Q4, Week 7 (5/11-5/15)
End of the school year final thoughts.
Congratulations! You did it! You are to be commended for pushing through barriers and jumping obstacles, finding materials at home, and getting over preconceived notions about what art should be. I think you all did great work, even with limitations.
Think back on your work this quarter. Some of the themes that were incorporated in the assignments were:
--art as protection (Amabie drawing)
--art as lens onto the world (Empty Places photography assignment)
--art as reflection/prediction (mini-book, about before/during/after Covid-19)
--art as historical reference (recreation of famous work of art)
--art as physical symbol (constructed cantilevered structure as outreach extension)
--art as documentation (map of a remembered/imagined place)
The assignments were designed so that you were considering different spheres of influence in each -- personal, community, and global.
Some assignments addressed more than one sphere. For example, the recreation project asked you to find an artwork that spoke to you, by any artist, time period, part of the world (global) and recreate it using people and materials that were found in your home (personal).
This pandemic is going to shape all of our lives for years to come, perhaps for the remainder of our lifetimes. Artists' responses to global events often serve as "snapshots" of the collective social understanding of the time. And, remember, there are artists of all types -- painters, sculptors, graphic novelists, fashion designers, architects, musicians, playwrights, filmmakers. All artists are making work within the context of the current time.
For your final assignment, I would like you to read this article called "How Pandemics End," by Gina Kolata, published in The New York Times on May 10, 2020. It is heavy, and it does not shy away from the dangerous reality of our current situation, and references outbreaks of the past. Some of you may not wish to read it, and that is okay. I ask that you read the last section with the heading, "How will Covid-19 end?"
Then I would like you to create one image that symbolizes how this pandemic ends. You can choose the sphere that you are addressing. For example, you may wish to draw something that symbolizes the end of the pandemic for YOU. Or, you may create a painting, or a photograph, that is a sign of the pandemic being over for your family or COMMUNITY. Or, you may build something that serves as a symbol of the end of the pandemic for the GLOBE.
Choose the materials you want to use -- and remember that you are allowed to use ANYTHING! Use the dirt outside your backdoor, or random things in your house. All I ask is that you think it through, and have reasons to back up why your creation works as a symbol. Write one paragraph that explains your work and make sure to include which sphere (or spheres) it addresses -- personal, community, or global.
Take a photograph of your work and send it to me by Friday, May 15th, at 5pm. But, because I am posting this on Wednesday, if you need more time, you can get it to me by Monday, May 18, at 3pm. Any questions, let me know!
End of the school year final thoughts.
Congratulations! You did it! You are to be commended for pushing through barriers and jumping obstacles, finding materials at home, and getting over preconceived notions about what art should be. I think you all did great work, even with limitations.
Think back on your work this quarter. Some of the themes that were incorporated in the assignments were:
--art as protection (Amabie drawing)
--art as lens onto the world (Empty Places photography assignment)
--art as reflection/prediction (mini-book, about before/during/after Covid-19)
--art as historical reference (recreation of famous work of art)
--art as physical symbol (constructed cantilevered structure as outreach extension)
--art as documentation (map of a remembered/imagined place)
The assignments were designed so that you were considering different spheres of influence in each -- personal, community, and global.
Some assignments addressed more than one sphere. For example, the recreation project asked you to find an artwork that spoke to you, by any artist, time period, part of the world (global) and recreate it using people and materials that were found in your home (personal).
This pandemic is going to shape all of our lives for years to come, perhaps for the remainder of our lifetimes. Artists' responses to global events often serve as "snapshots" of the collective social understanding of the time. And, remember, there are artists of all types -- painters, sculptors, graphic novelists, fashion designers, architects, musicians, playwrights, filmmakers. All artists are making work within the context of the current time.
For your final assignment, I would like you to read this article called "How Pandemics End," by Gina Kolata, published in The New York Times on May 10, 2020. It is heavy, and it does not shy away from the dangerous reality of our current situation, and references outbreaks of the past. Some of you may not wish to read it, and that is okay. I ask that you read the last section with the heading, "How will Covid-19 end?"
Then I would like you to create one image that symbolizes how this pandemic ends. You can choose the sphere that you are addressing. For example, you may wish to draw something that symbolizes the end of the pandemic for YOU. Or, you may create a painting, or a photograph, that is a sign of the pandemic being over for your family or COMMUNITY. Or, you may build something that serves as a symbol of the end of the pandemic for the GLOBE.
Choose the materials you want to use -- and remember that you are allowed to use ANYTHING! Use the dirt outside your backdoor, or random things in your house. All I ask is that you think it through, and have reasons to back up why your creation works as a symbol. Write one paragraph that explains your work and make sure to include which sphere (or spheres) it addresses -- personal, community, or global.
