‘Science is now discovering what artists have long understood: that nurturing our feelings is vital to the quality of our lives and that intellect and feeling are intimately connected.’ – Sir Ken Robinson
At the start of a new year I, like many others, reflect on the environmental, social and economic changes our world appears to so rapidly have been going through over the recent years and while good government leaders recognise that education is a top priority, I need to question if our education systems have prepared our children adequately to deal with our constantly changing world.
‘The social and economic costs are incalculable. At one end of the spectrum there are the huge numbers of people who are chronically disengaged at work or in school because they find it all pointless and unfulfilling. At the other are the jaw-dropping numbers who are critically addicted to alcohol, tobacco or drugs as a way of stimulating or suppressing their feelings.’ - Sir Ken Robinson in his most recent blog for The Huffington Post, As Science Turns Its Attention To Feeling.
I believe we desperately need the next generations to get smarter and more adaptable to successfully deal with these changes. The education plans of the past that relied on students all achieving the same answers doesn’t seem to be helpful anymore. Students must learn to think laterally, find many answers or solutions, create original ideas and new approaches to solving problems… and the only way I can see this being achieved is to change the focus and format of our current education systems.
We are the people we’ve been waiting for… we can find the solutions if we can change how we think.
I have been pleasantly surprised to find this recording by a young friend who I am watching grow. Creativity has been highly valued in her family and is nurtured daily alongside her academic and social growth.
I first met Lilia as a budding visual artist when she was only 8 years old and recently she opened the Operation Art exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW and spoke about how this program and the arts had impacted upon her life. Here is Lilia’s speech. She is a confident young teenager now who continues to be excited by life’s challenges. I am watching her grow in so many ways and constantly learn from and enjoy her achievements.
Are education systems adapting to meet the needs of students?
In the words of arguably, the most famous Aussie political slogan of all time… It’s Time!!!
Recently I asked a group of preschoolers to pretend they were taking a photo of each other. Every one of them confidently held their pretend camera away from their body to look at the pretend preview screen before they clicked. Gone are the days of putting your eye to a viewfinder!
Children use technology as easily as I used a pen and paper or read a book when I was growing up. My parents still read a newspaper to keep up with current affairs but I access news sites online or ‘google it’ while my 20something daughter relies on social media sites.
We live in a world where children are stimulated continually from the day they are born by technology… television, dvds, ipods, phones, cameras, image files, internet and so much more. When they come to school we ask them to sit quietly and listen to a teacher who has important things to tell them. It might be important but in comparison to the student’s ‘techno’ world it is usually not very entertaining… and we wonder why students are so easily distracted! How can we expect them to learn if they are not excited to be involved?
Education is about learning how to think in a variety of ways. Some subjects teach a student to follow procedures or research while other subjects teach problem solving, questioning and creativity. If our children are to develop their creative thinking skills, we need to offer opportunities for them to have a go. Creative thinkers often work collaboratively and understand that there can be more than one answer. Often they can see many solutions!
The following short video created by G&T middle students in the Dallas/Fort Worth indicates that change is needed and that technology is their answer… what do you think?
I am thrilled to announce the birth of a much loved baby!
Born from the creative marriage of the always inspirational John Kaldor and the prophetic and original thinking Edmund Capon, this incomparable duo appear to have reinvented my much loved Art Gallery of NSW with the addition of 3300 square metres new gallery space dedicated to a more contemporary feel… Thank you!
John Kaldor has always inspired and encouraged contemporary artists in so many practical ways. Remember when he brought Christo out in 1968 to wrap Little Bay! Well, once again, he is leading the way by exhibiting the Kaldor Family Collection in this wonderful, new, world class gallery space.
Do yourself a favour and visit Christo, the fabulous Bill Viola, Richard Long and an artist I only discovered recently, the amusing and inspiring Ugo Rondinone. This is a must see!
Video: ABC Arts Online
“Art opens my eyes to a different world” says John Kaldor,” and I say that art keeps me young”
Change. It has the power to uplift, to heal, to stimulate, surprise, open new doors, bring fresh experience and create excitement in life. Certainly it is worth the risk.” Leo Buscaglia
I have decided that it is time to steer my life in a completely different direction and follow a new passion… travel!
