Running head: MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Mixing Art, Experience and Digital Technology: An Autoethnography

by

Anne M. A. Powers

A research paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of

BA (Hons)
in
ADULT EDUCATION AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

April 2015

Anne Powers, 2015

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Abstract
As an artist and figure skating coach, this autoethnographical study explores my personal
artistic journey through the creation of four paintings. Grounded in theories of experiential
learning and constructionism, my research examines how technology has been integrated into my
artistic life during informal learning situations. Drawing on reflective narratives written by
myself as the data source, this study analyzes these narratives and seeks to find emergent themes
and connects these themes to broader sociocultural issues. Some findings include the idea of
creating communities through participatory sensing systems (like the photo-sharing platform,
Instagram) and of how technology, audience and performance have impacted my artistic work
and experience.

Keywords: arts-based education, art, autoethnography, constructionism, digital

technology, experiential learning, participatory sensing systems, technology

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people for guiding and supporting me through the
experience of writing this research paper: Dr. W. Barber, Dr. E. Childs, J. Christie, N. Fogal, A.
Forder, L. Iantomasi, E. McCreight, K. Mooney, N. Naffi, Dr. L. Pinto, J. & T. Powers, A.
Santiago and Dr. R. van Oostveen.

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Table of Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... 2
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2: Literature Review & Theoretical Framework ........................................................ 8
Key Themes ............................................................................................................................... 8
Autoethnography..................................................................................................................... 8
Arts-Based Education ............................................................................................................. 9
Participatory Sensing ............................................................................................................ 11
Theoretical Framework .......................................................................................................... 12
Experiential Learning Theory ............................................................................................... 12
Constructionism .................................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 3: Methodology............................................................................................................. 13
Types and sources of data ...................................................................................................... 13
Plan for analysis of data ......................................................................................................... 17
Validity and Reliability .......................................................................................................... 18
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion.......................................................................................... 19
A Note on Process.................................................................................................................... 19
Analysis & Discussion ............................................................................................................. 21
Music, Emotions and Colour: Famiglia and Splash ........................................................ 21
Audience, Performance and Social Interactions: Wildforce and UOIT Welcome Diversity
Mural ................................................................................................................................... 24

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Conclusions & Future Directions .......................................................................................... 26

References .................................................................................................................................... 27
Appendices ................................................................................................................................... 34
Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................... 34
Fig. 1: Artifact One Splash.............................................................................................. 34
Fig. 2: Artifact Two Wildforce ....................................................................................... 34
Fig. 3: Artifact Three Famiglia ....................................................................................... 34
Fig. 4: Artifact Four UOIT Welcome Diversity Mural ................................................... 34
Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................................... 35
Bracketing Interview ............................................................................................................. 35

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Chapter 1: Introduction
As a former competitive figure skater and now figure skating coach, choreographer and
artist, my life revolves around skating. To combine my love of figure skating, creativity and art
making, I produce paintings by using skates instead of brushes (Powers, 2014). Painting with
my skates is a way for me to explore my imaginative side, while also expressing my creativity
and love for art and skating (Powers, 2014).
Given that the theme of art is at the forefront of my life, the purpose of this research
study is to explore my relationship with art, technology and learning, in informal situations.
Informal learning occurs somewhere other than a classroom or training venue, and does not
have premeditated learning outcomes (Wihak & Hall, 2011, p. 08). For the purposes of this
research paper, my own informal learning occurred in my studio, at exhibition sites where I
created and displayed some of the artifacts that are analyzed and discussed in this study, and
during online communication instances via social networks (such as Instagram, Facebook,
Twitter and on my own NotWithABrush website).
The arts have long been recognized as serving an important purpose in enriching our
awareness and expanding our humanity" (Eisner, 2007, p. 04). Examining art and learning
provides the opportunity for students to inquire critically into their own cultural experience
(Duncum, 2003, p. 20). In addition to art and learning, technology (in a very general sense)
creates environments that engage learners (Jonassen, et al, 2010, p. 03), and broadly speaking,
technology is how people modify the natural world to suit their own purposes (Dugger &
Gilberti, 2007, p. 02). Further to this, digital technology is defined as digital (zeros and ones)
technology resources such as web 2.0 tools, digital media and programming tools and software
applications to effectively locate, analyze, create and communicate information in a digital

