Hello all,
I teach drawing and sculpture at the American University in Dubai, and this summer I am teaching a drawing course for students who are just finishing their Foundation studies. One issue I have been facing for a few years with students here is the difficulty in teaching how drawing can be more than making a realistic representation of a subject, which is often the focus of drawing classes in this region. I do believe the discipline, perceptual training, and technical practice of this approach is valuable, but I have seen that too much emphasis on this aspect can hamper the spirit of exploration and experimentation that can lead to drawing becoming a tool for visual thinking, a mode of artistic expression on its own, a way to explore and organize one's thoughts about the world, as well as being a method of "visual brainstorming" for other visual fields. From my observation and participation in this network, I feel there is a commonality in our thinking and approach to drawing that could assist with this matter if some of you are willing to be part of this experiment.
This term (over the summer for seven intense weeks), I want to try something different with this class. The class focuses on landscape, portraiture, the figure (basic intro to figure drawing in preparation for an elective class in figure drawing), and an exploration of expressive mixed-media drawing. There is certainly a wide range of subjects to work with and the mixed media aspect is useful for developing an exploratory attitude. In addition to this, I want to introduce a research element that begins with a visual analysis of a student-selected drawing. The second stage is to find a contemporary artist/designer who uses drawing in a similar way (it is up to the student to make the connection, and it should be a thoughtful connection, not just, "they both drew with charcoal". Third, they need to finish the course with a body of drawings that are somehow connected to this research, as well as write a short statement that goes explains the journey from the first drawing to the student's body of work.
What I would like to ask from any of you is to be a resource for the students. They would be able to E-mail you and ask questions, get feedback on their thoughts, and possibly gain direction for research that they may not otherwise have discovered. I am hoping that by them hearing a variety of opinion on subjects relevant to the class that they will begin to understand that it is not conformity of opinion but variety of opinion which leads to a richer, more personalized understanding of the field.
If you are willing to be a part of this, could you send my a personal E-mail address to [log in to unmask], so as not to clog up this network. Thank you in advance for you consideration in this project. Additionally, if you have any suggestions that may improve this idea, please let me know.
Best regards all,
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Michael Bray
Associate Professor of Visual Communication
The American University in Dubai
Dubai
U.A.E.
[log in to unmask]
+971 4 3183 207
+971 55 517 1821
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