Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Process Of Loss, Isidro Pentzke Jr.

MFA in Visual Arts Theses

This paper proposes that digital media has changed the way art is viewed and experienced. This investigation into technology unpacks the effect that technology has on our society. Through the process of photography and digital media, the exploration of social interactions with technology is observed. The observation that is highlighted in this artwork is multilayered, which includes the digital rituals and the acceptance of new digital social norms. In addition, an argument is made that due to this change in social acceptance to the new digital world, there seems to be a disconnect between those who are engrossed in the …

Commonthought (2018), Commonthought Staff

Commonthought

This issue features works created by Lesley University students and covers a broad range of topics. The work itself crosses many disciplines from creative writing to visual arts.

Teen Dating Violence, Janessa Rivera

Violence Against Women conference

Teen Dating Violence (TDV) is a topic rapidly increasing in the lives of our youth, however it is not discussed in the schools or in the community. Individuals who suffer from dating violence in their youth are more likely to experience domestic violence with an intimate partner as an adult. This presentation raises awareness of the term “dating violence” and highlights the impact of TDV in the Latino community in an interactive format that includes open discussion of cultural norms and appropriation in the Latino community, which can enable TDV. Healthy strategies to prevent/identify/escape TDV are also included, along with …

Ownership And Violence Against Women Of Color Reflected Through The Lens Of Anglo Saxon Theology, Jennifer Herring, Luraine Kimmerle

Violence Against Women conference

In the American cultural mind, white bodies have been upheld as ideal. In addition, the male body has received praise, greater access, and safety on the streets, in business, education, and the wider world. In the arena of higher education students tend to discover how their personal sociocultural perspective informs ownership of the lack thereof. It is through this reality that the idea of ownership is seen when it comes to violence inflicted on/received by women. When race is included in the violence against women dialogue we uncover the branches of Anglo-Saxon Exceptionalism, planted by the theologies and worldviews of …

Vision Boards – Redefining Your Journey Through Visualization, Laura Marotta, Eleena Rioux

Violence Against Women conference

Women who have been through trauma, specifically violence or abusive situations, often feel a lack of control, which can permeate into their lives, even after post-treatment therapy and services. After a traumatic experience, we often need to retrain our brains and hearts by engaging with interests that are within our sphere of control. One of the most powerful activities that can aid in this transition is art-making. Making art can be a very personal, expressive, non-threatening and empowering experience. This workshop will take you through the journey of creating your own vision board, using basic art materials. Many start-ups and …

The Maternal Frame & The Rise Of The Counterpublic Among Naga Women In India, Payel Ghosh

Violence Against Women conference

Nagaland, situated in the northeastern corner of India, has witnessed a violent conflict situation for more than five decades. It is a heavily militarized space with draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in place, which allows the army personnel to go unchallenged even after committing violent war crimes. What makes this region stand out is the way few women have used their tradition-specific gendered role strategically to subvert prescribed gender norms and exhibit agency – against the violence they face for the conflict situation as well as the systemic violence that bars them from entering the …

How Can Developmental Transformations Address Culture Shock To Those Moving From Collectivist Societies Into Individualistic Ones, Such As, Chinese Immigrants Into The United States?, Fabiola Valdivia

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Immigration has always existed, and lately with the heyday of social networks and media, we have witnessed high rates of immigration due to different social and political contexts that have forced people to leave their homes looking for a better situation. Many of these individuals have emigrated and continue to emigrate to the United States of America, in search of, what in some cases they believe will be, the American dream.