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

context ("Digital technologies", 2006), and is specifically discussed in this paper in regards to art
and informal learning situations. Learning, especially in terms of the arts can be thought of as a
holistic process that involves cognitive, affective, somatic, and spiritual dimensions (Lipson
Lawrence, 2008, p. 75).
Exploring my own learning through artistic experiences while linking these experiences
to broader sociocultural phenomena brings me to my primary research question: How have I
experienced the integration of technology in my artistic work in informal learning situations? To
clarify this research question, my artistic work refers to the four selected artifacts that are
discussed, interpreted and analyzed in this paper, using narratives that I wrote from personal
experience as the sources of data. Furthermore, the experience of the creation of each artifact
took place in informal learning situations in my studio and in an exhibit site where no formal
training occurred or premeditated outcomes were planned. For the purposes of this study, and
more specifically for my research question, I will use the word how to describe the way or
ways in which I have experienced the integration of technology, the condition and quality of the
experience, and to what extent the technology was integrated.
This research will take the form of autoethnography, an emerging qualitative research
method that allows the author to write in a highly personalized style, drawing on his or her
experience to extend understanding about a societal phenomenon (Wall, 2006, p. 01). My data
source for this research paper will consist of narratives that I wrote from the experience I had in
the creation of four selected artifacts (paintings) from my personal portfolio. Examining my
personal experience in the creation of these artifacts through the use of autoethnography is the
ideal approach for this paper since it involves reflection, experience and storytelling (Ellis, et al,
2011, p. 09). Reflecting on rich artistic experiences, such as the four artifacts discussed in this

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

paper and linking them to cultural instances, allows for my research to go beyond myself and to
connect to broader sociocultural issues.
During my research journey, I discovered the concept of participatory sensing systems
(PSS). Participatory sensing is described as a process where humans actively use mobile
devices and cloud computing services to share local environmental data such as a picture (Silvia
et al., 2013, p. 124). An example of a participatory sensing system (PSS) or application is the
photo sharing service, Instagram, where the sensed data is in the form of a picture of a specific
place or thing (Silvia et al., 2013, p. 125). Users of PSS like Instagram can extract a variety of
contextual information from shared pictures and create meaning from this information (Silvia et
al, 2013, p. 125). The concept of PSS will act as a link between my research and that of a
broader societal phenomenon. In my findings section, I pose the question of how PSS provides
users with the ability to communicate and to create communities through the sharing of digital
images on platforms like Instagram (Silvia et al., 2013, p. 125).
Chapter 2: Literature Review & Theoretical Framework
Key Themes
Autoethnography
Autoethnography is an approach to research and writing that seeks to describe and
systematically analyze (graphy) personal experience (auto) in order to understand cultural
experience (ethos) (Ellis, et al, 2011, p. 01). This method is appropriate for my research because
autoethnography involves the examination of self (of personal artistic experiences and of how
they interface with technology and learning) and is a useful methodology for examining
personal and collective creative practice (Brown, 2014, p. 02). Autoethnography intends to

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

acknowledge the inextricable link between the personal and the cultural and to make room for
nontraditional forms of inquiry and expression (Wall, 2006, p. 06).
Some potential benefits of this method include the allowance for personal storytelling
while also linking personal evidence with found evidence in the literature. Wall (2006) points
out that autoethnographies based on personal narratives (as the data source) are highly tailored to
the author and reveal the authors own lived experience (p. 06). Although this kind of qualitative
inquiry has been criticized for being fluffy and is sometimes not highly valued in the scientific
community, autoethnography ensures that the identity of the author is not lost or put aside, like
it is in most scientific quantitative research methods (Wall, 2006, p. 02). Wall (2006) also argues
that the autoethnographers voice is not lost in this kind of method; in other words, if the
researchers voice is omitted from the text, then the writing is reduced to a mere summary and
interpretation of the works of others, with nothing new added (Wall, 2006, p. 03). After all, the
researcher is the best person to describe his or her own experience and would do so more
accurately than an outside person (Wall, 2006, p. 03).
Since autoethnography as a methodology was new to me, I reviewed some
autoethnographic papers to get a feel for the writing style and process, including studies from
Brown (2014), Duncan (2004), Ellis, (1999 & 2002), Fox (2010), Pavle Manovski (2014),
Smith-Shank & Keifer-Boyd (2007) and Wall (2006 & 2008). These autoethnographies were
useful in helping me to understand the process of this type of methodology.
Arts-Based Education
Arts-based education denotes the centrality of art as both precipitator and repository of
learning, teaching, and schooling" and additionally, signifies the reciprocal and interactional
relationship that exists between the two areas of inquiry" (Gadsden, 2008, p. 35). I discovered

