The following blog posts were done during my marketing internship in summer of 2014 for Arts for Learning Indiana. You can still find these posts on their website: http://artsforlearningindiana.org/?s=sarah+mihich
Week of August 4, 2014
Week of July 28, 2014
Week of July 21, 2014
Week of July 15, 2014
Week of August 11, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Take a Break!
Are you feeling so overwhelmed that you don’t think your
brain can take any more information? That is ok, there is a reason. An article
in The New York Times, “Hit
the Reset Button in Your Brain”, states that the “conscious mind is limited.”
Our brain consists of two attentional networks, the task-positive and the task-negative
network. When one network is working the other one is not. The task-positive
network is active when you are super engaged, focused and not daydreaming. The
negative-task network is active when you start drifting off and looking out the
window.
The negative-task network isn’t as bad as it seems. When
this network is active, creative ideas or thoughts appear suddenly. The article
suggests that you need to break up your day by taking a walk or creating art!
Just think, if you actually took a real vacation, not worrying about your email
piling up, you might be able to solve the world’s biggest problem!
Week of August 11, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Brains of Writers
Writers’ brains operate differently. A recent research study
led by Martin Lotze at the University of Greifswald in Germany reportedly
“observed a broad network of regions in the brain working together as people
produced their stories.” The study showed that even before an advice, professional
writer picks up their pen to begin writing, different regions of the brain are
highly active versus a novice writer.
Throughout an article written in the New York Times, the
author, Carl Zimmer, highlights the counterpart of a scientist who strongly
disagrees with Martin Lotze findings. Dr. Pinker, a Harvard psychologist, is
very doubtful about this experience, simply saying, “Creativity is a perversely
difficult thing to study.” Learn more about these two sides here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/19/science/researching-the-brain-of-writers.html?_r=2
Sarah Mihich
Summer Art Challenge
Week 8 – Musical Instruments
Since school is in full swing, this will be my very last art
project for the summer. So why not celebrate the end of summer with some music.
This project was super easy and would be a lot of fun with younger kids. All
you need is some rubber bands and a baking pan!
There is plenty of research out there that shows that
learning to play a musical instrument results in higher test scores. A study at
the Boston Children’s Hospital showed that “musical training may promote the
development and maintenance of key set of mental skills. So if you are looking
for an after school program or activity for your child, why not sign them up
for some music classes? You can read more about this study by clicking here.
I hope you had a fun, artful summer just like I did! Have a
great school year!
Week of August 4, 2014
Sarah Mihich
What Age Should You Take Your Kids to Museums?
This is probably a difficult question to answer. Should you
take your child to a museum that they only show interest in? Or should you wait
till your child is in school? A recent article from the Washington Post poses
this question, “When can I take my kid to a museum?” Dr. Kimberlee L. Kiehl,
executive director of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center answers this
question. She explains that you shouldn’t wait till elementary school to bring
your child to a museum; you should bring them as a baby because they see
everything. She recommends though not to spending the entire day at the museum
because little children have short attention spans, instead spend a couple of
hours on one floor of the museum so they child can take everything in.
The article goes on with the interview with Dr. Kiehl with
common questions parents might have about bringing their young child to a
museum. You can read the full interview by clicking here.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/08/01/when-can-i-take-my-kid-to-a-museum/
Week of August 4, 2014
Sarah Mihich
National Medal of Arts
and National Humanities Medal Presentation
“The arts and the humanities aren't just
there to be consumed and enjoyed whenever we have a free moment in our
lives. We rely on them constantly. We need them. Like
medicine, they help us live” stated by President Obama on July 28, 2014 while
presenting the 2013 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal to
individuals who made outstanding influences to the “excellence, growth, support,
and availability of the arts in the United States.”
The National Medal of Arts was created
and awarded by the U.S Congress in 1984 to honor artists or patrons of the
arts. Those that are awarded with this honor are selected by the National
Endowment for the Arts and is presented by the president each year.
The National Humanities Medal did not
come until much later in 1997. This medal is presented and awarded to
individuals or groups whose work has had an impact on the U.S’s understanding
of humanities through engaging citizens in the arts. There can be up to 12
medals awarded each year.
You can either watch or read the
transcript of President Obama’s remarks at the ceremony by clicking here.
