Art Practice Commons^™

The War That Does Not Leave Us: Memory Of The American Civil War And The Photographs Of Alexander Gardner, Katie Janae White

Theses and Dissertations

In July of 1863 the photographs A Harvest of Death, Field Where General Reynolds Fell, A Sharpshooter's Last Sleep, and The Home of a Rebel Sharpshooter were taken after the battle at Gettysburg by a team of photographers led by Alexander Gardner. In the decades that followed these images of the dead of the battlefield became some of the most iconic representations of the American Civil War. Today, Gardner's Gettysburg photographs can be found in almost every contemporary history text, documentary, or collection of images from the war, yet their journey to this iconic status has been little discussed. The …

Mariko Mori's Sartorial Transcendence: Fashioned Identities, Denied Bodies, And Healing, 1993-2001, Jacqueline Rose Hibner

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of contemporary artist Mariko Mori's use of fashion in her work from 1993 to 2001. Contained within her sartorial phrasing is an involved relationship with the body, female and Japanese, as it exists within technological modernity. Tumult characterizes Mori's body as she images it early on in her career. This highly alienating space in which she positions herself gradually transitions to a space of respite for the performative body of another actor by 2001's Wave UFO. Wave UFO creates a mediated space for healing the modern body plagued with isolation through transcendence provided by technological …

The Specific Object, Jared Lindsay Clark, Brian Christensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

“The history of painting may be characterized in terms of the gradual withdrawal of painting from the task of representing reality – or of reality from the power of painting to represent it – in favor of an increasing preoccupation with problems intrinsic to painting itself…painting and sculpture became free to pursue concerns intrinsic to themselves.”

A Maoli-Based Art Education: Ku'u Mau Kuamo'o 'Ōlelo, Raquel Malia Andrus

Theses and Dissertations

Leaders in K-12 education in Hawai'i are increasingly advocating for and utilizing the culture and knowledge of the kānaka Maoli, the native people of these islands, as a context for learning in a variety of curricular disciplines and approaches (Benham & Heck, 1998; Kani'iaupuni, Ledward & Jensen, 2010; Kana'iaupuni & Malone, 2006; Kahakalau, 2004; Meyer, 2004). To expand upon this trend, this thesis uses a combination of autoethnographic and critical indigenous methodologies to present a personal narrative that looks specifically at approaching art education from a Maoli perspective. Through extensive participant/observer reflections, two place-based and culture-based art education experiences are …

.(In|Out)Sider$, Jarel M. Harwood

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the insider/outsider dynamic experienced by individuals as they enter diverse social situations. The shift from insider to outsider is evoked through an art installation of 18 sculptures drawing influence from "goth" subculture, as the viewer enters and interacts with the art space. The subjects of culture and identity are discussed as they pertain to insider/outsider status.

Accumulation Of Divine Service, Blaine Lee Atwood

Theses and Dissertations

Accumulation of Divine Service is a ceramic installation referencing the sublime attribute of service, and how it relates to our temporal existence. Many aspects of the sublime are implemented into the contemporary art world today. The sublime can refer to ideas from terror to joy, and all across the spectrum of human emotions. The unifying element that seems to tie them together is a quality of awe-inspiring greatness, or the metaphysically divine. These attributescan inspire the mind and often lead one to dwell on the existence of a Supreme Being or Deity,what His purposes are, and how we as mortals …

Using Contemporary Art To Guide Curriculum Design:A Contemporary Jewelry Workshop, Kathryn C. Smurthwaite

Theses and Dissertations

There is currently need for reform in art programs of all kinds, in regards to use of and focus on contemporary art and current practices. Teaching about art of our time and place enables students to understand and make connections to their world, and facilitates art making that is creative and relevant. This thesis describes theory and rationale for basing curriculum on contemporary art practices and presents a jewelry workshop, for all skill levels, that teaches contemporary art themes and practices. There are two units. The first teaches metal texturing, shaping and simple soldering skills while, focusing on art that …

Civitas: A Game-Based Approach To Ap Art History, Anna Davis

Theses and Dissertations

To increase student engagement as well as cover the content of Ancient Rome, the author developed a game named Civitas for an AP Art History course. The question driving this research project was, "Will incorporating a game into this Ancient Rome unit increase engagement without sacrificing the academic integrity of the class?" Research about engagement as well as others' success incorporating games into the classroom was examined to determine the benefits and difficulties. Much of the work for this unit came before any teaching occurred: designing all aspects of the game as well as carefully determining how it would contribute …