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numerous research studies regarding the use of arts-based education primarily in formal
educational settings. Generally speaking, studies from Burke (2013), Clover (2006), Duncum
(2003), Hayes Yokley (1999), Oreck (2004), Roth (1996), and Sotiropoulou-Zormpala (2012),
reveal that students engaged in arts-based education gain a critical outlook into their own cultural
experience in the world they interact in. Additionally, an emphasis on the power and importance
of teaching through an arts-based lens is situated in studies from Gadsden (2008) and Lipson
Lawrence (2008). Key literature from Duncum (2003) proclaims that grounding education
through an arts-based lens provides the opportunity for learners to discover their own voice and
to critically connect their experiences within a larger society (p. 06); this directly links to my
study because my voice as a researcher comes to the forefront through my methodology of
autoethnography. Also, studies from Roth (1993), Gouzouasis (2010), Gadsden (2008), SeftonGreen et al. (2008), Weil (1996), Greenwood (2012), Gigliotti (2001), and Dewey (1994) discuss
arts-based education as a holistic process and expressive experience, and discuss how technology
impacts the arts in education.
Furthermore, engagement through critical making was hi-lighted in Rattos (2011)
study, and bridged making in a physical sense with making in a conceptual exploration (p.
253). Critical making is described as turning the relationship between technology and society
from a matter of fact into a matter of concern (Ratto, 2011, p. 259). Ratto (2011) also cites
how "constructionism emphasizes the importance of actively making things (p. 254). Rattos
study was of special interest to me because it directly relates to my research question involving
the production of art, learning and digital technology, and additionally, ties into the concept of
PSS by way of connecting society with technology. Further inquiry regarding critical making
would be an interesting additional avenue of qualitative research and would be worthwhile

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pursuing in future research projects.

Participatory Sensing
A preliminary search for research on PSS resulted in a list of five articles from Bakhshi et
al (2014), Hochman & Manovich (2013), Hochman & Schwartz (2012), Salomon (2013) and
Silvia et al. (2013). Bakhshi (2014) observed that photos are becoming prominent means of
communication online (p. 965) and that the sharing of such photos (via social media and PSSs)
are powerful forms of non-verbal communication (Bakhshi, 2014, p. 965). Bakhshi (2014) also
concludes that photos shared that contain human faces are more likely to increase user
engagement and affect behaviour in online communities (p. 972-973). Similarly to Bakhshi
(2014), McNely (2012) also examines the sharing of photos on Instagram. McNely (2012) also
investigates companies that use Instagram to promote organization image and vision (p. 07) and
explores how image-power shapes the organizations self-conscious (p. 01). Furthermore,
Hochman & Manovich (2013) and Hochman & Schwartz (2012) use global case studies to
investigate the use of Instagram and how of shared photos can provide insight into societal
cultural, political and social activities over certain time periods and locations (p. 01). These
studies also identify how the ease of sharing visual information is prominent in todays society
due to the advances of digital technology (Hochman & Schwartz, 2012, p. 01). Salomon (2013)
reports that on many college campuses (specifically at UCLA in this particular article),
Instagram has become the preferred photo-sharing social media platform among undergraduate
students (p. 408).
Overall, the literature surrounding PSS cites that Instagram is the premier photo-sharing
platform and that images can provide sociocultural insight into communities. Also, given that I
only discovered the concept of PSS when reporting my findings of this paper, further research

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about and investigation of PSSs is needed but is beyond the scope of this research paper.
Theoretical Framework
My primary theoretical framework will stem from two main theories: experiential
learning and constructionism. I chose this framework because it provided me with a foundation
on which to explore my research question. Utilizing these theories grounds my research and
allows me to investigate larger sociocultural issues.
Experiential Learning Theory
The description of Kolbs experiential learning theory is broken down into six main
points by Kolb & Kolb (2005). Of the six propositions, I will be narrowing my focus to the
following three: learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of outcomes (Kolb, et al,
2005, p. 194); learning results from synergetic transactions between the person and the
environment (Kolb, et al, 2005, p. 194); and learning is the process of creating knowledge
(Kolb, et al, 2005, p. 194). These three areas of experiential learning are suited to my research
because through experience comes the construction of knowledge, shedding light on new ideas
and thoughts (Kolb, et al, 2005, p. 195). Kolb & Kolb (2009) make the observation that when a
concrete experience is enriched by reflection, given meaning by thinking, and transformed by
action, the new experience created becomes richer, broader, and deeper (p. 309). My
experience through the creation of and interaction with each artifact, and within the
environments where each artifact was created and shared (digitally, in studio, and through
performance and exhibition) produced meaningful experiences (Powers, 2015).
Constructionism
Constructionism is an an approach to education centered on having learners construct
physical artifacts that can be shared with others as a way to construct meaning (Papert & Harel,