Week of July 28, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Summer Art Challenge
Week 7 – Draw a Comic
Below is the drawing of a comic illustrating what I did all
summer, intern at Arts for Learning. It doesn’t really depict what I am doing
here, it more depicts that I have done many, many hours of internships at many,
many different organizations during my college career.
Drawing a comic of what you did all summer or to tell a
story from your life can really help a child develop key skills. “Creating Art
teaches students how to interpret, criticize, and use visual information and
how to make choices based on it”. You can read more about the importance of art
education and creating art in an article from PBS here.
Week of July 28, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Can an Art Degree Lead into a Successful Career?
We all have heard it. People with art degrees just simply
can’t get jobs. Artists are not able to get jobs in their fields, they have
huge amounts of debt, and there are too many galleries overloaded with artists
already. Well, an article in the Huffington Posts written by an art professor
in Los Angeles talks about important factors that need to be considered when
artists are trying to be successful. Location makes things a little bit easier
when trying to find art collectors or galleries to support recent art
graduates. The bigger the city the better chance a recent art grad has to
getting their art out there. Networking, building relationships, and finding
connections is just as important for an art student as it is to any other
student. The focus on the institution an
art student attends is important. “Students
graduate with a strong foundation that enables a broad range of expressive and
career possibilities”. So it is possible for art graduates to be successful as long
as they keep those factors in mind. Read the article here.
Week of July 28, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Why Adults Should Go to a Museum Too!
I recently wrote a post about the importance about taking
your children to museums. “They can provide memorable, immersive learning
experiences, provoke imagination, introduce unknown worlds and subject matter,
and offer unique environments for quality time with family”. What about adults? Are museums visits as
beneficial for adults as they are for children? In a recent article, “How
a Grown-Up Field Trip to a Museum Can Improve Your Work”, lists multiple
reasons why adults should go to museums as much as children should. The
following is a list of benefits for adults
who go to the museum. To look deeper into these benefits you can read more in
the article here:
1.
Museums reduce stress and anxiety
2.
Museums inspire creativity
3.
Museums improve well-being similar to playing a
sport
4.
Museums Boost the economy
So when you are needed to feel inspired, relaxed, and open
to new possibilities, visit one of the 17,500 museums in the country.
Week of July 21, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Summer Art Challenge
Week 6: Chalk Art
This week’s challenge made me feel like a kid again and got
me really intrigued with chalk art. While trying to get some inspiration, I
came upon chalk art that really makes the viewer feel as though they are
falling into a hole or going down a waterfall; you can see some of this
artworks here. Wishing I had enough chalk to do this, I tried my own weird,
angle kind of chalk art.
These 3D chalk art drawings really make pedestrians to stop
and look. I have to wonder if these intense 3D chalk art really do make pedestrians
walking by the artwork really stop and look at their surroundings or are they
too busy with what is happening in their crazy hectic lives. Although, I am not
sure what the purpose is of this 3D chalk art, but I would conclude that these
artists are trying to inspire and provoke in-depth thought to create an experience
for viewers. Also, these artists could just be having fun with a new art form. Either
way it is pretty cool and I highly recommend looking at some chalk art here.
Week of July 21, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Art is Good for Your Brain!
Art can not only wash away the dust from our
souls but it can also wipe away the dust in our minds. "The production of
visual art improves effective interaction” between parts of the brain as
suggested by new cognitive research done
in Germany. This research was conducted with a small group of newly retired individuals
aging from 62 and 70. It ended with suggesting that making art can slow down,
delay or even negate age-related decline in certain brain functions.
To dig even deeper into this
research, a team led by neurologists Anne Bolwerk and Christian Maihofner,
gather randomly 14 men and 14 women with half
participating on hands-on art class and the other participating in an
art appreciation course for a 10 week period. The study showed, “a significant
improvement in psychological resilience" as well increased levels of
"functional connectivity" in the brain amongst participants of the
visual art production group. The art-appreciation group fared worse on both”.
To learn more about the relationship between art and the mind click here.
Week of July 21, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Can We Learn Creativity or is it Natural?
For a lot of artists creating a masterpiece is easier than for
others. There are a lot of questions and theories as scholars try to figure out
if the most highly recognized masterpieces, such as Frankenstein, or a Pablo
Picasso painting is learned or an innate ability. A recent article highlighted in The Atlantic discussing a methodology on
creativity.
A professor of
economics at the University of Chicago, David Galenson, has an interesting
modern theory on creativity focusing on age discrepancy in the success of creativity.
