IARTS 3PE3
Week 7 - Artist/Collective Inspiration & Concept Seeding
P2: Research–Creation Project · Groups of 3–4 students
Objective
In this session, you will select an artist/collective from the course archive as the foundation for your Research–Creation Project. You will review their archival entry, identify key works, and brainstorm 2–3 creative response directions inspired by their practice.
By the end of this session, you will have:
- Chosen your artist/collective from the course archive.
- Reviewed and discussed their archival entry in detail.
- Identified 3–4 key artworks/projects for inspiration.
- Brainstormed 2–3 possible creative response directions to explore further.
Materials Required
- Access to the course Artist/Collective Archive
- Digital or physical notebook for idea capture
- Laptop or device for group work
- Access to an online document platform (Google Docs, Word Online, etc.)
Activities
Complete the following in order. Ask your professor for guidance if needed.
[15 minutes] Artist/Collective Selection
- Review the Course Archive
- Browse the available artist/collective entries.
- As a group, shortlist 2–3 possibilities that align with your interests.
- Make Your Selection
- The artist/collective should be different from Project 1.
- Each group must select an unclaimed artist/collective — confirm with the class list that no other group has chosen the same one.
- Record Your Selection in a shared document under a section called “Artist/Collective Selection”:
- Name of artist/collective
- Why your group chose them
- First impressions of their work
[20 minutes] Inspiration Review
- Read the Archival Entry for your chosen artist/collective.
- Pay attention to biography, thematic focus, artistic methods, and previous works.
- Discuss what stands out to your group.
- Record notes in your shared document under “Inspiration Review”, including:
- How does the artist’s background or lived experience shape their work?
- What recurring themes, symbols, or motifs appear across their projects?
- How do they use materials, media, or techniques to communicate meaning?
- What is something missing in the archival entry that you would like to know?
- Identify Key Works
- Explore the resources listed in the Annotated Bibliography: follow the links, skim introductions/abstracts, and note key ideas or gaps you want to investigate.
- Select 3–4 artworks/projects from the artist/collective that inspire you.
- Record these in your shared document under “Selected Artworks” with:
- Title, year, medium
- Short (1–2 sentence) description
- Why it inspires you
- Divide the works so each student has one to research further.
- Begin Follow-Up Research (Individual)
- For your assigned artwork, find 2–3 additional resources that deepen your understanding of:
- How the work was created (techniques, materials)
- The concepts or ideas behind it
- Its connection to identity through community, body, and/or place
- Record full citations in APA style for later use.
[30 minutes] Concept Seeding
This is not your final decision — it’s an initial “seed” for possible directions.
Brainstorm Creative Response Directions
- Based on your discussion, outline 2–3 possible project ideas your group could develop.
- Record these in your shared document under “Concept Seeding”.
- Consider:
- Themes from the artist’s work you want to explore
- Media, techniques, or processes you could adapt
- Potential messages or questions your piece could raise
- How the work could engage with identity through community, body, and/or place
➡️ Save all of your group work as a PDF
📄 Filename: Group-#-P2-Notes.pdf
Include all group members’ full names and student numbers at the top.
➡️ Save all of your individual work (resources in APA style and research-notes of each) as a PDF
📄 Filename: Lastname-Firstname-P2-Resources.pdf
Include your full name and student number at the top.
Before the Next Class
- Bring your notes on the additional resources you found for your assigned artwork.
- Each student must prepare an individual PDF with their new resources cited in APA style.
📤 Submission
| Type |
File Name |
Who Submits |
| Artist/Collective Selection + Group Brainstorm |
Group-#-P2-Notes.pdf |
One per group |
| Individual Resource Notes |
Lastname-Firstname-P2-Resources.pdf |
Each student |
⚠️ Follow submission protocols carefully. Incomplete or incorrectly formatted submissions may lose points.