Take a photograph of your work and send it to me by Friday, May 15th, at 5pm. But, because I am posting this on Wednesday, if you need more time, you can get it to me by Monday, May 18, at 3pm. Any questions, let me know!
Q4, Week 6 (5/4-5/8)
Creating an illustrated map
Right now, it seems like we have been away from school for a really long time. I am wishing that we were still making messes and cleaning them up in the studio. Know that I am thinking about all of you and the really hard work that you are doing this quarter. This is not easy stuff, but we will make it through.
This week, I am asking that you read this article, where Nate Padavick lays out 8 Steps for you to create your own maps. The first step -- Pick Your Destination -- may be the most challenging. Which place will you choose to illustrate? Is it real or fictional place? Is it a place you have been many times, or one that you have only read about? I ask that you choose a place that you can envision in your mind -- whether that place is here in Tucson, or in that small town in Kansas where you cousin lives, or in a video game that you know really well. Nate asks more questions in the article, and I encourage you to imagine all of them before you make your decision.
This assignment challenges you to combine your own artistic perspective with factual information. You may want your map to accurately represent the locations of sites, or you may wish to totally distort it, and "throw accuracy out the window!" Make sure that you cover all the steps, and include them in your map.
Again, choose materials you want to work with. Your map can be black and white, or colored -- it's your choice. I would recommend sketching it out in pencil, and then going over it in with pen or marker. You might base your drawing style for this assignment on a favorite graphic artist or comic/graphic novel. Take a photo of your finished map and email it to me at [email protected].
This is due on Friday, May 8 at 5pm. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. If you are having trouble turning the work in by Friday, let me know, and we can work out a plan.
Take care!
Creating an illustrated map
Right now, it seems like we have been away from school for a really long time. I am wishing that we were still making messes and cleaning them up in the studio. Know that I am thinking about all of you and the really hard work that you are doing this quarter. This is not easy stuff, but we will make it through.
This week, I am asking that you read this article, where Nate Padavick lays out 8 Steps for you to create your own maps. The first step -- Pick Your Destination -- may be the most challenging. Which place will you choose to illustrate? Is it real or fictional place? Is it a place you have been many times, or one that you have only read about? I ask that you choose a place that you can envision in your mind -- whether that place is here in Tucson, or in that small town in Kansas where you cousin lives, or in a video game that you know really well. Nate asks more questions in the article, and I encourage you to imagine all of them before you make your decision.
This assignment challenges you to combine your own artistic perspective with factual information. You may want your map to accurately represent the locations of sites, or you may wish to totally distort it, and "throw accuracy out the window!" Make sure that you cover all the steps, and include them in your map.
Again, choose materials you want to work with. Your map can be black and white, or colored -- it's your choice. I would recommend sketching it out in pencil, and then going over it in with pen or marker. You might base your drawing style for this assignment on a favorite graphic artist or comic/graphic novel. Take a photo of your finished map and email it to me at [email protected].
This is due on Friday, May 8 at 5pm. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. If you are having trouble turning the work in by Friday, let me know, and we can work out a plan.
Take care!
Q4, Week 5 (4/27-5/1)
Can you create a cantilevered sculpture in your home?
Last week, you used objects or figures to recreate a 2-D work of art. They were fantastic! I am so proud of all of you! Make sure to take a couple of minutes to see the original and recreated artworks that your classmates made, which you will find below. [I am still working on posting all of them, so check back again later, too.]
My challenge for you this week: Create a gravity-defying cantilever sculpture at home. Using random objects from around your house, build a sculpture suspended from a counter or table, as far as you can get it to reach, without touching the ground. This is the same principle used in everything from the Brooklyn Bridge to large-scale sculptures that you might see at an outdoor museum like Storm King.
Before you start creating, I want you to imagine a person or place that you are missing during this time of social distancing. You are building a structure that will reach toward and extend out across the distance, so that you can be closer to that person or place. It, in essence, will create a bridge between.
Watch this video for instructions and inspiration, where educator John Kaiser from Freestyle Arts (who also works with Storm King Art Center in NY State) and his children build really cool sculptures.
You will need to:
1. gather materials that you can find in your house, and then figure out a flat surface where you can build a tall, long sculpture. Since you may be using tape, make sure it's okay to be using tape on the the table you have chosen.
2. spend 15 minutes (ONLY!) and build the longest hanging sculpture you can. Remember, John said that the taller your structure, the more horizontal support your sculpture will have.
3. photograph your sculpture, and send it to me via email.
4. clean up all the materials you used, and put them back where you found them!
