STEM vs. STEAM
The United States looks to innovation to ensure a prosperous future, yet innovation is still perceived as tightly coupled with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – the STEM subjects. Yet one can argue that Art + Design are poised to transform our economy in the 21st century, as science and technology did in the last century. We need to turn STEM into STEAM.
Traditionally, art and science have been perceived and treated as two separate disciplines that rarely connect or cross over. Recent thinking, however, challenges that preconception. Creativity can be key to the process of making scientific breakthroughs; equally, art can be inspired by advances in science and technology. When they are studied together, each can positively impact the other, provoking new direction to research, or stirring unexpected artistic expression.
This concept is not new; Leonardo Da Vinci is an early example of using STEAM to advance his scientific understanding of the world and develop his artist expression. Think of his Vitruvian Man , his drawings of the human body, and how he uses art and science to inform and develop both disciplines. And it’s the same today; Corvette designers used the manta ray as design inspiration for their cars, and art and music often inspired the stunning architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Conversely, scientists like Thomas Edison, the Wright brothers, Marie Curie, and Rosalind Franklin used creative and artistic steps to help move them towards discovery and invention.
To push this concept a step further, let’s include performing arts, such as drama and speech. Think of technical or persuasive writing. Those arts fit naturally into the engineering design process. To round this out, include creative planning, which encourages us to adopt a playful, inventive, artistic approach to problem-solving. It seems we could all use more of that in our lives.
Creativity is the magic that happens at the intersection of art and science. The acclaimed cellist YoY Ma refers to this as the ‘edge effect’, the place where two apparently diverse disciplines collide, provoking new blends and new ideas. The move from STEM to STEAM creates a place where new possibilities in art and science are made possible.
With STEAM, we can dispute biases that learning areas are separate and move past the “I’m good at math and science, so I’m not creative” way of thinking. This paradigm shift will revolutionize how we see problems and create a new way of thinking that is engaging, multifaceted, and inclusive, with diversity of representation and thought.
This is how it is in the real world, after all.
HIGHLIGHT
ONLINE-The Drawing Studio with Grace Emmet
Admission
$100.00 – Non-Member
$85.00 – Member
Summary
Four Mondays, beginning November 2
from 6-8pm
Description
This class meets online on Zoom at 6pm on Monday, November 2. Your class confirmation email will contain the Zoom class link.
This class is perfect for those who know the basics but what to develop their drawing skills and enhance their understanding of perspective, composition, depth, and form. This class will also cover some advanced techniques through both demonstration and application using charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil.
MATERIALS
-sketchbook
-drawing pad any size ranging from 9×12 -18×24 (what you are comfortable with in your home space)
-vine charcoal and compressed charcoal
-kneaded erasers
-chamois, smudge stick, or paper towel
-graphite pencils (a few ranging from B-H)
-colored pencils – make sure you have a white colored pencil (prismacolor is a good brand)
-objects for still lives (fruit, vases, flowers, fabric, etc)
ONLINE WITH ZOOM
You will need to be sure the Zoom app is installed on your device. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing a secure link to join the class.
You will be able to login 15 minutes before the class start time. We recommend logging in before the class starts to make sure you are settled in and ready to go when the class is set to begin.
If you are new to Zoom, please note that we will not be able to help with the app. It is strongly recommended that you navigate Zoom on your own before the class starts to get to know the mute and video settings. Try it out by talking with a friend or family member who has the Zoom app.
GRACE EMMET
Grace Emmet is a studio designer, a freelance illustrator, and a teaching artist. She earned her BFA in Illustration at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and now works designing wallpaper, wall decals, and other home decor items at a home decor studio outside of Boston. She is also one of the lead teachers of the Art Reach Program for middle school age art students at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. Grace has been building out her freelance career as well as showing in many local art shows throughout Massachusetts. She is well versed in a variety of mediums including digital art, acrylic paint, watercolor, graphite, and ink.
THANK YOU.