Semester Reflections

Semester 4

My final semester in Arts Scholars was challenging yet fulfilling, bringing me confidence in my communication skills. My Capstone workshop demonstrates growth in organizing instructions on how to make art, as well as organizing finished pieces in an exhibition environment. Throughout my journey in lesson planning each week, the slideshows and lectures I gave were more balanced with various learning techniques such as demonstrations, curated videos, clear oral explanations, and engaging, helpful activities so that all students had a chance to learn to their best ability. They responded better and learned faster as my organization and communication of the techniques improved. Lastly, during ArtsFest, my artistry in designing the panels showed my growth in curation as a crucial way to communicate with an audience about a large creative project. 

My perception of art has been greatly influenced by Scholars, most importantly, by showing me a variety of mediums I had not previously explored, and giving me ways to synthesize and connect all the mediums of art together (showing that art is vast in its technique, but always shares common goals). One discussion that will stick with me was early on in the first year, when we explored the definition of art. This exposed me to other people's perspectives that were different from my own and forced me to think critically about the "heart" of what makes something art. In doing so, I learned that art can defined by the artist's intentions, proving how strong of a communication device it can be. Additionally, getting to participate in new art forms instead of just discussing them helped my understanding of art grow. The African Drumming session stands out, as it gave me a feeling of community and accomplishment. This connects it to the art forms I am familiar with, such as drawing, where I feel accomplished about my final work. In learning about the history, style, and messaging behind the medium, I realized that all art shares the ability to communicate and engage in humanity's core ideas (such as love, religion, family, or expression), despite how different various mediums can seem.

My Capstone project was inspired by activities we did in the first year about how art can promote empathy. I used this idea to develop the central message of my workshop, where students got to engage with the social issue of homelessness on a variety of levels. They got to make pieces to donate and participate in class discussions about the crisis. By making the warm crochet items, they were able to think about the impact the item would go on to have, and the lives it would improve, giving a direct through-line for empathy of the struggling unhoused individuals to form. CPSA260 was also crucial to giving my students the best possible learning experience. I pushed myself each week to include more refined learning assessments and activities, such as gallery walks, think-pair-share, streamlined discussions, or even changing the seating arrangement. Lastly, the community aspect of Scholars pushed me to rise to the level of hard work of my peers, who inspired me with their own projects. 

As I have discussed previously, Scholars introduced me to many new mediums and gave me confidence in my ability to try new things without getting discouraged. This makes me a better artist because I can now include things I have learned in the field trips (dance, orchestra) and guest artist sessions (vogue dancing, poetry, drumming) about communication through art in all of my future pieces. One way I have expanded my creative abilities is not in the art-making process itself, but in discussing art. For example, I learned how to pitch an art project, as well as discuss complex works of art that push boundaries. I gained knowledge about curation from my Capstone exhibition, but also in the team Wicked Art exhibition Freshman year. 

To further discuss the Freshman year final exhibition, the team-based aspect strengthened my ability to collaborate with diverse artists. I recall that it was a challenge to synthesize all of our works, as we had a large variety of mediums such as collage, drawing, painting, and music. In hearing about each student's unique creative process and the passionate meanings behind their work, we were able to find a message that enhanced the meaning of everyone's work. The connection between social issues and art improved my diverse collaboration skills because I was able to review and give helpful feedback on many Capstone ideas. This exposed me to the cultures and important global issues, and crucially, how art can provide a means of activism, positivity, protest, and more in the fight to better the world. 

My Arts Scholars experience showed me that art does not have to be something I do alone in my room as a hobby. Art is a field that is meant to foster engagement between people and discussion between contrasting communities. It can carry powerful meaning that cannot be described in words. In the future, I will continue to visit museums, galleries, art classes, art sales, and anything else related to art and my community in order to keep up the benefits for humanity and my own mental health. Academically, Scholars showed me how to manage a large project from the brainstorming phase all the way to the implementation and creation phases. This will be helpful for organizing major projects such as a possible Master's thesis, or the capstone for my Public Health Bachelor's degree. Professionally, the communication and leadership skills I earned from teaching will be crucial in a Public Health job setting, where collaboration and innovation is used to better the health of the country. 

I am grateful for the time I have spent in the Arts Scholars program and the skills it has given me!