I thoroughly enjoyed this assignment and had a difficult time
making myself STOP working on it long enough to post.
Patterns that Emerged
When looking at the qualities of those teachers that impacted me
the most in a positive manner, I found that I was most influenced by those who
demonstrated such a love for their field that it went beyond passion, Dr. Kathy
Unrath being at the very top of that list. I view those people as my role models.
I am also greatly influenced by random people with whom I feel a
special connection. I’m struggling with how to put this into words, but when I
find one of them it feels as though we were molded from the same mold or as if
I’ve encountered one of my people. This
connection transcends age, and gender, and involves more than them just being a
creative individual. Even if they are very different from me I value and treasure
their thoughts, this hard to describe link encourages me to broaden my
perspectives. Does that make any sense at all?
Surprises
When reflecting on the teachers and qualities which affected me, I was stricken with the realization that for most of my life that my art teachers weren’t really the ones I who influenced me much as a teacher. This came as somewhat of a surprise since I am, after all, an art teacher. There were some creative moments now and then, but for the most part they taught me about art and the processes and procedures of art making. I’ve included them in my visual lineage; however, most of them didn’t make the cut for the prestigious inner space that represents the heart of my tree.
Another surprise I uncovered was that when I had a negative experience, I tended to shut myself off to whatever it was in relationship to. Bad experiences with teachers led me to believe that I was bad at whatever they were teaching. Cases in point include wheel thrown ceramics, watercolor, and most sports. Even as a mature adult I have attempted to improve my skills in these areas and it makes me extremely nervous. I can’t relax; my mind is convinced
that it’s something I just can't do.
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| Though my tree gives the appearance of being complete, I believe there's still plenty of space and room for addition and / or embellishment. This tree will continue to grow as long as I live. |
WOW. wow wow wow. Each element of this lineage is so intentional and powerful the whole thing requires time to chew, because as I do, I see more and more connections between the choices you've made with materials and process with the meaning. The fact that you chose a body, no head and the feet (hidden? removed?? _______fill in the blank) My mind wants to weave stories beyond the explanation! One of my favorite aspects of what you've done is the "stitching" . I see everything connected to and influenced by everything else. The yarn, a line woven into a complex set of relationships, intertwined yet also defined by color, is an elegant solution to expressing interconnectivity. I can not wait to see what is to come!
ReplyDeleteDarn, just noticed a typo in my key and can't edit from work. Agh! The frustrations of being a perfectionist. LOL! Under negative experiences, it should read "I like to THINK of them..."
ReplyDeleteOh Sheryl! How wonderful this is! It is so you too! I love that it was so metaphorical! I got trapped in the literal, or in the idea of a family tree, and couldn't escape. I love that this is truly a work of art that could stand on its own for investigation. Yarn Bomb. Yes. (and have you heard this before? http://youtu.be/k3_KP6yUWEw)
ReplyDelete