that depicted the two sides of themselves, much like the protagonist in
The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Analyzing and Interpreting
Students read and discussed the
novel, focusing on artistic expression and art criticism. Using the
quote from the preface that “all art
is quite useless” as a guide, students
used their own opinions of the novel
to support Wilde’s claims about art.
Studying artists and critics of the
Aesthetic and Arts and Crafts movements, students contemplated and
wrote about the purpose and uses of
art. A joint visit by all the students
involved to the Virginia Museum
of Fine Arts solidified their understanding of the Aesthetic movement
and the role of Art Deco. The Honors Art students also interpreted
the novel through the 1945 film The
Picture of Dorian Gray.
Artists in Residence
The artists in residence provided
professional instruction in their
respective disciplines. Dr. Kenny
Marotta provided creative writing
workshops on the integration of
creative writing and art criticism.
Carlie Collier provided workshops
on the study of the photograph ic
use of metaphors, the study of Victorian portraiture, and its char
acteristics. Students chose
their costumes carefully
to depict their inner and
outer selves in portraiture.
A photographic studio was
set up with tripods, cameras,
backgrounds, lights, props,
etc. Students were able to
experiment with alternative
techniques that included sepia
toning and hand coloring of
their portraits.
Eve Barenholtz, fiber
artist-in-residence, taught the
students to make paper from
plants, old clothing, junk mail ,
and silk fiber. The history and
process of papermaking as wel l as
hand dyeing of fibers and a dem -
onstration in the art of spinnin g
from a drop spindle were all pa rt
of the residency.
As the studio art instructor,
I taught the art of bookmaking
through the concertina method.
Students used their handmade paste
grain papers as book covers. The
full range of bookmaking vocabulary and techniques was explored
through the use of the handmade
papers and bookbinding techniques.
Vocabulary relating to the art of
bookmaking was introduced. Students collaborated to create individual books that incorporated
handmade paper and their photographs. During the residency, the
entire student body was kept aware
of our project through a detailed
documentary broadcast through our
school television station, Channel 2
News. This documentary served as
an illustration of the collaboration
and the scope of the project between
the two classes.
Understanding Integration
At the conclusion of the residency,
a memorial book documenting the
entire residency was created and is
now in the possession of the Partners in the Arts organization as
an example of our grant. All the
resident artists participated in
workshops with the academic teachers in their respective disciplines
to enable them to fully understand
the integration of the arts into their
teaching. A final assembly was
held in which representatives from
Partners in the Arts attended and
students read from their books. In
addition, the photography curriculum was launched, complete with a
fully equipped darkroom. Now traditional photography is as popular as
ever.
Caroline Long is an art teacher at Goochland High School in Goochland, Virginia.
clong@glnd.k12.va.us
NATIONAL STANDARD
Students synthesize the creative and
analytical principles and techniques
of the visual arts and selected other
arts disciplines, the humanities, or
the sciences.
WEB LINK
www.glnd.k12.va.us/weblog/clong
Left page: Emily Yeats, inside book.
Middle: Jacob Green, front cover.
