Student Letters
In March of this year, I wrote a letter to each one of my students during their sculpture research projects. These served multiple purposes: a reflection on their work thus far in the class, a model for academic language, an offering of support, and a validation of each student as an individual in an overcrowded class. Here are some of the 36 letters that I wrote, with first initials only to protect privacy.
E, Transferred in the middle of the year, 11th grade
Dear E,
I LOVE the juxtaposition of the pretty pink princess hearts vibe with the green tinge around the crown. This is what brass looks like when it needs to be polished, so symbolically to me it speaks to people’s attempts to seem more royal/special/fancy than they actually are. This piece makes me think about the beauty of decay and destruction, the artifice that so often surrounds power, and the socialization of women to be pretty and nurturing. That messy green edging is the epitome of a beautiful mistake that just pushes the artistic concept so much further. In addition, the spongy application of paint to the hearts implies to me that love is a process, is messy, and imperfect. Overall, you’ve done a wonderful job balancing high quality technical skill in the cut of the stencil, and looseness in application that belies a very sophisticated touch. This is art school quality work!
My only criticism is that you didn’t take ownership of your work. When looking at the piece, I feel the missing signature! If you don’t like the signature you have, develop an artistic one that works with your aesthetic.
I really appreciate your dedication and focus to your artwork. You’ve been a wonderful addition to our class, and it is students like you who made me want to be an art teacher. Brava!
Yours sincerely,
Ms. Nixon
P.S. I get that J isn’t pulling his weight in this presentation. Your score won’t reflect his lack of participation. I hope you can still learn from studying this piece, and from the work of your classmates!
J, Recently emancipated minor, moved from out-of-state mid-year, since transferred to continuation school
Dear J,
From the bottom of my heart, I hope that life here at *** is treating you well. I know from experience how hard it can be to move in the middle of the school year. Most of the kids in 3rd period have had the introductory trimester-long beginning course for art as 9th graders, not to mention the 5 months of instruction from this academic year. It can feel like a really daunting task to catch up with all of that, not to mention all of your other classes!
While I know you’re missing a lot of work, and have for some reason or another not done a lot of the work we’ve given to you in the last month, I still need to evaluate you based on the skills you’ve developed in art class so far. Let me explain the situation.
My personal goal for every student is to gain skills in some of the following: perseverance, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. Most students are already on their way to developing these skills before they ever walk in my door, including you. Then, my job is really to not get in your way, and support you in whatever ways I can.
I see that you posses a technical skill in stencil making. I saw that in your first “lost” stencil, and I see it in your 2nd exaggerated batman logo stencil. All I need to give you credit for that, is a print! You missed our big painting unit, so you’ve understandably been…cautious…with starting that process. You’ve also not been sketching. So what do I have to give you credit for?
Is there any way that you can come in during lunch, or even after school on Friday to create a finished print? E might let you use hers. You can look at the work on the walls to check out other stencils you might like to play around with, just ask me who to ask if you don’t know the person. There are also a bunch of abandoned stencils near the back door that you could try out long as you put them back.
Best of luck,
Ms. Nixon
P.S. Take a look in F’s sketchbook, or M’s. Neither are particularly interested or talented in detailed sketching, but both are doing well in the class, and received decent grades in their sketchbooks. It’s all about getting the creative juices flowing with the Do Now, and to transition you into full presence in art class. Actually respond to the prompt, and give it a try for 10 minutes. It doesn’t have to be “good.” Your creative mind, and your credits for this class, will benefit.
The week before these letters went out, the high school had a school-wide display of student artistic talent: dancers, musicians, and actors performed, artists displayed their work in galleries throughout the school, and by chance i readings of student Literature for three sessions. P, a completely disengaged art student, wrote a powerful piece about her struggles with depression that was published in the school magazine. Students really responded to her prose during the readings, and I began to see through the cloud of anger that shrouded her in art class. the very next project after this exhibition and my letter writing, She creatively blossomed in art class and produced a profound assemblage sculpture dedicated to her patron saint that the principal kept on display for weeks at the entrance to the school. I am so proud!
Dear P,
I’m a visual artist, and an apathetic writer. And yet, I keep choosing career paths upon which I’m judged for my writing/networking/tech savviness skills. It sucks. It’s hard. I have to do it. And I fail. Hard.
And then I grow from my failures, and let them guide me.
You, as a writer, probably feel like me as your art teacher judging you on your participation and art capacities is unfair as far as your creative potential goes.
Well, as an arts educator, here are the skills it’s my responsibility to help you develop: critical thinking, execution of vision, inquiry, critique, mastery of craft, fluidity of expression, communication. Sound familiar? Creative writing also addresses all of those skills, just in the verbal rather than visual capacity.
So...how do we leverage those writing skills into a visual art classroom?
Half of the art conversation is responding, half is creating. Approach your art, even when the technical skills aren’t there, as responding to one part of the world, using the prompt as a guide. Use text if you need to.
“This is a T-shirt” was BRILLIANT and well-executed. In a different competition, you would’ve won a design award. I’m still down to help you develop that into a screen-printed tee (I have all of the materials, except the T-shirt, and want to try out a new screen-printing technique). Like I told you in conversation with S, I wasn’t clear/explicit/skilled enough in my facilitating the T-shirt design (classroom management-wise and politically) to do that well, but I can still support you in executing your vision.
One thing some talented artists in our class are missing is a written voice for their work. Would you be open to tutoring some other students in the class with their future artist statements? I/they would really appreciate the support!
Warmest regards,
Ms. Nixon
P.S. By working collaboratively, you can leverage others’ technical skills in your own execution of vision, i.e. in upcoming sculpture work.