Hazel L. Bradshaw-Beaumont Young, PhD
Professor
Art Education Program Coordinator
EH 128B
302.857.6684
hbeaumont [at] desu.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS/AREAS OF STUDY
The Philosophical and Psychological aspects of Art in Education
- Art Education
- Art Therapy
- Art History
- Computer Graphics
- Multiculturalism
- Research Methods
- Special Education
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
My practice in administration and teaching is usually done in a spirit of openness, as a guiding principle in the sense of being open to the inputs, needs of peers, and everyone that I serve, especially the talents of students. My experiences represent a diverse range of skills, courses, materials, technologies, and approaches that have prepared me for aspiring to greater heights in academia.
Throughout the years as an administrator, educator, and artist, I have been able to identify a very diverse range of students, educational goals, and outcomes. Out of this diversity of contexts, I have identified several common elements that contribute to effective teaching and learning. I have developed an approach to administration and the teaching of art that attempts to address and balance each of these important areas: discovering and nurturing students’ individual strengths, developing techniques, building strong concepts and the ability to articulate them, getting involved with the community, and inspiring students to use these skills and knowledge to develop and express their own original ideas through psychological, philosophical, and studio based projects.
In my courses, I believe it is necessary to identify levels of learning, different learning styles, and begin a process of careful looking at where the talents and predilections of each student lie. This discovery process may be the most difficult aspect to define, and yet for me, provides the foundation for effective teaching. I have found that by helping each student find his or her own strengths, an instructor can also help the student become a self motivated learner, greatly accelerating the learning process and making the entire experience enjoyable, meaningful, and successful for both the student and the instructor. As an instructor, I do not want to force my own tendencies and preferences upon my students. I see the instructor as a facilitator of students’ learning, rather than a purveyor of a particular dogma. I would rather expose students to as many different styles, methods, and techniques as possible, allowing them the freedom to make up their own minds about what will work to solve a given visual problem, or prepare them for future positions as teachers or their chosen field.
In order for the students to find their own way, I believe that a primary responsibility of a good educator is to help them build and practice the essential skills required to be professionals. These tasks demand of the instructor clarity, accuracy, and a firm command of the theories and craft as well as the inspirational ability, and sometimes, even, force of will necessary to instill this discipline in the students. While encouraging students to be open minded, see themselves as action researchers and experiment as much as possible. I expect an exacting attention to current theories employed to achieve their creative aims.
Coming from a variety of academic worlds as an administrator, researcher, educator, artist, and art therapist, I believe that adequate instruction should be available in order to prepare students to express their own ideas with a thorough grounding in theory, skill, and technique. By building a synergy of these sometimes-disparate fields, I utilize the strategies that have worked for educators and researchers in many situations, finding no incompatibilities with this variety of approaches. I believe it is important to cultivate a broad range of instructional strategies so that students can make informed decisions about their own career paths.
I will continue to support the notion that as educators, we all bring our own personalities and life experiences to our teaching. We also develop skills; we talk with each other about our teaching, gain insights, and solicit feedback. We are engaged in an activity that has tremendous social value, which entails tremendous responsibility. Therefore, I will continue in helping to create the future by exhibiting respect for students, my peers, and myself. Hence, I believe I will experience the unbridled joy in the mystery of teaching and supporting my students.
TEACHING
- ART 410 Seminar in Art Education
- EDUC 400 Student Teaching Observation
- ART 342 Methods and Materials for Secondary Art education
- ART 341 Methods and Materials for Elementary Art education
- ART 318 Art History 2
- ART 317 Art History 1
- WMGS 310 Gender Representations In Visual Culture
- ART 201 Art Education Theory and Practice
ARTIST STATEMENT
My life is now truly in the melting pot stage where all of my experiences, new and old, physical and mental, analytical and intuitive, mundane and spiritual, are coming together in a savory stew melding me into a mindful whole. Fiber is the medium in which I am working to fine tune my life.
I was attracted to the weaving process primarily because of its spontaneity but also because it allows me to transform humble yarn and mixed media into breathtaking structures and textures with the use of color.
My inspirations include the natural elements and the materials themselves. The patterns of landforms, the atmospheric elements also play a role in color and mood. My joy in weaving allows me to explore color relationships, whether bold contrasts or tone-on-tone shadings that test the edge of visual perception.
In my work, I am interested in the connections between self, emotion, and time. Seasons, atmospheres, and the time of day intrigue me. I try to recreate these natural occurrences, evoking emotions that I associate with them through the use of color, line, textures, and tones. The lines suggest landscapes or other aspects of nature. My techniques are constantly evolving with explorations in reflection, geometric design, delicate color tones, and bold contemporary patterns, woven into cylindrical ridges resulting in a three dimensional texture on the woven surface. The innovations I add are the spontaneous and free methods of coiled fibers, rococo fired ceramics plates, and dyeing of warp yarn. Through the dyeing process, I move the resist-tied skeins covered with tape, plastic, clamps, and found objects through a succession of dye baths with an eye toward a contemporary color scheme.
The techniques I choose to use are very contemplative and encouraging introspective; other processes are spontaneous and unpredictable. I try to find a balance between the two approaches. These works are essentially visual, instead of representational, with color always at the forefront. Certain colors and shapes give memories and vibrations of certain movements or energy.
I am looking for images and colors that transform and represent things that make me free. I cherish aesthetically appealing material effects and try to create works that use a specific process to provoke an experience. It is the pleasure of experimentation that is the actual experience of feeling the tactile and the joy of colors ending against the back of our eyes. Such feelings become more important as I continue to work with fibers and pigment.
Dr. Bradshaw-Beaumont Young’s CV