thechicagoan.

just a chicago kid with a cuse flow.

[gebeefourteen]

A clip of my live sculpture in the Spring of 2015. During the performance, I walked around in a circle for an hour. Approximately takes 45 steps to complete a circle and I walked about 120 times around the circle. 

Pre-performance: I wore comfortable shoes and average clothes that I would wear on any day. I also wore a sign that said “Please do not disturb. Do not talk to me, do not walk with me, i am working on a project.”

During the performance: The first twenty times around the circle, I made no eye contact and had a sad appearance. The next twenty times around, I had a very vibrant and happy persona. The next twenty times around, I had no specific emotion but i made contact with every person in that space. The next twenty times around, I continued to make eye contact but whatever emotions or vibes i felt from that individual I reflected that on my face. For the remainder of the times around I did a combination of all the phases. 

Post-performance: My body was extremely stiff and tense. My neck, my face, my back, legs. They only thing that seemed to be loose was my eyes and my feet. 

[traceloops]

[zenpencils]

SIR KEN ROBINSON: Full body education

[breannalight-blog]

Although I think this is inaccurate, it makes a good point. In Delaware we have Cab Calloway school of the Arts (CAB). It is a PUBLIC school that emphasizes preforming and visual arts. Their manifesto is: 1. Arts and academics have equal value.

2. Arts are integral to education. 3. Through expressional learning and the act of creating, students develop self esteem and self confidence. 4. An education in the arts develops the student as a whole person; academically, emotionally, physically, intellectually, and socially. 5. Passion of learning originates from a passion of teaching. 6. Innovation is fundamental to teaching and learning. 7. All children have a right to an education that recognizes different learning styles. 8. Educational success is the shared responsibility of the student, the family, the school, and the community. 9. All members of the school community have the right to a safe learning environment. 10. Technology allows education to become a more global experience. 11. Risk-taking and a willingness to change are necessary for continuous improvement. 12. Arts lead to a more balanced and innovative learner and citizen.

Also my roommate went to a school in public school in New Jersey where she also studied theater. “The Freehold Regional High School District Fine and Performing Arts Academy has provided conservatory type training since 1984 to young artists who want to combine a college preparatory academic schedule with advanced arts training in a traditional high school setting. “ 

[gebeefourteen]

School Art Recall: Thanksgiving and the turkey.

  This school art recall is meant to challenge the turkey as the icon of thanksgiving and its position it holds as the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Through this experience, I exploit the corporate holiday and its convoluted plan to distract the public from critical issues.

  At a young age, children are market many strong ideas but on a miniscule and manageable way. So hen they grow up, their minds are program to thinking a specific way and events occur without question. In the classic Thanksgiving school art lessons, students create pieces around turkey. Out of many turkey art lessons, the common one is to trace the hand and or dip palm of hand in paint to create the animal. The students add eyes, a beak and the red piece of flesh called the snood. This piece executes sensory and experimentation with materials; however, it failed to address cultural intersections, the meaning of thanksgiving or personal experience. I have redesign this concept and create lessons that my attack it better. The first one is the creating of ones dinner plate. To create foods and recipes those are different from others.

  In the next lesson, I allow the young minds to explore the true meanings of thanksgiving and appreciating the things around you. I ask the student to paint one thing they are thankful for. Then, rip up the painting in a lot of pieces and drop on the ground. This allowed others to feel how valuable the item was to them and see the correlation to fall and how leaves fall off a tree.

  I also created another lesson directing the students to recreate their first or earliest thanksgiving memory with out iconic symbols of thanksgiving. I wanted them to take out all the excess garbage that has been labeled Thanksgiving and get to the root of the holiday which is being grateful for what we have.

  Lastly, I created one more lesson about the journey of the turkey. This time, I removed the project form only using paint but to use cut paper and markers this time. The students are to create a step-by-step map of the turkey from when it was in its habitat to the dinner table. This is to draw attention to the turkeys life and the processes in between that are left out.

[julianewmansyr]

This week was another week full of experiments and self expression, my favorite! We each had to portray our own interpretation of a first snow. Because of the openness of the question we were each able to express personal experiences, culture, and perception. Some of us included our home towns,...