5. Go to Storm King's website, browse through the sculptures, and find one that 1.) includes a cantilever structure, and 2.) speaks to your heart. In an email to me, write out the name of the sculpture, the artist, and the year it was created, and tell me why it is interesting to you.
>>If you let the video run after it finishes, you will see another video by the kinetic artist Ruben Margolin, who includes mathematical principles in the artwork that he makes. Apparently, it didn't come up for anyone except me. (Thanks, Orion!). Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2HF-1xjpP8. Extra credit: If you are able to go on a walk outside your house, look to nature for a phenomenon that you would be interested in investigating. What would you want to find out? Can you think of some installation that would help you to know more about it? Write a couple sentences about what and why it interests you, or draw a quick sketch, and send it to me.
You assignment is due Friday, May 1, by 5pm.
Any questions? Email me at [email protected]
Can you create a cantilevered sculpture in your home?
Last week, you used objects or figures to recreate a 2-D work of art. They were fantastic! I am so proud of all of you! Make sure to take a couple of minutes to see the original and recreated artworks that your classmates made, which you will find below. [I am still working on posting all of them, so check back again later, too.]
My challenge for you this week: Create a gravity-defying cantilever sculpture at home. Using random objects from around your house, build a sculpture suspended from a counter or table, as far as you can get it to reach, without touching the ground. This is the same principle used in everything from the Brooklyn Bridge to large-scale sculptures that you might see at an outdoor museum like Storm King.
Before you start creating, I want you to imagine a person or place that you are missing during this time of social distancing. You are building a structure that will reach toward and extend out across the distance, so that you can be closer to that person or place. It, in essence, will create a bridge between.
Watch this video for instructions and inspiration, where educator John Kaiser from Freestyle Arts (who also works with Storm King Art Center in NY State) and his children build really cool sculptures.
You will need to:
1. gather materials that you can find in your house, and then figure out a flat surface where you can build a tall, long sculpture. Since you may be using tape, make sure it's okay to be using tape on the the table you have chosen.
2. spend 15 minutes (ONLY!) and build the longest hanging sculpture you can. Remember, John said that the taller your structure, the more horizontal support your sculpture will have.
3. photograph your sculpture, and send it to me via email.
4. clean up all the materials you used, and put them back where you found them!
5. Go to Storm King's website, browse through the sculptures, and find one that 1.) includes a cantilever structure, and 2.) speaks to your heart. In an email to me, write out the name of the sculpture, the artist, and the year it was created, and tell me why it is interesting to you.
>>If you let the video run after it finishes, you will see another video by the kinetic artist Ruben Margolin, who includes mathematical principles in the artwork that he makes. Apparently, it didn't come up for anyone except me. (Thanks, Orion!). Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2HF-1xjpP8. Extra credit: If you are able to go on a walk outside your house, look to nature for a phenomenon that you would be interested in investigating. What would you want to find out? Can you think of some installation that would help you to know more about it? Write a couple sentences about what and why it interests you, or draw a quick sketch, and send it to me.
You assignment is due Friday, May 1, by 5pm.
Any questions? Email me at [email protected]
Sarah Snyder recreated this portrait, painted by the artist Emma Uber.
Micheal Brooks recreating this iconic painting by surrealist artist Rene Magritte called "The Son of Man," created in 1964.
Zoe Halsey recreated this painting, "Idleness II", by John William Godward. Banana as yellow dress -- brilliant!
Emily Snyder (and her cat) recreating this portrait by English artist, Charles Burton Barber, called "Blond and Brunette" from the year 1879.
Alex Halsey recreated this artwork by French painter Henri Rousseau, called "The Sleeping Gypsy," from 1897.
Bella Medina and her brothers recreated the iconic "American Gothic," painted by Grant Wood in 1930. (April 23, 2020)
Bella shared some information about the models and props she used. Her words follow:
Yes, those are my brothers. The shortest one is Dominic. The one wearing glasses is Orlando.
The dress Dominic is wearing is actually a dress my great-great grandmother, made for my mom when she was little.
It was fun trying to get the face mask, towel paper, and hand sanitizer in the photo.
Everyone had a big laugh.
Bella shared some information about the models and props she used. Her words follow:
Yes, those are my brothers. The shortest one is Dominic. The one wearing glasses is Orlando.
The dress Dominic is wearing is actually a dress my great-great grandmother, made for my mom when she was little.
It was fun trying to get the face mask, towel paper, and hand sanitizer in the photo.
Everyone had a big laugh.
Francesco De Grazia recreating Caravaggio’s “Boy With a Basket of Fruit.” (NYT, April 16, 2020)
***If you need help finding a work of art, send me an email about what you are imagining...
Is there type of setting? mood of piece? number of figures? colors/shapes/forms that you would like to work with? I will come up with three pieces that might work and send them back to you!***
Is there type of setting? mood of piece? number of figures? colors/shapes/forms that you would like to work with? I will come up with three pieces that might work and send them back to you!***
Q4, Week 4 (4/20-4/24)
Can you re-create a masterpiece in your home?
