Southeastern Region Column: Fall 2023

Importance of Reflection

The Southeastern Art Stars had a fantastic Southeastern Region Leadership Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, in July. We went to the National Civil Rights Museum and had the newest and youngest tour guide provide a tour that was engaging and informative, and that made personal connections between stories, exhibits, artifacts, and art.

The Metal Museum was next. We viewed an exhibit called We Are Here: LGBTQIA+ Voices in the Contemporary Metals Community—several of the featured works were from artists in the Southeast. In our workshop, we each carved a sand and resin mold, into which we poured melted aluminum. We all left with a personal symbol tile.

[[image #### "Personal symbol aluminum tiles made at the Metal Museum, Memphis, Tennessee."]]

We participated in a Community Service Learning Through Art Project at the Memphis Zoo. Early access gave us unhindered time to photograph and sketch the giraffes. As a treat, we were allowed to feed them. Over the next 2 days, we each made several original postcards depicting the giraffes. These will be sold in the gift shop to raise money for giraffe conservation.

[[image #### "Southeastern Art Stars at Memphis Zoo with a special guest photobombing us! We enjoyed our Community Service Learning Through Art Project."]]

On Friday afternoon we heard from sculptor Greely Myatt and then traveled to the Crosstown Concourse to view this renovated Sears headquarters that houses art and music galleries, theatres, a high school, unique food venues, and a social work department. Check it out online!

The Southeastern Art Stars were not just filling our art souls over the 3 days of the conference. The sessions State Report World Café, Growing Membership Through NAHS, and Advocacy Through Rising Stars rounded out our business.

One of the most important activities was taking time to reflect upon ourselves as leaders.

“Self-reflection entails asking yourself questions about your values, assessing your strengths and failures, thinking about your perceptions and interactions with others, and imagining where you want to take your life in the future.”
—Robert L. Rosen

Reflecting is a valuable way to spend time at any point in your life. In our rushed, packed schedules, we often list what we have done. Reflecting needs a pause, a think, self-questioning, and even answering yourself.

We ask of our students: What skill did you become better at today? What new knowledge did you learn? Where did you grow?

We reflect as artists: I’m not satisfied with the composition; what can I do to adjust it? Is it finished? Does it say what I want it to?

We do this as teachers: What made that lesson such a success? Is the reason all these students are confused and asking questions because I did not explain it well enough? How can I teach it in a different way?

Do we reflect as leaders? Whether you are an inherent leader in your school as the only art teacher, the chair of a committee, or in a leadership role in an organization, do you reflect on your leadership? Do you ask yourselves these questions: Is this organization where I can do my best work? What is exciting me? What is bugging me? What challenges am I facing?

The second part of our reflection was to reach out to “pick each other’s brains” on how to meet our challenges. Reflection is not just acknowledging our successes and challenges, but to understand why they are what they are.

The third part of our reflection was to understand our responsibility as a leader to coach our teammates. We need to make sure there is a space for all voices to be heard and to be listened to: holding space for them to set goals, solve problems, and grow as leaders.

Spending time together feeding our art souls, conversing and learning, creating and thinking helped us reflect together creating bonds for the school year. The Southeastern Art Stars hope that all of you were able to spend time this summer and that you can make time throughout the year to feed your art soul. Just as important, schedule in reflection time as artists, teachers, leaders, and humans.

“Self-reflection is a humbling process. It’s essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things… then better yourself.”
—Sonya Teclai

Column by:

Cheryl Maney, Regional Vice President
Independent Consultant, Charlotte, NC. Email: NAEASoutheasternVP@gmail.com

Josh Drews, Regional Vice President–Elect
High School Art Educator, Columbia, SC. Email: NAEASoutheasternVPElect@gmail.com