Look over the syllabus. If you have any questions just ask. I realize that sometimes I take for granted that others can read my mind and/or translate my meandering thoughts.
My goal for this class is to study, explore, and enjoy the wonderfully rich history of traditional crafts within America. The images from both our books are beautiful and inspiring, or at least they are for me. I love both books because they celebrate art made by hand and from the heart. Craft in America is the accompanying book for the PBS "Craft in America". If you want to "see" this book in action I encourage you to order or find the DVDs , make some popcorn and sit down for a series of moving stories filled with art/craft.
As I read, view, and ponder the examples of outstanding crafts, I am constantly re-thinking what I know about art in general and what I seek in my art in particular. I feel accepted.
If you consider "crafts" to be secondary or less than what is called "fine art" I encourage you to simply give the work you will be studying a chance. Suspend your judgment, set aside all the poor examples you have seen. When responding to the readings and the posts use "I" language. Speak from your experience express your opinion. I am not interested in generalizations or huge declarations. If you want to share a web site, do so, but I want your ideas on the site. More than "cool /awesome site". Making references to other books, DVDs is encouraged. Again, explain how you see the connection. When possible relate to your art practice or your teaching philosophy.
Most importantly, be respectful of each voice within this community of learners.
A view of bead wall, in my front studio.
Professor Akins Tillett, (Is that what you prefer to be called?), do you want us to go ahead and submit our introduction comments in this section?
ReplyDeleteI go by Future. And you can the first to post. I am still waiting on others to find the invite.
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Rebeca Regalado and I live in Austin. I achieved a Bachelors degree in Art from The University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Tx in 2009. I am currently teaching my third year of elementary art in Kyle, Tx but also taught High School art for one year before moving to Central Texas. For my personal art, I prefer to work with acrylic on canvas. I hope to gain a new understanding of the art world around me from the texts, professor, and my classmates.
Welcome to the class. It is great to have a student from the Valley, one of my favorite places in Texas.
DeleteRebecca-
DeleteYou are from my husband's part of Texas. He lived grew up around McAllen and parts of Mexico. I visit the area with him about once a year. I would guess Central Texas would be a little cooler, than the Valley. We lived in San Saba for a few years and I have a feeling we drove by or through Kyle at some point, maybe going to San Antonio. It is pretty.
Hi Martha! Central Texas is definitely cooler than the Valley! I grew up in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and lived in Edinburg since I was ten years old so I'm used to the 100+ degree temperatures. We are loving Austin!
DeleteHello, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI am Emily Brown, from Plano/Allen, Texas; I grew up in the Plano area and now live and teach K-6 art in Allen. My BFA in art education was completed at the University of North Texas in 2008 and I have taught elementary art to approximately 1300+ students each year for the last 5 years. I still make an effort to continue my own personal artwork while teaching; I am slowly accumulating machinery and tools for my garage workshop and have participated in bronze/aluminum/iron pours over the last 8-10 years. My work is primarily welded or cast metals, occasionally clay, printmaking and watercolor/mixed media.
I have considered starting my master's degree coursework every year for the last 5 years and FINALLY I have made the commitment to continue my education. I consider myself a voracious life long learner--I just love seeking out new people to learn from and new opportunities to explore more within my favorite subject, art.
I think you will love this degree with its focus on art making and on YOU as an artist.
DeleteEmily-
DeleteI am amazed at the number of students you teach. I know your students must love know you are a working artist as well as their teacher. Congratulations on making the commitment to education, I have been thinking about this for awhile myself.
I think having the mind set of a life-long learner is so important. In contrast when I meet people that don't have questions and are not curious about life it some how worries me.
I know what you mean, Martha! There are so many interesting tidbits out there to learn, how could someone not want to keep exploring?! :) And, yes, I'm amazed at the number of students I teach, as well. It can be overwhelming for someone who desires to really impact each individual placed in her classroom, but I take it one day, one project at a time.
DeleteEmily, that is amazing you have taught so many students. I have heard that’s one of the most challenging situations a teacher can face but also the most rewarding. I can’t even imagine how it must feel that you have possibly made some sort of influence on so many student lives… So inspiring and wonderful!
DeleteHey Emily,
DeleteI am an North Texas graduate too, I did in dec.2007. That is cool that we graduated so close.
