Art TEAMS Learning Compost(ing)* Activity

 Today, as part of Art TEAMS, we looked through our journals and tried to reflect on our journey with text and an art piece.  My simple work in progress focuses on a wave as a key metaphor emerging from this process.

1. I decide too early on a direction and detail in a way that limits my creativity. I have learned that I need to slow down and let ideas percolate. My metaphor of a wave reminds me that I need to let creativity explode but then iterate.

2. I am creative (self talk here) and should let my juices lead me where I need. 

3. Art is an emotional connection; creating with and next to others creates community and emotion.

4. Movement is magic, and I am grateful to Maggie Bertche for opening this idea in wonderful ways.

5. In this work, I positioned myself as a full participant, and as a learner, I am all in creating, making, and reflecting all the time.

From Chat GPT:

Wave on sandpaper created with Adobe Firefly

Expanding on your reflections and ideas from the Art TEAMS session, here are some deeper insights and extensions to each point:

1. Embracing the Fluidity of Creativity: Your metaphor of a wave is powerful. It suggests the ebb and flow of ideas, much like the ocean's waves. Consider exploring art that is more fluid and less structured, perhaps abstract forms that evolve as you work on them. Think of each stroke or element as a part of a larger, ever-changing seascape, where the final form is not predetermined but is a result of continuous interaction and adjustment.

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3. Following Creative Instincts: Trusting your creative instincts is vital. You might explore spontaneous art forms like improvisational

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1. 

   Three-dimensional wave created with Adobe Firefly

   sketching, where each line or color choice is led by intuition rather than a fixed plan. This approach can lead to unexpected and often more emotionally resonant artworks, as they directly reflect your inner state and creativity at that moment.

2. Art as a Medium of Emotional Connectivity and Community: Reflect on how your art can be a means of connecting with others. This could be through collaborative projects, where multiple artists contribute to a single piece, or through art that invites viewer interaction and interpretation. The emotional resonance of a piece can be enhanced when it becomes a shared experience, creating a sense of community and collective emotional expression.

3. Exploring Movement in Art: Inspired by Maggie Bertche's influence on the concept of movement, you could experiment with art that literally or metaphorically incorporates motion. This could be kinetic art that physically moves or static art that captures the illusion of movement through clever use of lines, shapes, and colors. The idea is to make the viewer feel the dynamism as if the artwork itself is alive and in motion.

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5. Fully Immersed Learning and Creating: Positioning yourself as both a participant and a learner in art-making is a profound approach. It suggests a perpetual cycle of creation, reflection, and growth. To embody this, you might consider projects that document your journey - art that evolves over time, where you add elements or transform it as you gain new insights, skills, and inspirations. This ongoing project could become a visual diary of your artistic journey, showcasing your creativity and your evolution as an artist and a learner.

These ideas can form the basis of a varied and deeply personal artistic exploration, reflecting your skills and your journey, emotions, and connections with the world around you.

* The term composting comes from Gretchen Larsen, who shared with me:

Dufva, T. (2018). Art education in the post-digital era-Experiential construction of knowledge through creative coding. Aalto University.

Haraway, D. J. (2016). Staying with the trouble: Making kin in the Chthulucene. Duke University Press.