20
| on the mountain Winter/Spring 2013
Art Education Builds
Creative Thinking,
Presentation, and
Critiquing Skills
by
John Carruthers, Teacher, Visual Arts
This page:
Top: Still life by Ceren Akbar ‘14.
Bottom: 3-D construction project by
Miriam Sefcikova ‘14, Alicia Nunez ‘16,
and Federica Hu ‘14.
I’m IncredIbly excIted
to be teaching here at The Storm King
School. The classes are small enough to customize a lesson for a
student’s strengths, yet big enough to create groups for 3-D
construction and mural projects. The students are energetic, curious,
and supportive of each other’s efforts.
I believe strongly that an arts education builds creative thinking,
presentation and critiquing skills.
The Introduction to Art
classes
are structured to teach an element of art, principle of design, or an
historical era. Built into that structure is individual student input. Each
project stresses an individual design or engineering challenge. In this
way, the students can bring their unique abilities to each lesson.
During the class critique, students learn how to present their work,
articulate their individual expression, and interpret the work of others
within a positive and supportive environment.
After learning and practicing the elements of art, I teach techniques
that have been used by different cultures and throughout different
eras. For instance, we are currently working on a Celtic art project that
ties in personal expression with Nomadic art from around the world.
Students research the
Book of Kells
and we create an “illuminated page”
using Celtic knots. The students add symbols that represent their own
culture or personal expression.
Along with gaining the benefits of learning how to DO art, it is
essential that students become articulate ABOUT art—the culture it
represents, and the vision of the individual artist. As the trimesters
wrap up, each student creates a PowerPoint presentation about a
specific era, artist, or technique, and leads a presentation on the
subject. Students also write critiques about famous art we analyze in
class.
After taking the Introduction to Art course, students can further
their study with the
Drawing and Painting
course which focuses
on learning the traditional techniques of observational drawing,
perspective, figurative and landscape painting. Students build on these
techniques to define and express a personal vision and experiment
with different materials. It is a second level class for students interested
in building a portfolio for acceptance into college, or expand their
abilities for personal fulfillment.
I also teach
AP Art History
.
This college level course allows
students to explore the great art of antiquity, diverse world cultures,
and the modern era. Students can get college credit while discovering
an era or an artist that may inspire their work.
Teaching within the positive and intellectually rich environment of
The Storm King School allows me to go to work everyday excited to
expand my tried-and-true lessons and develop new activities that
build upon the individual interests of the students. It is a unique
environment I’m proud to be a part of.
