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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence of Class Attendance-4-Week Collage

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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence of Class Attendance-4-Week Collage

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We showed up. We shared.  We listened, learned, and created!
Bravo!  Thank you!  I am a better person because of reading this book, making art, and meeting with all of you for four class sessions.  Happy summer and More Arts!  Your colleague, AnnRené Joseph

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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence - Class 4 - June 28, 2023

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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence - Class 4 - June 28, 2023

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Here we are - Session 4-all together as we share our art - joyfully!   We did it! Bravo to all!  Thank you for your honestry, time, and talents.  This class was a blessing.  Happy Summer to all and MORE ARTS!  Your colleague and friend,
AnnRené Joseph

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AnnRené Joseph-WAEA Art Class - Session 4-June 28, 23

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AnnRene's book suggestion for next book study?

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AnnRene's book suggestion for next book study?

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Making Change: Teaching Artists and Their Role in Shaping a Better World

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Making Change: Teaching Artists and Their Role in Shaping a Better World [Booth, Eric] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Making Change: Teaching Artists and Their Role in Shaping a Better World

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In my childhood death was a constant companion.  For a long time, I didn't really understand why people feared death because in my world it was just a part of life.  I would miss the person when they were gone and was sad, but it was a reality I faced often.  And more often than not death was a relief for the person, and it was only the ones left behind that death was hard for. Before I was 25 I had lost many people in my life, I remember talking to friends in college and being shocked that not many had dealt with as much loss as I had. As I get older I do think about what I leave behind, and what impact I want to have on others. The concept of our time being finite and making art knowing that is a good motivator for me, to value each day.

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Article suggestion from Gaylynn a great article.

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Cy Twombly's studio

On June 19, the singer Nick Cave published a letter sent to him by Kellie, a woman from Norwich, England, who presented herself by saying she didn't know who she was. Her father, she wrote, had been a difficult man, his heart "sad and angry at what had happened to him in his own childhood." Being forced into the role of her mother's protector, Kellie felt she had never developed properly as an adult. She was a chronic people pleaser. But inside she felt that, perhaps, like Cave, and like her father, she was an artist. But not knowing who she was, she felt blocked and unable to create. "I guess I'm asking how I can find my own identity."

The letter is part of a series that Cave has answered in public over the last five years, in a turn toward communion and conversation which has marked the singer's life since the death of his son in 2015. Answering Kellie, Cave opens by saying, "You don't need to know who you are to become an artist. Art molds us into the shape it wants us to be and the thing that serves it best."

The self is not something you can set out looking for; it reveals itself gradually through the choices you make.

We must cease to concern ourselves with our unique suffering - whether we are happy or sad, fortunate or unfortunate, good or bad - and give up our neurotic and debilitating journeys of self-discovery. Art of true value requires, like a jealous and possessive god, nothing less than our complete obedience. It insists that we retract our ego, our sense of self, the cosmetics of identity and let it do its thing.

The way Cave frames it, introspection stands in the way of art. To make art, you need to lose yourself; you need to become a receiver of whatever art wants to communicate. If you spend too much time with a therapist, for instance, building up a complex model of who you are, that model is going to limit what you allow yourself to do.

I find it liberating to be permitted to not know myself. But to me, framing that as a case against introspection, against developing a sense of the shape of your self, doesn't feel exact. It is more a case against a certain kind of introspection and in favor of another.

When Cave sits down each day from 9 to 5:30 pm-he's a punctual man-hammering out lyrics, listening for the "supreme spiritual potential that only comes into its true and full being if we abandon all those cherished ideas about who we think we are or are not", he pretends to be battling with the muses. This is the game he plays with himself. But there are no muses. The voice he hears at his typewriter when he listens carefully and blocks out the opinions of others is the voice of Nick Cave pretending to be the possessive god of art.

He is introspecting, but he's not introspecting by meditating on his existence or talking to a therapist (though maybe he should); he's introspecting by acting on the world. He's introspecting by doing stuff and then observing how it makes him feel-as if he was running a million small experiments trying to figure out the composition of this object that is Nick Cave. He is ascribing the feelings he is hearing to the muses, and that might be a good way to think about it as an artist, but the feelings are his. When the muses tell him to lean into a song, to expand it, it is his taste and experience talking.

This kind of introspection is wholly different from the kind that seems to paralyze Kellie. Kellie is introspecting passively, trying to find some essence in herself ("my identity"). She wants to know who she is, at her core , independent of any concrete decision she's making.

Another way to make a distinction between them is to say that Cave is trying to figure out what his voice is trying to say right here, right now, while Kellie wants to hear her voice tell her what is true about her across time.

But they are both introspecting in the sense that they want to know what a voice inside them says if they block out the expectations of broken fathers, society, or the audience.

I'm not sure how useful this distinction is, nor how well it matches what Cave and Kellie have in mind. But it does resonate with my experiences-I get anxious and confused when I meditate on myself, and I discover myself in my work.