Cool, Melanie! Maybe we saw each other there? I commuted, so I rarely hung around after classes. :)
DeleteHello Everyone!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Brea Huseman, and I am from Amarillo, Texas. I graduated from Tech with a BA in Apparel Design and Manufacturing and a minor in Art. I have always been an artist, however, my passion grew intensely stronger when I studied abroad at Florence University of the Arts in Italy in 2006. I worked as an assistant designer with a denim company called Fresh Ink in Manhattan in 2008, but slowly made my way back to Amarillo to be with my husband that is in the military. He is now also a personal security specialist for the State Department. Since the move, I have worked at Region 16 Education Service Center and developed a love for Art Education, thus explaining why I am in this class. My husband just left to go back to Afghanistan yesterday, therefore, I am excited to get started with this course to take my mind off of things and get to know each one of you! I love to paint with acrylic and oil on canvas. When I’m having a hard time, painting brings me back to life and on track. When it comes to my crafty side, I love reupholstering furniture and fixing up old furniture as well and putting my own technique/spin on it. I hope to not only learn about art/crafts in this class, but i also hope to learn from all of my fellow classmates as well.
I hope the wonderful images in our books will ease the fear and help with the feeling of being totally alone. I understand. This class is here to help and encourage more art making!
DeleteI think I'll need to hear more about your time in Florence, Brea! That sounds wonderful!
DeleteIt was definitely a blessing for me! Italy stole my heart for sure with all of the beautiful renaissance masterpieces within the country. It was so surreal. The main campus of Florence University of the Arts in Florence, “which was small”, was positioned in the same house/apartment that Leonardo Di Vinci and Michelangelo used to live in, which is right next to the Santa Crochet Church, where Michelangelo Buonarroti, Galileo Galilei, Gioachino Rossini, Ugo Foscolo and Leon Battista Alberti are buried. They have kept the same ceiling since. I almost fainted when they told us that. It still gives me the chills.
DeleteHi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteI'm Gail Stouffer! I lived on the East Coast (MD, NY, DC, VA) for 34 years and then bolted for Texas as soon as I could! I've lived in San Antonio for 13 years and I love it here, (...and yes, for those of you who did the math, I'm old.) I have a BFA from Long Island Univ. and spent 18 years in corporate communications before I had the good sense to get out and pursue my art full time.
At my core, I'm an artist. I'll express myself with any medium you put in front of me, but teaching is my calling. I love working with my students (all adults) and watching them become empowered through art and expression. It's very gratifying. I'm a wife, a mom, a business owner, and a studio artist. I sell my work through a few galleries and directly, as well as produce commissioned pieces for architectural installations (glass basins, baptismal fonts, bar tops, lighting, vases, etc.)
My jobs: adjunct instructor at Southwest School of Art and Phoenix Center for the Arts, and In my own commercial studio. I also operate a brick and mortar storefront where we sell glass work and metal smithing tools, equipment, supplies, and materials, and an online distributorship, www.kilnfrog.com, where we sell kilns and equipment for glass work and supplies.
This is my 5th MAE class, and I'm loving the program! I have learned so much. The program has definitely made me a better artist, much more introspective, deliberate, and conscious of where I'm going and why I'm going there.
This is my second class with Future, but the first online class with her. I loved last Summer in Junction and can't wait to get back there and meet you all. Since I work in glass, metals, and mixed media, this course is right up my alley . I've read chapter one (The type is sooooo small.) and I'm so excited!
I love reading about your background Gail, you’re definitely not old, just experienced! I love the fact that you’re a wife, mom, business owner and an artist…it’s not easy to have some many accomplishments at once. You are definitely inspiring me ALREADY!
DeleteI should have listed....tired too!
DeleteI specialize in "fuzzy math" so no worries on me figuring out your exact age. :) I'd love to hear more about your art and business. I admire an artist that branches out into business--it's inspiring to those of us that think "someday I could do that."
DeleteGood Morning All,
ReplyDeleteI want to say something personal to each of you.
Rebecca, I hope you are enjoying central Texas. I read an early Texan letter which talked about the ring of purple hills around Austin. Its so hard to imagine that now with the hills filled with houses.
Emily, That is a lot of students. Its both fun and daunting gathering machinery and creating a studio.
Brea, What an interesting background. I have a friend who studied fashion and my favorite thing about her is that she can smock like no tomorrow and has 3 rowdy boys. Best wishes to you and your husband.
Gail, So nice to meet a veteran. I look forward to the wisdom of your experience.
I have enjoyed reading all of your posts.
I have been thinking about what I could say about myself to give you a good picture of me and be helpful to the class.
So background-I have been a professional artist for many years with a BFA in Painting, as well as a degree in Communication, from Vanderbilt. I worked in museums and on my Masters in Art History from Tulane when my father became ill and I returned home Dallas. Since life often cuts its own path through our plans, I began to work. My Masters seemed to be on the other side of the shore.
Currently, in addition to practicing art, I work in a large commercial gallery. I design art packages for corporate, healthcare, and hospitality clients and part of my job is add a more fine art boutique line to the typical art offered in commercial venues. In fact, the Settles Hotel, in Big Spring, contains an art package from Art Dallas and 4 paintings from me and several more from colleagues.
