Visual Arts and Writing Strategies Workshop, Nov. 1

Thanks to all of you who were able to join us for the workshop last Thursday. We had a great turn out and covered a lot of ideas. We wanted to touch base with everyone regarding the workshop and our next steps.

You Have 7 More Minutes 

We sensed many of you were a little frustrated with the amount of time we were able to commit to the collage activity, and this was confirmed in the reflection sheets. We know we presented some complex information and tried to squeeze it all into three hours. This is a common challenge for us and we want you to know that we try to give as much time as possible to the critical components of each workshop. 

In this workshop we,

Reviewed a Sample of Teacher Reflections from the Art Institute PD
Reviewed the Metacognitive cycle/hologram
• Incorporated Contemporary Art by watching Art 21's piece on Arturo Herrera 
• In small groups, created new language systems to communicate events of the CPS strike through collage 


As a large group, shared back Internal Verbalizations 
Transitioned to writing activity through multiple written and visual examples of Stretch & Explore
In a large group, engaged in word games and writing strategies
Developed individual writing samples

Why Collage and Writing: Where we are Heading

The Inquiry Question for this workshop was, "How can we develop a new visual sign system to communicate our experience?" We used abstraction and appropriation in both the visual arts and writing to illustrate how the arts support deeper levels of understanding. Then, through the recording of internal verbalizations, individual writing samples, and Studio Thinking reflection prompts, we recorded the critical thinking processes. This process of using visual arts, writing, and Studio Thinking reflection is our main focus for year two of this project.

After reviewing materials and data from year one of Studio Thinking, it was clear teachers were ready to move beyond labeling of Studio Habits to a more complex use of this framework. With our evaluator Cynthia Gehrie's help, we are seeing how Studio Thinking connects to Critical Thinking and Common Core. The Studio Thinking Reflection template we have presented in the last two workshops is the tool we propose using to capture this connection. 

Studio Thinking and American Art's Upcoming Calendar

What's on the Calendar?

*Check the everyarteverychild calendar for upcoming dates

Professional Development Workshops

Wednesday January 9, 2013, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Viewing Art in the Classroom Context and 2nd Unit Planning Session  (critique, lecture demonstrations) 


Wednesday May 22, 2013, 4:30- 7:30 p.m. Chicago Teachers' Center Pecha Kucha final presentations 

Studio Nights (optional, CPDUs available)

Wednesday November 28,2012, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Interviewing students and blogging 


Wednesday February 13, 2013 4:30-6:30 p.m. topic TBD 


Wednesday March 13,  2013, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Review footage of ST classroom practice 

Online STF Network: Adobe Conversations 

• Monday, Nov. 12, 2012, 7:00-9:00pm Common Core and the Arts presented by Louise Music and colleagues from Alameda County
• January 21, 2013, 7:00-9:00pm topic TBD
• February 18, 2013, 7:00-9:00pm topic TBD
• March 18, 2013, 7:00-9:00pm topic TBD
• April 15, 2013, 7:00-9:00pm topic TBD
• May 20, 2013, 7:00-9:00pm topic TBD

Understanding the Art World SHoM and Appropriated Art Guerrilla Style

Speaking of Appropriated Art today.... the Guerrilla class we are doing is working on using appropriated images. Here is how I am trying to get students to write about and discuss SHoM in regards to this topic. We are using Understanding the Art World after having watched the documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop".  Let me know what you think...

STUDIO HABITS OF MIND (SHoM) Journal

Appropriated Altered Art

“UNDERSTANDING THE ART WORLD”

Based off the movie we watched, “Exit Through The Gift Shop” I want you to think about how street artists deal with the issue of appropriating and altering other people’s artwork. Compare the movie with the images in the powerpoint of the History of Appropriation.

1.     1^st half of class: As a group, Choose 1 prompt, BUT work independently & quietly write your thoughts about the prompt in your sketchbook.

2.     2^nd half of class: Your group should  discuss responses together.

a.     Share what each of you thinks with each other.

b.     Use our typical process to DEBATE the issue.

                                               i.     Questioner

                                              ii.     Challenger

                                            iii.     Supporter

                                            iv.     Recorder of Group Discussion.