Museums and galleries have shuttered their doors during this time. Instead of visiting these spaces to see artwork, people around the world have been recreating famous images in their own homes.
My challenge for you this week: find a well-known work of art online, recreate the image to the best of your ability, using things that you find in your house, and take a photograph of it. The artwork may or may not include people. You are welcome to use yourself as a model, or enlist the help of your family members. You can earn bonus points if you include the following: toilet paper, face masks, or hand sanitizer.
I recommend that you learn more about this phenomenon, by reading this article that was posted in the NY Times last week. You can also see more examples by looking up the hashtags #mettwinning, #betweenartandquarantine, #gettymuseumchallenge and #tussenkunstenquarantaine.
You will be considering the Elements of Design that we have discussed in the past, which include line, shape, form, color, etc. See the graphic below for a reminder of the elements that you will be looking for when setting up your scene to match the work of art as best you can.
Send me an email that includes:
--an image of the famous artwork, and make sure to include the title, name of artist, and date when it was created, AND
--the photograph of the recreated artwork.
If you post your image to one of the hashtags, capture a screenshot and send that to me as well.
You assignment is due Friday, April 24, by 5pm. Dig into your quarantine creativity, and have fun!
Any questions? Email me at [email protected]
Can you re-create a masterpiece in your home?
Museums and galleries have shuttered their doors during this time. Instead of visiting these spaces to see artwork, people around the world have been recreating famous images in their own homes.
My challenge for you this week: find a well-known work of art online, recreate the image to the best of your ability, using things that you find in your house, and take a photograph of it. The artwork may or may not include people. You are welcome to use yourself as a model, or enlist the help of your family members. You can earn bonus points if you include the following: toilet paper, face masks, or hand sanitizer.
I recommend that you learn more about this phenomenon, by reading this article that was posted in the NY Times last week. You can also see more examples by looking up the hashtags #mettwinning, #betweenartandquarantine, #gettymuseumchallenge and #tussenkunstenquarantaine.
You will be considering the Elements of Design that we have discussed in the past, which include line, shape, form, color, etc. See the graphic below for a reminder of the elements that you will be looking for when setting up your scene to match the work of art as best you can.
Send me an email that includes:
--an image of the famous artwork, and make sure to include the title, name of artist, and date when it was created, AND
--the photograph of the recreated artwork.
If you post your image to one of the hashtags, capture a screenshot and send that to me as well.
You assignment is due Friday, April 24, by 5pm. Dig into your quarantine creativity, and have fun!
Any questions? Email me at [email protected]
Bella Medina
Alex Halsey
Sarah Ruiz
Karen Maldonado
For this assignment I wanted to take a different approach and make the book like my playlist on Spotify changing songs. Just like how people change what music they listen to depending on their mood people have different feelings because of this situation.
Starting with my cover page, I used to spend most of my time indoors so I chose a song called Instagram to interpret. It represents how I would just spend my time online before all this happened. /// My first and second pages of the book are kinda colorful and fun just like the songs they represent, whenever I felt really good I would listen to those songs and dance or vibe to them. /// The third and fourth pages are music covers that make me think about what our future could look like. I don’t have high hopes so I used bleak images and darker concepts. The fourth one specifically is music that has not come out yet and for me it just means that we’re looking ahead right now instead of living in the moment. /// For my fifth and sixth pages I wanted them to represent my feelings once we get over this. I haven’t been able to tell what day of the week it is sometimes and I wanna go back to when I could tell what day it was so I chose to interpret a song called Thursday. On the sixth page a song called Gimme Love is interpreted and that song represents how later on we will learn to appreciate those that we took for granted before. /// The back cover is a song called Glow Like Dat and the meaning behind me choosing to interpret this song is that I want to go back to seeing people glow, I haven’t seen people have fun or even smile so I want to be able to see them do that once more. /// Finally, the poster on the back is a simple quote that everyone knows “Everything comes and goes” this quote is simple and helps me think positively without being something that’s super artificially inspirational.
