Final Blog Assignment

1. You have created a Blog and have been Blogging for 16 weeks.

What is your opinion of "Blogging"?

Blogging is interesting. It can be used for a large amount of different things, whether personal or professional. I think that blogging is an interesting tool to use to effectively communicate how you feel about things or to give ideas or to inspire others or anything else. I think that blogging is cool; I have done it before so it is nothing that is terribly new to me, but it was cool to use for a professional reason as opposed to a personal reason.

2. Did you find this to be a useful reflection / communication tool?

I think that blogging is a great tool for communication and reflection. It gives a place for people to write their thoughts, feelings, ideas and whatnot out into a place that could either be public or private, and any other person can see. It is also a great resource for being able to go back and look at what you have previously written to read and reflect upon it. It is cool to see how you change from post to post and throughout time.

3. Would you use a Blog in your art classroom? If yes, how. If no, why not?

I would use a blog in my classroom as either a tool for my students to use and do weekly or biweekly assignments on or as a tool for my students to follow a blog that I write. It would be a strictly professional blog that would be there as a resource for students to look at and to find new artists and movements and facts from. Or I would give them assignments that would pertain to art and sometimes their personal lives. It would be used as both a reflecting, analyzing and sharing too.

Blog Assignment Thirteen.

From the tutorial videos I learned how to use and control master pages. I planned on using a master page because I encountered one while making my newsletter. I thought that it would be a good idea to have a base page for my digital portfolio. That was it would create a nice flow and things would look simple, organized and clean from page to page. Managing pages taught me how to manage pages, haha. It will definitely help out when I am working and I need to move whole pages or to copy a page or template. Using layers will definitely help me out when I am creating my pages to help make it look fancier and nicer.

I think that using master pages will probably help me out the most. I like a very simple and clean look to design projects and I think that I will definitely be using that in this. I also like to incorporate the same elements from page to page to make them more aesthetically pleasing.

Newsletter Blog.

For project five, we had to create a newsletter about ourselves for our new classroom, parents and students. It was easier to work with InDesign now that I have more experience with it. It was odd to write about myself and to write about the future, and not something that is currently happening. It took some time to figure out what I wanted to write about, but I think I did a decent job with a newsletter. Although I don't really know. I wrote a bit about myself, my favorite artists, some stuff about Chuck Close (one of my favorite artists), and I included a sample lesson for teachers and students and family members to get a grasp on what I might be teaching and how. Hopefully all of these things would be valuable and useful in a newsletter.

Blog Assignment Twelve.

http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/

I would have students take digital pictures of their work and upload them into iPhoto, and as part of a project, they would have to organize, label and exhibit the pictures and images in a slideshow. It is also a great too to keep images organized and easy to find.

http://www.adobe.com/products/soundbooth/

I would have students create a podcast about a certain artist. They would be welcome to work in pairs or groups, and they would have to focus on a certain artist or movement. If they were to focus on a certain artist, part of the project would be to create a fictional short story about the artist. They will be given a list of criteria to meet about what to have in their podcast. They could also delegate the parts and jobs to one another, as in some students will speak, others will cut and edit, etc.

Blog Assignment Eleven.

BLOGS I COMMENTED ON:
http://aedcomputerapplications398.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-portrait.html

http://azizaaed398.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-portrait-creative-inspiration.html

A. How did you decide which blog to review?

I chose to review Eryn and Aziza's blogs because they are both people that I talk to and am friendly with. I have two classes with Eryn and it's been nice getting to know her.

B. Why did you select the individual posting to comment on?

I chose the one's about self-portraits because I think that they are the most interesting to look at and read. I chose Aziza'z with her pictures because I was drawn to the pictures in and of themselves, and I also really liked the ones that she chose. They were really interesting and I like the reasons that she chose them too. I commented on Eryn's self-portrait answers because it was interesting to take a look below the surface and find out a little more about her.

