1. Women, Design, Art and Humor: Implications for K12 Teaching
Sheri Klein PhD, MFA
October 20, 2016
Art Education Presentation
California State University, Sacramento
Contact:

2. Intersection of humor and
Interior spaces
Product Design
Intersection of humor and art
Implications for humor in art & design in K12 teaching

3. Within the fields of design, design often tends to focus on the ‘serious’ aim of practicality and usefulness.
Humor isn’t a priority aim in most of design, but we do find it as a component in contemporary design associated with personal and residential spaces, and handheld and everyday objects.
Designed objects or spaces due fall into the category of visual humor--created with intent by an artist or designer to amuse and that results in responses of laughter, smiling, etc.

4. Merill Mason-women’s Bathroom @ Kohler Art Center

5. Preschool bathroom, Children’s Studio, Kohler Art Center, WI

6. Women's Bathroom, Kohler, Cynthia Consentino 2005

7. Product Design and Puns
Silk curtains
Nicholette Brunklaus
Louise Campbell

8. Chair with cover 2001 Florence Doleac
Right: Popcorn wallpaper and carpet 2006

9. Ana Mir, hair (wig) necklace
The line between those who work in design and studio art tend to blur as works considered design appear now in art museums, and artful designs appear in interiors (bathrooms), and as wearable art.
Ana Mir, hair (wig) necklace

10. Humor, Women and Art 
Women artists (associated within the studio arts such as painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, etc) have used many forms of humor, but in particular, are drawn to parody, satire and irony to speak about personal, cultural, political issues.

11. Comic Liberation……This article (and concept) is about the potential of humorous art works to engage, enrage, educate, challenge our beliefs and disrupt our thinking about art and humor in limited ways…..and in ways that can liberate us from limitations about self, and others.

12. Kay Walkingstick work from series Talking Leaves, 1994
Her work embraces satire, gender humor and ethnic humor.
Kay Walkingstick work from series Talking Leaves, 1994

13. Aline Kominsky Crumb Alex Bag
Her works utilize gender humor, parody, satire, ethnic humor, and self-deprecating humor.
known for her technically simple videos that address the entertainment industry and its various formats, but also the art system….romantic notions of the artist’s life, and she subjects these sources to humorous treatment.”
Alex Bag

14. Main forms of humor: parody, pun, satire, paradox and irony.
You can create these forms of visual humor through techniques of exaggeration, appropriation, disguise, hybridization of form, juxtaposition of incongruous ideas, materials and/or forms.
Contemporary art and design are places to begin to look for examples.
Examples of art and design by women provide opportunities to talk with students about gender and humor, and other intersecting issues and forms of humor.

15. Considerations for integrating humor on art and design into K12 curriculum:
Valuing humor and having a sense of humor is critical.
Expand your understanding about humor.
Collect humorous images and objects.
Consider student population/culture and community context

16. Extensions: Curriculum/Lessons applicable for elementary art education
Self-portrait: confronting stereotyping with humor (satire and irony)
Sheri Klein, Portrait Series, 2016
Create a humorous bathroom using concepts of paradoxical humor

17. Turn watercolor paper horizontally 8.5” (h) x 11” (w) watercolor paper
STEPS
MATERIALS NEEDED
Turn watercolor paper horizontally
8.5” (h) x 11” (w) watercolor paper
Find vertical center and mark lightly with pencil
Ruler
Pencil
Add your quote in pencil on either the left or right side of the paper
Eraser
Trace quote with Sharpie, and erase pencil marks
Sharpie
Watercolor pencils
Add color to quote portion of artwork using watercolor pencils, paintbrushes, and water
Water cups
Draw complementary self-portrait in pencil; add Sharpie over outline, if desired; erase pencil marks
Paintbrushes
Add color to drawing portion of artwork using watercolor pencils, paintbrushes, and water; work from background to middle ground to foreground