It Will Always Be My Tree: An A/R/Tographic Study Of Place And Identity In An Elementary School Classroom, Molly Robertson Neves

Theses and Dissertations

This a/r/tographic research study examines how explorations of identity and place influence a sense of self. An elementary art educator investigated the roles of artist, researcher and teacher by having students create artwork individually and as a class. These pieces reflected their understanding of place and how it contributed to a sense of self. Using the methodology of a/r/tography, this teacher separated her identities of artist, teacher and researcher, and explored the complications and implications of all three in relation to her place as an elementary art specialist and her identity in the classroom. Several important understandings were drawn from …

Blame Me For Your Bad Grade: Autonomy In The Basic Digital Photography Classroom As A Means To Combat Poor Student Performance, Erin Collette Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores current research on autonomy. Autonomy is defined in three categories: freedom to pose questions and encouraging student choice, trust in students to solve problems posed by those questions, and allowing student reflection on progress. Autonomy is one solution to promote intrinsic motivation in students. Autonomy supportive classrooms feature mainly language learning atmospheres in research. However, it is also pertinent to contemporary art education as it promotes an environment for student creativity. Student performance and the modes of measurement for this research project are based on common formative and summative assessment measures. Will autonomy in the classroom combat …

Evolving Art In Junior High, Randal Charles Marsh

Theses and Dissertations

A junior high teacher and artist altered the curriculum of his Art Foundations II course and his own artistic practice in response to complexity thinking. This teacher-artist-researcher uses the arts-based methodology a/r/tography to make meaning of the relationship between his art and pedagogy. The a/r/tographer explains the impact of complexity on the philosophy of education, a/r/tography as a methodology, and the meaning making that occurred are included. Evolution was used as a methodology for art making and as constraint for developing artworks in the classroom and in the author's own art. The teacher-artist-researcher conceptualizes art as an emergent complex cultural …

Zofia Stryjeńska: Women In The Warsaw Town Square. Our Lady, Peasant Mother, Pagan Goddess, Katelyn Mckenzie Sheffield

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I consider the unique position that Polish artist Zofia Stryjeńska (1891-1974) occupied during the interwar period. Lauded during her time as the most popular artist in Poland, the acceptance of Stryjeńska's female voice in representing a national vocabulary was unprecedented and deserves closer examination. I assert that Poland's history of oppression created a unique environment where women as archetypal figures often took on masculine roles. These 'transgressive types' were visible in the literature and art of the 19th and 20th centuries. Stryjeńska's art, as well as her behavior, capitalized on these transgressive traditions. Women played an important …

All Animals Will Get Along In Heaven, Camila Nagata

Theses and Dissertations

My final thesis exhibition is directed towards children and parents. My goal is to create a connection between parent and child, and their past, present, and future through memory. Such a connection is accomplished through the implementation of these three different ideas in the artwork: 1) creating different layers of understanding, 2) producing everlasting memories, 3) connecting adult viewers to their past. In addition, I use principles as the foundation for each piece, such as the principles of kindness and learning. These principles are presented to the viewer through parables of current social and political issues, illustrated through my own …

Women And The Wiener Werkstätte: The Centrality Of Women And The Applied Arts In Early Twentieth-Century Vienna, Caitlin J. Perkins Bahr

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I explore the importance of elite women in early twentieth-century Vienna in relation to the Wiener Werkstätte. My research has led me to believe that the Werkstätte held a more egalitarian view of women than other contemporary European applied arts workshops. Unfortunately the art-historical canon has generally overlooked the applied arts of the Wiener Werkstätte, as well as the significant roles of women in the Werkstätte as artists, clients, patrons, and promoters. In this thesis, I consider cases of women in these roles in early twentieth-century Vienna in order to gain a greater understanding of Viennese women's …

Documenting The Dissin's Guest House: Esther Bubley's Exploration Of Jewish-American Identity, 1942-43, Vriean Diether Taggart

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis considers Esther Bubley's photographic documentation of a boarding house for Jewish workingmen and women during World War II. An examination of Bubley's photographs reveals the complexities surrounding Jewish-American identity, which included aspects of social inclusion and exclusion, a rejection of past traditions and acceptance of contemporary transitions. Bubley presented these residents, specifically the females, as modern Americans shedding the stereotypes surrounding their Jewish heritage and revealing their own perspective and reality. Through their communal support as a group sharing multiple values these residents dealt with multivalent isolation all while maintaining their participation in mainstream American cultural norms. Working …

