Georgetta Gancarz

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My Teaching Philosophy:

 

Teaching is a privilege. For me, it is a magical place where self-expression and diversity come alive. In the classroom, I encourage individuality and my teaching is inclusive. I promote an environment where students can become critical thinkers and feel safe, heard, and appreciated.

I find when students feel visible, they perform at a higher level and learning comes easier.

 

Respect, engagement, motivation, and innovation are key factors in my instruction.

It is necessary to embrace diversity because it is our world. Students should be prepared to make connections and collaborations when they leave the University, and they start in my classroom.

As an instructor who has taught in various populations around the world, it is essential that art is taught from a global perspective. It is an investment that must exist for achievement on any level.

 

I invest in implementing a curriculum where students learn the foundations of art and allow all voices a platform. Creating conversations, listening, and emerging in positive feedback not only brings us closer as teachers, students, and artists, but as humans. As an instructor, I set goals

for myself in and outside the classroom because I want to show my students how it is possible

to live as an artist. Most of all, I understand the value of education because it gave me a foundation to build art travel programs, lead teams to Europe and Asia, for educational opportunities, curate student first-galley exhibitions, write numerous books, and open a publishing program to give students a platform for their stories. All of my dreams started as a student and developed because I had exposure to instructors that were leaders. I believe skill, technique,

visual, and oral presentation, critical analysis, passion, and marketing art, are all necessary tools

for a successful artist.

 

My teaching fosters qualities that promote knowledge, growth, potential, and guides students to becoming professional working artists. There are 6 goals in my educational curriculum.

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They are:

1. Technique and Skill

2. Process

3. Creativity

4. Exploration / History

5. Critical Analysis / Evaluation

6. Marketing Art

 

Technique

Students are exposed to a variety of exercises from simple to complex. Each assignment guides and fosters the necessary developmental process in painting. Assignments include learning the tools and techniques necessary to develop a finished painting. Understanding the essentials of paintings by learning color theory, the color wheel, color mixing, blending, composition, proportion, contour, volume, depth, and texture. Learning how to stretch a canvas, care for art materials and studio. Understanding the uses of various brushes, mediums, and painting styles. Learning a simple art vocabulary for self-critique of work.

 

Intermediate techniques include advanced oil and acrylic mediums, techniques of color theory, palette knife painting, scumbling, use of various glazes, varnishes, and washes. Able to critique work, create new projects and solve issues. Students will learn deconstruction, manipulation of form, textures, and a larger vocabulary for self-expression. Professional portfolio presentation for gallery representation, including exposure to grant writing and artist residencies.

 

Advanced students will be encouraged to explore issues in contemporary painting, perfect their work by learning new techniques to problem solving. They will be required to create assignments and solve to completion as well as increased exploration of the creative self.

 

Process

Students have assignments that promote the process in painting. Documentation of growth and change will be cited in their journals. Critiques and classroom group discussion will accompany their exercises.

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Creativity

a. Understanding art as a form of personal expression and creativity.

b. Learning new ways to explore and express your individuality or painterly voice.

c. Discovering imagination as a source of expression.

 

Students will learn through exploration of the creative self. Painting sessions will encourage techniques that stimulate creativity. These include keeping a personal pictorial journal

(in words and images) of their aspirations, present, and past influences, dreams, and goals.

 

Homework sessions will include emerging in creativity through other forms of self-expression, including music, reading, and writing. Famous artists and art history will be introduced by writing papers and exploring their creative process.

 

Exploration and History

a. Developing art appreciation.

b. Understanding painting by studying artists techniques and styles, through art history and

    museum field trips.

c. Learning different ways to see and document art by developing an art vocabulary from

    viewing works in museums and galleries.

 

Painting is a process of change and growth. Exploration is important in order to facilitate this process. Students will have field trips to understand and see this process in action. By studying various time periods in history students will have exposure to how art has changed, is changing and will change. This exploration gives students a voice in their own work of where they are, where they want to go, and how to achieve it. Field trips will not only give students exposure to different forms of painting but an enhanced vocabulary of the materials, styles, and methods used.

 

Critical Analysis/Evaluation

a. Developing enhanced visual communication through art conversation and critiques.

b. Developing new ways to approach and solve problems.

c. Setting new goals.

d. Enhancing critical thinking skills.

e. Learning new ways to explore and express your individuality or painterly voice.

f.  Developing self awareness through character development and self analysis.

 

Through classroom groups and individual critiques, students will learn how to evaluate, plan

and create their next process. Evaluation is important in order to create goals and advance to the next level. It fosters growth, self awareness, and maturity, skills all necessary for professional advancement. It also develops an enhanced art vocabulary and critical processing skills.

 

Marketing Art

a. Learning resources for marketing, documenting, and selling ones paintings.

b. Professional portfolio presentation.

c. Develop a finished body of work for sale in a gallery.

d. Apply for grants, fellowships, and residencies.

e. Gallery Regulations.

 

As an artist promoting your art work is essential. Having a professional portfolio, artist statement and bio, resume, slides, and digital documentation is necessary for gallery exhibition. It is important for artists to understand how to market their art on the creative level for proper representation. Applying for grants, residencies, and fellowships gives the professional student exposure to success and advancement.

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©2024 Georgetta Gancarz 
All courses and program material is copyrighted. All images, title, text, pictures and illustrations belong to Georgetta Gancarz and ART - POLI

Painting on Location International.  No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means.

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