Studio Exploration Project

A) I would like to do my Studio Exploration on the Sea Side Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I'ts a big public park in a poor, urban neighborhood. It's on a harbor; you can see New York City from the shore of the Sea Side Park. There's a beach for swimming, soccor and baseball fields. An industrial factory towers over this park. This park is also the setting for the last four Gathering of the Vibes Music and Arts festivals which I attended. So when I've spent time in this park, there are miles of fields filled with tents, music shakes the leaves on the trees and can be heard everywhere, even outside the park on the side walk in the city. People from all over the country gather there, dance, make music, art, and dress in costume. For me, the Sea Side park is simply a home for a celebration and spiritual exploration.
B) What is this park like during the other 361 days of the year? How is it used? How many people visit daily? How do people feel when they're in the Sea Side park? Do animals live there? How long does it take to prepare for and clean up for an event like Gathering of the Vibes? How does the arts and music festival effect those who live there in Bridgeport connecticut? Why did the Gathering of the Vibes choose the Sea Side Park to be their new sight? What kinds of art comes out of there? What is that big factory used for? Is the harbor used for importing and exporting goods? What more does the park have? What more does the park need?
C) I plan to use my own documents like audio tracks, photographs and souvenirs by juxtaposing them with everything and anything I can find on/about the Sea Side Park on a regular day in Bridgeport.
D) I plan to mostly use musical artists for inspiration, like the Grateful Dead, because the festival is a celebration of Jerry Garcia's life, and of other musical artists like Keller Williams, Andy (Moore) The Music Man, Moe, Levon Helm and The Family Band and the P Funks because these musicians perform at nearly every Gathering Of the Vibes Music Festival. Costume artists and parade puppetears are also elements of the inspiration. I'm also hoping to find and study artists and works from the Bridgeport, Connecticut area.
E) I already have costumes, puppets, and paintings that I've made for the music festival, and I plan on making new works of reflection my experiences in the park, and of what I can find to be the more every day function of the park (probably through painting, photography, and maybe some sketches and poetry.)

I made this mask for Vibes 2011

Levon Helm & Family and Bob Weir Vibes '11

2011

Vibes '11

Vibes '11

 Vibes '11

Keller Williams Vibes '11

Mad Hatter at Vibes '11

Ferries at Vibes '11

Savva and Trimis

Trimis and Savva present the study of children's chrotopos as a visual art project. This study involves both the physical and cultural threads that weave together the environment that the students are exposed to nearly on a daily basis. There are four crucial steps to this study; preliminary, enrichment, production and reflection. Art is being made during both enrichment and production, and is then collected and reviewed for reflection.

My question is procedural. Should experiencing the sight be entirely preliminary, or would it be effective to create the works there within the environment of study?



I apologize to group 2. I am for some reason unable to comment on your blogs directly, so I’m just going to have to respond to your questions on my page.
Sara:
q: Why is the aesthetic sensitivity of persons ability to relate to cultural environment based on the idea of producing and perceiving art, if the main idea and goal of the project is to experience the materials encountered in a variety of environments?
a: I think the producing of art is more of a tool or method for encouraging the students to think more deeply about the environment around them. For example, most people are familiar with the presence of and the out appearance of let's say a pine cone. But if they are given art materials, and are then asked to build a pine cone, they'll certainly have to study a pine cone in far more depth than they'ed probably ever study one otherwise. I beleive this is what Savva and Trimis referred to as enrichment.
Aesthetically, art can be used to furthur student's communication. For example, many people live in the exact same environment, however, they experience it very differently. Two students could be asked to visually represent the same chorotopos. Together, they could view their own and eachother's works, gaining new perspective on how two different people are effected differently by the same setting. Aesthetically, one student's work may be easy on the eyes, and warm in colors, while the other's is chilling and represented as unwelcomng. Savva and Trimis would probably consider this reflection.

Shannon:
These same questions and concerns occured to me. Unfortunately, there is a necessity for many chaperones. I would say one chaperone for every 4 students is needed (at least for elementary students and younger.) This way, a chaperone can silently moniter what kind of artifacts thier students are gathering. When the students do come accross something not safe to handel, this is when a sketch book or camera comes in handy.
For inner city explorations, I think bringing a camera is perfect. Sadly, litter and trash may be good artifacts the students could gather, if that is what they seem to come across in their chrotopos, which would be an honest way of carrying out the study.

Amanda:
a) I think this project is perfect for students all over the world today. I remember feeling so disconnected from the outside world when I was in ellementary school. In high school, I had my own connections to the outside world, but there was no connection between school and the community. School should be a place where students not only read to read and write, but where they learn how they can make an impact on their community, not just how they can make an impact on thier school grounds. I think the study of the chrotopos is a fantastic beginning for schools emerging with outer community. As the students study their surroundings, they'll begin to develop a perspective on it. They may begin thinking about ways they can influence, change or contribute to society, which I find to be far more enriching than the kinds of studies I did in elementary school. b) I don't think these ideas are put forth in the regular school curriculum. "Social" studies study the past, not current culture and society. c) I believe art does specifically work for influencing the students to think more deeply about their surroundings. If not visual art, perhaps musical art, dance or poetry could stand in. However, I do believe visual art is a good method because it is physical. The students can build it, observe it, hold it, and view it for reflection again and again. d) I don't think this is the kind of lesson a teacher would need to present to the students with an example first. What holds the students' attentions is the element of exploration. This way, they have to freedom to truly obsorb their chrotopos, gain a genuine perspective on it, so they can make whatever they please of it. e) I'd say this is the natural path of the critical thinker, and that art is just the tool and method to further the studies, and to explore their thoughts and ideas.