[gebeefourteen]

I agree with this and I think being in this class has shown us the downfalls and what school art does incorrectly. So naturally, we are inclined to denounce projects like these. This experience has allowed us to recollect ourselves and reassess their purpose. Projects like these are key to allow experimentation and let the students physically interact with the materials. Having this opportunity will further allow them to accurately articulate and execute their thoughts because they have that prior knowledge of what does rip paper do for me compared to cut paper. What feeling can I convey from this geometric cut out that I cannot from this organic tear. Looking at it from an even bigger aspect, this skill can translate into other facets of their life where they need to decide between communication techniques. This art experience can strengthen students efficiency to communicate their ideas. 

[gebeefourteen]

Is it better to have not open the door at all than to have opened it half way.

Often times, parents are opposed to exposing their kids to specific topics in efforts to save their purity, but fact is the world is not a vacuum. The parents can protect and shelter them, but they will eventually encounter these topics. But to half way open these topics up allows society and the child room to create their own interpretation on issues of what is right and wrong. Both issues provide a form of counterproductiveness. The solution is for parents to address these issues in full and provide a solid foundation for the students to make independent decisions in the future. Once that basis is established, they should allow the students to explore the territory for themselves and act as a source of comfort and advice. 

[gebeefourteen]

The trend of survival

I think parents hold the key to many problems and solutions we face in our lifetime. Parents primarily teach from experience. If they have had a miserable life, they want to give their children everything they did not have. On the other hand, if they are content with the things in their life and feel it has gotten them to where they currently are, they are less likely to change their habits or the ideas that their parents implemented in their lives. I would call this the survival trend. The parents often show children the necessities to survive. Over time, just getting by is the goal. Generations after generations internalize this basic standard of complacent; they often never reach further than what was given to them because it is too risky. I believe art falls outside of this realm of necessities and in the category of wants. It is put off as a luxury and if the student reaches a specific level of success, they will have the time and financial stability to "fool around" with nonsensical recreations such as art. And the sad truth is they never believe they can reach that status. They never get to fulfill these experiences and they remain farfetched concepts for generations to come. 

  That is why it is it is my dream to bring the arts back to the communities in Chicago because many parents have this mentality. These individuals build communities and then stigmas around the idea of art are created. They are soon implemented in the schools. But if I can build programs that deflect these thought process, it can change the climate, not just of art appreciation but also, of how people perceive the capabilities of themselves and each other. 

[ryancaskey-deactivated20250408]

[gebeefourteen]

While I do agree with this statement, some may argue that we are force to get along with each other because of the given space. Like us, the crayons coexist in a confine space; however, we must be learn to live with another not because we conveniently live in the same area, but because it will help us grow as individuals. 

[gebeefourteen]

Transcript of "How schools kill creativity"

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

I came across this TED talk and I thought it was very interesting looking at education through a different lenses as a product outside of the institutional environment. Even in this different viewpoint, creativity still has a major role in this exploration of knowledge. Robinson speaks on the idea of risk taking and expanding ones mind. He also talks about how equipping children with a holistic creative approach will give them the ability to be successful in any situation. 

[gebeefourteen]

Will this fight be relevant later on?

Many people could describe the fight for better art education already irrelevant; but to those of us that disagree, I wonder if this will be still as prevalent as it is now? I wonder will we still be as thirsty and as hungry as we are later on. My fear is that we will become complacent with our status. They will throw is a bone and I hope we won't bow down and become submissive. I feel their is always work to be done, but the real question will we value it then to the same extent as we would today?

[guilbault40]

AED - 211 October 16, 2014

This is what it means to understand one another as being the same without all the negativity that surrounds someone’s else’s culture as being non American or misunderstood. Let us join together with the same heart, and show others there is a way to understand one another no matter where they come from.

[gebeefourteen]

I think this is exactly what happens when artist interact with other artist. They do not see the social constructs that divide them, but simply the art they make and the story they are telling. They do not see with their eyes, but their eyes like the young children. 

[gebeefourteen]

If everyone is not going to art school, then why are you teaching art?

I find that this type question is posed to only art educators. It is not expected an English teacher or math teacher to teach their students to be a mathematicians or authors. No, they are teaching them skills that are applicable for the rest of their lives. The arts should be taught with the same intention. They need to teach with life lessons, such as compromise, problem solve, global engagement, and learning through trial and error, in mind because everyone is not going to be a professional artist. But everyone will be a citizen. Everyone will need to know how to collaborate and interact with other from various backgrounds. They are going to know how to combat problems and be willing to battle it out. The arts are very well much a staple in the development in a student and bringing key concepts like these to the forefront of the classroom will contribute to their success. 

