The incredible possibilities of this class include time for each of us to heal and rest and regroup and recover. I am honored at the trust each of you have given this class as you honestly share your need to pause or take time for yourself. In order to keep the flow going, when you post do so within the week we are working. Meaning if you are late on a post do so this week. Let us know you are catching up and simply write more. Because I am not asking questions (well not book related questions) and we are not all reading the same text this can work and I think it will be easier than checking back through the past weeks.
This is your graduate class, the research you complete is for your degree. I hope you take the time to explore and really look into issues surrounding your interests. it is OK to switch gears, follow another path or stay on one very specific topic for the whole semester, Again...you are the expert of your work.
As for me, it is slow going. I just learned I need to use a cane for a while because I over worked my knee. Although I was cleared for swimming I do not think any of my physical therapists or my doctor really understood what lap swimming means. They certainly did not understand what I would be doing to my knee when I kick of the edge of pool. And helping unload 19 bags of pinon firewood was the icing on the cake. I will be decorating the wood looking steel cane this am so I somehow do not feel so old. I have a new respect for recovery of all kinds. There is no magic pill that simply makes all the pain go away.
My slides (just the artists book) are ready to be transferred to a zip drive or flash drive, always get confused. I will take in the doll slide today. I am scared and excited. This is a dream I have had for a very long time. I realize this fear is what has always kept me from really promoting my work, so my assignment this week is to take the next step. That is all we have to do, the next step.
A question to consider this week. What part does community play in your work? How do you create community that is supportive of your work?
Good Afternoon all, Catching up a little from last week- To answer a question from last week. I spoke on the future of museums in a digital age. I am happy to share the research or powerpoint. The last slide in the presi read "community is larger than you think." I ran a video clip (from last semester's project) where native American singer began singing the "friendship song". Folks on Main street began to spontaneously dance in a circle around the singers--My community is bigger than I think.
ReplyDeleteLynn, where is the research/prezi located?
DeleteI presented from a thumb drive-- but I can see if I can put it on google drive and invite you.
DeleteThis week--still exploring what is home and safety- I am working on both the research and a painting.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to distill what my concept of home will be. What is home --really in the US. What do we romanticize? One of my friends suggested that this theme of displacement, diaspora, home--maybe more related to stages in life rather than what I had assumed had to do with divorce. She, dr and mother of 4, suggested it is the sandwich age of children leaving and sick parents and roles changing.
DeleteTornados, blow our both the good and the bad--they are destruction and cleansing--they create a new beginning--whether we want them or not.
I heard today at church, home is our safe place. Meaning that we love our children so much that our home is our safe place, the place we go to, for comfort and peace, that our kids don't want to go to anyone elses house but their own and they want their friends to come over instead because it's where they feel safe, secure, not judged, allowed to be themselves, and a loving environment! That's the kind of home I want to give my son! I don't think it has to be a specific house or dwelling, building, but us, we are parents provide for them, and NO tornado, or wreck of Mother Nature can take that away from us! That's instilled in us!
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DeleteBlogger Pamela said...
DeleteHome and safety, as Andrea wrote above, is what we aspire and desire our homes to be. Unfortunately, for many young people, home is not a safe place. My father's home (after my mom's death and his remarriage) was a toxic environment for me. When my brother and I talk about our early years, we realize that it, too, at times, was not such a "happy place" as my mom and dad had some loud, screaming/shouting fights that caused great distress to us. It also created a habit in me (yelling and screaming) that took years to learn how to control. Many students have come to view their time at school as the "safe place" and would prefer to be there than at home.
Pamela, you are so right! School is a safe place for so many of our students, so sad...
DeleteI think it is easy to idealize these memories and feelings of happiness/security/home. The things we place our satisfaction in are often temporary things. Our life stages will change, family members will pass away, hard times will come. What is left standing after the destruction? That's what we can truly hold onto.
DeleteHome is a memory, a dream and a shelter at times. As Pamela mentioned my home was filled with a pink elephant that had the flu two weeks of every month and never admitted she drank too much. School was at times safe but it too was filled with lies and denials. I like what Lynns friend said...home changes as we change. For me the hardest thing has been to decide what I need/want/dream . I have lived alone more than I have lived with others so I have had the opportunity to arrange my life as I need it...and to make the mistakes I need to make .I look at as style in a way...at one time I loved extremely modern furniture...black and chrome...now I look for Spanish style mission pieces or very odd hand made pieces as long as it is comfortable . What I need has changed in the last few weeks. I can not use my office chair anymore because a chair with rollers is not my friend at this time. So to be safe I have to have chairs that give me support when I get up...just like a home.
DeleteMaybe what we have to look at is what we thought we had to have to be considered "good" to be "normal" , what we dreamed of at its core, what we want for our families, what we want for our friends.
And high winds, high waters are everywhere.
Future,
ReplyDeleteI understand your comment regarding "I have new respect for recovery of all kinds. There is no magic pill that makes the pain go away." When you have been through various life storms (and they come to all of us in differing ways) you can come away from them with many differing attitudes: more compassionate (towards others), more understanding (others may be going through a hard time and not willing to talk about it or let you know), more closed off (I do not like pain and do not want to feel any more of this), more fearful, timid, anxious (will I be going through more of this, is this going to end up the same way as the other), or more flexible and trusting (I cannot control others actions/ others reactions/unexpected accidents - but trust I will get through this too).
