Welcome to this exciting class that looks at the rich history of American Studio Crafts. I hope each of you takes this time to meander through this history and allow your artheart to go wild with imagination that will inform your own studio work. Read over the attached syllabus. If you have any questions contact me at future.akins@ttu.edu. Your first response is due Jan 22th. And then there is a second response due before we get to the books. This gives you time to purchase the two class books and find a copy of one series from Craft in America.
My name is Andrew and I teach 6th, 7th, & 8th grade art at Dunbar College Preparatory Academy (which is the longest name for a middle school I have ever heard). This is my second year teaching and I feel it has taught me way more than my five years as an undergrad. If you were to walk into my classroom randomly, you would probably hear wild conversations from students, instrumental beats from my computer, and myself talking and joking around with students. You are also likely to hear yelling (from students and myself trying to get attention), chairs sliding around, and pencils and sharpeners falling to the floor.
ReplyDeleteMy personal artwork revolves around time and cycles. I predominately make video, animation, and sound based artworks, but also rely heavily on drawing and painting. I recently began talking to professors in the School of Music to begin studying percussion and music composition and have started an independent study in video art with the School of Art’s Transmedia program.
When I think of craft I think of craftsmanship, woodworking, embroideries, and quilt making. At least, those are the first things to pop into my mind. I’ve never been formally taught about craft. I’m basing my knowledge on craft by what I’ve learned from my grandparents. They never referred to their work in fiber or wood craft, but I always assumed that is what it would be categorized as because they made these objects with their hands at home.
I feel that location plays an important role in craft because of them.
Nice to meet you Andrew, your project with music sounds interesting. Your art class sounds fun and like you love what you do.
DeleteAndrew, I think the main problem with art classes is that they are stuffed into small rooms with no sense of personal studio space.Really. Think about how you work and if you could be creative in a place that makes you stop and start over every 55 min. surrounded by people you really dont like or maybe like too much. I believe one of the joys of crafts is that for the most part it allows you to find a space that is yours.
DeleteI didn't even think of making areas more private except for my rowdy students that need to cool down in a private studio. Maybe I could have optional dividers students can store away and decorate? That might even allow students to temporarily surround themselves with things that inspire them and each class could make their own.
DeleteJust a though. ;)
It is nice to have you in class again, Andrew. Hope you had a restful break. :)
DeleteOne of my favorite assignments is to have students make "wearable sound makers". Percussion is the easier sound to create, but I would throw in sound-making concerts from different cultures including indigenous peoples. I record 60 seconds of each student's performance in video and then they form small ensembles for a 2-minute "song" and then a finale with all of them making their sounds, while walking through the Administrative office suites. Performance was part of their evaluation, and many clever outfits would be made to accentuate their projects (which could include bicycle parts, cans, tubes, and Blue Man Group inspired devices.
DeleteHi, I'm Diana and I currently teach art at West HS/MS. We just got into our new campus this year, (post explosion), and I am thrilled to have three sinks in my room! And a working kiln again. I was in a portable building with no sink for the past three years. I'm still getting adjusted to the new digs, but liking them very much. I teach 6-12 including AP classes.
ReplyDeleteI grew up around crafts, and had an aunt and grandmother very much into various kinds of needlework. And they brought me into their circle, so I grew up learning about needlepoint, embroidery, cross stitch, and crewel. My grandmother's was an expert at crochet. She did teach me some of that, but I didn't excel at that. I did however, learn much from them, and have many wonderful memories and crafting together and having that special family bonding time and conversations. By the time I was in HS, I was branching out into creating my own needlework designs. I enjoyed other crafts such as painting on wood, building some furniture, and making decorations to give as gifts to friends and family. When I went to art school, though, I didn't feel lke the crafts were much accepted or appreciated as real art. Maybe it was just the time frame of my education. I somehow "missed" the crafts movement in a formal way.
So I'm hoping to learn much from this course, and have my paradigms changed and challenged. In many ways, crafts was my beginning into creative paths. I have somewhat lost touch with this part of myself, and hope to get back into touch, but in a way that feels authentic and professional. (If that makes sense.)
