Metaphoric Self-portrait
(Click on the image to enlarge view)Metaphoric Self-Portrait: Artist’s Statement
A Journey (expedition, excursion, tour, trek, voyage, cruise, ride, drive, jaunt, crossing, passage, flight; travels, wandering, odyssey, pilgrimage) ...
A journey is movement from one place to another traveling to a world of the unknown. A journey requires risk. A journey calls us out from our comfort zones. The creation of art calls us to say what we cannot say or experience in any other way. It requires some much of who we are and what we have experienced.
Each journey is diverse in experience. Individually or collaboratively traveling one distance to another, guided by the information a map gives. An art classroom is a space in which individual journeys collide into a collaborative experience. Within an art classroom the map is the teacher and the information shared is the foundation for the journey’s direction. Each student’s journey is different because of the diverse knowledge and life experiences received. The exploration of a new journey takes into consideration previous journeys. An art teacher encourages the reflection of self and environment. As well as personal reflection, the art classroom must foster the investigation of other famous artists’ journeys.
A journey is movement from one place to another traveling to a world of the unknown. A journey requires risk. A journey calls us out from our comfort zones. The creation of art calls us to say what we cannot say or experience in any other way. It requires some much of who we are and what we have experienced.
Each journey is diverse in experience. Individually or collaboratively traveling one distance to another, guided by the information a map gives. An art classroom is a space in which individual journeys collide into a collaborative experience. Within an art classroom the map is the teacher and the information shared is the foundation for the journey’s direction. Each student’s journey is different because of the diverse knowledge and life experiences received. The exploration of a new journey takes into consideration previous journeys. An art teacher encourages the reflection of self and environment. As well as personal reflection, the art classroom must foster the investigation of other famous artists’ journeys.
Ideas
Sketches
Sketches
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mary, i love this.. its wonderful, and i think its perfect. the only advice i would have, is that the sky looks a little less ...detailed (i couldnt find a better word to use)..than the rest of the picture.
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeleteThank you for including me in your journey. I really enjoyed looking at your art and reading your statement. Your art work is interesting. It makes me wonder if the imagery is all about a journey or if it is more personally significant. I also appreciated your statement. I like how you tie the creation of art to a journey. It makes me curious about how you view the art teacher. For example,you stated that all students come into a classroom with different “knowledge and life experiences,” and the teacher is the “map.” So where does the teacher begin the journey?
Mary, I think your artwork is wonderful and I love it! Thank you for sharing it with me. You will have to teach me how you did this. I personally liked the sky/map area a little less noticeable because I had to really look at it and it made me surprised to see it was there... like a little hidden treasure. This is something I could imagine having in my home. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe idea of art education and a journey is very appealing to me. I love the way you expressed this thought. The art room truly is the place were our previous knowledge and experience can come to life and become meaningful on a new level. The statement "The exploration of a new journey takes into consideration previous journeys" is very powerful and will stick with me. I think your image successfully relays this concept of journey through the use of maps and layers. A feeling of movement is also implied in the artwork. Although the figures seem static to me, the way the layers move in and out of the picture help to reinforce this concept. I find the way the background seeps into the girls clothing to be very intriguing. Nice piece.
ReplyDeleteChristine
I think using the concept of a journey as a metaphore is fitting. It is a journey as much for the teacher as the student. I understand your ideas regarding how students evolve through individual and unique journeys and thus accquire constructed knowledge based upon their own interpitations. What I am curious about is the teacher's roll in this peice. To me a map implies paths and destinations that are fixed. How do you feel about transitions and changes teachers go through as they learn and respond to the needs of their students?
ReplyDeleteMary, I really enjoyed the historical art figures that you used in this piece. It would be interesting to see this image in a large format. I really really like the way the map becomes apart for the girls dress in the foreground. (Notice my use of art terms!)
ReplyDeleteNick, 11 grade art student
Mary,
ReplyDeleteWOW! I wish I had the ability to create such beautiful art work. I love the combination of mediums and the idea of the "journey". I can really see that with the background of a landscape and the clippings of maps as well as people walking toward a point just ahead perhaps further! I love how the people present are from many different places (medieval, Monet or Degas? and historical photographs) for me it represents the variations of voice, and perspective along a journey. Each person comes with their unique way of traveling down life's merry road. Some come alone and with no fear as a child, some come with another not sure of their own way, some cautiously peek around the corner before making decisions while other judge and control those around them in life. Those are the things I see from my perspective in this piece of art.
Great work... when will it be ready to hang on a wall :)
Molly Merwin
4th Grade teacher
Sister of Mary Merwin (artist extraordinaire)
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your metaphoric self-portrait but your statement needs to explore all the members of the journey. I see why you would use a map to represent a teacher because a map is the information gained from another persons journey. It takes investigation to create a map. Could the teacher and students change roles in the journey. Could the students become the map? Can a teacher learn from its students. Can a student become the teacher? Maybe you could explore these ideas. Your image however, is stylistically a lot like other work of yours that I have seen. I love it!