“He found that an artist’s success
and how old she is when she attains it is a function not of the artist’s skill
but of methodology.” Galenson proposes
that there are two different kinds of artist, “experimental artists” who create
their most successful masterpiece at an older age or “conceptual artists” who
create their masterpiece at a very young age.
Both kinds of artists have different attitudes toward their creativity.
There is another
popular theory that argues with Galenson that age has nothing to do with
creativity but how much time an artist spends practicing their art. Malcom
Gladwell’s Ouliers suggests that creativity can be learned. Gladwell says an
individual needs to practice at least 10,000 hours before becoming an expert in
that specific art. He states, “The point is simply that natural ability
requires a huge investment of time in order to be made manifest.” Yet his root
idea remains the same: Even if one has talent, it must be cultivated.”
Do you think
creativity can be learned? Or do you think it is more of a combination of
experience, openness, and the right neurology coming together? One thing I
would have to agree with is that all of the great artists out there is had to
spend a sufficient amount of time, had large amounts of experiences, had some
kind of natural talent, and they were all open to new ideas. To learn more
about this article and theories click here.
Week of July 15, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Music Training offers Mental Benefits
“Replacing music programs with reading or math
instruction in our nation’s school curricula in order to boost standardized
test scores may actually lead to deficient skills in other cognitive areas.”
In a recent article written by Tom Jacobs, “New Evidence of
Mental Benefits from Music Training”, discusses research done at Harvard that
found a link between early musical training and cognitive capacities that allow
for planned, controlled behavior.
I am sure you are aware of the large amount of research
supporting that education and higher test scores are somehow linked to music,
but what about learning to play an instrument? Research is not clear in this
aspect. There is a possible answer now
from a study done at Boston Children’s Hospital that reports that musical
training can increase development and maintenance of a key set of mental
skills. Read more about this study here.
Week of July 15, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Can Murals Change a City?
“That’s what I love about where this one is,” says
Dougher. “It’s a bus stop. Think how many hundreds of people are going to see
it every day.” We are now seeing more murals and public art popping up
everywhere in our community, but does it have an impact? A recent article
titled, “Can Murals Change
a Neighborhood” written by Sarah Goodyear talks about a
large-scale art project that aims to do more than just be beautiful in
Brownsville community, New York. Patrick Dougher the program director of
Groundswell, a nonprofit organization that creates murals around New York, says
that the key to Groundswell’s project is visibility. The imagery on the wall
with strong, bold tagged words is the most outward expression of the positive
effect Groundswell’s murals have on their community. The idea behind this
project is to give the youth and the citizens of New York a constructive
environment to express themselves.
This program is very similar to Arts for Learning Teaching
Artist, Holly Combs who teaches art of inspiration through the medium of street
art. You can learn more about her workshop here.
Week of July 15, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Summer Art Challenge
Week 5 – Environmental Art
It was beautiful outside when I did this Summer Art
Challenge which made it super easy. I spent a lot of my time looking up ideas.
I also needed to think creatively because the natural elements around my area
are very limited. I think my piece did its job though because once I was
finished people were coming up to see what I was doing.
Art is used as a means for people to express ideas and
feelings about what matters the most to them. With environmental art, people
try to make sense of the area they live in and the relationship with the many
beings that occupy it. To learn more about environmental and ecological
artists, look at Andy
Goldsworthy work for inspiration!
Week of July 7, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Take Your Kids to the Museum!
Museum visits are fun and engaging for not only adults but
also for children. There are so many benefits for children during museum
visits. “They can provide memorable, immersive learning experiences, provoke
imagination, introduce unknown worlds and subject matter, and offer unique
environments for quality time with family”.
There is plenty of research that proves these benefits. A recent Art
Works Blog written by Rebecca Gross shares information from Blue Star
Museums (which offers free admission to the nation’s service members and families
during specific times of the year) on what they think is the importance of
taking your child to a museum.
The one that stood out to me was the quote from Kate
Whitman, Vice President of Public Programs, Atlanta History Center. She simply
explains that engaging youth at a very young age creates lifelong museums visitors.
She tells a story about being a mother to a toddler and taking him to museums
and watching his curiosity grow. This reminded me of many years of family
vacations, going to museums, science
centers, botanical gardens, zoos, or any kind of museum that was in the area
that we were visiting. These visits were
probably the most enjoyable memories I had while growing up. Now, I am a
student studying arts administration hoping to continue these experiences for
future generations. Museum visits have many benefits and you can read more here.
