Francisco and Sophia introduced the class to something called “mind mapping” which the juniors will soon write their own artist statements. Mind mapping allows you to organize your thoughts about yourself as an artist. This exercise was done in an orderly manner.
The class discussed the life of an artist, what an artist is, and made a mind map of their own on the board. The class gave some great examples, facts, and ideas. For example, the juniors stated that artists are trend setters/starters, they inspire others, they express feeling through their work, they are a responsive community, they are educated, open minded, and so on. The map started out with the word “artist” and then expanded once statements were given about an artist is. The class was very engaged in the conversation. Many scholars had a lot to say about the topic because they can relate themselves and it is something they see happen everyday. The juniors enjoyed the exercise and then worked individually on their own mind map, working successfully because they were so concentrated on their work. They filled up a whole 18 by 24 inch sketchpad paper with their maps.
After the class finished their maps, they got into small groups and shared what they worked on. The room was filled with laughter and joy as they shared. Lastly, for homework the class had to eventually use their mind map to write their artist statement.