I enjoy painting mostly, mixed media, visual journaling, printmaking, photography and design. I am interested in Chinese Brush painting -I kind of have a crush on Asian arts. And my favorite place to visit so far is Scotland. I'm very attracted to the titles of our reading list, and am very curious and interested to learn about this art movement. I'm hoping that my crafty young adult self, and my older art teacher self get re acquainted and more integrated. I have family today that are excellent quilters, builders, and artistic welders. I have always felt more comfortable with paint and 2D, but have a yearning to rediscover my craft side as well.
Nice to meet you Diana. Hearing about your grandmother's crocheting expertise and aunts needlework reminded me of my own history with various needlework I grew up around.
DeleteWhere are you located?
First, I am so sorry for the pain your community had to endure. Thank you for still being there for your students.You comment about not knowing formal crafts is the reason I offer this class. I believe that the line between what schools and galleries and museums what to call fine art and crafts is a very meandering line that is fading.There is incredible work crated using materials that are often discarded or overlooked. Welcome aboard!
DeleteNice to have class with you again Diana! I agree the only time I've ever heard of Craft in higher Education was Future and Ed talking about the Arts and Crafts Movements and this class now, unless I missed a section of reading in Art History, but I doubt that, haha!
DeleteHi everyone! Thanks for the welcome and great comments! I apologise for not responding sooner but have experienced some family medical emergencies lately and I am the main care giver. Hi Andrew! Nice to be in class with you again this semester! And very nice to meet you, Corina. Future, I truly appreciate your response and depth of understanding. It has been a difficult journey and this year has still been yet another transition. I love my new art room. But administrators are over if Ike the right now about the school being "new" and it cramps the creative style just a bit.
DeleteI am looking forward to this material, and hoping to get my books today!
And. Corona......I teach in West, Texas north of Waco. And live in hewitt, Texas, south of Waco!
DeleteCORINA!!!! I'm on my phone and auto correct wasn't letting me spell your name properly! Ugh! Sorry!
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ReplyDeleteNi hao (你好), an-nyeong ha-se-yo (안녕하세요) everyone. I'm Nigel and I'm currently teaching and living in Beijing and getting ready to move to Gimpo, South Korea next month. I'm currently not teaching art. I am teaching English here in Beijing to high school students and adults and then doing the same once I get to Korea, but will be teaching children instead.
ReplyDeleteBefore I moved to Beijing I was teaching Middle school art, at two schools in Klein ISD right outside of Houston, Texas. I have always wanted to travel to Southeast Asia and decided to get my TESOL certification and start teaching abroad. I didn’t enjoy my first-year teaching for several different reasons and had decided to get out of teach art. While being here I realized that I missed teaching art and I want to keep doing it worldwide. Part of the reason I didn’t want to teach art anymore was not having the education background and going through a baptism by fire year at one of my schools. My goal with grad school is to fill in the missing art education gaps and become a more effective teacher.
When I think of crafts I think of anything that is handmade such as weaving, knitting, paper arts, pottery, glass, and quilting etc. I was introduced to crafts in middle school through hand loom weaving. I got re-interested in crafts while teaching at my middle schools, because I had to teach a unit of crafts. I think of myself of more of a craftsman’s because I love to create things with my hands. I really want to explore weaving, knitting, bookmaking, leatherworking, metal and jewelry design, and paper arts. In college, I loved printmaking because it was all a hands on process. In the summer courses I want to explore printmaking and metal and jewelry design.
Like many artist I am interested in many different things but currently limited by not having a permanent home. So, I have been doing more drawing and looking at getting into digital drawing.
It is amazing how a school system can "make or break" you. Education can be political and filled with buzz words or current trends without any heart or any respect for learning. When schools and this includes universities or colleges, are focused only numbers and data gathering the whole joy of teaching is lost. Because you are in small space trying thinking about emboridery. You will love the summer classes.
DeleteHi Nigel, nice to meet you. You are quite a ways away. I admire you following your dream to travel,
DeleteThis is David Mesple' using my wife's computer temporarily.
