GAEA Fall Conference 2019

During this presentation participants will hear from two veteran art educators on their use of evocative portraiture. Using non-traditional surfaces students will transform the mundane to the amazing. Participants may choose to complete the large-scale gridded portrait on black roofing tar paper lesson or the experimental self-portrait on brown bag lesson.  Often one of the most challenging aspects of teaching students how to create meaningful portraits isn’t in the technical skill development, but how to embed the personal and evocative voice into their work.  The human mind is very complex and the experiences of adolescence can feel like trying to put together puzzle pieces that don’t seem to naturally fit together.   Complex struggles ensue as the individual’s wrestle with significant growth changes both physically and psychologically. It is through the expression and reaction to those expressions that we gain understanding about ourselves and others. Through introspective thinking, refection, and expression we grow and become the complete people we are intended to be. These projects helps bridge the gap between technical merits and evocative, inquiry-based art making.  A PowerPoint, handout, exemplars, and lesson overview will all be made available to participants. Materials will be provided.