Introductions
This is where we will make our first posts. It is not necessary
to post four times in this first posting day, but feel free to respond to other
person's posts.
On July 8, we are all about introductions and an intro to visual
arts and pedagogies. Introductions are about who we are and where we come from.
Keep in mind, the diversity of folks in this class. Some may be in our MAE
(Master in Art Education) program. Others may be in other programs. Some of you
may know each other, and others may be brand new to Visual Studies, the MAE
Program or online graduate courses.
How about each of us introducing ourselves on this first day
blog post. Tell us a few things about yourself--where you're originally from,
where you went to school, where and what you teach, if you don't teach, what
you currently do, if you make art, have a family, where you are in the MAE, or
in other programs, and anything else you'd like to share. I've sent an invitation from Blogspot.com to your gmail address
and your ttu email address (so check your junk email).
It will be under July 9 where you will find the reading assignments
for next day. Our reading assignments will be identical to the syllabus. We are
following it. If you fall behind, always post late posts in the current day
(where you catch up). Just remind us.
My initial intro post is unusually long and I do not expect you to draft one as long. You tell us what you would like to share.
Let me be the first to introduce myself. Prior to pursuing a PhD degree from 1989-96, I was an elementary art teacher for eight years in southeastern Wisconsin. I taught at one time 780 kids a week at three schools with no art rooms. Like many of you, while teaching, I pursued and finished a Masters degree. I took a graduate oil painting class where the professor said about my first painting which was looking down a staircase from the main door of a second floor flat: “If this is any indication of what you are capable of, you need to drop this class.” I didn’t drop. I ended up with an A. I remember making wood collages from the scraps I would collect at my dad's carpenter shop. I wanted to know more about teaching so I thought the PhD would be the route. I spent seven years learning about making art, social justice and outreach in Madison, WI. And, writing a dissertation. Since 1996, I have been teaching at Tech. I was born and raised in Manitowoc, WI, a historic aluminum capital in the Midwest. Mirro Aluminum produced kitchen cook wear; the Aluminum Specialty made those aluminum Xmas trees in the 50s and 60s. My hometown located on Lake Michigan was also a shipping port with large shipyards. Raised white and working class, I never imagined that college was a possibility. Most of my friends in the ‘70s were tracked to vocations rather than college. They ended up in wiener plants, Mirro, and other assorted factories. Their experiences of schooling were rough and disconnected as were some of mine. I like to learn and read and watch. I noticed how workers were treated differently than middle class kids. Very few working kids ever thought of themselves as learners or had time to—many had jobs after school. So, I make art about growing up; whether it’s what it was like growing up gay, or making art about my working class roots--my hometown, aunts, uncles, my parents; cousins. I see my art, my teaching and my writing as hospitality in a way. I learned about the importance of hospitality from my parents. Our house was a hub for visitors—especially our kitchen. Each of my parents had ten and fourteen siblings; so, lots of uncles, aunts and cousins. I was born into working class communities that shared talent and skill and I continue to value many working class environs, even though I am considered middle class by peers and family. This is what I make art and write about. Favorite artists of mine that come to mind (and by that I mean I looked around my books and my home): Dead: David Wojnarowicz, photographer Peter Hujar, Living: Lubbock painter Lahib Jaddo, photographer John Dugdale, Madison, WI painter Helen Klebesadel, French gay camp artists Pierre et Gilles, painter Patssi Valdez, the Guerrilla Girls, writer Sherman Alexie, ceremonial artist Donna Henes, MAE grad who got her MFA at Arizona State Jane Lindsay… That’s a sampling. We can post images. I have made everyone an author which means you can download 300K or smaller pics. So, do you struggle to insert art making into your life? If you do, you are not alone. I notice that when I stop making art, I feel less when I teach--as if something is missing in my soul. If you have one, insert an image of something you made recently, an idea or sketch or posts about ambitions or ideas you have. Other than that, share your introductions, kick back, breathe; as we begin a short summer semester of inquiry into the visual arts, art making and writing, and ways to think about this information in pedagoies/teaching.