Michelle:
For your first two questions, refer to Shannon's blog, because she had some good ideas about city exploration involving the gathering of man-made objects, and photographic documentation.
Regarding older students, I'd imagine their studies would be much more personal, emotion and possibly even more scientific. For older students, I would still fallow the first four steps outlined by Trimis and Savva (preliminary, enrichment, production, reflection.) Then, I would instruct the students to do research of their chrotopos that go beyond sensorty observation, weather this be researching historical documents, current news, or perhaps interviewing neighbors in the community. This could then lead the way for producing more art. Then reflection could be more interesting also, because the students would be able to compare their own personal experiences with their chrotopos with the larger communities experience with in that same chrotopos. This reflection could possibly lead to even more art production.

Early Learners by Leah M

Observations of 5 and 2 1/2 hear old:  The five year old is already quite socially developed. She recognises shapes and is very excited to speak to the painter and ask him questions about his process. The 2 1/2 year old is far less socially engaged and is extreamly focused primairly on his painting. He is develping controlled marking, repeating configuration, with repetitions and variations of circular shapes, making a deliberate series. The five year old sees these repeating symbols and begins asking the painter, "are you painting circles?" There is only an observer, not an art teacher, but as an adult they are still validating the childrens' paintings by staying in the established art making area.

Building Playdough Towers:   The girls are already socially developing, talking while they create together, and sharing the materials. They are delighted by the motor activity of smooshing together and cutting apart playdough. They experiment with different tools and techniques. One girl strays off from making towers and makes an apple, thinking about abstract ideas and creating symbols. But for the most part, all three of the young artists are repeating configuration, esperimenting with repetitions and variations. The teacher validates their towers not only by staying in the art making setting, but also she does as they do. She asks simple fundamental, constructive questions, and then does as the students do, allowing them to lead her with directions.

Introduction to Large Group Time:  The children are socially developing, as well as physically and perceptually developing, working together towards the same goals, joined together by movement games. The games only last about ten minutes long each in order to hold the entire groups interest. The games repeat and vary so that each child gets to experience being a member of the group and is given the oportunity to take on a leadership role. Many of these games invlude symbolic play and representation, like the "Little Miss Muffet" game. The teacher validates the socail play by being present in the game as another group member. They put the toys away together as an ending transition.

Introduction to Small Group Time:   These activities are doen daily at a consistent time and place. The students are socially developing, gaining more experiences as being one's self, while interacting witha fixed group of other people. The activities engage the students with experimentation, exploration, and creative or artistic oportunities. They build individually, solve problems, and play verbal games. This is usually when they're introduced to new materials. The teacher is present in the activity and shares interest by joining in the activity too. As an ending transition, they clean up together.

Eat Snakes:   The teacher sits with the student and does as he does. She asks him questions; "What are we making?" She lets the student give her directions. She asks constructive questions like, "How do you make a snake? By rolling him between your hands?" The student leads her through a deliberate series of repetition and configuration. The teacher and student share a planned intent, a planned image theme of symbolic play and representation, combining fantasay with familiarity and real life experience; making playdough snakes and preparing them for food. The teacher offers small suggestions and validated her student by staying in the play area showing persistant interest.

Studio Exploration 1: Place

For the last four summers now, I've spent four days camping and absorbing the art and music of Gathering of the Vibes Arts and Music festival in Bridgeport Connecticut's Sea Side Park. My experiences in this place are filled with lots of interesting people from all over the country, new and old music, and art of nearly every medium. I wish to study, compare and contrast the Sea Side Park I know with the usual function and activity of the place the rest of the 361 days a year. In addition to Gathering of The Vibes, Sea Side Park also has a beach, because it's located on the harbor. You can see New York City from the shore. There is also some kind of factory, still running, that towers over the park. There are small base ball and soccor fields. I'm curious to learn more about the every day activity of this urban city park that I never see.

2

I believe that art is transendental. When I stroke my paint brush agains the canvas, I transend either to deeper places with in myself, or to other worldry foriegn dimensions. Art is also transendental in that it is universal. I need not worry what language someone speaks, who they are, or where they are from. I know that when they view my work, they will feel something, and hopefull be brought somewhere by my work. My intention is peace. I hope to find and represent beauty in everyone and everything, as well as expose the evilness, not as a criticism or statement, but just to represent that beauty and uglyness are everwhere. I think Art Education is important in that all people can use the arts to find hidden beauty within themselves. When they find the uglyness within, they can transend themselves to somewhere they want to be.

1

    I gathered from my group discussion that it's very important for art teachers to focus on contemporary issues. By doing this, the teacher must be a good listener to their students, in order to know what is contemporary to them, where they live, and their age groups. This way a teacher will not only keep their students's attentions, but they will also be offering artistic methods that can be applied to real life situations and problem solving. For example, Dartes allowed his students to lead lessons on what they thought to be imporant social issues. This way, the students remained engaged in the class room activity, and they were given the oportunity to try to solve or atleast address what they thought to be truely important. Thus, the students became the teacher, and the teacher became the student, which truly freed the students to learn.