Week of July 7, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Chocoholic Frolic
Final Stretch and Arts for Learning is partnering up this
year to get ready for the Chocolate Fest in October; Arts for Learning annual
fundraising event. Final Stretch will be organizing the Chocoholic Frolic 5k or
10k in support of Arts for Learning. Part of the proceeds from this race will
go towards some of Arts for Learning’s art education initiatives during the
year. Final Stretch will support the work of Arts for
Learning and ensure that all Indiana students have the opportunity to learn
through the arts.
The
event will take place on September 28, 2014, with the 5k kicking off at 9 a.m.
starting at the Indiana State Fair, Centennial Hall. You can purchase tickets here for $50 (prices will go up after 7/26) with a special
discount code, ARTSSCHOCIN, just for Arts for Learning lovers!
The
event will conclude with delicious chocolate treats for participants to enjoy
and you get to leave with some sweet Chocoholic Frolic Swag! Hope to see you
there!
Week July 7th,
2014
Sarah Mihich
Week 4 – Summer Art Challenge
Recycled art
We all know that reusing, recycling, and reduce is highly
important for our ecosystem. I am sure we all try in some way or other to do
all three. This week I reused some of my recyclable tins to make lanterns,
which you can see below. It was super easy and fun! Reusing is simply trying to
extend the life of a material, this is different from recycling which takes an
item and turns it into something different. Reusing extends the first life a
lot longer which reduces the energy and money to recycle an item.
Reusing materials is probably really easy for artists to
come up with ideas. There are even
artists currently that specialize in making trash look beautiful. For inspiration on how to reuse your
recyclables, check out the link below highlighting artists who specialize in
this area. http://beautifuldecay.com/2010/07/21/green-art-10-artists-working-with-recycled-materials/
Week of June 9, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Summer Art Challenge
Arts for
Learning has a challenge for you! To encourage art participation throughout the
summer, we want to challenge you to have at least one art experience each week.
Do not worry; you will not be doing this alone! Our intern, Sarah Mihich, will
post her art project and experience each week to share with you.
What is the
purpose of this?
We all know
the many benefits of art education in children’s development; creativity,
confidence, problem solving, perseverance, focus, non-verbal communication,
receiving constructive feedback, collaboration, dedication, and accountability.
Not only can youth develop these amazing skills, so can adults. The summer art
challenge is not only for youth but also for adults. The challenge can be done
either by just you, with a friend, or with whoever would enjoy the art
experience. Below is the list of art projects that Sarah will be doing in order
once a week this summer. If you decide to join (we hope you do!) please share
your art experience with us on our Facebook page or Twitter with the hashtag
#SummerArtChallenge
Summer
Art Challenge
Inspiration from http://www.artisbasic.com/2012/09/summer-art-challenge.html
1. Art Outing: Documentation:
a photograph of you, a flier from the event, or a sketch you drew of your
favorite part
2. “Me” Collage: Use
magazines, photos and your own drawings to create an “About Me”
collage. If you need inspiration, go to google images and search for
“collage artist”. Documentation: a photo of your collage or the
actual collage
3. Read a graphic novel or
comic. Ask your librarian for suggestions! Documentation: Write a
short description of the book you read or create a bookmark for the book.
6. Recycled Art: Find
discarded objects around the house (old junk mail, pieces of wood scraps,
random toys or old stickers you don’t want anymore) and create a new inspiring
collage or sculpture.
7. Environmental Art: Use
leaves, rocks and other natural objects to make a piece of art. Look up
the art of Andy Goldsworthy for ideas. Documentation: Take a photo
of your finished artwork.
8. Photomontage: Take
lots of photos. With permission from your parents, cut out faces or parts
of the pictures and combine them to create an interesting photomontage.
Look up the photomontages of David Hockney if you need ideas.
Documentation: Turn in the original artwork.
9. Collaborative
Artwork: Collaborate with a friend or family member and make a work of
art together! Documentation: Photo of the two of you working or the
finished artwork.
10. Sidewalk Chalk Masterpiece:
Use sidewalk chalk in a creative way to make a
masterpiece. Take a photo of your finished work.
