2016 Mr. Munoz Visual Arts Class 2016 Elizabeth, New Jersey Halsey Academy HS

• Report rights infringement
• published: 02 Feb 2016
• views: 37

It starts with a simple blank canvas. Standing in front of a canvas, the thoughts, the ideas all that are in the mind of an artist as it begins as an overwhelming feeling of fear. Asking oneself what do I create? What will work as an image? Will this image communicate what I am trying to say with this canvas? Many seasoned artists have a rough time facing and immersing their skills, from a blank canvas to a creation. I like to think that teaching students to paint are an adventure, a sort of discovery to express a process of communication. It is a journey that will push a student to an uncomfortable place. I don't believe that there is many if any university professor is teaching these sophisticated complex concepts of painting while providing a basic comprehensive and easy to follow through the method of painting in a high school setting. The task is to explore and understand many cultures by adding and applying each study as a layer on the same canvas. Painting a Multi -indigenes image for a high school student is perplexing and can easily go over their heads but by starting a simple and easily accessible informative study the origin of design (Islamic and Moorish), for this assignment all students, are asked to research where symmetry all started. The design was never formulated or given to much order, not until artisans, craftsmen were demanded by the religious hierarchy and norms of the day (circa 200-300AD) to create works in tiles and decorative details of architectural structures. It is in this idea, of reaching, the perfection that allowed the Moors to form the beginnings what we know now as symmetry. As a class, all student are required to draw up a design of symmetry. Which in turn starts the process of painting a multi-indigenous painting. The frist layer is symmetrical painted in color. once completed we roll forward in time and travel over to Panama where a tribe of Kuna creates a style of their own called "MOLA" these designs are very colorful mostly asymmetrical (More Naural) with outlines of each form and shapes. The Mola style designs are studied and applied over the layer of symmetry. Using this application students begin to see and understand the differences as well a the close similarities of indigenes culture while creating a painting of extraordinary visual strength. The last and final layer student are again asked to research the indigenes tribes of Austrailia, the Aborigine, like the Kuna of Panama, have a style that identifies its culture. Once the research is completed and the images are picked out for reference. The Aboriginal dot painting is added to yet another layer of the existing painting in process. As the completions of this assignment draws to an end the most extraordinarily striking visual images emerge. I am very pleased with the results made by the students and the tumultuous circumstances that become a part of the journey that allows for extraordinary results. Halsey Academy HS Elizabeth N.J. Marco Muñoz Jaramillo