Why might it be that it is more productive for me to introspect by doing things, rather than by peering into my head more directly?

One reason is that doing things gives me more data to analyze. If you want to understand who you are or could become, it is helpful to learn more things and be active: improve your craft, put yourself in new situations, push yourself. How else are you going to have a sample of reactions to study? Kellie thinks that she might be an artist, but unless she has worked for hours trying to get something out of herself, she doesn't know how she'll react to that stimuli; most hate it. And if her craft is limited and her taste underdeveloped, she won't be able to notice possibilities. Maybe she is a great painter of frescoes, but unless she learns how to mix lime plaster and apply color to it and steer the way the color floats, she can't know. Getting out into the world will teach you a lot about yourself, and it will give you skills and mental models that allow you to better perceive options that might be right for you.

Besides, introspection of the kind that Kellie seems to be doing is often asking for too much ("I guess I'm asking how I can find my own identity"), which can give you a sort of all-directional vertigo and make you blocked. Cave, despite his apparent excess as a person, is more modest than Kellie here. He is asking not who he is, but, in a roundabout way, who am I in relation to this song, this book, this tour? (Is there potential in this song? How can I open it up? What does it want?) Those questions are hard, but not as hard as "Who am I", and can often be solved in a few hours at the desk.

Any situation where you act is a possibility for active introspection. You can approach conversations like this; work; books you read; streets you walk. Do I want to keep talking to this person? If so, what do I sense might be the most interesting topic we could approach? And the work I'm doing, is there some way I could use what I know about myself and the world to do it better? Does it even need to be done?

Introspection through doing has its limitations.

1. I often feel like I'm accumulating insight when I'm doing, but it doesn't translate into changes in my action and perception unless I take a pause from doing. When acting on the world, I am like a dam filling with potential energy, but it is only in silence and stillness the dam can open up, and the insights I have accumulated can transform into kinetic energy, washing me away to more interesting regions. I had this experience last December when after a year of intense work and change, I fell ill and had to spend three weeks in bed. Through all of the change I experienced in 2022, I had somehow remained the unchanged Henrik, but then, when I got out of bed after three weeks right before New Year's Eve, I was someone new. And the first thing I wrote during those dying days of the year- Looking for Alice-accessed something real and powerful inside me in a way that nothing I had written before had. (It should be noted, that I wasn't doing passive introspection to reach that place either; I wasn't thinking about who I was or where I wanted to go; I just had fever dreams.)

2. I used to be quite confused and frustrated and unbalanced in my work. That shifted when I learned to use some techniques from internal family systems therapy, which helped me integrate the warring needs and emotions in me. Without that kind of introspection, which I suspect that Cave would find debilitating, I suspect that I, like Cave, could work my life to pieces.

Those caveats aside, I find it liberating to remind myself that it is perfectly ok to not know who I am or where I am going. Knowing yourself is not a prerequisite for a good life. I just need to take one step in the most promising direction, and then another-submitting to the jealous and possessive god of my life.

I'm able to do this work thanks to the support of paid subscribers, so if you want to enable me to keep writing consider becoming one. If you can't afford but still want to access the archive and paid posts, answer this email and I'll gift you a subscription. It is also of great help when you like the posts or share them with friends, so that is also a way to support the work.

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Sometimes the best way to introspect is to just do stuff. On Nick Cave, craft, and self-knowledge.

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I am drawn to the image of knots as a symbol of moving through emotions and often getting stuck. Sometimes it is the anxiety or fear I am feeling but this chapter on isolation really moved me and made me realize that I get stuck in isolation often. It can start as solitude but progresses into an unhealthy space. As I process this, I think about my extreme sensitivity, my being an only child, and then moving often in my young adulthood. I feel isolated from people that I was very close to and love dearly. It can be so hard to stay connected. This is definitely one of the areas I need to continue to unpack and work through.

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I can be the greatest obstacle sometimes in removing my sense of ostracization, remember to keep the flame lit and reach out.

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quick sketch initially focusing on the i in creating isolation.

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quick sketch initially focusing on the i in creating isolation.

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I added the idea with flame, that I keep my light lit, no one else is responsible for that, I have to decide is my light going to throw shade or enlighten.

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art created after ledger art presentation by Robert Martinez

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http://www.martinezartdesign.com/

This is a rough draft of a ledger art inspired work from Robert Martinez presentation and reflections upon Death and God. I have  had multiple opportunities in my life to address the role of death in renewal, in developing me as a human and in the role of life. The shapes on the left represent medicine bottles, there are two twisting lines for the the Mississippi River and the Columbia River, two waterways that relate to the geography of where my mother was born and where she died this past October. The image is of my mother when she was happy and the butterfly earring is a nod to her continued presence in my daughter and me.

