BXXIII

Reflect on the experience of making a work of art with others.

Once again, I regret to say I didn't really get to participate in a large portion of the installation for this semesters open house. But I did show up for the last day!

Catching up to what was happening was a bit confusing at first. Everything seemed to fly by with all the information that was being told to me. But as I let it sink in while I was painting my balloon, it was comforting that I felt like the balloon I was painting. Thus my balloon not only represented my student, but I as a student as well. I gave it a sunny deposition.

Working together with others was a warm environment. I enjoyed seeing what others created and the creative energy we fed each other. The encouragement that everyone gave each other was also heart warming. I felt that the energy in creating our installation was great. Though it was rushed, I felt that the opportunity for the entire class to work together to create a large piece of art was a great way to end the semester and this experience. I wasn't there for all of it, but I felt a collective excitement and sense of completion when it was done. Having the ability to work together gave us something to teach each other and to learn from one another.

Vince and I stayed a little longer than everyone else and it was nice to see everyone kind of trickle out of the room. Vince and I put some finishing touches on the installation and I felt that it was quite peaceful, like breathing out and feeling like it was all over. Bittersweet. The balloons were floating over a world our class created and it was nice seeing it all together. It was like nothing I had experienced before and nothing that can be duplicated. Collaborative work has always been an interest of mine and now I can add the installation to the list of collaborative experiences.

BXXII

Discuss your experiences in Art 307. What have they contributed to your understanding of Art? of the Role of Art in Leaning? of what the relationship between education and learning is? of the role of the teacher in this process?

I feel that Art307 has been a lot more hands-on interactive learning that 205 and I've loved it. I've always been more of a hands on learner, so being able to experience and witness what this class is about has been a great experience. I feel that I've come to understand art from many different perspectives than just my individual relationship to art as an artist. I understand it now as a student, teacher, and artist - all individually and all together.

I feel that art has so much more potential than has been implemented in the school system and I've learned how much of a role Art can take in learning. Art has the possibility to teach things without the student even knowing it, but then again it would probably be a good thing for the teacher to inform students just how much they're learning. Learning through art just seems such a nice way of applying knowledge rather than reading things out of textbooks.

Teachers act as guidance - not rule enforcers and people that tell you what you're doing wrong. Frankly, I feel that a good teacher is rare and that's a shame. I feel the role of the teacher is so important, without a teacher the students would be lost. And at the same time, the students help the teacher learn things as well. A teacher and student learn together to educate each other about art, other topics, life, each others and themselves and that's what this class has given light to me.

BXXI

What has this experience of working collaboratively added to your understanding of what one learns through art?

I am slightly saddened to say that I didn't have the opportunity to work together with the class because of my contraction of Laryngitis. Mostly depressing, but at the same time I imagine the rest did my mind well. I found myself finding a lot more creative thoughts in my head than before and my hands itching to create. So perhaps I had run my body too far and thus faced the consequences. It's just unfortunate the consequence directly influenced my attendance and participation in the classroom.

However, I can imagine that working together for the rest of the semester will apply to this blog entry. I have found that working collaboratively has given me the understanding that there are SO many levels to art education. Though I hadn't thought that art education was simple and easy, I had no idea how complicated it could be, nor how enriching it could be. The group that I have met and worked with through this year have become great peers, and I have made some great friends as well.

Art is so amazing in it's adaptability and ability to teach so many things - almost in disguise. I did feel like art was something that was a means of communicating many things, and inspiring individuals to do amazing things that are beyond art too, but I never had really followed through in understanding why and witnessing how it was so vast. So this class has been eye opening in that way, and I'm glad I've taken it.

BXX

Where do our notions of visual art as a solitary activity come from? What are the benefits and limitations of engaging in collaborative works of art?

I think that the whole notion that everyone's out there to benefit themselves doesn't help that notion. When looking back at history, everyone regards artists as solitary people. They aren't considered collaborative in any way. At the same time, it could the the natural difficulty that occurs when you work with other people. It's only natural for their to be conflicts of interests and perspectives. Also, gifted and introverted individuals are given the credit of being more creative, from what I've heard. Because of that, all these artists can be seen as artists, or the stereotypical individuals that go off on their own to dream up their next piece without the company of the whole of civilization.

Collaboration with other artists can be extremely benifical in the fact that the artist gets to see other perspectives, learn new techniques, among other things. The play off of the creative energy in a group can be so amazingly positive and create something that none of the artists could have made individually. Nonetheless, there are the times in which personalities can clash - or even just moments which groups of close artists clash even if very good friends. It's the nature of human interaction. Though there are obstacles to collaboration, I feel it teaches an artist a lot more than an artist can learn on his or her own. There are things that an artist needs to explore individually, don't get me wrong - I love my alone time too, but working with others presents different opportunities than just learning alone.

Once again, I preach balance.

BXIX

Reflect on your time with the child you worked with. What succeeded and why - refer to Dewey and other readings? What did not succeed and why not - again, try to find a reason based on the readings you have done for this class. If you could work with this child again, what would you like to do next time to develop what you today's experience?

I loved working with him! It was so much fun! Oh gosh. I feel like it was a complete success, I mean I may be biased, but still! I feel like it was a good experience for both me and the student. Zen looked explore and became a little more artistically independent as the art project went along, and he also put the entire book into a context. He thought about who he'd share the book with, how he'd explain the story about making the book, and how he could use what he had learned and apply it to other things as well as steps to learning more. So, I feel, it does fall into a good experience according to Dewey. He learned things about art, stories, other topics, as well as himself. He understood the responsibilities and role of a student and teacher relationship as well as other relationships. I feel like he is an amazingly gifted child and it was my pleasure to learn with him.

Because I was so adaptable to the situation, I feel like Zen was in an environment that changed as we went along. If there was anything that felt like it could go wrong, I could adapt before hand. Having a great sense of communication between me and Zen helped with everything. Knowing that we could both ask each other questions and that we'd be learning together, even if I was guiding Zen, we both were going on the same journey. What would I change? Only the fact that I hope that it could continue, and I think I will try to do that.