DoDEA Far East Creative Expressions
As a long-term substitute teacher for high school art classes, I had the opportunity to attend this competitive art event as an instructor. In my application, I noted that photography was my strongest medium, so I worked closely with students in that area throughout the week. It was a rewarding experience, and I truly enjoyed supporting the students while also feeling inspired by their creativity and growth.
Meet Shinya, the Temple University Professor that guided us throughout the week. He explained to the students that their goal for their final project was to take images that went together as a cohesive project. Then he guided us through the streets of Tokyo.
And Nico, the recent TUJ graduate that also helped teach and guide the students.
Consulting his tummy for restaurant recommendations.
Tonkatsu, good choice!
We also had Mr. T, the digital photography teacher at Kinnick High School.
Day 1 was shot on my cell phone. I wanted to focus on helping the students, so I left my camera behind. After helping them with a few settings, they became pretty independent. Mid-morning I got separated from the group, so I stopped by an amazing coffee shop on my way back to the university, thanks to a recommendation from our high school music teacher.
We visited a temple dedicated to cats. Legend says a cat once lured a shogun into the temple, pulling him away from a lightning strike and saving his life. Since then, the cat has been seen as a symbol of good luck.
After that, we walked through the Boro market. The elderly in Japan really fascinate me, pushing carts full of flowers, buying their “Japanese secret to youth” matcha, and casually carrying a samurai sword in a backpack.
Day 2 was spent walking from Shibuya to Takeshita Street. I photographed whatever caught my eye, the streets, the details, and especially the people. I couldn’t help but wonder about their lives. Do they call this endlessly crowded city home, or are they travelers passing through like me? I wish I could speak their language, I’d ask so many of them to tell me their stories.
I also photographed the photography students along the way. They were all there with the same goal, yet each person brought a completely different perspective. Seeing everyone’s final images was fascinating, despite walking the same path, the photographs were distinctly different.
Days 3 and 4 were mostly spent with the students as they wrapped up their final projects for the gallery show. It was a much more relaxed pace for us instructors, far less walking. I was able to spend some extra time with the students I brought from our school, including my daughter, Patience. We went to see the trees lit up with Christmas lights, ate at Shake Shack (so American), and picked up breakfast for the final day.
From Edgren MHS, Patience competed in digital art, and Alexia in drawing. I couldn’t have been prouder of them. They both poured so much effort and thought into their work, and the results truly showed.
