Service Learning Journal

After working with Rachel again I have realized she is one of those people that just make your day brighter because she has such a positive attitude. Every time she explains a project to me I see how excited she is and how concerned she is with making sure each art kit is up to her standards. To start the art kits I first had to prepare the basics for each pf them. Of course each kit would need some kind of coloring utensil so I had to separate oil pastels, colored pencils, and crayons into color schemes and then place them in baggies to later distribute. Again Rachel expressed her ddesire to give each child a good range of colors to create their projects with, so I tried to incorporate a variety into each bag. Once I got to the end of a bow of crayons this became a little difficult since I was running out of colors. If I felt like the colors would not live up to her standards I tried to rearrange some of the colors to better suit the children.
After I separated all the crayons and pencils, Rachel brought out different types of art kits and gave me instructions on what each type specifically needed. Every project required a bag of something to color with and typically glue. For other projects I had to cut out pieces or add things, like bits of tissue paper used for decorating. Some projects required me to trim the edges of cut-out pieces or add a hole so that they could later be hung up. The work became somewhat tedious and I had to catch myself a few times and remember to put in the glue or punch a hole, but I was determined to create these kits with my most undivided attention. After going through and fixing at least 40 different kits I discussed the rest of my volunteer hours with Rachel.
Since it was difficult for me to find a ride all the way to Arts For Life Rachel decided to give me some things to take back with me to work on that way I could complete some non-contact hours. She gave me a box full of pieces that when put together created paper horses. All of the pieces had been cut out by previous volunteers, but a majority of them had been cut without any care and had jagged edges, tears, or marks on them. I immediately knew Rachel would feel terrible giving a child an art kit with pieces that had been cut so carelessly. My job was to go back through the pieces, sort them, and salvage what I could by trimming up the edges and resahping some of the pieces. It was an extremely time consuming job, but after going through every horse leg and body and making them better, I knew that some little kid out there would appreciate the effort.
After my service learning I have realized that some many little things can go into making someone's life better. By recieving a bag of crayons with bright colors instead of one with just dull, gray colors, a child's day can be so enhanced. I am so glad I was able to be a help to Arts for Life. Although I am sure I would have gained more from working directly with the kids, I'm still thankful I could give the kids something.

Critical Analysis

Visual Arts in Education

            Judith Simpson’s “Connection to the World: Visual Art in Urban Schools,” grabs the reader with the first subheading: Concerns (41). The introduction is not too long, but distinctly reveals what the main ideas of the article are going to be. Although the author is concerned about the relationship between visual arts and education generally, the article is specific to the education reform in urban schools. The author states that “thinking creatively and critically” is strongly linked to academic excellence and she constructs the article in a way that links her research to her personal experiences, therefore, reinforcing her ideas.

            The author asserts that visual arts play a crucial role in a school setting. She clearly declares her thesis in the introductory paragraph when she writes, “the fact that two preceding notions remain mutually exclusive in the minds of some educators has a direct impact on the teaching of visual arts in urban schools” (Simpson 41). It is apparent that the article will be focused on the explicit impacts of visual arts in education. This idea is further developed when she presents her research about how certain subjects work either the right or the left brain, but asserts that both need to be active in learning. Simpson is also worried about the aspect of joy in an educational environment, as well as how “art also helps students to connect uniquely and personally” (42). She supports her statements by incorporating facts into the article. Her belief that art opens doors for individual connections is reinforces when she writes about the urban schools that actually include art. The students in these urban schools tend to be flourishing academically and have better test results than the schools without a strong arts program. The writer also poses the idea that art allows students to learn about other cultures and see human progression. To pull all her interpretations together,  she writes, “the visual arts provide a vehicle for creating statements grounded in concerns about well-being and survival, and allow students to explore and express what might otherwise be inaccessible or lost to all” (Simpson 43).

            In the first few pages of the article, Simpson continuously supports her assertions with facts and cites a myriad of sources. She divides the research portion of her article into two distinct categories. The first section is aesthetic behavior. The author provides the idea that humans instinctively want beauty, as well as the idea that beauty can easily be found through the generation of visual arts. Art supports a student’s understanding and grants the opportunity of deepening the comprehension. After this, Simpson flows into the idea of empowerment, the second section. She writes, “Visual arts give power to our ideas” (Simpson 44). Her concern about the lack of structured arts programs in schools is again revisited. Simpson believes that “visual language is the primal human language” (45) and goes back to the idea of beauty since people first recognize what they are seeing before applying words. She connects the concepts of aesthetic behavior and empowerment together. Both could easily be employed, but concurrently there is a much grander impact that can be made. The connection between her ideas parallels the significance of the right and left brain operating together.

