loving art, science and creative kids
8/26/2014 12:41:36 PM
Painting inspired by ee cummings. Each of us lives in our communities minding our business and doing our own thing ignoring the greater world.
Pretty How Town by ee cummings
" Anyone lives in a pretty how town / with an up so floating many bells down / spring summer autumn winter / he sang his didn't he danced his did... "
Remember the time you left home for college? It may have been the first time you were going to be without parents guiding your life. I remember it as a moment of great anticipation and excitement.
As a relatively sheltered child my parents did not want me to go too far from home so I selected a rural institution about 100 miles away. What a shock! I was a big city gal enjoying the richness of Philadelphia. My childhood included Saturday mornings listening to youth concerts at Symphony Hall and participated in programs at the Philadelphia Art Museum surrounded by great masterpieces. In general the city was my playground.
Enter college years! Dad introduced me to a small school because he had been a medical resident in the area. The college was known for liberal arts and pre-medical training and sounded good to me.
It was thrilling to learn that I was accepted and assigned a roommate. But what a surprise it was to meet the person who was going to be living with me. She was a small town girl who was raised on horses, went to demolition derbies and enjoyed skipping classes. I loved horses and thought derbies were exciting but her particular twist was disturbing. As amusement she and her friends would cover themselves with sheets and ride through their country club pretending to be the Ku Klux Klan. What type of person was this? I was horrified.
The boys at school were also different from those I knew at home. In the fall they came to classes with hunting licenses on their backs, ready to take off as soon as they were free. They attended fraternity parties with hazing rituals that would make my hair stand on end. In our dorms we could hear screams drifting from hidden locations across campus.
We girls were also subject to hazing. For our first six weeks we had to wear one yellow and one red sock, a name placard over our shoulders, and a beanie on our heads. At 12:30 each day we all attended a pep rally and demonstrated that we knew all the school and football songs. Orientation was not fun with sophomores closely watching the movements of every freshman. Apparently the goal was to make the freshman class become close and form a plan to rebel against the sophomores. Our class never did.
It wasn’t until the end of my freshman year that I finally broke through my wall of shyness. I was a dancer and tried out for a lead part in a homecoming spectacular. Much to my amazement I got the part. For the first time at college people started talking to me. I made friends and we got along.
I stayed in that school for the entire freshman year, transferring to Boston University as a sophomore. I loved my experience at Boston University but looking back I realize just how much I learned about rural America by participating in an environment with people who were so unlike me. Most were loving and caring—just a little different. Their values were not always the same as mine but by the end of the year we somehow managed to communicate and enjoy each other’s company. Going away from home—whether to further education, take a job, join the military, meet new people or learn to adapt to cultural differences—is life expanding. Travel abroad is one of the best gifts you can give yourself or your children.
These experiences remind of what Anatole France once wrote, that “Even a little dog is the center of his own universe.” Understanding these various centers make life rich. Learning to communicate and have discussions with people who are different is the best way to solve problems.
SCOTLAND by Marilynne
8/16/2014 2:53:57 PM
Do you set yourself up to experience joy or does angst get in your way and stop you from living life fully? Your goal may be joy but the inhibitor, fear is a natural survival instinct. It is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type of emotion having a good and bad side. It can be both rational and irrational, based on reason or on falsely learned behavior or superstition. Overcoming fear can open the way to the excitement and give you the high that comes from new experiences.
To the good, fear is motivating. Performing artists tell us that a small amount of anxiety before venue is important to a successful show. The adrenaline works to keep them alert and on top of their abilities. Lost your job and worried about not having food on your table? Most people speed ahead to find a new job, start a garden, find out where free food is available, fill paperwork for unemployment, or seek family help. We train ourselves for self preservation, sending our children to college so they can be employment ready. We save (hopefully), invest, and balance our bank accounts in case of a bad turn of events. When we succeed in our efforts we become celebratory.
Fear can also inhibit our actions. One of my family members will not travel to the tropics because he is afraid of contracting a tropical disease. Another friend refuses to talk in front of a group because of a negative childhood classroom experience. During my counseling days I worked in a community mental health center and met a man who could not get out of his car to go across the street to buy a quart of milk. His fear was overwhelming and he was miserable but after a series of desensitization sessions he was a most jubilant person. Life became good! He experienced a new type of freedom.
A colleague of mine influenced my life greatly. He had fewer fears than I and as a result was always open to new experiences. I, on the other hand, was shy when speaking to strangers (a trait taught at an early age). I did not feel comfortable traveling on my own, didn’t visit off the beaten track places, and wouldn’t take physical risks in activities such as river rafting or rock climbing even though I was physically fit. My life was controlled by the worry my parents instilled in me as a child and so I lived relatively risk free.
