Week 11: Nov 10-16: Roads to Junction: Making Art, Teaching Art: Read: Foreword, Intro, Preface AND Chapter 1, AND the first three essays in Chapter 2.
Wow, we are nearing the end. Normally I ended the semester by asking people to read a few MAE exhibition, project and thesis papers from former MAE students. This past year my colleague Future and I worked on putting together a compilation of some of the work done in Junction and the MAE during our tenures at TTU in the form of an eBook. It is okay if you need to choose certain essays to read over others because of time constraints, but let me say this: all of these papers and all of these students are where you are currently--trying to figure out what is important and what they want to do and what is doable. These essays read quickly and most have references of people who influenced them. I hope you enjoy their work.
Projects: Candie posted she will probably document her desert cleanup project--just begin the documentation. Don't go overboard thinking everything is due--it's not. Begin it and hopefully continue doing it. That would be a fine project. Angela posted about thinking of making art concerning divorce, low self-esteem and self-worth. Also keep in mind that keeping or creating a Visual Diary, like Nan Golden did works as well. Or a combo, physical art work and some text. Take pics with your phone and upload. Remember on Blogger you are limited to images that are 300K or smaller.
Last week's posts: Paula's post of her memory of her attic story was revealing. I usually ended up in our basement. James posted about how our culture seems "so unforgiving." I'm wondering, could it be that very few of us were ever taught some of the basic things we need in life: how to cope, how to manage stress, how to raise children, how to stay sane, how to be. I'm just wondering at this point. Candy posted about how we are not taught how to cope. Chase posted about one strategy may be changing diets. That reminds me of the movie Super Size Me (2004) where Paul Stitt from Manitowoc Natural Ovens was documented in the movie about how he worked with an Appleton, WI high school that was low performing and had lots of issues: truancy, tardiness, low scores, etc. That school, according to the film, got rid of soda vending and only had water, and replaced highly processed vending machines with fruits and better foods and replaced the cafeteria foods with actually good vegetables and a balance of protein, fat, and carb. The entire school rebounded quickly in many ways. I for one, note that when I eat fast food, it rarely fills me, makes me gassy and often nauseous. I often have to plan drinks and foods to eat on longer trips.
Please remember to post comments for weeks you missed in current week. Email me and I can tell you what weeks you missed. If you posted in a past week, you must email me and tell me. Otherwise, I just go by what is in the current week.
Just a short introduction to our last book. Read what essays interest you if you have to choose based on time. But, many of the essays read very quickly and are all accessible. This is a book of MAE research and art--as much as we could get in. In hindsight, we could have published a book every 4-5 years of student work: art and writing. I look at is as paying forward to all of the wonderful teachers I have met over the years here. The foreword, preface and introduction were written by friends who had been to Junction and knew our work and valued it. Rebecca Riley writes about the program in the Foreword. Future and I write about how we prepared each year for the three week seminar in Junction, and Helen Klebesadel writes about what she saw when she visited Junction years ago as a visiting artist. These edited papers (edited to fit our publishers space restrictions) are their final MAE papers. I hope you find a sense of personhood, the teacher, the artist and the citizen teachers who care about so many things that it was always difficult to focus only on their art to finish their degrees.
One small NOTE: I will post a sidebar in two weeks (starting with Thanksgiving break) where we will leave comments for each other about our semester projects. That way we will all be in one place. You will be able to post your blog or site address and we will return to that sidebar to comment. I just want all of the comments to be in one place. So, don't post anything yet.
Also, you project is just the beginning of something...don't worry if it has no end.
Foreword/Preface/Introduction
ReplyDeleteWe asked two friends who had been to Junction to write something about what they remembered about Junction or experienced there. We received warm and supportive essays from Rebecca Riley and Helen Klebesadel--both active artists by the way (you may want to google them--both beautiful watercolorists).
Future and I debated what we should say in a Preface--about why we w rote the book and who it was for--and we ended up writing about how we prepared each year to go to Junction for a few weeks.