This document explores the implementation of developmental transformations (DvT), originally a drama therapy approach, with an immigrant population coming from a collective society such as the Asian into an …

Illusions Of "Blackness" In Contemporary Visual Culture, Michaël Dorn

MFA in Visual Arts Theses

My thesis begins with a primer of the historical concept of “black(ness)” and the roots of its racialization. Intertwined throughout my discussion in Section I, I will highlight a few of my research findings and discuss some of the installation images that I created as I studied the work of contemporary artists who use lexical and literal figurative “blackness” in their work—in particular, the oeuvre of Kerry James Marshall as featured in his retrospective exhibition Mastry. My discourse unfolds with a brief etymological review of both the English word “black” and its precedent conceptual forms in Section II. Section …

Mutual Vulnerability And Intergenerational Healing: Black Women Hbcu Students Writing Memoir, Zelda Lockhart

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study sought to gain insight into the unique experiences of Black women students who were writing memoir toward the goal of self-definition in a Black feminist learning environment at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Two teaching methods included personal plot (an extension of expressive writing that offers writing prompts for emotional closure), and biblio-fusion (a combination of expressive writing and bibliotherapy) (Lockhart, 2017a; 2017b). Interviews were conducted with six Black women participants and triangulated against their personal essays and online journal responses. Personal plot, a form of narrative analysis was used to construct paragraphs on what each …

How Can The Attunement Needs Of Children With Disorganized Attachment Styles Be Supported Through Expressive Arts Therapy?, Jayne Paley

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Treatment strategies for school age children with disorganized attachment are not well established. This population exhibits a range of difficulties in social relationships and self-regulation. Additionally, children with disorganized attachment generally rely on defense mechanisms and present with other comorbid conditions, adding to the complexity of treatment. This paper explores current research and theories about disorganized attachment and then, on the basis of evidence provided throughout this paper, proposes the concept of attunement needs in relation to working with children with disorganized attachment. The attunement needs described in this paper, derived from the literature, include safety/security, control/power, consistency, affective release, …

The Way Of The Artist Educator: Understanding The Fusion Of Artistic Studio Practice And Teaching Pedagogy Of K-12 Visual Arts Educators, Christopher M. Strickland

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this autoethnographic study was to examine the experiences of Artist Educators and how they perceive the fusion of their artistic studio practice and teaching pedagogy impacts their creative and teaching practices. This study involved a focus group of six individuals, including the researcher. All the participants were practicing artists, currently employed or recently retired K-12 Visual Arts Education certified in the states of Maine or New Hampshire and members of the Kittery Art Association. This study used a combination of interviews and an arts-based method for data collection. All the data were analyzed and resulted in the …

Imagination Station: Activating Creativity In Children With Disabilities, Allison Dukes

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Play is a major topic of conversation when discussing childhood development is associated with creativity and imagination. Although there has been some research involving the creative process amongst children, little has been explored in regards to expressive arts as a technique to further current studies on play. This paper presents a combined method of intermodal expressive arts therapies and play therapy techniques to aid in the fostering of creativity within children with disabilities by utilized the theoretical framework provided by the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC). A current review of literature on the ETC, cognitive functions, and expressive arts modalities is …

A Literature Review On How Landy's Role Theory And Role Method Might Be Used To Develop Alternative Roles In Individuals With Decreased Or No Mobility, Chabreah Alston

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Research regarding drama therapy with the physically disabled population was published over 20 years ago, detailing the use of guided imagery and storytelling with this population. There is a lack of information available about specific drama therapy techniques and theories used with this population. In addition to the previous statement, there is a lack of therapeutic services available to this population. Robert Landy’s Role Theory and Role Method in drama therapy, uses a taxonomy of roles that consists of a health classification with the role type of Physically Disabled or Deformed (see also Beast), and a role subtype of Deformed …

Paradise Entertainment's Feature Of The Week: Splint, Brittney Callahan

MFA in Photography and Integrated Media Theses

Watching television has been part of my daily ritual since childhood. Every time it was turned on, I was able to enter into new worlds that were exotic compared to my house. Each story on the screen filled me with hope, inspired me with passion, and took me to a place where everything, no matter how terrible, seemed to have a purpose, an arc, and an end. These visual narratives birthed the idea of an equational life, one that seemed simple and mathematical. After I realized that life couldn’t be firmly calculated, I decided to invent my own alternative realities …

Stepfamily, Rebecca Chappelear

MFA in Photography and Integrated Media Theses

A discussion of the photographic imagery used in artist's work and a first-hand account of the experience which lead to it's creation. The work and writing encapsulate the trauma caused by family dysfunction brought on by a stepfather's struggle with depression and alcoholism.

