Tradition/Innovation : American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art

For Educators - Pre- and Post-Visit Activities - What does mastery mean?

Point out that the exhibit’s full title is Tradition/Innovation: American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art. Ask students to explain what a masterpiece is and to give examples. Allow time for discussion. Recognize that a student’s grandmother’s chocolate cake may be a masterpiece in as meaningful a way as a painting by Picasso is.

Ask students what it takes to become a master at something. Allow them to use examples from culinary arts, sports, gardening, music, dance and other areas as well as from visual arts.

Introductory Section Contents:

Overview of the Exhibit
Regional/State Maps of Exhibiting Artists
Pre- and Post-Visit activities
    What does mastery mean?
    Using the Visitors Guide
    Scavenger Hunts
    “Reading” a Work of Art
Themed Galleries/Lesson Plans
PowerPoints by discussion topic
Create your own gallery activity
Supplementary Materials
Resources

Share some of the thoughts of the artists in this exhibit on mastery. Ask students to respond to different quotes. Which make sense to them? Which do not?

Ask if there is something they think they have mastered. How can they tell? Ask what they would like to master. Ask what they think it will take to get them to a point of mastery. How will they know when they reach that point?

Lead students toward understanding that mastery is not instantaneous and requires practice and perseverance.

Here are some selected artist quotes on mastery you could use:

“To master a craft does not make one a master. Innovation and creativity must be a part of the endeavor.” Gary Noffke

“I want to build traditional Louisiana wooden boats that are functional, beautiful and made from Louisiana lost wood (800 year old cypress). To be a master, one must know his boats and then read his wood to produce the elegant curves that enhance his boat. He must have the mind and eye and skill to command the hands.” Keith Felder

“If I get the piece to act as art and also to function, it is twice as good.” Bonnie Seeman

“You must know just how hard, how fast, and when to pull the thread. You also have to have just the right amount of tension, or the thread will snap." Gladys Clark

“Anyone who has taken dancing lessons remembers having to count each step. Mastery is like not having to think about your feet.” Craig Nutt

“It [mastery] means you’re right nearly dead. When you master anything, it’s about over with. So ain’t none of us ever mastered it yet. You got to go to work willing to learn each day.” Chester Hewell

“Mastery is the ability to materialize dreams…to realize one’s vision, concepts and ideas so that they are recognizable to others.” Mark Peiser

“What blacksmithing taught me through the many years is that if you try, you can do it, that’s all. That’s all. If you try, not blacksmith only but to be plumbers, hairdressers, clothes making, all of those things, that if you try, you can do it.” Philip Simmons

Mastery is “A nearly unlimited willingness to stay with a problem until it is solved. It is a question of grabbing hold and not letting go.” Steve Miller