DB#1

Elements:

Line
Space
Shape
Form
Color
Value
Texture

Principals:


Pattern
Rhythm
Proportion
Scale
Unity
Balance
Emphasis

These are the physical nuts and bolts of art and should not be taught as what art is because art is much more than just what you can physically describe about it. Art is ideas. As an art educator I need to be prepared to teach my students how to use ideas in their art making. I need to show them how to ask questions, tell stories, and get personal with their art. At least, this is what I have gathered after reading the 'Postmodern Principles' and 'Principles of Possibilities' articles by Olivia Gude. I feel like this shift in philosophy is natural. After all, shouldn't we be teaching in ways that resemble how we function as artists? When I sit down to paint or draw or make a sculpture, I don't think to myself "Hm..now what elements and principles am I going to use?" No, I start with an idea. So I think my students should learn how to start with ideas too. The beginning of Chapter 1 in the Walker text differentiates between big ideas, themes, and subject matter. You use different subject matter (like people, or animals, or abstract marks) to express the big idea (like fantasy, or systems, or social norms) and you can have different themes within the big idea (like one emotion in the spectrum of emotions). I like the way this is laid out because in my head this seems like a really good way to present a project to a student. If you give them a big idea from an artist then the possibilities to personalize their own artwork using that big idea is nearly endless with subject matter and theme.
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I have explored the Art21 site before and I resisted choosing an artist I am already familiar with (like Matthew Ritchie) because, personally, I wanted to learn about someone new. I came across Mary Heilmann whose big idea/show theme was fantasy. She is an abstract painter who draws from her memories as well as fantasies from her catholic upbringing and dreams.

The Blues for Miles 1991

I think it would be fun to have a lesson based on Mary Heilmann. I would introduce her work and ideas and then have the students pick out their own memory, fantasy, or dream. Students would be able to experiment with mixing paints and creating abstract forms to express their own ideas. We could talk about meanings attached to certain colors or shapes. I think it would be an exciting process.