Week 7: Oct 13-19: Weintraub, Linda To life! Eco art in pursuit of a sustainable planet: Read: Red Earth; Pedro Reyes; Tomás Saraceno; Simon Starling; Gerda Steiner and Jörg Lenzlinger; Tavares Strachan; SUPERFLEX; Reverend Billy Talen; Tissue Culture & Art Project; Lily Yeh; and Marina Zurkow (pp. 253-318)
Our last week on Weintraub. I hope you have enjoyed the variety of methods of engaging that these artists have demonstrated to us. It's as if art has become a sub-category in the midsts of even larger issues and topics. Is poses questions like what can be artlike? What methods and ways of making art have mattered? which still matter? And I feel re-grounded to the earth.
Let me remind you about semester projects. Most will end up as works-in-progress--in other words, you will begin them and not finish them this semester. I am hoping you chose something that is of most interest to you so you will continue and carry on with the work. That's the point. I remind TTU undergrad students that as a teacher, I never want to make any art that becomes landfill. And, what that means for me in terms of rethinking a lot I was taught. How can I be kinder to myself and the environment.
And many of you are already rethinking what you might want to do--that's part of the process. From where a project begins...to how it evolves...to how it ends...if it ends. Remember ours will be works-in-progress. Ideas you will begin. They do not have to finish. They may stay at the idea level--and maybe end there as well. When I think about writing and making art, my initial attempts and ideas are rarely what I end up with. So, be kind to yourselves. Do/Start something that really matters to you. Sometimes those rules have yet to be written--you will be writing them. Some of us posted about stewardship and the land. I remember everybody had a garden while growing up in my very neat and orderly white working class neighborhood. Gardens are making come back because gardens make sense--and connections back to the earth. Gardens ground me. My dad might be amazed at how I work with the earth to give and give back.
Ideas for projects: Has anyone thought of a project, short-term, of documenting your own waste for a month; or where it goes. James and others posted about this. Document your local land fill. Maybe interview some people who work there. Simplicity. Start at the beginnings of things. When we are asking questions such as What is Art? we negate all of the multiple cultural and geographic explanations for "making" however it is defined. James observing recycling--that can be a project. Document it. Write about it. Take photos or make some art. A few have posted that they see "something sort of beautiful about waste"--one could do a photo essay documenting one's own waste or recycling. Use audio. Create a few audio blogs. That's a project. Or, how could we use smells? Or, if you are thinking very literally art-wise, create a small post-card-sized or trading card size something--collage, watercolor, etc. Or create a trading card set of what you throw a lot of away.
You could take a picture every day of something for a month, etc. Keep in mind, that you can begin something that you will only be at the beginning of at the end of this semester--that is perfectly fine. Just recall and note all of the different ways--METHODS of doing research--that these artist employed and deployed. Art is only stagnant in our minds. Yes, there is always disciplinary blendings as many of us have posted about science and art, for example.
NOTE** Always keep posting in the current week as you are doing for any late posts. There is never any shame or blame. We are all busy with our lives, teaching and learning. Just post as you can.
Some ending thoughts...As we come to the end of our first book, keep in mind that the methods/strategies used, are examples of possibilities and does not include everything. You may use biography or autobiography as your methods or some of the multiple methods you will use. An idea for you might be to juxtapose your two worlds you have experienced as a teacher. When I think of using human waste to if, for some reason, you are dong something really personal and need to be private about writing, send me an email letting me know. Anything is possible. I just want all of us to share in our learning and asking and researching, if possible.
Also, don't think about creating something new and big--no need to do the impossible. Think small and local. Look in the mirror. It may be about you. Always use "I"/"i" language. Maybe what you start with is an image inventory. Your final blog piece does not have to be this one. You can change your mind. I expect many will. Just start to think about what interests you. How might that connect to multiple methods we are reading about? What other methods might you use? Theory is big ideas about the world. Methods are simply ways of collecting data or making art. Don't be afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. I do not expect you to be an expert. You are not in competition with these artists. I want you to begin at the beginning, if that is where you are. And no need to think about finishing anything...
Some ending thoughts...As we come to the end of our first book, keep in mind that the methods/strategies used, are examples of possibilities and does not include everything. You may use biography or autobiography as your methods or some of the multiple methods you will use. An idea for you might be to juxtapose your two worlds you have experienced as a teacher. When I think of using human waste to if, for some reason, you are dong something really personal and need to be private about writing, send me an email letting me know. Anything is possible. I just want all of us to share in our learning and asking and researching, if possible.
Also, don't think about creating something new and big--no need to do the impossible. Think small and local. Look in the mirror. It may be about you. Always use "I"/"i" language. Maybe what you start with is an image inventory. Your final blog piece does not have to be this one. You can change your mind. I expect many will. Just start to think about what interests you. How might that connect to multiple methods we are reading about? What other methods might you use? Theory is big ideas about the world. Methods are simply ways of collecting data or making art. Don't be afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. I do not expect you to be an expert. You are not in competition with these artists. I want you to begin at the beginning, if that is where you are. And no need to think about finishing anything...
Just a few notes from last week's posts: Debbie posted about slowing down, to observe and think--and used her wonderful example of Italy and living with locals. Angela posted how she "like[s] being on the edge of the unknown." Chase posted about diving into research and noting it takes time and he developed an assessment of 1/3 grade involving research and planning. As for the artists creating around death, are you aware that 100 years ago 90 percent of us died at home and today 90 percent of us die in institutions? There were methods and specific models for mourning. Often, the dead were on display in the pallor for a week prior to burial and flowers were used to cover smells. Check our Jessica Mitford's, The American Way of Death (Revisited). Very interesting topic. James posted about blacksmiths--two years ago in Junction, a blacksmith came through and "smithed" and gave demos to us--was incredibly interesting. He made some nails and other objects.
1. Red Earth
ReplyDeletemethods: performance/social practice/public/deep ecology/human ecology
Ritual; studied past ecologies; prayer, trance, ritual, divination--
Hambledon Hill; performance and equinox.
2. Pedro reyes
methods: sculpture/photo/video/generative/social practice/installation/public/design/conservation/social, restoration, urban, and human ecologies
Pistols to spades. Reduce urban violence/Protect eco systems.
3. Tomás Saraceno
methods: photo/generative/installation/design/conservation/ecosystem ecology
Green photo processes. Non-human forces. His disappointment opened up new possibilities. "There is beauty in accepting change."