            After the first half of the article, Simpson moves into her personal observations of art in urban schools. She writes about watching hearing-impaired children and children with mental and physical challenges working in visual arts classes. The kids, based on imagination and observation, were able to construct an entire model city. Through the use of visual aspects, the students were also able to improve academically. She writes, “they measured the height of buildings, learned about skeletal structures that support what one sees on the outside, and talked about the connections between facades and what goes on inside spaces” (Simpson 46).

            Judith Simpson has been involved in urban school environments for over two decades according to this article from 2007. She has been involved as a researcher, teacher, and an observer. By being an active participant in urban schools, her essay is more profound and is portrayed as a more trustworthy source. Her observations make the article come together more legitimately because she “has seen fewer classroom management problems, better attendance, in some cases higher SAT scores, and often a more joyful learning environment” (Simpson 51) in schools with visual arts. By presenting her personal experiences at the end of the article all her main assertions are drawn together. This is evidently a topic the author feels strongly about which is reflected in her attitude.

            Simpson’s tone is one of serious compassion. Her exceptional concern is shown through the research she has put into not only writing this article, but her own personal research in urban schools. Her dedication by being involved for over twenty years shows her compassion. The author’s love for this topic is also shown through her statements like, “art is a vehicle for self-expression, understanding others, and identifying with historical references as well as providing a glimpse into the future” (Simpson 42). Simpson gives art empowerment by pointing out all the benefits that art can provide for students. If she did not feel strongly about incorporating art, this article would not have been written in such depth, or have been as compelling. Her tone makes the audience take notice of the importance behind the article. Simpson is addressing the school systems and school officials about how art could be a benefactor in the learning process.

            This essay is organized extremely well. The beginning introduces the idea of visual arts in urban schools and then flows into the benefits of art and how they affect the students in these types of schools. Simpson then concludes the article with her personal experiences and her speculations on this subject. The way it is constructed, it goes from the broad, general topic to the specifics of Simpson’s involvement and her ideas on the topic. The article channels together well because Simpson divides her article sections making all of her points extremely difficult. The sections also make it easy for the audience to distinguish her main objectives. Simpson begins with her section on concerns to capture the attention of the audience. As she progresses, she writes about more worries with art being valued and constituted in schools. She also flows into her section about personal research. By posing her ideas and issues, and then sharing her personal involvement; Simpson builds a backbone for her assertions and strengthens the article. Concluding with her professional observations simply draws into a stable closing.

            Simpson’s conclusion is her speculations section of the article. She visits the idea that art may not be beneficial for every student, but it should not be removed from school entirely (Simpson 52). The author brings up the point that often times parents are not educated enough about which school environment is best suited for their children. She again pulls all her ideas into one when she writes, “I would speculate that learning in all academic areas can become connected and understanding can be increased through strong participation in the arts (Simpson 52). The conclusion strongly ties the article together. By continuously linking her ideas, Simpson has composed a well-written article.

Point of View

The Arts as an Art

            The arts are an important part of society. Music, painting, and dancing are a few examples of activities that bring personal enjoyment, entertainment, and harmony to everyday life. Art is an outlet for self-expression. Participating in the arts is beneficial not only individually, but also societally. Practices in the arts allow for the development of new skills that will enable students to be successful in school, the workforce, and society.

            Art can be beneficial to students in an academic setting. Any type of art requires some level of discipline. Painting, for example, needs a great deal of time and patience. Mixing too many colors at once results in what is referred to as “mud,” which is a dark brown/black color and can ruin a color scheme or painting. If a student wants to have more than three colors in one area, they will have to wait for the first layer of paint to dry and then go back in and add more. Waiting for paint to dry can turn a few minutes into an hour if a student is eager to continue painting. Painting small details requires a steady hand and the ability to take time to get those exact details. Discipline can also be found in other forms of art. For example, playing an instrument demands a student to tune their ears to the sounds of notes. They also have to condition their lungs if playing a wood wind instrument, as well as their fingers to create different notes and sounds. Developing patience and becoming aware of new skills that are necessary to a particular art train students to become aware of their abilities.

