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WHERE HAVE WE BEEN AND WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Who Makes Art?
I often asked my art education students…are you an artist who teaches or are you a teacher who makes art?
I have grown into the answer to that question. I have developed a new way of art making.
I use a hybrid style which incorporates Postmodern and Conceptual style characteristics which employs a methodology I call “recordari”, from the Latin “to remember, call to mind (re-restore and cor, genitive, cordis heart, understood by the ancients as the seat of judgment and memory” (Barnhart, 1988) (p. 896). I would like to identify “Onion” and artworks like it, as representing our “lived experience” (VanManen, 1990) in visual form. I suggest we use our personal power objects to take the viewer on a journey, which explores and records the artist’s lived experience.
As you may guess, I am not a supporter of works called “Untitled” . I do not believe that some divine force “made” me creative. I beleive certain individuals are risk takes and the rest is PRACTICE. I am not sure where or why we encouraged the elite view that only the “solo voice as genius artist” is a valid form of art making but I believe it robs the joy of living a creative life from many of our children.
The United States does not appear in the top 25 in reading, math and science on the world stage. The only area we have continued to lead is INNOVATION. Apple’s new position as the most valuable company in history aside, we are slipping in that area, as well.
I was shocked to discover, here in Minnesota, that the words “different” and “interesting” are bad words. We will all be in serious, serious trouble if creativity, innovation and risk taking does not become every teacher’s goal for every lesson. It enrages me that along around first grade, teachers ask the students to do a drawing lesson. If that 6 year old can draw a pony which looks like a pony…THEY are anointed to be “creative”. The rest of the class never tries again! What a tragedy.
ARTISTS/INNOVATORS ARE NOT BORN. THEY ARE MADE THROUGH PRACTICE OF SKILL SETS… JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DISCIPLINE. YOU CAN NOT IMAGINE HOW IGNORANT YOU SOUND WHEN YOU SAY: “ I’M JUST NOT CREATIVE”. YOU CAN NOT SAY THAT ANY MORE THAN YOU CAN SAY : “I JUST DON’T DO MATH” OR “I HAVE NO INTEREST IN HISTORY”. PLEASE FOLLOW ME FOR TIPS ON HOW TO CHANGE THE “DRAW A PONY” PERCEPTION OF CREATIVITY WHICH WAS IMPOSED ON YOU IN YOUR GRADE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE (PROBABLY) . 87% OF THE CURRENT STUDENT LEARNING COMES IN VISUALLY! DID YOU GET THAT? 87%
Can everyone be an “artist”, probably not. Can everyone be “creative” . YES!!!
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