C. How could you use a Blog in your classroom as a communication tool? If not, why not?

I think you can definitely use a blog as a communication too. It provides great ways to get your thoughts out and to share things that you like, dislike, enjoy or are interested in. To use it in a classroom would be a great tool, as long as the blog was geared towards the class and classroom setting. Students would have to be held accountable for what they post and write in their blogs, and they would have to be made aware of that. I would probably use a blog as a communication tool only in upper levels, probably high school, where hopefully the students would be mature enough to keep their postings school appropriate.

Resume Writing and InDesign.

Resume writing is always an interesting process because a lot of factors play into how your resume turns out. One thing is where you are at in your life and what your goal of your resume is: to get a job? To win an award? It could be for a number of things, and your resume will change with each thing. Another big factor in the result of your resume is who you go to to have look at and edit your resume. Everyone will tell you to have different information and to set it up differently and have a different layout and order. I guess when determining which is best, you should go with your instinct and what you feel is best for the reason you are presenting your resume.

InDesign is something that I am slowly getting the hang of, but it is still hard to use. I never quite know if I am doing it right, and if there is an easier way to do things. I am sure there are a number of tips and tricks that you can use in InDesign. One thing that seemed helpful was what Prof. Tabone showed us in class, about the different ways of formatting your document. The videos we had to watch for our other blog post would have been helpful too, if I had taken the time to utilize them.

Blog Assignment Ten.

• the importance of parental involvement in eduation

• communication tools that educators can use with parents/guardians

• what/why/how/where/when of communication between educators and parents/guardians

First RSS Feed:
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/parents-involvement-in-childrens-education-117944.html

Second RSS Feed:
http://newteachersupport.suite101.com/article.cfm/contact_with_parents


I think that parent-teacher involvement is very important. As an aspiring teacher, I should be learning as much as possible about interacting with the parents as I am about interacting with the students. Parents play a huge role in a child's interest in school and in their development. When a parent shows interest in a child's progress and what they are doing in school and bringing home, that child is more eager to learn and to produce good results and they are more interested in impressing their parents. When a parent shows little interest in a child's education, doesn't care about their progress or how they are doing, that child begins to lack enthusiasm and starts to do a lackluster or poor job. A parents interest in their child's education reflects upon that child.

It is important for me, as a teacher, to build a good relationship with the parents. I need to be an effective listener for the parents. They need to understand that I am just as interested in their child's education and progress as they are. They need to be aware that "we are in this together" and not separate, or alone. However, I need to make it clear that I am only the teacher, and that they are the main influence to their child.

Blog Assignment Nine.

- Making Selections

I learned how to select objects, resize the object and frame, and how to crop images with the resize handles. I learned the difference between corner points and resize handles, how to make direct selections and how to drag everything together at once, instead of separately. I learned how to move objects underneath others and

- Working With Text

I learned that of the different things that I can do while working with text in InDesign. Size, color, alignment, font and style, how to input text, etc. It seems like a basic thing to be able to, and not very hard to accomplish what I'd like to do. I learned that there is a paragraph panel and a control panel, I also learned what kerning and tracking are, and how to change the language of what I am writing. I was taught where the control type panel menu is, and I learned a lot about formatting text and paragraphs.

- Working With Text Styles

I learned how to create, make and use a style sheet. I was taught how to create paragraph styles and how to use Quick Apply.

4. Which video was most helpful? What do you think of the different presenters?

The second and third videos about working with texts weren't very helpful to me, as I don't think that I will be using either of those tools all too much. I also didn't like how in the videos, they didn't explain a lot of why they would do something. I have no idea why I would want to justify my paragraph of my text. The first presenter was my favorite, and I liked how she voiced her opinions, compared the new CS3 to the older versions, and really brought you through step by step on how to do things. She also taught my about things that I know I will be using for this project, as opposed to working with a lot of text elements that I won't be nearly as focused on. While all three videos where informative, the first was my favorite and seems the most resourceful to me.

