| This qualitative study employed the transcendental phenomenological research design of Husserl (1931) adapted by Moustakas (1994), with a modification of the Stevick (1971) Colaizzi (1973)-Keen (1975) method of analysis of phenomenological data by Moustakas (1994). The primary phenomenon under investigation was creative artmaking by professional artist-educators, specifically drawing and/or painting, to discover the influences of artmaking, if any, on the teaching of drawing and/or painting to post secondary learners in a university or professional art school setting. The purposeful sample was comprised of five participants, who were selected for their experience of the lived phenomena under investigation. A recorded telephone interview of each participant was transcribed by the primary researcher. The invariant meaning units revealed the following themes: the first theme art is a process contained the sub-theme criterion based assignment delivery. The second theme tolerance of the unknown contained the sub-themes experience; editing; gradual focus of the picture plane; visual analysis is 90%, creativity is 10%; formative critique; and resolution of aesthetic relationships. The third theme of trial and error contained the sub-themes movable parts and a mistake is an opportunity. The fourth theme formalized practice contained the sub-theme scaffolding technical skills for aesthetic competencies. The final theme mandate of success contained the sub-themes assessment integral to learning and trust yourself. The findings revealed that, through qualities of process intrinsic to each participant's artmaking, the participants' experiences of artmaking characteristically influenced their post-secondary teaching methods, including assignment delivery and evaluation. Assignment delivery was process-oriented criterion-based to allow for creativity; and teacher-centered product-oriented results-prescribed for the perfection of technical art skills only. Additional findings were that technical art skills were scaffolded (Vygotsky, 1978) for positive outcome of aesthetic competencies; that scaffolding may qualify as formalized practice; and that learner success in the post-secondary art studio is a priority of teaching post-secondary studio art learners. |