            Specifically with drawing, as well as other visual arts, starting out basic is the key to success. Many students want to dive right into a project, either out of enthusiasm or the desire to get the project over with. With either outlook, both types of students need a foundation. Structure drawings are the best way to build up a drawing. By starting with this type of drawing, students can develop control in their drawings and exhibit self-discipline. For example, if a student is drawing a dog, then a circle would be the appropriate shape to begin the head with. To continue with the facial area, depending on the qualities of the specific dog, a square or rectangle would be a good start for the dog’s snout. These simple shapes help the student’s eye place where the ear or perhaps nose goes in relation to the dog’s head. Structure drawings are important for keeping the correct proportion in artwork. Organizational lines can also help with proportion; these are lines that compare the heights, or widths, of objects in a given composition. Having a solid foundation paves a way for success in the art world. After the structure is completed, students can easily transition into detail and shading without the worry  of having a bobble head dog. The primary steps in art require students to build and expound their knowledge instead of just starting blindly. This concept is similar to having an algebra class before moving into harder math, like calculus or statistics. Without the basic foundation it is hard for students to be disciplined in a school setting; art is a great way to build discipline along with essential parts.

            In addition to academic discipline, the arts also help to develop analytical, critical, and creative thinking, which are highly valuable in the work place. Analytical and critical thinking come into play in visual arts when decisions about the art work are being made. The angle, composition, colors, and hues are all necessary components in creating visually interesting art. Deciding which angle to snap a photograph from can ultimately change the perception of the photo. The view point can draw the spectator in or push them out depending on how captivating the angle is. For example, a photograph of the top of a mushroom is much less inviting and interesting than a picture at eye level with the said mushroom. From above the fungi is simply a circular shape, whereas at eye level it seems larger and allows the observer to imagine what it would be like to mushroom height. The same concept applies to the use of color in paintings and drawings. For a relaxing approach, cool colors, such as blues, greens, and purples, should be used to create that emotion. If an energetic, upbeat feel is desired, then warm colors like reds and yellows are better suited. Along with the color scheme, the value ranges of the colors are also important. Light and dark also play an important role in portraying emotion, which leads into the creative side of the arts. Art, typically, should be visually interesting to capture attention and evoke emotion, as well as express it. In today’s work environment, critical thinking skills and creativity are necessary to keep the business industry innovative. Boring, dull workers in contrast to brilliant, constructive colleagues simply do not bring the required skills to the financial world. The types of thinking skills used in creating visual art, as well as music composition and dance choreography, are great assets and abilities to use in the work force.

            Besides thinking skills and academic discipline, self-discipline and persistence also blossom through the practice of arts, which further adds to job skills. Art can be a frustrating topic. Whether it is not being able to take a picture because of the weather or simply not being able to grasp the beat of a dance move, art can be extremely difficult. The only way to improve any art skills is through repetition and execution. In drawing, sometimes getting that contour line, the lines delineating the subject or creating dimension within the picture, can be a hard concept. Maybe the lines do not connect perfectly or the drawing was started with pieces out of proportion. Many aspects go into creating a drawing and mastering the necessary skills can take quite a bit of time. Of course, for some people it comes naturally, but when looking at all the parts that bring a drawing together it truly is a lot to puzzle through. Practicing shading or putting an object into perspective allows for the development of determination. Generally, someone is not going to be able to create a realistic piece of art on their first round. Sometimes several tries are required before achieving the desired look. Being able to control frustrations or put emotions into artwork can help with self-control. Persistency contributes to having motivation and drive that is necessary for most things in life, like working, eating better, or working out.

            Along with building valuable skills, art contributes to the economy and has its own range of business. Professional artists add to the yearly national product. From selling their own art to setting up galleries, money flows from the art industry. Art galleries and museums are usually pricey and numerous people enjoy going to museums to observe art. Art is used in everyday business. Principles of designs, like composition, are used in newspapers and magazines when the pages are being arranged. There are a variety of jobs that the art world offers. Some proposed jobs are in the fashion industry with the designing of clothes and shoes. Design is also used by architects when planning and creating buildings. Math is a large part of architecture, but art also plays its role in how the building is setup and constructed. Critical thinking and creative skills come into play with jobs like this, when it takes careful planning and measures to ascertain the buildings are of sound structure. Even simple household items like kitchen appliances, had to be designed and planned out at one point. Car models are continuously being altered and advance, it takes art to re-design a car and create something new while still being similar.

