The Art You Practice and The Art You Teach.

Garreth Carroll

Title Mind over Matter of fact

Digital illustration

The piece is a digital illustration that questions the uncontrollable mass that is the artist
practice and the geometric structures that represent teachers application and voice in the
classroom.

Contemplation of both the Artist and the Art Teacher:

The question regarding the artist working as an art teacher is a hard reflection to consider. An
artist and teacher have different aims and goals. This statement arises from the readings of Terry
Parker in his work, Continuing the Journey the Artist-Teacher MA as a Catalyst for Critical
Reflection. Parker states with the assistance of Susan Goetz Zwirn (2006), that, teachers are educated
to believe that they should combine the two careers of artist and teacher and yet argues that these two
positions are diametrically opposed, having different perceptions and priorities (2009, P281) From

my own reflection I consider my own mind-set when either developing a piece of work or
constructing the planning to educate a class. The image that accompanies this paper allows
me to ponder over the meaning when questioning the artist as the art teacher, why is the
mind-set so different and what are the elements that contribute to both fields of work?

Firstly, what does the image say to me as I consider each question?

As stated previously, two mind sets are needed to answer this reflective piece. The image is
of me as the individual considering my style and working as an artist. When constructing an
image, I find that my thoughts wander to conceptual ideas. The globule shapes that form
around me are irrational, unforgiving and dangerous. Though from my thoughts being an
artist, the ideas of chaotic rationality are encouraged and required for the work to reflect this
in order to show its individualism and have a mind of its own. For the viewer; be it the
individual reading this piece or, lets say, a student sitting in an art room who may study the
piece and try to assume or realise what the artist is trying to convey. I believe it is essential to
have the presence of the artist or teacher in the room to express their views on the work. As
an education there is a need for explanation and demonstration of the thought process and
rationale behind the work in order to aid the student develop their own opinion of the arts
itself. For the artist, the work brings in new ideas that help develop the concept further.
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Though the artist directs their own learning in the case of the image, the teacher/artist sees
limitations of the conceptual ideals that the artist thrives to achieve. As stated previously, the
chaotic rationale is often a key factor when the artist is generating new ideas although the
teacher/artist finds that this is discouraging. This concept comes from the readings of
pedagogy of education. Through these teachings the consideration for planning and
developing a clear and understandable content is a key element in the learning development
of a child within the classroom. This contradicts the statement made previously when the
chaotic rationality is seen as a positive when devolving the artists own work.
Through stating the limitations of the artist/teacher, positives arise from the creativity of the
artist to the teaching fields;
The role of the teacher as artist is also fundamental in the teaching of visual arts. Art is a
language in its own right, a visual/tactile language of communication. In the same way that
the student learns oral language, the teacher has a modelling function. (NCCA. p10).
The creativity of language and development that the artist constructs inhabits an educational
development that assist students specific learning needs. This stated, teachers personal
development as artists can have a directly beneficial impact on their effectiveness as teachers
and as a result, on their students learning and creativity. (Page, Adams, Hyde, 2011, P278)
Through the artists conceptual ideas, students can have a better understanding and approach
to their work and the work of others. This relates to the artist teachers knowledge and critical
reflection that enhances their own particular teaching development .Page, Adams and Hyde
back this statement up by their writing from Emerging: the impact of the Artist Teacher
Scheme MA on students pedagogical and artistic practices, that;
the richness and complexity of contemporary fine art practice and the diversity of thinking
and influences which inform it can enhance teachers subject knowledge (an identified need
for art teachers) and can enable them to make positive contributions to the delivery of the
curriculum. (2011, P278)
These aspects can assist students learning when it comes to critical analysis of their practical
work, or the application of critical reflection and academic writing for the Art History
Leaving Certificate examination.
The negatives that arise with the artist teacher are that the implications of the Art and Design
Junior and Leaving Certificate examination. The examination at this moment in Ireland, is
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ridged and is technique driven from both aspects of Junior and Leaving certificate. This
impacts the challenges met with the fluidness that the artist might bring to the class and the
students. Effective learning allows for experimentation if the teacher implies it, but the
content needs to be taught and structured for the examination in mind.
In Artist Teacher Partnership in Learning: The In/Between Spaces of Artist-Teacher
Professional Development. Kind, Cosson, Irwin and Grauer consider the artist and the teacher
as two separate individuals in the classroom. Through the case study it is clear to see the
impacts that both the artist and the teacher faced when working together. Kind, Cosson, Irwin
and Grauer (2007) state from data collection on the impacts of the artist and the teacher has in
the classroom, that shifting identities as teachers it was not unusual for artists to begin to
consider classroom management strategies as an integral part of their role in the classroom
(P842). Though positive in the case of management, the artist, tended to present long
uninterrupted sessions where he kept the children sitting and silent for extended periods.
(P843)The consideration of effective planning and execution was not implemented by the
artist which could affect students learning.

Conclusion:
The limitations of the artist teacher can derive from both mind-sets of the artist and teacher
when involved in education. Both have different skills which can complement and contribute
to the work in mind. Kind, Cosson, Irwin and Grauer (2007) states with the use of Bruner on
the artist and teacher collaboration. They write that;
The question Bruner (1996) asks as he discusses the opposing assumptions and contradictions
in education is, can both positioning be true?

His answer not quite yes welcomes both

sides as possibilities yet leaves spaces open for something else. He writes: Finding a way
within this antinomic pair does not come easily, particularly not in times of rapid change.
Indeed it could never come easily at any time. But if one does not face it, one risks failing at
both. (P856)
The use of critical reflection of the artist to their work, can assist the critical and personal
reflection of the teacher. The use of conceptual ideas can encourage and develop students
learning skills and can be a major factor to critical and personal evaluation for students and
their education. This is learned through the artists passion for the work and the teacher
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implementing the content clearly. Though, The choice is not to choose one positioning over
another, but to find a placement between each.(Kind, Cosson, Irwin, Grauer, 2007, P856).
This developing the artist teacher as a whole and not two separate fields.
This brings me back to the image I use to assist the question of the artist/teacher. The mass is
a representation of the artist, this being a large unplanned and spontaneous sources of
information that caters for art practice. The geometric shapes are that of the teacher, vocalised
through hard lines, it forms structure that develops into a whole. From my own self-reflection
I consider that both the artist and the teacher have skills that are inter connecting to assist art
education therefore beneficial to the art education practice.

Bibliography
Kind, S., De Cosson, A., Irwin, R.L. and Grauer, K. (2007) ARTISTTEACHER PARTNERSHIPS
IN LEARNING: THE IN/BETWEEN SPACES OF ARTISTTEACHER PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, CANADIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, 30(3), pp. 839864
Page, T., Adams, J. and Hyde, W. (2011) Emerging: The impact of the artist teacher scheme MA on
students pedagogical and artistic practices, European Journal of Teacher Education, 34(3), pp. 277
295. doi: 10.1080/02619768.2011.565324
Parker, T. (2009) Continuing the journey-the artist-teacher MA as a catalyst for critical
reflection, International Journal of Art & Design Education, 28(3), pp. 279286. doi:
10.1111/j.1476-8070.2009.01623.x
Websites
Visual arts guidelines for teachers of students with MILD general learning disabilities (2007b)
Available at: http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/P_Mild_Arts.pdf (Accessed: 11 May 2016).