Evening for Educators Workshop

1. Pose the questions:

• What is a playground?
• What is play?
• How does play differ from other aspects of life? Ie. work, school, etc.
• Why is play important?
• What lessons are learned on playgrounds and during playtime?
• How does an environment affect how we act and interact with others?
• What is an ideal play environment?

2. Careful observe Mollison’s playground photographs:

• Explain that the photos are actually composite images. Mollison carefully selected scenarios and circumstances from his photos, and compiled the ones that reflected his memories and experiences.
• “Most of the images from the series are composites of moments that happened during a single break time—a kind of time-lapse photography. I have often chosen to feature details that relate to my own memories of the playground. Although the schools I photographed were very diverse, I was struck by the similarities between children’s behavior and the games they played.”
• What themes or similarities do you see in these photographs?
• Open space
• No adult supervision
• Friendship
• Conflict
• Isolation (loners)
• Exploration
• Structure - or lack thereof
• Physicality
• Movement
• Danger
• Games
• How do these relate to your own memories of playgrounds and play?
• What differences do you see between these playgrounds?
• What are other aspects of play and playgrounds that you recall that maybe aren’t represented in these photos?
• How do you think Mollison chose which scenarios and images to include and omit?
• How is the idea of truth and reality altered through this photographic manipulation?

4. Explore other artists and their Play Environments

Anne Hamilton

 Toshiko Horiuchi-MacAdam

Isamu Noguchi

3. Create a Playground Diorama using Collage

• Explain that just as Mollison created created a narrative and story by carefully selecting images to composite together, we will be compositing images together through college. (If dioramas are made in groups the tie could also be made to collaboration as a composite of ideas)

Questions to consider while constructing your playground:

• What type of space is it? Are there trees? Tables, swings, balls, toys, other contraptions?
• How do figures interact within your playground? Are they in groups? Are they on their own? Are they in conflict? Playing games? Sitting? Standing? Touching and being physical (ie wrestling, holding hands) or are they playing but not interacting physically? Are they standing, walking, running? What type of motion are they in? Etc.
• Will you choose to represent an ideal play scenario? Or a true memory?
• Where is your playground located?
• What type of space is it?
• What objects are there? Tables, benches, pathways, swings, balls, toys, other contraptions?
• What games are being played?
• How do figures interact within your playground? Are they in groups? Are they on their own? Are they in conflict? Playing games? Sitting? Standing? Touching and being physical (ie wrestling, holding hands) Are they standing, sitting, laying down, walking, running? What type of motion are they in? Etc.
• How does your environment encourage or discourage certain behaviors?
• Who will be playing on your playground? Children, teenagers, adults, all of the above?

Materials

• Small cardboard boxes
• Wire, popsicle sticks, cardboard tubes, pipe cleaners, aluminum foil
• Newspaper - paper mache
• cardstock
• tape
• Images for collaging - photographs, magazines etc
• Scissors
• Glue
• Matte acrylic medium or modge podge
• Brushes
• Markers, oil pastels, paint

4. Photograph each group or individual and create diptych photos of the artist and their work (in the style of Morrison’s other photographic series - “What refugees carry” “Where children sleep” or "Collectors and Collections" Accompany the photographs with a brief artist’s statement. Have participants complete the phrase “A playground is _________”

5. During the workshop, take several photos of participants “playing”. Create a composite image of the workshop experience.

Art History Lesson Plan

Enduring Idea:

Rationale:
- Studying from Masters, and creating master copies is a traditional approach to understanding painting and drawing techniques.
- Appropriation or "stealing" is an essential idea and in post-modern art practice.

Artists/Artworks: Andy Warhol, Walter Keane & Margaret Keane, Pablo Picasso, Shepard Fairley, John Baldisarri, Sherrie Levine,

Key Concepts:
Where does originality come from?
How are ideas generated?


Essential Questions:
- How is copying, stealing, appropriating art?
- Where does a originality, or creativity come from?
- Can you own an idea or images
- Is appropriation ethical?
- Do Copyright laws inhibit or protect artists?

Instructional Plan:

1. MASTER COPY/FORGERY - Have students choose an artist. They will then try to create a "fake" painting by this artist. They will study the style of the work, the artist's process, subject matter, and historical context of the artist's works create a convincing forgery.
- What clues could you add to the painting to make it more convincing?
- What is the artists primary subject matter? What concepts does the artist primarily deal with, and how do they portray that in their work?
- What techniques does the artist utilize? - grid systems, under painting, layers, color palette, paint quality, composition
- What is the historical context of the piece? How can you distress, or age the work appropriately?

