Assessment of Emotional Responses to the Art Production in Individual and Community Settings
Research Inquiry
The phenomenon I would like to explore asks the question: How does the emotional response to the informal and formal production of art differ from the individual verses the community setting? A research inquiry such as this will combine elements of formal and informal art making to determine if there is a change of response there as well. The “formal art” making can be understood as the direction, learning, and training within a school sanctioned setting (Langley, 2018). The “Informal arts” (or unincorporated arts) is a broad term that encapsulates the various experiences, such as, acting in a church play, a poetry reading at a bookstore, or at a friend’s house drawing the cat (Wali et al., 2002). Informal art making could be put into comparable categories: self-expression, experimental, traditional, communal etc. These categories will give enough background to preface the art assignment experiment, which by the end of the art making, it will have integrated all of the previously listed categories. The experiment will involve my secondary field of formal art education because one assignment will involve structure and traditional materials while the other will not. Ultimately, I will be able to compare the qualitative emotional response to the individual and communal productions and note if it is different with a formal or informal lead on the project.
Purpose Statement
My final project will involve an experiment with a group of 5 people that I know personally that have agreed to this: Seth, Andrea, Hendrik, Monique, and Olivia (ages 22-31). The purpose of this study is to evaluate scenarios that influence production of art. Additionally the study is working to assess the emotional response of participants in different settings. I will do this by starting with an Assignment #1 where I ask them to create an artwork out of found materials. There will be some traditional materials around: markers, paint, pens and pencils etc. but there may be some non-traditional materials: sticks, pinecones, aluminum foil, silly putty etc. The participants have autonomy over what materials they use and will be asked about why they chose the materials they chose. I will also have them relay one sentence about how they feel before, during, and after both art assignments. The next part will be a communal art project: Assignment #2 where I will be the teacher instructing them to create something on the given paper surface with the same choices of materials that the first assignment had. I will say they have to create an assignment that utilizes the design principle Gaze. I will provide them with a definition and check for understanding. They will have to state how they feel about this project before, during, and after. Both assignments will be given a one hour timed session and it will be located at my house. The traditional materials will represent the formal art making and the non-traditional or lack of materials will represent the informal art making. One will be a solo artwork to represent the individual making and the other will be a group artwork to represent a small community work. The idea is to scale my large research question into a smaller case study that collects qualitative information on the individual and as a group while recording the outcomes.
Expected Results
These outcomes will be analyzed alongside the researched readings to hopefully come out with a reputable conclusion of improvements to individuals or to the larger group and/or community. These outcomes have the power to confirm or deny the proposed readings on informal art making that represent the individual and community experience. I want to create a background that acknowledges informal education as a way to create artwork with less structure and pressures within the education system in an objective way. I expect to find a list of positives and negatives that each person felt during the experimental art projects in the solo project and the group project. I expect to find emotions to change when they work alone versus in a group. I intend to find if using traditional materials was comforting to them or if it was less fun than the non-traditional experimental route. Some may feel anxious, excited, positive, confused, stuck, relaxed etc. There is a possibility that there are more benefits during the individual phase than the community group phase, or vise-versa.
Investigation and Concerns
I plan on participating in each of these projects while acknowledging my own biases and stating my personal preference at the beginning of the experiment. There will be a list of both traditional and nontraditional art materials to allow for a choice that will be recorded and analyzed. I plan on having a variety of researchers and artists to give a broad scope of perspectives on the topic so as to avoid a biased opinion. A key group of scholars that have published research on Informal Arts: Finding Cohesion, Capacity and Other Cultural Benefits In Unexpected Places are the following: Alaka Wali Ph.D., Rebecca Severson, M.A., and Mario Longoni, M.A. although they touch on individual benefit, the majority of their research is on community benefit and will be analyzed in this way. The only other possible ethical concern that I will make sure to clear up by asking for permission with the consent form. I will be utilizing APA citation style for my final project. I hope to have a broader perspective of informal art practice on the individual and communal scale.
Analysis and Interpretation
This will be a thematic analysis since I am measuring the qualitative outcomes of different aspects of the experiment. I will be putting their responses to the following questions together in a visual graphic:
-What formal arts training have you had if any?
