Ivy Huang
Arts Scholar
Semester 1
CPSA100 was different from my other course and different from my expectation of university courses. Performing community service, cultivating personal talents, and evaluating our own work are rare in other classes I have taken in the past or this semester in university. Even during the pandemic the course offers us a chance to serve our community through writing thank you letters for our front-line workers. We cultivated our personal talents through creating the cover art and researching/reporting for the podcast, and participating in the various pentathlon events. We were able to self evaluate in the podcast and reflect/rate on our own work as well as the work of members on our team which was very helpful because it allowed us to look back and think about what our strengths and weaknesses are and what we can improve moving forward.
MUSC289I- Exploring the Power of Musical Performance in Social Engagement, is an Arts supporting class that was the most interesting and had many connections to CPSA100. In MUSC289I, we had the chance to create a project that uses music to cultivate social engagement; in CPSA100, we attended an Arts and Activism panel, and had the opportunity to create a podcast to engage audiences about an issue. The arts, whether visually or musically, can help create social change.
In CPSA100, I did not expect to have learned about the process of making a podcast. A topic we have not explored is leading or facilitating an activity that is arts related. The activities beyond the classroom such as the Pentathlon events furthered my interest in the arts. Even though everything was virtual, I still learned a lot and was able to pursue my artistic endeavors in both self-guided or peer / TA facilitated activities.
This semester was unexpected to say the least. Living at home and taking all classes online, I have yet to explore an “university life.” Going on campus and immersing myself in the college experience by attending events and involving myself in more clubs/activities will definitely change my perception of college.
Limiting the number of in-person classes, offering on campus COVID testing, and encouraging social distancing, hand washing, and wearing masks are good approaches that fit my expectations to lowering the number of cases.
From the virtual Strathmore art field trip I attended with Gabby, many exhibits had a duality to them which helps leave the artwork room for interpretation and to show that there may be two sides to a story. One of my favorite pieces from the exhibit was the cardboard installation of the family separation at the fence, where the background can represent both the scratches from a run-down building or clouds in the horizon as a symbol of hope. The most thought-provoking thing I learned this semester is one thing can be looked at from many different angles and perspectives, and to always be open to different interpretations.
Semester 2
The relationships I have developed with Arts Scholars faculty are by participation during our small class discussions and asking questions if I have any. Incoming students should pursue building relationships with faculty by stopping by for office hours, setting up appointments with professors if necessary, and participate in co-curricular or extracurricular activities. Hopefully stronger relationships can be developed throughout my fall semester on campus.
I have used my artistic interests to make connections with other students in Arts Scholars through the scholars' pentathlon events such as Game Night. We played telestration, which is similar to the game telephone but instead of words we draw pictures. This event changed my perception of art and emphasizes that art can be used as a medium to bring people together. It is hard to connect with people virtually and the event definitely has helped me bond with my Arts Scholars peers and get to know them better. My relationships with fellow students enabled me to cope with the adjustment because I am able to talk to them to clarify assignments, and seek help and support in times of stress. With the pandemic, the greatest obstacles in pursuing these relationships is distance and lack of in-person opportunities. Next year’s freshmen can make the best use of their connections with their peers by seeking opportunities to gather either in-person or online to share their common artistic interests.
Based on my personal experiences, the Arts Scholars program fosters 'community' and 'artistic engagement' through TA time and the check-ins about how we are doing prior to every class. These check-ins are rare in other college classes, but are necessary to build a stronger and more welcoming environment among each other. Artistic engagement is fostered through the workshop I attended this semester, which focuses on navigating peace amongst chaos through photographing things that bring us joy and peace. We were able to use art as a medium to communicate our thoughts and ideas. In the future, I will contribute to the Art Scholars community by continuing to use my creativity inside and outside scholars classes. Some ideas I have for the capstone project next year involve using art as a medium to bring attention to topics I care about such as increasing awareness of mental health, and having Asian female role models in the media.
My understanding and appreciation of art has been impacted by my experiences in your first year in the Arts program. During the Arts Fest exhibition, I looked at the An Adventure in Wire exhibition. I learned that art can be made from any medium. I mainly work with paint and colored pencils, so wire is a medium that I do not usually hear of when I think of art mediums. This exhibition really expanded my horizons in the materials I can use to create art. Future Arts Scholars may expand their own definitions of what art means to them by thinking about the variety of mediums that can be used to create art and what they may symbolize, as well as how these materials can be used to further communicate meaning in a piece of artwork.
The most beneficial aspect is the wide variety of choices available to us. Pentathlons allow us to explore new forms of art, and the range of choice in workshops also allows us to engage in something completely new. Incoming Arts Scholars can get the most out of their experience in the program by actively engaging in their workshops and pentathlons, asking questions whenever they arise, being willing to try something new and explore new art mediums.
Semester 3
Art reshaped my understanding of belief as it can be a calming experience used to help with mental health and relaxation. For one of my pentathlon events, I attended Arts Fest and explored installations created by students in the Immersive Media Design major. The most interesting piece was an interactive art exhibit called Meditations, where I could put on headphones and listen to soothing sounds. At the same time, I moved a stylus on an art drawing board, and wave-like shapes moved on a projection in front of me according to my stylus movements. This was a soothing and holistic experience combining art, music, and technology in one. I was surprised that she created the experience using simple Python codes and Unity. It expanded the possibility of what we can do with art with the aid of technology.
