Art at RMS

Middle School students at RMS keep artist’s journals containing the following list:
Artistic Behavior (or: What Do Artists Do?)
Compiled by RMS Middle School Students, November, 2007
· Exhibit original and creative thinking
· Explore a variety of media and techniques
· Behave like an artist within a community of artists
(respect needs of others, ideas of others and art of others)
· Reflect on your work and the work of others
· Respectful use of materials and tools
· Engage and persist
(be in PURSUIT of idea, technique, expression, excellence)
· Convey idea, feeling or personal meaning
· Take creative/artists risks

This is list was inspired by Lois Hetland and Ellen Winner’s work in the book Studio Thinking http://www.amazon.com/Studio-Thinking-Benefits-Visual-Education/dp/0807748188

Engage and Persist
The cardboard and found object figure pictures here was started by 12 year old “N” on the second day of art this fall. “N” brought in a color printout of a character in a video game (I believe) and began construction. He has worked on it once a week, during his regular art class, and frequently in five and ten minute increments, stolen from the time between dismissal and whenever his ride arrives to take him home.
Every detail is attended to. Materials are tried, replaced and re-purposed. Paint colors are mixed to exacting standards. Although his class had a deadline to submit a finished piece two weeks ago, “N” ‘s figure was not quite ready. He told me he would rather take an incomplete than display his figure as “a work-in-progress.” Now that it is finished, “N” told me that he is planning to present it to a relative as a gift. Should we add “generosity” to the list of artistic behaviors?