making something, and having a fnal product that, every

time, I stand back in slight awe that that is something I

created- there are few things as exciting to me. It does not

matter that it may not be the most unique artistic product

that has ever existed, it is mine, and it is my voice.

In a lecture given by Olivia Gude she began by speaking of children’s development through the views of

Lowenfeld, and she noted about the artmaking process “of course, what is important here is not ultimately

the uniqueness of the artistic product, but rather the deeply felt connection between self, process, and

product” (2009, p. 1). I believe this is a wonderful and incredibly accurate summery of how I feel my art

education was to me, and why I am an artist today. In the notes I’d taken preparing to write this

autobiographical essay about my own artistic development, I literally wrote “I love process!!!”. And it’s

true. From the conception of an idea, the gathering of information and problem solving, the hands on act of

I am very lucky to have had great artistic support and role models while growing up. Aunt Mary Katharine is

how my very frst art teacher would affectionately refer to me. She said that I shared my name with one of her

favorite aunts, and so it stuck for those early elementary years. I recall all of Mrs. Spradlin’s quirky little

characteristics such as that with endearment, as well as the love and excitement for life and art that she exuded.

That is where my love for art began. Going to art class was the highlight of my week in elementary school, and it

would continue to be my favorite subject throughout my entire education. I can name every art teacher I have

ever had, and something that I learned from each one of them. Whether it was a small skill at a young age, like

Miss Bannahan teaching me "just a dot, not a lot" when referring to the use of my favorite Elmer's glue, or Mrs.

Beauman in high school giving me the motivation and support to have my own senior art show, they are by far

the leaders who made the strongest impression on my life, and the ones who helped to shape me into the artist

and the person that I am today.

I was also strongly impacted by a particular organization,The Living Arts & Science Center or LASC. They are a

not-for-proft organization that offer art classes covering most any topic you can think of, taught by local artists

throughout the summer. That single organization made the biggest impact on me as a young artist. The mentors

there had this ability to create classrooms that they lead, yet even as a child I felt in control. They were

supportive of what ever direction I wanted to take my art, and they were there to guide me if I had any

questions. One of their core values is “lifelong learning”, a belief that “people of all ages deserve accessible

opportunities to learn and to be creative” (LASC, 2013, Mission Statement). What an incredible way to use the

arts.

These are all factors that led to my next step in life

which was college; and the decision to major in

studio art. It was a decision easily made because I

knew my passion for art was what I needed- yet the

thought process of what I’d do with that degree

wasn’t there at the time. That’s ok, we’ll get back to

that. My studio time in college dug deeper into my

soul than anything else ever had. Everything leading

up to college prepared me skill wise and as a

creative thinker to be an artist. The difference my

college professors brought was the probing. Why?

Why am I making art? What do I have to say? Why

am I saying it? I had never had to answer so many

questions! But, they were essential for truly

understanding why I had chosen art as my personal

form of expression.These tactics were to bring what

I mention in my intro full circle, the connection of

“self, process and product” (Gude, 2009, p. 1).

One key mentor I had in college was Arturo

Sandoval, my fber professor. He would praise you

when you were good, and let you know when you

needed a swift kick. Arturo challenged me to think

in ways I never had with my art. Try process after

process until you fnd what speaks to you- combine

techniques, try the unknown, do what you have to

to get where you want to be. There is no one that

can stop you but you.

A great example is my fnal senior showcase, in which

I wanted to combine my photography and my silk

painting- but how? I had been playing with the “silk

paper” you can buy for your printer and literally print

what you want on typical 8x11 sheets, but I wanted

big- and again, process! So, Arturo suggested this

technique he’d seen before using lacquer thinner as a

transfer agent for photographs. In a nutshell I made

large sandwiches of my painted silks, my images

blown up and printed on basic paper, and special,

heavy paper soaked in lacquer thinner, and then sent

the sandwiches through the printmaking press so that

the pressure applied forced the image from the basic

paper to transfer on my silk. This was not a process

like anything typically done in class, it had to be done

at odd hours so as not to disturb the printmaking

students, and Arturo was there every step of the way

with me. His belief in me and the comfort I felt in his

class also allowed for another very meaningful series

of work to emerge.

The loss of my dad occurred my senior year and while

I was in the very last fber class that I would be taking.

In the week or so after my dad’s death I took hundreds

of pictures of the fowers from the funeral as they were

dying- they were so sad, only days before a lovely

thought and symbol of sympathy and then so quickly

they turned another reminder of death. I wasn’t sure

what I was going to do with the pictures- I had no real

plan and I didn’t think I could even make art about

this, I’m not the most forthcoming person about my

emotions or my personal life. But somehow I knew

that I had to use these sad fowers. They needed to be

large and somehow soft, and that’s when I envisioned

a series of silk paintings with them. The fnal one I

painted hung at my senior show with the rest of my

photography silks; I had more people intrigued by that

one work without ever knowing a word of the story

behind it than anything else in my show.

