Theoretical Paper - webs!

Here are the webs (from both sections 011 & 021) that you worked on in class. They are posted in the following order:

• theories & theorists
• stages of artistic development
• other 

Arts Explorer #4: Looking for Patterns in Urban Settings & Nature

I found myself back at my friend Jacq's apartment looking for more inspiration. Everywhere we go, all around us, we are surrounded by patterns. But when you need to document these patterns for an assignment, for some reason it becomes more challenging to spot them. I think I was trying too hard to find classic patterns like stripes (hence the sock pic below) but when I asked Jacq what patterns she noticed in her apartment she pointed out all the squares, rectangles and angles framing her walls!

Jacq's living room.

I couldn't believe I didn't see it before! Patterns everywhere! I zoomed in for a closer look. 

How old is this thing? Was this pattern made by hand?

1) Braided money tree trunk, 2) green and blue
patterned glass sphere, 3) Radiator grates

Jacq's bedroom

Jewellery

Floral + Stripes

Pattern:

Patterns can be found in objects that have an element of repetition or commonality. As an Early Childhood Educator, it’s important to be able to spot how patterns are represented in children’s learning. Weather children are creating patterns in their artwork, understanding and identifying patterns in math or following patterns in music and dance, children need to develop these skills in order to better understand and describe the world around them. 

Arts Explorer #3: Art Critique

I’ve chosen a painting by William Kurelek titled Reminiscences of Youth (mixed media on board, 1968).

When I look at this painting I see the artist laying down in a bed listening to records. He’s on the move, travelling with a suitcase, poetry, and record player. The dimly lit room frames the bright chaotic and playful snow scene happening outside the window. Children are playing in the snow on a bright winter day. The blue sky and haystack serve as a perfect background for childhood memories. The children are lit up with smiles as they take turns sliding down the haystack and waving back to William. 

Our memories of our childhood can serve many purposes. One of those may be a way to recall simpler times when playing was a top priority. As adults, we often have to juggle priorities and play usually gets lost in the shuffle.

I live in Parkdale and when I make my way east I often pass by the redevelopment happening at 1001 Queen St. W. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is building a brand new hospital to serve clients and the community. The topic of mental health awareness has been buzzing around Toronto this month and so this is an opportunity to re-evaluate our views on addiction and mental health. We all feel stressed or anxious at some point in our lives. Priorities pile up and can feel overwhelming. The important thing is recognizing these feelings and understanding that mental health applies to all of us. So chill out, breathe, put on some records (or a playlist…have you heard the new Radiohead?) and daydream about the next time you’re going to get to play.

Check out CAMH’s website for updates on construction, volunteering opportunities, or to learn more about addiction or mental health

http://www.camh.net/education/Online_courses_webinars/mha101/index.html

Don’t forget about the Maharaja promotion-offering visitors 25 years of age or younger FREE admission to the AGO but only until April 3^rd, 2011.

The AGO is FREE all year long every Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:30.

To check out current exhibitions, click here http://www.ago.net/exhibitions

Balance:

The physical and emotional balance in a picture can influence the message or meaning behind an artwork.  In the painting above, Kurelek highlights both of these characteristics. The frame establishes physical parameters and also emphasizes two very different emotional states. The title suggests nostalgia associated with “simpler” times while highlighting the importance of mental health awareness. It’s important to recognize how children represent balance in their artwork and also their daily lives. Striking a balance between work and play should be at the top of everyone’s priorities. The photo to the right was taken in October 2011 on a walk with my dog Jager. I like to take him for long walks by Lake Ontario. I thought he appeared rather stoic in front of these Inukshuk's I stopped to admire. 

Be My (Belated) Valentine

Ethan's Valentine

Just wanted to share a valentine I made for my nephew. He's two years old and would probably be happy and satisfied to rip the thing apart but I'm sure he'll appreciate it when he's older (at least that's what my sister tells me).


I started collaging a few months ago. After the studio at the AGO was closed down for renovations, the gallery decided to clear out a lot of "junk" they had lying around. I claimed a box filled with National Geographic magazines from the 1970's. I've been on the lookout for more collage materials ever since. 

Arts Explorer #2: Instant Sculpture with Found Objects

I paid my friend Jacqueline a visit the other day. We got together to do some work. I find that I work way better when there is someone else in the room with me. It helps me keep tabs on myself and procrastinate less. 


