Word collage

Collage and poetry made by my students at Girls Inc this summer.

Drawing from Girls Inc

I saw this drawing at the family day exhibit, done by one of the younger kids. Although this was not done in my class, I appreciated the simple prompt of asking the girls to think of something they liked about their community and something they'd like to change.
It serves as a reminder of what some of the children of this city experience in their daily lives.

Ellen Gallagher lesson

A fellow teacher told me about this amazing lesson about the artist Ellen Gallagher, a contemporary artist that deals with issues of identity and nostalgia. A video about the artist can be viewed on the Art21 website: http://www.pbs.org/art21/watch-now/segment-ellen-gallagher-in-play.

There are many ways the lesson could be implemented, depending on what you would want to focus on, such as advertising, narrative, sequencing, or stereotyping in our culture. Students can select ads to manipulate and alter using a variety of materials.

The lesson itself can be found here: http://www.pbs.org/art21/files/uploads/pdf/art21_s3guide_gallagher.pdf.

The Shelter Project

I came across a very interesting collaborative project that occurred in 2011. It is entitled "The Shelter Project" and is described as:
"...a collaborative, interdisciplinary sequence of teaching and learning experiences involving teachers and students at public schools in Fremont and Oakland California (USA) and Bangalore (INDIA)."

The common theme consisted of exploring the concept of shelter from the students' varying perspectives. Each school came up with different and beautiful ways to express their ideas and shared them visually and in writing on the blog. I highly recommend you check it out for yourself.
http://shelter2011.wordpress.com/ 

Creative Growth: Beau Geste

Creative Growth was a place I had heard about over the years, but I had never really checked out, partly because they usually do not have art classes for children. The organization focuses on adults with disabilities, providing studio space, materials, and instruction, as well as opportunities to exhibit in their gallery.

After finally taking the time to visit, I was absolutely blown away by the exhibit Beau Geste, which was on display through April 25. The title referred to the line work and gesture of (mostly) the human body (and that happens to be my favorite art form and subject). I have a new-found respect and awe for what is often referred to as "outsider art", and, as with most things, I have discovered that I know far less than I originally thought.

Studio Thinking and the 8 Habits of Mind

 student-made poster describing one of the "habits of mind"

On February 2, 2012, I attended a lecture at the SFMOMA entitled "What should we ask of arts education?" The speaker was Lois Hetland, who is Associate Professor of Art Education Massachusetts College of Art and Research Associate at Harvard's Project Zero. Ms. Hetland gave an inspiring and informative speech about the importance of art education in schools, but what I found most useful was her description of the "Habits of Mind" that theoretically can be achieved with the arts.

Wanting to learn more, I purchased the book that Ms. Hetland had co-authored: Studio Thinking: the Real Benefits of Art Education, which describes the theory and suggested practices using real teachers and students as examples.

The 8 Studio Habits of Mind (as listed in Studio Thinking) with a brief summary of each in my own words:

Develop Craft
Divided into 2 parts: Technique and Studio Practice. Learning to use and care for tools, materials and studio space.

Engage and Persist
Developing the abilities to stay focused and work through challenges as they arise.

Envision
Learning to imagine possible outcomes as well as next steps in the process of art making.

Express
Creating artworks that convey a particular meaning or idea.

Observe
Looking deeply at visual art in order to see/understand beyond the surface.

Reflect
Two parts: Question and Explain and Evaluate. Thinking, talking, and judging one's own work and the work of others (includes the critique process).

Stretch and Explore
Willingness to take risks and learn from mistakes.

Understand Art World 
Domain and Communities: Learning about artists and the art community in history and the present day.

International Orange

These are just three of the many amazing pieces in the exhibit entitled "International Orange: The Bridge Re-Imagined", celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. Curated by Richard Olsen through the San Francisco Arts Education Project, the exhibition consists of a variety of media, all created by students in San Francisco public schools. It runs from May 14-August 4, 2012 at the Mills Building, 220 Montgomery Street, San Francisco. For more information/images visit http://www.sfartsed.org/bridge/