Your thoughts on writing styles, content, etc.
I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at how you guys plan for your classes. I think that planning can be meditative when I am confident in my lessons, but I still have moments where I feel like a first year teacher again and can't make a comprehensive list of everything I need.
DeleteGetting back into making art is what is going to save me I am sure of it.
I think the writing styles are perfect for the type of book this is. Educational, but the "I" language makes the information feel important because it feels personal, not like a sterile textbook. Of course I didn't expect it to read that way anyway so that's good, haha.
To be honest, this book is making me regret working all the summers I had as undergrad instead of saving more and being able to just pause life and go like you and Future asked me to!
I'll just have to make up for this feeling by making the most out of my time now!
I'm not going to lie- reading these made me a bit jealous. I have heard so much about Junction from people who just recently attended sessions there before it closed and also from people who went there decades back. It sounds so magical, isolated, and fun. I am sad that I just barely missed experiencing it at least once. It sounds like a boot camp for artists, yet also a place of forced disconnect- relaxation and reflection. I wish I could have gone there once... :(
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DeleteThe Introduction was a good read. Helen understands that to teach children (our students) to be creative, we must be engaged in the creative process. Learning about ourselves helps us to let our students learn about themselves. Learning about our fellow students strengthens our ability to have empathy for others, mostly our students. I am personally glad that I was able to have one summer there!
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DeleteChapter 1 Rethinking (6 essays)
ReplyDeleteEach chapter has a short essay introducing the theme and for rethinking we looked deep inside to find that we have often had to rethink things as we are often at the bottom of priorities in our own school. There are six essays in this section with each author offering something different in term of them rethinking what is possible in their personal and professional lives. Many recycle, many are recovering, one is rehabbing. Note how their personal lives and professional lives are closely interconnected. From recycling paint bits, to learning about gardens, recovery and loss issues, creating an outdoor classroom, rehabbing an old building into livable space, and meditative healing through fibers--which ones stand out to you? What are you noticing about heir scholarship, art or writing? Most of these are still practicing art teachers in Texas.
I enjoyed reading about the magnificent gardens in Chapter !. I admire the faith and determination that it took to see those extended and complicated projects to completion, or as far as able. The reading that I connected with most was that of Sarah Hartman. My grandmother quilted, and though, I never took part or learned the craft, I always admired her work and was thrilled when her entire living room became overrun by the creative creature. The quilts were like shelters and hideouts. They were oceans of fabric with thousands of tiny stitches spreading across the surface, as schools of geometrically ordered fish. I've never really though about this, but perhaps some of my love for geometric designs grows from this experience. Currently, I am working on a geometric abstraction series of paintings. The series is titled Harmonics and in many ways, I approach the designs and work as a meditation; not a religious endeavor, but certainly a calming, centering labor. I began this series last summer in Fredericksburg during my first semester in graduate school. Unlike Sarah, my artwork is very private. When I create, even if my work is addressing social or intellectual issues, I never really consider how other might use it to heal themselves. I find this prospect intriguing. I seldom even share my work with those I'm not close to. This is an aspect of my artistic personality that I would like to grow. I think it limits my creativity developmentally, professionally, and socially. One of my goals for my time in graduate school is to become a more social artist. I hope that my blog will begin to sow those seeds. Also, my first solo camping/ hiking trip was in the Sam Houston National Forest in Huntsville. It was a while back, long before Sarah's webs, but I would of loved to have found one.
DeleteI really liked Dana Miller's description of time, life, and art. The anxiety of sitting down and clearing my mind through art making has been on the back burner for a few months now and I cannot take it. It feels like even during the summer I was preoccupied getting a summer job, working, being productive, in a capitalist sense.
DeleteThe honoring of her mother was beautifully worded, "My desire was not to express my emotions through visual representation in a deprecating manner; rather, I wanted to honor my mother while she was still living..." I often times forget to enjoy the now and honor those around me while I can as I am preoccupied with what's next and what already happened.