PROMPTS: Choose 1

• ·      Mr. Brainwash is not a trained artist. Does that affect your view on whether or not he is a “real” artist. Can an untrained person be a real artist? Are you defined as an artist by your schooling? What about folk artists? EXPLAIN
•  
• ·      Mr. Brainwash does not actually make his own work, he hires others to construct it. How might this be different (or not) from established artists who also hire assistants to help make work? (give ex of famous artist who does this) EXPLAIN
•  
• ·      Mr. Brainwash does not create his own designs or ideas. He used other people’s images. How much altering does he really do? Do you consider this appropriation or stealing? Is it different from Shepard Fairey (who is critical of Mr. Brainwash) or other appropriated artists we studied? (ex of Mr. Brainwash images) EXPLAIN
•  
• ·      Mr. Brainwash is considered successful because he sells his work for a lot of money. Would you define an artist by how marketable he/she is? How would you compare that to the master painter Vincent VanGogh, who did not sell paintings during his life? EXPLAIN

Envision A Place - Writing Workshop

It is dark and absolutely still, without a breath of sound or whisper of air. The absence of sound has a thick cottony feeling. The light is soft and dim without a specific point of origin, just softly radiant. A fog or haze disperses the light. I look down and the dirt is dark and rich, smelling brown and loamy. The wet grass smells bright, sharp, and citrus. Somehow, I know that I am inside someplace, although I can't see walls. It feels close like a cave. Perhaps its the darkness at the edge of the fading light that creates the sensation.

A finality hangs about the place. Nothing is happening because it all has already happened. Nothing will ever happen again. The air will not move, the light will not change. This place is eternal. I don't feel fear, it is what it is. In fact, I'm not sure if I am even here. At least, not in body. My consciousness is present somehow but not me.

Now I step out of my head and wonder why this is the place that came to mind in the exercise. It is not a memory or an experience. Why would I see this? Suddenly, I just know. This place has been hanging around the edges of my mind and I spend all day avoiding it. In fact, I fill the days with things to plan and do in order to avoid this place. But it is there, just before I drop off to sleep. It is definitely present when I first wake. That is when I feel it the hardest, before my defenses can come up.  The death of Kazimierz two days ago brought it back. Brought back this place that came to me with each death, my great-grandmother, grandmothers, father. Most of all my father. This place is death, and each day I try to hold it at bay. It waits for me, this quiet still place.

CTC Studio Thinking PD at the Art Institute of Chicago

The following two videos are in follow-up to yesterday's post. They are a continuation of the conversation led by Georgina from the Art Institute of Chicago's Teacher Programs. Project teachers are looking at Untitled, 1989-present by Felix Gonzalez-Torres.

CTC Studio Thinking PD

Georgina from the Art Institute of Chicago's Teacher Programs leads project teachers through an activity for looking at Untitled, 1989-present by Felix Gonzalez-Torres at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Online Exhibition Strike Drawings

Studio Thinking 

Online Exhibit Strike Drawings

What materials did you use?

I used chalk pastels and 6" x 6" paper. Red, white and black. They were very messy.

How did you use these materials?

When creating the drawings, I thought about which colors would best represent (the idea). I layered the pastels to make bold words.

How did it feel?
At first I had to really try and synthesize many experiences of that morning and how I felt into only one image for each suggested drawing. It felt good to process those feelings and see others who felt similarly. 

Which habits did you use?

Envision, Express

curriculum mapping with the 8 studio habits in mind

I have been thinking about how we move forward with this work in a systemic way.  I have created an alignment of the studio habits with the national standards and mini lessons taught in my choice based arts studio classroom.  I would love to know what people think about this idea and how they are curriculum mapping with the studio habits in mind
Kitty

National standards	Studio habits	Mini lesson categories	Pk	K	1	2	3/4	5/6	7/8
Standard #4	Understand Art world	Introduce artist time
Standard #1	Develop craft	Introduce Techniques of studios
Standard #2	Reflect Develop craft	Introduce elements and principles
Standard #5	reflect	Critique (art sandwich)
Standard #5	reflect	Artist statements
Standard #3	Stretch and explore	Art showcase Pieces
Standard #3	Envision observe	Sketchbooks assignments
Standard #3	observe	Research techniques
Standard #3	Engage and persist Stretch and explore	Problem solving
Standard #3	envision	Planning strategies
Standard #4	Understand Art world	collaboration
Standard #	Engage and persist	Artistic behaviors
Standard #6	Understand world	Arts integration

Materials for STAA Year 1 Collection

Data and Documentation Collection:

On June 25th  or 27th, we will need to collect the following information for each project teacher (content and art). We can collect the below material either in original form or on your flash drive (scans of student worksheets and photos of student work are fine. We don't need originals). 

Teacher collection: either a jointly created unit plan (elementary) or two independently developed units plans- one for art teacher, one for content teacher (HS),  Student interviews (optional)

Student collection: student reflective journal responses for two separate habits per student for one class,  plus sample student work, i.e. drawings, creative writing, research projects, science observations, photo documents etc. connected to the SHoM reflective writing pieces.

Any other Studio Thinking or American art completed tools (filled out by students or teachers) along with a sampling of student artwork connected to that tool (rubrics, ST Bingo, ST dialogue forms, Kitty's purple sheet, etc.)