4. Simon Starling
methods: paint/sculpture/performance/photo/installation/conservation/
human ecology
Energy follies. Internal engines/Excess heat. Cactus vs car/Nature vs man.
The idea is not for us to compare ourselves and what we do to these artists. We are accumulating histories and data. What stands out for you from this group? Is it eco approaches (methods)/genres? Is it the art strategies? Or the eco issues?
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Delete(Week 6) Ji Yun –Fei really spoke to me as I am currently living here in Beijing, China. As a foreigner looking from the outside in, I see what Yun-Fei is talking about. There is this dissociation that happens with Chinese people. They barely hold to the beliefs of Confucius and Taoism as they march forward to economic revolution and modernization. Here in China information is closely monitored. You will hear news reports of murder, theft, rape, or criminal activities. But there is never a follow up or a conclusion. Anything that shows a loss of Face (miàn zi) will immediate be swept under the rug. You can honestly tell the season here in China by the pollution spewed out by these factories. As we head into winter the pollution is starting to lay heavier in Beijing as poor people and factories start burning fossil fuels. Going out into spring you can definitely tell your heading out of winter as there are more blue days than grey. For the longest time the people here were told that the pollution was just fog. I remember talking to one of my older students about how Yao Ming mentioned that in the history books when he was in school it talked about how talked about how poor America was. But when they started allowing the NBA games to be aired in China it didn’t match what he learned in school. They vehemently denied that that was the case. It all goes back to miàn zi. Anything that makes China look bad is not good.
DeleteEduardo Kac’s innovative approach to painting spoke to me. The fact that in his paintings he was able to show physical evidence of life and death. How we interact with the environment around us on an unseen scale. I like his idea of the “I-it” conventions. How he is trying to break the stereotypical interactions/ communication between viewers and paintings. I love that he wants painting to be more than just unidirectional. I feel that art is meant to be interacted with. I think with the creation of museums we established this idea that art should be viewed and not touched.
Jae Rhim Lee made me shutter a little. On a certain level I find it fascinating, on the other I was a little turned off by this. Her work with urine transported me back to 8th grade science class hearing from my friend about his teacher who drank a beaker of her urine in class to talk about survival and filtration. Even then I was turned off by that idea. I know that in many places and products people use animal waste as fertilizer for good crops. But the idea of using human waste did not sit well with me. I agree with James that there is this scared idea behind death and burial.
Viet Ngo had me at the first line “We humans are like little brats.” I loved that the work that he does is answering a problem, yet offering things in affordable manner. His focus is on the holistic approach. He is correct in saying that as a global society we need to reach out to others and make friends. That what we do here does not just impact us, it also impacts other parts of the world. I felt a call when he said that by linking with others we get each other’s power. Together we can make the Earth a beautiful place or an Eden together. I think many artists have this idea that making and creating art is a solitary endeavor.
What’s missing? I think Viet Ngo said it clearly. “Pessimist work alone…. We lack togetherness as a race, a species.” For too long we have been trying to fix our problems alone. Especially in this current political time we are lacking cooperation and collaboration.
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DeleteReye's Palas por Pistolas was really fascinating to me. I find the symbolic and practical facets of the work both intellectually and emotionally inspiring. Never being drawn to the confrontational energies of protest, I was inspired by his words of activism: “I am most interested in creating new regenerative driving forces. Resistance means you are using energy to oppose an existing force. I want to use energy to create a new driving force.” The positive message he exhorts is captivating. It makes me feel small and feeble, in terms of my daily actions and energy expenditures; however, it is revitalizing in its simplicity and empowering imagery. I admire his ability to coordinate and inspire others to contribute their personal resources in such a meaningful pursuit.
DeleteStarling struck me in a completely different manner. His works looms as a belligerent shadow to the paradox of contemporary humanity. At first viewing/ reading, I felt it seemed silly and wasteful in meaning and creative energy. By the end of his section, Starling's work had sunk in and really hit home. I think seeing yourself goaded in art can be a powerful experience. It made me think of Michelangelo's Last Judgment. I saw myself in all my absurdity, flayed, being used to power my own destruction.
Damn this class for its provocations! I work very hard to ignore the wastefulness of my daily pursuits. The countless hours of my decadent folly could have been used to reap and sow beautiful driving forces. The unimaginable resources (bodies, minds, passions) that are wasted in our current civilization could be used to sustain and save. I'm not sure if I will ever have the courage to achieve great goods, like Reye's, but I know that something within me has rekindled; it is a good thing and I want to tend its flame. As an artist, I didn't particularly care for much of this book, but I fear it has changed me forever.
Pedro Reyes' works serve as great inspiration for me when reflecting on the power of art. Seeing the community, manufacturers and artists come together was cool. I think it was interesting that he was able to run soap opera-esque commercials to inform the public of the gun-surrender program. The chain of events he spurs is incredible. I wonder how a project like this would play out in an urban neighborhood in the U.S. We all have seen what gun violence is doing to our communities. One thought of Reyes' that stayed with me was “the key thing about ecology is not the relationship between man and environment. It is the psychological forces that lead to change in attitudes and selfish everyday behaviors.” When the audience is actually moved and feelings are provoked, change can happen. I think fear is the primary feeling that gets people thinking. Maybe it evens evolves into a panic. Simon Starling also focuses on the chain of reactions. An visible and active change of energy accompanied by the results is needed to inform the public. In this case it is in a gallery setting and the viewers are left to think about the situations presented.
DeleteNigel- You say “we are lacking cooperation and collaboration” in this day and age, and I totally agree. A few others also mentioned how everyone is constantly after their own agenda and the politics of things often get in the way. I am wondering when the majority of the population will wake up and get our priorities straight (our planet being the main one). I feel that art can bridge the communication gap between groups of people, whether they be politicians, celebrities or people like you and I. We all need to come together somehow.
(week 6 post) Yun-Fe Ji’s chapter was heartfelt as he described the tragic so called “progress” of China and the people of the Three Gorges region. We all became invested because we can relate to family, traditions, belongings, homeland, etc.. We emphasize with these poor innocent people. I agree with James and Chase’s posts although my thoughts during the reading couldn’t help but reflect on the exile of the Native Americans and their homeland. We (white man) disregarded all respect for their valued land and resources and instead displayed limitless greed and arrogance. The artists’ scroll also was redolent of Picasso’s Guernica. Lastly, Ji’s artwork has deeper significance because it was created by someone whose heritage is Chinese. I firmly do not believe it would have carried the same value and respect if created by an outsider. Native American art depicting the struggles conveys more credibility when created by an artist of Indian heritage. Should eco artists create art from their own country? Would it have more validity?
