Final Entry
December 4-11, 2019
#Harmony
When I compare my visual representations between my first entry to my last, I see my perspective transform from small, singular parts into a broader perspective that brings all of those parts together. It's almost as if I was on a hike and I was taking pictures of the smaller things I saw in nature, a flower growing or a hummingbird. Then slowly as I kept walking I started to see the bigger things, a tree or a winding trail. Then eventually I saw the entire perspective as one. The mountains the trees and the birds, all together as one whole. The word I chose as my hashtag to represent the transformation is #Harmony. This word expresses how my visuals gradually came together as one, working simultaneously. There is harmony in all of these parts when they are whole. The reasons that have caused this gradual change are the growth of my understanding and the connections I made between what I have learned and how they work together when I teach. I see my role transforming from student to teacher. I see myself taking everything I have learned as a student molding it into the teacher perspective. I see my obstacles being overcome from entry to entry as I build on my knowledge and expand my understanding endlessly.
To compose these visuals into one artwork, I want to create a blend of 3D and 2D materials and techniques. First I will start with my canvas, a horse skull. The horse symbolizes overcoming obstacles and how we carry ourselves through adversity. For me, this symbolizes how I have overcome my obstacles in my learning/teaching. Next I will be using acrylic to paint the flower of life onto the center of the horses skull. The flower of life is a symbol from sacred geometry that represents expansion and the connection between all things, This symbol is representative of the harmony between what I have learned and how all of these things work simultaneously to create my teaching philosophies. I will also add a butterfly specimen onto the piece. The butterfly represents transformation and personal growth, Throughout my journal I express how as a teacher I will constantly be growing and transforming to suite the needs of my students, as a teacher I am also a student- always learning, always transforming. Lastly I added a quartz crystal point. Quartz crystals are believed to facilitate the flow of energy between living things allowing them to better live life in harmony, symbolic of my hashtag and how my vision came together as one over the course of my journal entries.
To compose these visuals into one artwork, I want to create a blend of 3D and 2D materials and techniques. First I will start with my canvas, a horse skull. The horse symbolizes overcoming obstacles and how we carry ourselves through adversity. For me, this symbolizes how I have overcome my obstacles in my learning/teaching. Next I will be using acrylic to paint the flower of life onto the center of the horses skull. The flower of life is a symbol from sacred geometry that represents expansion and the connection between all things, This symbol is representative of the harmony between what I have learned and how all of these things work simultaneously to create my teaching philosophies. I will also add a butterfly specimen onto the piece. The butterfly represents transformation and personal growth, Throughout my journal I express how as a teacher I will constantly be growing and transforming to suite the needs of my students, as a teacher I am also a student- always learning, always transforming. Lastly I added a quartz crystal point. Quartz crystals are believed to facilitate the flow of energy between living things allowing them to better live life in harmony, symbolic of my hashtag and how my vision came together as one over the course of my journal entries.
Here I included images of the actual skull and butterfly specimen I will be using in my final piece, below are my plans!
This image shows my 3D canvas, the horse skull, as well as where I will be drawing/ painting the flower of life image. The flower of life will be painted in rainbow colors as my journal was very colorful throughout the entries. I also decided to add one small change to my final piece. I want to add touches of liquid gold leaf. This gold leaf will refer to the "Golden Nugget" of knowledge I talked about in my Journal 11. It represents the knowledge I want my students to find through my teaching methods. By providing my students opportunities to learn through their own discoveries they can arrive to these golden pieces of knowledge that stay with them forever. |
Final Entry 12/16/19
The title for my final artwork is Harmony. In the past, I thought of teaching art in much more simple was then I think of today. Before I thought of teaching art as providing student with materials, tools and techniques and showing them how to properly use them to create a "good" piece of art. I thought I would know my students were successful if they were able to relay information to me like art vocabulary or show me proper use of the tools and materials. If my students could do all of these things and create work that was deemed well done by an audience, I would have thought of myself as a successful teacher. My current understanding has taught me otherwise. In order for students to be successful they have to be able to think and talk like artists do. This means they have to have an experience in making art that taps into their thoughts and connects with them on a personal level. Students need to be provided with learning experiences that allow them to explore and learn through their own unique ways of creating and discovering resulting in meaningful learning that sticks with them for a lifetime. In my future teaching, I know I have to carefully compose my lessons and teaching methods in a way that provides this for all students using everything I have learned in past semesters.