I love travel! I enjoy the event and the consequence. I love seeing new sites, meeting new people and trying to understand how a region’s history created cultural behaviours, apparel and wonderful culinary delights. I particularly enjoy observing how visual and performing artists interpret these events and so I want to taste each country up close. I need to wallow in the aromas of life, fill all my senses with creative experiences and… I would like to share this!
And so, my ongoing plan is to set up a travel business that will offer opportunities for women to discover the joys of travel in small groups and share in the adventure of a lifetime!
Where would you like to visit first?
The Traveler IQ challenge ranks geographic knowledge of cities such as: Vienna, Branson or Budapest by comparing results against 6,509,717 other travelers. Brought to you by TravelPod, a TripAdvisor Media Network member
I have left my job as Coordinator of Operation Art. I have loved every aspect of this position over the last 7 years and in fact some might say that I may have been a little obsessed… but that’s what you do with things that you love and believe in so strongly. Working as a teacher for 30 years has been rewarding but being allowed to use those skills creatively on such a unique program for the last 15 years has been a privilege and I would like to thank everyone who has worked alongside me. I am so proud of how far we have come!
Recently, I was sent an amusing vocabulary list (below) derived from working with a large government organisation. You can beat yourself up, you can smile or you can leave… I choose to leave smiling!
SALMON DAY: The experience of spending an entire day swimming upstream only to get screwed and die.
SEAGULL MANAGER: A manager who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps on everything and then flies out.
PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE: The fine art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work again.
BLAMESTORMING: Sitting in a group, repeatedly discussing failing aspects of a project and who is responsible.
PEDESTRIAN SUBMISSION: Annually, quarterly or monthly fills in forms using the correct font and type space requesting ongoing approval for previous requests.
CUBE FARM: An office filled with cubicles.
PRAIRIE DOGGING: When someone yells or drops something loudly in a cube farm and people’s heads pop up over the walls to see what’s going on. This also applies to applause for a promotion or birthday because there may be cake.
OH-NO SECOND: That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you’ve just made a BIG mistake eg: you’ve hit ‘reply all”.
MYSTERY BUS *my favourite*: The bus that arrives at the pub on Friday night while you’re in the toilet after your 5th red and whisks away all the unattractive people so the pub is suddenly packed with stunners and great intellects when you come back in.
“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.”John Lennon
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”Isaiah 9:6
Having recently remembered JL on the 30th anniversary of his death and now about to celebrate the 2010th anniversary of JC’s birth… it seems appropriate to wish everyone a Happy Christmas using the talented musician’s song alongside images of peaceful and happy events with friends and family throughout my year.
My wish is that we take Christmas into every day of the year because I think only then can we give peace a chance.
“We need Christmas because it helps us to be better people, not only in December but in January, June, and November.”Hugh W. Pinnock
Sir Ken Robinson, the world’s leading authority on creativity, is still questioning the methods born out of the industrial revolution that we continue to use to educate our children.
Recently a friend sent me the video below! Hallelujah! Sir Ken speaks AND I am given visuals! I could ask for no more…
I am a teacher with 30 years of experience teaching and my speciality is Visual Arts. While I appreciate a good artwork and quite enjoy hanging a few, I believe this subject teaches far more:
1. The choices children make about which tool to use, what line to draw, what shape to cut and onto what surface to apply… gives them the confidence to make choices at other times in other subjects and out of school.
2. When they began to understand that the idea that started in their mind doesn’t always transfer easily to a material or surface then they adapt their approach, change the tool, experiment with new techniques, observe mistakes, restart and sometimes even try something new … and they learn from each seesawing step… this develops their thinking skills and sometimes they even do that laterally. How creative!