11. Comic Art: Draw a comic about
something that happened to you this summer. Documentation: Turn in
the original comic.
12. Fashion: Decorate a t-shirt or
sew a piece of clothing! Ideas: tie-dye, stencils, sew something on
it, paint pens or fabric paint. Documentation: Bring in the item of
clothing or a photo.
13. Jewelry: Make something to
wear. Ideas: friendship bracelets, glass (go to Fire It Up
Pottery!), beads. Documentation: Bring in the jewelry or a photo.
14. Rock Painting: Find the
perfect rock outside. Decorate it with paints and anything else you’d
like. Documentation: Photograph it or bring in the actual rock.
15. Sculpture: Design an artwork
to hang from a branch of a tree. Take a photograph of the sculpture in
the tree.
16. Musical Instrument: Create a
musical instrument using materials around your house.
Documentation: photograph or bring in the instrument.
Week of June, 16
Sarah Mihich
Art Outing
Week 1 of Summer Art Challenge
For the first week of the Summer Art Challenge, I decided to spend it outside at two arts festivals. This past weekend I had the pleasure to enjoy the beautiful outdoors by attending the Talbot Street Art Fair and the Independent Music and Arts Festival in Indianapolis. The streets were filled with people looking at all kinds of different art and listening to great local music. Each art booth brought a different kind of aesthetics as you walked into their tent. Both of these two art fairs brought a positive presentation of Indianapolis’s culture and art. There was tons of social interaction between strangers about the art in front of them. Art fairs and festivals fill the socioeconomic gap by offering people an art experience for free outside the walls of a museum or symphony hall.
Did I purchase anything? Of course! I bought three prints for my bare white walls.
I also ran into two of Arts for Learning’s Chocolate Fest vendors; Just Pop In and Sun King Brewery. Both vendors were giving out free samples and I was impressed!
I also ran into two of Arts for Learning’s Chocolate Fest vendors; Just Pop In and Sun King Brewery. Both vendors were giving out free samples and I was impressed!
Week of June 23, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Summer Art Challenge Week 2
“Me” Collage
I am going to be completely honest; I was not looking forward to creating a collage about myself. Simply, because I just do not enjoy talking or bragging about myself. Getting started on this collage was hard at first because I had no clue what to add, what symbols I wanted to use, or even trying to think of my likes and dislikes. But after sifting through old photos and going through craft supplies, it was a lot easier than I thought. I ended up with more than I needed and after completing the collage I felt there were things missing that would represent me. You can see the final product below!
Collages are fun, but they also bring a significant learning aspect to them too. Collages are helpful tools for children to question the process of creating a painting or a sculpture. Creating a collage is easier to create than a piece of artwork because you are able to use found objects. Picasso was the very first artist to introduce collages into museums, but collages have been around for centuries. What does your collage look like? Share with us on facebook!
June 30, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Summer Art Challenge
Week 3: Read a Comic or Novel
Since I do not own any comic books myself, I had to head to the library. I searched for “comics” in the catalogs at the library and I had no clue how many comics there are. So trying to figure out which comics to read was very difficult. I decided to go for the all-time favorite classic, Garfield, also because I have a cat named Garfield. The comic had different strips in which the characters, Garfield, Odie and the gang, were introduced to new characters, including a mouse that wanted to be a cat, a cat mummy, and the PET FORCE. The comic was easy and enjoyable and brought back memories of reading Garfield comic strips in the Sunday newspaper when I was growing up.
An article titled “Comic books are good for children’s learning” explains the benefits of reading comics. The University of Illinois claims that “reading any work successfully, including comics, requires more than just absorbing text. Comics use pictures and text to create a plot in a story in which creates a more complex literature for kids.
Which comic did you read this week? Share with us on Facebook!
Week of June 16, 2014
Sarah Mihich
What are we looking at?
We all have thought it at least once or twice while looking at abstract art. A child could make this .Or how is this considered art? I could easily do this myself! Abstract art is a puzzle and for some there is a nagging desire to figure out what the artist is trying to convey. In an article written by Priscilla Frank, “Your Definitive Guide to Reading A Piece of Abstract Art”, she gives viewers a clearer understanding on how abstract art is actually art. Viewing abstract art takes patience, creativity, and huge amounts of attention to fully understand the artist message. Frank lists 9 basic steps to keep in mind the next time you are viewing abstract art.
1. “There’s no code to crack.