I love art. I love how art fits in time and in community. I love how it draws people together. I find it interesting that we are to begin studying the most traditional of crafts using such modern tools.
As life cuts and new path, I am grateful and excited to have the opportunity for Master’s study. Although, I have taught, I have had no formal training in education. I am so looking forward to this program. Thank you so much.
Your life sounds so interesting Lynn. I have always wanted to work in a museum but have yet had the opportunity. My husband and I are planning on moving to Dallas in May, so maybe something will come my way then! Your job sounds amazing. Do you want to keep doing that or are you planning on something else once you get your degree? I love that you said, “Art fits in time”. I love history, I especially love other people’s history as well too, but I think the main reason I love art is because it is a visual expression of history. You can read books and manuscripts of history, but when you find art a hundred years old or art that is only a week old you have a visual of someone’s history and I am obsessed with that knowledge.
Deletei'm kinda envious! I'd love to do what you do! Funny, the grass is always greener! The business of art is really interesting to me. You are going to love the program. is this your first class?
DeleteLynn-Hearing about your packaging reminds me of how one of my daughters loved cardboard, I use it in my work, but she was inspired by a visitor to her 3rd or 4th grade class. I don't remember his name but he had a box factory in Dallas, and he brought all the students a sample of a box to keep. Ember began taking apart and flattening any boxes she could in our pantry and creating her own product line. You really have connected your communications background with your art.
Delete"I find it interesting that we are to begin studying the most traditional of crafts using such modern tools." Ditto, Lynn. Isn't intriguing to be reading about the 1800s and then coming together to blog?
DeleteI am having such trouble replying-so I will try this again--
DeleteI like my job--it can be very stressful making things and getting them into places on sometimes crazy deadlines. But ultimately, my job is to make things beautiful and I love that. I went to a blessing today of a building where the design of the art and artifacts was my project.
My forth job after my MFA was as a Museum guard. Which seemed a huge step up form fry cook, lift operator and bar tender. I slowly worked up to curator..a journey that could only happen in Lubbock and Texas Tech during a time when curator were not trained but most of us back stepped into the position because we enjoyed organizing art events. My meandering point is that life is full of odd opportunities that lead to great places and moments.
DeleteFuture, I love hearing about your jobs. One of my favorite things about Mark Twain was hearing about his myriad occupations over his lifetime--all over the map and all over the spectrum! I decided then I'd rather have that kind of life. Think of all the wonderful experiences and insight and how that feeds our art (Twain's writing, our visual creations).
DeleteHello all,
ReplyDeleteIm Stephen Graham. I was born in Austin. I have called Lubbock my home for the past six years. I completed my BFA in Sculpture in 2011 from Tech. After a year of odd jobs and working out of my garage as a poor studio, I decided to continue my education.
Art has always been a passion of mine since I was a child. Sculpture has been my predominant focus. I don't know why but working two-dimensional is very difficult for me. I am surrounded by objects in space, and view the world in space, so why not create in space? I suppose thats my way of justifying it. Casting bronze, aluminum, and plastic along with steel and wood have been the most consistent media in my work. Currently I have gone on a tangent exploring contrasting materials. sing more found objects and natural elements.
I have not had the opportunity to work in a class room yet, but I am eager to develop my skills and education to better serve me in the future.
Stephen-
DeleteIt is great that you have been able to have a year to spend some time in your studio around jobs. If you decide to teach that studio time will be important. I think students like to know that teachers understand the frustrations of creating. Even in elementary school they are interested to know that their teacher makes art too.
It's awesome to hear about your artwork (and more about that garage studio later?). I'm counting down the weeks until my spring trek to New Mexico to pour iron with some colleagues and friends. Hopefully we'll get to share more sculpture talk throughout the semester and eventually in Junction.
DeleteI also think it was brave of you to spend a year doing studio work right after school. I would definitely love to see some of your work!
DeleteWhat is exciting about this class is the various experiences everyone has to offer. I have been teaching at TTU for over 8 years and it is never unusual for "outside guest" to be in our class. On campus this includes food. It is not exactly like Junction where we can share 3 meals a day but it is always an informal beginning to a long class.
DeleteStephen,
DeleteIt amazing how you are able to sacrifice so much for your passion, many people do not have the courage to persue their art as you did. My hat is off to you.
I live in Dallas.
ReplyDeleteThis year I am a substitute I live in teacher for two districts and a smaller private school. I have about 13 years in the public school system teaching mostly elementary students. I was a classroom teacher for 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades. Later I was an art teacher (3 years) for K-8. Before teaching elementary school and right after receiving my bachelors I moved to New York and had provisional certification for High School social studies so I long term subbed there while making art.