Resources

Eisner, E. (2001). Should we create new aims for art education? Art Education, 54(5), 6-10.

Gude, O. (2009). Art education for democratic life [NAEA Lowenfeld Lecture]. Retrieved from

http://www.arteducators.org/research/2009_LowenfeldLecture_OliviaGude.pdf

LASC online. (2013). Mission statement. Retrieved from http://www.lasclex.org/index.php/about/mission-history

Now, more than fve years after that degree, which, as I

mentioned, there wasn’t a destination after I received it, I fnd

myself pursuing something I believe has been a big part of who

I am all along: art education. It is not only creating art that is

my passion, but it is the artistic learning environments and the

sharing of ideas where I thrive and fnd joy. Whether it be an

art class room, a summer art camp, or a studio, these are the

places where I feel at home. Those are the places that molded

me, and challenged me to be a better artist and thinker; to

explore the world around me, and push myself in ways I may

not have been able to do on my own. This is why I need art

education. To quote Eisner, “when a child is touched and an

adolescent supported, the student may come away from the art

room with a memory that he or she will cherish throughout his

or her life” (2001, p.10). This was true for me and why I fnd

myself needing to be back in that place.

This is an excerpt from my blog written as I was fnishing up my two week studio time for grad school. It

has been over three months now, but the reminder of how important my artmaking is, and how my

program of art education allows the two to blend, lets me know I’m exactly where I need to be.

These last two weeks have felt like a different world- another life. The end of my studio time is nearing, and I’m already

looking back in aw. It has been more than a learning experience, yes, I have learned new techniques, but I have never in

my life been reminded so well as to why I’m an artist. My printmaking professor told us today that he had an epiphany

about his work just over a year and a half ago (in a feld that he’s been creating with for over twenty-fve), when he

realized all he needed to answer were two questions: what do I want from my art and how do I get there? He has had the

resources, there is no doubt and he freely admits that, but he recognizes he wasn’t being honest with himself as to what he

hopes that his art achieves, and more importantly, he wasn’t using his resources to get him there- other artists! Don’t be

afraid to ask someone about their methods and techniques if it’s something you admire. Don’t be afraid. That’s an

important lesson I believe I’ve learned in my time spent here. Last week, as I mentioned, I was in a sketchbook class that

truly pushed me for the frst time in years. It was exhilarating. A few of the mottos in the class were, “get out of your own

way”, “draw more, think less”, and “nothing is precious”. This last one was really key for me. I may be a bit of a

perfectionist… and I probably spend a bit more time on things than I should… My sketchbook professor was, I’m pretty

certain, constantly shaking his head at me (or at least at my back- but I mean that with love). He just wanted to push

me, and if that meant subtly poking fun at my attention to detail, then so be it- it needed to be done! And it worked (it’s

true Patrick, probably more than you know).

control away from me. When I approach a work, I generally have a distinct

view in mind, and I was not ok with giving that up for the potentiality of

unknown-ness through printmaking. Well, I can assure you, that way of

thinking has quickly fown out the door. As Patrick so implemented in me

the frst week, you have to get out of your own way, and you can not let

something be so precious that you stop it from being the unique, beautiful,

one of a kind work that it’s meant to be.What has blown my mind is that

somehow, in this crazy printmaking process- creating a plate that I didn’t

even understand how it was going to relate once “inked” and “pressed”- my

prints turned out to be me. I stuck to my aesthetic- I did subtlety in my

work, I did organic and sometimes detailed shapes, and I used color like I

didn’t think I was “suppose to”. My plates weren’t like anyone else’s in

class, and honestly, I was scared.

So, after a week of pulling and prodding at my inner artist who can just let go and create, I am now in a week of intense

printmaking. I almost burst into tears this evening because my press was running too slow. All I could do was repeat to

myself, “there’s no crying in printmaking, there’s no crying in printmaking…” and I pushed through. The results, I can’t

help but boast, were amazing. I avoided printmaking the entirety of my underclass study. It was, in my eyes, too rough,

harsh with color, and in general, abstract, to please me as a medium that would accurately portray my art. My work is

every bit the opposite of those qualities- I like a soft pallet, organic shapes, and generally there is even the slightest bit of

realism in what I do. Printmaking also seemed like it would take all of the

Please take a look at my online gallery to see much more artwork,

all of which you will have a better understanding of because you have read this.

http://katnorman.wix.com/home#!art-work-/cltp

The pay off? I can’t even express how much of “me” came

through- so much so that I wasn’t even realizing it, but my

classmates were pointing it out to me! It was an incredibly

satisfying experience, motivation, and a real life lesson,

sometimes we just have to get out of our own way.