My friend, on the other hand, was thoughtfully adventuresome. He kept himself in good shape and knew the limits of his abilities so he was willing to get involved in physical activities others would call risky. His business involved calculated risks that he was willing to take even though there was a chance of failure. He had an entrepreneurial spirit and a zest for life.
While traveling he spoke easily to new comers, learning about their lives and their cultural differences. His ease as a conversationalist was a big help when he needed to find an inexpensive hotel, restaurant or tourist site. Language was not an issue because he was not uncomfortable using pantomime. In a restaurant, if he could not read the menu, he would ask to visit the kitchen to look at the food, and then he pointed to the dish. He discovered that most people on the globe are friendly, proud of their country and enjoy sharing tourist information. Watching my friend opened my soul to possibilities that I did not previously consider.
Work and recreation create opportunities for adventures for those not ruled by generalized fear. Yes, be smart and don’t put yourself in harms way but with preparation and the willingness to try new experiences you will greatly expand your horizon. Take a moment to examine your biases to determine if they are rational or irrational. Question media based fear and learn the facts on your own
My friend taught me to be responsible for my own adventures and not be controlled by insecurities. It has helped to identify goals along with inhibitors before developing a plan for action. Whew!! A lot to do, but what a reward when I succeed! And when I fail….at least I tried.
8/12/2014 5:02:34 PM
Running the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry was a high-stress job. I had to keep 350 employees busy with new exhibits, education programs and Omnimax films. Someone needed to develop and maintain the restaurant and the gift shop. Fundraising, also the job of the president, included soliciting donors, lobbing for legislative money and writing grants. It was a fun but very exhausting position, wherein I knew that I had to have an outlet to manage stress. I exercised and meditated but my mind was never clear of worry about work.
Fortunately for me, my artist husband came to the rescue and convinced me to take up painting. He actually made me an easel for Christmas and set me up with paints, saying, “Go to it!” At first I was really shy about painting in front of him since he was a successful professional artist. I did not want to take lessons and have to “learn the right way to paint,” because, frankly, that sounded like too much work. Instead I was encouraged to just paint, not to worry about what anyone else thought, and not worry about producing pieces worthy of sale.....
So I brazenly followed his advice and painted. I followed the techniques and styles of the masters and didn’t worry about being good. Often, I painted over the original art I put on the canvas, painting only for myself. My husband was wonderful, always complimentary, only offering advice when I asked for it.
Painting became an all-encompassing passion. It helped me keep my blood pressure low and my enthusiasm high. It is impossible to put a dab of paint or a line on a canvas and think about anything else. Try it. You’ll see what I mean. While painting, my mind is clear of daily concerns for I am totally absorbed in what I am doing.
I first started this hobby 25 years ago and have been at it ever since. Slowly, without realizing, I improved. Instead of always following the masters I began developing my own style. People started asking if they could purchase my paintings and I submitted some to be shown at festivals, winning awards and selling a few here and there.
Art has helped me see the world more clearly. Walking through the city or a country lane is a new experience with every step. I look at plants and houses more deliberately than before, noticing colors, shapes, unusual flaws and quirky images. I study eyes, noses, smiles, and shadows and consider how to portray a 3-D world on a 2-D canvas.
I am also aware of my own home’s interior decorations. At first, I put my art up everywhere. Then visits to art museums became part of my travel experience. After I became more knowledgeable and critical of what I was doing I started looking at works painted by other artists, buying their paintings and bringing them into my home. Summer street fairs became a search for the most unusual appealing piece of art. A swatch of color here and a mood changing image there has transformed my house into an eclectic gallery. It is fun to look at the pictures and sculptures, remembering the artists who produced them and the circumstances of the purchases. Friends love visiting and studying the variety of work that enhances our walls, sharing their impressions with hours of talk afterwards.
From time to time my grandchildren ask to paint with me when they visit. Sometimes we go outside with chalk, selecting an interesting scene to draw. Other times they slosh paint on paper mixing colors and images that match their own imaginations. Visits to art and craft museums give our family an opportunity to talk about what we like or don’t like, what the artist was trying to portray and how styles have changed over the centuries.
Yes, art is now integrated into my life at every level. Going into my studio creates a woman-cave where time stands still. Painting has taught me patience, not to be too self-critical and to realize that practice certainly is necessary for improvement. Most of all, it has shown me that having a passionate hobby is not only fun but good for your health. I recommend that you give it a try! You won’t be sorry.