DeletePedro Reyes Palas por Pistolas, was not just an installation piece to me it was mixed media performance piece. It involved so many different layers and steps to come about. You had people turning in weapons, the media running TV spots, a collector contributing money, and a factory melting down the weapons and forging them into shovels. It spoke to me in that it not only saved lives, but it created life, and stopped corruption.
DeleteI read what James wrote after reading the article about Reyes. Not only was I laughing at the commentary at the end, but also him using all my same talking points. Thanks for stealing my post, James.
DeleteThis article really was incredible and probably my favorite so far. The war on drugs is much more real than Americans know and are being led on. I have many friends and family who are either in Mexico, from Mexico, border towns so I constantly hear stories involving this drug war. Obviously, there is a huge demand for drugs here in America and a huge demand for guns in Mexico. The perfect storm for drug trafficking and constant illegal commerce between the 2 countries. The cartels target anyone who is against them or has money. Good people are forced into illegally getting guns in order to protect their families. I don't know what the right answer for fighting the drug/gun war is, but Reyes sure had an impressive approach to it.
My favorite part of the story was when he spoke about protest. Very few people want to come up with any constructive solutions. It is much easier to complain. I feel like many of our modern protests are in the spirit of complaining and not change. Or thee people that just want to be apart of something so they join a meaningless protest. Reyes shows the effectiveness of positive energy to "create a new driving force" instead. I want to turn that whole quote into a motivation poster for my room. It will be the first one so everyone will read it.
Reyes has not only inspired me, but has given me more ideas for how to approach my own ideas for social projects. I think this would make for a great read with my students to motivate them to creatively create awareness.
I forgot to add this when I got on my Drug/Gun War soap box. A while back I saw an awesome video by VICE, the HBO documentaries. This one is about the Morman-Mexican War? Say what? Yes. You have never heard of it, but it is a thing and it is seriously intense. Non-violent Mormans in a colonia south of the border who are standing up against the cartels.
DeleteWatch it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpIyaIHsJbc
You guys are right- Reyes is a genius! I am going to read this one over and over again. The wheels are spinning. I couldn't understand why you were going on about this story, so I read it just now. I would like to learn from his approaches and try to apply some of that creativity in the It's Your World project I'm doing with my students. I, also, love how he talks about redirecting energy. I would like to copy this story, distribute it to my students, and have them read it then discuss. How beautiful it is that he has created something that can be duplicated without his hand being directly in it. How creative, yet seemingly so obvious, it was to use emotions and psychology to spread a message. What a different an approach can make on an outcome and it's effectiveness.
DeleteI was thinking tonight about how my students (and I!) have never seen a landfill. Have any of you? I would like to take a fieldtrip to our landfill so that we can get a grasp on the scale of our waste. Perhaps I can get some good photos while I'm there and use them for my artwork/project here. I think it would be interesting to put them up at the exhibit we have so people can really see what is here. I wonder if they would allow my students and I just to see the place. I think I will call tomorrow..
Red Earth and Reverend Billy in some ways reminded me of the performance by southern backwoods preachers who went to great lengths to bring the followers into a place of spiritual enlightenment and conversion. Such as handling snakes and drinking venom to show the healing power and protection of God.
DeleteFrom the description of Enclosure, I could feel the wonder and power in the words of the author when describing the power that the performance had on the people and on the performers. I got a sense of the grandeur of the performance but wonder if it could have been achieved without such fanfare. How would the performance have been different if it just had one drummer taping out a rhythm or played on a bone flute. I read that bone flutes were around in the Neolithic period. I still felt that they could have honored the site and grounds more by using instruments that would have been around during that time.
I enjoyed reading about Reverend Billy Talen but I wonder if the introvert inside of me just cringed at the thought of such a public display of art. I have a bad taste of this style of performance because this was a tactic used by street Evangelist preaching hell and damnation. It actually made me want to run farther away from religion than join the cause or convert. I also felt a sense of shame because this wasn’t how I felt that God intended for his message to be preached.
(Week 6) I feel that having the students think about the past helps them understand the present and the future. I teach elementary and the students have a hard time understanding the past unless it is directly related or involved with their culture. They do not have the experiences or the opportunities to get to travel or even leave their community sometimes. I try to give them experiences and information about other cultures. I want them to ask questions about everything. I love it when ask 101 questions. My favorite is WHY? Sometimes getting the students to think about their past is hard at such a young age. They are so into the now.
DeleteIt took me a few more days that I anticipated to get through these readings but I'm glad I finally did! Rev. Billy Talen's mission is amazing to me. I really really enjoy the theatrical parody of it. Growing up, I always wondered how people worshiped and followed those big-wig preachers...with their huge hair and shiny bling on their fingers. They didn't seem real to me. I guess they really weren't, they were all frauds. Rev. Billy Talen takes their tactics and uses them to fight for Earth. Getting banned and restrained from Starbucks is awesome. On the topic of Superflex, their “Ikea model” is smart. It makes what they do easy to communicate, use and take for personal meaning. They “stole back” the guarana plant. Honestly I never knew much about that plant and the cultural meaning behind it and then we have Redbull exploiting it all over the place. The question of who wins and who pays is sometimes hard to answer, because both parties do. Just in different ways.
DeleteI have spent days on Pedro Reyes Palas por Pistolas. It was a beautiful happening with people turning in their guns and creating something positive from something negative. Do I believe anyone turned in every gun they owned? No. That would be too fucking scary for me to contemplate. Then I watched Mormons vs the Mexican cartel suggested bg Chase. Oh, Lordy! If you haven't watched it yet - GO WATCH IT. This war on drugs has ALWAYS reminded me of the stupidity of prohibition.