ReplyDeleteLet me say one more thing which directly ties into the choice of the two books for this class. When I think back to books I’ve read about art or histories, very rarely are working people or average people labeled as important. Usually, wealthy or middle class people line the pages of books and halls of museums. Both of these books will surprise us with interesting histories of change-makers that were “real” people like many of us.
Hi Everyone---
ReplyDeleteI was trained as a painter from childhood and have a BFA from Vanderbilt University in painting. (I have a communications degree from Vanderbilt, as well and a lot of art history from Tulane).
My family still functions as an immigrant family-protective, collaborative, convinced that educations will solve many of the world's problems.
I have always made art, thought in pictures and remembered in a global framework pieced together in images painted or photographed and placed in my memory.
During the early years, I painted mostly in Oil and Encaustic--until I worked with two wonderful artists. These mentors created the true foundation for the artist I am today. So let me tell you what I learned from them. Rob Erdle, was a Regent’s Professor at North Texas. He created monumental watercolors—giant, gorgeous, unwieldy things. He was thought provoking and smart and could tie dissimilar things together and have them make sense. From him, I learned that all the answers I have about my work are answered in my work. I also learned to start with the biggest problem first, sometimes it solves the other problems. My second good fortune was found in a Monumental Sculptor from Columbia. Luis drew like a sculptor--every line mattered. He taught like a sculptor, with precision and awareness and passion and kindness. He had been the Curator of the Gold Museum in Columbia in the 1930s-40s and it was on a tour of their collection that he came to the United States. I believe he would be very proud of my work as the Museum Curator for the City of Grapevine. In Grapevine, we are building out several museums and creating the whole museum and cultural experience from scratch. A year into the program, I use the material from this MAE every day in my work.
As I said, I come from a big Italian family who live very close to me. I grew up in Dallas where I am rearing 2 teenage boys-who attend an all boys school. They love science and math and believe if they breathe art air—that makes them artists. Teenagers!
In this program, I try to stretch myself. To do things I have never done before: things which make me uncomfortable: things I may not be good at. I try to learn and be brave and accept imperfect.
I am a nicer person when I live creatively.
I studied under Rob Erdle as well! He was amazing! I learned to LOVE watercolor!!!!! One of the BEST undergrad classes I took!!!!
DeleteI still miss him
DeleteWhere I am originally from is a hard question to answer. My dad served 30 years in the military and we constantly moved around throughout my life. I was born in Germany, then moved to Alabama and Washington DC. Once I was in elementary school we headed over to Japan and Korea. I was fortunate enough to be in one place, Germany, through all of high school.
ReplyDeleteLiving as a military dependent is a unique situation. Mostly everyone lives on base together in different housing developments depending on their parent's rank, separated by enlisted and officer housing. We all go to school on base together and live like a small town community, all having the military life in common.
When I began my Bachelors in Art Education at Texas State, I knew that my ultimate goal was to teach on base. I requested to student teach on Randolph AFB in San Antonio and was fortunate enough to take over the job when my supervising teacher quit at the end of the year. I just finished my first year teaching middle school and high school art, including AP Studio and Drawing. On top of my first year teaching, they asked me to head coach their first year softball program since I played in high school. Needless to say, the first year was quite an experience of firsts.
Working as the Vice President of San Antonio Art Education Association, we develop workshops for teachers in San Antonio throughout the year and create an 'Artist Who Teach Show' for our members to show off their own talents. With the first year being so busy, this show helped motivate me to take time out of my schedule to work on my own personal work. Seeing my own art work hanging up made me realize the importance of continuing to grow my own personal art strengths.
This summer, just a week ago, I finished my first class of the MAE program, glass blowing. I always work in 2D, so taking an unpredictable 3D material was a challenge, but I absolutely loved the outcome! I am looking forward to the future classes of the MAE program and growing our professional learning community of art teachers!