Throughout service learning I experienced first hand how powerful this way of teaching really was. I saw that by providing my students with a chance to experiment and push the limits of a material they were able to discover it's abilities first hand and when asked to use those materials once again they could recall how to use them and deliberately choose what would work best to achieve their desired visual effects. Students were also able to recall art vocabulary in proper context without having to be lectured or being asked outright to memorize these terms. Through out service learning I was able to use experimentation, ideation, play, choice and assessment and see how each one brought an opportunity to me and my students to better learn and understand art and how to think like an artist. When creating my final work, all of these incidents came together to influence my ideas that I have had in teaching and learning and how they functioned as one whole.
I chose my materials and symbols very carefully in my final to work to represent what I will walk away with as a result of everything I have learned in my classes and in service learning. First is the horse skull which represents the obstacles I have overcome and the adversity I have shown this semester. I faced obstacles like lesson plans that didn't go exactly as planned where I had to learn from my mistakes and push on to improve in the next lessons I taught. Next is the symbol of the butterfly specimens. The butterflies are symbolic of my change from student to teacher as well as my never ending transformation as a teacher. It is important that teachers never stop growing or learning to best suit the needs of their students. The butterfly also represents students in their growth and learning as artists in my classroom, I hope they can transform as much as I do from what they learn. The quartz crystals as well as the flower of life are the symbols of connection and harmony between all of these things. The flower of life shows the expansion of my thoughts and understanding of good teaching and how all of those parts are necessary to create one bigger whole that encompasses all things in my teaching philosophies. I also made the decision later to add liquid gold leaf to show what I call the "golden nugget" of knowledge I want my students to find through my teaching. By giving them the chance to learn in a way that lets them think for themselves, I am guiding them to discover these golden bits of information on their own instead of telling them what they should know. These golden nuggets are ultimately what I want my students to walk away with when leaving my class.
The entire process of creating was very fun for me as I connect with these materials on a personal level and this allowed me to see my connection to them in a deeper way than I did before. The hardest parts was being patient and taking my time while painting and blending my flower of life as it is very small and detailed. Through creating this work I am reminded of how every part of what I have learned about teaching is important and matters when creating an experience for my students in the classroom. In the future I will remember the word Harmony and this piece of art and let it serve as a reminder to work my hardest for me and my students. I know if I can remember to bring together all of the pieces of what I have learned together into a harmonious whole that I can be a successful teacher in the years to come!
Throughout service learning I experienced first hand how powerful this way of teaching really was. I saw that by providing my students with a chance to experiment and push the limits of a material they were able to discover it's abilities first hand and when asked to use those materials once again they could recall how to use them and deliberately choose what would work best to achieve their desired visual effects. Students were also able to recall art vocabulary in proper context without having to be lectured or being asked outright to memorize these terms. Through out service learning I was able to use experimentation, ideation, play, choice and assessment and see how each one brought an opportunity to me and my students to better learn and understand art and how to think like an artist. When creating my final work, all of these incidents came together to influence my ideas that I have had in teaching and learning and how they functioned as one whole.
I chose my materials and symbols very carefully in my final to work to represent what I will walk away with as a result of everything I have learned in my classes and in service learning. First is the horse skull which represents the obstacles I have overcome and the adversity I have shown this semester. I faced obstacles like lesson plans that didn't go exactly as planned where I had to learn from my mistakes and push on to improve in the next lessons I taught. Next is the symbol of the butterfly specimens. The butterflies are symbolic of my change from student to teacher as well as my never ending transformation as a teacher. It is important that teachers never stop growing or learning to best suit the needs of their students. The butterfly also represents students in their growth and learning as artists in my classroom, I hope they can transform as much as I do from what they learn. The quartz crystals as well as the flower of life are the symbols of connection and harmony between all of these things. The flower of life shows the expansion of my thoughts and understanding of good teaching and how all of those parts are necessary to create one bigger whole that encompasses all things in my teaching philosophies. I also made the decision later to add liquid gold leaf to show what I call the "golden nugget" of knowledge I want my students to find through my teaching. By giving them the chance to learn in a way that lets them think for themselves, I am guiding them to discover these golden bits of information on their own instead of telling them what they should know. These golden nuggets are ultimately what I want my students to walk away with when leaving my class.
The entire process of creating was very fun for me as I connect with these materials on a personal level and this allowed me to see my connection to them in a deeper way than I did before. The hardest parts was being patient and taking my time while painting and blending my flower of life as it is very small and detailed. Through creating this work I am reminded of how every part of what I have learned about teaching is important and matters when creating an experience for my students in the classroom. In the future I will remember the word Harmony and this piece of art and let it serve as a reminder to work my hardest for me and my students. I know if I can remember to bring together all of the pieces of what I have learned together into a harmonious whole that I can be a successful teacher in the years to come!