Teaching Philosophy
“The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them.”
-Anton Chekhov
When I begin a painting or a drawing or a sculpture, I begin with a question – how am I going to express this idea that I have? What is the best way to show, to illuminate, to demonstrate or to mold this formless thought into something concrete and solid? How will I bring this to light? Or I might ask, what can I make out of this material? If I move this around, pile it up, mix it in, shape it like so, what will come out of it?
My art is a response to a series of questions, and I believe the best teaching is in response to a series of questions. Why do we need to know this? What relevance does this have to my life or my world? How will this help, or change, or clarify something? In my art classes, we begin with essential questions, and strive to come up with solutions and answers. I make art because I am curious about the world and my place and experience in it, and I hope to communicate that curiosity and thirst for knowledge to my students.
I believe that teaching involves a dialog between the teacher and the students, between the students and each other, and between students and themselves. I encourage discovery through uncovery. As you explore a line, a technique, or a solution, other avenues, lines, techniques, and questions emerge. What does that tell you? Where does it take you?
Show me. Tell me. Convince me. Convince yourself.
But in order to show, to tell, to convince, we need to give students the tools and materials to do so, and give them the time and space to practice those skills. In my classroom, I use Harvard University's Project Zero Studio Thinking Framework/Eight Habits of Mind as a basis for guiding young artists to fully express their thoughts, to solve the problem I have set for them, or to uncover the next question for themselves.
Develop Craft, to learn “to use and care for tools and materials, and to learn artistic conventions” and skills, is the first step.
Engage and Persist, to learn “to embrace problems of relevance within the art world and/or of personal importance, to develop focus and other mental states conductive to working and persevering at art tasks” allows young artists to focus and refine their skills.
Envision, to learn “to picture mentally what cannot be directly observed and imagine possible next steps in making a piece” moves them forward.
Express, to learn “to create works that convey an idea, a feeling, or a personal meaning” runs underneath everything, always.
Observe, to learn “to attend to visual contexts more closely than ordinary "looking" requires, and thereby to see things that otherwise might not be seen” deepens a young artist’s understanding and response to their work and the world around them.
Reflect: Question & Explain: to learn “to think and talk with others about an aspect of one’s work or working process,” and Evaluate: to learn “to judge one’s own work and working process and the work of others in relation to standards of the: field” guides young artists to refine their thinking and their work, and enables them to articulate elements in the artwork they may have been unaware of before.
Stretch & Explore, to learn “to reach beyond one's capacities, to explore playfully without a preconceived plan, and to embrace the opportunity to learn from mistakes and accidents” helps young artists remove the obstacles we all set up for ourselves in our minds.
And finally, Understand Art World: Domain: to learn “about art history and current practice” and Communities: to learn “to interact as an artist with other artists (i.e., in classrooms, in local arts organizations, and across the art field) and within the broader society” puts ourselves and our work in a context, and allows us to see how what we do is new and old, universal and unique.
I strive to push young artists through their blocks and assumptions. Step by step, bit by bit, to learn and practice with the tools and materials and skills. To learn and discover by looking, by experimenting, by asking more questions. Ultimately, to uncover the artist within themselves, and to take that curiosity and bravery and uniqueness out into the larger world with them.
Katy Bernheim, November 2012
-Anton Chekhov
When I begin a painting or a drawing or a sculpture, I begin with a question – how am I going to express this idea that I have? What is the best way to show, to illuminate, to demonstrate or to mold this formless thought into something concrete and solid? How will I bring this to light? Or I might ask, what can I make out of this material? If I move this around, pile it up, mix it in, shape it like so, what will come out of it?
My art is a response to a series of questions, and I believe the best teaching is in response to a series of questions. Why do we need to know this? What relevance does this have to my life or my world? How will this help, or change, or clarify something? In my art classes, we begin with essential questions, and strive to come up with solutions and answers. I make art because I am curious about the world and my place and experience in it, and I hope to communicate that curiosity and thirst for knowledge to my students.
I believe that teaching involves a dialog between the teacher and the students, between the students and each other, and between students and themselves. I encourage discovery through uncovery. As you explore a line, a technique, or a solution, other avenues, lines, techniques, and questions emerge. What does that tell you? Where does it take you?
Show me. Tell me. Convince me. Convince yourself.
But in order to show, to tell, to convince, we need to give students the tools and materials to do so, and give them the time and space to practice those skills. In my classroom, I use Harvard University's Project Zero Studio Thinking Framework/Eight Habits of Mind as a basis for guiding young artists to fully express their thoughts, to solve the problem I have set for them, or to uncover the next question for themselves.
Develop Craft, to learn “to use and care for tools and materials, and to learn artistic conventions” and skills, is the first step.
Engage and Persist, to learn “to embrace problems of relevance within the art world and/or of personal importance, to develop focus and other mental states conductive to working and persevering at art tasks” allows young artists to focus and refine their skills.
Envision, to learn “to picture mentally what cannot be directly observed and imagine possible next steps in making a piece” moves them forward.
Express, to learn “to create works that convey an idea, a feeling, or a personal meaning” runs underneath everything, always.
Observe, to learn “to attend to visual contexts more closely than ordinary "looking" requires, and thereby to see things that otherwise might not be seen” deepens a young artist’s understanding and response to their work and the world around them.
Reflect: Question & Explain: to learn “to think and talk with others about an aspect of one’s work or working process,” and Evaluate: to learn “to judge one’s own work and working process and the work of others in relation to standards of the: field” guides young artists to refine their thinking and their work, and enables them to articulate elements in the artwork they may have been unaware of before.
Stretch & Explore, to learn “to reach beyond one's capacities, to explore playfully without a preconceived plan, and to embrace the opportunity to learn from mistakes and accidents” helps young artists remove the obstacles we all set up for ourselves in our minds.
And finally, Understand Art World: Domain: to learn “about art history and current practice” and Communities: to learn “to interact as an artist with other artists (i.e., in classrooms, in local arts organizations, and across the art field) and within the broader society” puts ourselves and our work in a context, and allows us to see how what we do is new and old, universal and unique.
I strive to push young artists through their blocks and assumptions. Step by step, bit by bit, to learn and practice with the tools and materials and skills. To learn and discover by looking, by experimenting, by asking more questions. Ultimately, to uncover the artist within themselves, and to take that curiosity and bravery and uniqueness out into the larger world with them.
Katy Bernheim, November 2012
