Thursday, December 15, 2011
Grabbing My Work by the Tail.....
Teaching can be an insidious business. As primarily an elementary visual art art teacher I hope to instill a sense of the wonder and appreciation for what I can only say is an outright passion. Fairly daunting when you think that if I am not successful, my knowledge will be completely lost to the next generation of visual artists. Worse yet none of my students may find what I have to say interesting enough to carry on in any capacity. Sounds narcissistic, doesn't it? But let's be honest, each one of us hopes to instill something into our society. Something that will live on...a permanent contribution.
So here is the rub. Lately I have been so engrossed in my teaching, that I have neglected my own creative process. While certainly there are those that can successfully teach art without being a practicing artist, I simply can't. My art making has become spotty. Of course I can always create things that are designed and executed with a fair amount of skill, but like riding a bike after many months, it's always a shaky start. And brilliance? Well, that has been a bit elusive. It requires time.
Sure I would like to have the discipline that I used to have. Set hours for studio every day, with no exceptions. Now it seems impossible. I often think that the successes of the past will never revisit themselves. So in my self-pity I decided to steal a grain of wisdom from someone else in the hope that it might give me the "kick in the pants" that I so desperately feel I need. That's when I came across this wonderful video by Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity.
Hopefully my genius will partner with me while I begin my "mule-ish" ways once again!
So here is the rub. Lately I have been so engrossed in my teaching, that I have neglected my own creative process. While certainly there are those that can successfully teach art without being a practicing artist, I simply can't. My art making has become spotty. Of course I can always create things that are designed and executed with a fair amount of skill, but like riding a bike after many months, it's always a shaky start. And brilliance? Well, that has been a bit elusive. It requires time.
Sure I would like to have the discipline that I used to have. Set hours for studio every day, with no exceptions. Now it seems impossible. I often think that the successes of the past will never revisit themselves. So in my self-pity I decided to steal a grain of wisdom from someone else in the hope that it might give me the "kick in the pants" that I so desperately feel I need. That's when I came across this wonderful video by Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity.
Hopefully my genius will partner with me while I begin my "mule-ish" ways once again!
Monday, February 28, 2011
A New Day, A New Creation
Lately I've been thinking about the best ways to incorporate art across the curriculum in my classes. I am constantly amazed by the ingenuity of the human mind in design, as well as science and math.
A couple of weeks ago the game show Jeopardy had human contestants competing against an IBM super-computer named Watson. From what I understand Watson and his 'superior intellect' have moved on from what was basically a parlor trick broadcast on TV to diagnosing patients at the University of Maryland. This is both fascinating and disturbing. Very reminiscent of the movie I, Robot.
So what is missing from Watson? Biomorphic movement.
Dutch sculptor Theo Jansen is in the process of solving this little problem.
Jansen uses technology in order to replicate the movements of living beings. He calls his creations "animals", presumably because they are self fueling, can store energy, and avert perceived threats. Mr. Jansen even gives his creations faux-scientific names like the Animaris Umerus, and claims that each animal will become extinct when a better design 'evolves'. Eventually Jansen claims that he would like herds of these beasts to roam the beaches of his home country.
The question is: At what point will these two technologies merge? When will we create an 'animal' that can self-diagnose , repair and (dare I say it) replicate?
And just as important, what are our options for using this technology?
A couple of weeks ago the game show Jeopardy had human contestants competing against an IBM super-computer named Watson. From what I understand Watson and his 'superior intellect' have moved on from what was basically a parlor trick broadcast on TV to diagnosing patients at the University of Maryland. This is both fascinating and disturbing. Very reminiscent of the movie I, Robot.
So what is missing from Watson? Biomorphic movement.
Dutch sculptor Theo Jansen is in the process of solving this little problem.
Jansen uses technology in order to replicate the movements of living beings. He calls his creations "animals", presumably because they are self fueling, can store energy, and avert perceived threats. Mr. Jansen even gives his creations faux-scientific names like the Animaris Umerus, and claims that each animal will become extinct when a better design 'evolves'. Eventually Jansen claims that he would like herds of these beasts to roam the beaches of his home country.
The question is: At what point will these two technologies merge? When will we create an 'animal' that can self-diagnose , repair and (dare I say it) replicate?
And just as important, what are our options for using this technology?
Sunday, December 24, 2006
A Holiday Break?
Ok......So it's been a long time since my last post. So many things have been happening. I have successfully conquered another semester. I think it was successful anyway......again, the shadow of impending doom is never far. I have all too much to do over our 2 1/2 week break (that's right, 2 1/2 weeks!) and I'm not too sure that I will be able to get it all done. I need to catch up on filing and grading, not to mention writing my syllabus for the spring semester printmaking class. I know that I can get it done, but I just hope that I get it done in a relatively timely manner so that I can enjoy some of the break. So far it looks unlikely. Well on that note, I shall return to the ceremonial wrapping of the presents. I have been putting it off since it is quite possibly the most boring of all of the holiday festivities, rivaled only by the addressing of envelopes. Admittedly, I haven't done that either. Take heart those of you who tend to put things off, some of us have raised procrastination to an art form! Merry Christmas to all and the happiest of new years! God bless us.......Every one!
