Author: Michael Chesnick

Creating a more “communal atmosphere,” the School of Art has completed a full interior renovation of the grad studio building.

Now called the Visual Arts Research Studios, or VARS, the 25,000-square-foot facility includes a reconfigured gallery, a new seminar classroom and more studio space for graduate students, faculty and visiting artists and scholars.

The public is invited to see the studios and facility on Saturday, April 5, from 3 to 5 p.m., followed by a closing reception from 5 to 6 p.m. for “Influx” — an exhibition featuring work from 18 MFA students in the new VARS Project Space gallery. VARS, 1231 N. Fremont Ave., is just north of Speedway and the School of Art’s main building.

“I am incredibly excited about the renovation,” said Yana Payusova, assistant professor of practice for the First Year Experience program. “It’s fantastic to have a bright, freshly painted new studio with great lighting and soaring ceilings.

“I also appreciate being able to work alongside fellow faculty members and our wonderful graduate students. The communal atmosphere of the space is truly inspiring.”

The grad building now has 53 studio spaces, including six AV studios, and new features such as a paint booth, a sleek break room and other areas to sit and relax, two gender-neutral restrooms and a lactation space. The Book Art and Letterpress Lab, in the northeast corner of the building, received some lighting upgrades.

“The additional studios incorporate various configurations to better serve graduate students working in all media,” School of Art Director Colin Blakely said. “The added faculty studios add an extra layer of opportunity for interaction. It’s a safe, secure and ventilated building and a convenient asset to our program.”

A major gift from a donor funded most of the renovation.

For future physicians Sabrina Ferrari and Thomas Brower, getting the chance to analyze paintings and sketch one with their peers helped them see the importance of observation, interpretation, communication and empathy when treating patients.

During the last four weeks of the fall 2024 semester, over 100 first-year College of Medicine students engaged with art in an innovative medical humanities workshop at the University of Arizona Museum of Art — the brainchild of School of Art graduate student Amy Hu and UAMA assistant curator and alumna Willa Ahlschwede, who’ve co-led the sessions for the last three years.

“The workshop revealed to me the significance of never overlooking even a single detail about a patient,” Ferrari said, while Brower added, “it showed me how clear and effective communication with our patients can be crucial to building trust and improving health outcomes.”

That kind of feedback brings joy to Hu, a clinical assistant professor in Psychiatry and the director of Medical Humanities for the College of Medicine, as she pursues her M.A. in Art History. She helped start the workshops to show students “there’s no single way of practicing medicine.”

“There’s been a growing trend in medical education to utilize the humanities, but it’s really been more focused on narrative medicine,” Hu said. “There hasn’t been as much focus on utilizing the cultural arts, so I thought this is something that I really would like to explore.”

Hu is a graduate of the U of A psychiatry residency program. She received her medical degree from Indiana University, and her B.A. in Art History and a B.S. in Biology from Purdue.

At a recent workshop session, Hu prepped 20 medical students in the museum’s first-floor seminar room by talking about the late French historian and philosopher Michel Foucault. He developed the concept of “the medical gaze” — the act of selecting what is relevant from a patient’s story and body and filtering out what is considered irrelevant.

“Part of the work is thinking about how we look and perceive information, and all the things that may affect that process — our biases or prior experiences,” Hu told the students. “I want to encourage you all to become a little bit more aware of your subjectivity.”

Moving to the museum’s second-floor gallery, Ahlschwede instructed the group to analyze two paintings: the surrealistic “Tenemos” (1980), an eerie, figural scene with animal imagery by Leonora Carrington; and the satirical “Beauty is Only Skin Deep” (1991), by the late Robert Colescott, a School of Art Regents professor whose garish works often referred to race and racism and pride and prejudice.

Students took a few minutes to quietly gaze at the paintings before discussing them as a group. “I appreciated having a moment of deep contemplation,” Ferrari said. “It made me realize how rare it is to replicate those moments when digesting new information from a patient. Oftentimes, there is so much background noise and other tabs open in our minds that take away from fully focusing on the person in front of us.”

In art, the meaning of a painting can be subjective, Ahlschwede told the future physicians. In medicine, she asked them, “Is there always a right answer with a patient or situation?” Most agreed every situation is different.

“Hearing my peer’s different interpretations of the two paintings was an important reminder to maintain a balanced and nuanced perspective,” Brower said. “Many of us had arrived at different conclusions when looking at the same paintings. Similarly, two physicians viewing the same patient may focus on different aspects of the disease presentation and can potentially arrive at different diagnoses.”

