The idea of place can conjure a variety of meanings, interpretations, and responses. For me, the first image that comes to mind is a table. This inanimate object has deeper relevance because it provides a space for belonging, being heard, being cared for, and creating opportunity. I wish I had thought of art education and life in this way years ago. As they say, it’s never too late to adapt or adopt a new way of doing.
When you think of the word place, where does your mind wander? The idea of place can conjure a variety of meanings, interpretations, and responses. For me, the first image that comes to mind is a table. The table has been symbolic for bringing people together to meet, converse, and connect. This inanimate object has deeper relevance because it provides a space for belonging, being heard, being cared for, and creating opportunity. I wish I had thought of art education and life in this way years ago. As they say, itʼs never too late to adapt or adopt a new way of doing.
At the recent National Art Education Association Convention in Chicago, TICA (Teacher Institute of Contemporary Art) had a mini reunion. TICA was a program (2000–2010) conceptualized and founded by Phil Baranowski that provided a space for high school art educators who had been in the field for ten years to return to the studio and create. After teaching for a decade, we tend to be fully invested in our professional lives as art educators, and it’s easy for our art practice to slowly diminish. I am grateful to have been a part of this experience. Its philosophy opened my eyes to how immersive art can be and how it can be embedded into the world around us.
One of the things I love about SchoolArts magazine is how open its themes are. Based on our experiences, these themes take shape in different ways, bringing diverse voices, ideas, and perspectives to the table, showcasing what a specific theme looks like in the classroom.
The early childhood article, “A Cherry Blossom Tree Study,” by Aileen Pugliese Castro, introduces Art with Mommy, which brings moms with their two- to three-year-olds to learn about trees and nature through kinesthetic activities. Connections are made by comparing a tree trunk to the human body, branches to arms, and fingers to twigs through a series of traced drawings. With guidance from their mothers, drawings transition into paintings depicting the colors of a cherry blossom tree.
“Leaving a Legacy,” by Kimberly Bierwirth and Jeanna Peña, examines how young artists can use creativity to inspire and strengthen a community. One of the best ways is for them to leave their mark by creating a one-of-a-kind, large-scale mosaic mural that connects their school’s campus with the Gulf Coast. This project creates a shared experience in which everyone becomes part of the school’s history.
At the high school level, Heidi Schueller’s “Vacation Destination Printmaking” invites students to think about their dream vacation and how they can turn that ideal experience into a unique postcard. The project introduces them to the reduction relief cut process and gel printing to create a limited edition of postcards using color theory, textures, composition, and repetition.
In 2009, I had the opportunity to meet contemporary artist Richard Tuttle during the TICA program. The invited artists talked about their creative journey and their ideas about art. The most important takeaway I left with is to pay attention to what you see. What you see can impact what you do.
Art teachers and their students learn from, transform, and reimagine the places and spaces around them. Young students connect personal growth to changes in nature, elementary students create abstract faces inspired by Detroit artist Tyree Guyton, middle school students design fantastical digital gardens featuring insects and flora, and high school students use yarn to illustrate cherished childhood memories.
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