-How do you feel about starting this art project?
-How do you feel making this project after 30 minutes have passed?
-How do you feel about your final artwork?
-Why did you choose the material you chose?
-Did you like doing the projects alone or together best and why?
-What is one emotion you felt about Assignment #1?
-What is one emotion you felt about Assignment #2?
I intend to show the results using a pie chart to compare common groups that felt a similar way about any aspect of the assignments. This way I can analyze the results all together and determine if there was an overall group consensus in some way or if the results were all over the board and not relatable and therefore undeterminable. I will know this is a success if I can determine that informal arts elicited an emotional response that changed from the individual and communal setting. If I can do that it may allow me to draw a connection about how this may benefit on a larger scale and give more insight about the informal arts and it’s impact.
Timeline
This week:
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Get the final 7-8 articles of research on informal arts pertaining to individual and community led
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Nail down the questions I plan on asking
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Determine the order of the art experiments and how many is needed
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Begin scheduling the experiment date with at least 5 participants
Next week:
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Do the experiment by the weeks end
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Write as much as I can for the paper from the articles
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Compile all data from experiments
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Create charts to showcase the participant’s feelings
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Write the research findings
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Week After:
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Finish paper findings
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Restructure paper in a good flow for reading
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APA
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Create a Power Point for a shortened summary
References
Wali, A., Severson, R., & Longoni, M. (2002). The chicago center for arts policy at columbia college informal arts: finding cohesion, capacity and other cultural benefits in unexpected places (pp. 1–91). https://blog.americansforthearts.org/sites/default/files/informal_arts_full_report.pdf
Langley, R. (2018, January 7). Formal art education vs. self-taught practice - agora gallery - advice blog. Agora Gallery - Advice Blog. https://www.agora-gallery.com/advice/blog/2018/01/07/formal-art-education-vs-self-taught-practice/
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Things I Need
Project size: There will be two projects. The first project does not have a size that I can say because the participants will determine this during the experiment. The second project the participants create will be on a provided 16 x 20 canvas.
Number of pieces: 6 pieces. 5 individually made and 1 communal project.
Research materials: at minimum- 2 informal art articles, 1 formal art article, 1 community led project article, 1 individual art making article. Paint, pencils, pens, canvas, wood, thread, glue, sticks, markers, fabric, magazines, silly putty, yarn, used for the production of art during the experiment. Questionnaire and Consent forms.
Readings:
Wali, A., Severson, R., & Longoni, M. (2002). The chicago center for arts policy at columbia college informal arts: finding cohesion, capacity and other cultural benefits in unexpected places (pp. 1–91). https://www.americansforthearts.org/sites/default/files/informal_arts_full_report.pdf
Stephens, C. (2020). Artist statement. Abstractions inspired by nature.
Skyscapes of the Llano Estacado: Abstractions from a New Mexico childhood. Abstractometry. Retrieved November 2, 2020, from https://www.abstractometry.com/artiststatement. https://www.abstractometry.com/abstractionsinspiredbynature. https://www.abstractometry.com/llanoskyscapes.
Langley, R. (2018, January 7). Formal art education vs. self-taught practice - agora gallery - advice blog. Agora Gallery - Advice Blog. https://www.agora-gallery.com/advice/blog/2018/01/07/formal-art-education-vs-self-taught-practice/
Smith, M. (1999). Informal learning: theory, practice and experience – infed.org. Infed: Education, Community- Building and Change. https://infed.org/mobi/informal-learning-theory-practice-and-experience/
Sullivan, G (2010). Art Practice as research. In Art Practice as Research: Inquiry in
Visual Arts (95-120). New York, NY: SAGE
Hillmann, P. (2004). Fostering Creativity, Individualism, and the Imaginative Spirit: Are Collaborative Thinking and Cooperative Learning Overemphasized in Education Today? (pp. 1–6). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED490611.pdf
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Process... 11/16
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This week I focused on creating my questionnaire interview questions that I will be asking. I decided to ask the questions that are attached here in order to get a rounded view of their thoughts and feelings about this experiment and their past/future viewpoints about art. The decision to make this a written questionnaire was to push the informality that this assignment is in. I really want people to feel comfortable and confident with the art producing. I also ended up doing some research on more readings that followed suit with my research paper. I found some great articles that focused more on informal art making and then a few with the individual and community. These readings will be able to provide information for my paper in order to build a stronger foundation on informal art making.
