Postcards From a Community

      All my postcards were made from photos at the The Bitter End coffee shop near downtown Grand Rapids. Coffee shops have always been a good place for people within a community to form smaller communities, therefore I thought it would be an appropriate place to express the “Big Idea” of community. My definition of community is a group of people who share something; whether it be memories, living space, similar interests, or common goals. 

      Postcard one represents my own memories within a community. I often meet with friends at coffee shops to have deep and meaningful conversations. Those relationships and conversations have greatly influenced who I am and how I think. When I return to the same coffee shop, I not only see the shop itself but the memories I made there as well. The photos on the wall have been replaced with my own pictures to represent the experiences that could be attached to the coffee shop community. 

      Postcard two is more of a surreal image that suggests shared dreams or activities. In a concrete sense, communities include things such as pools and vehicles. Communities may also use things such as tires and swimming rings as tools for recreation or everyday life. A coffee shop may offer the same type of recreation to an adult as a pool would to a child. Either way, they are all experiences that are created with other people. 

      Postcard three includes the statement “everyone is the same in different ways.” This phrase describes an abstract way of thinking about community. No two people within the community are exactly the same, yet the community as a whole is formed by similarities. The same phrase can be applied to coffee or coffee shops in general. Not every shop is the same, and not every brew of coffee is the same, yet all coffee shops serve their customers and share a similar purpose. 

      Living within a community is both a personal and universal experience. The world is a community broken down into smaller and smaller communities. Where someone finds community depends upon their own perception and needs. For me, coffee has been a useful tool for creating and maintaining community with those around me. 

Postcard #1

Postcard #2

Postcard #3

Chicago Expo 2012

Went on an adventure through Chicago yesterday!
Mostly I went to the Chicago Expo, which was both impressive and thought provoking for me. As a spectator I was overwhelmed by the thousands of art pieces as well as the important looking gallery representatives. It was crazy to witness the large transactions of art between such diverse galleries and people. I almost felt inadequate because I did not have a foreign accent, spiffy clothes, or the ability to afford anything there.
The fact that I was a poor college student, however, did not prevent me from feeling like a kid in a candy store. It was hard not to be inspired by all the creative pieces or excited by the recognition of work from familiar artists. It is amazing how art can communicate so well through different cultures and those of different economic levels. I was disappointed, however, by the fact that there was hardly any metals work to be seen. I realize that 2-dimensional art sells better, but I feel like the chance to see international metal work was greatly neglected. Maybe that is just my biased opinion.....
Witnessing the Expo also made me wonder how the value of art is determined. Is it by the artist's skill, their name, or by the gallery's name? Do artists need a gallery representative in order to become credible? Some of the pieces, in my opinion, needed a good explanation as to why they were worth thousands of dollars. As an art educator, how could I explain to my students the commerce behind art? I have definitely realized that there is much to learn about the world of art dealers.
Overall the Expo was a beneficial experience. Being exposed to the representation and dealing of art gave me a behind the scenes perspective to galleries or museums. It would be interesting to learn the stories behind the art that hangs on public walls. Why was it chosen to be there? Where was it purchased? What relationships exist behind the piece? I left Chicago with more questions than answers, but sometimes the questions themselves are more influential.

Educational Bucket List

As a senior in college, I am getting pretty antsy to start teaching and experimenting in my own classroom. I have so many ideas and so much ambition towards leading young minds! Being an art education major, however, means I must patiently wait two more years before I've finally earned my degree. In the meantime, I can dream about the adventures in my future classroom by making an educational bucket list.....

1. Have more students sign up for art each year

2. See a student grow confidence through art

3. Watch my students graduate 

4. Have a student remember me years after they have left

5. Host extra-curricular art activities

6. Remember every student's name

7. Create inspiring room decorations

8. Be the most organized teacher in the school

9. Host class outdoors

10. Create "real world" art experiences

11. Make every student feel worthwhile

12. Organize an effective and influential fundraiser for the arts

13. Never settle for less then my best

14. Encourage others daily

15. Teach metalsmithing

16. Learn and use sign-language

17. Learn something new from my students

18. Keep my curriculum relatable

19. Make an incredible mess

20. Integrate my class with other teachers

21. Create leadership possibilities for students

22. Never allow my budget to hold students back

23. Inspire a student to be an artist or art educator

24. Become a mentor

25. Be a positive influence beyond the school setting

26. Create unique classroom traditions

27. Become an asset to my school

28. Give each student a foundation to build upon

29. Selflessly serve others

30. Help students discover who they are

31. Provide a safe and inviting space

AND

32. Love every day of my job!