Reading the way she reflected on the button covered sculpture in the Chemo Gallery and the way the reflection of students lives makes me wanna do something like have students write letters to themselves or have them write what makes them angry then collectively burn them and make a video or something. I don't have a fully developed thought right now, but I like the idea of destroying and creating simultaneously.
DeleteLilia's writing reminded me of an experience that I had while attending the University of Texas, Austin. I was in a drawing class and there was a great diversity of artistic styles and processes going on. I was thoroughly obsessed with Van Gogh at the time and was using oil pastel to break into color. There was a student in the class that drew comic book style art. He tried to temper his style a bit, mostly leaving written elements out of his classwork. I admired his creativity, even though I was not into fantasy at the time, and his draftsmanship skill was obvious. The professor always gave him a hard time. He would criticize the student's subject matter and work methods. It made for a bit of tension in the class and one day we tried to hash out the issue during critique. The professor's opinion, and some of the student's too, was that comic book and graphic art in general were not really “high” or “fine art”. That being the case, working on them in a fine arts drawing class was on some level inappropriate. Most of the students agreed that what he was doing was somewhat different, but not that it didn't belong in the class. From then on, the issue never really came up again, but It left a big impression on me.
DeleteI also liked the quote “Trash is the failure of imagination”. Back in my undergraduate days, I would have never imagined using trash to create art. As I've grown and my opinion of art and responsible citizenship has matured, I know that using anything that both allows me to be creative and contributes to the good of the world is admirable. Since starting this course, I have been collecting plastic, cardboard, and other disposable items. My 5th grade classes are using the materials to create Calder inspired sculptures. They really seemed to like the idea of using everyday items to build with. I'm excited to see how they turn out.
The garden and outdoor classroom are awesome ideas! I wish we had something like that at our school. I think more students are going without exposure to the outdoors. I think a lot is missed when they do not go outside-observe, document, experience. I think a lot can be gained from students understanding with is in their communities. I saw some IB art exams a few years back where this girl would take the local soil and plants and prep them to be used as paint. She would also take fruit and vegetables and use them for their colors, too. This resulted in a deeper connection within her work because a majority of what she used she created from the earth in her part of the world. I found there to be some beauty and symbolism in that.
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DeleteI enjoyed reading Lilia's essay. She was "contra" in the decisions for her future, and "contra" in use of materials in her art and her classroom. Don't the students spend more time creating their work if they take the time to create their own "canvas"?
DeleteBTW, Quick introduction: I am Chris Brandt and am, like Jennifer, doing some independent study and joining the class for the discussion of the Junction book. I teach PreK, Kinder, Primer, 4th grade and 8th grade ceramics at a private school. I have a BFA from The Ohio State University and am barely over half-way through my MAE, and I love it!
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DeleteChapter 2 Sacred (read first three essays)
ReplyDeleteSacred is viewed in many ways in this chapter, mainly what is sacred to the artist/writer. IN the first three essays we have Amanda thinking about her service and having little for herself, Laara thinking about the violence in Juarez and the connections to herself, her family, her students and her art, and Will looking at his roots and his life and decisions to date. Anything ring true to you or close?
The “Sacred” readings are interesting in their diversity. I can feel the fear, desperation and ultimate dedication to hope for peace and healing in Laara's writing. To me, her story reads like a soldier writing home from the battlefront. In that the sacred is seen as a healing belief, her art and teaching is truly sacred. It is very evident that many lives will benefit from her caring and wisdom.
DeleteWilliams writing struck a cord within me. I have left home and returned, in varying forms, several times. Mostly, my homecomings have been emotional and intellectual. When my older sister died, I was left with a huge void. She had become my closest family and a source of inspiration and invaluable guidance. He death made me reach out to more of my family members. It took some time, but I am now very close to nearly all of them again,
When I consider the sacred, I certainly think of family. Nothing is more sacred to me than the safety and happiness of the ones I truly care for. If I extend that thought, the emotion and intensity begins to wane, but I feel that those whom I have daily exchanges with, students, peers, and neighbors are part of that philosophy. Oddly, when I think of larger groups of individuals, such as my state and nation, I experience a resurgence of pride and commitment.