DeleteConsider reading the book The Underground History of American Education by John Taylor Gatto. It will explain that most education is corporately designed to break you.
Anyway, I had to demand art classes in high school because they said "David, you are way too smart to waste your time in Art classes". Word for word. Finally started them in middle of my Junior year.
@Future you are correct and I did survive my first year but it soured me a little. I needed the time and distance away to realize that I did survive that first year but, I needed to fill in my gaps in my education and get back to making and enjoying art for myself.
DeleteThanks Corina nice to meet you! Yeah it wasn't easy to change directions, but I'm glad I did it.
Thanks for the book suggestion David, I'll check it out too!
DeleteNicely said, Future. I think I will check out the book suggestion too, David.
DeleteHi Nigel! Ni Hao! A close family friend of ours lived in China for several years and I am so drawn to Asian art!
DeleteI received my formal QTS from England this past fall, and just applied for my GTS for teaching in Scotland. I wish i was younger, but it is never too late, right? I have a lot of family responsibilities at the moment, but would love to live and teach art abroad! So, well done you!
My name is Corina Carmona. I am currently in Lubbock as a first year student in the Fine Arts PhD program at Texas Tech. I am teaching one section of ART 3372 Rethinking Art Education, which I am really excited about, as it is my first time teaching a college course. I recently completed my MAE from Tech, and had taught high school art for ten years back in my hometown in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas.
ReplyDeleteMy work tends to be more 2-D. I enjoy, paintings in oils, acrylics, and I have experience working on murals. I had the opportunity to work on a buon fresco in Junction in 2013 in a class taught by artist Federico Vigil. I also love printmaking and some drawing. However, I spend most of my time writing, researching, and reading. And watching horror films. It's research!
The focus on my work, both research and art, is oppression of women particularly in gender roles in popular culture, but also in social and cultural issues like reproductive justice. I also work a lot on identity and ethnic studies, particularly Mexican American Studies.
My perception of craft was the domestic nature of the medium. For example, my mother, a master crocheter, makes her own crocheted floral designs and sews them on a towel. She then adds lace and beads to the towel. The towel, a typical domestic item, is transformed into a work of art. The towel became the canvas. From what I was taught especially coming from a BFA background, working with traditional domestic item is what distinguished craft or folk art from "fine art." I guess what makes a distinction is the creativity, if you design and create it, vs. if you follow directions to recreate a manufactured design like cross-stitch kits from a craft store. However, folk art and craft has always faced challenges being recognized as "fine art."
Lastly, what I plan to work on in this class is soap making. Radical soap making. I've been making my own soap for years. I want to incorporate healing properties from Curanderismo (native traditional medicinal practices in Mexico and the Southwest) into the soap. That's my plan.
I love the idea of soap making as a radical craft. How perfect to make something that is used daily into something to aid is your thinking or re-thinking. And that will heal in many ways.
DeleteCorina, I've always loved the aesthetics of modeled soaps. Other than its impermanence, it is a wonderful sculpting and casting material. Using it to create an artistic, functional item that is not expected to last is a great solution.
DeleteHow wonderful you have finished your MAE and working towards your PHD-very exciting! To be honest, I wish I could sit in on your class, Rethinking Art Education. Being out in the teaching field for 20 years I feel a little like I've been under a rock- would love to learn of new trends. I hope your semester is successful.
DeleteDavid here again, using my wife's gmail account (frustrated by server issues with my college's gmail blocking access). Because I work very large I was asked to do a mural after the original artist failed to show. It was 12' x 37' photorealistic image of a 1940's midwest town featuring a Ford dealership with the owners in the scene. I was asked to make a mock-up that included famous Ford vehicles including the first Thunderbird, Mustang, a 1950 pickup, and the manager's tricked-out Bronco. I found historical pictures of the manager's grandfather's Thriff Tee general store and put Henry Ford and the owners in the stores, added a real 3-D barber pole,hubcaps, and an awning over the store.
