Literary Based Art

Fig. 1: Master1305

Educators that cross the early learning and art fields indicate the importance of integrating activities expressive in nature within the cognitive domain (Kim 2017)

Some developmentally appropriate ways that art crosses curriculum standards is:

•Recognizing perception and presentation
•Symbols and meaning construction
•Visual literacy
•Analytical and critical thinking skills


"Research has focused on broad areas in the arts and children’s learning, such as the impact of academic programmes in which the arts are integrated and the impact of examination of visual images on thinking in general," (Kim 2017)


Figure 1. Master1305. 'Mosaic puzzle art for kids.' Envato. Available at: https://elements.envato.com/mosaic-puzzle-art-for-kids-childrens-creative-DHTBLN6
[accessed with license July 2019]

Kim, K. J., Wee, S.-J., Han, et. all.  (2017). Enhancing children’s art appreciation and critical thinking through a visual literacy-based art intervention programme. International Journal of Education through Art, 13(3), [online] https://doi-org.byui.idm.oclc.org/10.1386/eta.13.3.317_1 [accessed July 2119]

Another Approach

Additional approaches to Collaborative Photography.

Fig. 1: Taken by Jenna (age 10) 2019

Problem Solving.

Problem solving was the basis in the research conducted revolving around Kurdish migrant workers in London who were having work problems.  The object was understand the problems and how they attempted to solve them.  This was a good example of the leaders/ photographers learning to let go of control and preconceived ideas in order to let the participants 'voices' come through.  They learned to 'speak' with the lens of the camera (Hogate, Keles, and Kumarappan 2012).


Expression of Self and Relationship Building.

In the project titled, 'Thru the Lenz.' counseling / psychology graduate students collaborated with high school students in what they call a "participatory action research project."or a PAR where the participants document their lives with photography (Goessling and Doyle 2009).

"Thru the Lenz focused on photography as a way for teenagers to teach others about their lives and communities. Through a collaborative process, counseling psychology master’s level graduate students partnered with high school students to develop community relationships, exchange expertise and skills, and creatively express themselves to people in power," (Goessling and Doyle 2009). 


Figure 1. Image taken by Jenna (age 10) at our summer workshop, 2019.

GOESSLING, K.; DOYLE, C. 2009. Thru the Lenz: Participatory Action Research, Photography, and Creative Process in an Urban High School. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. 4 (343–365). [online] Available at:  <http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=46837956&site=ehost-live>. [accessed July 2019].

HOLGATE, J.; KELES, J.; KUMARAPPAN, L. 2012. 'Visualizing “community”: an experiment in participatory photography among Kurdish diasporic workers in London'  Sociological Review,  60 (2) [online] Available at: <http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.falmouth.ac.uk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=76609129&site=ehost-live>. [accessed July 2019]. 

Jo Spence and Rosy Martin

Re-enactment 

 Phototherapy

As discussed in some of my previous points, all of us are continually exposed and bombarded with endless visual media- confronting or seducing our gaze, and encompassing the entirety of feelings;  grief, desire, loss, pain, excitement, horror, envy, joy, inadequacy and so on.  Rosy Martin elaborates that in the everyday world we deal with the parts of ourselves we can not face by putting them off on others and the media doesn't help by exposing continually the 'dominant cultural stories' leaving the rest unseen and untold (Martin 2001).

Starting in 1983, when Martin teamed up with the late Jo Spence, they began to tell their stories using their therapeutic relationship and a safe space to examine their experiences from multiple points of view, working class women, LGBT in Martins case, and Jo Spence facing cancer (Martin 2001).

Jo Spence had been experimenting with this venue of therapy since her diagnosis, mostly by necessity seeking her own psychotherapeutic help. Spence took note of her work, in highlighting the divide between autodidactic and certified professional therapy (Dennet 2001).

Bringing together both disciplines of both photography and therapy in radical new ways.  Re-enactment of the psychodrama not limited to the past, but including projections of the future as well.  Photography images created along the way.

In their phototherapy re-enactments, the everyday person can become the protagonist in a series filmic stills, and symbolically represent their own story.  A recreation of your own story, by consciously replacing your own person into your own experiences or roles, as well as the roles of those significant in your life.  The purpose to transform your inner psyche into new possibilities and to promote healing and self awareness (Martin 2001).

In the end, embodiment and ownership are fundamental to this process.  The goal is for those who participate to 'own' their own experiences and histories, including their own previous distresses, traumas and pain that may have been previously denied.  The photographs produces are then worked through in the counseling sessions.  Spence and Martin characterized their practice as an extension of the 'family album' and domestic photography (Martin 2001)

"This work is concerned with making psychic realities visible. It recognizes and uses the power of visual imagery in constructing, not revealing, the subject. In the performance of the selves the multiplicity and complexity of identities is made apparent." - Rosy Martin 2011






DENNETT, T., 2001. The wounded photographer: The genesis of Jo Spence's camera therapy. Afterimage, 29(3), pp. 26-27.