Monday, October 16, 2006
More Exciting Surprises!
I know that I haven't posted in a while, but as usual life is moving a bit too quickly for me to comfortably keep up. In addition to starting my second year teaching art at Urban Community School on Cleveland's near westside, a few months ago I was asked to be an instructor to Ursuline College's Accelerated Program to teach an Inroduction to Graphic Design course. This is such a perfect opportunity. Each course is only five weeks long, so it fits in to my schedule neatly. OK.....so everything is great.....and I'm plugging along.......fairly satisfied with life. Then came the show at True Art and the Snap to Grid Show at LACDA. Great! Right? Well, apparently the plan for me continues. Ursuline College (my proud alma mater) has just asked me to join their regular adjunct faculty as a printmaking instructor, as if that's not enough.....holy cow...another show! I will be showing next month in a group printmaking show at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland. I am very excited to be showing with some fabulous printmakers, including Pat Fallon and Bob LaCivita, who were my professors in college. There is a small glitch however. I have only a vague idea of were Lakeland is, so if anyone is reading this that lives out there, please place a large arrow in the general direction of the college on your porch. Apparently the saga continues......
Monday, September 18, 2006
Now what?
So, my show is up and the opening was terrific. Shari has some wonderful work. I think we are really on solid ground with the work that we are doing. True Art is a terrific gallery. They have truly done wonders for us. They were so wonderful with every detail. Scene Magazine referred to our show as a "Gold Mine", due in large part to the wonderful backing of the gallery's owners. If you are in Cleveland, stop by. Any show that may be in there is a good one!
So now it seems that everything is going well. Heck, I've even have stumbled on a new body of work. So any artist would just sit back and leisurely enjoy the fruits of all of the hectic activity that took place prior to the opening, right?......UGH....Now I find out that I have yet another opportunity to show, which I would love to do, but the work needs to be in before the 29th. The problem is, teaching is taking so much time, the school year has started for my kids, and next month I start teaching my first college course. So I am nuts. It seems that as much as I am relieved when there is a lull in my crazy life, my anxiety over the prospect of having no work (holy cow, will I EVER get another show?) is equally as great. After all, aren't we all afraid.....No matter how many successes that we've had....That we may fall short? Don't we all as creative people wonder if the muse we had relied on for so long is dead, or perhaps worse, mortally wounded?
The past few years have held so may surprises for me. So rather than let anxiety wash over me, I think I'll grab my board and ride the wave.
So now it seems that everything is going well. Heck, I've even have stumbled on a new body of work. So any artist would just sit back and leisurely enjoy the fruits of all of the hectic activity that took place prior to the opening, right?......UGH....Now I find out that I have yet another opportunity to show, which I would love to do, but the work needs to be in before the 29th. The problem is, teaching is taking so much time, the school year has started for my kids, and next month I start teaching my first college course. So I am nuts. It seems that as much as I am relieved when there is a lull in my crazy life, my anxiety over the prospect of having no work (holy cow, will I EVER get another show?) is equally as great. After all, aren't we all afraid.....No matter how many successes that we've had....That we may fall short? Don't we all as creative people wonder if the muse we had relied on for so long is dead, or perhaps worse, mortally wounded?
The past few years have held so may surprises for me. So rather than let anxiety wash over me, I think I'll grab my board and ride the wave.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Mine: Images of Descent
For my many fans (thanks kids!) as well as other parties who may be interested, here's the information on my lastest show. Feel free to drop by and sign the book!
Mine: Images of Descent
new works by Shari Jamieson and Mary Weimer Green
True Art Gallery
410 East 156th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44110
Opening Reception September 9th, 6 -10pm
(OK... so you may have missed it)
Regular viewing hours areThursday to Friday 5-9pm, and Saturday and Sunday 1-5pm.
OK.....so here goes.......
OK, so my friend Shari has been dogging me to start blogging. Why? Will it bring me some internal liberation that will somehow trump my sometimes uptight self? I doubt it. But, I chose to plow ahead into the unknown with the promise of possibly meeting people with similar interests and viewpoints, or perhaps even more exciting.....meeting people with conflicting viewpoints and divergent interests! OK, Shar, here I am, globally exposed. Perhaps I will be found to be an unappreciated genius (gee, that'd be nice), or possibly (and more probably) My fate is to be the village idiot on a much grander scale. Either way......here goes.......
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