DeleteI cannot help snickering while reading of Reverend Billy. His tactics are a little cheesy and possibly offend some Christians with his vain use of Jesus and the church but holy cow can I not agree more with his platform. Consumerism is out.of.control. I was looking at my checking account the other day and noted how many debits were listed on my account. What particularity struck me was how I somehow managed to make a purchase EVERYDAY. EVERYDAY! How? But more importantly why?? My mind went back to a time I was so strapped for disposable money that it was imperative I stick to my budget. Days would go by without needing to buy anything. I felt proud and in some strange way secure with my accomplishment. So how did I get here?? This really resonated with me as I began adding up ‘needless buys’… How much money passively leaves my hands without me paying attention. $5 here or $10 here- doesn’t phase people anymore. We are accustomed to buying something EVERDAY. It was staggering how much I could save but also essentially how much I, and children, would not be buying. My 8 year old is the epitome of a consumerism baby. She is the type that is mesmerized by toy commercials, fancy advertising, and the need to have something new constantly.. Being the baby of the family she was spoiled with a toy treat everywhere she went. We created a monster… It’s her high, her ‘fix’, her pacifier- especially when I was sick. Nowadays, she pouts on a regular basis since I am on a mission to “spare my debit card from overuse” and detox her from the addiction of collecting meaningless items. As mentioned before in a previous post, hording is the most severe side effect of consumerism. It is a disease, a problem and concern that severely contributes to our environmental predicament.
DeleteI feel a national “no buy day” is genius and should be promoted furthermore he couldn’t be more correct with the categories of consumerism: gifts, holidays, souvenirs, and self-gifting. The Wal marts, targets, and Hobby lobbys .. oh how I truly despise hobby lobby. Yes, America has an idol and its shopping and consumerism.
Post marker.
Delete5. Gerda Steiner and Jörg Lenzlinger
ReplyDeletemethods: generative/installation/ecosystem
The office. Depleted soils. Poisonous runoffs. Salinization. Looking at ourselves. Desalination. Tears. No rain...we can drink from our tears.
6. Tavares Strachen
methods: performance/photo/installation/public/design/conservation
One-ton arctic ice. Harnessed sun energy. Passivity = failure. Adaptation strategies.
7. Superflex
methods: bio/social practice/public/design/conservation/social and restoration ecologies/sustainable
Disrupting family-based agricultural practices vs soft drink production.
8. Reverand Billy Talen
methods: performance/social practice/public/social ecology
Stop shopping gospel; Films/books/CDs. Conspicuous consumption.
Keep in mind you can borrow ideas from these artists and apply them to your life or classroom or art making. You do not have to think solely in terms of eco-themes. For example, adaptation strategies. OR drinking our own tears. What happens when the needs of corporations differ from that of communities? Who pays? Who often wins? Don't position yourself as artists right, you wrong. Tease and think about your actions and behaviors. What can you take from these artists?
5. Well, farting beans might be what got me interested, but I like Steiner and Linzlinger’s installation for so many reasons. It got me thinking about when I went to Nepal a couple years ago. We spent most of our time in the rural areas and a couple days in Kathmandu. But in both areas, the pollution was so bad that most of the people wore masks, even in the rural area where we stayed which was 6 or so hours from the city. I remember seeing a pond of water in Kathamandu that was so nasty, we dared each other to jump in by offering hundreds and then thousands of dollars but no one would. It was like the secret of the ooze mixed with human feces. Anyway, “The Water Hole” got me thinking about that experience and how bad it really can become if we’re not proactively conscientious about our waste and excess. If I made a mulch pile out of the food that I throw away, I wonder if it would make fertile soil for a garden. I wonder if I made all (or most) of my garbage into a mulch pile, if I would even want to eat the food that might grow from that.
DeleteI have considered topics similar to those explored by Strachan. It is hard to have faith in humanity's ability and resolve to make the ideological and behavioral alterations needed to sustain and/or reverse the negative impact we have had on the planet. The idea that we can save ourselves and our environment with technological adaptations is a tempting notion. Our dominant societies seem to operate under this destiny. Although I do think that science and technological advancements will have to play a major role in humanity's salvation, I do not believe it will be enough alone.
DeleteThe physiological implications in It Might Not Be Such a Bad Idea if I Never Went Home certainly causes a visceral reaction in me. If the environment continues to change and become less hospitable to the human body and civilization, Humanity's ability to evolve and adapt will most likely become more and more insufficient to the task of survival. Going to extremes for future sustenance and daily adaption could call for great sacrifices. The mental and physical hardships might be both disgusting and degrading in the mindset of today's digital, consumable existence.
I feel that many of the artists in this book have made a strong argument for the need to rediscover and implement sustainable modes of existence. If our race can couple this resurgence with our knack for technological advancement, perhaps humanity will be able to revitalize our diverse planet and secure our survival for generations to come. I think that if I can influence my students that “... consuming less is the single most effective and immediate step an individual can take toward halting the climate crises. I will have achieved something good. I'm not sure about the offering of merchandise in relation to his message, but I certainly feel an affinity to Talen's gospel.
Steiner and Lenzlinger's installation seems like it would impact me the most our of everything I have read so far. The smells and the feeling of the air alone seem powerful. Nice share Zack, I have yet to visit another country but I am constantly reminded how advance we are compared to others. Just the thought of that toxic, invested waters you describe gives me an uneasy feeling. Tavares Strachen's project with the ice block was very interesting and I'm sure that chunk of ice was magical to those school children. I would be pretty amazed. Strachen wants to redfeine what “waste” is. I think of Ngo's waste treatment facility and also the artist who chose to use her own urine to feed plants (name is slipping my mind and I don't have my notes handy.) As an artist we really do waste materials yet when there is experimentation as Strachen mentions, it is valid. Those materials are then classified as “input.” I like the terms he uses. Also, it is good to remember that 2,000 years ago, the word waste didn't even exist. On a side note, here is a quick read on some farmers in Vermont on repurposing waste/urine:
DeleteModern Farmer article on collecting thousands of gallons of urine for plant fertilizer: http://modernfarmer.com/2014/01/human-pee-proven-fertilizer-future/
Red Earth read beautifully, such poetic writing! I love delving into the importance of place and the connections with the sacred.I found these two artists explanations of the Hambledon Hill Equinox performance to be quite moving.
DeleteI identified with comments such as "experiencing the devine is integral to being human", "the land has conciousness. It is not a thinking thing, but it is a responsive thing." , and "everything has energy, essence, and spirit".
There are so many sacred sites all over Great Britain and Ive been lucky enough to see a few. Not famous ones, but ones my Brittish friend took me to - in the middle of a field and one in the middle of a village!
