

About the Author

On the back book cover, make an ‘About the Author’ blurb. Show off! Talk about yourself!

Consider the entire book

Can you identify what the book is about based from the cover(Not a necessity, by the way!)? Can you draw a story from each illustrated appliance? Is there a balance to the design? Is it “readable”?

Teacher Samples

These are my teacher samples:

Not sure if I will keep them and change the entire lesson, or roll with what I've got at this point.

An awesome site where I've found awesome videos is The Kid Should See This. I think I could spend hours going back through it's archives and watching everything! And really, the kids should see this. I may grab some inspiration from this sight in the future. As a matter of fact it is in my "Inspire Me" favorites folder! Also inspiring and offering an infinite source of knowledge and creativity is my Dad's school librarian blog. You should check it out! Browse past posts.

Wait, that wasn't yesterday?

Gotta say, it's pretty weird learning about how to teach a middle school student! I mean, I was JUST there! I wish I could have given my old teachers some of the articles we've looked at so far. I did actually sent my dad, who is the middle school and high school librarian, the two Surrealist game articles, telling him that he should scatter them about the teachers room and even just play them at home with my youngest brother and my mom!

I feel that most teachers get stuck in a very repetitive loop.

They give the same monotonous spiel year after year without change.

All they do is provide information that the students will be tested on in the future. They forget that these students have other needs. Other interestes. Other things going on. In 'A Middle School Curriculum' James Bean points out that teachers often separate the skills from the main focus. But that "misrepresents the reality of life." They won't be able to apply them when needed if they are taught separately.

Also, that 'middle schoolers' is not all that they are. That was important to say. I find myself doing that a lot. I see someone that age and think Middle Schooler. And that's it. Not about anything else going on, whether it's brother or swimmer or bike-lover or LEGO-player. We, or at least I know I do, have the tendency to label children that age as a middle schooler. They have a lot going on. They are basically being molded into what they will become. They are conscious of everything around them.

I remember when I was in eighth grade I so badly wanted to fit in with the popular music scene of kids my age, although I totally hated that music. I listened to my dad's old records. The Doors, The Who, Carly Simon, Frank Zappa, Harry Nilsson, and The Dubliners. I loved them. I wanted to listen to Avril Lavigne, System of a Down, Green Day, Usher, and Missy Elliot. So I bought some of their CDs. I hated them. I put up a face and whistled the songs as I unlocked my locker combo, hoping someone would hear and be surprised that I knew that music. Stupid idea. Those CDs didn't last very long either! But this goes to prove, these kids are trying so hard to fit in with their peers and also growing into themselves! I know, I JUST did it!

If and Then

Played the Surrealist game 'Conditionals' with Shaun on Monday night. But it really developed into 'If and Then'.

My favorite?

"If leg hair grew as fast as the hair on your head, then I would be your biggest fan."

Most relevant?

"If yellow was the only perceivable color, then all artists would be killed and the world would be devoid of art."

Black = Rachel

Blue = Shaun

So what's a Surrealist game?

Or would you rather start with, 'what's a Surrealist?'

Start with looking up these people: Wifredo Lam, Remedio Varo, and Salvador Dalí.

Notice anything? All pretty crazy, dreamlike and bizare, right? Surrealism doesn't only come in visuals though. Look for André Breton, Paul Éluard and Aimé Césaire. Writers, poets, creative beings. Crazy, wonderful, free beings! All these people!

These artists had ways of gathering their images and their words through playing games. These games help generate poems, stories, and images through a fast paced flow of automatic responses.

This game, Conditionals, is one of many.