Lara R. Swanson stands out to me in this section of the book. I love how she talks about being scared and anxious to incorporate her studies into her lessons as a teacher. I feel as though it's easy to disconnect or limit one's personal voice in the classroom due to legal restrictions, angry parents, backlash from administration and all of these concerns affect almost every teacher I know.
DeleteThe outcome of simply asking students to draw what they thought peace was was very nice. It didn't need to have a scary overtone what peace isn't (violence, racism, sexism [not that these aren't important to educate children about]). The fact that every child has a similar idea as to what peace is shows us that hatred is conditioned into our lives and not always a natural outlook.
I'm not a spiritual person, so I was afraid that this section of the book was not going to interest me as much as others, but I am glad that I have the time to learn about how spirituality can be embraced in different ways. I think that religion is becoming another one of those taboo subjects in school. Maybe it has to do with strict beliefs that church and state means one identity is left at the door while learning in a public school. Ultimately this section reinforced to me that other's spiritual expression does not compromise my (or lack of) spirituality.
I agree that dealing with controversial or highly personal concepts, is complicated when working in a public school. I try to stay away from the topic of religion, but I do encourage students to make art about things/ people that are important to them and often get very sacred works. Other topics like violence, guns, hunting,... presidential elections, war, death, relationships, etc. are also subjects that I do not generally promote in class, but I also do not forbid them. If something seems questionable, I talk to them and try to reach a compromise. I want my students to feel safe and free to express their hopes, fears, and emotions, but only in a responsible manner, being that they, their peers and I are working together as a learning team. I've seen some odd things, but most of the time, their ideas are positive or simple critical in nature.
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DeleteProject Comments. How is that going?
ReplyDeleteI have gone back and forth between ideas about my project. I think I would like to create a blog site that actually investigates them all. The site will predominantly be poetic with aspects of photo/ video work and maybe, eventually, some performance pieces. Other than drums, I am not a performer in any way, so I really need to ease into that element. The blog will be centered around my thoughts, ideas and opinions of contemporary social, environmental, political, and educational issues. I would like for the site to be mostly about me really focusing my thoughts and ideas into topics that I find important for me and those that I care about. Of course, hopefully by extension those concepts will be valuable to others. I think this endeavor will benefit me both as an artist and an educator. I expect that the research and mental consideration will eventually lead me to improvements and solutions regarding my work and my existence in general.
Delete(week 9) Candie, I was quite moved by your post. It is amazing you went on to college and became a professional and not a victim of your environment. I applaud you. Thankfully you found art as your rescue in times when you became acutely aware that your home life was not normal. Oddly, I believe it has shaped you into the wonderful person you are today with abilities to help others in similar situations. Teaching can do that. Many times, during my cancer recovery I was asked to share my testimony or mentor other women who battled the same type of breast cancer as I… but I couldn’t do it. The depths of that battle is too fresh still. But I am getting there. My struggle is that I survived while so many are losing the battle. The guilt is too much for me at times. I wasn’t surprised when the audience for Blackman was offended she hadn’t had any experience with eating disorders. I wonder if we make more of a connection or validate the piece more if the artist has personal connection to it. Are we more qualified if we experienced it first hand? Just thinking… Thank you Candie for sharing..
DeleteDebbie- that's nice of you to say. You, too, have quite the story and have been kind enough to share it. Sometimes I feel like I don't like to talk about my personal past because it takes a lot of effort or I don't want people to look at me differently or because sometimes it's just too painful to deal with one's own issues. My past definitely has shaped who I am. Everything that we encounter in life, even that which scars us, shapes us. You don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with, but you really shouldn't feel any guilt. Don't waste this chance you've been given at life by squandering it on being swallowed up with guilt. Time will help that feeling settle some though. I do think we are more qualified if we experience it first-hand. It doesn't mean that an "outsider" can't have compassion, but we are more qualified.