Another note on Red Earth - reading this brought to mind the book - YA YA SISTERHOOD by Rebecca Wells. The mother figure in the story, Vivi Abbot, holds rituals to the mother goddess on full moons. I love the idea of a group of friends that come together in their similar beliefs and turn the gathering into something sacred. Its that energy, essence, and spirit that Red Earth was refering to. I'm getting a project idea here! I get so much energy from my female artist friends-always have. I need to call them all together- under a full moon, of course, to call forth & share our mutual support of each other and our beliefs in each other's creativity. This way, be we together or apart, the rituals we choose to experience under a full moon will remind us of our love and support of each other. This is definitely something I can start now and can be continued indefinitely.
DeleteSteiner and Lenzlinger's work is so cool. I like that they explained what happened to all of the materials they used at the end of the exhibit. I am now more and more concerned with whether I am producing more waste my creating my work than is necessary. I mean say I'm working on a piece about conserving while I waste tons of materials in the process.
DeleteI looked up more of their work online and saw a lot of beautiful hanging plant/flower pieces. The way the light hit them and the quantity made for a dreamy feeling. I was thinking that perhaps I could do something similar (hanging items from the ceiling), but have it be items of trash that we have collected. How would that change the mood? We're surrounded by these items all the time, anyway- why not take the large number of items that I waste on a monthly basis and suspend them in a room for everyone to see and contemplate? Out of sight, out of mind, right? Maybe we need to bring this items back into sight to make people remember what's being tossed aside and the impact that it has. Why isn't recycling mandatory in this country? Why don't they collect the cans and bottles at the football games at my school and at the university here? The number of items disposed of that could be reused is staggering. It would be so cool to open an art shop that was like Goodwill- where people could go and donate their unwanted items, trash, recyclables and artists could come to buy it at a discounted cost. It would save them running around trying to find weird things for their work and it would be a (useful!) dumping ground for people that just don't want to deal with their junk. Services could be provided- like recycled art workshops to the community, people could come to your house to help you remove the items, the Environmental Services Department could advertise the free things they provide (free yard tools, mulch, tire disposal, latex paint, ground up glass, etc) that no one here seems to know about because they have a weak marketing department! Maybe there could even be a gallery on site for artists to exhibit at!
Oh! Another thing that all of these readings has made me think about is what we are ingesting and the lack o drinkable water in the world. It does freak me out. My students and I were discussing this very issue today. Fear! What better way to promote change? I think a huge problem (now that I've read the Reyes story) is all talk and no action. Another big part of the problem is lack of knowledge. People do get comfortable in their routines and habits, like James has mentioned, and they don't comprehend the reality that is happening all around them. Example- I have never seen a landfill, like I mentioned earlier. That, in my mind, does not exist. My trash is taken out and then disappears. For me to read these stories, have these discussions, and witness these "landfills" first-hand will change the way I think and feel from now on. Every time I go throw away that plastic bottle or aluminum can I will remember where it will end up and what that looks like.
Delete7. SUPERFLEX: I have always rooted for the those who are powerless. I think this goes back to my love of sci-fi/ fantasy novels. As much as I love the superhero it’s the powerless or those with the potential for growth and strength that I root for. I connected with the mission of SUPERFELX because of this reason. I love my Coke, Pepsi, and other drinks. But I hate when companies attack and ruin others just for the need to make a profit. I think there is enough space in the world for business to operate.
DeleteLiving here in China I have seen reverse appropriation happen, how companies here blatantly take the identities of western companies and use it for their own. Land Rover is a large company in the west but here in China a company called Land Wind created a car called Landwind X7 that looks pretty much like the Range Rover Evoque. They sold it at a lower cost. They then sold a kit online where you could make the car look exactly like Land Rovers version. There is also another case recently where another company Uncle Martin took the look and feel of Under Amour. But here in China the government will likely side with the violators. As much as the Chinese government says they are open to outside business they will back local companies because it keeps money in their pockets. They don’t like when money leaves their country. Even when people are breaking international copy right laws and patents. They will even turn down patents in favor of their China owned companies who are doing the same thing when it can be clearly seen that other companies have had these products in existence longer.
(Week 6) I agree with Andrew that real time data is interesting. I wish more communities could see how much energy they are consuming and would really pay attention to the data. I also agree with April, Why is America still relying on coal. I wonder is it just the north and the east coast that use coal. No actually, Texas is the number 1 user of coal to generate energy. I read that in 2014 34% of Texas energy was generated from coal. I find this information distressing. Although Texas is heading in the direction of renewable energy and is number one in generating energy from wind. Texas is number one in the use of coal and wind, hope one day we will be number one in just the use of renewable energy.
DeleteNaturally, it was the big drink companies that swooped in on the little people in Brazil that stole their identity and their livelihood. I applaud SUPERFLEX for the work they do. Too bad (a shame rather) the farmers were still squashed in court. Green is the new black in this world of dog eat dog, step on everyone to the top, never stop, never enough world we live in…GREED. If you look at all the products Coke and Pepsi make or endorse, not ONE is healthy for you. Even the “fresh” juices sold on the shelves in the produce department are no more fresh or good for you than Cheetos. They have been heat pasteurized, flavorings from petroleum added, msg (makes you crave more) and this is just the juice.. these companies own more products than we realize. I know you soft drink friends don’t want to think about the ingredients in the sweet goodness you drink every day. Like Reverend Billy Talon’s battle against shopping, you think people would give up their coke or pepsi for a day? Basically, it is still an addiction that holds the world captive. These big bro’s do NOT care about our health nor the environment. I would like to see SUPERFLEX grow to become stronger in their efforts to defend and educate us to help ourselves and each other.
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DeleteI absolutely loved Reverend Billy!!! I couldn't help laughing... I'm not sure if it was because it was funny or so true that it made me uncomfortable. I'll say this, this book has caused me to become more aware of the ecological impact we have had on our earth and the way we, as artists, can address these. I don't know that this will change the way I do things or not, but it has caused me to reflect a bit more.
Delete9. Tissue Culture and Art Project
ReplyDeletemethods: sculpture/bio/generative/installation/design/conservation/
industrial and sustainable ecologies
Victimless meat. Leather from mice cells. Change from manufacturing to growing. Ethics questions raised on this while killing animals raises little ethical concerns. 16 lbs of grain/5,000 gallons of water to produce 1 lb of meat. Can you consume victimless meat? Disembodied frog meat. Textures off.
10. Lily Yeh
methods: paint/genrative/social practice/public/design/conservation/social-restoration-human ecologies/sustainable
Genocide memorial. Three revisions in her memorial to change.