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I highlighted a few lines from each chapter. The clarification between isolation and solitude was helpful for me. I enjoy my solitude or what I call "recharge time," but I am aware that this is not isolation which makes me feel good. The author likened the difference between the two to a light switch. I enjoyed that visual, so I used it as inspiration. The meaning of the switch has even morphed into an internal switch within me.

The marketing chapter was helpful - using social media as part of your job can be stressful. I volunteered as the Ombudsman for my husband's ship for 18 months. I served as a family liaison between the ship's command and families, and also facilitated a social media group and newsletter. I shared lots of information about the ship's happenings, but also military resources and local events. It was a lot of work, and it took over my life at times (however I was the ONE creating the work - I tend to do that). I do run an Instagram page for my art classroom, but it's more fun than work.

The Death + God chapter is full of quotes and realizations that resonated with me. My relationship with God is personal, and I like how the author honors that. All relationships ebb and flow, and our connection with ourself is just as important.  Death acceptance is difficult, but I understand why it is necessary. I want to be present and have clarity. Accepting our fate is a crucial step.

This was a great book study, and I am grateful for our time. I hope to meet you all in person someday - perhaps at the WAEA conference. In conclusion, I will quote the author from their conclusion because it made me giggle: "If you've skipped to the conclusion to get the CliffNotes, I suppose it all boils down to this: Your life is finite, and you should make your art."

Do people still use CliffNotes?

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I have a minor in art, yet often feel so much of my education is lacking in regards to art. I have a Master's in Education, but not in fine arts. So this summer one of my goals is to work through these two books to help develop a new way of drawing. Atelier is a different style than how I draw but there are elements that I've used in the past in instruction.  I think knowing different ways to approach drawing can help give students who aren't drawn to one way another way to approach things. I feel as an art teacher I need to continually educate myself in regards to different art styles in methods. I'm self-taught in many of the art styles I know, but I feel lacking in many traditional methods.

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In the Marketing chapter, two sentences stood out.  “Your art is worth the discomfort that marketing may cause for you. You need to work on behalf of your art.”  The ideas about the web site were helpful as I recently have been putting together a website, indevelop, with the help of my husband.  But marketing is definitely not an exciting aspect of making art for me.

It did get me thinking; what is the purpose of marketing myself?  I’d like to have a place set up so if people wanted to hire me for professional development workshops, I would have something ready to go.  It would also be nice to have a space to share my art, but who is my audience?  It definitely raised more questions that will need time to ponder. ~ Vianne Reay

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MYANMW-Chapters 10, 11, 12, & Conclusion - 4 in 1 Collage Image Photograph

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AnnRené Joseph-MYANMW-Chapters 10, 11, 12, & Conclusion - 4 in 1 Collage Image

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AnnRené Joseph-MYANMW-Chapters 10, 11, 12, & Conclusion - 4 in 1 Collage Image

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Taking and completing this class and book study accomplished several summer 2023 goals for me: 1.  Read an art book - start to finish; 2.  Read a book by listening to it - start to finish; 3.  Make art; 4.  Summarize a book and chapters with artwork; 5.  Make an art book of images; 6.  Take an art class; 7.  Get some clock hours; 8.  Share my art with others.  Goals Accomplished!  Done! AnnRené Joseph
6-24-23

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Art Book - Summer 2023 by AnnRené Joseph

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Art Book - Summer 2023 by AnnRené Joseph

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Art Book - Summer 2023 by AnnRené Joseph

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This 12- image collage represents my reflection drawings from the book - Make Your Art - No Matter What - Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles by Beth Pickens.  These images make up an illustrated picture and word book- with all 12 drawings in one combined image and fulfilling a longtime goal of creating such a book and artwork.  Creating the images while reading and listening to the author read her book was a weekly discipline for me.  My "visual artist self" was delighted.  My "performing artist self" got jealous, and wanted equal time and demanded such following the reflective, isolated, and quiet time spent creating the individual, collaborative and summary visual artworks.  My piano practicing increased and I learned a few new piano pieces this month, while creating this 12-page Art Book. The time spent was well worth the effort and assessement data of my participation.  I have grown as an educator, author, writer, photographer, and visual artist. Thank you for offering this class.  My intent is to join you all via Zoom and from my aunt's home in Atlanta, GA on June 28th. Hope to see you then.   Happy summer and of course - More Arts! AnnRené Joseph

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Chapters 10, 11, 12, & Conclusion Collage Collaboration 

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AnnRené Joseph-Chapters 10, 11, 12, & Conclusion Collage Collaboration and MMANMW Collage - all 12 Chapters & Conclusion - Goal Accomplished!

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AnnRené Joseph-Chapters 10, 11, 12, & Conclusion Collage Collaboration and MMANMW Collage - all 12 Chapters & Conclusion - Goal Accomplished!