DeleteMy project is going very well, I think. I have had some time to do some more art pieces with the "trash" we've found, so that's been fun. The intro of this book mentioned how we need to view ourselves as artists and allow for our students to see us as such. I think that's right on. Doing art in this program and doing art for this project that I've begun has really been beneficial for me. It has made me more excited about doing projects with my students and they can tell. I'm discovering new materials by scavenging. It's amazing how creative you can be when given limited materials. I would like to post photos of the art pieces that have been creating, photos of the cleanup, video of the students talking about their experience, and some of my writings about the project.
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DeleteMy project is to work on my sculptures with a lighter heart. I have been depressing myself with aging, and decided to continue to do women, but looking at myself either now or in the past.
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ReplyDeleteHello everyone! My name is Jennifer. I am working an independent study with Ed this semester and just got done reading two of the books he suggested for me. (If you get a chance, pick up "Creating with Reverence: Art, Diversity, Culture and Soul" as it reads very similarly to Roads to Junction - short writings about an artist and the art they create).
ReplyDeleteTo introduce myself, I am an Elementary Art Teacher in Austin. This is my 10th year of teaching Art and have taught in 8 different schools with some of my teaching experience also in NJ, at the middle school level and as a traveling art teacher. I would love to one day have some experience teaching high school level art. Right now, I’m loving these little kiddos!
I received my BFA in NJ with a concentration in graphic design, briefly studied at UT Austin and am now 2/3 of the way through the MAE program at TTU. I took a brief break from the MAE a couple years ago to earn my 200 hour hatha yoga certification and hope to soon start working toward my 500 hour yoga certification concentrating in geriatric, prenatal or postnatal.
As far as art making, I really enjoy my photography as it coincides nicely with my travel writings. I have dabbled a little in alcohol ink paintings, love drawing, painting too on occasion, weaving and have been fortunate enough to finally explore ceramics during my MAE. I find that trying new art methods and experimenting with new materials is something that I love. While I believe it’s ultimately difficult for me to solely work in one medium, I find that this personality makes being an elementary art teacher really entertaining.
I am an avid traveler and take advantage of every school break to hop on a plane or plan a road trip. Living next to an airport is a necessity! I enjoy writing about my travels and hope to one day be able to spend more time doing this. I love the outdoors: hiking, backcountry camping and anything that has a fun adrenaline rush (ie rock climbing, horseback riding – horseback “running” or galloping actually -, zip lining and atving. Archery lessons and skydiving are on my to-do list this spring!) I am also so very happily married to my dream husband for 3 years so far and plan to expand our family sometime next year. For now, we just have our spoiled cat-son, Pony.
I’m excited to finally be a part of the writing part of this class and look forward to your responses. I’ll be diving into the introductions to get to know you all a little bit better!
Week 10: Rewriting the Script--"How on earth can you tell a story you can't remember?"
ReplyDeleteGage played with dolls (as did I as a child and adult). What saves you?
In high school something that saved me was smoking pot with my sister. Looking back on it, smoking itself was not the saving grace, but the connection between us was close. We would listen to music in the car and talk about mom, grandma, and grandpa. There were so many stories about my grandma getting mad and prandpa for mowing the lawn in 100 degree weather in a long sleeve shirt and a vest. I think i got his toleration of heat because I always wear long sleeves too, haha.
Looking at the situation now, what keeps me sane is the stories we can tell each other. It's how we keep each other alive, even after death. Remembering all of the good times I had with people makes me miss them less, although I am tearing up right now thinking of them. I agree with BleuSky (I'm so sorry I can only remember your username right now!) as well. Sometimes I think of things that my dad would get mad at me about or do to me when he was mad and I can feel relief that it was not actually my fault and only really understand this after I tell the stories.