As Ferrari sat and scanned each inch of the paintings, she noticed each had a different color scale, cultural background, theme and medium.

“This is how each patient we will see will present. If we blink, we might miss a critical factor,” she said.

Next, students undertook a drawing exercise, in which they had to sketch a piece of artwork in the gallery — and “move outside their comfort zones,” said Ahlschwede, who received her M.A. in Art and Visual Culture Education and a certificate in Museum Studies from the U of A School of Art in 2017.

Armed with a clipboard, paper and a pencil without an eraser, students took turns with a partner being the describer and the artist — with the artist facing away from the piece. For Brower, “it was challenging both to describe the painting to my peer and to receive instructions without seeing it.”

He saw a parallel with being a physician. “At times we will be the drawer: listening to patients describe their symptoms and trying to piece that together into a collective whole,” Brower said. “At times we will be the describer: explaining a complex disease process to patients in a way they can understand.”

At first, Ferrari said her partner tried describing a painting by giving an overview of its full design and then breaking it up into smaller pieces. “The second time, her approach was to walk me through each detail of the painting, guiding the direction of my pencil. This surprisingly worked extremely well for us. It showed me … we should remain open to viewing problems from several angles.”

Ultimately, Brower said the activity “exposed some of the challenges we’ll face with our patients and the need to improve our communication.”

Communication, especially when it involves medical jargon, “can be quite tricky” for patients, Hu said. “As a doctor, you can use a word to describe something, and then you find out it may mean something different for the patient.”

In the future, Brower and Ferrari hope to draw on the workshop skills in their medical education and residencies, fellowships and careers.

“Patient education, clinical research and community outreach are all important aspects that I hope to incorporate into my practice,” Brower said, while Ferrari added: “I want to be a physician who’s not afraid to ask my colleagues or patients for insight so that I can provide the best-tailored care.”

Brower grew up in tiny Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia, where he became interested in medicine after struggling with an immune disease that doctors helped treat and “restore my sense of self.” He did volunteer work with patients living with Alzheimer’s disease while earning his B.S. in Neuroscience and a B.A. in the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

“One of the lessons I’ve come to appreciate is the importance of recognizing disease, injury and disability as natural parts of the human experience,” said Brower, who works in his spare time at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah, teaching adaptive ski techniques to those with intellectual disabilities and physical or sensory impairments.

Ferrari was born in Tucson to immigrant parents from Brazil and Italy and grew up in nearby Marana, where she was “blessed to have exposure to medicine early … when my mother became a nanny for the children of a gastroenterologist and a trauma surgeon,” she said.  

“My mind is still open to the many possibilities that medicine offers, as each part of the human body is so fascinating,” Ferrari said. “I’m intrigued by psychiatry and neurology, especially the intersection between the two. The great need for an increase in mental health availability for all people, especially the underserved, remains a barrier I want to address in my practice.”

Ultimately, Hu hopes medical humanities workshops will help the physicians of tomorrow break down more barriers in patient care.

As she wrapped up the session back in the museum’s seminar room, Hu told students:

“You must try to understand from the patient what they’re trying to describe, which can make about as much sense as someone trying to describe an abstract painting.

“You must really use your imagination as a doctor and put yourself in their shoes.”

Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Ilayda Altuntas Nott, Art and Visual Culture Education students immersed themselves in a computational art-making, sensory-based learning experience — emphasizing the arts in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) practices.

The fall 2024 workshop, “ArtMachines: Drawing, Feeling, and Resounding,” invited the AVCE students to explore the intersections of creativity, digital and material experimentation in ARE 431/531.

Collaborative Inquiry: The Artistic Exploration of Ziyu Feng and Lei Wang

Students Ziyu Feng and Lei Wang demonstrated the power of collaboration and experimentation in their drawing machine project. Starting with a vision to create randomness in their artwork, the duo tackled challenges like motor assembly and design stability. Through trial and error, they incorporated small motors, cups, and switches to bring their machines to life, producing abstract patterns that celebrated the unpredictable.

Their innovative use of materials, including Chinese ink and acrylic paint, highlighted the creative potential of STEAM practices in art education. By layering colors and utilizing the mechanical movements of their machines, Ziyu and Lei showcased how art and technology can merge to create dynamic and thought-provoking results. Their iterative tinkering process emphasizes the value of hands-on experimentation in fostering creativity and problem-solving, reinforcing that exploration is a critical part of learning (Justice, 2016 & Resnick, 2017).

