Final Reflection

Hi y'all.  I hope everyone has had a meaningful experience as a 2014 Summer Fellow.  My experience was pretty chill.  I helped out Shelley Spector for 2 months.  I assisted her in doing many simple things that she herself could do, but for the sake of time, I can replace her.  She would make the educated decisions in terms of her work and if something physical and minor had to be done, there I was.  She was very calm about everything she did, for she budgets her time well and is aware of when something needs to be done and how soon.  On top of being a full-time artist, Shelley is a mother and a wife.  She really balances it all out.  I do not know if I could have a family of my own and get really into my art. I think I would have to see where I go on my own while I am young and have the energy.  Sure I'll have a companion or something of the sort, maybe, but kids are just a whole realm I am not ready for.  My only offspring is my body of work, which I am still very much trying to render and define.  But Shelley is well into her adulthood, so whatever.
   I plan to continue helping Shelley out.  I think I will continue to learn from her and maybe even meet some nice people along the way.  I am also planning to intern at a local gallery, The Kugel Collaborative.  It is an art space provided by the Chabad organization of Uarts and surrounding Philly art schools.  All of the displayed work is created by Jewish students or graduates.  It is relatively new and we are trying to make it a dominant presence in the art community.  I have shown work there on occasion, and now I have the chance to have a part time position as a curator and gallery manager.  In the past we have only had the gallery open during receptions, because nobody really works there or anything; the Rabbi is a busy man and can not always be in there during the day.  But now if there are people who commit time to keeping the gallery open during daytime hours, who knows who could stumble on in and see the cool work that is exhibited.
I am really looking forward to the year to come.  I hope everyone has gained something from this and will proceed to prosper in the art community.

NCSU Learning Styles & Strategies Assessment

     I recently took the learning styles assessment on the provided link from North Carolina State University.  There are 4 categories of different scales. Active versus reflective learning; sensing versus intuitive learning; visual versus verbal learning; sequential versus global learning.
     My results show that I am both an active learner and a reflective learner. Active learning means that when I learn something new, I have to do a physical practice of this thing, draw it out, or tell someone about it, rather than just doing it.  Reflective learning is simply thinking about the newly learned skill.   This makes a lot of sense because while I tend to think a lot about doing something before I actually do it, once I actually do it, all of it clicks.
     I am more of an intuitive learner than a sensing learner, which means that I enjoy learning about possibilities and relationships more than concrete, factual things.  I like innovation more than repetition.  Hence, I want to do different things all the time.  The last thing I want to do is to work for the machine in a cubicle or something like that.  I want to do different projects and achieve different goals, all the time.  I want to travel and experience new, different cultures.
      On the scale between verbal and visual learning, I placed a 9 out of 11.  I am extremely visual, for if someone is lecturing, it would help if they had a picture to go along with it. This would explain why I do quite well in my art history classes. If I see something, I get it.

     Between sequential and global learning, I am sequential, meaning I learn better in small or individual learning levels, with steps on how to do something– as opposed to learning in large groups and getting the solution in unorthodox ways.  Although I sometimes, rarely, learn in a global manner, I am much more inclined to understand after rigorous explanation and visual aid, which includes looking at a list of steps.  Rarely will I present a solution without explaining myself.  This can be related to the art I produce.  The decisions I make are well thought out.  Sometimes it takes me a while to produce a solution, but when I do, it works.  And I am able to explain it when the time comes.

   

How have you observed your alumni host demonstrating leadership in his or her current position?

      Kay Healy demonstrates leadership in her work environment by having complete control of her studio space. She is dedicated to her work and I not only look up to her as an artist but a mentor. She is always open to ideas and will listen to what anyone has to say. The way she talks about her life experiences reassured me that I am doing what I love to do and headed in the right direction. The way she teaches and let's her interns and fellows learn form her is beneficial because she treats you with so much respect.   

· Describe a challenging situation you’ve experienced as a Summer Fellow. How did you handle it, and what did you learn in the process?

e   One of the most challenging things about working as a fellow was being a part of someone else's artwork and vision that wasn't my own. I enjoyed the new view on making because through school and my own experience it's always been about why am I doing X Y and Z, but as a fellow I did not have to pick my brain apart, all I had to do was think more about technique and the task at hand. That does not mean I did not have any moments where I thought or used skills that I have used in my own work. But overall that was one of the most challenging experiences to overcome.

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What Art Sanctuary has taught me

With classes already started, summer  has finally ceased for us college students. However, my time outside of the studio was still filled with learning. My time at art Sanctuary has been an experience for since the beginning. Working with a group that is so involved with the community opened new perspectives as fair as art goes. Being opened to new art forms as well as ideas and inspirations, I met interesting professionals in their craft. They shared their advice as well as their stories and I learned about their journey. Through flexibility and professionalism, Art Sanctuary has shown me that while in the field of non-profit art organizations it takes both drive and patience to succeed. Holding this in mind, I hope to take the lessons I learned and move forward this year. It is great to know that even though this program has ended, I have been made a new addition to a great team

Things I mdae while at Art Sanctuary

While working in a non-profit art gallery, seeing how I am an illustrator, I was asked to assist any way I can artistically. While in preparation for CBW, i was assigned the task to produce some images for an ad space that they took out to promote the event.

Another Field trip with Art Sanctuary

Back when I first started in April, I attended Art Sanctuary during their month long even called the Celebration of Black Writing. Throughout the month of May there was some kind of influential event or gathering that Art Sanctuary participated in. At the Barnes Foundation, the executive director, Ms. Valerie Gay, hosted one of the Barne's podcast shows