Material Exploration

Art 3; Kaitlynn Mockett

GUTS

Stage 1

BIG IDEA: Identity Exploration – by this point, students have learned through various practices which materials they love and this work will make them explain why. 2D or 3D piece, minimum 3 materials, if smaller than 6 square inches, must make 2 or 3. The name of the assignment is Guts. Using three or more materials, create a work of art that discusses one thing that is irreplaceable to you: your favorite pair of sneakers, the color purple, the way leaves sound when they crunch under your feet, the smell of freshly cut grass. It does not have to be a literal interpretation of this person, place, thing or idea, but can be a work inspired by the way it makes you feel. Write an artist statement explaining why you chose your materials, what they may represent and what you are trying to depict or convey in your work and why it matters so much to you. We will be critiquing these works of art in class, and if you feel comfortable, you may share your artist statement with all of us.

Established Goals (GPS):
VAHSVAMC 1
VAHSVAMC 2
VAHSVACU 1
VAHSVAPR 1
VAHSVAPR 2
VAHSVAPR3
VAHSVAPR 5
VAHSVAPR 6
VAHSVAPR 8
VAHSVAAR 1
VAHSVAAR 2
VAHSVAC 2
VAHSVAC 3

Understandings:
Students will understand the difference between 2D and 3D works of art.
Students will understand the difference between literal and figurative interpretation, and that one is not better than the other.
Students will understand the process of constructing an artist statement.
Students will understand the importance of communicating their feelings about a certain irreplaceable thing and that there are several ways to accomplish this without turning to the obvious solution.

Possible Misunderstandings:
Literal is the only way to go, or being literal is bad.
Students may not be able to narrow down to one irreplaceable thing.
Students may need more guidance than this lesson plan is originally written to give.
Students may not know whether they want to work in 2D or 3D.

Essential Questions:
What is essential to you?
How do we move out of the literal realm into the conceptual realm?
How do colors communicate feelings or emotions?
How do materials tell a narrative or a story?
What is the purpose of an artist statement?

Students will know:
Students will know how to prepare a canvas
Students will know how to mix paint properly
Students will know how to properly store paint to preserve it
Students will know how to construct a solid artist statement

Students will be able to:
Students will be able to communicate their concept through material, color, and artist statements.
Students will be able to claim this artwork as their own.
Students will be able to discuss how their identity appears in their final work of art.
Students will be able to talk. To all of us. For real.

Stage 2

Performance tasks:
Visual Journal – By this point in the unit, I am hoping that the visual journal has become an extension of the body. For this assignment, I plan to offer extra credit for working on the visual journal outside of class. I will do an everyday check at the beginning of class. I will be looking for students to use this resource on their own. I hope for my students to implement planning methods I have scaffolded (compositional sketches, color sketches, collage, “brain dump”) without my prompting.

In process Critique – Will be done at midpoint.

Peer Review – These will be done in the initial planning period. Students will pair up and share their thumbnails/compositions/ideas and give suggestions on additional ideas.

Other evidence:
Weather Check – “if you were the weather today, what would you be and why?”

One on one – these will be very important for this assignment. The final project is largely self-guided, so personal conversations are going to be the key moments where students are sharing their thoughts and struggles, and where I will be able to offer the most assistance.

Adaptations for diverse learners:

For advanced students: require an 18×24 piece if working two-dimensionally, or at least 2 feet on one side if working in the third dimension.

For students with additional needs: Guide them and offer more structure if they feel they need it. Aid or I will assist student in overcoming physical obstacles by doing them together.

Stage 3

Sequence of Instruction:
Day 1: Intro
8:30-9:15 –
Bellringer: How is your heart today? Your head? Be honest. If you  want this entry to be private, paperclip it and I will skip it. Take some time to be real with yourself today.
9:15- 9:30
Students will take a few minutes to list out things they consider irreplaceable. Then we are going to pick the top five. Each student will make a “web of words” around their initial irreplaceable idea, thing, person. Anything that word reminds them of: other places, people, things, feelings, adjectives, literally anything.
9:30-9:50
Students will pick two of their word webs to work with. Using their brainstorm, they will be asked to depict their original irreplaceable object or idea with alternative materials or abnormal processes with normal materials.
9:50-10:00
Clean up materials

Day 2: Talking about Guts
8:30-8:45
Bellringer: Tell me about intuition. When you complete your entry today, place your journal on the middle table.
8:45-9:00
Introduce assignment: “Identity Exploration – by this point, students have learned through various practices which materials they love and this work will make them explain why. 2D or 3D piece, minimum 3 materials, if smaller than 6 square inches, must make 2 or 3. The name of the assignment is Guts. Using three or more materials, create a work of art that discusses one thing that is irreplaceable to you: your favorite pair of sneakers, the color purple, the way leaves sound when they crunch under your feet, the smell of freshly cut grass. It does not have to be a literal interpretation of this person, place, thing or idea, but can be a work inspired by the way it makes you feel. Write an artist statement explaining why you chose your materials, what they may represent and what you are trying to depict or convey in your work and why it matters so much to you. We will be critiquing these works of art in class, and if you feel comfortable, you may share your artist statement with all of us.” Give suggestions on how to beginning planning, but do not require students to follow a certain system.
9:00-9:50
I will look over journals and return them back to students.
Work on planning (compositional sketches, color sketches, collaging/brainstorming) in visual journals or on separate paper, whichever they prefer. Suggest they look to the previous class period “sketches” and word associations.
9:50-10:00
Clean up materials.

Day 3: Work Day
This day is solely a work day, self-guided by the students. I will be available as a resource and an assistant. There is no required visual journaling work for this class period, but if students have worked in it outside of class and want me to check it, I will do so. I will have one-on-one chats during this period with those who ask for it, and will ask everyone “Is everything going well? How are you feeling?” End of class will be a cleanup and visual journal return.

Day 4: Work Day
Another 90 minutes dedicated strictly to work time. I will announce that an in-process critique will happen the next class period.

Day 5: In Process-Crit + VJ check
8:30-9:00 – In Process Crit via discussion with all works presented together. Each student will be able to take briefly about where they see their piece going.
Remainder of class period is work time. I will ask students if there is any material or method they would like me to demo for next class. I will take up visual journals at the end of class.

Day 6: Work Day
If students wished to have a demo done, I will conduct it the first 20 minutes of class. Otherwise, strictly a work day. Next class period will hold a peer review.

Day 7: Work day + Peer Review
Students will have a peer review at the beginning of class. Paired off, they will spend ten minutes each discussing their work, offering suggestions and giving positive feedback. Remainder of class is a work day. I will announce that the assignment is two in two days.

Day 8: Work Day
Strictly a work day. Briefly discuss the construction of an artist statement. Pass out handout.

Day 9: Final Work Day
This is the last work day. Projects will be critiqued next class period. Ask class if they feel comfortable with the artist statement.

Day 10: Final Critique
Class period will be spent conducting a final critique, but not necessarily a FORMAL critique. We will discuss the elements of design and formalities, but I want it to be conversation based. For those students who feel comfortable reading their artist statement, they are able to share.

Materials
Materials entirely up to individual student. They will have access to all materials I have available.

Vocabulary
artist statement: an artist’s written description of their work. The brief verbal representation is about and in support of, his or her own work to give the viewer understanding. As such it aims to inform, connect with an art context, and present the basis for the work; it is therefore didactic, descriptive, or reflective in nature.

Exemplar Artists:
Frida Kahlo, Chuck Close, Mariah Llanes