Starting with my cover page, I used to spend most of my time indoors so I chose a song called Instagram to interpret. It represents how I would just spend my time online before all this happened. /// My first and second pages of the book are kinda colorful and fun just like the songs they represent, whenever I felt really good I would listen to those songs and dance or vibe to them. /// The third and fourth pages are music covers that make me think about what our future could look like. I don’t have high hopes so I used bleak images and darker concepts. The fourth one specifically is music that has not come out yet and for me it just means that we’re looking ahead right now instead of living in the moment. /// For my fifth and sixth pages I wanted them to represent my feelings once we get over this. I haven’t been able to tell what day of the week it is sometimes and I wanna go back to when I could tell what day it was so I chose to interpret a song called Thursday. On the sixth page a song called Gimme Love is interpreted and that song represents how later on we will learn to appreciate those that we took for granted before. /// The back cover is a song called Glow Like Dat and the meaning behind me choosing to interpret this song is that I want to go back to seeing people glow, I haven’t seen people have fun or even smile so I want to be able to see them do that once more. /// Finally, the poster on the back is a simple quote that everyone knows “Everything comes and goes” this quote is simple and helps me think positively without being something that’s super artificially inspirational.
Olivia Rosenberg
Zoe Halsey
Michael Brooks
4.15.20 | Please excuse the delay. Everything about my life has been experiencing technical difficulties.
I had created a different long post the other day, and when I went to publish it, I accidentally deleted it. There was no back-up version, I couldn’t undo the action, and I hadn’t written out a first draft. For those of you who have had it happen to you, know that I felt your pain.
I have learned many lessons over the past two weeks, and I will be sharing them with you over the course of this next week. But right now…
For this week’s assignment, I would like you to create a small ‘zine that documents your response to our new reality. Again using materials that you find at home, you will be making a small book. To be clear, for your 2-D pages, you can use any of the following: drawing, painting, collage, your own photography (assuming you can print it out), printmaking, stamping, mark making, whatever you come up with is fine. The only requirement is that it fold up into a book format at the end.
To make the book, you will need one sheet of 8.5” x 11” paper and a pair of scissors.
I have posted a video here, showing you how to make the book.
Your book will include:
--A front cover
--6 pages
--A back cover
--A “poster” on the reverse side
For the content of the book, I am going to ask you to divide it into 3 sections.
For the first section (pages 1-2) you will come up with two images that illustrate your life during this school year, BEFORE the threat of Covid-19 came to be real for us here in the U.S.
For the second section (pages 3-4), you will create two images showing what you have experienced since our school closed, or what you are currently experiencing.
For the third section (pages 5-6) you will create two images that show what you imagine things will be like after the world “opens up” again.
I recommend that you write down some notes or make some sketches BEFORE you start working on the book. In draft form, think about what images you want to show. They can be very full detailed pages, or quite spare and minimal. Somewhere on each page, you will write 1-3 sentences describing the image.
For example, if I were to think of something that would illustrate my life before the coronavirus came on the scene, I might draw/paint/photograph the marquee for the Loft Cinema, showing a movie title on it that I have seen. I LOVE going to see movies there, and that is a place that I am really missing. Underneath my image, I could write, “The last movie I saw at The Loft might have been Parasite by Bong Joon-ho. It’s hard to remember. Even though it’s only been a month, my brain feels like the last time I sank down into my seat and watched a film in the dark theater was years ago.”
When I am involved with a project like this, I usually work on the content first, and then create the cover (or title) afterwards. But you may have a different process. Your cover page needs a written title. You can choose to have your name on the front or back cover. Please write the date on the back cover and any other information that you wish to include (acknowledgments, funny notes, etc.)
For the “poster” part of your book, open it up to the back side, and write a hopeful message in a beautiful way. You may include an image there as well. Maybe it’s a message for someone you love, or for the doctors and nurses in the hospitals, or the essential workers. Or a message urging someone to help with this crisis.
You can turn in your assignment by:
-- taking photographs of all parts of your book (front/back covers, 6 pages, and the poster), and send them to me in email. Please attach the .jpg images to the email, instead of inserting them into the document. Or, you can send me a Google Slides presentation.
--taking a video of yourself reading and showing your book, and sending me the video via email.
The assignment is due on Sunday, 4/19/20 at 12pm. I will be posting your assignment on the website Monday, 4/20/20.
Any questions? I am here to help! Email me at [email protected]. Have a good week!
I had created a different long post the other day, and when I went to publish it, I accidentally deleted it. There was no back-up version, I couldn’t undo the action, and I hadn’t written out a first draft. For those of you who have had it happen to you, know that I felt your pain.
I have learned many lessons over the past two weeks, and I will be sharing them with you over the course of this next week. But right now…
For this week’s assignment, I would like you to create a small ‘zine that documents your response to our new reality. Again using materials that you find at home, you will be making a small book. To be clear, for your 2-D pages, you can use any of the following: drawing, painting, collage, your own photography (assuming you can print it out), printmaking, stamping, mark making, whatever you come up with is fine. The only requirement is that it fold up into a book format at the end.
To make the book, you will need one sheet of 8.5” x 11” paper and a pair of scissors.