As a student myself, I knew I learned things a little differently to many other children. I never thought of myself as academically clever and indeed often felt the things I enjoyed and did well were not important. Often I could see several possible answers and wondered why I was limited to only one as the ‘right’ one. I also needed to visualise ideas and see how they fitted together. For this I needed to ask questions and the more I asked then the more information I could visualise. However, I soon learned that if I asked too many then it was assumed that I didn’t understand a concept and this resulted in being given more work or a poor report card. I soon learned to parrot back the expected ‘right’ answer so I could get on with enjoying other things in which I was really interested. How many other children do this? How soon do they learn to ‘play’ school correctly? How soon do they get bored with the game with dire consequence?
Listen, watch and think for 11 minutes! Thank you RSA! Thank you Sir Ken!
”Dubito ergo cogito; cogito ergo sum. (I doubt, therefore I think; I think therefore I am)” Rene Descartes
Is it Art? Science? Creationist? Fantasy?
How can it help us? What can we learn? Does it have an educational purpose or is it purely for entertainment?
I find Theo Jansen’s creatures clever and mesmerising but is it an animal? It doesn’t reproduce independently from its creator! It doesn’t think for itself and is only reactionary. Is it art? Jansen thinks outside the square and his creation is beautiful but is it just too fantastical or popular to be considered an artform?
Is it a commercial product? Not yet!
Like all TED Talks I find these concepts challenging… so what do you think?
‘Bondi’s spectacular coastline is transformed into an interactive canvas as an estimated 400,000 visitors engage with more than 100 sculptures.’ Dr Andrew Bell SC
I love this annual exhibition because it’s always exciting to see how the artists use this extraordinary exhibition space.
'm.100901'
'Leaf Vessel'
'Bondi Venus'
'At The Table'
'The Adaptable Migrant'
'Splash'
'What Have They Ever Done For Us'
'The French Litter' detail
'Sea Cells'
'Transfiguration Link XXIII'
A soaked sculpture walker
Which artworks are symbiotic to this environment?
Which artworks encourage me to question context?
Which artworks exhibit beauty?
Which artists show quirky originality and make me smile?
What is unique about the form?
What materials have been used and how has an artist manipulated line and space?
In the past I have enjoyed sunshine saturated sculptures… but not this year.
On the first day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“We’ll celebrate and buy another beer!” On the second day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
Glockenspiel dancing figures
On the third day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Three pretzels please,
Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
On the fourth day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Let’s order sausage, Three pretzels please, Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
Five golden mass… well here’s three of them
On the fifth day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Five golden mass…
Let’s order sausage, Three pretzels please, Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
On the sixth day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Drink till the last drop Five golden mass…Let’s order sausage, Three pretzels please, Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
On the seventh day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Sing and dance together,
Drink till the last drop
Five golden mass…
Let’s order sausage,
Three pretzels please,
Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
Sing and dance together
On the eighth day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Jump up on the chairs,Sing and dance together,Drink till the last dropFive golden mass…Let’s order sausage,Three pretzels please,Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
Go to the beer hall
On the ninth day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Go to the beer hall, Jump up on the chairs, Sing and dance together, Drink till the last drop Five golden mass…
Let’s order sausage,
Three pretzels please,
Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
You wear a dirndl
On the tenth day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“You wear a dirndl,
Go to the beer hall, Jump up on the chairs, Sing and dance together, Drink till the last drop, Five golden mass…
Let’s order sausage,Three pretzels please,Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
We'll get ledenhosen!
On the eleventh day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“We’ll get lederhosen, You wear a dirndl, Go to the beer hall, Jump up on the chairs, Sing and dance together, Drink till the last drop Five golden mass…
Let’s order sausage,
Three pretzels please,
Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
Oktoberfest is party time!
On the twelfth day in Munich,
my new friends said to me,
“Oktoberfest is party time!
We’ll get lederhosen,You wear a dirndlGo to the beer hall,Jump up on the chairs,Sing and dance together,Drink till the last dropFive golden mass,Let’s order sausage,Three pretzels please,Scrap the glockenspiel,
And we’ll celebrate and buy another beer!”
THANK YOU MUNICH! THANK YOU FAMILY! THANK YOU NEW FRIENDS HERE AND OLD FRIENDS BACK HOME … FOR ENCOURAGING ME AND HELPING ME TO ENJOY THREE OF THE MOST INTERESTING MONTHS OF MY LIFE!
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