In this issue, art teachers interpret, define, and apply what process looks like within their art curriculum, from designing sketchbooks to applying new clay techniques, learning to be present to enjoy those magical moments of mixing colors, experimenting with new media, and creating sculptures from everyday materials. Regardless of what level you teach, we can all learn something new to apply.
Years ago, I worked with a colleague who embraced the idea of process over product. He introduced his high-school students to various ways of making and experiencing art through unconventional processes. This raised the question: Is the process more important than the product or vice-versa—or are they both equally important? Back then, I never quite understood his way of teaching. Our teaching styles were rather opposite, whereas I was focused on students producing quality works of art. What were his intentions in curating these art experiences, I wondered.
Unpacking what it means to be process-oriented and what it can look like in our art room has opened my mind to welcoming a new approach to teaching art. This approach provides a platform for further engagement in the creative process, critical thinking, and what it means to be a contemporary artist. The process encourages students to think critically about what and why they create, provides the opportunity to experiment, and presents the space for conversation and feedback. I have learned that thinking and talking about art is just as important as creating it.
In this issue, art teachers interpret, define, and apply what process looks like within their art curriculum, from designing sketchbooks to applying new clay techniques, learning to be present to enjoy those magical moments of mixing colors, experimenting with new media, and creating sculptures from everyday materials. Regardless of what level you teach, we can all learn something new to apply.
In the elementary lesson “Scratching the Surface” (p. 20), Leah Krueger introduces sgraffito, a pottery technique that involves scratching through a layer of underglaze with metal tools. This process provides students with a new way to decorate and design clay.
Rachael Harrison’s middle-school lesson “Process-Based Portraits” (p. 22) establishes a space for her students to think about the creative process, delve into their identity, and answer the question, What does it mean to be an artist? The idea of slowing down to enjoy the process has a positive effect on well-being and creativity for both teachers and students.
At the high-school level, in “Pushing Our Practice with Fused Glass” (p. 17), Christine Colby shares her curiosity about glass with her students. Pushing herself out of her comfort zone leads Christine to explore with her students a unique medium for creating three-dimensional works of art.
Making space for new concepts, media, and techniques can be daunting when we feel the pressure of getting through our curriculum. Perhaps we can spend more time molding our students into critical-thinking, problem-solving, empathetic, and collaborative artists if we place quality over quantity. Trust the process, everything will fall into place.
Art teachers use a process-based approach to engage students in art-making. Young students apply color-mixing to create vibrant watercolor paintings, elementary students are introduced to the unique process of paper quilling, middle-school students use critical thinking and ideation skills while drawing meaningful self-portraits, high-school students use fused glass techniques to create functional works of art, and more.
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