ATTENDEES AT DISTINGUISHED FELLOWS’ MULTICULTURAL ART EDUCATION SUMMER INSTITUTE NOW READY TO SHARE THEIR WORK

(This information was shared with Summer Institute Participants via their temporary listserve.)

For four busy days from June 29 to July 2, 2001 an incredibly enthusiastic group of more than 30 art educators gathered in Columbus OH at The Ohio State University to explore aspects of multicultural art education with NAEA Distinguished Fellows Patricia Stuhr and Graeme Chalmers. Although participants evaluated the Institute with statements such as “It was an extraordinary opportunity to meet with scholars whose work is so influential in art education theory,” it was the group that made this Institute such a success. Nearly every Evaluation Form contained a statement such as “This was a great group of people that were brought together with one common goal.” The varied program included classroom work, technology workshops, a gala evening with Appalachian performers (including NAEA member Christine Ballangee-Morris), field trips to the Kwaanza Playground (with Vesta Daniel) and to Ohio’s Serpent Mound, concluding with a great cook-out at Pat Stuhr’s home.

Participants commented as follows:

“Great food! Important ideas! Wonderful trips!” “Wow - I am caught up in this topic now and really feel it is important.” “It was enriching to share ideas with each other.” ‘I can’t wait to put theory into practice.” “I wish the Institute was longer.” “The experience of coming to this institute will forever impact the way I look at things and then in turn present it to my students.” “Thank you for letting me be part of this fabulous experience.”

Because our work didn’t end on July 2 we’d like to let other NAEA members be part of this experience. Participants have been developing lesson ideas that reflect and apply their learning and you are encouraged to explore some of the following websites:

Art in China (Cindy Schmith)
http://www.artsinchina.20m.com/

Intercultural understanding is created in this unit on China by identifying areas where our cultures influence each other and overlap. Through exploration of Chinese culture and art forms, students will gain an appreciation and acceptance of another country's traditions and a clearer understanding of themselves. Students are guided in their discoveries through the use of a Webquest; through studio experimentation with various traditional Chinese media and processes; and through critiquing traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy.

Art: The Doorway to Cultural Discovery (Heather Leah Kenney)

http://www.geocities.com/ixoye7173/nature.htm

Art, animals and culture are three things that all people around the world have in common. These commonalties act as a doorway to discover not only how we see certain images, but also how others see them. On this site you will find that art containing animal images create a  common reference point which learning is centered around.  Hopefully through discovery and thought, a new vision can be created; a vision that helps us see. Knowing about other cultures can help us learn and understand more about ourselves and the world we live in. This site is still under construction and will change as the 2001-2002 school year progresses. In its totality it will act as a resource for teachers and a learning site for elementary through high school students.

Coffee cups as contemporary cultural icons

(Lee Brenneison)

http://brenneison.tripod.com/lee.htmhttp://brenneison.tripod.com/lee.htm

This site uses an everyday object to raise questions about icons in our society. What is an icon? What do modern icons tell about us? How is our perception of the world influenced by icons? The site also raises questions about form following function, tradition versus heritage, and the relationship of modern icons to visual culture, art history and social issues. It is a site grounded in today's youth culture but is designed to be a vehicle to explore iconography and its effects past, present and future.

Patterns (Tara Johnson)

http://www.purposeofpatterns.20m.com/

Patterns are everywhere around us. They create the scientific, theoretical, creative and visual concepts that this world revolves around. Patterns are the structure in which things are built, developed, processed, created and evaluated. Patterns have a sense of beauty and order to them. They are often repetitive, symbolic and tell a great deal of the culture in which that pattern was created. Patterns are shared, borrowed and copied from one cultural group to another and often repeat themselves throughout time. This unit is intended for the study of patterns and how they form relationships to those that create, use and admire them. It transcends all disciplines of study and incorporates a variety of cultures.

Masks (Sue Moore)

http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/~bigshanty/Teachers/art/1overview.html
Masks are an enduring record of humankind's quest for self expression and for an understanding/control of life and its processes. Understanding of (and respect for) other cultures is imperative in our nation's and world's rapidly changing demographics; examining'visual artifacts' can be a natural catalyst for investigation into other cultures as well as a major component of cultural inquiry. This lesson can be taught as a simple mask-making project, or may be as complex and individualized as is desired by the teacher/artist.

Welsh Love Spoons: A Token of Love (Thomas A. Oakley)

http://personal.jackson.cc.mi.us/Thomas.Oakley/default.htm

This site explores Welsh culture and artwork, using the Love Spoon as a vehicle for further exploration and studio applications relating to the country of Wales. The utilization of symbols, as well as other forms of non-verbal communication are discussed and put into practical studio applications. Issues relating to marginalized populations, (mainly the Welsh) are also discussed, as well as the influence of movies and popular and visual culture on people's attitudes towards these cultural groups. .

Feminine Identity & Empowerment (Linda Poling)
http://linda.poling.com http://linda.poling.com
This site explores issues of gender and feminine identity. The study of six artists, both female and male, guides this unit with a focus on the various roles women are expected to assume in society. Instructional activities, including topics such as domesticity, nurturance, motherhood and race are explored. Critical inquiry and dialogue, studio applications, and the visual embodiment of the awareness of gendered roles are intended to serve as a personally empowering force in students' lives, functioning as a catalyst for necessary change.

Serpents of the World (Jay D. Ballanger)
http://members.socket.net/~royehttp://members.socket.net/~roye

This site explores the various artistic representations of serpents throughout the world. Serpents in creation stories/myths, in rituals/celebrations, of divinity/spiritual significance, and in contemporary culture are all explored through visuals, links, and lesson plans.  Students are encouraged to research, compare, analyze, and create powerful symbolic artwork through the website. Links to sites on serpent stories and herpetology, help to make the unit integrated with other curricular areas.

Home (Michelle Labbe)

http://www.ourhomes.20m.comhttp://www.ourhomes.20m.com

Students at the elementary level in Fairfax County, Virginia begin by studying about themselves, their families, and their immediate communities.  As the students move up through the elementary grade levels,they learn about other communities, past and present.  All groups of people call some dwelling their “home.” By introducing a new group of people using the theme of “home,” students will learn about these other communities, beginning with an idea similar to an idea found in their own life and community.  After looking at the personal living areas the group, students will be introduced to other “modes of communication” used, such as, language, dress, food, art and music.  During the study of each ethnicity a hands on activity will be completed.  The activity may focus on the architecture, the clothing, the artifacts/art, the music that is produced, and/or dances of the particular group being studied.