4/7-4/11
At the end of this week we continued to work on the shoe paintings. Some of the kids began to work on larger scale paintings of their smaller original paintings, which is really cool to see. I just keep trying to remember what I was like in a class like this and how different I've become. I remember being a perfectionistic artist, which has faded. I'm much more stylistic now, and less detail-oriented, because I've realized that perfection is impossible as well as not too interesting. So I always wonder how these kids will grow in the next year, two, three years, depending on how old they are. I guess I'll have to come back and see.
Friday, May 23, 2014
Week of April 14 - 18 Journal
4/14-4/18
This week we continued to work on the shoe paintings. I got pretty far into my 3 part series alongside the kids. Though they only had to complete one piece, and it certainly took longer than expected, the results were actually pretty cool. I always think it's interesting to see where projects that Wertz comes up with start, and where they end up. You're never really sure what processes you'll be using, and I don't think he is either until the last moment. It keeps the kids and me on our toes, and I'm sure it keeps him on his toes as well. I've learned that artists often come up with the concepts for their work from things that happen in daily life for them, which is awesome. I love recognizing what influences me on a daily basis.
This week we continued to work on the shoe paintings. I got pretty far into my 3 part series alongside the kids. Though they only had to complete one piece, and it certainly took longer than expected, the results were actually pretty cool. I always think it's interesting to see where projects that Wertz comes up with start, and where they end up. You're never really sure what processes you'll be using, and I don't think he is either until the last moment. It keeps the kids and me on our toes, and I'm sure it keeps him on his toes as well. I've learned that artists often come up with the concepts for their work from things that happen in daily life for them, which is awesome. I love recognizing what influences me on a daily basis.
Week of April 21 - 25 Journal
4/21/25
This week we focused mostly on self portraiture. It is one of the hardest things to do in the art world. Wertz allowed the kids do use photographs instead of mirrors, but they still struggled with it. I realized that if I do become a teacher, I need to make sure that I'm challenging my students at the same time as I am making sure they're not too frustrated to complete good work. In a first level class like the one we have, the kids want to do things in a pre-set process and not stray from it at all. For me, I can remember the days when I was like that and see now that I have grown a lot as an artist. That's because I was challenged a lot, but also allowed to do work that I wanted to do, and experiment. Sometimes it was frustrating, but it made me better.
This week we focused mostly on self portraiture. It is one of the hardest things to do in the art world. Wertz allowed the kids do use photographs instead of mirrors, but they still struggled with it. I realized that if I do become a teacher, I need to make sure that I'm challenging my students at the same time as I am making sure they're not too frustrated to complete good work. In a first level class like the one we have, the kids want to do things in a pre-set process and not stray from it at all. For me, I can remember the days when I was like that and see now that I have grown a lot as an artist. That's because I was challenged a lot, but also allowed to do work that I wanted to do, and experiment. Sometimes it was frustrating, but it made me better.
Week of April 28 - May 2 Journal
4/28 - 5/2
I was just told by someone that the journals for this marking period are supposed to be once a week reflections, so I'm going to summarize my journals for each day into a weekly overview.
This week we tried to do some things outside. We did a study in the back of the school in pastel, and other similar studies. We also did work in the atrium and work areas, transferring original sketches onto monotype plexiglass and ran prints of them. I realized how much I had actually learned in the art wing in the past few years, and I suddenly became so appreciative of Mr. Wertz for being such an influential person in my life. I have been thinking about how much different my life would be if I went to a school like Christian School of York or York Catholic where their art programs are more or less non-existent. I would probably be going to college to do something I didn't care about that much. But Wertz and the other art teachers have made me realize that I have a true passion for art, and wherever that takes me, I have to be grateful for them.
I was just told by someone that the journals for this marking period are supposed to be once a week reflections, so I'm going to summarize my journals for each day into a weekly overview.
This week we tried to do some things outside. We did a study in the back of the school in pastel, and other similar studies. We also did work in the atrium and work areas, transferring original sketches onto monotype plexiglass and ran prints of them. I realized how much I had actually learned in the art wing in the past few years, and I suddenly became so appreciative of Mr. Wertz for being such an influential person in my life. I have been thinking about how much different my life would be if I went to a school like Christian School of York or York Catholic where their art programs are more or less non-existent. I would probably be going to college to do something I didn't care about that much. But Wertz and the other art teachers have made me realize that I have a true passion for art, and wherever that takes me, I have to be grateful for them.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
5/6/14 Journal
5/6/14
The second stage of Bike Week began today. After yesterday when the kids were doing cut/torn paper studies, they were allowed to add detail work in graphite. It doesn't seem like many of them are into this one. Normally the class is a little bit loud and talkative, which is fine if they get work done, but the past two days they haven't been working too hard. In turn, the work that they're doing doesn't seem to be too fantastic. I guess we'll see what Wertz does to get them back on track, or if he scraps this project.
The second stage of Bike Week began today. After yesterday when the kids were doing cut/torn paper studies, they were allowed to add detail work in graphite. It doesn't seem like many of them are into this one. Normally the class is a little bit loud and talkative, which is fine if they get work done, but the past two days they haven't been working too hard. In turn, the work that they're doing doesn't seem to be too fantastic. I guess we'll see what Wertz does to get them back on track, or if he scraps this project.
5/7/14 Journal
5/7/14
Today was about ink and gesso. With the torn paper and graphite studies that they had already, the kids started to overpaint with gesso as well as India ink. But as it got further and further, Wertz decided that he hated where this project was going, and what the results were. I had to agree, the work was getting pretty sloppy, and no one seemed to care about the project. So Wertz said that we'll be going in a different direction tomorrow.
Today was about ink and gesso. With the torn paper and graphite studies that they had already, the kids started to overpaint with gesso as well as India ink. But as it got further and further, Wertz decided that he hated where this project was going, and what the results were. I had to agree, the work was getting pretty sloppy, and no one seemed to care about the project. So Wertz said that we'll be going in a different direction tomorrow.
5/8/14 Journal
5/8/14
Today continued Bike Week. As most of the kids finished up with their ink and gesso overlays, Wertz demo'd the next step. The students started to transfer a section of their drawing onto a rubber block used for printing. This area was a focal point. Wertz is hoping that this small section of the drawing will become stronger after using block printing ink to run prints of it. I pulled one from a bike study I did a few years ago, and it looks pretty interesting.
Today continued Bike Week. As most of the kids finished up with their ink and gesso overlays, Wertz demo'd the next step. The students started to transfer a section of their drawing onto a rubber block used for printing. This area was a focal point. Wertz is hoping that this small section of the drawing will become stronger after using block printing ink to run prints of it. I pulled one from a bike study I did a few years ago, and it looks pretty interesting.
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