Golf Course Crit

This was a fast-paced crit, almost a preliminary review (which was good, since this assignment was loose and I'm not sure exactly what students thought the expectations were). Mary Ann was very clear at the end that these solutions were ON THEIR WAY to being good, but weren't there yet. Also disappointingly several folks didn't hand in any draft at all.

(Hindsight note: more handed in for final grading, which is happening now)

Here are some examples.

Drawing crit 10/19

This class had SUCH a different pace and feel than either of Mary Ann's that I've seen. It was much more uniform, much less wildly energetic, much less quirky (with the exception of quite a few bits of humor that students seemed to intermittently understand/jive with), and much more of the onus fell on (or was taken by) Jim.

It was interesting to see what I assume was the step leading up to figure drawing--students learning, many for the first time, about positive and negative space, figure/ground relationships, building a range of values, paying attention to the light source. This gave me a better sense of how to build knowledge before students get to the figure drawing level so they'll be more prepared--and I'm glad I've had the chance to observe the figure drawing class so I can concretely reference the skills I know students will need to make the most of it. I think that explanation of "why" was somewhat lacking here (though I know I only saw a snippet of this particular course), and that would help them connect what they're doing to a broader scope of their art education.

Jim did most of the pointing and talking in this class. Maybe it would have helped some students to stay focused (some didn't have an issue but some did) if he had encouraged them to stand up and point to specific elements, if he guided them to answer some of the questions he answered or come to some of the conclusions he did. I saw Mary Ann do this well--she started a crit with largely her own responses and then started asking, "What would I tell you to do next? What do you think I would say is working well here?" Before long, students were internalizing her catchphrases.

POMO class & figure drawing class observation 10/13

POMO:

Game show day!

Mary Ann would frequently interrupt to address how students should ask and answer meaningful, relevant questions, and how to alter their questions to suit the room/venue/group. She also gave them a quick "teaching-moment-esque" lecture on "inspiration" -- Elizabeth Gilbert-style, you don't wait around for your muse, that way when it shows up you're ready, and if it doesn't, you know at least you've done your part...etc.

I'm intrigued by a tidbit about a work of art where birds symbolize 16th and 8th notes (in chapter 7, for my future reference).

We discussed diversity through 1) ethnic, 2) economic, and 3) knowledge lenses.

"If you're going to follow art, you have to follow the money--money shapes values."

"Language shapes behavior."

FIG DRAW:

"It's time to wean"--should be doing things like moving easels before and after class on own, without suggesting.

Pointing out specific things drawing-wise she wants students to do--things she sees happening but wants to see happen more often and more intentionally.

Guilt trip about practice--"What did I say about practice? If you do (suggestion) between every class you will get better. If not, you'll stay in mediocrity. I can tell when you're not practicing."

(Sidenote from hindsight--I didn't see a lot of difference in students taking initiative to practice or take more intentional care of the classroom space in the days after this. How do you instill this responsibility in people?)

10/4 Observation

Guilt trip day!

"I expect you to be taking advantage of lectures, openings, events on campus. If you don't, I'm calling out your BS. That tells me you aren't taking your work seriously."

"Are you not good at drawing? Make up for it in other areas--be organized, keep the space clean, go to events, ask questions--before you know it, you'll be ahead."

"Submit to the student show. Your art career begins now. If your batting average [for successful works of art] is 1 in 6, make 6."

Today was our first warm up of 16 gestural figure drawings, 4 across and 4 down on one page, decreasing time allowed for each. Mary Ann highlighted the importance of no grid (totally my instinct and many others' to make one initially...I want clarity on why it's important not to make one--to build ability to use imaginary grid that helps map out the figure? To create a more dynamic composition?)

9/22 and 9/27 tidbits

Mary Ann today addressed drawing style. She gave a few examples of individual student styles that were emerging--dynamic linework, using the side of the tool to create "puddling" shadows, etc. She said, of the suggestions she had been making and would continue to make, "Don't think of it as giving up the way you draw...instead adding to it." I think this will be an important thing to communicate often and clearly since art classroom spaces seem to often have more of an element of subjectivity and vulnerability...this heads off some of the "self-expression" trap and sets up the space as one to experiment and build a personal portfolio of ways to use tools and mediate between what students see and what they represent.

The next week Mary Ann addressed some challenges students were having with the assignment--though I think this comment was meant to deal with more general trends she sees in students in general--at our graduate level too:

"Your answers correspond to your level of inquiry. If you have rigor but aren't asking interesting questions, then all you have is just rigor. If you aren't getting interesting answers, you are asking the wrong questions."

Critique for this project was REALLY succinct. She asked folks to look around and choose two favorites, and why. The first two students who shared these answers chose sets of 25 that were 1) very similar expressions with subtle differences and 2) a wide range of answers, followed by a very brief discussion of why both those solutions worked.

Some examples of student work below:

9/20 observation

This class period was initially intended to serve as a tutorial on how to cheaply frame/present 2D work (timed to help folks prep for submitting to the student show).

Mary Ann went off script to talk about school politics, funding, changes in teaching, hiring process, and how this impacts students--how they can position themselves, BFA vs BA, purpose of a Master's.

She introduced the first homework assignment during this class (to draw 25 of some icon or object), and told students "if you make 25 using just pencil and paper, you have boxed yourself into a corner. You have grown up in conservative times. So have your peers. Keep that in mind."

In hindsight, only maybe one of the students seems to have actually pushed the limits of drawing with that assignment, using unusual materials and combinations of composition and subject matter--and she was a non-major. I wonder what it means and looks like to grow up in non-conservative times. Do students need examples to illustrate something like this? Or does a concept like this just take time to take root?

9/27 and 9/29 observations

Both classes this week were structured similarly. I led warmups--2-5 minute drawings of the model, and Mary Ann coached me on what processes to emphasize at what times, when students should be focusing on which parts of their drawings. She and I both had to, in different ways, almost demand students to 1) move around, look off their peers' drawings, take ideas from each other especially when stuck, and 2) map out the interior of a figure before the outline. It took so much repetition, in so many different forms (a few times Mary Ann literally told everyone to get up and walk around), but I'm starting to see real improvements (see one student drawing below):

Of note:

• Assignment 1 (draw 25 of some icon or image) was critiqued VERY briefly and efficiently. (Q: Which set stands out to you and why? Elicited an answer of two sets of drawings with very different processes and results--both equally valid.)
• Assignment 2 (designing a hole for a Montana-history-themed mini-golf course) inttro'ed Thursday. Students were invited to help name the project. Seems like some chance these things could actually be built and be part of an event. Way cool, super motivating.
• Repetition, repetition, repetition. Mary Ann told me to think of what my art teachers taught me, have confidence in my knowledge, and find ways to paraphrase it enough times in enough ways that it sticks for students.