Blog Assignment Eight.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperpariah/2416400865/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aknacer/2814275243/

Unfortunately, you cannot see the entire first image, so click on the second link to check it out. Both of these self portraits are really cool. The first one emulates a famous artist, Frida Kahlo, and the photographer has a whole series of self-portraits that emulate his favorite artists style. I think that is such a neat concept because you can show a part of yourself as well as showing how you like that artist.

The second image is emulating the David Hockney style, which I have done before with real film. I think it is really neat and would like to try and do the same thing as this for one of my images in my triptych, and do all of the editing in Photoshop. I could also just take inspiration from this and make my image all sorts of distorted and flipped and angled.

The links below are just links to myself of other images that I liked and enjoyed, and may possibly pull inspiration from.

NOTE TO SELF: make square, edit. stroke, chose color, where and size. do it all on new layer, take image hit ctrl+t and enter to rotate?

Other Links:

http://bonbon-a6dule.deviantart.com/art/Self-portrait-two-65164010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperpariah/2417142548/in/set-72157604530314938/

http://the-belu.deviantart.com/art/self-portrait-with-dirty-hair-55214612

http://basistka.deviantart.com/

Logo Design.

For our second big project, we had to design a logo representing ourselves. I brainstormed a few ideas and then finally settled on choosing a coffee/tea cup. What is more relaxing that sitting down and drinking a nice cup of tea? I love tea and I think that getting a cup of coffee or tea with people is a great way to relax, catch up and enjoy yourself. I think that universally, coffee/tea cups represent a sort of tranquility and comfort, which is how I want people to feel when they are around me.

Working with Adobe Illustrator was a challenge. I liked experimenting with it a lot, and I'd really love to try and work with it more. I have very little experience in Photoshop and Illustrator so it was interesting to deal with something almost entirely new. There are so many tools to try and orient yourself with and figure out what they do. It's kind of a headache to realize that you only have a limited amount of time to try and be really creative and execute a successful logo. It was a challenge to try and come up with a concept and idea and then figure out how to execute it in Illustrator. I ended up using a symbol and changing the size, color and look of it. I added my name in script next to it to signify that it was my logo. I decided to put J.C. (my initials) on it so that if I decided to professionally use the logo in any sense, that I would be able to use the logo on it's own at some point, without needing my name next to it.

Photobucket Slideshow

http://s673.photobucket.com/albums/vv99/contjm64/AED%20398/?mediafilter=slideshows
(hopefully the link brings you to the right page)

To create the Photobucket slideshow, the hardest part was probably trying to find pictures that fit the criteria of the elements and principles without having to take more, haha. I was able to apply some of the pictures that I recently took on a trip to Forest Lawn Cemetery with some of my friends, but I had to take the rest on my own time. Which isn't a big deal, as I love to take pictures. If I wasn't going to be an art teacher, I'd probably go into photography.

Photobucket is an easy website to use that I have used before. Most image uploaders aren't too complicated and fairly simple. I use Flickr a lot, and it is a bit different than Photobucket, but both are easy to work with.

I decided to try and apply pictures that I already had to the elements and principles of art, and then figure out what I needed to have after that. Then I went around my apartment and tried to take as many images as possible to choose from. After that I went through all of the images and chose the ones that I thought fit best. From there I uploaded them to Photobucket and then created the Photobucket slideshow. Easy as pie.

Blog Assignment Seven.

http://speckyboy.com/2009/01/07/29-really-creepy-and-creative-photoshopped-self-portraits/

That first link provides a number of cool ideas and examples of what is possible to do in Photoshop. Admittedly, I won't be doing something as dark and gruesome as those, but it gives you ideas that you can take and make into your own, different ideas and concepts. I could do the same sort of idea of have crackled skin, but make it something pretty and sweet.

http://littleblackkitty.typepad.com/a_little_imagination_and_/2007/06/tutorial_selfpo.html

The second link provides a cool way to change how your self-portrait looks. I won't be turning mine into a stencil. but it gives me step by step instructions on how to change the image to make it a high contrast black and white image.

