Fieldwork Experience

I had the opportunity to work alongside my partner Gabby in a middle school art room this semester.  We found ourselves in an interesting situation to say the least...the kids were incredible.  Energetic and willing to work with us as we attempted to give them a taste of something new.  They had been working primarily with pencil, pen and marker, so we wanted to give them color and experimentation.  Through our exploration of the supply closest, we began testing out watercolor and marker and had some interesting results.  The markers were waterbased, and when met with the liquid watercolor they bled and flowed outward in spidery patterns.  The kids discovered they could move the watercolor by tipping the page as well as blowing on it.  They got even more creative, getting down on the floor and standing over their papers like little Jackson Pollocks.  They flung the paint, splattered the paing, and mixed vigorously making a constant stream of color.  It was truly inspirational seeing the unleashed potential of these kids.  With something as simple as a little paint, water, and paper, they embarked on an exploration through a playful experimentation of materials.  The greatest part about the workshop was the culmination of finished works, cropped, matted, and proudly displayed outside the administration's office.  Students and teachers alike had wonderful and excited comments, and we felt truly validated in our fieldwork experience.