What Art Has Given Me and My Decision to Give Back
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Transcript of What Art Has Given Me and My Decision to Give Back
making something, and having a fnal product that, every
time, I stand back in slight awe that that is something I
created- there are few things as exciting to me. It does not
matter that it may not be the most unique artistic product
that has ever existed, it is mine, and it is my voice.
In a lecture given by Olivia Gude she began by speaking of children’s development through the views of
Lowenfeld, and she noted about the artmaking process “of course, what is important here is not ultimately
the uniqueness of the artistic product, but rather the deeply felt connection between self, process, and
product” (2009, p. 1). I believe this is a wonderful and incredibly accurate summery of how I feel my art
education was to me, and why I am an artist today. In the notes I’d taken preparing to write this
autobiographical essay about my own artistic development, I literally wrote “I love process!!!”. And it’s
true. From the conception of an idea, the gathering of information and problem solving, the hands on act of
I am very lucky to have had great artistic support and role models while growing up. Aunt Mary Katharine is
how my very frst art teacher would affectionately refer to me. She said that I shared my name with one of her
favorite aunts, and so it stuck for those early elementary years. I recall all of Mrs. Spradlin’s quirky little
characteristics such as that with endearment, as well as the love and excitement for life and art that she exuded.
That is where my love for art began. Going to art class was the highlight of my week in elementary school, and it
would continue to be my favorite subject throughout my entire education. I can name every art teacher I have
ever had, and something that I learned from each one of them. Whether it was a small skill at a young age, like
Miss Bannahan teaching me "just a dot, not a lot" when referring to the use of my favorite Elmer's glue, or Mrs.
Beauman in high school giving me the motivation and support to have my own senior art show, they are by far
the leaders who made the strongest impression on my life, and the ones who helped to shape me into the artist
and the person that I am today.
I was also strongly impacted by a particular organization,The Living Arts & Science Center or LASC. They are a
not-for-proft organization that offer art classes covering most any topic you can think of, taught by local artists
throughout the summer. That single organization made the biggest impact on me as a young artist. The mentors
there had this ability to create classrooms that they lead, yet even as a child I felt in control. They were
supportive of what ever direction I wanted to take my art, and they were there to guide me if I had any
questions. One of their core values is “lifelong learning”, a belief that “people of all ages deserve accessible
opportunities to learn and to be creative” (LASC, 2013, Mission Statement). What an incredible way to use the
arts.
These are all factors that led to my next step in life
which was college; and the decision to major in
studio art. It was a decision easily made because I
knew my passion for art was what I needed- yet the
thought process of what I’d do with that degree
wasn’t there at the time. That’s ok, we’ll get back to
that. My studio time in college dug deeper into my
soul than anything else ever had. Everything leading
up to college prepared me skill wise and as a
creative thinker to be an artist. The difference my
college professors brought was the probing. Why?
Why am I making art? What do I have to say? Why
am I saying it? I had never had to answer so many
questions! But, they were essential for truly
understanding why I had chosen art as my personal
form of expression.These tactics were to bring what
I mention in my intro full circle, the connection of
“self, process and product” (Gude, 2009, p. 1).
One key mentor I had in college was Arturo
Sandoval, my fber professor. He would praise you
when you were good, and let you know when you
needed a swift kick. Arturo challenged me to think
in ways I never had with my art. Try process after
process until you fnd what speaks to you- combine
techniques, try the unknown, do what you have to
to get where you want to be. There is no one that
can stop you but you.
A great example is my fnal senior showcase, in which
I wanted to combine my photography and my silk
painting- but how? I had been playing with the “silk
paper” you can buy for your printer and literally print
what you want on typical 8x11 sheets, but I wanted
big- and again, process! So, Arturo suggested this
technique he’d seen before using lacquer thinner as a
transfer agent for photographs. In a nutshell I made
large sandwiches of my painted silks, my images
blown up and printed on basic paper, and special,
heavy paper soaked in lacquer thinner, and then sent
the sandwiches through the printmaking press so that
the pressure applied forced the image from the basic
paper to transfer on my silk. This was not a process
like anything typically done in class, it had to be done
at odd hours so as not to disturb the printmaking
students, and Arturo was there every step of the way
with me. His belief in me and the comfort I felt in his
class also allowed for another very meaningful series
of work to emerge.
The loss of my dad occurred my senior year and while
I was in the very last fber class that I would be taking.
In the week or so after my dad’s death I took hundreds
of pictures of the fowers from the funeral as they were
dying- they were so sad, only days before a lovely
thought and symbol of sympathy and then so quickly
they turned another reminder of death. I wasn’t sure
what I was going to do with the pictures- I had no real
plan and I didn’t think I could even make art about
this, I’m not the most forthcoming person about my
emotions or my personal life. But somehow I knew
that I had to use these sad fowers. They needed to be
large and somehow soft, and that’s when I envisioned
a series of silk paintings with them. The fnal one I
painted hung at my senior show with the rest of my
photography silks; I had more people intrigued by that
one work without ever knowing a word of the story
behind it than anything else in my show.