DeleteThe mural was in an inside bay where customers would have their newly purchased vehicles brought for their inspection. The floor was painted, too, and the new vehicles looked like they were driving down Main Street! Wide angle photos gave a completely believable effect that was a powerful advertising tool with the satisfied customers waving from their newly purchased cars and trucks.
I did the entire mural with brushes using alkyd paints on a scaffold. Many customers were stunned that I had not used an airbrush. Alkyds handle like oils, but dry in 24 hours, so extensive modeling is possible w/o slowing you down. 3 months on a scaffold was challenging.
Oh! That soap making venture sounds fabulous! Please market that to us!
DeleteVery nice to meet you, and congrats on teaching your first college class! Very inspiring!!!!!
Hey everyone! My name is Katy Cook and I am in my 2nd semester of the MAE program. I'm currently a K-5 art teacher in Broken Arrow, OK. I taught 4th and 5th grades for 9 years before landing in this spot. I've always had a passion for art and infused it in my classroom from the very beginning. I graduated in May 2016 from Oklahoma State University with my masters in Teaching, Learning and Leadership with an emphasis in Curriculum and instruction. I suppose I'm a perpetual learner!! In my "spare" time I'm also the president of my local teacher's union.
ReplyDeleteMy artwork mainly is watercolor painting and photography, but I'm teaching myself glass fusing, so I imagine that will become my new favorite! That's been a lot of fun experimenting! Any pointers/advice would be much appreciated! Most of the time I am doing projects/requests for others and often don't have time to create my own art work. Besides, I never think it's good enough when it's for myself!
My personal thoughts on craft are varied. I think it's one of my favorite ideas- to take an idea and become an expert in that field is amazing. To become an inventor, so to speak, also is intriguing to me. Too often I feel that people hear the word craft and think "arts and crafts" and not really honing the skills and immersing themselves in the topic.
I'm really looking forward to hearing all of your ideas throughout this semester!!
Welcome to this class. The reason behind having the "final" be a work of art is so each of you will allow yourselves time to make art because it is required. A friend once told me that the reason so many going into fields other than art or slowly drift into other fields that take all our time is because there is not positive feedback from art. There are no goals or requirements that demand our time. Think final grades, year end reports, or justifications. For this semester your homework is to think about and to make art.
DeleteHi Katy, nice to meet you. That is interesting that you are working with glass fusing. It looks really complicated to me. There was a class in glass fusing, back in 2014 in Junction that you would have enjoyed.
DeleteDavid here again: I perceive invention as craft. This is making my next post challenging because I seldom do craft for its own sake. Rather I make things that incorporate craft techniques to make atypical forms. I also used to restore antique furniture, si much of our household furnishings are hybrid antiques where I take old, cheap, damaged furniture and rebuild it/recombine aesthetics to make "antiques" that people say, "wow, i've never seen a buffet/chair/cabinet like that before. What period is it?"
DeleteI am teaching elementary visual art classes (K-5) just north of Ft. Worth. My personal art making is varied, but centers around oil painting, stone sculpting and ceramics. I enjoy creating realistic and abstract work. For the most part, my art has been very traditional, only venturing into more contemporary currents in the last year or so.
ReplyDeleteThe first craftsman I knew was my father. He is an auto body mechanic, and growing up I was impacted by the quality sculpting and painting, which he did on the wrecked cars. Of course, at the time I did not equate his work as an artistic craft, but that is exactly what it is. My mother's mother occasionally did needlepoint and crafted quilts, and one of her sisters was a folk painter. All of these artisans had a major, although indirect, influence on my visual obsessions.
The first major craft that I remember being taught was in Jr. High art class. We learned the basics of traditional calligraphy. I suppose this brings me to my thoughts on what a craft is- art used in a predominantly utilitarian manner. The two major crafts that I currently include in my classes are fibers/ weaving and pottery.
I am excited to have the opportunity to learn about new techniques and discuss the wider world of crafting. I think that crafting can be used as a “gateway” to inspiring visual creativity. My students often get excited when they see that what they are creating has a concrete value and I believe this can be used to develop a broader appreciation and love for art making.