I have posted a video here, showing you how to make the book.
Your book will include:
--A front cover
--6 pages
--A back cover
--A “poster” on the reverse side
For the content of the book, I am going to ask you to divide it into 3 sections.
For the first section (pages 1-2) you will come up with two images that illustrate your life during this school year, BEFORE the threat of Covid-19 came to be real for us here in the U.S.
For the second section (pages 3-4), you will create two images showing what you have experienced since our school closed, or what you are currently experiencing.
For the third section (pages 5-6) you will create two images that show what you imagine things will be like after the world “opens up” again.
I recommend that you write down some notes or make some sketches BEFORE you start working on the book. In draft form, think about what images you want to show. They can be very full detailed pages, or quite spare and minimal. Somewhere on each page, you will write 1-3 sentences describing the image.
For example, if I were to think of something that would illustrate my life before the coronavirus came on the scene, I might draw/paint/photograph the marquee for the Loft Cinema, showing a movie title on it that I have seen. I LOVE going to see movies there, and that is a place that I am really missing. Underneath my image, I could write, “The last movie I saw at The Loft might have been Parasite by Bong Joon-ho. It’s hard to remember. Even though it’s only been a month, my brain feels like the last time I sank down into my seat and watched a film in the dark theater was years ago.”
When I am involved with a project like this, I usually work on the content first, and then create the cover (or title) afterwards. But you may have a different process. Your cover page needs a written title. You can choose to have your name on the front or back cover. Please write the date on the back cover and any other information that you wish to include (acknowledgments, funny notes, etc.)
For the “poster” part of your book, open it up to the back side, and write a hopeful message in a beautiful way. You may include an image there as well. Maybe it’s a message for someone you love, or for the doctors and nurses in the hospitals, or the essential workers. Or a message urging someone to help with this crisis.
You can turn in your assignment by:
-- taking photographs of all parts of your book (front/back covers, 6 pages, and the poster), and send them to me in email. Please attach the .jpg images to the email, instead of inserting them into the document. Or, you can send me a Google Slides presentation.
--taking a video of yourself reading and showing your book, and sending me the video via email.
The assignment is due on Sunday, 4/19/20 at 12pm. I will be posting your assignment on the website Monday, 4/20/20.
Any questions? I am here to help! Email me at [email protected]. Have a good week!
Scroll down to see the artwork created during Week 2. The students were asked to reflect on their own artwork (drawing, painting, collage) in relation to the empty images published in The NY Times, and to write about a public place that they are missing and/or a place that they have visited in the past.
Michael Brooks /// Why I chose the image of The Oculus in New York was that it was a location of a lot of people not in the picture and I read the text for the place and knew that it's a mall so I looked up pictures of it before and got the idea of decreasing the population. ///
My response to seeing decreasing people is it's sad how our lives were changed in a matter of weeks by the coronavirus but also gives me hope that people are also following the guidelines for stopping the virus. /// My thoughts on college are the same as before. It's sad to see how it slowly decreased the people in the pictures but it does open our eyes to what is happening the whole world and that we need to stay strong and be optimistic to the hope of surviving this epidemic.
My response to seeing decreasing people is it's sad how our lives were changed in a matter of weeks by the coronavirus but also gives me hope that people are also following the guidelines for stopping the virus. /// My thoughts on college are the same as before. It's sad to see how it slowly decreased the people in the pictures but it does open our eyes to what is happening the whole world and that we need to stay strong and be optimistic to the hope of surviving this epidemic.
Karen Maldonado /// Missing a Public Space, The place I miss most these days is the airport, that’s why I chose the picture of the empty airport in Tokyo. Even though the airport tends to be a stressful place for most people I enjoy the airport because I tend to be responsible and get there in time. My reasoning for choosing the airport is that around this time of year I travel with my family whether it be to California, Florida, or Illinois. One of my favorite parts of traveling is exploring the airports that we go to, by going to the different terminals and trying out the different restaurants and shopping options. Airports are usually really packed with people so seeing that picture of the airport in Tokyo felt really strange. The fondest memory I have of an airport was watching the World Cup semi-finals at a restaurant in O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. I love that memory because 2 nights before I went to a concert and still had the adrenaline from it but was super hungry and needed to eat something, luckily there was a restaurant that had the World Cup playing on the TV’s and I am a big soccer fan so of course I wanted to eat there. At the time I was with my mom and we just decided we were gonna go to Chicago for a concert and that was it.