Q: What is a self-portrait?

A: A self-portrait is an expression of the self by anyone, it doesn't have to be an artist. The person also does not need to appear in the self-portrait either, as long as it is done by them and represents them as a person. Usually, a self-portrait portrays who the subject is a person or individual, but sometimes it can be used to demonstrate different techniques, ideas or concepts.

Q: What are the distinctive things that make me "me"?

A: I am a whole individual, I am Julia Conte and no one else. I am who I am because of how I choose to act, choose to portray myself, the music I listen to, the clothes I wear, the things I am interested in, my morals and my values, the food I like, the things I drink, who I associate myself with and much more. I am a complex human being, like everyone else. But I am Julia Conte, unlike everyone else.

Q: How do I want people to see me?

A: I want people to view me as a strong individual who is not afraid to be who she is, as someone who is caring and thoughtful, and someone who can stand up for herself and defend her opinions, morals and values. I want people to see me as a girl or young woman who isn't afraid to do things boys and men do, and who also isn't afraid to embrace her femininity. I want people to see me as a responsible young adult, with a level-head and a mind that is put to good use.

Q: How can I express my many different sides?

A: I can and do express my many different sides visually and physically, for the most part. I go to local shows and listen to local music, I dress a certain way because it appeals to me as.d I eat certain foods because I like the way they taste. However, some things cannot be expressed that way. In order to express my thoughtful, dedicated, caring and generous side, I need to portray myself in those senses through my actions and my words. Same with any other sort of psychological portrayal of myself.

Q: How can I reinvent myself for various purposes or times in my life?

A: Reinventing yourself is important to accept and do, as long as you aren't consistently reinventing yourself on completely new levels. It is not good to reinvent yourself by becoming vegan for a month and then deciding to just drop it all together. Or to decide to sell your car and ride a bike around all the time, only to buy another car a few months later. However, I can reinvent myself for serious changes and important times in my life, and also small decisions. Like deciding to become a vegetarian or to join and become active in the peace group on campus, or to decide to get better at keeping my room clean.

Q: How am I changing from day to day or year to year?

A: As a part of growing and evolving, I am constantly changing. Whether it is small, insignificant changes or much larger, very impacting changes, I am changing. I think that change is a very healthy and natural process that everyone needs to continually go through. If you never change, you will never become the person and individual you want to be. From day t day, I may change a view or a small opinion, or make a decision to do something that will somehow impact on my life. From year to year, I have changed significantly. Every small change adds up and creates a large connection of changes that is ever growing and ceaseless.

Q: Who do I want to become?

A: In five years from now, I'd like to see myself as an art teacher, hopefully in my own place wit a dog and in a steady and very healthy relationship. But really, I want to become a responsible adult who is great at her job, who loves her job with everything she has and who gives it her all. I want to be independent and successful and enjoy everything that life has to offer.

Blog Assignment Six.

Assignment:

1. Find an online resource for creating your Logo. Be sure to link the URL in your blog posting.

2. Explain how you used/or will use this resource in creating your Logo for your Lab Project #2 assignment.

Response:

http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Marketing_and_Advertising/Advertising/Design_Services/Logo_and_Stationery/Logo_Design/

http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Marketing_and_Advertising/Advertising/Design_Services/Logo_and_Stationery/

http://logopond.com/

All of these three links are great resources for creating a logo. The third link, logopond.com, has a ton of great examples to look at and pull ideas from. With already having basic knowledge in 2D design and composition, it is a great resource to brainstorm ideas and begin the creative process. The first two links have a lot of other great links and resources in them, making it an ideal website to look at. Each link offers at least a few pointers and key elements to creating and designing logos. I can pull a lot of inspiration from these three sites. I'm excited to use them.

