Mastering the Art of Success If you walk into Scottie 吀栀ompson’s classroom on any given day, you will feel the workings of students’ imaginations. 吀栀e space breathes creativity, from the sculptures sitting atop the windows to the paintings situated on easels around the room to the fabric pieces hung on the walls. Everything about the art studio showcases the original thought, 昀椀nesse, and brilliance of RCC’s art ap- preciation students, who come from all walks of life. O昀케cially called ART 111, Art Appre- ciation has become one of the most popular university transfer classes that is o昀昀ered at Robeson Community College. 吀栀e class satis昀椀es the humanities elec- “We talked about how art impacts our “When I started teaching this, I did tive required by most majors. world economy, how art can change not want my class to be boring,” stated “I give students an opportunity to do the economy, the role that art plays in 吀栀ompson as he went around the room hands-on projects if they are artistic, or history,” 吀栀ompson said. “It’s the role showcasing the various projects stu- if they are a great writer, they can write that art plays not only in our economy dents had completed. about the work, I give them options and in the United States but the world econ- I try to adjust each one of my lessons omy. Without new designs, new product “Collage, this is one of the projects we to the type of learner they are,” stated designs, it would cripple our economy do each semester, giving students an 吀栀ompson. “Some of these students are because people wouldn’t be buying opportunity to investigate their own so talented…I think that each student anything.” personal style,” he said pointing to a should be able to develop the best start painting. they can and then utilize what I teach.” 吀栀e class also presents you with new 吀栀ompson was presented with the High thoughts on art, showing its importance “And this was done by a student study- Five Award last March, a testament to in history. ing culinary here, she took the art his excellence in teaching. appreciation class, and she did this by “吀栀e only reason we know how people using some really great critical thinking “I was very excited about that, especially looked before photography was because skills…She reversed the developmen- since it was my 昀椀rst year as a full-time of portrait paintings and I never really tal process by 昀椀rst applying the bleach faculty member because I had worked thought about that until I studied art to this black piece of fabric, which is here part-time for 12 years in adult basic history myself,” 吀栀ompson said. actually a sheet, then a昀琀er she bleached skills,” 吀栀ompson stated. “I’m just happy out the fabric, she applied a series of to be here, and that our art program is If you’re older, the art appreciation class paint applications and contrasting going to grow. I’m just happy to be the at Robeson Community College is com- colors. Great color theory in this piece,” 昀椀rst time ever art instructor at Robeson pletely di昀昀erent than the art apprecia- 吀栀ompson stated as he was standing by Community College. 吀栀at makes me tion class you may remember from your the fabric (featured on the next page). very proud.” college days. 吀栀ere are not a lot of slides Students enrolled in the class learn a lot involved but there is a lot of hands-on In the future, 吀栀ompson hopes to create about art history, the di昀昀erent periods of learning involved. an Art Club at the college which will art, as well as the importance of art. help better serve students and give them an outlet to express themselves. 4