MARTIN, R., 2001. The performative body: Phototherapy and re-enactment. Afterimage, 29(3), pp. 17-20.

Barbara Probst

Barbara Probst

The queen of multiple points of view.  2 cameras, 12 cameras, simultaneously with a remote.  The way she displays keeps you eyes ping ponging around picking up previously missed details (Sholis 2006).

Fig. 1: Probst 2015.

In many of her displays the images are shown side by side, in juxtaposition and in equal and symmetrical spaces, giving each perspective equal weight and value in the final display.

Many photographs have details, but Probst's photographs ARE the details!

Details might move us in a photograph that we may miss as an eyewitness. Perspective photography turns "what-has-been" into "what-could-have-been"  (Probst 2014).

What interests me in exploring perspective photography is the transfer it can have in the classroom, and the curriculum it can cross.  Geometry, science, literature.  Multiple sides of the same story.  Problem Solving.  Critical Thinking.  

Fig. 2 & 3: Taken by Samantha and Katie at my summer workshop 2019.

Figure 1: Barbara PROBST. 2015. Exposure #114: N.Y.C., 368 Broadway, 02.05.15, 12:13 p.m. [online]. Available at: http://barbaraprobst.net/works/ [acessed July 2019]

Figure 2 & 3: Samantha and Katie 2019. Exploring multiple perspectives. Taken as part of my summer photography workshop.  

PROBST, B. 2014. What Could Have Been. [online] Available at: https://barbaraprobst.net/press/what-could-have-been/ [accessed July 2019].  

SHOLIS, B. 2006. Barbara Probst. Artforum International, 44, pp. 292

Workshop with 15 Future Photographers (ages 4-13)

Fig. 1: Photo by Oliver (age 9) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade.

This week I had the opportunity to hold a photography workshop with some up-and-coming photographers.  So up-and-coming that some of them can't even tie their shoes yet!!

15 kids (ages 13 and under), 7 photo devices, and me. 

My goals for this workshop were to:

•Test the waters in working with children

• Evaluate levels of engagement at the various ages

• See how responsive children are to guided practice 

• Examine ability and levels of potential

The main concept ideas were: Expressing ideas and messages through the medium of photography, and exploring multiple perspectives.  

The majority of the children used Iphones as their chosen photography device, with the exception of one child who brought an actual digital camera (point and shoot variety).  

Time was limited. The children were attentive but anxious to get started.

I began with a short introduction to photography in general.  An illustrated discussion of what camera's used to look like then and now.  

Fig. 2: Camera Obscura LOC

Then we talked about the WHY- why do people take pictures?  Their first answers mostly revolved around family and memory keeping (that is what they have experienced). By showing them some photographs I opened some new doors of ideas for them. 

We talked about PHOTOGRAPHY as NEWS and HISTORY:

(do people take pictures to record important moments in time?)

Fig. 3: John Frost Newspapers

PHOTOGRAPHY as HUMOR and Entertainment:

(do people take pictures to make you laugh?)

                                      Fig. 4: Photocreo

ALSO PHOTOGRAPHY to TRICK YOU to TELL A STORY  to EXPRESS AN IDEA or to BE CREATIVE.  I'm sure there was more I could have covered...but... limited time remember.  

next

We went over some photography instruction.  For pretty much all the children this was their first official 'lesson' in what makes a good picture.  

I talked about keeping the subject 'off center' (introduction into the rule of thirds). 

We discussed natural 'framing' and how to keep photos interested by adding some ACTION or STORYTELLING.  

Fig. 5: Taken by Amelia (age 4) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade (original cropping).

Next I called up a volunteer to create an image, then take the photo of the same subject again closer, closer still, and at different angels.  From above and then low.  

Fig. 6: Taken by Samantha (age 13) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade. 

As a group we looked at the images and discussed which were more successful.

FAIL: at the end, when I collected the images from the devices Samantha had deleted all the 'practice' images except her favorite.  Even though we talked about the importance of the process, Samantha has a very 'neat and tidy' personality and took care of those pesky learning opportunities.  MEMO TO ME: Encourage and Emphasize NO DELETION!  

THE CHILDREN THEN DIVIDED INTO PARTNERS of SIMILAR AGES:

Activity #1:

Take a writing board and create a message.  Anything that comes to mind.  Take a picture of your partner with their message however you like.  We talked about showing their faces or covering them.  Other than that, it was left completely open.  

Fig. 7: Taken by Ashlyn (age 8) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade.

