I remember going to Two Rivers Gallery when I was a kid and participating in some of their art workshops but I had not been inside in years. Going back in the context of being a teacher candidate was interesting and I learned a lot about how the gallery can be incorporated into the curriculum and classrooms.
I appreciated the way that Sofía guided us through the gallery and got us to look at the art in new ways. Whenever I have gone to an art gallery I will look at the art but half the time I don’t really know what I am looking at or what I should look for. The exercise she took us through was great because it gave us specific things to focus on as we looked and it gave me a new appreciation for the art. The guiding questions made me look at the art differently and I noticed more than I might have otherwise. The topics of both exhibits sparked meaningful conversations as well because they are relevant to today’s world. The space upstairs was cool to see because we could see all of the possibilities for art projects or other activities. I enjoyed participating in the art activity. I don’t consider myself to be very artistic but it got me to think about nature and dismantling worlds in a new way.
In terms of bringing the art gallery into our classes and curriculum, I could see bringing any elementary age group there. The activities and exhibits can be catered to any grade level and it would be interesting to see what the different ages think of the art and their experience. The art gallery can be incorporated into the curriculum in a number of ways. It could be used for an art class, depending on the exhibit it could relate to science or social studies, and you could give some sort of writing component for English. Even the art projects available in the upstairs area can be tied into one of the exhibits or as a part of the unit you are currently doing. It takes students outside of the classroom and opens up new ways of learning.