Readings about community: The uses of art in the context of health and diversity
https://academic.oup.com/pch/article-pdf/15/1/9/11149364/pch15009.pdf
Reading about creative expression from the individual
Reading about community-based arts and health (pg. 104-106)
Reading about wellbeing (pg. 100, 101, 106)
https://ahrc.ukri.org/documents/publications/cultural-value-project-final-report/
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Process 11.18.2020
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In the past two days I have been working on formulating more of a schedule plan that will help me conduct the experiment in the best way. I also have been just reading the articles I have found and determining if they will add to my process or not. With the way the pandemic is unfolding I am also trying to come up with the best way to execute the group project when we are supposed to social distance and one of the people that was going to be in it has COVID. So with that, I have decided that I will do a zoom session and that way I can record the session to make sure I get everything. It may actually work to my advantage to have this recorded so I can play it back.
Experiment Schedule ( 2hrs)
Individual Project
PART ONE
15 min (intro/explanations/instruction/answer first questionnaire)
20 min (first half of experiment done- answer questionnaire)
20 min (second half of experiment done)
5 min (answer last questions)
Group project
PART TWO
15 min (answer questionnaire/ start collaborating)
20 min (first half of experiment done- answer questionnaire)
20 min (second half of experiment done)
5 min (answer last questions)
Readings:
Crossick, G., & Kaszynska, P. (2016). Understanding the value of arts & culture The AHRC Cultural Value Project (pp. 3–204). https://ahrc.ukri.org/documents/publications/cultural-value-project-final-report/
Gharib, M. (2020). Feeling artsy? Here’s how making art helps your brain. NPR; NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/01/11/795010044/feeling-artsy-heres-how-making-art-helps-your-brain
Janssen, B., Rechter, J., Grinblat, M., Webb, G., Rimmer, J., & Komesaroff, R. (2013). Making art with communities a work guide. In A. Kershaw, E. Sanders, R. Laurie, & C. Colvin (Eds.), https://creative.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/57065/Community_Partnerships_Workguide_lores_2014edit.pdf (pp. 3–103). VicArts.
Kaimal, G., Ayaz, H., Herres, J., Dieterich-Hartwell, R., Makwana, B., Kaiser, D. H., & Nasser, J. A. (2017). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment of reward perception based on visual self-expression: Coloring, doodling, and free drawing. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 55, 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2017.05.004
Lewis, F. (2013). Participatory art-making and civic engagement a working guide to the landscape of arts for change. In https://animatingdemocracy.org/sites/default/files/ParticipatoryArt_TrendPaper.pdf. Americans for the arts.
Resources to Recover. (2019, March 12). Creativity and recovery: the mental health benefits of art therapy. Resources To Recover. https://www.rtor.org/2018/07/10/benefits-of-art-therapy/
Samoray, J. M. (2005). The healing effects of creative expression experienced by people who identify themselves as having compassion fatigue: A phenomenological study (pp. 1–16) [Dissertation].
Senie, H., & Webster, S. (1993). Critical issues in public art: content, context, and controversy. In National Arts Administration and Policy Publications Database. Harper Collins. https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-program/reports-and-data/legislation-policy/naappd/critical-issues-in-public-art-content-context-and-controversy
Smith, M. (2008). Informal learning: theory, practice and experience. Informal Learning. https://infed.org/mobi/informal-learning-theory-practice-and-experience/
Soman, T., & English, A. (2010). The uses of art in the context of health and diversity. Paediatrics & Child Health, 15(1), 9–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/15.1.9
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Half Process...
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Individual outcomes...
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™Seth: mixed media on paper (chalk pastels, glitter paint, rhinestones)
™Andrea: magazine collage, with glue.
