Skills For Visual Perception and Artistic Response

Developing a Repertoire of Skills For Visual Perception and Artistic Response

Taken from the article, "Encouraging Visual Storytelling"

"Perhaps the best reason of all to pursue this form of visual expression is that it brings forth an authentic voice and gives it an artful format. In telling a story, no matter how sad, tragic, funny, moving, remarkable, or ordinary, meaning is constructed visually. In my book, that's very special." (Olson, J. 1997)

          After reading the chapter on “Developing a Repertoire of Skills For Visual Perception and Artistic Response”, I found several new techniques, inspiring ideas and good answers to my questions on how to refine my vision and foster clear communication through my own art.

I chose the article on page 72 in the Better Practice in Visual Arts Ed. Book, on “Encouraging Visual Storytelling” The more I think about art and it’s meaningful relationship to my life and the lives of our students I feel like storytelling is a simple and primal way to explore and articulate trough the expressive arts. This article gives many sound reasons, for using narrative in art practice. The several authors discuss their techniques and give good probing questions and prompts for how to use the basic properties of storytelling with children and adults.

 “In practice, narrative skills seem particularly useful in providing a bridge from early schematic drawing to a more flexible and dynamic language that can express emotions, action, interaction, special effects, time and weather, all in the service of story.” (Olson, J. 1997)

“Jerome Brunner has lent even more credibility to the significance of story. He has arrived at the conclusion that it is through story that we construct most of the meaning we get from life. We tell stories to reflect on our everyday experiences, the ordinary and the extraordinary. We are attracted to stories, which are fun to tell and envision. Some come from literature, drama, music, myths, legends, and folktales. Some are reinvented, fractured, recast, or simply revisited in a fresh way. Stories can also be invented out of imaginary situations and our need to think beyond the limits of our real experiences. And some stories can come from deep within, spoken from an inner voice, a kind of dialogue with the self.” (Olson, J. 1997)

“Words and images inspire each other. Students who have the opportunity to move between visual and verbal symbol systems, as it serves their needs to construct meaning, can discover the symbiotic and mutually supportive relationship between the two systems.” (Olson, J. 1997)

* Visual storytelling can come from memory, observation and experience. Narratives that draw on everyday life provide important opportunities to reflect upon and find meaning in ordinary as well as extraordinary experiences.

* Visual storytelling can come from literature and art, music and drama. Myths, legends, fairy tales, folktales, and history all provide excellent material that can be retold, recast, fractured, even reinvented.

* Visual storytelling can come from imagination. Original stories, myths, tales, and legends may emerge from speculating (what if ...?), envisioning (past, future, different worlds), and dreaming.

* Visual storytelling can come from within. Opportunities to work intuitively and reflectively allow the exploration of reactions and feelings, hopes and fears, connections and relationships, questions and concerns. Such works can reflect an interplay of the conscious with the subconscious; the intellect with the emotions.

Taken from the above article:

(Olson, J. 1997)

 Encouraging visual storytelling. (Moving Forward).

ART 21: I chose the artist Sarah Sze see the link below:

http://www.pbs.org/art21/watch-now/segment-sarah-sze-in-balance

I found her ideas to fit with many of my own, as far as placing art in unexpected places. She wants the everyday person to notice her art in their daily journey and for it to cause them to pause, look and wonder what it is, what purpose does it serve, or to simply notice what it is made of. Listening to her speak about her process was why I chose her and for the fact that she creates....

"installations and intricate sculptures from the minutiae of everyday life, imbuing mundane materials, marks, and processes with surprising significance"

http://www.art21.org/artists/sarah-sze

> How will you help students connect the enduring idea (Art:21Theme) to the students’ lives?

Balance:

As a lesson reflection on using the theme of Balance and the artwork of Sarah Sze, I would begin to brainstorm with students by asking them to answer, discuss and journal about these questions:

*How do we balance our family and socially expected roles as individuals with the roles we desire to play out?

*How do we balance intentional growth and disciplined work with spontaneous curiosities and improvised play?

*In what ways does Balance appear in our life?

*What are things that we do or use to help us achieve balance?

*Is Balance important, if yes, why?

*How does balance work in your life or in specific activities that you do?

> How will you build the students’ knowledge base about the enduring idea as it relates to other content areas as well as to life? (Authentic arts integration)

In integrating the theme of Balance other subjects can be used to show how balance is integral in all things.

Math: balance equations
Social Studies: The balance of learning how to understand and communicate within your personal social group and within the larger multicultural societal group.

History: The balance of power, the Checks and Balances principal,
Language Arts: The balance of a proper sentence and between using fact and fiction in story telling

Sports: Balance is key!

> How will you build the students’ knowledge base about the enduring idea as it occurs in art (art criticism, art history, aesthetics)?

This is an easy one; I will show different examples and forms of art and ask them to just observe them notes on what they notice of each. I will then refer students back to the basic elements and principals of art and have them view and discuss how each piece specifically uses or doesn’t use balance to communicate an idea or meaning.

> How will you engage students with exploring, questioning, and problematizing the enduring idea through art making?

I would start with note taking, brainstorming with peers, using visual and video resources and watching Sarah Sze.
They would then do sketches and or mock-ups of their ideas. I would allow them to play with materials and have a day of exploring how to give their idea of balance a form.