Managing the Art Room: Critique, Choice, and Connection

For many artists, learning about what others see in their work and applying that feedback is a big driver of artistic growth—except, of course, when it’s not. Have you ever had a critique that crushed your soul? Or one that just felt unhelpful and boring?

I’ve had both, but I’ve also had trusting relationships with colleagues and instructors who shared honest feedback with me that resulted in tremendous growth. These conversations were always with people I trusted and centered around topics I chose myself. Choice and connections were what made them meaningful. There is nothing like being part of a growth-focused artistic community. I want that sense of purpose, belonging, and learning potential for all my students.

Incorporating SEL
I had been trying different critique strategies in my high-school classroom for years. Then the pandemic happened and my school, like many others, shifted to building positive relationships through Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). As I began to use SEL intentionally and regularly in my classroom, I had a light-bulb moment.

The connection and community that developed from using SEL was exactly what was missing from my whole-class critiques. The other part that was missing was choice. How could I expect students to find relevance sharing their work in formulaic critiques based on what I thought was important? I set about designing a critique that was relationship-based, centered on each artist’s goals, and that emphasized individualized, meaningful feedback.

Building Positive Relationships
Before starting critique this school year, I spent a few weeks creating opportunities for students to get to know each other and build positive relationships. I did this by including brief daily opportunities for conversation among table groups and weekly SEL check-in questions with the whole class. By the fourth week of school, learners were getting to know each other and forming friendships, and I felt like I was developing an understanding of who my students are, both as artists and as people.

To ensure I was creating something valuable for all of us, I surveyed students, asking what they wanted in critique. Responses included “To hear something I hadn’t even considered,” “New ideas and a better final product,” and “Actual advice/feedback rather than just ‘I like how it looks.’”

Critique Conversations
I introduced the critique process on a day students had in-progress work to share. I started with a discussion about goals. We discussed students’ experiences with critiques and set our focus on students’ goals and learning and improving.

Next, we reviewed each step in the process and formed groups. The next part was hard for me because I really wanted to hear what each student said. Instead, I walked around the room and listened to bits and pieces of conversations, only interjecting when groups needed a reminder about the new critique process they were learning.
As the conversations ended, I asked students to fill out an online form with a short summary of the feedback they received and how they felt about it so I could assess how the process felt to the class. Their responses showed valuable conversations and meaningful comments:

“The people at my table said that they liked the composition and the shading within my blocking, but I could try to cover my paint strokes. I believe this was helpful because it helped me see the flaws in my piece and find new ways to make it better. My next steps are to work on the details and finish the color palette.”
“I received [feedback] that I should add a darker green for the leaves. I found it very helpful because I couldn’t find what was wrong with it until they brought it up. My next steps are to take their advice and go from there and finish it.”

Reflections
The survey responses showed me that it was helpful for students to hear what their peers thought. These reflections showed exactly what I was hoping for: kind, honest, valuable feedback that will help everyone both grow and feel like part of our community.

Since then, we’ve made critique conversations a regular part of the process. We’ve learned that they work best in small groups and that, once students feel comfortable talking to friends who sit at their tables, it’s good to find a peer to talk to who is less familiar with their work and can offer a new perspective.

The biggest benefit of introducing critique conversations in my classroom is that students choose to use the process independently as they ask classmates for advice. I see them seeking out feedback and giving it in return outside any formal critique I assign. They are applying learning in an authentic, meaningful way, and I couldn’t ask for more.