Hi James my father is a mechanic also. I was probably impacted by my mother because she is very much a craftsman. Growing up she was always designing and creating things around the house or for her friends kids rooms. She also learned to decorate cakes and embroidery napkins.
DeleteDavid here again: All farmers and musicians in my family, though my maternal Grandfather was a really good carpenter on the side. He made us kids easels and swing sets. I used to use his tiny workshop shed when I would visit. I used a crosscut saw to cut wood and the dubbed it on the sidewalk to make curves. One day a man walked by and said, "sonny, why aren't you using a coping saw?" I'd never heard of one, but by that weekend I had taken my allowance to the hardware store and bought one. It changed my life!
DeleteIt is always interesting to me that the traditional idea of crafts makes up the majority of lessons for the classroom while the art history we teach is based on what is called fine art. This semester will allow for each of us to explore/rethink what we were taught, what we have taught.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone.. I am Debbie Caillet and I teach elementary art in a wonderful school district north of Fort Worth, Texas. I say wonderful because despite today’s challenges of teaching- I really do have an amazing job at a warm loving school with solid support for my program. I have been teaching for 20 years and also assist the Fine Arts Director as Lead Teacher for the arts K-12. My plate is full which leaves nothing for personal creativity or expression. My return to higher education is ( in my mind at least ) a way out…to freedom. I am not sure what that will look like- my soul is screaming to make with my hands. Possibly my freedom is the chance to finally make art with the new knowledge from my courses… possibly my freedom is my mind expanding in ways I never thought of.. or my freedom will take the form of a leader in the arts.. either way I am ready to grow. Finally it is my turn!
ReplyDeleteI am a mixed media artist with infinite love of books and bookmaking. There is just something about the pages and the cover that is so symbolic of life to me. With a deep obsession of materials, supplies, and techniques, bookmaking allows me to express my love of printmaking, fiber arts, sewing, photography, lettering, clay, etc..(you cant tell I am art teacher). I honestly can say that I am not just one medium- I am all of them.
I have the utmost value for artists who make with their hands. The time, skill, talent, and love it takes to create a craft of high quality is truly beautiful. My family has had several craft artisans from previous generations and I am lucky to have several of their pieces in my possession. My heart’s desire is to contribute to this legacy with my own craft.
I also love books...you are allow/encouraged to follow this path with the materials we will be studying.
ReplyDeleteHi, I am David Mesple'. a PhD student at TTU and an art professor at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. I have been teaching for decades. I am completely self-taught (actually everyone is if you really think about it) having no role models to do what my politician father called "those girl things". I taught myself to draw, build, paint, and many crafts. I asked my mother to teach me to embroider and sew. She was great. Her side of the family were all classical musicians, so I grew up with music and figured out art. I grew up in San Francisco and we went to the museums all the time. I was amazed at everythingI saw and thought I was having a typical American childhood. Apparently not, because I was exposed to so much diversity and amazing arts and crafts that others seldom were exposed to. While I can separate form from function, I do not separate craft from art. It's all problem-solving and making stuff. For me, that's the purpose of life.
ReplyDeleteHello David, you life sounded very interesting. I agree that most everyone who pursues art is probably self taught. I'm jealous that you get to live in Colorado. I am actually considering moving there when I return to the states because Colorado has seasons and Texas doesn't.
DeleteYeah, everyone has responded. Thanks to those who are 'talking' to each other. At one time I required each student to talk to at least 2 other students but after some thought and reading way too many comments without thought I decided to let you talk to each other when you wanted to, if you are moved to talk. Real conversation can not be forced.
DeleteI will post later today with more details about this weeks assignment.
Hi Nigel, David here. Colorado looks better every year, except it is getting to the over-developed California look in too many places. The one drawback for an artist is that large projects are hard to execute when it's really cold. Resins don't set, same with concrete, and you have to have good ventilation while you keep the heat up.
DeleteI eventually hope to be somewhere where I do not have to wait until Spring to begin certain projects!