Zandrea, Peer Response-Caroline's Project Book

I loved this imaginative world of the pony that goes to school. The presentation of the postcards makes the idea tangible. This could be a great project for the classroom. Children have a hard time pretending and daydreaming now days. I will include a section in my storytelling arts projects for a similar activity. Caroline really made me giggle to myself as I read this humorous narrative to its family. The project book came together really well and I can see this being a great interactive show, with blown up images of the postcards to some of the "work" the pony participated in and a giant stuffed pony displayed in all its glory. Her daughter planted the seed of this creative endeavor and also brought about a cohesive body of work for Caroline. I would suggest to keep recording events and little sayings; before you know it there are endless possibilities for shows.

Peer Response, Nicole Kirkpatrick

I really liked the idea of Carolina's Project Book. This is something that I could do with middle schoolers. It's a great idea to have student's take an object or stuffed animal and create a sketchbook around the places that item goes. Carolina's ideas really came through in her project book. She made me think about different places that a specific object could be put into creatively, and then document it. Loved It!

Translation, Nicole Kirkpatrick

Thinking about which one of our projects/exercises to bring into my classroom was tough. I'm thinking that there is definitely more than one (if not all of them) that I can use in my classroom. To narrow it down though, I truly think I'd have to say it would be the Altered book. I've been wanting to do that for a very long time, but never really had anyone show me an easy way I could use it in my classroom. The steps to alter it really made it easy for me to get started. It did take me (I think) longer to get to the end on my book than others (as far as the ideas went), but with the use of all the transfers, it made it easier for me. I really think I'll be able to use the "themed" project book as well. I was thinking how wonderful it will be to see my middle schoolers working on a discarded book from our own media center, and bringing out their own ideas in it.

I know I was only to talk about one I could use, but I also liked the color book as well. What a very neat and interesting way to use colored paint swatches. I may use this as well in their sketchbooks. All that we learned is just great, and I truly can't wait to put all I've learned into my classroom this year!

Translation to Teaching

One of the most important things I learned this week was to focus on play and “playing with purpose” both in my creative process and my teaching. Both the sketchbook and printmaking class had an element of mystery. The enthusiasm, flexibility, and transparency of the teacher(s) created an attitude that everything is possible, and reminded me how exciting it is to remain curious and constantly explore the creative process. I hope to take this attitude back into my classroom. The exercises that enforced this playful and exploratory way of drawing were the “mystery object drawings” (touch drawings) and the memory drawings. Both pushed me out of my comfort zone with drawing. For the mystery object we had to touch an unknown object and translate that sensation into a drawing. Usually when I draw I aim for realism and get frustrated if I can't reproduced the correct proportion, texture, or angle of the object. By not looking at the object we were drawing I could not get stuck in my desire and expectation for realism. I loved how Lauren walked us through the memory drawing by asking us to mentally recall a family portrait and our favorite dress. I typically rely so heavily on observational drawing, I feel like I can’t draw it if I can’t see it. In these exercises I learned to mentally picture the image or object and focus on that while I was drawing. With the dress drawing we closed our eyes for much of the process so the end result was an abstract and wonderful surprise. We could then work back into the image making choices and changes, but I really like the initial image because it seemed so "free" and "unrestrained." I think I will use both these exercises to give my students a new connection to drawing. It made me less fearless and forced me not to “over think” my work. Many of my students get nervous about drawing so I hope by adapting these methods to my printmaking classroom I can introduce my students to a new approach to drawing that is focused on playing and being open in the creative process. I plan also to try the blindfolded partner drawing and one-minute sculpture figure drawings. In the past I have avoided my student’s fears of drawing by allowing them to trace images, but I realize now how freeing drawing can be and how it can be a truly unique tool for expressing the self.

Peer response

I left this comment on Dawn's Found Drawings, but I wanted to repost it under the "Peer Response" title too.

I think these are great! Not only did you transform a ridiculously bad situation, like your hotel catching on fire, into a refined, sleek image; but you’ve made me curious. From first glance I can’t quite figure out what the image is, I can’t tell the scale or even the material. I am attracted to the black and white composition and I love what you’ve done to the blue color. Repeating the form and cropping the shapes really alters my expectations. I think these are really strong works and I would like to see them very large. Nice Job!