Reciprocity
Group Exhibition
Reciprocity:
Learning from, giving back
George Paton Gallery, The University of Melbourne
November 2015
Exhibition Curator: Gina Grant
Reciprocity is a word that resonates with artist-teachers. They continually learn so that they may give back: to their students, to their community, to their art, and also to themselves. English teachers may write novels, but are not expected to do so. Likewise, teachers in other subjects may or may not participate in their chosen discipline outside of their school responsibilities. This does not detract from their perceived value as teachers. Most art teachers enter teaching expecting to maintain their own practice, hoping to use this to add depth and breadth to their students’ experiences. Those who have an active practice are often seen by schools as being valid representatives of their profession.
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ARTIST STATEMENT
The series of digital illustrations, ‘Hands,’ necessities is a mixed media painting featuring a poem that inspired this piece of art. My poetry has long since inspired my artistic production and vice versa, influenced by artists including CY Twembley and Imants Tillers. The series of digital illustrations Hands explores facets of personal identity revealed through doodles, objects and letters.
Creating my own art as well as having an established network of contacts in the arts industry, encourages me to adopt a unique pedagogy that promotes authentic learning, object-based learning and inter-disciplinary learning. As an artist-educator, I promote every student as an artist or writer in my workshops or lessons – be it through professionally exhibiting or publishing student work. Exhibiting my artwork and publishing my writing affirms my identity as a professional artist, curator writer and researcher. Artistic production is not only a creative outlet that allows enormous freedom of expression, but it is inseparable to my activities as an educator.