Alexa Meade- Contemporary artist working with identity.

Alexa Meade

I came across Meade's work when looking through a magazine and found it very striking. At first glance I thought her work was a typical oil on canvas portrait. But, as I continued to read the article I became astounded when I learned that she paints directly on her subjects, and then photographs them!

Meade's approach to portraiture questions our understanding of the body and identity. The painted skin perceptually dissolves the body into a 2D caricature. Her subjects become art objects as they are transformed into reinterpretations of themselves. The model's identities become altered by their new skin.

Middle School Radio Show Reflection

I enjoyed listening to the radio production. I like the different discussions based off of many views of middle school. I was thinking back to what I was feeling and thinking during my middle school years, and I could agree to a lot of what they were talking about. I felt misunderstood, and was always trying to find myself, or find a right cliche to fit in. I never successfully found my own niche and felt like a floater, which I really didn't mind. As art educators, it's important to keep this in mind when sculpting lessons, or even when trying to make connections as teachers to students. Something that Ward and the radio production talked about incorporating in lessons with students was empathy. I thought that this was intriguing. I like the idea of having young students, think and reflect upon this concept. I think its especially important for middle students to think about empathy because this is the age where a lot of their morals develop. If empathy was more prominent within school systems I believe students would have an easier time relating to each other, and there would be less bullying. Overall, I feel like I have a lot of thoughts to meditate on, and felt it very insightful.