11. Marina Zurkow
methods: photo/video/digital/installation/preservation/social and human ecologies
Poster children. Animation.
These last three artists are more cross-collaborative and political in a sense. Widening the possibilities of art and activisms. Can you bring the discussion back to us. What do we have in our communities or state or country?
9. This one was super interesting, but I’m not sure what to think about it. Here are a couple questions that I think are worth exploring:
DeleteThe tiny mouse coat was a living organism as well. So what is it about an actual mouse that makes it less ethical to kill? Is it that it has a brain? (Candie this reminds me a little bit of our discussion about the scorpion in Fredericksburg).
What characteristics of an organism makes it unkillable?
To me the semi living steak and the victimless leather go against everything I’ve learned about eating organic, non-GMO foods. But 16 lbs of grain/5,000 gallons of water to produce 1 lb. of meat is a pretty staggering statistic. So I could see both sides of the argument. I think they were successful though, in raising some interesting questions that need to be explored. I would hope that my art and my student’s art would do the same.
11. I watched “Poster Children.” I’d recommend looking it up, as well as some of her other animations, and reading her statements on them. “Slurb” is really interesting.
DeleteThe first social issue that came to my mind was the obvious perpetuation of sexism and rape culture by one of our current presidential candidates. I recently drew a quick sketch of a political cartoon. I just drew it real fast so that I don’t forget the idea but I’m hoping to take time to develope it further. I’ve posted it on the main page if you want to see it.
Zack- I was thinking the same thing when I read this. I must have been so annoying, running around the art room, trying to save all the bugs in the room! lol
DeleteTissue culture and art project freaks me out a little bit. Controlling, growing, creating life like that- esp when you're not entirely sure what the consequences are, concerns me.
You're right, Zack, the stats are staggering though. The amount of water and grain needed to produce one pound of meat- what a waste. I suppose at least the project got us discussing this.
Haha. Candie, you weren't annoying at all. I totally understand your point of view. I guess the main takeaway from the scorpion and the Tissue Culture Art Project is that we need to explore more eco-friendly ways of harvesting protein and art supplies (aka scorpions). :)
DeleteI don't want to labor on the victimless meat writing. I think if I actually knew all of what goes into what I eat and how it is processed, I would lose my appetite. I do not have ethical concerns with eating food, but I do think that humanity's drive to produce enough affordable food for our staggering population is causing a myriad of concerns. I would like to go back to locally grown food sources, but I realize that small agriculture can be somewhat unreliable, which also raises concerns. I admit that the “art research” has a valid scientific purpose, but I would rather eat tofu (not that tofu is bad) than synthetic flesh. It makes for a good movie though: (1932 Doctor X) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMy65tT4wkQ
DeleteYeh's writing was very moving. I found great wisdom in her comments, especially that helping others should include “... appreciation and knowledge of how to make those gifts multiply”. I think investing in the psychological infrastructure of students is one of the most meaningful goals I can pursue as an educator. I find the artist and artwork very human and courageous.
9. The problem that I have with tissues culture relates back to what Zack stated: the coat was a living organism as well. I am reminded of the Doctor Who episode The Rebel Flesh. In this episode humans create doppelgangers out of a plastic substance to do work for them in this plant where they are extracting dangerous chemical. In a freak solar storm accident, the memories, abilities, and emotions of the human operator are transferred into the clones. The gangers are no longer willing to be treated as non-human beings. I keep thinking back to this episode there are so many WHAT IF questions that could arise.
Delete1. What if this meat becomes sentient in that they can think, feel, and speak?
(Week 6) I think that Eduardo Kac’s biotopes are innovative and unique. Kac states “I think that artists must have a sence of being uncomfortable, of investigating, of asking questions, of experimenting, or taking risks.” I feel as a teacher I want my students to experience all of these at one time or another in my classroom. I want my students to be a little uncomfortable at times because in life there are moments when you are going to be uncomfortable and learning to overcome being out of their comfort zone is huge. The students surprise me sometimes because I think they are going to be so uncomfortable and they’re not. Maybe I am the one that is uncomfortable. Perfect example, we are working on drug awareness posters and the kids know more about drugs than I do.
DeleteThe fact that the material is not stable and can alter its form creates questions. What would happen if one of the cases broke? How long would it take before the bacteria to move outside the case? How many people would the bacteria affect? If you have asthma would your chances of being affected be greater? And you could go on.
I agree Zack, we do need to look into more ways to harvest proteins. This past summer I came across this article. It's not the most scientific but it is a quick interesting read on Cockroach milk as a sustainable protein! EW! http://motherboard.vice.com/read/why-we-should-drink-cockroach-milk
DeleteThe Tissue Culture was so intriguing and I see viable options in the future for harvesting more. I like the idea of shifting from manufacturing to growing. It makes so much sense. Now that the science is almost in place, it will be about the marketing or the “mainstreaming” of it to the public. There may be a better term than mainstreaming when trying to describe this, but my main point is that nothing will be successful if the general public won't buy into it. The whole Tissue Project seemed to be filled with irony however.
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DeleteThis caused me to think about the bugs that come into my classroom all the time... I have an outside door that doesn't have a good seal. My students know that I will just put the little creatures back outside. I can't justify killing them!
DeleteZack, you're right... what justifies killing an innocent animal that isn't doing anything to me?
Projects
ReplyDeleteStart exploring how to create your own blog site if you haven't yet. That is where you will post your project at the end of the semester.
Don't become overwhelmed by artists who have been practicing for years. Where will you begin? What interests you? Any eco connections? Doesn't have to be eco. We have a few other books. Perhaps you will try a method that is foreign to you. So few art teachers and artists employ performance, for example. Maybe you will examine a newer media. Maybe not. Eco options may be a fertile time to rethink your historic practices; change something, no matter how small; re-ground yourself to the earth. Post here ideas or support for others bothered with this. Once again, what are you interested in beginning to think about? Is it you? Your art practices? Pedagogies? Neighborhood? Family? Community? Students? Energy? Art? Lessons? Boxes? Leadership? Politics? Personal fatigue? Poisoning the planet? Professional or personal fears? Inequalities? changing personal behaviors? The earth? Dirt? Relationships?
Or give us an update, if you have one. IF not, that's fine.