IDEAS FOR LOGO DEVELOPMENT
About you and yourself
Not necessarily about teaching art
Could just be name
Could be abstract

- cup of tea with waves (love of tea and the ocean) japanese influenced?
- initials
- elephant
- look at powerpoint

http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Marketing_and_Advertising/Advertising/Design_Services/Logo_and_Stationery/Logo_Design/

http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Marketing_and_Advertising/Advertising/Design_Services/Logo_and_Stationery/

http://logopond.com/

Blog Assignment Five.

Assignment:

1. Find an online resource for creating/writing your Professional Teaching Resume. Be sure to link the URL in your blog posting.

2. Explain how you used/or will use this resource in creating/writing your resume draft for your H-5 assignment.

Response:

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/pages/1876.shtml

I think that this is a great resource because it provides you with good guidelines when writing your resume. I wouldn't have guessed to make my resume all one large page, folding it in half, instead of stapling the two together or putting them back to back. It tells you of some good things to focus on and what to put into your resume to make it stand out.

http://resumes-for-teachers.com/samples/art-teacher-resume-sample.aspx

I think this is a great resource as well because it gives you a visual example of what your resume can look like. It has something you can model both your resume and your cover letter after. It also has a lot of other examples on their home webpage (http://resumes-for-teachers.com/teacher-resume-examples.htm) which is a great resource to be able to look at other examples and maybe incorporate a few points from each into your own resume. I think that looking at other resumes is a great way to learn how to write yours. It can be really hard to go from nothing to creating a full blown, great resume.

Project #1 Journal

I chose the subject of Chuck Close because I think that he is an incredible artist. Close suffered a rare and massive spinal artery collapse, became a paralyzed from the neck down, went through physical therapy and regained use of his arms and some use of his legs, yet he still relies on his wheelchair for day to day use and function. He re-learned how to paint by attaching a paintbrush to his hand and painting. Close works on such a massive scale (larger than life) and yet he is still in a wheelchair. It completely amazes me that he has still been so driven to continue his work after all that he has been through.

I used Powerpoint to make this presentation. I've worked with powerpoint before, so it wasn't anything new and fancy for me to deal with. I still have some troubles with certain things, as each year they update their software and things get changed and moved around. Powerpoint is fairly easy to work with, and I enjoy making decent presentations with it. I think it can really be utilized as a great teaching and learning tool, combining the aspects of visual presentation with verbal presentation.

One thing that I didn't like too much about this project is the use of transitions and audio and all. I used two videos for my audio, but I am a very simple, clean design type of person, and I feel that transitions are tacky, in a sense. I am sure they can be awesome if used well, but I just don't enjoy them. That was a struggle for me, was trying to make the slideshow look well while still adhering to the requirements. I also didn't make my slideshow very fancy, because I tend to feel that it can look nice, but will take away from the pictures and the point of the presentation. The point of the presentation isn't to look pretty, it is to inform your audience. Looking good is a bonus.

One thing I needed help in figuring out was how to import a youtube video into powerpoint. I've never done that before so I had to look it up on the internet and be taught how to. It was an interesting process to learn. It actually brought me to a youtube video to learn how to do it. I learned something new.

I sort of disliked the large amount of things that needed to be done for this project. It's been hard to make sure that I am on top of everything and getting it all done on time. I'm having troubles with this class in general, but I think that is my lack of organization. It is hard to remember that something is due on Friday when we only meet once a week, and I forget to check Angel often enough to be reminded about it.

I could definitely use this presentation, lesson plan and webquest to teach a lesson to middle and high school students. They are interested and skilled enough in art to understand who Chuck Close is and what his objectives and ideas are in his portraits. I think students would enjoy this project to, as they get to be vain and draw themselves and they willl also be able to draw very realistic and then more abstract.

Blog Assignment Four.

http://www.presentersresource.com/

That is a resource that can be used for creating Powerpoint presentations. I can work fairly well with Powerpoint, so I haven't needed to use a resource website so far, but I believe that this one would be very helpful. It provides you with free templates, backgrounds, settings, tips, resources and much more. There is also a section devoted to using Powerpoint in the classroom, which would be an incredibly useful tool for anyone who wants to further divulge into using Powerpoint as a teaching tool.