Bella Medina /// When I look at the picture, I like it very much for some weird reason. When I looked at it I felt like someone was sad for some reason. With the caption “The last picture show, or one of them, before theaters were shut”, it clicked in my head the word, "Fin." Like in the old classic movies or when the US History made that poster for the performance. I stared at the picture for a good five minutes before I started to draw. The picture just caught my eye for some reason. I relaxed and I let the first thing that came to mind come to the paper. First I drew the chair, tv, tv stand, window, and wrote the word "Fin" on the television. Then I thought someone may be watching this, so I drew eyes in the bush in the window. The feeling of sadness was still there with me, so I thought of making it kind of a mess. I drew soda cans and an ice cream container. Then someone texts me after talking about their work day, they work at Domino's. It clicked in my head to draw a pizza box in my drawing, so I did. I put pizza slices around the room as well. Then I felt like a not perfect picture frame should be on the wall, so I did.
Alex Halsey /// I chose the photo because it was the first to just pop into my head onto what I could draw. The process went very smoothly I was trying to think of new things to add in as I was going along. My responses to my finishes art work was good but I found changes that I could have made but I decided to just leave them as I thought it was fine. /// I went to many public spaces while I was in Seattle, the Pike's Place Market was one of them. My whole family was there including my older sister Allie, and her husband Jonas. There were lots of people there. It’s a market that has a variety of food/good even some restaurants in the market I believe. People go to Pike's Market to get food like groceries or just want to try the food. It’s an interesting place with a special community as well as the small business being there. It’s unique because the food it was where the first Starbucks were made and people throwing fish like catching it. It’s memorable because I went there multiple times with my big sister and my family also all the different types of stuff/food they have there.
Zoe Halsey /// I chose these pictures to add onto my slide because I see that the beaches looked overpopulated and in the newer picture that was taken, there is only one person walking along the beach. It's very different to see that a once crowded area has less people in it and in it's actually quite nice to see, since I don’t like over crowded places. I feel like though if the new picture was taken at a different time a day it would look much better since the newer one give me post apocalyptic vibes. /// A place that I miss going out to is Target because I’m not allowed to go into Target due to the coronavirus. I liked browsing through the clothing aisles to see the different colored clothing items they had and designs. Usually in the afternoon there weren't too many people in that place when I would go which is what made it nice for me. People go to Target to shop for items they need and sometimes even items they don’t need that they like to keep just for fun. I also like the modern feel of Target which I know a lot of people don’t like, but to me it just adds something different to Tucson because of the colors that they used.
Sarah Snyder /// The image I chose was of the Red Fort, New Delhi Fair. I chose this image because abandoned places and things really interest me. It was interesting to see the fair when it was opened and now as it is closed due to corona. For the collage, I just googled the fair and chose pictures that showed the rides and people on them. I think my collage looks good. /// A public space that I am missing is school. I miss school because not only did it give me something to look forward to and do, but I also had friends. I also miss the teachers and annoying you during class. The most memorable thing about school is walking around, with Karen and Emily, trying to find something to do, but always doing the same thing and sitting in the MPR or going to Christy’s classroom. During my time at Sky Islands, I have learned how to be myself and to feel comfortable with those around me.
Olivia Rosenberg
Sarah Ruiz /// The public space I am missing is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. At the museum, people come to see the wildlife in the Sonoran Desert and create memories with their families. The purpose of the museum is to inspire people to live in harmony with nature through fostering love, appreciation, and understanding of the Sonoran Desert. The last time I went was in 2012 when I was 11 years old. When we arrived, I noticed that it was different compared to other places I had been that contained animals: it managed to capture the habitat. My only experience with animals in such a setting was at the Reid Park Zoo, which is in an urban setting and doesn’t really capture the spaces where the animals are from. Despite only visiting once, it was a very memorable experience, especially when we entered the Reptile, Amphibian & Invertebrate Hall and saw scorpions glowing under UV light. I went with my family, then only consisting of my parents and my three younger siblings. When we went, there was an event going on concerning one of the birds which made it quite crowded. Since it was our first time there, we got lost often, but it gave us enough time to admire the architecture, which looked like a natural environment. It had many trees and nature trails, and its exhibits were brown like sand while similar in shape to dried mud piles.
Santa Rosa Park, 4.12.20
PLEASE NOTE: For this week also, the assignment will be the same for all classes.
