working out the kinks

well, it seems that June has been able to become a follower and that Dawn and Benjamin are able to view the blog. That leaves Luke, Molly and Kivina that either haven't responded to me or can't view the blog. So, I think what we will do is stick to the plan of using the summer break to read and annotate the book Art and Fear. When we all return to school, I will begin assigning you questions regarding the book and will post them on the blog, where you will in return post your answers. We will have a discussion of the book via the blog! that way we can focus our classtime on our art making and critiques. Since not everyone can access the blog right now, I am going to send out an email regarding your summer artwork assignments. we have 40 days...time to get a move on, if you haven't already! check your inboxes regularly! ~o'd

Art and Fear: Introduction

In the Introduction of Art and Fear, Bayles and Orland say, "...But while geniuses may get made once-a-century or so, good art gets made all the time. Making art is a common and intimately human activity, filled with all the perils (and rewards) that accompany any worthwhile effort. The difficulties artmakers face are not remote and heroic, but universal and familiar."

In your own words, what are Bayles and Orland saying? What are some difficulties that you have when making art that you consider being universal and familiar (person fears)?

Summer Assignments

so, have you fed the fish yet? they seem to always be hungry! a little interactive fun for you when you visit the blog...i think we should name them...start brainstorming and then post your suggestions to this thread! well, we have less than fifty days until school starts, so i would like to get on with the summer assignments. you have two categories of assignments: studio based assignments and reading/ writing, or shall i say"posting", assignments. we are going to use the blog as a way to post our responses to the questions i want you to ponder in regards to the book, Art and Fear. i will categorize the blog posts as reading and studio. you are to post comments and pictures of your studio pieces under the studio post, and you are to post your written responses to the reading under the Art and Fear post. i will also be emailing you a copy of the class syllabus so we can cover that now, verses spending a lot of time on it when we start school. i would rather jump right into critique, right? you too??? :).

ok, read the next blog posts and respond accordingly...and yes, you will be graded on these summer assignments...starting NOW, these responses go towards your first grades of the semester :)...~o'd

let the blogging begin

hello my lovely art students. i hope you have been enjoying your summer vacation so far! i have been very busy so far. as soon as school was out i began packing up all of my things and moved everything into storage. i have been staying at nick's house, commuting 50 minutes to work at joann's almost every day, but i just signed a lease for an apartment much closer to joann's and school. i will be moving tomorrow! it has been great spending so much time with nick, but i am looking forward to having access to my things, having my own space (there are 4 of us here, and 2 dogs), and being able to focus more on getting ready for the next school year!

i created this blog as a way for us to communicate throughout the summer and school year. i am considering having you each create your own blog, so i will let you know if i decide to do that. in the meantime, you need to become a follower to this blog and i will continue sending you information this way. think of this blog as a collaborative visual journal; it's like a class-wide sketchbook, gathering place for critique and feedback, safe and somewhat private (just us) journal for you to express ideas, issues, and post art work, and an overall way for us to document the process and journey of being artists together.

please respond to this post to let me know that you have read it and are signed up to be a "follower". i will be assigning homework throughout the school year involving posting on the blog. i called it heART beat because the desire to make and create runs through our blood and there is a deeply emotional connection between our hearts and our art. listen to the beat, trust it, and start creating.

i will be in touch with you again soon. ~o'd