Fig. 8: Taken by Shyannah (age 13) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade.

Fig. 9: Taken by Lincoln (age 12) 2019.  Edited with Bren Slade.  

Fig. 10: Taken by Clark (age 4) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade.

 Fig. 11: Taken by Mac (age 5) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade

Some of the messages were silly, some were words of 'wisdom,' many contained something the child loved, there were some misspellings, and the non-writers had help with the marker.  But the children were on board with the idea and mostly wanted the adults out of their way.  

Activity #2

On Perspectives.  With some inspiration from BARBARA PROBST we explored multiple perspectives.  Exploring other peoples perspectives, in its relation to critical thinking, problem solving and social skills, has great transfer applications into the classroom.   

Images created of the same subject, in the same instant! (OR as close to the same instant you can get when working with underdeveloped fine motor skills!)

When asked what the word 'perspectives' meant, Brynlee (age 10) nailed it with, "Seeing the same thing in a different way."  

We started with two 'camera' perspectives:

Fig. 12: Images taken by Shyannah (age 13) and Samantha (age 13) 2019.  Edited together by Bren Slade. 

Then moved on to 3 and more perspectives.  I love the kids that photographed the whole scene of kids doing the photographing.  Also some kids got in very close! 

LIKE REALLLLLLY CLOSE!

Fig. 13&14: Variety of Kid Photographers, Multiple Perspectives 2019.

THE ENGAGEMENT with the children was high.  I wondered how much would transfer into to their work but I was quite pleased with the results.  

For example.  A junior 'documentary' photographer emerged when one of the 5 year olds disengaged and gave himself a break.  It was fully documented by another 4 year old.  Remember my object lesson about getting closer to your subject? (note: edited by me but cropping left original) 

When another workshop child tried to help out- he documented that too!

In going through the images I noticed that someone captured him checking out his images....

The untold stories from a shorter point of view.  

NOW it wasn't ALL award winning images.  Working with littles we got a lot of their unique perspectives: 

THIS: 

AND SOME OF THIS:

But I was AMAZED at the energy and enthusiasm throughout the entire workshop.  And the results were fun and interesting.  

Fig. 15: Images taken by Brooklyn (age 8) 2019.  Edited with Bren Slade.  

Somethings I learned going forward:  

•One day workshop = not much time!!! Especially in the one-on-one evaluation and editing. I can definitely see the advantage to working with the same group over a longer time period.  

•The kids WANT to communicate through photography.  They were eager for actual photography instruction and applied much of the small information we covered immediately into their images.  

•They were also open to 'guided' activities but slid into their own creativity and expression without prompting.  

•Iphones:  PROS -Familiar device for the children.  CONS -Hard to keep track which child took which photo unless each child only used a designated phone. ALSO A LOT OF TIME SPENT TRANSFERRING IMAGES to myself.  One-to-one device ratio per child may be hard to obtain in a classroom setting.  Possible ALTERNATIVE: using cameras that require SD cards- with each child having and caring for their own card.

• Photography crosses age levels pretty fluidly.  (Except for the one couch boy:) the children were actively engaged and adapted to their own ability level.

•Some things were controlled for better results:  Our location was indoors (away from unpredictable elements like weather) and provided even lighting. There was also plenty of space for individual expression.  Wardrobe of solid colors or white was recommended for the children prior to the workshop (mostly to avoid copyright infringement of logos, but it led to better images as well).  This may be harder to duplicate in a public school setting.

• The parents I worked with were AMAZING.   Other than helping the littles write on their boards they completely backed off and let the kids do their thing.  I didn't have to intercept any that were being too 'helpful' (and I would have).

•THE KIDS LOVED SEEING THEIR WORK IN PRINT

wait! did I mention that we had our own ART SHOW!

 But that is another post: Stay tuned.  

Figure 1: Oliver (age 9) edited with Bren Slade 2019. 

Figure 2: Camera Obscura LOC. [online]. Available at https://www.thoughtco.com/an-illustrated-history-of-photography-4122660 [accessed July 2019].

Figure 3: John Frost Newspapers. [online]. Available at 

http://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item105656.html [accessed July 2019].

Figure 4: Photocreo. [online]. Available at https://elements.envato.com/british-shorthair-cat-wearing-a-funny-costume-CDZFEGQ [accessed July 2019]. 

Figure 5: Taken by Amelia (age 4) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade (original cropping).

Figure 6: Taken by Samantha (age 13) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade. 

Figure 7: Taken by Ashlyn (age 8) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade.

Figure 8: Taken by Shyannah (age 13) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade.

Figure 9: Taken by Lincoln (age 12) 2019.  Edited with Bren Slade.  

Figure 10: Taken by Clark (age 4) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade.