Blog Assignment Three.

Assignment:

After spending some time at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, ask yourself these questions:

Which artworks make an impact or impression on me? Why?

Which artworks do I feel a connection with? Why?

Which artworks would I like to know more about? Why?

As a future art educator, you should list at least five artworks for each question.

Response:
Which artworks make an impact or impression on me? Why?
I really enjoyed Gillian Wearing's "Album" series really made an impression on me. I thought it was really neat that she completely recreated, down to the button, portraits of her family members, with wax masks and wigs and the works. It was really neat to see how she could transform herself, but she left a small portion of the fact that it was all fake. She always left her eyes as her own, and would leave the wax mask around her eyes unfinished.

I was excited to see William F. Weege's work in the "Strange Brew" exhibit at the Albright. I had never seen his work before, but my printmaking teacher brought us over there to look at Weege's prints. Weege's prints are very cool; they are multi-layered and use groovy 60's colors, and the series at the AK has a pretty neat concept to the series as well.

Joan Miró is an inspiring artist that creates such interesting and lively works. His "Carnival of Harlequin" is a truly interesting and inspiring piece to look at. He really brings your imagination to life.

Jeanne Dunning has two pictures in the exhibit upstairs, titled "Tongue" and "The Blob 4". They were very intruiging to look at, and created a sort of disgusted sense in me. "The Blob 4" left me sort of disgusted, because it simply reminded me of a very obese person. While there is the impression of a small figure underneath the blob, it is unaviodable to make the connection between the image and an obese person.

Robert Motherwell's "Elegy to the Spanish Republic" is a very abstract piece that I have always admired. Motherwell's work alone is something that I have always admired. I enjoy his use of geometric yet organic shapes, and his stark contrast and bolder colors.

Which artworks do I feel a connection with? Why?
Giacomo Balla's "Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash" is a painting that I have loved since I first sw it in Carol Hammond's AED 200 class. Seeing it at the Albright is always really wonderful. I love the pure sense of movement and speed I feel when looking at it. That, and I love dauschunds.

Giorgio de Chirico's piece "The Anguish of Departure" is a haunting piece that I really feel a connection to. It has this harrowing sadness that just envelopes me when I look at it. His use of colors, the empty landscape but for the two dark figures in back and the imagery of everything being dwarfed by the tall smoke stack all really create this wholly empty feeling and a sense of nostalgia.

Tim Hyde's "Untitled 'Indiana'" photograph is beautiful. I've always loved nght pictures of bare parking lots, surrounded by bleakness and blackness, with their streetlight illuminating only certain parts of their surrounding world. Hyde's photograph is a beautiful image of a warehouse or factory at night, which illuminates a thin and small horizontal plane of the entire image. The rest of the image is pitch black. Images like this remind me of the simple beauty in life.

McDermott and McGough's "In the Hush of the Night" piece is a piece that I love. I have an affinity for old noir movies and just older movies in general. There is something beautiful and sad about them, and this piece brought both of those feelings to me. With "THE END" in the top half of the picture and the woman laying in the bed and reaching out underneath... it's depressing and has a gripping sadness to it.

Which artworks would I like to know more about? Why?
Robert Rauschenberg's piece at the Albright Knox is something that I always admire and enjoy. Every time I walk around the Albright Knox, I stand and admire Rauschenberg's piece for a long time. I don't know too much about him or the piece, but I love the mixed media and how he displays everything.

There is a piece by Jess in the "Strange Brew" exhibit. It is a collage that is outstanding and incredible to look at. I've heard that his work is rather large and very involved, which would be incredibly interesting to look at. I'd like to know about him and his life, and why he chooses to work with such in depth collages.

Matthew Barney is... odd, for lack of a better term. He is incredibly interesting to me, although I know little about him. His works are hard not to look at and they really pull you in. His video with his wife, Bjork, was impossible not to watch for at least a few minutes.