            Along with motivation to perform everyday activities, art is also integrated into education and can increase the desire to learn. Art is a gargantuan part of human civilization and cultivation. Most history classes incorporate art because it helps explain the history. Art is a timeless and it reflects at least some aspect of the time period it was created in. Through the use or art in a school setting visual learners can get a better grasp at the material that is being taught. Looking at art can be useful and paint a picture in a student’s mind, but some students simply cannot learn from being lectured. Being able to observe an art piece can contribute to the overall understanding because art also conveys emotion. While depicting history in a political and social stance, art also explains the history of itself as it progresses over time. Through the development of perspective and landscaping, art has become much more profound and can present the story of our world without words.

            Although art is not appreciated by everyone, it is a crucial part of life. It is a potential outlet for expression and can relieve stress, frustration, and anger. Viewing art can allow one to perceive new ideas, form new opinions, and obtain knowledge about their true feelings. Art aids in alleviating pain and stress and can be beneficial for the emotional state of mind. It also helps people to be creative and continue to innovate the world with new ideas. Art is a learning tool as well as a part of history. Paintings from years in the past explain how life was previously while art continues to generate the story of the present and future. The application of art in school is important because it assists in the learning process. It also allows for students to connect on a deeper level and become eager to comprehend the material. From magazines to books and posters, art is everywhere showcasing the developments of today. Media and entertainment are a massive part of this generation. Without art concepts and artists the media would not be possible. Art can be  useful in some way for a majority of people and it offers a myriad of benefits.

Service Learning Journal

I was finally able to find an organization to volunteer with after weeks of being unsuccessful. After having several places tell me they could not help me, I found Arts for Life. This is an organization that helps children in hospitals create art. I was not able to work directly with the children because there is a long training process that will not be offered again until the spring. Instead, I found out I was going to be assembling art kits for children to make art projects on their own.

Actually finding Arts for Life was difficult because it is in Weaverville and the bus could not take me there. Fortunately, on of my friends was able to give me a ride to volunteer. I ended up being late because I could not locate Arts for Life. After searching for about twenty minutes, I called Rachel, the assistant director, and she walked outside to meet me. It turns out I had been walking right by the office because it is tucked away at the back of the building. 

Once I got there Rachel explained the art kits that I was going to be putting together. For that day I was just going to be cutting out stars for children to make three dimensional stars. She talked about how later markers or crayons would be added to the kits so the children would be able to use color. Rachel was worried about each kit having a variety of colors so it would be more interesting to create art. After she said this I realized how much she cared about providing positive art experiences to these kids. I also found I related to Rachel because before she expressed her color concerns, I had been analyzing the markers deciding which color schemes would work.

Even though my volunteering has been pretty simple so far, I noticed how much work this organization puts into helping children. I was inspired by their compassion and I am glad that I get to help and be a part of it. 

Service Learning Journal

For my service learning project, I have not had a chance to volunteer yet. It has been 

difficult to communicate with my volunteer coordinator. After a few emails my contact 

informed me that there were already enough volunteers for teaching artists assistants. In 

the email I received the name of another contact who could possibly help me.

Personal Narrative

As a small child I was always interested in colors, crayons, and paint. I wanted to make everything an art project and I could be entertained with it for hours at a time. As I continued to grow, my interest for art developed into a love. Any form of art I could find I immersed myself in. Once I got to high school I realized that art was my true passion. Being creative gives me an outlet to express myself and an opportunity to develop as an artist and expand my skills. I would love to be able to help others pursue skills in art so that they too can express themselves.

Being a toddler in love with crayons gave me plenty of opportunity to be creative. I would color pictures for hours in my myriad of coloring books. However, art is a form of expression that cannot be contained simply on paper. One day as I began tiring of my coloring books with the pictures delineated for me, I decided to color something besides mere paper, something that would be larger than life! After serious thought, I decided the wall right next to me would be perfect. So, I took my black crayon and headed for the smooth, snow white wall. I imagine I moved in slow motion towards the wall and as soon as contact was made the scribbles began flying. After a few seconds of bursting emotion a masterpiece, was created. Even though I was proud of my work, I came to realize that not everyone was going to appreciate the beauty in my art. My stepmom especially, found nothing wonderful in my abstract piece and I was forced to scrub away my art.

