Day 2: AIP

When selecting a guiding question/theme you need to make sure it is meaningful to YOU. It will become you WHY for the rest of the course

When approaching a struggle with inspiration or expressing your "Why" remember "Embrace the Shake".

Importance of Culture and Place within your work (and inquiry guided question):

Cultural awareness and understanding is at the heart of art making. Place and culture play an important role in shaping your work and you own understanding of works. Where you live can be a great starting point for making art, and your cultural background is a rich source to draw on! 

Culture is complex:

Culture is global: it exists on many levels: international, national, regional, local, and personal

Culture is a framework: it is a construction from human thoughts, emotions, behaviors and beliefs. It is what humans create, organize, and express daily. 

Culture is dynamic: it is fluid and always changing, continually influenced by historical, geographical, social and technological conditions. 

Culture is your own traditions:

Culture is not only about "the other". A starting point might be to investigate your own roots. Document this study in your sketchbooks/visual art journal (VAJ).

Many artist make powerful work around their beliefs, religion, rituals, history, stories and memories. 

Some topics are sensitive or controversial in subject. You might face these topics head on or you may work with meaning in a subtle matter by addressing the topic with a hidden content, mystery can be apart of art. 

"I think of art as glue, a culture and social glue. It's one of the means that has served to show us the things we believe in and the things we celebrate, it served to reinforce our relationship to each other." - Eric Fischl 

Mini Assignment: Your First Visual Arts Journal Page

Purpose:
This first page will introduce an important topic you care about. It will be the starting point for exploring how culture connects to your artmaking.

Step 1: Choose a Topic
Pick a topic from your own culture or personal experience. This could be something connected to:

• Belief systems

• Religion

• Rituals or traditions

• Conflict

• Money

• Gender

• Politics

• Or another topic that feels meaningful to you

It can be something sensitive, controversial, or deeply personal.

Step 2: Think About Your Approach
Instead of making something direct or obvious, explore how to show your idea indirectly.

• Use symbols, materials, colors, and textures to suggest meaning

• Think about mood and atmosphere instead of literal images

• Mystery can be part of the artwork—let the viewer discover the message
  
  

Step 3: Create Your VAJ Page
Your page should include:

• Visual elements – sketches, small drawings, color swatches, textures, patterns, or collaged images

• Notes and ideas – short written thoughts about why you chose this topic and how it connects to your culture

• Possible symbols or materials – list or illustrate items that could represent your idea

• Inspiration images – these can be printed, drawn, or painted, showing artworks or cultural references connected to your theme

Goal:
By the end, your page should tell the story of your idea through both words and visuals. It will be your first step into exploring culture, identity, and meaning in art. It is NOT a finished artwork, just description of a project that could be, the blueprints to a possible project later in the year.