2. Show and tell the story of a few famous artists that "stole" throughout art history.
- Marcel Duchamp

  http://old.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Did-Marcel-Duchamp-steal-Elsas-urinal/36155

- Andy Warhol  

- Pablo Picasso

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/12/15/2413349600000578-2875240-image-a-6_1418683430070.jpg

- Walter Keane


- Shepard Fairey

3. Review the Current Copy Right and Fair Use laws
4. Watch "steal like and artist"

http://austinkleon.com/tag/influences/

5. Create a artistic genealogy for yourself. What are your influences? What are your influences, influences?

Chapter 4 response

Art Criticism, Theory, and History

I feel it very important for art history to be taught in the classroom. Teaching about where art has been and the changes that have been made, and the theory and rational behind these movements allows students to build on that groundwork and conversation. Also, as they learn about art students will be able to latch on to things that they like and are interested in. They also will be confronted with art that they don't like - exploring these artists and movements that they find distasteful may give them an even greater understanding of what their artistic taste and sensibilities are. 

As I thought about how to incorporate teaching Art Criticism, Theory, and History, I thought back to successful ways that my teachers in the past have taught it. I found that my most successful art and history teachers - instead of drawling over dates, timelines, and numbers - taught history as a compelling and engaging narrative. Providing nuanced details, and interesting side events in conjunction with the main even.

I feel that it would be interesting to propose the ideas and theory of certain moments through art making activities. I feel like the best way to teach Art History would be to incorporate the art history into art making. Maybe present scenarios to students where they have to go through the same problem solving process that important artists went through. A few activities that I thought of are:

- Dadaism: Teach some rules or conventions to the students, then have them deliberately break those rules in a project. 

- Impressionism: Set up a still life, and move the light source every 10 minutes, having the students try and capture the differences and subtleties of the light. 

- Abstract expressionism: Have students try to create a replica of a Pollock, Rothko, Kooning, Kline, Gorky etc. 

Teaching Metaphor

Teaching is Like a Terrarium.

Teaching is not a process of just pouring information on students and hoping that students will absorb it all and grow from it. This method may work for a short time, but the problem is, students become completely dependent on a teacher to learn. Just like a potted plant, they are completely dependent upon a routine showering of water from someone else. But what happens when the plant's care giver leaves? The plant will eventually wither and die because it had no means of collecting the water (or information) for itself.

I think that teaching should be a process of instilling students with curiosity, and modeling skills so that they can learn independently. It is a teacher's responsibility to provide an environment and proper resources so that students can become like an enclosed terrarium and are able to sustain the necessary elements of life (or learning) on their own. The students are no longer dependent on a watering can, but are able to continue a cycle of learning from within because they were taught to be curious, to ask questions, and how to go about finding answers on their own.

4 Verbs

Explore •  1. travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn about or familiarize oneself with it.

Students will traverse and familiarize themselves with the artistic skills, art history, contemporary practices and issues, with teacher as guide at times, but also fellow explorer. As they come to understand the groundwork of ideas, techniques, philosophies, and concepts previously laid before them, they will be better equipped to blaze new trails or formulate their own personal opinions, ideas, and responses to the subject.

                    

Investigate • 1. to observe or study by close examination and systematic inquiry.

Once they have been exposed to an idea or concept, students will then ask questions and delve into the deeper connotations and meaning of a subject. They will critique, analyze, theorize possible causes, effects, purposes, and deeper connotations of the artistic work and/or ideas.

                       

Assemble • To fit together the parts of, to collect or gather into one place or group

Once a thorough exploration and investigation of a concept or artistic work has taken place, students can then synthesize the information and knowledge they have gleaned and formulate their own ideas. They will find connections to their personal interests, experiences, and community. Through building these relationships, students will find reasons why the concept is pertinent and significant to them. Students will also strategize which combination of artistic techniques or principles of design will form the best relationship with their concept or idea.   

Articulate • 1. To express oneself readily, clearly, and effectively

Students will communicate their ideas orally, in writing, and visually through class discussions and critiques, personal artist statements, and employing artistic skills and methods, principles of design, and symbolism to effectively create meaning-rich artwork.