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1991). It is central to note that constructionism emphasizes the importance of actively making
things (Ratto, 2011, p. 254). The theory of constructionism directly relates to this study in the
fact that I am analyzing the production of my own artifacts and of how they have created
meaning within the context of informal learning and with the integration of digital technology.
WM Roth situates constructionism in terms of process; he emphasizes how the
progression and development of artifacts is more important than the outcome of the artifact, and
how learning to and through design makes process the central issue of education (Roth, 1996,
p. 131). In terms of learning, Roth also stresses the importance of authentic environments and
how the formation of artifacts creates problem-based learning situations (Roth, 1996, p. 131). As
an artist, the creation of an artifact is in and of itself an exercise in problem-based learning
(meaning a problem that is has real-world relevance, and is vague and learner-centred) (Gallow,
n.d.). And more specifically, creating a commissioned work for a client is quite often times an
ill-defined problem that must be solved through trial and error, experimentation and cognition.
In summary, the use of experiential learning and constructionism as central theories in
this study helped to shape the inquiry around my research question of: How have I experienced
the integration of technology in my artistic work in informal learning situations? Using
narratives as my primary data source, along with additional secondary research, these central
theories of experiential learning and constructionism are used to investigate my research question.
Chapter 3: Methodology
Types and sources of data
The data produced and analyzed for this autoethnographic research study takes the form
of four reflective narratives written by myself. Each narrative reports and reflects on my
personal experience of the creation of each artifact. The artifacts that I wrote about were chosen

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through purposive selection and are called: Splash, Wildforce, Famiglia and the UOIT
Welcome Diversity Mural. Purposive selection is a process used in qualitative research where
the selection of data sources are purposeful and sought out, are not random or left to chance
and are adequately rich to bring clarity and understanding to the experience, as well as to foster
learning (Polkinghorne, 2005, p. 140).
Brief descriptions of each of the four selected artifacts (paintings) are as follows:
1. Fig. 1, Artifact One Splash: This abstract painting represents generations of a family,
specifically the relationship between grandmother and grandchild. I created this artifact
at the request of my friend and former skating coach, and used her grandchilds skate to
create the painting. The background displays a clean unbleached titanium white, while
the focal point is multi-coloured including vermillions (orange/red), turquoises, blues,
violets, carmines (red) and bronzes. The focal point has branches that extend to the edges
of the canvas and are meant to portray branches of a family tree.
2. Fig. 2, Artifact Two Wildforce: This painting was created in approximately one hour
in front of an audience of high school students. It is purely abstract in nature and I had no
concrete thoughts as to what I desired the finished product to look like. This painting
reveals many colours of pinks, peaches, cherries, blues and greens, and is messy and not
particularly structured. Wildforce is named after my high school teacher who was in
attendance for the creation of this painting.
3. Fig. 3, Artifact Three Famiglia: I created this painting for a friend who wanted a
painting to represent her family. Unlike some of my other work, I put much thought and
consideration into the design and message of this artifact. The four foundations of my
friends family life are animals, sports, nature, and family as a whole. In Famiglia, I

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attempted to capture these four foundations in the painting by using symbolic formations
and by the use of colour and contrast. The focal point of the painting is the vermillion
(orange/red) band that stretches across the painting and is intended to represent a DNA
strand of mother and father.
4. Fig. 4, Artifact Four UOIT Welcome Diversity Mural: I created this mural for UOITs
International Mother Language Day event and it is currently on display at UOIT in the
registrars office. This is a large triptych (three-panel) piece that is intended to represent
the diverse student body of UOIT. Also, this artifact includes the word welcome in the
following fifteen languages: German, Portuguese, Japanese, Hindi, French, Polish, Greek,
Italian, Arabic, English, Turkish, Russian, Spanish, Mandarin, and Aboriginal. Versions
of the UOIT blue colour are included in this painting as well as an abstract skyline and
sky scene, which is meant to represent learning and limitless future horizons for students.
Next, the inclusion criteria used for the purposive selection of each artifact is as follows:
artifacts are commissioned pieces, meaning that I created each artifact for a specific client at
their request; artifacts were created during informal learning situations, meaning in my studio or
in an exhibit site; artifacts have been part of a performance or in an exhibition, meaning they
have been viewed by an audience); artifacts involve the integration of digital technology,
meaning I used digital devices to photograph the artifacts and to share the photographs on the
internet; creation of the artifacts involve Desjardins social order competency, meaning the
artifacts were shared via social media sites; and, creation of the artifacts involve Desjardins
informational order competency, meaning that I utilized internet resources to research
background information to aid in the creation of the artifacts. The inclusion criteria was chosen
for the following reasons: to create a common thread between artifacts (all artifacts are

