On Friday, Jessica and I presented our lesson plan called MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE...
This lesson focused on how an artist grabs their viewers' attention and why it is so important. We used our presentation on Janet Nolan and John Dahlsen as the motivation which we presented a few weeks prior to this lesson. Since there was such a large gap in between the slideshow presentation and the actual lesson, it was important for us to take time on re-introducing the artists and the materials they used and incorporate on how these artists grabbed their attention and why they would want to learn more about a particular piece. Perhaps it was the size of the composition, materials being used, COLOUR, or maybe it was just being aesthetically pleasing?! Although there are many other ways that artists grab their viewers' attention, these were the four that we focused on in the introduction of our lesson that would be incorporated into the art-making process.
We had the students use collected post-consumer objects such as bottles, bottle caps, wire, and plastic bags which were also used as the materials in some of the artworks presented. With these materials, the students were to create a three-dimensional sketch of a possible sculpture that would be made much larger for a particular space. The sculpture had to have a concept, or a reason for being made from these materials. This would be collaborated with their group members by brainstorming various concepts and techniques. One group for example, decided to make a kinetic sculpture of jelly fish out of plastic bags and wire to represent destruction of the marine life. Another group used cardboard as their base. They used part of the advertisement from the box, which was a man and surrounded him by garbage using all of the materials that were given to them. They transformed this two-dimensional cardboard box into a three-dimensional composition to symbolize our improper waste disposal and its negative affect on our environment.
When it was time for critique, we had the students gather around the four sculpture model sketches. To start the critique off, Jessica and I asked the class which sculpture grabbed their attention the most and why. Than we would ask questions what the groups' concept was for their sculpture or if anyone thought a different sculpture grabbed their attention. We wanted to lead the discussion in critique by asking these types of questions but we also wanted to be part of the discussion as well. Jessica and I verbalized our opinion and what their work reminded us of to help ease up the tension that some students get when they have to talk about their artwork.
Overall, I feel that this lesson went really well. We were able to reintroduce our artists and their techniques, materials used, as well as their concepts for their work. The groups collaborated together to brainstorm and build a three-dimensional sketch using nontraditional art materials, and were able to talk about their work freely and openly to Jessica and I. And more importantly, we didn't run out of time!
