Metaphoric Self Portrait
While practicing glassblowing and gathering experiences in the practice of teaching, I am able to draw many parallels between these two disciplines. In glassblowing, you begin with a molten wad of glass. It could become anything, and your imagination soars with possibilities. This is similar to the way teachers set high expectations for their students. They do their best to guide them to achieving these goals, but there may be unforeseen bumps along the way.
As the flexible, malleable medium is continuously heated and formed with tools, the control that the artist has over the results is limited. Colors could blow out at different rates or your assistant might bump your piece on the glory hole door. For a teacher, these factors may be under-funding or the difficult home lives or poor attendance of students. A glassblower and a teacher must react spontaneously, drawing on their experience and skill to solve problems in the moment. They learn from their successes and failures, always looking to improve the next time. Knowing that these challenges exist, they still attempt to reach their highest aspirations and overcome the many obstacles. The reward is a well formed glass vessel or a more informed student.
Brainstorming
Kidspiration Brainstorming
Kidspiration Brainstorming
Brainstorming Notes:
molten glass=formable & malleable
tools=personal power, resources
color=interest, a personal connection & freedom of expression
transparency=truth, honesty & clarity
heat=time restraints, energy
breath=personality & the human touch
pipe=communication
furnace=the environment that makes it all possible
remaking a form=a second chance, learn from your mistakes
cooperation=community learning & sharing
shattering=obstacles & failures
Other Sketchesmolten glass=formable & malleable
tools=personal power, resources
color=interest, a personal connection & freedom of expression
transparency=truth, honesty & clarity
heat=time restraints, energy
breath=personality & the human touch
pipe=communication
furnace=the environment that makes it all possible
remaking a form=a second chance, learn from your mistakes
cooperation=community learning & sharing
shattering=obstacles & failures
Sketches
Kid Pix Sketch
Kid Pix Sketch
Posts
Kristine, your piece really conveys the act of glassblowing in a fun, colorful way. I do feel a sense of expression and wonder from the images in your composition. I also like how you've attributed some of the challenges of glass-blowing to the concerns of our schools today.
ReplyDeleteWhat sticks out most to me are the colors in your piece. It's colorful in a way that isn't obnoxious and I think they work really nicely together.
ReplyDeleteI also really like your idea of glassblowing and it's great you could make a connection between two things that you love to do.
Your portrait looks great! The colors work together so well, and the message is very clear. The idea of the student as a vessel is an old one, but relating it to the process of glass blowing makes it far more interesting.
ReplyDeleteHi Kristina,
ReplyDeleteI am a high school student, and I think your ideas of how to shape a student's artistic ideas with care, (while still pushing them to reach their full potential,) is a really great teaching perspective. The symbol of glass blowing is also a very cool idea.
Kristi,Your Metaphoric Self-portrait is very well done. The composition and imagery combined with the colors in the photoshop collage are very eye-catching, and I feel the text and the diagram further illustrated the concept.
ReplyDelete7 years old, first grader
ReplyDeleteI like how the swirly glass looks like peacock feathers popping out of an eye. The child's face looks like it is missing an eye and the guy looks like he's blowing a golf club.
In Kid Pix, I like how the glass ball looks like it's going into the fire. I like Kid Pix because you can push the mix button and mix all the paints together.
Retired K-12 Teacher & Mom
ReplyDeleteIt will be such a natural transition for you to go from glassblowing, which you've loved for years, to teaching, which you're learning to love now. These are great channels for your creativity.
The human factor, of course, makes teaching a much more crucial activity. One can toss out a glass piece that doesn't meet one's expectations. But, in the case of the student who doesn't meet the teacher's expectations, we can only hope that he/she will take away some of the lessons and be helped along later by further learning experiences.
Both your writing and your images are colorful and inspiring. You'll be an asset to both endeavors - as a creative glassblower and a creative teacher!
linguist and family member
ReplyDeleteI like the way you elaborate your metaphor in detail and follow through in the fun detailed graphic. Neat how the kid's face appears in the molten glass, about to be formed anew.
My only criticism is that 'malleable' is misspelled in the graphic--you got it right in the text.
Fine job overall!
As a (kind of new) fellow glass blowing student and a (30 year)teacher I can truely relate to glass blowing as a metaphore for teaching. Your comments really helped put my week into perspective!! I had a lot of "bumps" this week both at school and with YOUR pieces. Relating the concepts in your statement to both of my interests/passions helped me to remember the fluidity of both. The fact that there are often second, third or fourth chances to help, guide, impact and change is a hard thing to remember because we often get bogged down in the specific problems at hand. As old as I am, I am glad that I can find new ways of looking at things and can gain a new perspective. You asked for both positive and negative feedback. I just can't think of any negatives at this point! Your work struck a nice cord for me today. Wonderful work Kristi.
ReplyDeleteKrisitna:
ReplyDeleteYour essay and painting successfully convey the comparison between the art of teaching and the art of glassblowing. I truly feel that both processes require much forethought and careful execution yet there is the element of magic that really is beyond our control. I am impressed with the skill level of your painting. "Metaphoric Self-Portrait".I would like to view your entire portfolio and look forward to your pre-student lesson in my Painting Class at CHS. Lastly, I am curious why you chose a male figure (kind of vintage -looking) for your imagery. I look forward to talking to you more about your work. Elena Barillas Flores, High School Art Teacher,Artist
(Supervising Kristina's volunteer work )
I think you have taken a common metaphor, (that of the student as a vessel), and created a deeper connection between parallels that have been drawn historically.
ReplyDeleteYour teaching approach seems to be one that embraces chance and possibility. You will see each child as unique...capable of becoming anything...and it leaves room for spontaneity and surprise. This flexibility coupled with your keen sense of order, will be one of your greatest assets as a teacher!
I challenge you to think about responses you might have to obstacles arising in the classroom. What parallels could you draw between the responses of the master glassblower and that of the creative and dedicated teacher?
Your composition clearly conveys the sense of glassblowing: the colors, the tools, the artist, etc. The property of malleability is translated in the composition through the artist's flexible pose.
ReplyDeleteThe connection you made between glassblowing and teaching is insightful. I like how you incorporated the teacher/student struggles and triumphs.
I was immediately struck by the flow of your composition. From the fire to the glass blower breathing form into the glass. Your metaphor of an artist coaxing form from an unpredictable material and a teacher improvising with what is at hand in hopes to inspire a young mind is strong. The coloration ties everything together and conveys the warmth of the fire and the heart.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteTo clarify, this is a collage built in PhotoShop out of found images.
Two of the sketches were created in kid's drawing programs, one in KidPix and one in Kidspiration.