2. Don’t look at the clock
3. Don’t talk about your five-year-old
4. Don’t think of a picture, think of a thing
5. Ditch the questions completely
6. Don’t stress about getting emotional
7. Read the wall text
8. Remember, some artists don’t even know, or care, what their art work means
9. Think about the fact that all are really abstract. And let your mind be blown”
Now the next trip you make to the modern museum of art, you can hopefully appreciate the work that is in front of you. Do you have any helpful tips to approaching abstract art?
Week of June 23, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Art Makes You Smart
There is research out there that proves the educational benefits of the arts; increases test scores, generate social responsibility and turns around failing schools. Simply, it is hard to collect quantitative data on the arts to prove these benefits. Luckily, a team of researchers were able to get some data from the new Crystal Bridges Museums of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.
A team from University of Arkansas created a “large-scale, random-assignment study of school tours to the museum; we were able to determine that strong causal relationships do in fact exist between arts education and a range of desirable outcomes.” The study, which you can read more about here, concluded that when students, visiting art museums, are exposed to a diversity of ideas which challenge them with unique perspectives on the human condition. This study shows that a student needs to be exposed to the arts through programs at schools or through visiting museums and galleries.
Week of June 9, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Do the arts make you happy?
I think we all can recall a time while participating in the arts or creating art as one of the most enjoyable, happiest memories of our life. A recent Art Works Blog written by Sunil Lyenger, NEA Director of Research and Analysis examines three different studies that try to quantify satisfying moments of individual arts participation; Brookings Institution, Vanderbilt University, and UK DCMS.
All three studies show some correlation between a person’s well-being and art consumption. Those who create art are shown to have a higher well-being satisfaction. Not only is there a correlation between art practice and well-being, but the more frequently an individual practices the arts the more satisfied an individual is with their own personal well-being.
This is a very brief summary of all three studies. I would highly recommend you clicking the link below to learn even more about the three studies.
Week of June 30, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Arts for Summer Learning
Bill Rasdell
The other day, I had the pleasure to observe an Arts for Summer Learning program. The artist, Bill Rasdell, taught children going into 2nd grade about photography while tying it into their lesson for the day, Tableau. Bill Rasdell is an experienced photographer with a focus on producing fine art and documentary images.
During the lesson that I observed, students were learning the basic art elements and principals of design. He took the students outside asking them to take close up photos of patterns found in nature. The students were learning about Tableau and theatre exercise to help them understand story elements in order to become more engaged and careful readers.
Tableau in French means “picture”. In theater this term is a frozen silent picture that a group of actors make with their bodies to show a moment in time. These images can be used to symbolize relationships, environments, emotions, scenes or events. The 2nd graders received hands creating their own tableau.
Week of June 2
Sarah Mihich
Excellent Visual Art Teaching
As Teaching Artists for Arts For Learning there are probably sometimes you might get a little questionable about the short term interaction you have with the students. Some of these students this art experience could be the only art experience they ever have that entire year. No need to worry! There are ways to ensure that these teaching opportunities are the best art experience that the students will receive even if it is the only one! According to the National Art Education Association in their recent Advocacy White Paper, “What Excellent Visual Arts Teaching Looks Like” it explores a philosophy by Renee Sandell, a professor of Art Education at George Mason University. Her philosophy Form (How the work “is”) + Theme (What the work is about) + Context (When, where, by/for whom and why the work was created/valued)=Art (FTC) gives teaching artists a more balanced approach to “decoding and encoding art and other phenomena for deeper meaning and engagement”. Through using the FTC teaching artists are able to ensure their lessons are balanced, interdisciplinary, and meaningful.
Excellent Visual Arts Teaching is balanced: There needs to be a balance between studying form, theme and context. Renee Sandell suggests the formula Form + Theme + Context=Art (FTC approach) to ensure balance while studying the arts.
Excellent Visual Arts Teaching is Interdisciplinary: Studying the arts should show multiple connections to other subject areas for the students such as English, science, mathematics, physical education, social studies, music, and relation.
Excellent Visual Art Teaching is Meaningful: “Excellent visual arts teaching draws on art’s sensory nature to inspire individual enlightenment while building community”.
