Seven portraits of artistic self: A qualitative examination of self in the reflexive narratives and artwork portfolios of postsecondary art students

This dissertation examines the artistic self as defined and presented in the reflexive narratives, artwork portfolios, and think-aloud search protocols of a group of seven postsecondary art students. The purpose of the research is to develop an understanding of participants' self-identification and association with the socially defined role of artist, and to create a representation and synopsis of participants' narrative and visual presentations of artistic self. Most research depicts the artistic self as a product of interactions or negotiations between the innate/internal and sociocultural/outer worlds of the artist. The present study explores the negotiations of artistic self through a two-stage qualitative analysis of participants' reflexive artistic histories, artwork portfolios, and participation in think-aloud search protocols. Stage one analysis reviewed participants' narratives of artistic self for turning-point events, narrative thematic structures, and artistic value representations. Stage two analysis reviewed participants' artwork portfolios and search protocol selections for compositional, conceptual, formal-material, affective, and biographical similitude. The findings of the review are presented as seven descriptive narratives referred to as portraits of artistic self. Each portrait includes a condensed narrative representation and synopsis of the participant's presentation of artistic self. The findings suggest that both subjective and sociocultural interpretations of artistic experience impact the emerging artist's sense of self: Self-assessment of artistic practice is central to artistic definition, yet standards for artistic self-assessment reflect others' valuation of the artist's practice and the artist's valuation of the artistic practices of others. The research concludes with a discussion of the study's significance in four areas: Emerging artists' definitions of the artistic self, emerging artists' presentations of artistic self, the developmental negotiations of the artistic self, and the pedagogical implications for art education's cultivation of the artistic self.