For this session artist and business owner Scott Taylor came to visit The Collective. The evening was designed to be personal, encouraging and eye opening for the teens interested in pursuing a future in art business, making, or related careers. Scott’s philosophy is that no artist has to starve.
The evening began by having each person share with the group for five minutes their artistic interest. This created a safe environment and hopefully trust between everyone in the group. After Scott asked everyone if they have had any opposition or words of discouragement from an outside environment when talking about their future plans in art.
The evening began by having each person share with the group for five minutes their artistic interest. This created a safe environment and hopefully trust between everyone in the group. After Scott asked everyone if they have had any opposition or words of discouragement from an outside environment when talking about their future plans in art.
“It will driv e you crazy,” said on e girl . | “My grandmother told me that there is no money in art and I should study the law. There is money in becoming a lawyer,” shared another. |
Scott then invited everyone to share words of encouragement that they may have received. As expected, no one could recall a time when a person said a word of encouragement for pursuing a life devoted to art. There were the few shared comments of, “You have talent” and “Wow, I wish I could draw like you” but never something like, “You have what it takes to make a career out of art.”
All this to say, it’s important to inform our youth of the harsh realities they will face outside of their comforting high school art room walls. One thing I will never understand is why people believe it is acceptable to tell another person that because of their passion they will fail in life. However, this is our world and although it pains me to accept this fact it’s important to prepare those headed in the direction of bravely pursuing their dreams of the possible opposition ahead.
Now I never inform a person of a possible future hardship without proving either a solution or hope. Scott and I invited each teen to take a piece of colored cardstock paper and clearly write down any personal memory. After writing the memories were placed in a bowl and each teen picked at random another persons memory. They were then challenged to interpret the selected memory by cutting out a unique shape that they believed illustrated their selected memory. While the teens were creating their interpretations Scott and I attached each memory on a random nail hammered into a large piece of plywood. When the shapes were created the teens were invited to do the same.
Next each teen was given a spool of string and asked to attach one end of string to a memory and the other to a shape they thought translated the memory, creating a visual art piece.
Now I never inform a person of a possible future hardship without proving either a solution or hope. Scott and I invited each teen to take a piece of colored cardstock paper and clearly write down any personal memory. After writing the memories were placed in a bowl and each teen picked at random another persons memory. They were then challenged to interpret the selected memory by cutting out a unique shape that they believed illustrated their selected memory. While the teens were creating their interpretations Scott and I attached each memory on a random nail hammered into a large piece of plywood. When the shapes were created the teens were invited to do the same.
Next each teen was given a spool of string and asked to attach one end of string to a memory and the other to a shape they thought translated the memory, creating a visual art piece.
The point to this exercise was visually express the importance of working together and sharing ideas (collaboration). Writing down a memory represents originality or a personal idea. Interpreting someone else's memory through shape illustrates creativity enhanced with an idea or artwork shared with another artist. Lastly connecting the string from memory to shape displays how other's may interpret another persons artwork or world view. It also represents unity between artists because each teen had to come together to create this artwork.
The same technique... was applied to the teens 2nd Challenge of the evening. For this activity each teen was asked to cut out a shape that best represents who they are. After they were separated into two groups and given a canvas and paint pens. Each group had 4 minutes to trace their shape however many times they want on their provided canvas. When the 4 minutes ended the groups had to switch canvases. |
After 3 or 4 switches the teens began personalizing their traced shapes by adding designs, writing, and related drawings. In the end they created two extremely fun canvases full of personalized imagery enhanced by everyone's input of design.
Unexpected Flexibility The morning of the session Scott called and said that his childcare fell through meaning that he would be an hour late and would be bringing his four year old son. Instead of panicking I saw this as a wonderful opportunity to show the teens 1. the life of an artist is often fast paced and unexpected 2. flexibility and critical thinking are extremely important skills to develop in order to survive the art world. |
Immediately I thought of my sister. She was on fall break and a terrific babysitter. Once she agreed to come help out I went into the education studios at Philbrook Villa an grabbed drawing paper, crayons, and left over bubbles from an Arty Party. I also took an old Philbrook Camp T-Shirt and cut out the sleeves and side stitching creating a superhero cape for Scott's child to decorate and wear. If there is one thing I've learned from previous years working with five year old's and art is that they are fast! It's always best to over plan then to run out of supplies and ideas. Lastly I threw in some card stock masks, printed out some fun coloring pages, and adjusted our agenda so that Scott could arrive late and the teens wouldn't miss out on any of the activities planned.
After another phone call from Scott informing me that he found a way not to be late to the session. I switched the agenda back to our original plan and received permission allowing my sister to watch his son. During the session I briefly informed the teens of what happened that afternoon to illustrate that the life of an artist isn't always a secure 9 to 5 job but a constant schedule that is on the move depending on our personal lives and the lives of others. In the end I'm glad all of this happened because it truthfully illustrates an artist's daily life.