FULL TRANSPARENCY: An A/r/tographic Inquiry into Online Adult Watercolour Instruction

Abstract

This inquiry delves into the dynamic landscape of online art education, specifically focusing on watercolour pedagogy, drawing parallels between the unpredictable nature of watercolour and the challenges of teaching in the online art education context. My journey stems from personal experiences as an art educator who initiated an online watercolour painting course in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and aims to deepen our understanding of online art education's efficacy in fostering creative learning. Guided by questions exploring the reciprocal influence between making and teaching, I employ autoethnographic and a/r/tographic methodologies, intertwining my personal experience, creative practice, and pedagogy. By incorporating a/r/tographic renderings of metaphor and metonymy, I use watercolour painting terminology metaphorically to enrich the exploration of ideas—organizing the study as a narrative with a how-to format, blending text and visual imagery to create a nuanced and artful representation of my experience. These reflections contribute insights into the intricate relationship between making and teaching, providing a framework for me as an artist-teacher to design engaging online learning experiences and encourage reflective practices in the evolving landscape of online art education.