Music Therapy With Premature Infants And Their Parents In The Nicu Setting, Samantha Martin

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Music therapy research with premature (or pre-term) infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) setting began over 25 years ago, and has expanded to include music therapy with premature infants, music therapy with parents of premature infants, and music therapy with both premature infants and parents combined. This literature review demonstrates the importance of continued research in this field to improve physiological, psychological, social, and behavioral health outcomes for premature infants and their parents. Current music therapy research has established the success of certain music therapy interventions, such as the Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL), Rhythm, Breath, Lullaby (RBL), Auditive …

The Parallels Between Art Therapy And Christianity: Integrating Identities As A Christian And An Art Therapist, Kendal Hansen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Therapists knowledge of their personal beliefs is extremely beneficial to individual’s working in the field of art therapy. Therapists are better able to serve their clients when they have a clear understanding of themselves and their biases. The writer of this thesis identifies strongly as an art therapist and as a Christian. To better understand how the two strongest parts of her identity integrated, this thesis explored the parallels between Christianity and art therapy by reviewing the literature and facilitating an arts-based qualitative study. The literature suggested that art therapy can be effective with various populations within the Christian category. …

Documenting The Visual Literacy Infusion Project Through Mini Learning Stories, Martha Barry Mckenna, Chris Clark, Janet Sauer, Andre Ruesch, Ellen Schon

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The Visual Literacy InFUSION Project is a professional development program designed to increase the creative teaching and assessment of learning in visual literacy to transform undergraduate student learning experiences. Funded by the Davis Educational Foundation, Lesley University created a model for infusing visual literacy across the liberal arts and sciences disciplines and professional majors in the College of Art & Design and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Collaborating in cross-school partnerships, a group of 16 faculty explored visual literacy across their various disciplines to create pedagogical projects to expand students’ understanding of the power of images as tools for …

Empathizing With “The Other”: Visualization And Perspective Taking, Lisa Spitz, Liv Cummins

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

As today’s youth blossom into adulthood, they will simultaneously be challenged to develop their sense of self/identity and to cultivate their ability to embrace differences, all while being bombarded by visual media and messaging. Research literature on perspective taking provides a framework by which students can develop an understanding of their own perspective, imagine the world from an “other” perspective, and make connections that link to productive actions (Selman, 1971). Perspective taking as a concept has been linked to greater empathy, compassion, and prosocial behavior (Hardwood and Farrar, 2006). Yet the mechanism for enabling productive perspective taking is unclear. In …

Anxiety And Alternative Facts: An Arts-Based Critical Social Improvisation Project, Rebecca Zarate, Nancy Beardall, Talaye Zarafshandardaky, Brooke Rutstein

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

According to Grayson and Meilman (2011) the stakes are too high in current campus culture to not acknowledge the social roots of mental health issues such as anxiety, and concerns of students as related to campus safety. This arts-based, music performance project responded to concerns on campus from recent political and social events. More specifically, it aimed to explore the concept of “alternative facts” and how this idea plays with the collective concepts of truth and falsifications. It explored applications of clinical improvisation and the concept of collective anxiety as a social phenomenon expressed through arts including music, dance, and …

Haiti: Black Leadership, Art, And Life, Danielle Legros Georges, Helen Jospeh, Anaëlle Séïde, Rocky Cotard, Mosheh Tucker

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

Join Lesley students and faculty in a discussion of the leading role Haiti has played in struggles against slavery and colonialism in the Americas and globally; its historic and consistent rejections of white supremacist values and dangerous stereotypes in the contemporary moment; and the lived experiences of Haitians working as artists, therapists, learners, teachers, here at Lesley who draw on pioneering Haitian models of epistemology and ontology—on Haitian sources of strength, community, resilience, and vision. Images will also be projected.

Visual Influence And Youth Empowerment, Rebecca A. Cote

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

During adolescence, youth start to look outside of their spheres of family to explore the greater world and they are often left with visual media as the go-to source of information. Media images are contrived to provoke meaning through the use of signs and how they are presented and they manipulate images to impart messages. Youth need to be literate in visual language in order to discern the implied influence.