[guilbault40]

Love this! This reminds me so much how we ignore the children’s way of thinking and learning. Instead, some schools would rather teach the way they think is best for a child. I believe as art educators, we need to find out how to make art education exciting for children. Society is constantly...

[halstedom]

[staff]

Have a good weekend, Tumblr.

[guilbault40]

AED - 211

The world is filled with so much opportunity, we just have to be willing to go after it.

[julianewmansyr]

- “Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up” Piscasso

-No space, art carts, hundreds of kids

-Budget cuts, because math and science are more important than music and art

-Art has no educational purpose

-Limited Respect

-“Michelangelo had a chisel, not a...

[gebeefourteen]

The Dismantlement of Traditional School Art Manifesto

School art is a social construct that introduces the realm of art to the public. However, this engagement misconstrues the mind of the people and does not accurately display the potential of the student. In this manifesto, there are three tasks (and an aftermath). This brief examination exhibits how specific alterations can renovate the traditional approach of school art to be more productive and successful.

I.  Encounter 

The introduction of art is very similar to when a newborn first meet people. If the baby’s first experience is abuse and abandonment, then it is going to be very hesitant with people after that. Its entire life will be built on fear and anguish; it will do whatever is necessary to never encounter it again. It will build barriers and use defense mechanisms to keep them from ever being that vulnerable. This is akin to many students’ first meeting with school art. Often times, it is loaded with shallow expectations, mind-numbing projects, and devaluing beliefs. This introduction establishes a weak foundation for the student to build on because their tainted perception. At this moment, their mind is isolated from any enriching experience and anything that comes close to it is a threat. Immediately, they are rebellious and they want to annihilate all that stands in front. This is known as the first task, Encounter. The teacher must challenge the student’s foundation and force them to explore new entities. This is necessary in order for the student to reach any level of fulfillment.

  II. Validation

This bond between the students and this way of thinking is so strong because it is all they know. The teacher must be resourceful and adaptive. They must become flexible and wiling to transform into the proper aid the student needs. Once they make this change, they transform from teachers into Informative Guides. They are helping the student analyze the situation, articulate the proper solution, and perform the second task, Validation. They are no longer teaching the students to do anything; they are guiding them to higher point.

  This task can be broken up into two objectives: Past and Present. These objectives are designed to make the student aware on their past experiences and enlighten them on their present state. The two objectives coexist to balance out one another. The Past objective allows the student to understand the foundation their art education is built on. This is not to point fingers or blame others for their misleads, but more of identifying the key ideas that influence the student’s thought process. Furthermore, the Present objective rebuilds the student’s mentality. It the development of the student’s new defined purpose. The title of objective evokes the idea of the existing state; however, this is not exclusive to future desires. It is a combination of visions that contribute to the student’s new direction. Together, the two objectives validate the importance of each aspect of the student’s life rather than selectively appreciating a few.

  III.   Maintenance and Reproduction

The Informative Guide’s destiny is now changed. In the third task, Maintenance and Reproduction, the Guides are now dedicated to supplying the student with the information to preserve their purpose and tools to recreate the process. These are essential to the progress of the student. First and foremost, knowledge is power. Without a strong basis, the student will lack the confidence to proceed and without tools, they lack the technical skill to navigate their new adventure. Also, comfort is a common crutch used after major changes. For example, the student was hesitant of the teacher because they were protective of becoming damaged. This defense became so comfortable that they became complacent with their current position, which prohibited them from moving forward. The Guides are assisting the student on their journey, so they can prosper at their on interval. They can self evaluate their location and dictate where they want to go. The Guides are liberating the student of ignorance and showering them in a bath of insight.

  IV. The Aftermath

 When approaching this manifesto, it appears to target the current system of school art. If the system was to reform, it could be perceived that this examination does not find a need to exist. Contrary, this lies as a proposal that identifies the role of school art and all who inhabit it. The only necessary amendment would be in the Encounter task. In the event the teachers choose to implement beliefs that have a positive influence on the foundation of the student, the need to challenge the foundation in the future would be eliminated. But overall, this manifesto is a eternal modification to the field of school art and what it is destined to accomplish.