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commissioned works meaning that a person or persons requested that I create a painting for
them); to add greater credibility to the artifact, meaning that it has been on display, viewed or
selected by persons other than myself (such as artistic jury members or peers in the artistic field);
and to relate to my research question stipulations (that the creation of artifacts took place in
informal learning situations, that they involved the integration of digital technology, and that
they involved Desjardins social and informational order competencies). To clarify, Desjardins
(2005) social order is "when one individual wishes to communicate with another and
conditions are such that a direct person to person is not possible because of time or distance,
some computer mediated communication technology will be used" (p. 04). Further to this,
competency, Desjardins (2005) informational order involves having the ability to identify,
select, sort and organize information from digital technologies (p. 04).
It is important to note that originally, I did not include the UOIT Welcome Diversity
Mural as one of my four artifacts. Instead, I initially included an artifact entitled, A Dream.
After some reflection, I decided that A Dream did not align with my research study as well as
the UOIT Welcome Diversity Mural did, so I excluded A Dream and included UOIT
Welcome Diversity Mural. Although this change came fairly late into the development of this
research paper, I did made this change before writing my data narratives. It is also essential to
note that all artifacts discussed in this paper (including A Dream and the UOIT Welcome
Diversity Mural) were created (meaning I painted them and they were completed) in the years
2013-2014, prior to the commencement of this thesis journey.
Writing my data narratives was a reflective practice and as I was composing them,
preliminary themes began to emerge from the thoughts and recalled experiences. The writing
was progressive and took place not all at one time, but over a period of approximately four to

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five weeks. During the process, I wrote for a few hours, and then would leave the writing to take
time away to think and reflect. After some time, I would return to the writing and add more
contextual information as well as richer detail.
In addition to the data narratives, secondary research was also done using keyword
searches on Google Scholar linked with the UOIT library. The found articles included the
following themes and were used to further explore and support my research question:
experiential learning, constructionism, autoethnography, arts-based education, informal learning,
technology, and participatory sensing.
Plan for analysis of data
The analysis of this qualitative study is interpretive and examines the contextual
information in the data, as well as identifies emerging themes and links to literature and
grounded theories (Pinto, 2013). Starting with an inductive analysis of the data, I printed a hard
copy of the data narratives and using coloured pencils, marked sections that revealed emergent
themes. The following inductive codes were developed and applied to the data and were visible
across each narrative: emotions and colour (EC) (meaning that the data revealed remarks on
emotional states and feelings that correlated with colour choices in the creation of the artifacts);
involvement of music (IOM) (meaning that the data revealed that I frequently listened to music
during the process of the creation of artifacts); and audience/performance (AP) (meaning that the
data revealed findings that multiple audiences were visible throughout each artistic experience
and that audience and performance impacted these artistic experiences).
Following the inductive coding, I when through the hard copies of the narratives again
using a deductive approach. This allowed me to draw conclusions and make connections as to
how my data supported or refuted major theories and other research cited in the theoretical

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framework. The following deductive codes were applied to the data and were derived from my
theoretical framework and secondary research: constructionism (C) (meaning that I looked for
instances or examples of constructionism in my data); experiential learning (EL) (meaning that
I looked for instances or examples of experiential learning in my data); informal learning
situations (ILS) (meaning that I looked for instances or examples of informal learning situations
in my data); informational order competencies (IOC) and social order competencies (SOC)
(meaning that I looked for instances or examples of these concepts from Desjardins in my data);
and integration of digital technology (IDT) (meaning that I looked for instances or examples of
how digital technology was incorporated into my artistic experiences within my data).
In addition to coding the data narratives, I also looked at digital photographs of the four
artifacts to gain a visual perspective for analysis. Also, I developed an extensive thesis website
over the course of my research that houses all information pertinent to this study. Although the
creation of this website was not necessary, I felt it was an important step to keep my work
organized in one central location. The website helped to focus my ideas, giving me greater
insight into my own work as well as allowing me to go beyond myself and make connections to
social phenomena.
Validity and Reliability
Despite the fact that some autoethnographic studies have been criticized in terms of
validity and reliability (Ellis, 2010, p. 07), I have taken the following steps to ensure my process
is sound in its legitimacy:
1. I participated in a bracketing interview conducted by Dr. Laura Pinto to identify my
personal bias in terms of this research paper. Bracketing is a method used in qualitative
research to mitigate the potentially deleterious effects of preconceptions that may taint

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the research process (Tufford & Newman, 2010, p. 80). Tufford & Newman (2010) also
explains bracketing as a scientific process in which a researcher suspends or holds in
abeyance his or her presuppositions, biases, assumptions, theories, or previous
experiences to see and describe the phenomenon (p. 83). In my case, results of the
bracketing interview concluded that my focus is too inward (on myself and my own
work), and that I need to connect to broader social phenomena, literature and other
learners experiences in this field of study;
2. The artifacts that I wrote about and examined were chosen through purposive selection;
3. And, the four chosen artifacts are commissioned pieces from clients who specifically
requested that I create a painting for them.
Finally, my own reputation as an artist adds credibility to this study because my work has been
selected by my peers in the artistic community, by artistic jury members and by my former art
teachers to be displayed in exhibitions.
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion
A Note on Process
When the painting is done and the digital photographs are uploaded, what has my work
become? The process of transforming my work into a digital medium and transferring it to my
computer creates another artistic experience and process. I often reflect on the experience as a
whole and consider each step along the way as an artistic process. Defining artistic process
involves using intuitive genius and comprises these four creative processes from Apps (2007):
preparation, incubation, illumination and verification (p. 01). When involved in an artistic
process especially one where I am developing a commissioned piece of work I prepare the
physical canvas and the materials I am going to be using in the space around me, I visit and re-