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI am originally from Austin, but moved quite a bit as my "real" dad was in the Air Force and then when my parents divorced in '86 my mom moved us to Utah where she ended up meeting my dad (yes "step" dad but he is the one that raised me and was there through everything and is my dad!) and then in '89 we moved back to Austin and then Manor where I went to HS. I attended UNT in Denton and received my BFA. I taught for 5 years in a small town, Boyd and then moved back to Austin and worked in the school system until I finally got hired on as the Art teacher for Harmony Science Academy - North Austin. It is a charter school and I LOVE IT! I have free reign to pretty much do whatever I want with my students and needless to say I have been able to grow not only as a teacher but as an artist with my students. I currently teach 3 Art I classes, Drawing and Painting, Pre-AP and AP Art.
I started the MAE program in Jan 2012 and just finished my first class of Glassblowing! I LOVED IT! I will definitely be taking it again next summer!
I have a 6 yr old little boy named Carson! He is my world! I left his abusive father when Carson was 14 months old. He sees his dad once a month and then for a month in the summer. Best decision I ever made was to leave. I have a boyfriend Michael and he has 2 boys Timmy and Jacob!
As for my Art, I am a collage style artist. I love putting things together mainly all painted, or drawn to create a unique piece. Juane Quick-To-See Smith is one of my favorite collage artists! After last summer in class with Future, who pushed me in the direction I currently am going in my artwork. I currently am working on artwork that is all about healing and working through my issues of abandonment from my "real" dad and emotional and verbal abuse from Carson's father. I have done a lot of work on myself throughout this past year with many more artworks to come. I typically work in my classroom and have a great response from many of my students who relate to what I am doing, and has pushed them to do more meaningful artwork instead of just drawing something. I have a passion for what I do and am excited to learn even more and be able to share my experiences with my students!
Hi, all!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Lisa Howe and I am a master's student in Curriculum and Instruction, set to finish in December. Originally from Northeastern Indiana, I moved to Lubbock in 2008 to take a position as the Education Coordinator for the Buddy Holly Center and the Silent Wings Museum.
I have never been an artist. Creative, yes. Artistic, no. My undergrad is in Classical Civilizations, with minors in Anthropology and Museum Studies from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. I thought I would someday design exhibits for the Cairo Museum. Life intervened and I found a job as an educator at a museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I fell in love with museum education! When that museum closed I came to Lubbock.
The Buddy Holly Center teaches art classes, but I also enjoy incorporating art into curriculum in all disciplines. My personal interest is how art can bridge the learning gap in school, as well as help students who are at-risk or recovering from trauma. I recently began keeping a mixed media art journal as a kind of diary and I have found that it is a great way to work through hard times. I love using color and abstract design, mainly because my technical abilities can leave something to be desired. It's my first undertaking in art-making, and it's been tough and fun.
Most of my family is still in rural Northern Indiana. I have an older brother in the Seattle area who I consider my best friend. I think he is as excited about this class as I am. I'm hoping to learn more about how to integrate art into programs I create, create new programs, and think outside the box.
Hello Everyone !
ReplyDeleteMy full name is Melanie Blair Phelps. I go by Blair. I was born in Dallas Texas and still currently live in Dallas. I was fortunate to go to a High School where they had 5 art teachers and classes like printmaking, painting. Ceramics, photography, and drawings available after you took an intro Art 1 class. Therefore, I took these classes in High School and was hooked ever since.
My parents were divorced when I was 2 yrs old and he moved to New Orleans. I visited him holidays and summers. It was a nice change going from Dallas to New Orleans and getting different cultural experiences. I attended the University of North Texas in Denton and received my Bachlors of Art Education or Visual Studies degree in 2007.
