#1169: Exploring Art Synergies with Computing: From Artist to Computer Scientist

Visual artists reason, process, and create all the time. We examine this process of art-making to reveal computational thinking (CT) practices and compare it with code-making, in hopes of better linking art and computer science (CS) together. Using a collaborative self-study method, four artist-researchers recorded and reflected on solving an art prompt and a coding question. We used interaction and thematic analysis approaches to analyze the recordings and reflections. CT practices were identified in both art-making and code-making, but art-making practices were not noticed as computational until collective reflection. This finding gives rise to a potential pathway for artists to see themselves in computer science by making CT visible in artistic practice.