MONDAY BYTES – June 11, 2012
Check out this terrific book, “Draw it With Your Eyes Closed” (here’s the NYT review). It’s a compiled set of 89 MFA-level art assignments from an impressive array of artists and art instructors who submitted their most challenging, infuriating, provoking—in short the bestassignments they ever gave or were given. It’s fascinating reading for anyone obsessed with learning and teaching (and a boost for anyone revising syllabi over the summer!)
One of the highlights of the book is artist Paul Thek’s questionnaire, from his teaching notes: a long list of questions, discussion prompts, and design challenges he used in his 4-D class. Take a look and get your creativity juiced. The series of questions, from “What is the purpose of dating?” to “What is the purpose of art?”—are all designed to help the teacher and the class get to know each other. There are of course no right or wrong answers to these questions, only the possibility to think bigger about art and life. Here are a few samples of my favorites:
What kind of teacher do you prefer?
If you were a teacher what would you propose?
How would you grade your students?
What does ‘spiritual’ mean to you?
What is the most difficult thing in life for you?
Can art be helpful in dealing with this difficulty? In what way?
What is ‘service’?
What is the purpose of society? Of government?
What is the surest way to happiness?
What do you think of money? Make a structure explaining your concept of money, or [make it] out of money.
Should art be useful? Useless?
Questions for the week: What was the best assignment YOU ever gave or were given? What’s the challenging question you are asking yourself this week?
PS: Thanks to all the folks who turned out on Tuesday for the workshop on Project Management I did at St. Peter’s for Chamber Music America. It was a great discussion and the comments and questions you posed were fascinating!
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Dream big, Plan smart, Live well!
