Participants in our SHoM workshop PERSIST in their problem solving and craftsmanship. (They are also just hoping their tower doesn’t fall down. When it did they PERSISTED in building it again.)
Participants add their ideas and notes to the Studio Habits of Mind Process Wall.
Last week I had the opportunity to co-facilitate a workshop in LA. It was an arts integration conference for California’s Office to Reform Education (CORE). With my colleague, Alane Paul Castro, we presented on the Studio Habits of Mind, an education framework based in Project Zero research. It makes visible what artists do in the studio (not just technique, people!), and it’s a great lens through which to build integrated curriculum. It was an exciting and successful couple of days. If you’re interested in our presentation click here: SHoM Workshop Presentation.
I was in the studio during the days leading up to the conference, so I was really thinking about the Studio Habits and how they are true to the artist’s practice. Below you can see how my own personal artmaking process connects to the Studio Habits of Mind.
I spend a few hours sketching in my journal, OBSERVING and looking closely at photos and ideas.
I mix new paints to see what colors I can make. Color mixing feels like DEVELOPING CRAFT to me – I am always learning new things.
I often will use the camera to help me ENVISION what images will be a part of my artworks. Here the shapes of the arms were turned into a stencil.
I have to PERSIST everyday, asking myself, “What will I do next.” Making decisions is the hardest part of the process for me.
Here I’m cutting a stencil that will add rays to a piece I’ve been working on for a few weeks. For me this is a new process and could be DEVELOP CRAFT or STRETCH and EXPLORE.
The stencil is placed down on top of the artwork. I do it upside down to help with registration, but it’s not traditional and many printers would look down on my choices.
Monoprinting is new for me. I am STRETCHING and EXPLORING. With my stencil underneath the plexi I roll out the ink where I need it to cover the empty spots. I ask other printmakers for advice and experiment with new tricks.
I use vellum to draw on so I can ENVISION what the piece would look like.
Before
For me the final piece feels like EXPRESS. It is important work and I am proud to have made it.
Persisting leads to two different versions of one idea.