I’ve been thinking about taking pictures of my trash for my project. I think that’s a really interesting way to find out things about myself that I had not considered. As a Dad of a one year old I find myself throwing away a lot of food that my son doesn’t eat. It’s hard to know what he’s going to want to eat today that he won’t want to eat tomorrow. My wife and I find ourselves exhausting every option of food in the house, on a daily basis, to see if he’ll eat it. Sometimes I eat his leftovers, but a lot of times they end up on the ground or the wall or in a goupy mess. So, I’ve thought about the idea of using that extra food to make a compost pile that I can eventually use to grow something that we as a family can eat in the future. It would be interesting to see how long it would take to cycle that food into something we can eat and to see if the food we are feeding him, and ourselves, will make fertile soil for new food.
DeleteI'm usually the person who has trash duty in my home. Lately, I've also been spending some time analyzing the remnants of my day. Even before reading the Weintraub book, I have often be horrified to see the amount and diversity of trash that my family produces in a single week. I worked to show my kids the importance of recycling and reusing would-be-waste. I was surprised how flippant they could be regarding the matter. Adults are constantly told to save some for the future, or to not spoil our children's world, and such a message has always struck an emotional chord in me. I wondered why something that should mean so much to the younger generation is not held in higher regard and with great furor. It is not as if the youth of today are not vehemently pursuing social change and demanding their individual rights. I see such stories in the news and on the internet quite often. They can organize, promote and protest very effectively. However, he nature of most of this activism is self-centered and usually has to do with their esteem or image. The media and commercialism of our country seems to be preaching both the immaterialness of material things and the glorification of self and desire: If I want it, I should have it. When I am done with it, It is taken away. They (we...I) never see the costs associated with the production, delivery and disposal of those “consumable” goods. In all of there structural physicality to contain and protect, they lack a true sense of being, as immaterial as a digitized monster to be destroyed or a snapchat to pass among friends.
DeleteHow do we decide what is important today? How do our children choose what is meaningful in their life, for their futures? We don't see our nation's superstars kneel against pollution or for sustainability very often. When I 'dig up' accounts of celebrities fighting for environmental causes, they are usually the older generations, and often involve donating large sums of money to what they consider an important cause. What would it mean if Taylor Swift used her influence to aggressively promote environmental issues? What if Kanye West crashed corporate celebrations demanding that they give their earnings back to the environment and to fund anti-consumerism campaigns. How exciting and terrifying would it be if our children demanded that we stop packaging our packages inside immortal skins and peddling greasy convenience nestled inside cozy blankets and cardboard shelters? I wonder if adults would be willing (able) to live within such ideals. What would it do to our nation, if we strive to live more as givers and less like takers? Would such an existence weaken of status as a dominant world power. We are in the 'human race' after all, with our eye on sucking the marrow of as many bones as we can before the great destined Apocalypse. What is the need for conservation and sustainability? “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”, but does that have to be after the powerful have ravaged and devastated it?
To survive, creatures have developed sophisticated systems, which allow them to focus on what is most vital. I wonder if humanity has transcended that trait, or, perhaps in our hyper psycho-digital existence, we have lost the ability to sense and adapt to our current environmental reality.
Standing at the copier in the teacher workroom, i am watching the counter deduct each copy from my 1000 copy maximum. Hand me thinking....Like our insurance policies that have a lifetime maximum payout.... what if each individual had a lifetime maximum of trash? Would we rethink how much we use and ways to recycle reuse and re-purpose?
DeleteI think that is an incredible idea Deborah! Even if it was a monthly cap, I think that we could really make an impact on both trash production and corporate irresponsibility. I like convenience as much as anyone, but I know that making sacrifices is a must to changing from our wasteful, environmentally and socially negative American lifestyle. I have always disliked the disposable culture that I flourish in, but what is the impetus for me to change. If there were regulations and guidelines for consumption, I feel that I would have to adapt and find sustainable solutions to extend my daily/ monthly enjoyment of convenience. I suppose the touchy notes to such thoughts are American's resolute to personal freedom (lack of restrictions) and corporate profits/ job security.
DeleteThis reminded me of stories my grandmother told me about War War II rationing. She talked about how they got tokens allowing them so much of a given product and when that was gone… done, until you get more tokens. I think it would be very admirable of humanity if we could responsibly reduce consumption so that future generations never HAVE to.
DeleteAmericans completely abuse the "freedom" card. We have a right to enjoy freedom but not own freedom. Many paid a price for the very freedoms we take for granted and we have the audacity to ask for more. Do we have the freedom to be reckless, selfish, abusive, all consuming? I feel we have lost our compass. In the fight to stay current, ahead, innovative, big world players sold the soul of their country for the big green $$. Poor china, poor Africa, and poor us.
DeleteI like the ration idea.. builds character, bonds people, and brings a country together.
Transparent moment here…I am an art teacher at a school of nearly 1000 students. We are in a moderate-to highly affluent area. We do have some children on the Angel tree at Christmas as our district lines capture 4 large neighborhoods. I live in one of these neighborhoods. I have lived her nearly 14 years and I have been at this school 7 years. Before I was offered a position here, I would travel a small road to bypass the highway…soon the cows were gone and I saw signs of equipment. They were drilling for gas. It wasn’t long before it became a full on production.
DeleteA few of years into the art position at this school, there was a mom battling breast cancer. As a community we came to her aid with small fundraisers and donations. I taught all 3 of her children. She was in her mid 30’s and had a fight to live for her kids. I remember the day she visited with me about her concerns with the drilling. She had done extensive research and felt strongly about the connection between cancer and this drilling AND what it is leaching in our soil and water.
A year or so later I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
NO family history. Genetic testing proved it. Mine was rare and aggressive. One month after my diagnosis, one of the students at my school was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Since then we have had 2 more mothers diagnosed and one of them is losing the battle. This year 2 more cases. I cant help but think about what that young mother told me a few years back. My own daughter has now been diagnosed with Hashimotos. Her wellness doctor told me NO BROMIDES.. this is exactly what is being cast into the ground from gas drilling.
I feel a heat within me to fight and expose what really is going on. Just have to figure how to do it. Cant find what it is with in me to express in an artform to expose the reality of what this drilling is doing now and what it will do in the future in my area. As Mel Chin stated in his video, “ needed time to think and research” ..
In the meantime, I will move soon. I do not drink water from a tap nor do my children. It does bother me extremely that I consume a ton of imported water from a bottle. Until I move and install a special water system, this water is my life line. Could be an idea??
Zack -* Hank's garden* Hilariously wonderful idea! The compost you create can always feed a flower garden so you don't have to contemplate goupy compost food. Then the flowers can bring beauty and happiness.
