Getting Ready
Read and discuss the following definitions of the artistic processes of creating, performing, and responding: (15 minutes)
ARTISTIC PROCESSES1
Creating is the process of generating original art. Creating involves the artist expressing unique and personal ideas, feelings, and responses in the form of a visual image, a character, a written or improvised dramatic work, or the composition of a piece of music or a dance.
Performing is the process of presenting a work in dance, music and theatre or exhibiting works of visual art. During the performing process, the artist is engaged in interpreting the artistic work and must not only have the skills, but the contextual understanding of both the work and the audience, to successfully perform the dance, musical composition or play. This need for contextual understanding is also true for exhibiting in the visual arts.
Responding is both the process of artists reflecting on their work and the process of an audience member reacting to a work of art. Response is usually a combination of affective, cognitive, and physical behavior involving a level of perceptual or observational skills; a description, analysis or interpretation on the part of the respondent and sometimes a judgment or evaluation based on some criteria.
Discuss these questions:
- Which area do you tend to concentrate on most with your students? Why?
- Are there ways to engage students in the other roles more often? If there are barriers to doing so, how might these be overcome?
1National Assessment of Education Progress. Arts Education Assessment Framework
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