™Olivia: cartoon portrait with marker and watercolor pens
™Monique: watercolor pens, acrylic paint
™Hendrik: filmed with camera and various found objects
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Group outcomes...
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™Created a holiday snow glob with found objects
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™Seth cut aluminum stars and put glitter into the mason jar
™Andrea painted an old eyedropper into a snowman
™Olivia found a small bush-like leaf to paint like a tree
™Monique found a ball to glue rhinestones to and make a disco ball
™Hendrik formed a small present out of aluminum and found cotton for snow
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Hendrik's Video:
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Final Project Image:
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The purpose this research explores is the question; does the emotional response to informal production of art differ between the individual process and the community setting? A research inquiry such as this will combine aspects of solitary and group art making, and measure the emotional responses for both; in order to determine any changes that occur. The “informal arts” (or unincorporated arts) is a broad term that encapsulates the various experiences, such as, acting in a church play, a poetry reading at a bookstore, or at a friend’s house drawing the cat (Wali et al., 2002). The theory being researched is that informal art making will lead to more productivity in both the individual and group setting than formal art education will. Finally this research paper will use the experiment to compare the responses from the participants to support or refute the argument that informal art production is creatively superior to fostering inspiration when contrasted with formal art education.
Informal Art Making
As previously mentioned, the informal arts represent the artistic times that rely outside the formal arts setting commonly seen through the traditional public school/university lens. According to (Smith, 2008), examples of informal art take place beyond the recognized education situations but rather in the unprecedented activities all humans find themselves in, outside of work and school. Without a person to direct the art making, a creative instinct may appear. As Janice Samoray stated in her doctoral research, the increase in coping she gains from any hardship she faces (Samoray, 2005). In an article on what goes on within the brain when making art, Christianne Strang seconds this in a statement as a neuroscience professor at University of Alabama Birmingham by saying “Creativity in and of itself is important to remaining healthy, remaining connected to yourself and connected to the world” (Gharib, M. 2020). Connection to the world and yourself through art allows for the uninhibited, unbiased, artistic furthering of the individual.
Individual Benefits
In a psychotherapy study assessing reward perception from visual self-expression, performed by the Drexel University Office of Faculty Development and Equality, an experiment was conducted from small drawings and the participant’s belief in themselves. Ultimately, after the projects, the perception of their personal abilities overall increased when asked about their ability to generate ideas, imagination, and solutions (Kaimal et al., 2017). Regardless of the amount of instruction, across the board participants felt more confident about themselves after the art making. Christa Stephens is an example of an artist that relies on improvisation to create her work and that the unknown and experimentation drives her creativity (Stephens, 2017). The individual benefits like improvising, experimenting, and problem solving that informal art making seems to provide, are worth further study and deserve a space in art education. The findings of these testimonials not only apply to the individual experience but to the development of communal art formation as well.
Community Benefits
Artistic benefits within communities have been around for centuries and they have brought forth cultural relevance, tradition, and strengthening of the arts.
Informal vs. Formal Art Education
The “formal art” making can be understood as the direction, learning, and training within a school sanctioned setting (Langley, 2018).
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12/7 Update...
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I finished my first draft of my paper and put all the data from the experiment into a chart as well as a graph to visually show the changes. The document itself is 15 pages because of all the images and figures I added but the bulk of the writing is only 7 pages. I am hoping to make sure my citations and overall paper look good and I just have to proof read and edit for next class. Below are the charts and evidence:
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12/9 Process Report...
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I finalized the charts listed above- as well as reach out to the participants for any final questions I had to help support/disagree with my paper. My chat with Professor Claire really helped my see what I need to finalize my paper. I just need to finish the second draft of my paper. The realizations from the participants were very helpful.
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Seth's response to why his opinion about the group project changed at the mid process questions: "The fact that we were making a project together that we all thought was fun. Everyone was excited and it made it feel more exciting."
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To Olivia, I asked... - Can you expand on why your reaction went from negative to positive during the group project? ... "I really felt anxious during the beginning project because I had an interview the next morning that I was worrying about. Once we started making the group project, everyones positivity really made me feel excited. I forgot about my anxieties."
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These were huge to defend my community project outcomes.
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