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Solutitude, Marketing, Death + God, and Conclusion Collage by AnnRené Joseph; Finishing the book, and making art for each chapter are goals accomplished for the summer.  1.  Read a book; 2. Take an art class; 3. Make some art that I want to keep; 4.  Draw notes for an entire book (12 chapters and conclusion); 5. Photograph, journal, reflect, and share my art!  Done!
AnnRené Joseph

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Chapter 7 was the big one for me. The initial part on self really resonated with me. I am not an extrovert but am outgoing. I am an only child so feel good being alone but I can also feel isolated easily, even when around people. Therapy is something I have been thinking about getting into again and this reinforced that. I saw a therapist in my 20's that used art therapy too and it was incredible. So much came out through art making and it was very helpful. This chapter also made me reflect on other relationships in my life that need better care.

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The "Other People" chapter spoke to me in regards to my relationship with myself. This book has been more therapeutic than I anticipated. I am conflicted at times with the need of being liked, and this also translates to my artwork. Recognition has always been the first step in change for me, so I have appreciated the mirror this book has provided. -Emily C.

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The "Other People" chapter spoke to me in regards to my relationship with myself. This book has been more therapeutic than I anticipated. I am conflicted at times with the need of being liked, and this also translates to my artwork. Recognition has always been the first step in change for me, so I have appreciated the mirror this book has provided. -Emily C.

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Internal/External -                   Visions In/Visions Out 

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Internal/External -                   Visions In/Visions Out 

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I included this art work that I made last year in response Picken's references in chapter 12 on her writings regarding spirituality, as for me it addresses what she's referring to. I appreciated her quote: "Getting to know our spiritual interior is critical for an engaged life," and her emphasis on forging a "deep connection to one's self and outside one's self." I have found that both my spirituality and my art are linked and that through art making I continue to learn about and develop my interior world, while making meaning and sense making of our exterior world. Each experience of art making seems to bring me back to the truth of myself, builds my understanding moving forward, and helps to keep "the other parts of living a modern life seem more managable."

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Explanation in my first post (I didnt realize only one image per post) #alwayslearning 

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Explanation in my first post (I didnt realize only one image per post) #alwayslearning 

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I am behind in posting and playing catch up. Money, Fear, and Grief were really hard chapters for me. I have a great amount of work to do in each. More thoughts below...

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I am behind in posting and playing catch up. Money, Fear, and Grief were really hard chapters for me. I have a great amount of work to do in each. More thoughts below...

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In the money chapter I relate to the capitalism comments. I do hate money. I am not good with budgets and am not the one in my household that manages it. This causes strain in my relationship with my spouse because he is very financially minded. It is a chapter I need to reread and process for sure. For the fear chapter, I am afraid of making art often. I feel like I am a collaborative artist and thrive when organizing, planning and facilitating art experiences. I love art that is an expression of a moment, a unique mix of people, and impermanent. I think this is why I love being an educator and advocate. But it is hard then to sit down and just draw or paint on my own. I find myself drawn to found object sculptures, collage, and photography where the artist is capturing a glimpse of art in the world or transforming what is around us and pointing out a new meaning. In the grief chapter, I realize just how much I regret in my life and how much sadness I am carrying. There is one relationship in particular that I have not fully grieved and think that making some art around his life would be good for me. My cousin went missing 6 years ago while hiking the PCT and he has never been found so there hasn't been closure. I need that and know that remembering him creatively will help me feel that grief and process it. I'm including a collaborative art piece that I helped my sons class make for their teacher. I like planning and preparing. Making the base collage and then the spontaneity of the kids creating and bringing it all together. I am also including a drawing I did when teaching kids about an emotion color wheel. This was a more symbolic one. I made one in a color wheel circle with words and a student asked to keep (part of my didn't want to part with it bc I liked it too!) The last image is from our campsite last weekend. It really spoke to me.

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AnnRené Joseph-WAEA Art Class - Session 3

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I would love to send each of you an Artist Trading Card.  If you would like one, please email me your mailing address. vianne@indevelop.com
Happy Summer! ~Vianne Reay

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Please take a moment after completing requirements for week 4 to reflect on your experience. If you would like clock hours, this reflection form is necessary.

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Book Club WAEA Virtual/In-Person Workshop Reflection Form

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Please complete this form after attending a WAEA Workshop. Current WAEA members are eligible to receive a Clock Hour affidavit that verifies they attended a WAEA event. If you have questions or need any assistance please contact our clock hour representatives at clockhours@waea.net

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Hi All, Still waiting for meeting to start at 4:10, Am I missing something? Do we use the same zoom log in from the 1st week? Plz let me know at artnsoulfull@gmail.com - Thanks!

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Hi All, Still waiting for meeting to start at 4:10, Am I missing something? Do we use the same zoom log in from the 1st week? Plz let me know at artnsoulfull@gmail.com - Thanks!

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Creative Practice as a Conduit for Exploring Feelings

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Creative Practice as a Conduit for Exploring Feelings

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I decided to respond to the question in the Thinking & Feeling chapter, “Could your creative practice be the conduit for exploring some feelings?”