DeletePaula, I actually started collecting his food in a giant pickle jar. It's nearly full already!
DeleteTo be honest I'm feeling very uncertain of myself as an artist. I feel stagnant, uninspired, unstimulated in the studio. I love reading everyone's posts and ideas and this first book was surprisingly good, like I would honestly re-read it. (Complete honesty ecology and earth preservation does not generally interest me, but i can say I can think more conscientiously after reading this book.
DeleteAlso, I have been really struggling to cope with certain anxieties and that has been hindering my performance as a teacher and student.
I remember during Visual Studies Seminar I stayed and talked with Future after grandpa died. I did not feel like making art, going to class, reading, doing anything because his death became the culmination of losing multiple family members. I'm starting to feel myself fall into those patterns again after my sister and dad losing his house.
I think that I'm going to start to journal again and share entries as my project for this semester. I am working on making a small webpage to share some journal entries from when I was a senior in high school as a preface to this portrait of myself.
I want to also complete some more performative artworks like my "Meet God" piece. Something that is openly public, but intimate at the same time. I'm thinking like Abramović's "The Artist is Present", but less pretentious (honest opinion her more recent work feels contrived, sorry to any die hard fans, lol.)
I found an article that seems very relative to the Eco-art book. It calls for a multidisciplinary approach to tackling humanity's most urgent problems. The Ensia site seems very interesting in general.
Deletehttp://ensia.com/voices/to-build-a-sustainable-world-academics-need-to-tear-down-the-ivory-tower/
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DeleteSo pollution here in Beijing has really been a thing that all of my expat friends and the friends that I came in my intake group for work with, have to deal with it. I was thinking of doing video or voice recoding’s on their view points of how the pollution affects them. I was also thinking of taking photos of the progression of the pollution. On Monday we had a beautiful day and then Tuesday it was a grey smoggy day. The pollution here can really affect your mood and spirit. It not just affecting health but also mentality. I also want to interview my Chinese friends and get their views. I think it would be interesting getting their views on the pollution.
DeleteSo, I've been thinking about my project and keep coming back to the concept of a concrete jungle. The one we live in, but the "jungle" that we've destroyed in the process. I'm not 100% sure where it'll end up, but that's what I'm leaning towards.
DeleteOh my goodness, Debbie- what a story. I can see why you have a passion to talk about this. I am really looking forward to hear what you come up with for your project idea.
ReplyDelete(Week 6) Jae Rhim Lee:
ReplyDeleteI watched her TED talk after reading it. I never thought about how bad embalming corpses is for the soil. It’s interesting when you consider the difference between the lush beautiful appearance of a cemetery on the outside, and what chemicals are lurking underneath in the soil. Like you said, Chase, most people would perceive Lee as a little extreme. But she brings up some great questions. It might sound inconvenient to develop a mushroom laced ninja suit but I'm sure it'll be a lot more inconvenient for our future posterity to grow food in formaldehyde saturated soil.
(Week 6) Natalie Jeremijenko:
ReplyDeleteHer nature vs. nurture experiment with OneTree(s) got me thinking about the water quality here in Lubbock. I remember when I moved to Lubbock, feeling sick from the tap water (I’m not a water snob I promise). I honestly never thought that the water quality would affect my health but it did. We ended up getting a reverse osmosis system and it helped immensely. I can definitely see how much environment can affect the growth of those trees. I thought the difference between the trees growth in the higher and lower economic areas was telling, because, as a human, not everyone can afford to buy an RO system. So I’m sure those who can’t afford it have the same problems I had before the RO system. What are we to do about the horrible water that we’re expected to consume?
(Week 6) Viet Ngo, Corporate-Scale Eco Art:
ReplyDeleteThe main thing that stood out to me from this one was entrepreneurship: I recently watched a video of Barbara Corcoran from “Shark Tank” (see link below) explaining why people who have to overcome great obstacles become the best entrepreneurs. She says that, for example, if a kid grows up poor, or as a first generation immigrant, or as a “bad student,” they have to learn people skills and survival skills, which are the same skills that make them great entrepreneurs. I think it’s interesting that Ngo was a poor, first generation immigrant kid who didn’t know english. Entrepreneurial skills are a very important part of being an artist that in my experience aren’t discussed enough. I always thought that I was a failure growing up but I’ve since realized that the school system is fixed against a lot of kids who learn differently, like I do. I have a lot more compassion for kids who don’t fit the school mold and I think a lot of them have a lot of untapped potential that the school system doesn’t give them credit for. I’m not a first generation immigrant but I would say that I am/was a “bad student,” so maybe I have a chance to become a decent artist/entrepreneur like Ngo.
http://www.inc.com/barbara-corcoran/why-bad-students-make-the-best-entrepreneurs.html
Zack & James- I know someone who does a small compost in a metal 5 gallon trash tin and it does make for usable material. Maybe you should give it a go? What would your photographs capture exactly? Trash on the streets? Or what your family has thrown out. On the topic of humans not adapting to current environmental factors, I think most are just uncaring and/or oblivious. People are all about the now and getting instant results without thinking about long term consequences.
ReplyDeleteI once had a biology professor give us an opportunity for extra credit if we collected ALL of our trash for one week. WOW. Just one week and I was amazed (and grossed out) on how much refuse I ended up having. We all brought our trash up to school and discussed it. Sometimes I think about doing this with my students.
Debbie- You should think about that and I am sure an idea will manifest. Has a news outlet or any form of media taken up or spread what is happening with the drilling in your area? I hate to hear that situation and I hope that you can shed some light on the subject to help bring change.
Andrew- I felt that same way for the first 3-4 years of teaching. Try to carve out a tiny time for your own art every day if you can. I have found that the only time I get to do this is super early in the morning before school even starts. Sometimes I might even get to school a tad early to have some quiet time before classes begin. Once the day is over I am usually too tired to do anything in the studio. Maybe you could think about doing a journaling project / altered book to document?
As far as my current ideas on the project, I honestly am still looking within to find the topic that most resonates with me. I have always had an eclectic mind/process so the beginning of something is always the hardest for me. I am now thinking about working in the greenhouse at school while collaborating with the horticulture class or maybe doing something that doesn't involve the school I teach at- like my own fashion pieces. After thinking through some things, I think that if I have too much student involvement I might lose focus of my own goals. More thinking to come….this weekend will give myself time to reflect. The work week if too hectic.
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