Most recently I worked as a school librarian for 5 years and truly enjoyed connecting art and literature with the students. During that time I was a caregiver (with my siblings help) for my parents most recently my father. This was an interesting, demanding and reflective time giving me get a good perspective on life and reconnecting me with art.
My undergraduate degree is from VCU in Richmond, Virginia BFA in Art History / Painting Printmaking (many years ago). I have a Masters from Texas Wesleyan Fort Worth in Education. For the past few years I have been taking a figure-drawing class in a local artists studio (an area I have always struggled with). I am still exploring areas in art but currently I have been using ink and gouache and various collage materials to create some pictures inspired by birds at a pond in the country where some friends live. My daughter introduced me to Walnut Ink and I am having fun playing with that.
I am excited to be in this class and am enjoying chapter one, But as mentioned before the type is small, thank goodness for glasses. My dream for this class is to be inspired and amazed by what has been done and can be done.
As I post this I hope it works, I am having some technology problems on my end and this is the second+ time I have posted.
Martha,
DeleteYour experience in many educational settings must give you a very informed and broad view of education. I've only taught 5 years and sometimes wonder where I'll be in the next 5. What students will I teach? Will I be at the same schools? Your rich experience gives me something to look forward to in my teaching career.
(And I hear you on technology...I'm a major 21st century luddite).
Have you looked at Walter Anderson's birds? He was CRAZY but what a painter!
DeleteMartha,
DeleteI had read many books on Walter Anderson, and his family. He lived on Horn island off the coast of Louisiana, as a result of his paintings and drawings of the native birds the island became a national park. So Lynnrushton is right, check him out.
I think we've met somewhere! Maybe at my studio in San Antonio?
ReplyDeleteWe might have met as I have been to some conferences in San Antonio, but I also lived in Northern Virginia for a while. I am glad to hear how much you have enjoyed your course work at tech, I have good things about the summer program at junction as well.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt seems everyone is having trouble with blogger. Here at Region 16 ESC, I train the internal staff on tools for the Technology for the 21st Century classroom/student and do network troubleshooting for our consultants and software training as well, so maybe I can give some helpful advice :). Blogger is viewed best visually in the Google Chrome Browser; however you cannot submit a post successfully most of the time. Therefore, I used Internet Explorer to submit all of my post. I haven’t seen any trouble with Safari when I am on my MAC, if you are having trouble I would check for any updates you might have within your search engine. I also haven’t seen any trouble with Foxfire either. I hope this helps with some of the problems you all might be having. :)
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to share a cool app that I checkout every now and then. I know you all have probably heard of Pinterest, and this is sort of the same thing but only for craft work. It’s called “craftgawker”. I love it to gather inspiration. One of my favorites!
Breanda,
DeleteI will definetly check out the website craftgawker. What do they classify as craft work?
Good advice. I finally figured out that I could not use Google Chrome, Safari seems to work at least for postings.
ReplyDeleteFurtue, Do you want us to go ahead and post our 3 question discussion on here for Chapter 1? That is due tonight at midnight correct? Then we comment on each others discussion all next week right? I just wanted to clarify since nobody has posted yet. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFinally, hello everyone! I just got through to the blogger site to the class! Yay!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Melanie, but I go by Blair, which is my middle name. I live in Dallas and currently teach in Sunnyvale which is right next to mesquite. I teach at the middle school. I received my undergrad at UNT in 2007 and waited for 3 years to start my masters. I'm about half way through with the master degree and have really enjoyed the classes so far with my continuing education of art. Lately my life is crazy and all these new exciting things have been happening. I have moved across Dallas in a new apt over the winter break. I got in this huge car wreck last week and had to get a new car. Lots of changes! I love my new car though ! As far as artwork goes, I have a love for learning new ways to produce art so I love a lot of different mediums. Currently, I paint with acrylic motorcycles, playing with glass either the jewelry or glassblowing in the summer, about to start a mosaic, and wood turning. I look forward to this class.
Emily,
ReplyDeleteI to share in a commitment to get a masters, as you do. It has been a desire of mine for about 20 years. I have been in the program going on two years, and have learned more about art than I had ever imagined. I look forward to the future as well.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Debbie Schaefer, and I have been in the MAE program for two years. I have a degree in design, with a minor in art. I worked as a commercial designer for Herman Miller for about 10 years. I also have a post back degree in Elementary Education EC-6, I am also certified to teach all level Art. I was born and raised in Austin, and currently live with my 3 girls, and husband in Liberty Hill, Texas, located just outside of Austin. I am currently subbing in the Leander school district.
I decided in my late 40's that it was time to put myself first, to take a risk, and pursue my passion for art. With my combined love for art and teaching the MAE degree is a perfect fit. So in the next decade of my life I hope to be teaching highschool art.