In this art-based study I will examine the construction of identity creating three life size figures utilizing metaphor and symbolism. I recorded and analyzed the process through reflections. The artist/teacher/researcher will provide conclusions based on art production and self-reflection.

This exploration into the individual’s experience of industrial theatre has aimed to determine the underlying dynamics involved in the individual’s experience of industrial theatre in order to attempt to understand the value of industrial theatre in the workplace. Thus, to understand how industrial theatre can be applied in the organisational context to influence human behaviour in such as way as to enhance the individual’s productivity and satisfaction. In addition, this investigation extends on a body of knowledge on the nature and application of theatre and art-based methods in the work context. The exploration establishes the experience of industrial theatre as an aesthetic experience of an aesthetic object (theatre) at its core. Industrial theatre is then framed as an adaptation of theatre, applied in various ways for various purposes in the work context. The nature of industrial theatre, as deduced from relevant literature, describes industrial theatre as a unique medium for instruction and agent of change. The existing literature is then deconstructed to provide graphic representations of the ideal experience of theatre and interactive industrial theatre. The production of an industrial theatre performance entitled Birds of a Feather was performed on 13 August 2009 and used to explore the individual’s experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of nine participants [n=9]. The concepts that emerged from the data were theatrical experience; industrial theatre experience; overall experience (perceived value-added); and influencing factors (individual and performance). These concepts were further coded and analysed by means of content analysis, within the social constructivist methodology. The Atlas.ti (x5) program was utilized to analyse, manage and store the data. The resulting findings led to the conclusion that the individual experiences industrial theatre in four distinct phases, namely: perception, engagement, response and reaction. Perception refers to the initial contact between audience and performance and relates to the external experience (visual and auditory). Engagement refers to the audience’s relation with the industrial theatre production – here the spectator-actor relationship takes centre stage. Response refers to the audience’s initial response, whereas reaction refers to the prolonged response to the industrial theatre production. A graphic presentation of the individual’s experience of these four phases during Birds of a Feather was created and presented in the conclusion. Overall, the study concluded that industrial theatre is experienced as a value-adding intervention for organisations – providing both entertainment and educational value to the individual and the organisation alike. Copyright 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Howes, L 2010, The individual’s experience of industrial theatre : an exploration, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02162012-123115 / > C12/4/201/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

This paper introduces the Bodymind model of Art Therapy and delineates the processes through which it has salutary effects on individuals coping with a variety of health related challenges. The goal of this model is to articulate how activation, reorganization, growth and reintegration of the self can emerge from bodymind processes activated by art therapy. It provides a framework for the conduct of research that will test the key theoretical mechanisms through which art therapy benefits clients. We expect this model to be a spring board for discussion, debate and development of the profession of art therapy. Furthermore, we hope readers can use this model to conduct sound mechanistic studies. This paper can inform social scientists and medical professionals on the manner in which art making can contribute to health.