Theoretical models and practical strategies for initiating the creative process include mind-mapping. To brainstorm for the capstone idea, we used a mind map to draw out all possible ideas, and then narrowed ideas down based on available resources and whether we were able to complete the project within a semester.
We can effectively incorporate feedback to revise and refine our ideas with greater depth and clarity by asking questions for the person giving feedback and discussing our thought process. In the peer review sessions for the capstone project, a series of questions were used and discussed between the peer reviewer and the capstone project creator to encourage us to think about our projects under different lenses.
An example of a news-related item that I encountered outside of the colloquium is the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference. In the streets of Glasgow, murals, street and protest art can be seen that help amplify the change that needs to be created to prevent climate change. Murals of buildings submerging below sea level highlights the impact of climate change in a visual manner. The arts program taught me to dive deeper and explore the meaning behind that piece and perked my interest in examining artworks closely and finding out the artist’s intentions.
The most surprising intellectual connection to Arts Scholars is one from my Introduction to Audiological Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology class. Our assignment was a creative project on three systems of the ear. Taking inspiration from The Magic School Bus series, I created a Magic Ear Bus TV Script where I took a class of students to “travel” inside the ear, and explained the temporal bone, outer ear, and middle ear. Contrasting the traditional lecture regurgitation, this creative method of presentation through script writing made the dense descriptions of the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the ear much more accessible; I learned that creativity can be used anywhere to transform learning.
Not being in the living-learning community the first year, we missed out on connecting with others outside of class. However, I am grateful that we are able to meet in person this semester; interacting with other scholars and receiving their feedback on the presentation of the project was helpful. It was also interesting to see what other students’ works and discuss ideas in person, and learn more about how they are engaging with the creative process for their capstone projects.
I have contributed to the Arts program and community this semester by giving effective peer feedback through discussions and anonymous feedback forms, and encouraged others to share their ideas and thought process behind their artistic endeavors. However, I wished we had more frequent group discussions. For example, after the “Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran” film screening field trip, I was left puzzled, and I wished I had more time to discuss the film with others who also went on the field trip as a group.
Being in Scholars brought me into contact with people or concepts that challenged your previous beliefs or opinions. After seeing my classmate’s ideas for their capstone projects, from Butoh dance to immersive media design installations, it challenged and pushed my boundaries of where creativity can lead.
Semester 4
Pentathlons demonstrate my growth in presenting ideas in written forms and thinking critically. For example, in the Pentathlon I did about the film Parasite, I was able to analyze the contrast between different socioeconomic classes and understand the detrimental effects that greed can bring to a capitalist society. I was able to question and ponder the deeper meaning that this film has and the connections that it can be made to the larger society. Through events like these, I was able to appreciate so many varieties of art, and step out of my comfort zone to explore them.
My perception of art has been challenged as a result of the program. At first, I thought that the brainstorming process of art is best with absolutely no constraints. But when I actually started working on my project for Hard Surface Design, I learned that having no constraints made it harder to start my brainstorming process. During ArtsFest, classmate Maria Ramos details in her artist statement that "the amount of creative freedom we were given was somewhat intimidating," which further emphasized my point that sometimes setting constraints during the brainstorming process can help narrow our ideas and we may have an easier time coming up with sketches. Having multiple sketches and drawing different variations of the same thing helps broaden options for the final piece. During my workshop, I also learned a lot about setting time constraints and having the flexibility to come up with new variations of the same idea.
My perception of art has been influenced. Throughout the Arts Scholars program, I find that the most meaningful works are the ones that make me feel a certain emotion, and allow me to empathize, challenge, or question the ideas of the artist. Many of the artworks in the ArtsFest exhibition do this through the skillful use of color and textures to express how they view different emotions. This overlaps somewhat with the workshop that I attended, which was Hard Surface Design, where we also talked a lot about principles of art including color, form, line, shapes, and more. Having a solid foundation of these art terms allows us to be more successful in creating art. I wonder how additional emotions can be portrayed through different mediums.
In my supporting course MUSC289I, we talked about how music can be used as a form of change. This made me wonder how other types of art can also be used as a form of social change. So when I created my capstone project, I kept the idea of change in my mind, and asked what changes we need to see in the world. I learned about the Pomodoro technique which was effective in helping me manage my time, and allowed me to finish my capstone in a timely manner.
Prior to this semester, I have never curated an arts exhibition before. Designing and curating an exhibition deepened my artistic talents and expanded my creative abilities as I was able to practice using my design abilities for the greater good. I learned how to use Canva to design call-for-entry posters, Wix for putting together a website, and learned a lot about art curation throughout the process.
I was able to collaborate effectively with peers by putting together the presentation for ArtsFest. Everyone has such different artworks but we were able to come up with a cohesive final presentation that showcases what we have been learning in the Hard Surface Design workshop. We rehearsed and gave each other effective feedback on the content, timing, and structure of the presentation, and the end result was something we were all proud of.
My Arts Scholars experience reminds me that art is everywhere and can be used everywhere. In the program, I learned many lessons about giving effective, constructive feedback, time management, working as a team, and so much more. Art for me has always been a destresser and I want others to experience the healing power of art as well. I plan on going into the healthcare profession in the future, and I will be incorporating art in my practice as art has the power to change people’s lives for the better.