Mask, Mannequin, And The Modern Woman: Surrealism And The Fashion Photographs Of George Hoyningen-Huene, Hillary Anne Carman

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I consider photographs of the mannequin by Vogue's fashion photographer, George Hoyningen-Huene. Little scholarship has been written on Huene, as well as many other fashion photographers of the twentieth century. I examine four of Huene's works and his appropriation of the surrealist aesthetic, specifically the use of the mask and mannequin, which were directed at female spectators during the interwar atmosphere and development of the identity of the interwar modern woman. These images include Life-mask of Dolores Wilkinson (1933), Antoine with One of His Creations (1933), Scarf and Gloves by Chanel, Mannequin by Pierre Imans (1934) …

Blooming Vines, Pregnant Mothers, Religious Jewelry: Gendered Rosary Devotion In Early Modern Europe, Rachel Anne Wise

Theses and Dissertations

Rosary devotion has long been considered a "female-centered" religious practice. Despite this correlation, no scholars have investigated the relationship between women and the rosary. In this thesis I attempt to fill that void by examining a range of meanings the rosary held for laywomen in late fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century Northern Europe, c. 1470 to c. 1530. Using a theoretical framework informed by materialism, gender theory, and Marian theory, my thesis argues that beyond its usual associations with indulgences, the rosary also signified prayers for conception and safe childbirth. In reciting prayers to the Madonna, laywomen spiritually and mystically projected …

Cutting Into Relief, Matthew L. Bass

Theses and Dissertations

The following is an examination of the ideas and decisions that went into an art exhibition held in gallery 303 of the Harris Fine Art Center February 1-13, 2013. The exhibition explores the relationships of the artwork, artist, viewer, and space. The catalyst for the above mentioned exploration is a process of making art using linoleum relief printing. The subject of the artwork is an in-depth examination of the material and printing process. It is my contention that such a close look at the art making process reveals the attitudes and decisions that we make with any human endeavor.

What Crawls Beneath, Brent L. Gneiting

Theses and Dissertations

Nature is full of mysterious creatures which fascinate and spark imagination. In my final project, What Crawls Beneath, I take a closer look at what drives my interest in creatures that simultaneously attract and repel. Drawing on inspiration from parasites and dinosaurs, I was able to create a piece that represents the danger and beauty that nature so masterfully brings together. The importance of process is discussed as I consider the traditional methods of working with clay and how they affect the outcome of the artwork.

The End Of All Learning, Maddison Carole Colvin

Theses and Dissertations

Science and religion are systems that work to organize experience into a manageable understanding of the world. Both of these systems gather information - one through mental/spiritual experience and the other through empirical/physical evidence - and then reorder it within a structured framework. They both work under the premise that truth is both existent and attainable within the context of their system. This separation is viewed as necessary in the knowledge/experience-gathering process, but when that knowledge is accumulated, neither science nor religion has the ability to access or communicate truth in its entirety. Plainly speaking, truth is vast and knowledge …

Visual Storybooks: Connecting The Lives Of Students To Core Knowledge, Keven Dell Proud

Theses and Dissertations

In order to help students find connections to the Core Knowledge curriculum and the principles of Discipline-Based Art Education, the author uses narrative and visual storytelling in the form of altered books to make meaning and relate the lives of students to the art content. The author uses methods of action research to plan a curriculum intervention, work with the students to create their visual stories, reflect on his instruction along with student learning, and collect students' responses through surveys. The author also gathers data through the students' journals and artworks. Through the project the author is able to give …

George Dibble And The Struggle For Modern Art In Utah, Sarah Dibble

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis I explore the spread of modern art to conservative regions of the country, in particular Utah. By using George Dibble as a case study this thesis will also address the struggle that Utah artists had to endure to have their progressive ideas in art be accepted in such a conservative area. It will address the criticism that Dibble had to endure by discussing specific incidents involved with certain works of art. Although there were plenty of people who did not like modern art, there were some institutions and people who were advocates of this progressive form of …

Student Autonomy: A Case Study Of Intrinsic Motivation In The Art Classroom, Downi Griner

Theses and Dissertations

How might a curriculum based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) influence student motivation and art making in a 9th grade art classroom? The researcher devised a negotiated curriculum called The Master Artist Program based on the SDT theory of intrinsic motivation. The implementation of this curriculum was designed to explore the question of how a curriculum based on SDT theory would influence student motivation and art making in a 9th grade art classroom. This curriculum was implemented in a ninth grade art class on an optional basis for the course of nine weeks. The results of data analysis, illustrated by relevant …