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visit the work allowing for time to reflect, I make discoveries along the way and am enlightened
during the process of choosing colours and design, and finally, I share my work with the hopes
of it being validated by my client and by the audience who is or will be viewing it.
In my own experience, process takes time and each step along the way produces creative
artistic experiences. I believe each of the following steps to be artistic experiences both in and of
themselves, and together as a whole: building the canvas frame with wooden stretcher bars,
stretching the canvas and stapling it to the wood, priming the canvas with gesso, choosing which
skates will be my brushes, picking paint colours and mediums, transferring the paint to the
canvas, allowing the blade glide through the paint, reflecting on what type of imagery emerges
from the paint strokes, putting the final touches on the work, varnishing and possibly framing the
painting, attaching the wire, photographing the artwork, uploading the digital images to the
computer, manipulating the images, publishing the images on my website, sharing the images via
various social media channels, and finally, engaging in social communication with other artists
and friends by utilizing the affordances of digital technology. Even through the process of
digitizing my art, I am still engaged in artistic thoughts whether I can touch the physical
painting with my hands, or view the image of it on the computer screen each phase of the
artistic process builds knowledge and experience. This experience is important because
creative arts experiences involve open-ended discovery and encourage unique, personal
responses, as opposed to predetermined objectives and right or wrong answers (Oreck, 2004, p.
56).
I have included this section on process to remind my readers and myself that an artistic
process, as defined by Apps (2007), is "not comprised of manageable, recognizable, teachable
components" (p. 02), meaning that these processes are unique to every artist and that my own

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artistic process should be examined and compared to others in my field. Comparing artistic
processes among artists could be another avenue of inquiry to explore in a future research study.
Analysis & Discussion
Music, Emotions and Colour: Famiglia and Splash
My coding revealed that the narratives about Famiglia and Splash had similar
prevalent themes and recurring codes of emotions and colour (EC), involvement of music (IOM)
and audience/performance (AP) (Powers, 2015, p. 01-15). Other codes that were visible across
the narratives about Famiglia and Splash were those of integration of digital technology
(IDT) and informal learning situations (ILS) (Powers, 2015, p. 01-15).
As discovered through the code of IOM in my narratives, I enjoy listening to music while
I am painting; the sounds of Hlne Grimaud performing Brahmss Piano Concerto No. 1 in D
Minor and No. 2 in B-Flat Major, or Vladimir Ashkenazy performing Rachmaninovs Piano
Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18, second movement, Adagio, enhance my creativity (Powers,
2015). I also discovered that through the code of IDT and EC (found in my narratives) that
classical music is essential to my creative process, it affects my mood, and that it inspires me
to be present in my work (Powers, 2015, p. 06). During the creative process, I must be in tune
with my own sense of self and have the ability to focus and concentrate, while at the same time
be free and open-minded to let myself go and get absorbed in the creative process. Described
as a deeply emotional and, some would say, spiritual process, art making is an experiential
process of conceptual enquiry that embraces inspiration, critical thinking and the building of
meanings (Pringle, 2008, p. 44). Similarly, Brown (2014) observes that listening to or
performing music, is much like the process of art-making in that it has an intangible draw that
affects and speaks to deep human feelings and emotions (p. 04).

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Additionally, another discovery from the analysis of my narratives involves the

accessibility and integration of digital technology (IDT), (which includes music, paint and
canvas, for example) into my art studio (my own informal learning environment). My narratives
cite that the richness of my artistic experience was enhanced because of the integration of
technology into my studio space (Powers, 2015, p. 02). Since technology is how people modify
the natural world to suit their own purposes, it can be said that I have modified my studio to suit
my own artistic needs; I have created a place where I feel comfortable and empowered to learn
and to produce art. In my studio I surround myself with the tools and technologies to aid in my
effort to create artifacts. These technologies include my skates that I use as brushes, paint,
towels, mixing containers, lights and many more things that are essential items. Without these
tools, there would be no physical manifestation of my creative thoughts. Given that Kolb (2005)
states that learning results from synergetic transactions between the person and the
environment (p. 194), thus, it is important to make note of this discussion about my studio
environment.
While creating the artifact, Famiglia for the Taylor family, I spent much time thinking
about how to express their spirit of family connection through the painting (Powers, 2015, p. 06).
The Taylors have four foundations that represent them best: family; animals; sports; and nature
(Powers, 2015, p. 05). Even though my narratives stated that I had a rough plan in my mind of
what I wanted to create, and that I know the Taylor family quite well, the data described that it
was still difficult to portray their family in a visual artifact (Powers, 2015, p. 05). Many times I
asked myself how can I capture the Taylor family, or any family for that matter, by way of paint
on a canvas (Powers, 2015, p. 06)? Although I did not directly answer this question, the
narratives revealed that I decided to leave it up to the process, meaning that I trusted that going

