Every time I ask my subconscious for a metaphor about my work, I get the image of a fertile field. I don’t bother to notice whether it’s empty or full, because it’s apparent from the image that what’s grown in it isn’t what is important. What is important is the potential of the field itself. [ Read more … ]
Sophia Center
Creatures at the Sophia Center
We made creatures at the Sophia Center last Monday. Each of the creatures had “magical” powers. I was expecting the class to be light-hearted and playful. Silly me. Of course there is something about making art that is deep and transformative, but making creatures with magical powers seemed to be especially powerful in tapping the [ Read more … ]
Weaving a tapestry of metaphor
I finished teaching my 7-week class at the Sophia Center yesterday. The image that continually stays with me, every time I teach that course, is the image of a tapestry. Students contribute their writings, art, ideas, and inner process, and as that happens, metaphorical themes (threads) begin to emerge from the group. It’s as if [ Read more … ]
Metaphorical threads
I brought small pumpkins into Monday’s class at the Sophia Center. I had everyone close their eyes and hold out their hands to receive their pumpkin, so they wouldn’t immediately know what it was. Holding/touching something with eyes closed is evocative—we don’t immediately rely on our mind to recall pre-stored ideas about the object. We [ Read more … ]
Art in nature
In their book Art and Fear, David Bayles and Ted Orland argue that art that deals with ideas is more interesting than art that deals with technique. I could not agree more! Ideas are not only what make art interesting, but ideas also give all of us a way to participate in art. We all [ Read more … ]