Q4, Week 2 (4/6-4/10)
What are you noticing these days? If you have gone out into the community these past two weeks, undoubtedly, you will have noticed that spaces look and feel different. People are being asked to stay at home, and only venture out for necessary work, food, and medicines. This means that there are not as many people on the roads, on the sidewalks, in the essential stores that are still open. The New York Times published a special section last week that was focused on public spaces around the world. They sent photographers out to capture images of these spaces that are usually filled with people. Today, as almost every country across the globe has implemented measures to limit gatherings to stop the spread of Covid-19, these spaces are empty. For your 2nd assignment: Read this article, from the NYT section that I mentioned above. Then address the following two sections: 1) The author writes: "Thousands of years later, public squares and other spaces remain bellwethers and magnets, places to which we gravitate for pleasure and solace, to take our collective temperature, celebrate, protest." What is a public space that you are missing these days? It could be here in Tucson, or maybe it's a space that you visited once and can remember well, from a trip you took. Write one paragraph about your experience while inhabiting that space. Some questions to consider: Who else was there? Were there lots of people, or only a few? Why do people go there? What makes it unique? What is its purpose? What is the architecture like? What was the most memorable thing about the space? 2) Choose ONE of the photographs in the article. Take your time looking at them and reading the captions. One of them will speak to your heart. Then choose to create a work of art based on that photograph, from the options below: A. Digital or traditional collage Conduct a search online for that same place pictured. Find three different images of that place on a typical day. If you are able (using Google Slides or another program), create an arrangement of those three images PLUS the original image from the NYT. If you would like to print out the images, you can arrange and paste/tape them down onto a piece of paper. (Please note sources of images and send them to me via email.) B. Drawing/painting Create a drawing or painting of your own that is INSPIRED by the photograph you chose. You should be working to create the same mood or feeling that the original photo has. C. Photography Create a place in your home or outside, imagining that it is an actual public space. For instance, you could set up a scene near a tree in the park, that looks like a miniature version of a place where people would gather, using sticks, wood chips, rocks, etc. Use materials that you have in your home or find outside. (Remember when some of you built cities in the art classroom, using any materials that you found? This is a similar idea.) You will be taking TWO photographs of the space. One will show the space being used by many "people"; the other will show the space empty, like in the photographs in the article. You are exercising your imagination here. People could be represented by any object -- pebbles, leaves, Cheerios, etc. If you are showing many people, you will use multiples of the item you chose. From your phone, or computer, send the images to my school email: [email protected]. They are due this Saturday, April 11th at 5pm. I will be posting them on our class skylink page on Sunday. We will get through this. Reach out for support from friends, family or teachers if you need. We are here for you! Your Amabie drawings can be seen here, below, from the photos you shared with me. I arranged them to show the detailed view of the drawing, and then the location that you chose for it.
Let's hope that they, in accordance with their legend, will be able to provide your family with protection during this time when we are sheltered in place. Great work! PLEASE NOTE: For this week only, the assignment will be the same for all classes.
Q4, Week 1 (3/30-4/3)
Artmaking in the age of Covid-19 For the time being, we will not be working in the studio. This means that we will not have access to materials supplied by the school. While this may invite disappointment, I think it affords us the chance to reframe how people around the world -- including students like you! -- can create from the things that you find around you. This is also known as "making art where you are." Making art with the materials you have/find/repurpose makes sense for many reasons, and honors the current global situation, where people are being asked to stay in place, limit their movements, and take a collective pause. Working with what you have means:
By this point in the school year, you know what I believe: that making things from stuff is important. But it's during times like these, when we are being asked to reach inside and pull out our best selves, that making things from stuff is essential, for the soul, for the community, and for the world. Week 1: A graphic novelist/cartoonist friend of mine, David Lasky, shared an article with me that references the legend of the Amabie, which is one type of "Yokai, or 妖怪, strange and supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore. The word is a combination of the characters 妖 (yō) — attractive, bewitching, calamity — and 怪 (kai) — mystery, wonder." I found an explanation on this website, which isn't very comprehensive, but it does contain some interesting imagery. For your first assignment, I would like you to do the following: 1) Read this article about the Amabie legend and tradition of people drawing them at particular times. 2) In the tradition of drawing, and sharing, images of the Amabie, I would like you to create your own version. Make sure that you understand the features that are described in the article -- and then embrace our own artistic license. You are encouraged to be wild or organized, simple or sweet. --On a sheet of paper, draw it in pencil or pen, and add color in some way (colored pencil, marker, watercolor, tea leaves, crushed food scraps... whatever you can find in your home.) --I recommend that you make a few sketches that are different. Get your ideas out in quick gestures, and then work your favorite parts into your final drawing. 3) When your drawing is finished, place or hang it in a public place (inside your house, or outside in the community), where people will be able to see it. Then, using your phone/device, take two photos: --a close-up of the drawing, and --a long view that shows the location where you chose to place it. 4) From your phone, or computer, send the images to my school email: [email protected]. They are due this Friday, April 3rd at 5pm. I will be posting them on our class skylink page over the weekend. Let me know if you have questions via email. Be kind with yourself and others, stay safe, and have fun! |
Look at these creative Creative Art students at work on their first self-portraits.
Some images to inspire.
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