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

23

through an artistic process and not worrying about the final outcome would ensure at least a
rewarding journey. As Kolb cites learning is best conceived as a process, not in terms of
outcomes (Kolb, et al, 2005, p.194). Since creative arts experiences are open-ended and
involve discovery, inquiry and personal responses, predetermined outcomes or such things as is
it right or is it wrong neither matter or apply (Oreck, 2004, p. 56). When a painting is
finished, it isnt right or wrong, it just simply is. Using a photograph as an example, Lipson
Lawrence (2008) poignantly points out that preoccupation with the end product, how the photo
will turn out, takes me out of the moment (p. 66).
Furthermore, the occurrence of the code emotions and colour (EC) was noted throughout
both narratives, and reveals that I have a tendency to be attracted to the same colours, and that I
(particularly during the creation of Famiglia) strived to convey my feelings and emotions
through the use of colour (Powers, 2015, p. 06-07). My narratives disclose that both Splash
and Famiglia contain vermillions, turquoises, purples, titanium and unbleached titanium and
cerulean and prussian blues (Powers, 2015, p. 01, 06, 07). Visible across all of my narratives, I
was somewhat surprised to find that I included the names of the paint colours that I used in the
creation of the artifacts. This particular finding is puzzling because I am unsure of the
significance of it thus far.
Finally, learning from the experiences of creating Famiglia and Splash, in conjunction
with the integration of digital technology, has changed my perspective on art making as an
experience. Given that I took digital photographs of each artifact, shared them on my
NotWithABrush website and social media channels, the experience of these works of art have
been granted continuity; the sharing of these digital images has resulted in thousands of people
viewing my work, chances to converse with people and interact with them through online

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

24

comments and messaging, and ultimately, has led to opportunities to exhibit my work in the
GTA and abroad. Desjardins (2005) notes the importance of human-computer interaction (HCI)
and points to social order competencies that can be described when an individual wishes to
communicate with another and conditions are such that a direct person to person is not possible
because of time or distance, some computer mediated communication technology will be used"
(Desjardins, 2005, p.03). Without the integration of digital technology into my artistic practice,
my opportunity to share my work with others would be a far more difficult task.
Audience, Performance and Social Interactions: Wildforce and UOIT Welcome Diversity
Mural
My coding revealed that the narratives about Wildforce and the UOIT Welcome
Diversity Mural had similar prevailing themes and recurring codes of audience/performance
(AP), integration of digital technology (IDT), informal learning situations (ILS), and social and
informational order competencies (SOC) and (IOC) (Powers, 2015, p. 01-15).
Throughout my analysis of the data, I discovered that both Wildforce and the UOIT Welcome
Diversity Mural became performances and that the effect of audience impacted my work in
many different ways. For instance, when I created Wildforce, I did so in front of a live
audience of high school students (Powers, 2015, p. 03). In an informal setting, they gathered
around me and my canvas, observing my painting process and asking questions (Powers, 2015, p.
03). They also took digital photos and videos of my artistic performance via smartphones
(Powers, 2015, p. 03). Derived from my narratives, I found that this influence of technology and
audience transformed my artistic work, turning it into a performance (Powers, 2015, p. 04-05).
As described in my narratives, my informal performance in front of the high school students
led me to see the connection between my work and the concept of participatory sensing (Silvia et