The entire upstairs exhibit, titled Wall Rockets, was more or less dedicated to Ed Ruscha. There were a few of his works, as well as a lot of portraits of him. I'd be intersted into further looking into his work and what he has inspired amongst other contemporary artists.

In the "Wall Rockets" exhibit upstairs, Tom Lazzarini has a sculpture piece titled "gun(i)". It is a very stretched out looking gun, that is very interesting to look at. It creates such an illusion and a game of sorts when looking at it, trying to figure ou how exactly it looks the way it does. It is something you have to see. I'd be interested in looking into Lazzarini's process of how he makes his sculptures like that.

Blog Assignment Two.

Assignment: From the RSS feeds you set up in class, select 2 quality feeds that relate to a topic that interests you and discuss your opinion on how you could use this information in your K-12 art classroom.

Response:

FEED ONE: http://www.webring.com/hub?ring=artteacherswebri
One of the RSS Feeds that I am subscribed to is an Art Teacher's feed. This feed can provide me with lesson plans and ideas that I can take and transform into my own if I desire to teach elementary school, and transform them into more complex assignments for older students. Each lesson gives vital information about what grade it can be used in, what the lesson is, key-concept goal, aims and objectives, materials, evaluation and other important parts of the lesson. It is extremely helpful in creating a lesson plan, as well as evaluating your method of teaching, by comparing and contrasting your created plan to the ones provided.

FEED TWO: http://www.photographica.org/
I am subscribed to this photoblog feed, which I think can be used as a resourceful tool for ideas for lessons. By looking from photo to photo, their challenges and bloggers submissions, I can borrow ideas and concepts and transform them into a lesson for my students. Ideas can be found anywhere, and looking at other art is a great way to find ideas.

Blog Assignment One.

Assignment: Why do you want to be an Art Educator?

Response: Hmm, what a question. Whenever someone asks me that, I always feel like I have the most cliche, unoriginal answers: I like art. I like kids. I want to teach. Blah blah blah. Really though, those are my answers.

I love art; it is my passion and what drives me. I see beauty and art in everything. I have always wished that I could make films and take photographs with my eyes and ears, and have little movies to show people from my day to day life, from my eyes and ears. Then they could see how I see the world, with all of it's beauty and joy and sadness and possibilities. I think that if people could do that, the world would be a different place (and I really do think that). Art influences and changes people, in a whole world of ways.

I like kids; I enjoy young children, their innocence, curiosity, and how they have the wildest imaginations. My five year old cousin recently asked if she could see my boogers, and looked up my nose. She then proceeded to tell me that it looks like my boogers are having a tea party with a princess, and she meant it. She trapiezed away five seconds later. Children can be easily influenced but also set in their own beliefs - try telling a six year old that Santa isn't real. Most of the time, they won't believe you and will probably yell at you or get upset, and they'll continute to believe. They are wholly innocent in so many ways, and I wish that people kept certain aspects of that with them as they grew up.

I like teens too, as in midde school they are in that in between stage of growing up and staying young, finding themselves and becoming who they are. They are still in that stage in high school too. Middle school and high school students are still impressionable, they are (hopefully) open-minded and eager to learn. I think that two of my favorite books, The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger, both really embody this concept: the innocence of youth and growing up and learning and becoming your own individual, while still being influenced by others and becoming who you are by making your own choices and making your own mistakes.

I want to teach; teaching at an upper level would be enjoyable, as I feel that I could connect with the students more, relate to them and share experiences, thoughts and ideas. I could become a sort of mentor or tutor for students, informing them of artists and galleries and openings, while still letting them have their own minds and concepts and ideas. As an art teacher, you aren't meant to put your ideas into their heads, but to create a web of ideas for them to discover themselves. You can be the foundation of the house, but they have to build it themselves. With kids, you can delve into their world full of everything and anything. Their imagination can become yours, and vice versa. You can teach them all about art and get them to be excited and interested in it. You can create that spark that becomes their drive and passion for art. You are where it starts.

I guess that is more or less my answer.