In this painting, I began by wetting the paper and putting on magenta watercolor as I thought of the pain I’ve been dealing with since January when I broke my upper arm.  As the magenta interacted with the water it spiderwebbed out, reminding me of the way my pain invades every part of my life.  I continued to add colors over the pain webbing the way making art covers my pain.  I missed the webbing and tried to add sprayed water to bring it back.  However, it didn’t return until the paper had dried.  The bleeding colors and crackling are there, just like my pain makes me aware of tiny improvements and little moments of healing that I thank God for.

Because my right thumb, hand and forearm are still having issues, I’m trying to minimize the amount I use them.  I used my left hand, holding the pen loosely at the end, and drew around the white spaces, similar to the fine line work I love using.  Then I took a brush pen in my left hand and drew stronger lines that ended up being a tree.  It helps me to think that this pain is making me stronger and able to endure. ~Vianne Reay

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Other people, education, thinking +feeling chapters

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Other people, education, thinking +feeling chapters

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I really enjoyed the thinking and feeling chapters this week. I highlighted a bunch of stuff, including reminders to not take my thoughts as truth, feelings aren’t facts, and not all thoughts require action.
I liked the section about your “first thought”, it reminded me that your first thoughts are more like snap judgements and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. She says we should be responsible for second thoughts and actions, not our initial thoughts. It reminds me of idea creation, how your first idea is usually not the best one and you should think through several ideas before you take action. Great advice for behavior and being creative!
My art this week is based off the quote “what stories do you tell yourself about what you make, how you work, and what you need to make your work?” My ongoing story is that I need this supply or thing to make my art. Or I can’t do this because I don’t have space or room. So, this week, I started tackling the organization of my garage so I can have space to paint again. I made enough space, now I just need to paint and (hopefully) finish this painting I started several years ago! We just moved into our first house last year and our walls need some art!

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Chapters 7, 8, and 9 - AnnRené Joseph "Three in One - One in Three-Others, Education, Thinking and Feeling - Personal and Professional Practices Revealed!"

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AnnRené Joseph-Chapters 7,8,9 "Three in One - One in Three!"

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AnnRené Joseph-Chapters 7,8,9 "Three in One - One in Three!"

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This week's work took me longer than expected - yet with much joy.  Again, I listened to the chapters, while drawing, and reading - all at the same time.  Multitasking this way is artistic, and is therapeutic to me.  These three chapters were drawn separately, yet, I photographed them as one image - as they are three in one, and one of/in three.  Each separate in their own right, yet supporting one another personally and professionally.  Education is the center focus, as that piece was and continues to be my calling, lifelong work, and legacy.  Other people and my thinking and feeling revolve around this calling.  And, here I am - taking this class with all of you.  Lifelong learning continues to be a magnet for moving forward, onward, and in the day-to-day change of our life and living.  My artwork involves a lot of writing, basic shapes to illustrate ideas, and lots of color. Journaling is a way of life for me, and is a daily journey of my life as an "artwork in progress." As a performing artist, my artwork illustrates movement (dance), theatre, music making, and visual arts elements and principles of design.  Photography is my visual arts medium, so my attempt is to photograph the chapter word and shape drawings into a visual artwork that reflects the story.  I am enjoying the book, the narration of the artist, and the time to reflect and meditate on my art.  Today, just before posting and commenting in this padlet, I was practicing the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.  And, I turned on the metronome to assist me in my practicing.  It has been years since I've done that. I documented such on my music with today's date. Doing my art - no matter what! Inspired by the book, this class, and all of your artwork and comments. Thank you! AnnRené Joseph

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Here is an entry from my art journal - it's a storm.

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While I know the author is listing common hurdles for artists along with multiple solutions (which I am thankful for), I can't help but feel like these hurdles are also catalysts for creating art. Money, fear, grief... what great subjects to share, and opportunities to release genuine emotion.  

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While I know the author is listing common hurdles for artists along with multiple solutions (which I am thankful for), I can't help but feel like these hurdles are also catalysts for creating art. Money, fear, grief... what great subjects to share, and opportunities to release genuine emotion.  

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My uncompleted master copy painting study was based on Morrison's Toy series "Marbles-2010"  oil on canvas 24x24 inches

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Having the seniors leave at the end of the school year is always hard. I know they are not dead, but I still grief them. I missing having them and it changes the atmosphere in the class.

The last day for the seniors was two weeks ago. I had a full class of 32 students, then after the seniors left I had 2 underclassman students remaining.

Margaret Morrison was last artists who we were learning about and we were investigating her Toy series. Morrison paintings have childhood nostalgia with different types of toys such as Little People, Legos and marbles. I have my students for their final complete a "master copy painting study". This year our master copy painting study was on Morrison's Toy series. We tried to match values, transitions and colors found in the paintings.

As a "ritual" I spent my last week in my classroom painting Morrison's "Marbles 2010". I thought back to all the silly conversation we had over the years as I worked.