Through elementary school I continued to love art, and when I hit middle school, the love flourished even deeper. I joined the Art club at my school where we met once a week to work on small murals that were hung down the school’s hallways. During my seventh grade year I began working on a mural with elephants and other African animals. I had finished my drawing of the idea but had not yet started painting on the wall. As the year drew to a close, I figured I would resume my work when school started back in the fall, but unfortunately tragedy struck over the summer when I found out I was going to have to transfer schools because we had moved out of my current school’s district. I was distraught and never got to finish my art project.

After I moved schools I had a terrible time adjusting and making friends since no one liked the new kids. I did not have my Art Club anymore, so I began to drift away from art for a while. I did have an art class at my new school, but it was not exactly enjoyable. Everyone referred to my art teacher Mrs. Cook as “Crazy Cook”. After a few weeks of her class, I noticed she was a bit eccentric, well, extremely eccentric. She would stand at the window and talk to the pigeons outside of our classroom for example. I did not enjoy her teaching methods either because she had two students that she favored and focused most of her attention on them. My fire for art had been smothered into just a few glowing embers.

High school however, reignited my passion for art. I took three different art classes with my school’s art teacher, Mr. Palmgren.  Palmgren was eccentric in his own way too with his long ponytail, but he made a point to encourage every student he had. Mr. Palmgren continuously walked around the room to watch his students as their art began to spring to life. He would give constructive criticism and help those who needed to be helped. He inspired me with his encouraging attitude and his own artistic abilities. He even encouraged the art haters who were only in class to fulfill the required art credit to graduate. Palmgren would try to inspire every student by including a piece of art, at least, from each student in our school’s annual art show. Having that encouragement counteracted the negativity some of my family members had about my love for art.

Of course my family members loved my art, they would get excited when I finished a drawing or a painting, but they enjoyed it as a hobby for me. Whenever I would mention going to college for art I would be told that I would not make much money. At one point, I wished to be an art therapist and only my younger sister supported it while the rest of my family attacked the idea because they assumed no one would go to an art therapist. My sister, the non-supportive one, would tell me that I should go into animation because that is where I would make money. The problem with that; however, is I have no desire to do animation. I appreciate it as an art form, and admire those who create it, but it just is not in my niche. After having negativity from my loved ones, having other people support me elated me and gave me the confidence keep pursuing what I love.

One of the most inspirational encounters for me was at one of the art shows. This past spring I was at the show looking at all the art. I was waiting on a friend to meet me there and I was sitting near a painting of mine when a girl came up and started looking at it. Since each piece had the student’s name printed underneath, she recognized all of my pieces. She ecstatically called her grandmother, I assumed grandmother, over to my painting. I was thrilled to see someone appreciate my art, and I was only like a million times happier after she exclaimed, “Her work is so amazing it could be in a museum!” I watched as she observed some of my other paintings in the exhibit and it gave me so much inspiration.

The admiration that the girl had for my abilities gave me inspiration to further develop my skills. I have known for a while that I want to pursue an art career. I know this is not the most practical choice and my stepmom claims I will be a starving artist, but it is my true passion. I have often thought about double majoring in college, but I cannot imagine what my second major could possibly ever be. I know I could find something I enjoy while on my college journey, but art is a priority for me and I aspire to be great at it. For me watching a beginning sketch, just an idea, turn into something full of life and detail is absolutely amazing. Sometimes I am amazed that I can take a few simple sketchy lines and create something that looks realistic. After looking at some paintings from a few years back and comparing them to more recent ones, I can see such great improvement after only a few classes. I am bursting with excitement to see where my skill level will be after classes in college.

After my school experiences with art and having people say they wish they were better at art, I have been interested in helping people with art. Without Mr. Palmgren I would still be coloring walls instead of advancing my abilities. He was such an inspiration and I want to help people see that you do not have to be “good” at art. Art is a form of expression where you express whatever you want to express. There is good in all art and after practice everyone can achieve and develop skills. I hope to one day not only be an artist, but to share the wonderful emotional connection that is experienced along with art.