Reflection - Final Assignment

In my final piece I chose to continue to explore the darkroom as a tool for artistic expression and production. My decision was based, not only on my desire to fulfill my vision of the assignment as an artist, but also in the desire to take advantage of the experience in order to increase my knowledge and skills as an educator.   In the past I have had the opportunity to explore Photoshop and other photo-editing software as part of my own artistic practice and feel confident in my ability to pass on the basics to my students. I could not say the same of the darkroom, thus as an educator, I felt compelled to take advantage of the opportunity to continue in the darkroom. 

As I mentioned, I felt that the aesthetic of film and darkroom processing also influenced my decision. This series of photographs is related to my previous assignment which explored the revisiting of memories through the eyes of a child.   In this second series, I am exploring how artistic and technical skills and interests are passed on to, and subsequently honoured by, the next generation.  The content explores the ideas of memory, identity and narrative and encourages viewers to reflect upon those who inspired, introduced, and instructed them in the arts and beyond.   I feel that the work also speaks to the re-interpretation that occurs between generations. New generations may not continue to pursue the same artistic practices as their elders, and that is fine, it is the appreciation of, and valuing of, the act of creation that is essential. On a more personal level, these photo also shows the priceless interactions between my son and my mother, and addresses my keen awareness that these moments are, in reality, fleeting.  He will never be this young again and she will not always be present to share in his, and my, life. She will however, live on in the art we make and the memories we share.

Technically, the use of photograms, paper negatives, and double exposures paired with the straight prints helped to develop the narrative in the work by visually presenting the contrast of old and new, traditional and modern. Although I experimented with additional techniques such as solarisation, the results did nothing to enhance the meaning behind the piece, and although technically proficient, they were not included in the final series.  The film was shot with my initial vision of the series in mind, and I am definitely happy with my aesthetic and conceptual planning when I view the final prints. I used the same setting as my first roll of film but framed the subjects more tightly to reduce the busy details of the surrounding area ( tile floor, picture frames, additional chairs etc…) which I realized after initial tests,  made my first roll difficult to work with in terms of double exposures and negative sandwiches.    

Artist, Teacher… and many others….

Thornton (2005) points out that teaching in the high school sector often exemplifies the difficulties of maintaining an Artist-Teacher practice because of the responsibilities, obligations, and challenges which go along with the career.  As a practicing teacher I can understand, and even commiserate with this view point; however, I feel that so many other factors play a role that it is far from a one-size fits all scenario.  I know people who balance the roles successfully, and others who have to sacrifice one for the other. Personally, juggling university, teaching, work-related extracurricular responsibilities, and family responsibilities, have resulted in a shift in my artistic practices.  I will admit that art for art’s sake has taken a back seat to seizing opportunities to flex my creative muscles within my other roles, searching out opportunities for authentic artistic expression when they arise.  At work I often do headshots of our student actors for productions; I design sets, programs, award certificates, and displays that are used in the school. In university classes such as this, I welcome the opportunities that are provided to engage in more authentic artistic practice even if the activities are often proposed as pedagogical learning experiences.

In terms of reflective practice, I find it serves a multitude of purposes. In terms of my pedagogy, reflecting on the things that I create helps me to see how they can fit into my professional practice. Artistically, reflecting on the process, progress, experimentation and final results of the pieces I create help me develop new directions for my work and challenge me to continue to build the technical aspects of the work as well as to push the conceptual content.  Most of all though, I find the act of reflecting on my artistic practice, whatever it happens to be at the time, to be essential to my mental well-being, and sense of self, and artistic fulfillment.  It reaffirms my identity as an artist at times when I feel that all the other hats I wear  - teacher, mother, spouse, coach, student - eclipse  it.  

All in all I feel that this class has reignited my  long standing love affair with photography. It has re-introduced me to film, shown me that my thrift store find Minolta is a gem, and given me a kick in the ass to find, no make, more time for photography and my other artistic pursuits.

References:

Thornton, Alan. (2005) The Artist Teacher as Reflective Practitioner. JADE 24.2. Blackwell Publishing ltd.