Reflections on teaching art and culture

One of the first “aha” moments in my educational life came during the second or third grade, at the Pacific Grove (California) Museum, when I looked into a display case at a basket made by a Native American artisan. I remember wondering who had created it, how it could have been woven so tightly, how it had been used, and how it came to the museum. These questions, and my initial excitement in articulating them, continue to inspire me as a teacher, researcher and curator of works of art and craft. I delight in sharing this enthusiasm with others – students, colleagues, and visitors to art spaces.

To this end, I have developed courses which blend presentation (of images, objects, and ideas), discussion, and hands-on activities (writing, creating art,  excavating artifacts, and preparing exhibitions), to actively engage students with the arts and cultures of our world. Several of these courses have included field trips to the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. During a visit to the art museum, one of my students (who was age 12 at the time) told me that “the best way to understand a culture is through its art.”

Goals as an Educator

To encourage and facilitate

• personal expression and creativity
• curiosity and problem solving
• focus and attention to detail
• an abiding pride in accomplishment and enjoyment of the process

To impart

• knowledge of and respect for the world’s expressive traditions – past and present
• an understanding of the goals and basic practices of the disciplines of studio art, art history, and anthropology

Background

I have had the pleasure of developing and facilitating classes for preschoolers and parents, school age children, teens, and adults, including those with special needs. I have enjoyed supervising teen volunteers and camp counselors. I’ve planned and taught with co-teachers; presented workshops to students and classroom teachers, collaborated with co-curators, and convened and served on planning committees for arts education, outreach and exhibitions.

I am a visual artist, educator and curator. I received a B.A. in Art and Anthropology and an M.A. in History (with an Art History specialization) from Cleveland State University.

Please visit my profile page on LinkedIn for information about my work as an educator and curator.

Much of my personal creative work can be found online at www.conceptvessel.net, thisconceptvessel.blogspot.com, and www.flickr.com/photos/conceptvessel.

conceptvessel
Jeanne Figueira Grossetti