Kasey Hilton: Art, Experimentation, and Familial Collaboration

For Kasey Hilton, the workshop became an interdisciplinary exploration that extended beyond the confines of the classroom. With household items like plastic cups, duct tape, and markers, Kasey constructed multiple drawing robots, even involving her kindergartener and spouse in the creative process. Her robots, equipped with motors and weights, operated across expansive sheets of paper, resulting in distinct and vibrant patterns.

Kasey’s methodical yet creative approach to tinkering embodied the essence of STEAM, integrating problem-solving with artistic inquiry. The interactive motion of her robots, akin to a “dance party,” exemplified how STEAM initiatives can cultivate creativity and foster meaningful connections between artistic practice and everyday life. Activities like these encourage learners to iterate, explore, and develop a deeper understanding of concepts through active engagement (Justice, 2016; Resnick, 2017).

Kiara Imblum: The Pedagogy of Tinkering and Experimentation

Kiara Imblum’s mark-making machine demonstrated a comprehensive engagement with the pedagogical process of experimentation. Initiating with a conceptual framework centered on motion-based art, Kiara developed a drawing robot that underwent numerous iterative design modifications. From extending fan blades to stabilizing markers with rubber bands, her iterative process underscored the pedagogical significance of persistence and complex problem-solving.

Kiara’s reflections highlighted the classroom as a dynamic space of collaborative inquiry, where students engaged in the exchange of ideas and collective learning. Her experience illustrated how engaging with STEAM concepts through tinkering fosters critical thinking and promotes innovative pedagogical approaches in art education. This aligns with Justice and Resnick’s assertion that tinkering allows for the development of critical thinking skills by encouraging learners to engage deeply with materials and processes (Justice, 2016; Resnick, 2017).

Anne Arvizu’s Exploration of Tinkering in Art Education

Anne Arvizu demonstrated her approach in the workshop, emphasizing the intersection of art, motion, and experimental learning, thereby facilitating participants’ engagement with hands-on pedagogical exploration. Anne’s process began with an inquiry-based mindset, fully engaging in the concept of “tinkering”—an iterative cycle of experimentation and analysis. Reflecting on her journey, she articulated her iterative approach, describing how she ‘engaged in exploratory practices and systematically documented observations,’ subsequently revising her methods when initial attempts did not yield optimal outcomes. This iterative approach underscored her capacity for adaptation and innovation, which are essential traits in both art education and broader educational practices. Her experimentation with motors and markers functioned as a practical framework for problem-solving and applied critical thinking. Starting with multiple motors and markers, Anne quickly realized the setup was too heavy, prompting adjustments. Through experimentation, she discovered that a single motor and carefully balanced marker placement allowed the machine to create captivating circular patterns. Each adjustment, from reducing weight to perfecting marker contact with the paper, demonstrated her academic resourcefulness and persistence.

Ultimately, Anne’s ArtMachine achieved a result that exceeded her expectations. “Even though it was not what I originally planned, it was still successful in many ways,” she reflected. This experience underscored the importance of resilience, creativity, and a willingness to learn from every step of the process. Anne’s narrative serves as an exemplary model for students and educators, illustrating the pedagogical power of experimentation in unveiling new dimensions of creative inquiry. Her journey emphasizes that educational success is often rooted not in the flawless execution of a plan, but in the reflective learning that occurs throughout the process.

The Role of STEAM Pedagogy in Fostering Creative Inquiry

Assistant Professor Altuntas Nott integrates these pedagogical approaches into the classroom, addressing a significant gap in contemporary art education. These practices, already explored in other states and institutions, position the arts as a critical nexus for STEAM engagement, computational art-making, and sensory integration. By facilitating students’ experimentation with motors, markers, and innovative materials, art acts as a catalyst for the intersection of creativity and technology. The success of the workshop demonstrates the efficacy of integrating theoretical frameworks with practical application in STEAM-focused art education, inspiring students to engage in critical thinking, effective collaboration, and the exploration of novel creative possibilities. Tinkering functions as an essential pedagogical strategy for enhancing student learning through meaningful, process-oriented exploration (Justice, 2016; Resnick, 2017). This experiential methodology equips future educators with the competencies needed to integrate interdisciplinary practices into their classrooms, while also fostering an appreciation for the value of experimentation and innovation. As demonstrated by the projects of Ziyu, Lei, Kasey, Kiara, and Anne, the confluence of art and technology has the potential to cultivate creative intelligence and drive innovative thought processes.

References

Justice, S. (2016). Learning to teach in the digital age: New materialities and maker paradigms in schools. Peter Lang. 

Resnick, M. (2017). Lifelong kindergarten: Cultivating creativity through projects, passion, peers, and play. MIT Press.