I'm a big fan of Jacq's decorating skills. She always takes time to sift through second hand stores to find unique treasures that always have tons of character. Her apartment looks like a photo shoot stylized for Anthropologie http://www.anthropologie.com. I brought my camera with me to take some photos in her apartment because I was having trouble deciding on what to create my instant sculpture out of. 


I began taking a closer look at all the objects overflowing on her shelves. Below is a photo of what I assembled together. The handmade skull painted as a watermelon was given to her from a friend who liked to fashion themed skulls and give them to people as presents. The skull is wearing a fur hat that is part of Jacq's ever growing vintage hat collection. To the left, you will notice an elephant supported by a tiny wooden chair and a miniature wooden shelf adorned with a pink pig, gold coin, mini wishbones (that she bought individually at Preloved in Kensington Market) and various other items like a turned over plant, another mini elephant and some jewels. 


I call it Memories of Sweet Summer Death (I think the title reflects my longing for warmer weather)

Texture:
Texture is often associated with physical properties: how something looks and feels. In Early Childhood Education, texture plays an important role in sensory experiences, especially for very young learners that may still be learning to distinguish between soft, hard, smooth, rough, bumpy, flat, surfaces etc etc. In this instance however, I would like to consider texture as a visual property and highlight the light green painted on stripes rolling over the watermelon-skull. It makes me think of biting into a sweet juicy watermelon on a hot summer day. 
Is winter over yet?

Arts Explorer #1: My Creative Inspiration

Bob Ross

What does creativity mean to you?

This assignment is personally significant because as an Early Childhood Educator, I strive to encourage children to create and be creators. I plan and implement creative experiences for children based on my personal conception of creativity. From a young age, I would spend a 26 minute portion of my Saturday afternoon sitting in front of the television watching The Joy of Painting, hypnotized by Bob Ross’ voice, the television painting instructor. As he talked his way through paintings, descriptively characterizing strokes and paint effects, rhythmically dap-dap-dappling fall colours onto sycamore trees, I absorbed my earliest aesthetic integration. Now that I am older, I wonder what effects it had on my own personal conception of creativity.  Using a combination of words, sounds, and images, Ross had inadvertently taught me how to paint and encouraged me to be a creator. It was evident that I emulated Ross’ painting style when my art teachers and classmates commented that my paintings brought to mind, “…you know, that guy on TV with the afro.” As a result, this very early experience of linking words with images in an encouraging creative practice shaped my concept of creativity to include aesthetic awareness and the confidence to explore new ways of creating.

Creativity
Based on the work of Beghetto (2009), Csikszentmihalyi (1996), Fielding (1997), Lindqvist (2003) and Sternberg (2006), creativity is defined as a cognitive and social process that involves questioning and generating new ideas, concepts and/or the ability to create connections between already existing ideas or concepts. Although originality and novelty are often ascribed to these new concepts and connections, they are not an essential component of creativity. Creativity is not limited to the arts and applies to other domains such as mathematics, science and technology. Creativity is often associated with higher thinking; however, it is not limited to individuals that have been deemed gifted or score highly on intelligence tests. Although it is a trait one is born with, creativity, however, cannot be developed alone.

                                                          References

Beghetto, R.A. (2009). In search of the unexpected: finding creativity in the micromoments of the classroom. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 3(1), 2-5.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention.    New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Fielding, R.M. (1997). A Socio-Cognitive Perspective on Cross-Cultural Attitudes and Practices in Creativity Development. Australian Art Education, 20(1-2), 27-33.

Lindqvist, G. (2003). Vygotsky’s theory of creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 15(2-3), 245-251.

Sternberg, R.J. (2006). The nature of creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 18(1), 87-98.

I blog, you blog, Go BLOG!

Welcome to my first Go BLOG entry! So here we are, another semester and another year.


You are probably here because Creative Arts I - CLD 215 requires you to be but I thought we could branch out of our usual ECE realm into the blog sphere and use the internet to share our learning for all to see and use as a teaching resources. This will be a space for us to share our creativity, inspiration and learn together. Does that sound cheesy? If it does, too bad because it's true! So let's get started and link up with our fellow Ryerson ECE peers and have some (maybe even lots) of fun.


Dust off your imaginations and welcome to Creative Arts!