Art without emotion is like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag. The next time you work on your trees, don't think about trees. Think about love, or hate, or joy, or rage--whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat or your toes curl. Focus on that feeling. When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time. You'd be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside--walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job. It's the saddest thing I know. -Mr. Freeman (Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson)
Adolescents are constantly full of warring emotions, trying to find a place in their schools, homes, and in the world. Something I thought Speak did really well was emphasizing how unequipped teenagers are at dealing with their emotions... after what Melinda went through, who could blame her from withdrawing from the world? I enjoyed the role Mr. Freeman, her art teacher, played in trying to get her to use her emotions in her art, hoping to help her release whatever she was holding inside. I think art can play a crucial role in the lives of adolescents, and I as an Art educator will always strive to challenge my students to use those warring emotions in their art. By doing so they will be creating the art with meaning we are working so hard for.
I love that quote as well. Mr. Freeman seems like a pretty neat guy, although I haven't met any art teachers I didn't like! You've hit it on the head: adolescents are unequipped to deal with their emotions, and I believe sometimes with certain situations as well. People treat them like the are already adults, when in fact they aren't prepared to deal with those responsibilities yet. Instilling emotion into art definitely provides that deep, personal connection we want students to make in the creation process. Not only does it provide a way for them to release their anxieties and problems at hand, but it makes their art so much more powerful as well.
ReplyDeleteA quote for us to remember and encourage others to take time to express--through visual art! Sometimes we all have to be reminded.
ReplyDeletei love that quote as well. the real challenge here is getting those closed off angsty students to let their emotions out. the ones that succeed will remember you forever as the teacher who showed them the light!
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