VIRTUAL: Learning. Life. Work.

Abstract

Within artistic practice, the idea of play can become lost as we strive to produce and succeed. It can be even more challenging to keep the practice of play at the forefront in the art education classroom as instructors when we are tasked with teaching form and foundational elements to our students in and outside of the studio. In the proposed presentation, I would argue that practicing artists and creators need to dedicate time each day to play – in which they engage with new materials, disassemble art pieces, and to put them back together in new ways. It is also important to give ourselves time to learn new skills and hobbies that purely for enjoyment, and ultimately engaging and toying with fledgling ideas that sit outside of the artist’s professional work. These practices are crucial for the artist who is also an art educator, as creating the space for play is as important in our personal and professional lives as it is in the classroom. By allowing ourselves to play, we also rekindle the joy that play brings, and we become determined to share that passion and excitement with our students. This sense of play can be brought into the classroom through designated play time in the studio, or open-ended learning tasks that focus on exploration of materials rather than a strict rubric. By integrating play within the curriculum, we can lay the groundwork for students to make space for play and creativity long after they leave the classroom.