Looking at art teaching as balanced, interdisciplinary, and meaningful then every lesson can be viewed as a “work of art on its own”. To learn more about the FTC approach click here. http://www.arteducators.org/advocacy/NAEA_WhitePapers_3.pdf
Week of June 16, 2014
Sarah Mihich
New Technology Can Change How We View Art
Have you ever been in an art museum that has been so crowded that you can’t even get up close to read the text about the piece? Well there is new technology out there that can solve how museum goers experience artwork at art museums. The Google Glass is being tested right now by a team from Manchester Metropolitan University on how this new technology can be used in art museums. The Google Glasses will be able to “display instant information on artworks as visitors walk round museums, possibly replacing gallery guidebooks and audio guides entirely”.
How does it work? The person who is wearing the spectacles takes a picture of the piece that they want to know more information about. Google Glass recognizes the piece and then gives the viewer information that would normally appear on the wall next to the piece.
Further research and tests are being conducted using the Google Glasses on 3-D works. Do you think this will solve the crowding in art museums? To learn more click the link below:
Week of June 23, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Our Brains Were Wired to Look at Art
If you are staring at that abstract art to the point that your mind is about to burst; then you are thinking way too hard! The human brain is wired to appreciate art according to a meta-analysis that looked at a study mapping out brain processes.
The article in the Huffington Post written by Katherine Brooks discusses the above study that was completed at the University of Toronto involving 330 participants, ages 18 to 59, who viewed familiar or not-so-familiar images of artworks. The study indicated that staring at a piece of artwork triggered activity in regions of the brain that are associated with “vision, pleasure, memory, recognition, and emotion, in addition to systems that underlie the conscious processing of new information to give it meaning.”
This study could possibly give back confidence to the viewers who have felt discouraged when staring at a Cezanne or a more complicated piece. I have to wonder if this activity is similar to when engaging in the performing arts or if there is more activity in the brain. You can read more about this topic here.
Week of June 30, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Take Your Kids to the Museum!
Museum visits are fun and engaging for not only adults but also for children. There are so many benefits for children during museum visits. “They can provide memorable, immersive learning experiences, provoke imagination, introduce unknown worlds and subject matter, and offer unique environments for quality time with family”. There is plenty of research that proves these benefits. A recent Art Works Blog written by Rebecca Gross shares information from Blue Star Museums (which offers free admission to the nation’s service members and families during specific times of the year) on what they think is the importance of taking your child to a museum.
The one that stood out to me was the quote from Kate Whitman, Vice President of Public Programs, Atlanta History Center. She simply explains that engaging youth at a very young age creates lifelong museums visitors. She tells a story about being a mother to a toddler and taking him to museums and watching his curiosity grow. This reminded me of many years of family vacations, going to museums, science centers, botanical gardens, zoos, or any kind of museum that was in the area that we were visiting. These visits were probably the most enjoyable memories I had while growing up. Now, I am a student studying arts administration hoping to continue these experiences for future generations. Museum visits have many benefits and you can read more here.
Week of June 2, 2014
Sarah Mihich
Good Bye School; Hello
Summer!
As the
school year comes to an end and summer begins, Arts for Learning wants to make
sure that Indiana’s youth will still be able to participate in the arts outside
of the classroom. We have all heard, known and seen the many benefits of participating
in the arts for our youth. According to a Washington Post article written by
Valerie Strauss, “Top 10 skills children learn from
the arts”, children
learn skills that are crucial to their academic and life success. Children gain
skills in creativity, confidence, problem solving, perseverance, focus,
non-verbal communication, receiving constructive feedback, collaboration, dedication,
and accountability.
Not only do
the arts benefit our youth, but it also benefits adults. To keep the benefits
of participation in the arts alive during the summer attend a local arts event,
museum, symphony orchestra or engage in any arts related activity. You can
participate in the arts alone, with family, friends, or anyone; just
participate!
The
following is a list of resources to find opportunities in the Indianapolis area
to help you find great arts events that are happening this summer.
·
Indiana Arts has a wonderful directory of
museums, events and everything related to the arts in Indiana!
Of course
there are the wonderful museums in Indianapolis:
Check out Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra either at Conner Prairie Saturday
mornings with the family or bring your lunch for a lunch break hour concert!
Also can’t
forget that Arts For Learning has ARTFORCE Camp which offers a
Fine Arts apprenticeship experience for students entering 10th, 11th,
and 12th grade.
No matter
where you live, there are always great art opportunities near you. Feel free to
ask your local art council.
Washington
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