P S Art 2016 Exhibition Schedule www.nyc.gov/schools/artseducation

Inner Mind/The Glass
Jaden Maxwell
Grade: 9
School: Cultural Academy for
the Arts and Sciences,
Brooklyn
Art Teacher: Maryann McCabe
Watercolor, oil pastels, and pencil
on paper
STUDENT: I am dyslexic. Art is
central to my life because it
helps me to express myself
and to communicate better
with others. During this
self-portrait assignment
my teacher, Ms. McCabe,
encouraged me to keep
working whenever I felt
unsure about what I should
do next, or felt I had messed
up. At one point I thought
that I had totally ruined
my painting. I painted over
other colors that were not yet dry;
the colors fused, leaving a mess for
me to figure out. Then I got an idea.
I splattered more paint with a finer
brush on my portrait. I realized that
I had created an expressive selfportrait.
I learned that with patience
and imagination I can discover
expressive solutions through my
painting process.
TEACHER: In a watercolor unit, working
from photographs of themselves
taken in class, students chose the
techniques that they would use in
their portraits. They had to anticipate
the results that they would get
beforehand, or be ready to “think on
their feet.” In addition to learning
arts vocabulary pertinent to making
and reflecting on art, through
sustained investigation students
developed observational skills, and
problem solved. This unit also gave
students an opportunity to master
the techniques of watercolor and find
their personal style. Jaden’s work
is the product of his creativity and
persistence, hallmarks of sustained
inquiry. Jaden’s work is a testament to
the creative process and the power
of vision. It represents my student’s
mastery as an artist.
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