Residency 1: Unmesh Inamdar Art Academy, India
Residency 2: Residential Treatment Center (teens)
Shadowing: Shakun Maheshwari teaching artist, COMPAS
Unmesh Inamdar Art Academy - Grade 1 - 12 ( 25.30 Hours )
I was excited to work with Unmesh Inamdar sir because they taught me drawing and painting back in India before I came to MCAD for my BFA. I started my residency on Tuesday. I only observed on the first day, because there is a difference in USA teaching and Indian teaching. Unmesh sir often draws the memory drawing (figurative scene from the imagination) on the left page as the reference for students under 9th grade to draw on the right page. While drawing outdoor scene sir drew father with a child. And he explained that this is father and son, students told sir to draw moustache to father to suggest drawn figure as the father. I found that interesting and funny that it is true that most of the Indian fathers have moustache. Students were also painting and calligraphy Christmas theme art. Some students were painting snowman with Santa Claus, Santa Claus on reindeer sleigh and face of Santa Claus. 1st to 4th graders were excited to draw Santa. They were telling stories about how Santa came into their building and they went to see Santa to the mall. I enjoyed my first day at residency mainly because they welcomed me with a Christmassy environment.
On Wednesday, grades 5 to 9 went to the garden to draw the playground theme drawing. Unfortunately, we got delayed for the lesson because of the unexpected rain but after it was fun. Unmesh sir told me to explain to students how to draw and what to draw. I explained the concepts of composition, perspective, and fast drawing, etc. It was an amazing experience. I got to guide the student throughout the lesson. Students painted the playground drawings on Thursday. Students also did calligraphy and painting on theme Happy New Year or Welcome 2020.
We did the lesson in portrait on Saturday. Students from grade 1 to 9 drew and painted portraits of friends, family or teachers from memory. I conducted the lesson and discussed light sources and proportions. We are going to create a mural next week from the portraits by installing all the faces together. My friend from my drawing and painting class came to visit Unmesh sir and to spend time in the class. It was nice to see him and his work.
On Sunday morning, Sir took the lesson on still life painting. There was eggplant, coconut, teapot and clay pot in the still life set up. Students used watercolors, poster colors, oil pastels, and crayons to paint the still life. I assisted Sir with suggesting students with coloring techniques like value and hue, shadow and light and color mixing. In the morning Sir told me to think about the lesson for 11th and 12th-grade students for an evening class. In the afternoon I showed my art to family friends which was an amazing experience because my art is a bit different from what students from India usually paint. It was helpful to hear feedback from the other side of the world.
In the evening, I gave sir some suggestions about drawing a classroom from observation for 11th and 12th-grade students. Sir also gave me information about NATA and CET (entrance exams for Indian students to apply for Architecture, Fine Art and Applied and Commercial Art Colleges) and what the exam looks like. So, we decided to give a two-dimensional design to 11th graders with the theme of classroom objects. The main object is given importance through repetition. The design is created in two-dimension with 3 to 4 objects that are around. I conducted a lesson. In the lesson, we discussed composition, scale change, repetition, overlap, and two-dimension. Students will color these designs on next Wednesday. I did not give a lesson to 12th grades because they were practicing for the NATA exam which is on January 6, 2020.
I learned a lot this week. It was a bit difficult to be in India and to teach art because the words, definitions, and requirements are a little bit different. Sir gave me responsibilities from the first day which made me feel like I am welcomed. This week definitely helped me with developing my confidence to work with children. Having 1st to 12th-grade students in the same place made me more efficient and comfortable in the space. Students also learn a lot from each other works and I got to experience that.