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

25

al., 2013, p. 124). Thinking about how technology grants us the ability to communicate through
images and of how communication through images via PSS can be thought of as a sociocultural
phenomenon, I hypothesize that the photos and videos the high school student observers took,
were perhaps added to a collective PSS (like Instagram) and contributed to some kind of digital
image community. As Apps (2007) observes artistry is an expressive, communicative act. If it
is to be shared, it must at some level have a degree of readability in relation to its intended
meaning; some groundedness in one of the interpretive languages of the world (p. 18).
Also, the idea of creating communities through images was apparent in my narrative
about the creation of the UOIT Welcome Diversity Mural. Since the creation of this artifact
culminated in the presentation of the mural at a UOIT event, a community was also created in
this instance because the event was captured through digital images and shared on websites and
on social media networks (Powers, 2015, p. 13). The audience at this UOIT event once again
transformed my artistic work because now my mural was on display for an audience to view
(Powers, 2015, p. 13). Apps (2007), points that at some stage, the artist comes face-to-face with
the audience. It is at this juncture that the artist has the opportunity to meet the world, not only to
convey expression but to witness the impact of her work; what is realized, what is
misunderstood, what is weak, what is strong (p. 20). Accordingly, not only did I have an
audience who viewed my work at the UOIT event, but I also had an audience who viewed my
work via digital technology (on websites and social media networks) (Powers, 2015, p. 13).
Additionally, through the codes of SOC and IOC, I found in my narratives that I utilized
digital technology in a number of ways during the creation of the UOIT Welcome Diversity
Mural. One of those ways was through performing web searches for further information
regarding the creation of my mural artifact (Powers, 2015, p. 12). Also, many instances were

MIXING ART, EXPERIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

26

cited throughout my narratives about the use of email and the social interaction during these
email correspondences (Powers, 2015, p. 01-15).
Conclusions & Future Directions
Predominant themes and findings that stemmed from the analysis of my data narratives
include the idea of creating communities from participatory sensing systems (like the photosharing platform, Instagram) and of how technology, audience and performance have impacted
my artistic work and experience. Although objectively analyzing my own data narratives was
difficult, it was an interesting and rewarding process.
If I chose to write another autoethnography in future studies, I will need to produce more
in depth narratives that contain richer and more detailed information. Given that this is my first
attempt at writing an autoethnographical study, the process has been difficult because of the
steep learning curve required to comprehend this complex methodology. Given that
autoethnography is a study of the self, it has been a challenging to detach myself from this
research (Brown, 2014, p. 07). However, I have strived to so and to investigate beyond myself to
broader social issues. Having to learn about autoethnography while also attempting to write one
at the same time has been somewhat of a limitation for me. As Wall (2006) says
autoethnography is a question that has been a personal challenge for the researcher (p. 04).
Finally, my recommendations for areas of future inquiry involve investigating how digital
communities are created through the sharing of images and of how people interact and interpret
such shared images through PSS.

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27

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Appendices
Appendix 1
Fig. 1: Artifact One Splash

Fig. 2: Artifact Two Wildforce

Fig. 3: Artifact Three Famiglia

Fig. 4: Artifact Four UOIT Welcome

Diversity Mural

34

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Appendix 2
Bracketing Interview
We conducted a bracketing interview on March 18, 2015 using Adobe Connect. The interview
was video recorded so that participants could review it at a later date if necessary. Pinto posed
three questions designed to elicit bias from the Ms. Powers. Ms. Powers did not see the questions
in advance of the interview so that her responses would be spontaneous. The questions were:
Why did you select this topic?
What do you hope to learn from you research?
What do you hope the research will accomplish in the world?
Ms. Powers responded to each question and Pinto took notes. Pinto noted several features in the
responses that revealed areas of bias.
(1) Ms. Powers explained chose the topic of learning through art and technology. She explained
she chose the topic because its a big part of her life, and she is passionate about doing it and
contributes to her personal engagement.
Pinto observed that this response reflected disproportionate focus on the researcher/subject
rather than to the phenomenon more broadly. Pinto suggested that Ms. Powers make a
concerted effort to emphasize a me to we approach to analysis and conclusions. That is to
say, while autoethnographic research is about the individual (in the dual role of researcher
and subject), the research needs to connect outward to other literature, AND to other learners.
(2) She explained that she did not have preconceived notions, but hopes to learn about herself
and why she does this work, finding a pattern, or getting a greater understanding of her own
art and creativity and how it relates to other people.
Pinto noted that, like in (1), Ms. Powers responses reflect an inward orientation (to the
research-subject) rather than an outward orientation relating to how the findings relate to
broader literature and to the experiences of other learners and teachers.
(3) When asked what her research will accomplish in the world, Ms. Powers expressed her hope
that those who view/read her work get a glimpse of what is important to her, and see the
value in interpretive arts-based research.
As with (1) and (2), Pinto noted that the response had a strong inward focus. Pinto strongly
recommends tying the individual (subjective) experience to broader literature/research for
comparison to overcome this area of bias. This would involve:
Making sure the discussion of findings links explicitly and directly to theory and prior
research (e.g., the work of Roth on arts-based ed.) AND if possible to other similar
research. As well, this could lead to recommendations for future research that would
involve replicating similar research methods with other artists to see how Ms. Powers
experiences differ from others.
Ms. Powers needs to remain clear that this research is her subjective experience, and
be very explicit about the applicability of this research to other contexts, while also
being careful NOT to generalize based on a single case. This will require careful
word and concept selection