I waited 3 years to start my masters. I started teaching for a Middle School in Mesquite, Texas which consisted of only 7th and 8th grade. It was the toughest middle school known to work for in mesquite because of the low income area, drug, gangs, and low parent involvement. However, the district has really good benefits. It was a wake up call really quick and was nothing like my student teaching. I learned to motivate my students and had to not only teach art, but it was maintaining the class environment and teaching basic life lessons. I ended up leaving that district due to the lack of support by the administration for the arts program and started to work the complete opposite kind of school district, Sunnyvale ISD. It is a 2A school district with only one elementary, one middle , and one high school. The arts programs consisted of crafts before I came. Therefore, I developed the arts programs there and have been teaching there and going on my 5th year. I come to find there are pros and cons of each teaching job.
I started my Masters Degree with Texas Tech when I started teaching in Sunnyvale, taking one class at a time, I am almost finished. This is my last class for my degree and will be giving my defense of my project on Teaching Art with Science and Technology next week.
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Daniel Tyler and I am a master’s student in Texas Tech’s Museum Science program. I am new to Visual Studies, the MAE program, and this is the first online course I have taken on the graduate level. Admittedly, taking this course is a bit intimidating but equally exciting!
I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. My father writes and teaches philosophy in Houston and my mother is a retired attorney. I am the youngest of four children. Houston’s museums and art centers– MFAH, the Menil Collection, Rothko Chapel, etc. –deeply affected me from an early age and, I believe, have led me to where I am today. I believe museums to be valuable educational and cultural resources necessary to the preservation and appreciation of our collective cultural heritage. While I am lacking in formal education in many of the visual arts, the moving image has been a life-long passion of mine. Since I was about eleven years old, I have writing, directing, editing, and acting in film projects with friends and other enthusiests. As an adolescent, I took a number of filmmaking classes at the Glassel School of Art, the University of Houston, and community colleges. I graduated from Southwestern University in 2012 with a degree in History and English. While SU did not offer Film Studies as major, I fashioned an unofficial equivalent through the History/English curriculum and independent studies. During college, I interned at the Williamson County Museum in Georgetown, TX and the Witte Museum in San Antonio. After graduating from SU, I worked for a year at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in the membership and guest services department. During this time, I became familiar with the outstanding MFAH film program. Marian Luntz and her staff are a source of inspiration to me as I continue my education. I began my time in the TTU Museum Studies program last August and am slated to graduate in May 2015. I currently work in the A/V archives at the Southwest Collection on the TTU campus.
On a less serious note, I do a weekly music and talk show on the TTU student radio station and (poorly) perform stand-up comedy. I’m looking forward to this course. I enjoyed reading about you all.
July 9
ReplyDeleteTo begin I will start, with my fascination about the ghost dance. It's interesting to me --How the word ghost is rarely used to describe something good in Native American culture but the word spirit is-- making the dance special. It's interesting to me how scary it was to the US government.
Here is the oldest film footage we have of Native American drumming. It was originally a silent film from 1890s.
Lambert
The oft sited adage “there is no word for art in Native American Culture” is repeated in the first paragraph of the Lambert. But there is a word for power and magic. In an aboriginal culture where community was tantamount and possession was shared, perhaps art was really power and magic.
Wampum belt
"Wampum tells the story of survival –to remain independent" (pg 9)
In one of the exhibition catalogues from Eitlejorg, a woman artists, recalling the wampum belt exchange between Native Americans and the European settlers, created beaded images of the 19th c. treaty which were never translated into any Native American language.
Hiawatha belt, Iroquois. Remembering my Longfellow, and his 1855 epic of the Song of Hiawatha.
Remembering that it was from the 5 unified Native American nations from which the founding fathers borrowed the concepts of the "United States", I think it is so interesting that in the
1630s wampum belts were part of colonial currency--since money was scare. Also, colonists were making beads.
In one of the passage the process of "peace talks" was detailed.
How would community be different if we began with the histories of the group present and recount the laws which would govern the conversation? (pg 7)
Invitation to war
(pg 9)
At stake was two competing value systems between Native and non Native peoples: one based on consensus and various degrees of shared power, land and resources, versus one based on hierarchal forms of government