I remember learning that the stars we see in the sky are either already dead or are in a completely different stage of life by the time we see them in the night sky when I was younger and that is something that has always haunted and intrigued me. The idea that the universe we live in
[Week 10: Self-Portraits by Nan Goldin
ReplyDeleteThis chapter stands on its own. Art stands on its own as a chapter. With an artist quote. You could do this. What would your chapter be about or look like? (And, think about doing this as a semester project--simple, personal, doable--consider taking your topic and ding it this way.
Your thoughts on this chapter?]
I remember Future talking to me about Nan Goldin's work after a class i had with her as an undergrad. She was explaining how real and transparent she was with the work and how the beauty of the work is that it's documentation shows a life many Americans, or people in general, overlook or try to ignore. Instead of hiding the fact she was "battered" Goldin said this is what needs to be seen, because this happened to me. This is real. This cannot change.
The permanence of her work is intriguing to me. I feel as though I feel most grounded when I remember my accomplishments and good times. The idea of documenting oneself in times of transition or disparity can really remind oneself that yes, this did happen, and yes, I made it through.
[Week 10: Silent Body, Speaking Body by Anonymous
ReplyDeleteArt as Prayer by Kate Bornstein
Live Through That?! by Eileen Myles
Which ones moved you? How?]
Kate Bornstein moved me the most out of these passages. The best part was the way the artist described how frank they were in their drawings because they felt the need for the viewer to leave the art without questions (specifically the anxiety drawing). The whole story was also an amazing mix of bizarre and sadness and hopefullness, similar to Goldin's section about reflecting on transitions and hard times.
The part that I found the most scandalous is the joining of Scientology. I have never associated Scientology with a healthy outlook, but in a way it allowed the artist to understand themselves outside of their body. The body as a vessel as opposed to being the entire entity allowed them to see themselves in a new light.
[Week 9: If there is a difference in writing, can you put some fingers on it. How do these women write differently? As they write on the margins, how marginal are their lives? Do we know folks battling similar issues? Using art or performance? How did you relate to Nicole Blackman's story? Dive, Alice, Drive... What did you think of her mentoring? Elizabeth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle delve into cancer and performance. What draws you into their stories?]
ReplyDeleteI will say that I was starting to get into the Cancer fashion show and performances until I saw the Native American costume and the words "Go Chemo-sabe, go!" I mean I understand wanting to be playful and have fun, but white people using Native things as costume never sits well with me.
I like the idea of "cancer erotica", because it swas something that was meant to be erotic to a limited audience and allowed for some sexual pleasure to individuals that may not always feel sexy or wanted.
[Week 9: Musician and filmmaker Silas Howard describes her story. Her adventures. Her attempts to rise above poverty. Do you notice any similarities in your art or life? For them, "friendship was how to find yourself" (p. 127). I'm imagining that some of these stories may seem harsh and yet as I re-read through them, I am captivated with honest recollections of adversity and self-discovery. Rappin' My Wounds...Toni Blackman. Hip Hop artist. Wise words? Things we can only learn through lived experience? Have you known anyone who was "red bone evil" (p. 131)? She writes about scars from childhood that we all hold. "He is your lesson" (p. 138). Who was your lesson?]
ReplyDeleteI think that Howard definitely moved me the most. I was very fortunate to live with my father and mother, economically speaking. I never had to worry too much about food, because even if we didn't have any grandma would feed us. Same thing for clothes and supplies for school.
I was not the most wealthy person, but I recognize my privilege that I didn't have to hustle like Howard. I use the word hustle because that's what my sister and her husband did to make ends meet after they started living on their own. My sister had three amazing boys before she died and in order to support them, their dad resorted to selling drugs and ultimately got arrested and locked up for it.
This section impacted me the most as well because I know a lot of students at my school that are going through the same situation right now. I have been trying to get a hold of certain parents all school year only to find out they change their number and address to avoid warrants. Some student I have tell me they aren't gonna work in class because they have bigger things to worry about, like where they are staying, where to find food, if they can go home... all I can do is promise them that I will be at school if they need a place to calm down or cry. Sometimes the situation at home manifests itself in anger or acting out for attention. I cannot say that's the case for every student that acts up, just the ones I have built a relationship.
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