Figure 11: Taken by Mac (age 5) 2019. Edited with Bren Slade

Figure 12: Images taken by Shyannah (age 13) and Samantha (age 13) 2019.  Edited together by Bren Slade. 

Figure 13&14: Variety of Kid Photographers 2019. Multiple Perspectives. Edited with Bren Slade.

Figure 15: Images taken by Brooklyn (age 8) 2019.  Edited with Bren Slade. 

Vivian Paley and Storytelling

Fig. 1 Bren Slade 2019.

Vivian Gussin Paley is an expert on play and storytelling in the classroom.  She has a great ability "...to attend to what emerges in the spaces between academic activities." (Harvard 2011). She has authored dozens of books on the subject and received numerous awards.

 In A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play, she writes, “There was a time when play was king and early childhood was its domain,” (Paley in American Journal of Play 2009).

Now she sees 'play' dying out, as preschools and kindergarten become more 'academic' based and the time for free play and imagination is eliminated, even discouraged.  We are basically robbing our children two or three years of spontaneous, imaginative play (American Journal of Play 2009).  If children use play and imagination to process their world, what is happening to their brain development during these key developmental years?

Fig. 2: Photo Luke age 7, co-edited with Bren Slade.  

Children often use storytelling outlets to process the world around them.  Their fact becomes woven into fiction and expressed through dramatic play.  THEN the record of that dramatic play is often expressed through their physical art creations AS imagery is child's first language. But both imaginative play and production of art are being dissolved and hidden away, stomped by the more pressured academia of reading, writing and math.  

Paley emphasizes that play is not just a hobby or frivolous means in which children waste time- but a very serious and complicated occupation requiring dialogue, social engineering, problem solving and abstract thinking (American Journal of Play 2009).

If children are not allowed to free play how will they know how to be?  If children are not allowed to create art and images, how will they know to consume them in a healthy and appropriate way?  

"In dramatizing a concept, the child finds the natural method for concentration and continuity and satisfies the intuitive belief in hidden meanings." (Paley 1990. 6)

  





PALEY, VIVIAN GUSSIN. 1990. The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Harvard Educational Review 2011. Paley Vivian Gussin "Voices Inside Schools: Getting to Know Derek". Harvard Educational Review 81(4), 745–50.

The American Journal of Play 2009. The Importance of Fantasy, Fairness, and Friendship in Children’s Play An Interview with Vivian Gussin Paley. Vol. 2. No. 2. [online] Available at: https://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/2-2-interview-paley-fantasy-fairness-friendship.pdf [accessed July 2019].

Publication... Maybe

With the turn my project may be taking a publication seems like a very possible option. 

This is a new thought process for me, as I wasn't looking ahead to publication previously.  It's definitely an idea I will have to explore further. 

Some avenues might be:

Published Research on the effects of purposeful instruction of visual literacy among elementary age students. 

Perhaps like the open-access peer reviewed online journal below:

Fig. 1: The Journal of Media Literacy Education

Or perhaps a published photo album of the projects and images created by the students themselves. 

Or a combination of them both- research findings illustrated by project created images.  As the methodology and pedagogy of my project develops I think a clearer view of what publication may be produced will solidify. 






Figure 1. The Journal of Media Literacy Education; A Publication of the National Association for Media Literacy Education. [online] Available at: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle/ [accessed July 2019].

Of Place and Space

Place and Space

Where you display your art can change the reading by the viewers.  Context can provide an emotional closure in viewing an image, or even an emotional punctum.  In considering my work with the imagination I can imagine display could really enhance the viewing experience of my art.

Some examples of interesting exhibitions of art:

I love public art like silo art:

Fig. 1 & 2: Matt Adnate 2017

I love that it attracts unexpectedly and distracts from daily life for a moment.  When you pass art exhibited in this way suddenly your realm shifts and you are in a new place, your atmosphere has changed, even for a moment.

I also love sneaky art: 

Fig. 3: Sneaker Art by SocialPrintShop

Art tucked into little spaces, just as unexpected and distracting on a smaller scale, literally!

Since my art is imagination based- I would love to see some sort of public display that intensifies the imagination of its viewers.  Maybe something like this:

Imagination is a journey right!

In contrast it would be interesting to combine the beauty of imagination with something more everyday, and definitely less glamourous- maybe something like this : 

As the garbage bin is used daily the image surely would show some wear and tear - that in itself could become a new piece and point of discussion.  

Figures 1 &2: ADNATE, Matt 2017. "Silo Art: South Australia Silos Get a Face Lift." Weekly Times. [online] Available at: chttps://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/agribusiness/cropping/silo-art-south-australian-silos-get-a-facelift/news-story/1bdc840e73097c9ebf3371881a523efe [accessed July 2019]