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Moving Into, Through, and Beyond the Angst -    by Gaylynn 

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I very much appreciate this book study group and the openness with which the book instills. I've greatly enjoyed the author's writing style and her references to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Chapter 7
Since I've been on leave and have had more time, seeking out artists/creatives/spirtualists, both individuals and groups that resonate with going deep, has been just one of my survival go to's. Other supportive people and a communicative and authenic community can be so beneficial and healing. It is necessary for our well-being.

The "3 Pillars" of an artist's life: regular creative practice, taking in lots of art and experiences, and community can be both life and art savers. I wasn't able to find this needed balance when working full time and I think that's a conundrum in the world of teaching. We need to find ways to bring our own balance within the ever demanding field of teaching. This book has been helpful in finding potential avenues for such and being reminded of what's truely important in our lives.

Chapter 8
It was positive to look back at the enormous about of work and educational pathways I've taken and pursued since my youth in the area of art. Just recently, I began updating my resume and it was helpful in looking at that big life picture, yet once again. I adore the ability and camaraderie of those who continure to be life long learners. This chapter helped me to recognize the well seasoned educator and learner that I am!

Chapter 9
This chapter stood out the most to me of the three and I took four pages of notes to sink home the information. As a highly sensitive person and one who struggles with high anxiety, I continue to get something out of remembering that we are not our thoughts or feelings, everytime I'm exposed to the concept. I also appreciated her exercises of 1st thought, 2nd thought, 1st action, taking contrary action, and "sublination" - letting your creative practice be the conduit to explore your emotions, feelings and thoughts. The last one is the premise for my above artwork.

Other practices that have helped me in this regard include being in nature, hiking/walking, almost daily yoga (I teach yoga online), meditation, finding joy in the little things, and Reiki. Tending to our own positive self care can make all of the difference, fitting it into a busy schedule is the challenge. Turning these things we need into rituals and habits is a solution that's worked for me, especially since I've had the time to make these a priority.

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One of the things that hit me the most in the reading in the chapter of fear was acceptance of it. Sometimes excepting the reality of a situation can be super hard. Radical acceptance is hard, but necessary to move on. That is something that hits very home with me.

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I very much related to the chapter on fear, found the action steps most beneficial and will refer back to that section on an on needed basis, to keep moving forward.

I had the opportunity to curate the very first art show in SCAAC's MAC (Mobile Art Center) at our local PRIDE fest after the local PFLAG and Youth LGBTQ groups asked me to offer one of my Healing Thru Art classes to them in addtion to the ones I offer at our local library.  I showcased student work from all my classes and nervously decided that I should include some of my own work which is what prompted me to create and offer this series of classes in the first place. I was so nervous about it because all of my pieces are very vulnerable and raw. Sharing my work was very empowering as well as validating for me, allowing me to continue to move through fear and paving the way for me to show more of my work in the future!

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This is an area I have much work to do, in creation of and tending and nurturing my creative relationships. My chosen family is very supportive but not actually making art with me. I have reached out to many people and mostly attracted people who do not see themselves as artist. Hmm am I putting something out there that sends that vibe? I love sharing art with others, I need to tend the artist relationships I have!
I only took YAHOO you always have other options from Chapter 8 still diving into Chapter 9. I feel like the first three chapters an 4 and 5 really resonated with me, still looking for that connection in this set of chapters.

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I found this note to self in my photos for my classroom from 4.12.15 Have I really known this that long?

IF YOU FAIL, NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE F.A.I.L MEANS "FIRST ATTEMPT IN LEARNING" END IS NOT THE END, IN FACT E.N.D.MEANS "EFFORT NEVER DIES IF you GET NO AS AN ANSWER, REMEMBER N.0. MEANS NEXT OPPORTUNITY. SO LET'S
BE POSITIVE 3

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Vianne Reay ~
The Fear chapter resonated the most this week.  I loved the end of the chapter where she said, “Once you are aware and accepting of your fear, then I want you to find the places in which you want to take action.  Think of this action as service on behalf of your art.”  That is what I am practicing – making art and sharing it.  I have found great support in the Artist Trading Card community as I try out new ideas and ask for help and critique.  I feel in awe of the ability to put a smile on others’ faces as I send my art around the world.  Doing this gave me the courage to submit my artwork for the Teachers as Artists exhibit at Maryhill Museum of Art put on in conjunction with WAEA.  Just submitting it was a huge step in building my confidence.  I was thrilled when it was chosen to be in the show!

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Money, Fear, Grief: I had a harder time with these chapters compared to the first three. I did not relate to much of the fear chapter, mostly due to the examples she gave of people having fear and art making. I thought she focused too much on spiraling anxiety thought patterns that ended with “me dying alone.” I know this is a fear that we all have but I would have preferred she focus more on how to deal with actual threats to artists and their art making rather than anxious thoughts we all have.  In my mind, anxiety is fear of stuff that hasn’t happened yet while threats are fear inducing things that are currently affecting artists livelihoods or ability to make art.

