2012 Innovative Writing in Teaching Recipient

Emily Kelley, Department of Art

Writing plays a crucial role in how artists and graphic designers communicate about their work. Artists are asked to write documents called "artist statements" that should convey the ideas behind their work, their techniques, and how other artists have influenced their development. Similarly, graphic designers are asked to communicate the ideas behind their designs to potential employers and clients; their ability to do so clearly and effectively in writing is essential to securing employment.

In order to engage students in the process of applying what they have learned in ART 344 (a course covering the history of twentieth and twenty-first century art) to their own work as artists, the final assignment of the course is a three-part project that allows each student to explore a specific aspect of the course material that he or she finds most compelling. For the first part of the assignment, students are asked to create a work of art inspired by one (or more) of the artists or styles covered during the semester. The students then create two written products: a report explaining the style or artist who was influential on the work they created, and a 2-page statement explaining the significance of this artist or style in the work of art they produced.

This assignment encourages students to think and write critically about the ways in which the course material is relevant to their growth as professionals. Art students, who tend to take great care with the details of their artwork, learn to appreciate the importance of attention to detail when communicating their ideas with words.