Socially Engaged Practice: Three Artists, Susan Ashbrook

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

In recent years many artists have turned to ‘socially engaged practice,’ striving to effect social or political change through community-based or participatory projects outside of traditional gallery spaces. In my presentation I will review projects by three contemporary artists who work with underserved communities to develop creative responses to social injustices they face and to help them develop powerful tools to impact their lives

Suzanne Lacy, one of the original California feminists of the 1970s, is well-known for her performance pieces and installations that engage with social issues through conversation within communities. Rape and violence against women have been …

Leading From The In-Between: Disability, Leadership, And Identity, Xochitl Mendez

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The daily lives of individuals challenged with physical disabilities shed light on the intersections, as well as the friction, between the identities we forge as individuals, and the social identities of the public space. In this interdisciplinary presentation, I will explore the fault lines between the social concepts of disability and the personal realities and specifics of biology and adaptation.

Exploring my own experiences with disability, pedagogy, and art, I will further delve on how the social realm (Arendt, 1958) evaluates and judges identity from expected modes of interaction that are often not available to the disabled person. Further, using …

The Effects Of Rhythm For Social Emotional Learning Skills Development, Jonathan O. Mande

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

Many people talk about the importance of music in school and learning, we all know about its effects on cognitive development for children and adults. Though despite these universally known facts, music education programs are increasingly underfunded in schools, private lessons are not accessible to most people, while our country is simultaneously suffering from an increase in academic retention and destructive societal conflicts. Music brings all people together and at its core is rhythm. It makes available a space for joy; to fully express love, build bonds and strengthen our individual spirits. When used intentionally, music heals and is a …

̶T̶H̶E̶ ̶ A Possibility For Light, Daniel Burmester

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

How can an educator help young people feel a reverence for and connection with the world? I asked myself this three years ago as I began thinking about how, as an educator, I could better the world. I believe that harmful action on our world can occur when reverence for and connection with it erodes or has never given a chance to flourish. Researchers in cognitive psychology have suggested that experiencing the emotion awe allows people to feel greater connections with elements of our world. (Keltner, 2016; Shiota, Keltner, & Mossman, 2007) My work at Lesley focuses on the emotion …

Making Visible: More Of The Picture, Sarah Slavick

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

In Linda Nochlin’s essay “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?, “ she demonstrates how, for centuries, institutional and societal structures had made it “impossible for women to achieve artistic excellence, or success, on the same footing as men, no matter what the potency of their so-called talent, or genius.” As the Guerilla Girls noted, only 1 woman had a solo museum show in NY in 1985, and, in 2015, 30 years later, it wasn’t much better with 1 at the Guggenheim, Met and Whitney, and 2 at MOMA. On International Women’s Day, March 1, 2017, I began a …

A Visual Tool For Interdisciplinary Investigations, James J. O'Keefe

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

Interdisciplinary investigations using the Gapminder dynamic interactive software will be the focus of this seminar.

Ready, Set, Play! Disrupting Our Preconceptions Of Classroom Learning Through Innovative Teaching Practices., Heather Shaw

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

What is play in the context of an undergraduate classroom? For our purposes, play is an attitude and an approach to making work. Both inside and outside of the classroom, there are many ways in which play can serve as a base for serious problem-solving.

As educators, we choose to create a learning environment that provides enjoyment to the people who conduct activities within it. Play does not need to be frivolous — it encourages curiosity, constructive and critical discourse, and provides a safe environment to fail. Framing work within the context of “play” allows students to go beyond their …

The Effect Of Gsas In High Schools, Chase Lydon

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

How does the presence of GSAs in high schools affect students and overall school atmosphere? This paper delves into how the presence of GSAs in schools has a number of positive effects on students as well as on the overall school atmosphere (Deming et al.). This leads to improved student health and safety in addition to students sense of comfort and safety in their school (Ioverno et al.). These positive changes affect both LGBTQ+ and straight students attending schools where GSAs are present (Poteat et al.).