Resources
Eisner, E. (2001). Should we create new aims for art education? Art Education, 54(5), 6-10.
Gude, O. (2009). Art education for democratic life [NAEA Lowenfeld Lecture]. Retrieved from
http://www.arteducators.org/research/2009_LowenfeldLecture_OliviaGude.pdf
LASC online. (2013). Mission statement. Retrieved from http://www.lasclex.org/index.php/about/mission-history
Now, more than fve years after that degree, which, as I
mentioned, there wasn’t a destination after I received it, I fnd
myself pursuing something I believe has been a big part of who
I am all along: art education. It is not only creating art that is
my passion, but it is the artistic learning environments and the
sharing of ideas where I thrive and fnd joy. Whether it be an
art class room, a summer art camp, or a studio, these are the
places where I feel at home. Those are the places that molded
me, and challenged me to be a better artist and thinker; to
explore the world around me, and push myself in ways I may
not have been able to do on my own. This is why I need art
education. To quote Eisner, “when a child is touched and an
adolescent supported, the student may come away from the art
room with a memory that he or she will cherish throughout his
or her life” (2001, p.10). This was true for me and why I fnd
myself needing to be back in that place.
This is an excerpt from my blog written as I was fnishing up my two week studio time for grad school. It
has been over three months now, but the reminder of how important my artmaking is, and how my
program of art education allows the two to blend, lets me know I’m exactly where I need to be.
These last two weeks have felt like a different world- another life. The end of my studio time is nearing, and I’m already
looking back in aw. It has been more than a learning experience, yes, I have learned new techniques, but I have never in
my life been reminded so well as to why I’m an artist. My printmaking professor told us today that he had an epiphany
about his work just over a year and a half ago (in a feld that he’s been creating with for over twenty-fve), when he
realized all he needed to answer were two questions: what do I want from my art and how do I get there? He has had the
resources, there is no doubt and he freely admits that, but he recognizes he wasn’t being honest with himself as to what he
hopes that his art achieves, and more importantly, he wasn’t using his resources to get him there- other artists! Don’t be
afraid to ask someone about their methods and techniques if it’s something you admire. Don’t be afraid. That’s an
important lesson I believe I’ve learned in my time spent here. Last week, as I mentioned, I was in a sketchbook class that
truly pushed me for the frst time in years. It was exhilarating. A few of the mottos in the class were, “get out of your own
way”, “draw more, think less”, and “nothing is precious”. This last one was really key for me. I may be a bit of a
perfectionist… and I probably spend a bit more time on things than I should… My sketchbook professor was, I’m pretty
certain, constantly shaking his head at me (or at least at my back- but I mean that with love). He just wanted to push
me, and if that meant subtly poking fun at my attention to detail, then so be it- it needed to be done! And it worked (it’s
true Patrick, probably more than you know).
control away from me. When I approach a work, I generally have a distinct
view in mind, and I was not ok with giving that up for the potentiality of
unknown-ness through printmaking. Well, I can assure you, that way of
thinking has quickly fown out the door. As Patrick so implemented in me
the frst week, you have to get out of your own way, and you can not let
something be so precious that you stop it from being the unique, beautiful,
one of a kind work that it’s meant to be.What has blown my mind is that
somehow, in this crazy printmaking process- creating a plate that I didn’t
even understand how it was going to relate once “inked” and “pressed”- my
prints turned out to be me. I stuck to my aesthetic- I did subtlety in my
work, I did organic and sometimes detailed shapes, and I used color like I
didn’t think I was “suppose to”. My plates weren’t like anyone else’s in
class, and honestly, I was scared.
So, after a week of pulling and prodding at my inner artist who can just let go and create, I am now in a week of intense
printmaking. I almost burst into tears this evening because my press was running too slow. All I could do was repeat to
myself, “there’s no crying in printmaking, there’s no crying in printmaking…” and I pushed through. The results, I can’t
help but boast, were amazing. I avoided printmaking the entirety of my underclass study. It was, in my eyes, too rough,
harsh with color, and in general, abstract, to please me as a medium that would accurately portray my art. My work is
every bit the opposite of those qualities- I like a soft pallet, organic shapes, and generally there is even the slightest bit of
realism in what I do. Printmaking also seemed like it would take all of the
Please take a look at my online gallery to see much more artwork,
all of which you will have a better understanding of because you have read this.
http://katnorman.wix.com/home#!art-work-/cltp
The pay off? I can’t even express how much of “me” came
through- so much so that I wasn’t even realizing it, but my
classmates were pointing it out to me! It was an incredibly
satisfying experience, motivation, and a real life lesson,
sometimes we just have to get out of our own way.