Ambiguity
Throughout the art process, students need to gain comfort with ambiguity. In a world that is constantly changing, being comfortable with ambiguity empowers one to learn skills that are adaptable to multiple areas. We are no longer living in the age of, “this is what you will do when you get older… so this is what you need to know to get there.” Employers are seeking individuals who are comfortable in evolving roles that change and develop as needs arise. The artistic process provides an environment to practice this. Through open ended problems with no predefined solution, the students are asked to create their own answers to complex problems, while raising new questions to investigate in the process.
What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers. -Matina Horner
Failure
Failure is often looked upon as a negative outcome in the form of a finished product instead of an integral part of a positive learning process. Throughout the artistic process, the students utilize the art and design process to try something, fail and make adjustments to succeed. The freedom to take a risk and fail is fostered by a caring empathetic classroom that focuses on the learning process.
“It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” – Bill Gates