In African folklore, there is a Swahili tale which depicts the relationship between a monkey and a shark; a story about the needs of two creatures living in two different worlds. The shark needs the heart of the monkey to give to his king and the monkey agrees to go on the journey to learn and experience new things. Unaware of each other’s intentions and goals they fall prey to a relationship of mutual distrust and suspicion. Many opportunities to use art as a tool for social engagement through service-learning exist in Higher Education. However, good intentions do not always equal good outcomes. The story above illustrates the importance of open communication around goals and motives. My past experiences in community engagement projects have taught me that more harm than good can result when communities are not involved in relationship-building and decision-making processes which affect them. It is therefore imperative that students collaborate with communities in every phase of the engagement process, so that they will learn and benefit from each other in meaningful ways. This qualitative research explores and describes the engagement between Intermediate Phase education students and community youth, the findings of which will be used to design a service-learning module in Creative Arts. The aims of the study were (i) to explore what the students and the community participants can learn from such a process, (ii) to explore what aspects of the engagement process can enhance the attainment of mutually beneficial learning outcomes, and which detract from it, and (iii) based on the findings, to suggest recommendations that can inform the development and design of a future service-learning module in Creative Arts programmes for teacher educators. A qualitative design situated within a critical theoretical paradigm employing a participatory action research approach to inquiry was utilised to achieve the aims of the study. Availability sampling was used to select participants in the engagement between the campus students from the Creative Arts department in the faculty of Education Sciences at the North West University (NWU) Potchefstroom, and the community youths from a nearby township area. The data generation process consisted of four cycles which embraced seven interactive activities, including visual, oral, art, and text-based techniques that were employed in a participatory process. Semi-structured reflective interviews towards the end concluded the research study. Data documentation was obtained through verbatim transcriptions of video clips, visual diaries, and visual charts. The engagement process was systematically monitored, inductively analysed, and thematically interpreted. Trustworthiness was verified by overlapping and multiple data generation strategies, and maintained by reflective member checking and own critical reflections on the process. Ethical requirements included the approval of the Ethics Committee of the NWU Faculty of Educational Sciences, Potchefstroom campus. Signed consent of participants was obtained in writing before the data generation began. Consent was obtained from the participants for visual material to be used for the research study and the presentations thereof. Three themes emerged from the data collection. Theme 1: the process allowed participants to gain insight into each other’s worlds. Theme 2: the participatory action research (PAR) process shifted power relations. Theme 3: the participants experienced personal and professional development through the interactive process. My findings on the student-community youth engagement suggest that the participatory (PAR) process is well suited for socially engaged art-based practices in service-learning as it promotes reciprocal learning through interactive activities. The activities unlocked value-laden and meaningful learning between the participants. Working collaboratively and in groups benefitted the participants in several ways. They gained confidence and self-determination, began to understand each other, improved personal and working relations, and increased their level of professional development. Limiting aspects included language barriers, short time frames, and unpredictable community events. The role of the researcher as change agent required shared leadership of collaborative groupwork, and it was necessary to structure topics in service-learning that evoke challenging and critical responses between participants from diverse backgrounds. These findings have significance for the design and development of a service-learning module for Creative Arts education, provide recommendations for future community partnerships in art-based practices, and for further research in service-learning. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In African folklore, there is a Swahili tale which depicts the relationship between a monkey and a shark; a story about the needs of two creatures living in two different worlds. The shark needs the heart of the monkey to give to his king and the monkey agrees to go on the journey to learn and experience new things. Unaware of each other’s intentions and goals they fall prey to a relationship of mutual distrust and suspicion. Many opportunities to use art as a tool for social engagement through service-learning exist in Higher Education. However, good intentions do not always equal good outcomes. The story above illustrates the importance of open communication around goals and motives. My past experiences in community engagement projects have taught me that more harm than good can result when communities are not involved in relationship-building and decision-making processes which affect them. It is therefore imperative that students collaborate with communities in every phase of the engagement process, so that they will learn and benefit from each other in meaningful ways. This qualitative research explores and describes the engagement between Intermediate Phase education students and community youth, the findings of which will be used to design a service-learning module in Creative Arts. The aims of the study were (i) to explore what the students and the community participants can learn from such a process, (ii) to explore what aspects of the engagement process can enhance the attainment of mutually beneficial learning outcomes, and which detract from it, and (iii) based on the findings, to suggest recommendations that can inform the development and design of a future service-learning module in Creative Arts programmes for teacher educators. A qualitative design situated within a critical theoretical paradigm employing a participatory action research approach to inquiry was utilised to achieve the aims of the study. Availability sampling was used to select participants in the engagement between the campus students from the Creative Arts department in the faculty of Education Sciences at the North West University (NWU) Potchefstroom, and the community youths from a nearby township area. The data generation process consisted of four cycles which embraced seven interactive activities, including visual, oral, art, and text-based techniques that were employed in a participatory process. Semi-structured reflective interviews towards the end concluded the research study. Data documentation was obtained through verbatim transcriptions of video clips, visual diaries, and visual charts. The engagement process was systematically monitored, inductively analysed, and thematically interpreted. Trustworthiness was verified by overlapping and multiple data generation strategies, and maintained by reflective member checking and own critical reflections on the process. Ethical requirements included the approval of the Ethics Committee of the NWU Faculty of Educational Sciences, Potchefstroom campus. Signed consent of participants was obtained in writing before the data generation began. Consent was obtained from the participants for visual material to be used for the research study and the presentations thereof. Three themes emerged from the data collection. Theme 1: the process allowed participants to gain insight into each other’s worlds. Theme 2: the participatory action research (PAR) process shifted power relations. Theme 3: the participants experienced personal and professional development through the interactive process. My findings on the student-community youth engagement suggest that the participatory (PAR) process is well suited for socially engaged art-based practices in service-learning as it promotes reciprocal learning through interactive activities. The activities unlocked value-laden and meaningful learning between the participants. Working collaboratively and in groups benefitted the participants in several ways. They gained confidence and self-determination, began to understand each other, improved personal and working relations, and increased their level of professional development. Limiting aspects included language barriers, short time frames, and unpredictable community events. The role of the researcher as change agent required shared leadership of collaborative groupwork, and it was necessary to structure topics in service-learning that evoke challenging and critical responses between participants from diverse backgrounds. These findings have significance for the design and development of a service-learning module for Creative Arts education, provide recommendations for future community partnerships in art-based practices, and for further research in service-learning. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In this art-based study I will examine the construction of identity creating three life size figures utilizing metaphor and symbolism. I recorded and analyzed the process through reflections. The artist/teacher/researcher will provide conclusions based on art production and self-reflection.

