Kim Moran and her familyNathaniel, M.G., and Jamie

Fort Walton Beach High

School where I teach

Ceramics I, II, III, AP 3-D

Studio, and Sculpture I

Our five muchkins: Loki, Snuffulz, Nehemiah, Bubba, and Shadow

INCORPORATING CONTEMPORARY POTTERY

APPROACHES INTO A HIGH SCHOOL CERAMICS COURSE

Kimberly D. MoranUniversity of Florida

Capstone Project

RESEARCH QUESTIONS How can high school art students engage contemporary ceramics and issues in ceramic art work?

How can high school students bridge the gap between traditional/historical and contemporary pottery?

In what ways do high school students make a connection with social, cultural, or environmental issues that affect them through the study of contemporary pottery?

What kinds of pottery do high school students in a contemporary pottery class create in order to show how their world and issues affecting them might be conveyed through this art form?

Research Methods Summary Action research

Observations, journaling, and photo documentation during eleven weeks

Data collected: student interviews student sketchbooks student surveys student reflections artist statements student art work in progress and final exhibition audience surveys

Creating Contemporary Pottery as it Relates to the Student’s WorldPhase I -“Brainstorming” Phase II - Research

Three issues selected A brief synopsis written for each

issue Interviewed students about

issues Issue selected to create

contemporary piece

Phase III- Developing the conceptStudents’

Sketches

Creating the Contemporary pieceStudents spent eleven weeks working on their contemporary pottery piece.

Announcing the exhibition

Exhibition ProgramIncluded a bio of each student and their artist statement

Highlighting student’s work from the exhibition

TEENAGE SUICIDEThe Choice?

ABORTION

Choice of Life

SEXUAL ABUSESilently Spoken

“Every breath is a choice”

Never Let Go

DRUG ABUSE

TEENAGE PREGNANCY

Life at a Fast Pace

Look out!

The Beginning of the End

You-nity

WATER POLLUTION

Toxic Waves

Sheet of Destruction

Silently Abused

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

CANCER AWARENESS

GLOBAL WARMING

GULF COAST OIL SPILL HUMAN TRAFFICKINGANIMAL ABUSE

The Beautiful Ribbons

Arts and Design Society Gallerywhere the exhibition was held

SPEEDING

DON’T Put the Pedal to the Medal

Don’t be Bitter, Clean up Your Litter

WORLD HUNGER

The Empty Feeling

Color Blind

INTER-RACIAL RELATIONSHIPS/MARRIAGE

ONLINE DATING

Love from a Distance

BP OIL SPILL

Death of Many, Known by Few Napoleon’s Story

ANIMAL ABUSE

LITTERING

The Sound of Metal

DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF

MUSIC LISTENED TO

FINDINGSStudents are more aware of current issues than realized.

“I am choosing to do my contemporary piece about teenage suicide because two relatives in my family committed suicide, one just this year.” (Reflection response, Meagan H., April 2013

“The reason I chose cancer awareness is because my mother and father are cancer survivors and one of my grandparents died from cancer.” (Reflection response, Kory F., April 2013)

“I want to do my contemporary piece on how people discriminate against and judge people unfairly because of the music they listen to. People judge me because of the music I listen to and it isn’t fair. I am not a bad person because of the music I listen to.” (Reflection response, Courtney B., April 2013)

Students were able to successfully express current issues and develop voice through their contemporary ceramic art work.

“Teenage pregnancy has becomea common place occurrence. I chose to make three girls to represent how common It has become. This problemhas many effects on young teenagegirls. Many do not finish their high school education and end up as singlemoms.” (Artist statement, Mylana B.,May 2013)

“I wanted to show how much something can hurt a person. I feel very strongly about this issue because I was a victim of sexual abuse . I feel that it is an issue that is often kept hidden or ‘looked over’ and should never be kept silent.”(Artist statement, Caitlyn S., May 2013

FINDINGS (SLIDE 2)

Students were sympathetic and helpful to each other during the creative/production process.

Students were able to interact and dialogue with the audience about their contemporary ceramic art work.

During the process of creating the clay pieces, studentsencountered unexpected mishaps. Two students had to completely rebuild part of their pieces because of breakage. Because of the amount of time students spent on creating their piece, they wanted to just give up. I let them know up front that was not an option. Many of the students took note of this and offered to help the students out. Also during the process of picking glazes for their pieces, students would offer suggestions to other students in helping them with theprocess in decision making. (Daily journal, Moran, May 2013)

Parents, students, and community members who came to the show talked with the student artists about their issue and how they were able to convey this message through the contemporary piece they had created. (Daily journal, Moran, June 2013)

FINDINGS (SLIDE 3)

“I am very impressed with the art work. Clearly the students put a lot of thought into their choices of what to represent. Outstanding job! I hope they keep expressing themselves through art. The world needs more self-expression.” (audience member comment from art show, June 2. 2013)

The art exhibition provided a platform for the students and the community to dialogue about art and current issues.“This is an outstanding project/show. The students obviously grasped the meaning of the problem set for them and addressed it spectacularly, both in the issues they addressed and in their artistic interpretations thereof.” (audience member comment from art show, June 2, 2013)

“I have known many people who had to face this choice. I also have strong views and am Pro choice.” (audience member comment from art show, June,

2013)

“Every child needs physical and mental nourishing. I feel that is society’s most tragic oversight, our children.” (audience member comment from art show, June, 2013)

“Color Blind spoke to me because we need to come together as people not by color or race.” (audience member comment from art show, June, 2013)

“This contemporary piece about litter spoke directly to me because it spoke with humor.” (audience member comment from art show, June, 2013

“I have witnessed in many the struggle depicted in.” (audience member comment from art show, June, 2013)

The lesson had the benefit of being therapeutic for many students, helping them express some of the emotional trauma they had carried inside.

According to the audience survey:the artwork made a deep impression on the audiencemany members of the audience made a personal connection with a particular piece that spoke directly to themthe artwork allowed the students and the audience to connect and dialogue about the issues

IMPLICATIONS

WHAT IS NEXT FOR ME?

Ceramics III and Sculpture I – 2013

Workshops for art teachers in my school district