Aha'aina, Tali Alisa Hafoka

Theses and Dissertations

In a Polynesian feast, food is a metaphor for the essence of Polynesian culture—giving without self regard. As Polynesian culture evolves, its aesthetic standard must necessarily change. Two seemingly conflicting essentials are necessary here for the survival of culture—the evolution of the cultural aesthetic, and the constancy of the culture's essence. One might consider as a metaphor the evolution of a tree through the seasons—though the foliage blooms, changes colors, dies and grows brittle, falls and regenerates, etc., the roots remain constant—ever nourishing the tree and ever supporting it and holding it up. As with the tree, the essence of …

Fashionable Art, Lacey Kay

Theses and Dissertations

My final thesis exhibition, Fashionable Art, opens up a link between art and fashion. I used clay as my primary medium to create hyper-realistic handbags in the style of Trompe l'oeil. I am interested in placing art in fashion settings and fashion in art settings. In the show, I placed many purses on pedestals for a gallery setting, in a glass case for a purse shop setting and also placed large photos in a fashion photo shoot setting. I am concerned with creating an environment that celebrates the handbag from just an accessory to an art object. By using …

The Narrative Inquiry Museum:An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Narrative And Art Museum Education, Angela Ames West

Theses and Dissertations

For art to become personally meaningful to visitors, museums need to view art interpretation as a narrative inquiry process. General museum visitors without art expertise naturally make meaning of art by constructing stories around a work to relate to it. Narrative inquiry, a story based exploration of experience, fits into contemporary museum education theory because it is a constructive and participatory meaning making process. This thesis examines how art museums can build upon visitors' natural interpretive behaviors, by employing art-based narrative inquiry practices and using the work of art as a narrative story text. Individuals learn when their personal narrative …

Where There Is Design, Elizabeth A. Crowe

Theses and Dissertations

Giving up a certain amount of control can be healthy, productive, and natural. Nature has an important part to play in our lives, and nature is random even as it obeys natural laws. In the same way, creating ceramic objects requires obedience to the laws of nature even as it benefits from freedom from control. Creation requires a certain amount of letting go of control, allowing nature to take its course, and recognizing when good things happen. I have learned that my most successful pieces emerge when I combine conscious control with serendipity. The work in this show reflects that …

Portraits, Nicholas J. Bontorno

Theses and Dissertations

This paper is a documentation of and supplement to my thesis project, which is on display in the Harold B. Lee Library Auditorium Gallery from April 2 - May 25, 2012. The seven paintings on display are included in this report are found on the following pages:

Leann (18”x 24”) …………………………………………………………..9

Claire (28”x 36”) …………………………………………………………..10

Janell on a Couch (48”x 60”) ……………………………………………..11

My Dad in Winter (84”x 96”) ……………………………………………..13

Mel in Springtime (84”x 96”) ……………………………………………..14

Man on a Horse (48”x 60”) ………………………………………………..15

Danny Holding a Cat by the Ocean (28”x 36”) ……………………….…..15

Mapping Creativity: An A/R/Tographic Look At The Artistic Process Of High School Students, Bart Andrus Francis

Theses and Dissertations

A high school visual art educator, along with 20 students enrolled in this teacher/researcher's Advanced Placement (AP) studio course, investigated the processes involved in creating artwork. Understanding artistic processes beyond skills and techniques is significant for curriculum development, but it is also key in conceptualizing art as a way of knowing. The arts based research strategy utilized in this study was a/r/tography, which focuses on the interconnectedness between artist, researcher, and teacher/learner. This highly reflective form of action research allowed the researcher and students to uncover new understandings of what it means to be an artist-researcher through a combination of …

Effluvia And Aporia, Emily Ann Melander

Theses and Dissertations

My final thesis exhibition, Effluvia and Aporia, explores impermanence, loss and uncertainty. I use materials and images in a poetic way, where there is a link between what the work is and what it means. I use looped videos with images of water, light, and dissolving clay to invite a meditative state. I also use materials like tissue paper, paper-mache, and paper thin porcelain tiles to invite fragility and complexity into the viewer's experience. I am concerned with creating an interactive environment that allows for a multiplicity of responses and interpretations from each viewer depending on their unique perceptions. …