Recording A Changing Nation: Student Work

Craft is evidence of creative problem-solving, whether through process or in concept. This tour allows students to explore the Renwick’s permanent collection to better understand how artists develop new ideas; work within the constraints of their skill, media, and present technology; and “break the rules” in order to achieve a higher expressive goal. Learn how to request this tour for your students.

While many artists have addressed recurring themes throughout time, any artwork reflects the historical period of its creation. By analyzing craft works as primary or secondary sources in relation to their time period, students on this tour may better understand a particular moment in history while also developing the habits of mind of a historian. Learn how to request this tour for your students.

Craft works are a mode of visual communication. Like written texts, they are constructed to convey a message with a specific mood and tone. The artist’s strategic choice of medium, which often carries rich connotations for the viewer, reinforces this message. Learn how to request this tour for your students.

How do artists craft their visual messages? What choices do they make to communicate ideas? Artists may make specific aesthetic choices in order to communicate social, political, or cultural ideas. Students will explore how artists construct their visual messages through subject, media, and presentation. Learn how to request this tour for your students.