1st Day of ART211 with Cat Thompson

Art & Technology clash, an ongoing topic for discussion
(Courtesy: The University of Iowa)

Hey! I am Matthew Chang. I am an International Business and Management major taking this course as it seemed most concurrent with the advancement of art as opposed to the many others. Art is not one of my strong suits, however, I do favor music and drawing when I have free time. Hopefully there will be time to cover these areas throughout the semester.

My first thoughts before beginning class was that it would follow the same constructs as any other art class I have previously taken. In high school and prior to that, the course would cover topics that were determined by a board of educators that deemed particular content important. More often than not, there would not be room for additional material chosen by students in the lesson plan.

Upon arriving to class and listening to Professor Thompson, I knew this would not be the case. She made it fundamentally clear that what we learn in class would be relevant to our daily lives and the influences it draws upon.  I am particularly excited to see how art has evolved from its most basic form to its most modern representation.

After concluding our first meeting, I left with a great sense of relief knowing that the class is instructed by a professor with an unconventional way of teaching. This creative approach will surely breach the gap that many other professors have a difficult time overcoming with their students.

The story of Dr. Cuero is a fine addition to the classic tales of struggling at an early age, striving for greatness and eventually achieving it. With 9 scientific inventions claimed in his name, it is no wonder why he is considered a revered microbiologist. His invention of a product that helps clean up oil after spills and discovery of a process, stimulating anti-oxidant production in plants are extremely helpful to many businesses as well as applicable towards an environmental effort. I agree with Dr. Cuero, in that to be creative you need to exceed preconceived notions of you by innovating and changing expectations. Many born into luxury are at a disadvantage as they are not challenged to find solutions to life's most basic obstacles, leaving them with only the most challenging which are left incomplete or unsolved. Learning inductively, new knowledge, is imperative for growth in addition to advancement of our society. His interview with Patricia Ross made it clear that many obstacles can be overcome as long as the individual sets realistic goals without the fear of failing and interacts with their surroundings creating new ways of thinking.

So far it seems to be a good start to the spring semester, I am looking forward to the next class.