Over the past two decades a body of scholarship on the Global South has begun to present new ways to conceptualize African cities and their spatio-temporal specificity. Despite this, the city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia is moving towards the reestablishment of its faded glory through means of aspatial modernization. The city’s aspirations for distinction and visibility can be seen as responses to the variable scales of contemporary urban systems. As ‘place’ is arguably no longer a singular concept, cities are rooted in relational networks rather than in ‘place’ alone. ‘Locality’ thus extends beyond the physical site to include linkages with a network of places around the world. Using an art-based research methodology, this research contributes to the discourse of urban development in the Global South generally, and Addis Ababa specifically. Findings are juxtaposed through documentation that includes theoretical essays, reportage, survey-informed graphics, interviews, and excerpts from a short film series and an existing plan for the Megenegna area. Potentials and challenges of place-based conceptions of urbanism are discussed, linking to the legacy of the 1960s mechanical and social paradigms. The insitutional role of UN-Habitat in the global collective supports is discussed for potential to supports existing resources and demographics for improved mobility and accessibility.

The purpose of this dissertation is to enact and poetically story the nonlinear emergence of an a/r/tographic practice called gathering—a situated art practice of storying, doing, and making as researching and thinking—in multiple contexts, including early childhood teacher education and imperial and settler colonialism in Canada. Over two years, I sustained a ritual of gathering where I (re)read texts (e.g., Indigenous theories, Chicana feminisms, antiracist theories, postcolonial theories, and subaltern theories) and (re)walked the neighbourhood of my apartment on the stolen territories of the Lkwungen people, who are one of the Coast Salish peoples, on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. While I walked and as I read, I attended to how other artists, animals, and I gathered objects and ideas, the effects of the environment and weather, and the theoretical orientations and contexts of the ideas and objects. The poetic stories in this dissertation entangle bits of the ideas and objects I gathered during my walks and readings. I also story how my personal artistic process of gathering unfolded into teaching an inclusive practice course in the Early Childhood Care and Education Department at Capilano University. I and my class of preservice early childhood educators gathered on and around the Capilano campus, located on the traditional territories of Coast Salish peoples, including the Tsleil-Watuth, Skwxwú7mesh, shíshálh, Lil’Wat, and Musqueam Nations. With this a/r/tographic research, I offer a pedagogical and aesthetic way with which to attune to the process, conditions, and situations of engaging multiple theories. I inquire into different ways of relating with and taking responsibility for others and into what kinds of partial, incomplete, and imperfect regenerations, possibilities, and futures present themselves through gathering within a context of imperial and settler colonialism in Canada. / Graduate

This paper examines the impact of learning a new medium on artistic expression and creativity. By investigating art made during the learning process of ceramic art, I clarify the influence of initial learning stages in an art medium and their influence on creative thinking and motivation. I use two qualitative research strategies, a narrative analysis of the emotional and technical changes I experienced using clay and ceramic materials, and an examination of the art produced during this process. Data is collected through journal entries and photographs of art as I progress. This paper combines previous research in art education and history, and art therapy, as I address our ability to learn aesthetic and visual skills and our motivation to produce during times of frustration. Learning a new medium provides strategies for stepping away from our own expectations of our art, examining the art we create for what it is and what we can learn from it rather than what we believe it should have been.

This study presents a new perspective on work practice in conceptual art. Using ethnographic evidence from five visual artists, the study used a combined visual arts and practice orientated perspective to explore the materiality of their everyday work and the sociomaterial practices shaping it. Close scrutiny is given to the forms of expertise embedded in this through concepts of knowing-in-practice and epistemic objects. Emerging from the findings is clearer understanding of how an arts-based methodology might enhance knowledge about artists’ knowing-in-practice. Popular representations of contemporary artists often ignore the realities of precarious work. This is reflected in the professional education of artists with its concentration on studio-based activities and emphasis on the production and products of artmaking. This study reconfigures and reconceptualises the work of artists as assemblages of sociomaterial practices that include, but are not limited to artmaking – so providing a different representation of the work of artists as a continuous collaboration of mundane materials. The study identified seven sociomaterial practices, defined as movement-driven; studio-making; looking; pedagogic; self-promotion; peer support; and pause. As these practices are subject to ever-changing materialities, they are constantly reassembled. Analysis revealed hidden interiors of underemployment and income generation to be significant factors embedded in the mundane materialities of everyday work, revealing resilience and adaptability as key forms of expertise necessary for the assembling of practices. Further, the arts-based methodology of ‘integrated imagework’ created ways of visually analysing the materially-mediated, socially situated nature of knowing in practice, and demonstrated how relational concepts relating to knowing-in-practice might be better analysed. Findings indicate how the professional education of artists – particularly the way the workplace of the studio is understood – could be re-envisioned to support the fluidity of contemporary artistic practices. The studio itself is a form of knowledge – ever changing – forming and being formed by the practices of artists. Adopting this view of studio-based education would be a radical departure from current studio-based pedagogies in contemporary art education. Further, resilience – the capacity to sustain practices that are emergent and constantly unfolding – becomes a form of expertise central to the professional education of artists.