ART 211
ART 211
Media, techniques and inquiry suitable for middle-level and high schools. Clinical Experience: 10 hours.
Chosen Projects
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"Teach Anything" Lesson
For this project, all art eduction students chose one non-art related topic to teach a 15-20 minute lesson on. I chose tap dancing, and used scaffolding techniques and content that increased in difficulty as the lesson continued, ending with independent practice time.
TAKEAWAY
I had a blast with my first ever lesson taught to real students, and learned about the importance of mixing direct instruction with group discussion, real world extensions, and hands-on practicing.
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Rituals and/or Collections
Students chose a ritual or collection to perform and document for two weeks, then reflect on this practice.
TAKEAWAY
“I grew up Catholic, and while I am not as faithful as I once was, I still connect with a lot of the rituals that were such a big part of my life, and still find them very beautiful. The rosary is heavily based on reciting prayers, and it was strange to see how I quickly I had forgotten them from my elementary/middle school years, as well as how quickly I relearned them. While my relationship with religion is a complicated one, I really loved this exploration of a ritual I used to love, and I plan to carry it on and make it an intentional part of my day.”
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Climate Informed Art
Students were shown a climate art presentation and list of prompts for inspiration, along with a list of artists that are informed my the climate and environmental issues.
Then, they were asked to make their own art inspired by these lists. I created a piece using Photoshop that intertwined ideas about trash, oil spills, and wildlife through imagery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the irony of Dawn dish soap.
TAKEAWAY
Even though Dawn is the brand that is brought to mind for oil spills and helping care for animals, it is still in a plastic bottle that will be used, consumed, and discarded, possibly ending up in these garbage pile-ups. I learned that it is possible and fun to implement these important ideas into my own future lesson, and that these ideas can greatly impact our future if shared with the right audience.
Pal 1
Jade Nguyen - “This House Is Not For Sale” Exhibition
McLean County Arts Center - 2.4.2025
On Feb 4, 2025, I visited Jade Nguyen’s exhibition at the McLean County Arts Center, “This House Is Not For Sale.” This series focuses on her ancestral land where she grew up in, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and touches on the conflicting ideas of longstanding tradition and encroaching colonization. She focuses on how all of her and her family’s livelihood, and countless other families, are at risk of disappearing as the years go on.
I was lucky enough to visit the exhibition when Jade was there giving an artist talk, so I was able to hear all about her inspirations, which pictures meant the most to her, and her true meaning behind the series. My biggest takeaway is probably my appreciation for being able to listen to artists explain their inspirations and their work from the heart, and how important attending artist talks are to fully understand the intentions behind pieces, from the source.
Pal 2
Adam de Boer, Leonard Suryajaya, Etang Wiharso- “(Be)Longing: Negotiating Diasporic Identities in Indonesian Contemporary Art”
Office of International Engagement - 4.11.2025
On April 11, 2025, I attended a workshop led by Adam de Boer, Leonard Suryajaya and Entang Wiharso, alongside Dr. Katie Bruhn, as a part of a two-part visit including a panel presentation and an artist led workshop. The events focused on “the meaning of diaspora and the position of diasporic artists in the global contemporary art world” [Source]. At the workshop, a presentation was given by each artist, highlighting their inspirations and connections with each other. Then, we were encouraged to use the different techniques the artists use, both traditional and contemporary, such as batik, photography, and printmaking, to create a piece of work that shows a piece of our own personal identities.
My takeaway from this experience was how accessible artist workshops can be in the community, especially at a school like Illinois State, that frequently holds artist talks and workshops, and hosts visiting artists throughout the year. I reinvigorated my own personal value for attending these events, and found myself gaining valuable inspiration from these artist and their discussions of identity, family, and culture
Unit Plan
Unit Plan
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This is a Unit Plan that was developed for this class that develops skills of collaboration in small groups using a sculpture process while expanding on ideas of symbolism and meaningful objects in art, and how artists use this imagery to communicate specific, intentional ideas.