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Money, Fear, Grief: I had a harder time with these chapters compared to the first three. I did not relate to much of the fear chapter, mostly due to the examples she gave of people having fear and art making. I thought she focused too much on spiraling anxiety thought patterns that ended with “me dying alone.” I know this is a fear that we all have but I would have preferred she focus more on how to deal with actual threats to artists and their art making rather than anxious thoughts we all have.  In my mind, anxiety is fear of stuff that hasn’t happened yet while threats are fear inducing things that are currently affecting artists livelihoods or ability to make art.

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That said, I did appreciate the reminder in the book that fear and grief are a product of death, loss, and change. I think many of us forget that some changes in our lives can spark the grieving process as powerful as a death can. This made me think of why nostalgia is such a strong emotion for us and is also such a powerful theme for artists. Nostalgia is one of the reasons why “Stranger Things” TV show was  so popular and got me hooked on it.
This brings me to another TV show that I enjoyed for the nostalgia factor of neighborhood friends hanging out and growing up in the 80s and 90s. It is a K-drama called “Reply 1988” and is the subject of my art for the week. I’m rusty with portrait drawing and decided to start a drawing of one of the silly characters from this show. - Katie C.

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This was the book Joy suggessted during our week 2 get together.

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What is your art really about? Where is it going? What stands in the way of getting it there? These are questions that matter, questions that recur at each stage of artistic development - and they are the source for this volume of wonderfully incisive commentary.

Art & Fear explores the way art gets made, the reasons it often doesn't get made, and the nature of the difficulties that cause so many artists to give up along the way. This is a book about what it feels like to sit in your studio or classroom, at your wheel or keyboard, easel or camera, trying to do the work you need to do. It is about committing your future to your own hands, placing free will above predestination, choice above chance. It is about finding your own work.

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Check out this great listen on Audible.com. What is your art really about? Where is it going? What stands in the way of getting it there? These are questions that matter, questions that recur at each stage of artistic development - and they are the source for this volume of wonderfully incisive co...

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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence - Class Session 2 - 100% attendance - Bravo!  

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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence - Class Session 2 - 100% attendance - Bravo!  

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We are showing up.  That is the key to success.  Learned a lot from all of you. Thank you for your honesty and heartfelt sharing.  Blessings this week.  AnnRené Joseph

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AnnRené Joseph-WAEA Art Class - Session 2

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Week 1- Make Your Art No Matter What - June 7 Class - 100% Attendance - Evidence

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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence - Class 1 - June 7

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AnnRené Joseph-Evidence - Class 1 - June 7

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Great photo for our cohort of evidence of 100% attendance at this first week of class.  Bravo to Nicole and to all of us, too, for "showing up!" AnnRené Joseph

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This is my second week reflection on Money, Fear, and Grief.  I was creating it while listening to the three chapters being read by the author (thanks to Nicole for the idea).  I found this way of reading and reflecting on the chapters very therapeutic.  These three topics are interrelated in my drawing reflection and flow together, as illustrated by the colors which illustrate a spectrum of feelings and emotions regarding all three topics. AnnRené Joseph

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This is my first week reflection on Time, Work, and Asking.  We traveled to celebrate the graudations of two of our grandchildren, one from community college and one from high school, as well as visiting my husband's two daughters and their families, and staying with and spending time with my dad (age 90.11) in Walla Walla, WA (my home town).   It was a great time, and part of our goal to see all three of our grown children and their families, my father, other family and friends, and time together from June 9 - July 9, 2023. AnnRené Joseph

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I definitely have the "do it all" mentality, and because I set the expectations so high for myself, I rarely stop and reflect on what I have done/accomplished.

Here is a photo of a new skill I learned this month - fused glass! We did a glass heart project in my afterschool Art Club. My students loved it!

I started teaching 4 years ago, and I love my job. It is a creative outlet for me, and I am lucky to make art almost everyday with my students and get a steady pay. However I do put a lot of work into my WORK.

During the school season, I can be very checked out when I get home, so I go searching for the mind-numbing activities. This summer I want to work on a better schedule for the next school year, so that I'm not using all of my energy at work.
-Emily C.

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There were so many takeaways from the reading. I got more out of the time and work than the asking. I really like the idea of a Personal maintenance day, that is something I would like to incorporate into my schedule.  I also have been reflecting on the concept of my artwork doesn't have to make money. That's huge for me. I've always tried to have a "purpose" for what I create, not to create for the sake of creating.

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Time was my biggest takeaway. My plan is to set up a daily schedule rather than just letting my summer slip away. We have some house and yard projects but I also want to carve out a few minutes each day to practice some art. I am still new to some of the art medias and so I am starting with Zentangles & Neurographic Art. I also want to get my sewing room set up so I can figure out a way to bring some sewing into the classroom.

