The Sketchbook Project, the next gen...

 

This semester I have the pleasure of teaching Introduction to Art Education at George Mason University. Now that we are straddling the halfway mark I can say it is my favorite part of the week! Unpacking and examining the many layers of what we do everyday in an art classroom is invigorating and undoubtedly these students raise questions that keep me on my toes. 

It has also provided me the opportunity to revisit and reimagine the Sketchbook Project (SBP). The first SBP began in 2020 during the height of the pandemic as a way to build community among students while virtual. That year the students mailed (via snail mail) the sketchbook to each other on a weekly rotation and documented their spreads on their blogs. To learn about that SBP, click this link.

This second iteration of the SBP has definitely taken on it's own personality, the weekly entries are grounded in the readings, observations and explorations of each week. The students are able to pass the book to each other during class time, no mail necessary. However, documenting the process on their blogs is still an expectation. 

Then every week in class whichever student had the sketchbook that week presents their spread and how they captured their thoughts and documented them artfully. There is no media limitation for inside the SBP, and every spread must include a pop-up feature. The end of the semester will result in a completed Sketchbook Project showcasing a rich, visual chronology of what the student's were contemplating during the various weeks throughout the fall semester.  

Happy New Year!

 Wishing you ripples of kindness as we embark into the year 2022. Use your power to be kind and care for your community. Happy New Year!

Telephone

 

                                                           Airborne                            08/2020

A year ago, while in the throws of the pandemic, I was looking to fill my creative bucket when I happened upon an art opportunity on an Art & Opportunities page. It was a call to participate in game of telephone between artists.

Much to my delight I was sent a poem, I See A Darkness, to read and create a visual response. When I was given the poem, I was not given the authors name, which I now know is Calyn Kelly from Eugene Oregon. My artwork would then be sent on to an artist for creative interpretation and so on...

Today, April 10th, the Telephone exhibition is revealed! 900 artists, 493 cities and 72 countries! I am so thrilled to have been a part of this palatial undertaking! Visit the site and enjoy the cacophony of music, poetry, art and dance, creative exuberance that is the result of the Telephone Game! 

The game whispered around the world, Telephone. 

Creativity is a hoot!

 As we embark on this school year let creativity prevail, let go of old habits and routines. ..embrace the fluidity of the moment. Step away from the screen, make art with abandon. Mail your artwork to a friend via snail mail. Creativity is a hoot! 

Printmaking in the sun room

So, today I set up in the sun room for printmaking. I walked inside for just a minute and Molly (my cat) decided I needed a studio assistant. She was so curious, sniffing everything and batting at the the tubes of paint. I have a feather I like to use in my prints  and she found it immediately and started playing with it. 

 Today I was just getting reacquainted with gelli (gelatin) printing. It has a been a little bit since I have explored the medium. I used stencils, some I made and others I had from previous art endeavors. Old photos are great to use as stencil paper, it is durable and up for the reuse. 

Earlier this week I picked up several Priority Mail stickers from the post office. These will make for excellent smaller prints and could serve as additional layers to other prints. I also printed on mailing envelopes, that I will eventually send off through the mail. 

After a few hours working and experimenting my assistant decided it was time to clean up. I will put it away for tonight and look at all the work with fresh eye tomorrow.

School Daze

Recently, I have been organizing my studio and the mountains of ephemera I have collected over the years...how about a little makeover for an old faculty yearbook photo? 

New Terrain

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc. This virus has forever changed life as we know it, although we do not yet know how much. 

There are many new obstacles, and even more layers to peel back as we move forward. I do not yet have the words..

 ...but I have been making art daily since the schools have closed. The art gives my brain a break from the frenetic news and social media overload. (I highly recommend making a creative space in your home)

This new week brought the news that Virginia schools will close for the remainder of the school year. Sad to miss out on the end of year milestones and celebrations. Now actively working towards an instructional migration to distance learning. Striving to figure out how to  maintain the personal connections that are so natural and important in studio classes.

 

 Practice patience and generosity like never before. Stay home folks.

*to see more of these daily art exercises visit @sillysusansilva on Instagram.