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Put down the phone and warm-up practices 

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Put down the phone and warm-up practices 

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I struggle during the school year to have time to myself to create. Instead of creating, I use my phone to watch Instagram to see what other artists create.
This week I set my phone down and created a warm-up practice in clay. I made 27 press plates with a rolling pin design. It was something simple and quick to help me transition from school/teacher brain to become more artist brain over the summer months. I was able to create, bisque and glaze all 27 press plates.

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I do not have children or a significant primary relationship. This was something I made while listening to chapters and with my one online class. I have a studio room needing organizing and a dining room table full of projects. I got really into art creation and more isolated during the pandemic. I need a regular pattern that relates to exercise, creation, home and garden maintenance.

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This has the description, objectives, agendas, etc. -Nicole Dibble

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Another book I enjoyed related to Design Process and Life. Ayse Birsel Design the Life you Love

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Another book I enjoyed related to Design Process and Life. Ayse Birsel Design the Life you Love

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Design the Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Meaningful Future

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Design the Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Meaningful Future [Birsel, Ayse] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Design the Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Meaningful Future

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Some days feel like the final count down! Releasing the angst to live in the present moment through my drawing. ART HEALS!
Gaylynn

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AnnRene Joseph, MoreArts LLC, contribution first session.

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I’m trying to learn how to sew my own clothes. This pic is me experimenting with a pattern I got from a book for a dress. I am in the process of redoing the pockets and I set a small goal of measuring and cutting out the pockets this past weekend after I read chapters 1-3. The idea of doing  artistic “warm ups” from the book resonated with me. Summer will be here in two weeks and I am trying little “warm up steps” with the process of sewing to get me ready to dive into summer art making mode.

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Vianne Reay -
Even though I teach art and make art, I’ve spent the past year working with a coach to be able to say, “I am an artist.”  As I read the Dear Reader section, it was as if she had been reading my mind with all the reasons I find it hard to claim the title, artist.  Then it was followed in the Time chapter talking about how people who are socialized female, “feel the need to make sure everybody has what they need before they consider themselves.”  It’s affirming to know that I’m not alone in the way I feel.  In thinking about what I should be doing versus what I want to do, her statement, “What if, whatever you choose at this moment, you are right where you’re supposed to be?” was very freeing.

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What are your Transitional Rituals at the end of the school year? For example I usually take one full week to decompress from school going to a place and space (usually the beach) with no adolescents. What do you ALL DO?

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Shannon-time tracking started Jun 4- trying for a week. Finding out what I really do and ensuring balance 

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Ch 1: Time how are you spending your days? Time journal

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Ch 1: Time how are you spending your days? Time journal

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Nicole Dibble: The book is 12 chapters and we are meeting 4 times. Would you rather:   A. Read 3 chapters a week and discuss at the meeting.                     OR  B. As a group, choose 1 chapter to focus on for each meeting and read the other chapters at our own pace.                                                         

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Nicole Dibble: The book is 12 chapters and we are meeting 4 times. Would you rather:   A. Read 3 chapters a week and discuss at the meeting.                     OR  B. As a group, choose 1 chapter to focus on for each meeting and read the other chapters at our own pace.                                                         

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Nicole Dibble: I listened to the TIME chapter on Audible and was then able to take notes in a way that engages me more with the ideas. These are some of the things Pickens said that most resonate with me. 

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Scarcity is a theme that seemed to come up in each chapter this week and I am processing that. One goal for me this week is to do a screen-free Sabbath as Pickens suggests with my family (or I will do it alone this first time)

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Nicole Dibble: I listened to the TIME chapter on Audible and was then able to take notes in a way that engages me more with the ideas. These are some of the things Pickens said that most resonate with me. 

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Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles

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Amazon.com: Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles (Audible Audio Edition): Beth Pickens, Beth Pickens, Chronicle Books: Audible Books & Originals

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I highlighted the quote “What starts out as neutral or even constructive aloneness becomes confusing; at a point it crosses a line from generative or relaxing to depressing. Your task is to identify that line. What are the signals that you are crossing it?”
I am an introverted Scorpio (I thought it was hilarious she referenced scorpios specifically a few times in these last chapters) and definitely need alone time to recharge and gain energy. That said, when I have large bouts of time alone, I do feel the sensation of isolation and I like how this quote is asking me to identify the line in my own thoughts between healthy aloneness and depressive unproductive isolation. I find that working in coffee shops helps me not feel so alone when I am doing school work. I like being around people while I can focus on my work. Being around others on their computers makes me feel like I am not the only one bogged down with non-fun work to do. I am wondering how I can translate this type of solution to making art in a more public space when I start to feel isolated in my studio. I’m glad the author is making me think of these things.
In the spirit of finishing the book, here is my almost finished drawing from earlier chapters. Both this book and drawing are making me think deeper into my practice and giving me a clearer picture of how I can grow my thinking and skills. Katie C.