I completely understand and am with you a respect for healing and recovery as well. We all heal differently and need different things throughout our healing process and I have found it changes from time to time and circumstance to circumstance... I have always been one to need others around me in the past and this go round I'm really wanting and needing my freedom and space from others. Besides here and 1-2 friends I haven't shared and haven't felt the need to... For me this is HUGE progress! Step. Y step day by day we get stronger!
DeleteI saw you are reading Brene Brown --she is wonderful for healing and acceptance--this might be fun to explore:
Deletetp://brenebrown.squarespace.com/storage/ninjamatics/discussion-guides/ITIWJMreadingguide.pdf
Lynn, I plan to start that book this week!
DeleteThis week I have started seeking out contemporary artists who have similar love of fiber that I do...I was thinking that this might help me discover why it is that I am drawn to this material. I was also feeling like I didn't know a lot of contemporary artists who use fiber, weaving, embroidery, dyeing in their artwork - even though I know that's not true - I know many artist use it - I just didn't know where to start.
ReplyDeleteI remembered NAEA last year I was lucky enough to attend the Craft in America lecture. If you are unaware of what this is, it's a PBS series similar to Art 21 that focuses on contemporary craft based artists. I was remembering one of the speakers they had was an artist named Tanya Aguiñiga. At the time I feel in love with her work, but I had sort of put her in the back of my head. Well this week I started researching her again. Your question of community seemed relevant when looking at her work as well.
A short bio about Tanya - she is an LA based artist who was born in raised in Tijuana. She lived in Tijuana as a child, but every morning her dad would drive her over the boarder to attend school in California. She has a strong link to both communities which is represented in her work. She began to get very interested in fiber art, specifically felting because it was a process that didn't cost a lot of money, and she could teach the process to the ladies in her community so that they could earn a living. She is a strong believer in using art for community empowerment.
Besides being a prolific educator she is also a furniture designer, she does large site specific installations, she creates jewelery, and so on. She is pretty amazing.
If you are interested in learning more about her here are two resources:
http://www.aguinigadesign.com
http://www.craftinamerica.org/artists_fiber/story_2222.php
I think for myself I am still trying to figure out where community lies in my work. I feel pretty split between two communities. I have my school community - which I actively try and hold events to get families involved - I have a teacher twitter that I update daily to keep staff and families updated - I make monthly videos about what we're doing in the art room to keep the school informed and so on. So that's one world. Then I have my home community (which is an hour from my school) - I feel like I am lacking there. I try and support local business, I sell vintage items at a local store, I attend local music events...but what am I really doing to improve my community? I feel torn there. I wonder if there is anything I can do to improve my home/community.
When putting an emphasis on community in my own art I need to do a couple things.
One would be to visit local farms and to learn from local farms on the techniques they use.
To use local resources, this could come in the dyes I use, or the materials I use.
And maybe to have it connect to my school (which is very low income) - I feel like my art should involve materials that I either free or very very inexpensive. I fell in love with the idea of incorporating cardboard into some sculptural pieces this summer, and I'm sure that is something I will investigate more.
This week I plan to look into more contemporary fiber artists, if anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear some names!
Also tomorrow I am going to check out a new exhibit at the Ft. Worth Modern which is all about the New York scene in the 1980's!
You can read more about it here: http://www.themodern.org/exhibition/upcoming/new-york-in-the-1980s-urban-theater/2471
I hope everyone is having a great week!
Carleen, I feel so similarly about community! I find it extremely difficult to be involved when I work so far away. When we lived in LA, we were involved in a small start up non profit that was trying to bring the arts to our community. It was a wide range of educators, artists, and people who had a passion for children that volunteered at local community events and would bring some sort of free art project for children to work on. We put up murals around the city with under privileged youth to bring awareness of the arts to the community. They also offered summer classes free of charge. It was incredible to work with such dedicated people. We just needed someone who had a vision. I miss it so dearly. Denton has hundreds of artists, but something like that would be such a valuable asset to the community!
DeleteFor fiber artists, maybe start with UNT's own Amie Adelman!
I believe that the Craft in America magazine--3 issues back- was about fiber-I am looking for the magazine which is gorgeous! . The American Craft Council has an artist listing, if that helps--http://craftcouncil.org/
Deletehttp://craftcouncil.org/event/art-fiber-show
Deletethis show had 21 texas fiber artist--does that help?
My goodness you go the extra mile Carleen! I wouldn't get to down on yourself, you are more involved in your community than most!
DeleteI have seen a few of the PBS Craft in America shows. One focused on family and featured wood turners Ed & Philip & Matt Moulthrop. I had never seen wood turning on this scale or of the skill and it was awe inspiring.
Also featured was a husbandd andd wife team, Cliff and Holly Lee. Cliff was a doctor or a med student, I can't remeber. He fell in love with the pottery wheel and became a full time Artist, along with his wife who makes amazing jewelry. It was interesting to see two Artist who worked so differently under the same roof. His studio is downstairs and it is silent minus the hum of the wheel. Her studio is directly above and has the whisper off the tortch, and banding of the hammer, ect.
She incorporates pieces of his pots when the glaze runs, or the piece cracks. They break them then she sets the shards in the most beautiful pieces of jewelry. See link below.
http://www.ornamentmagazine.com/backissues/373/Lee-2.jpg
As for contemporary fiber artist, I asked my super hip Graphic Designer friend from Brooklyn and she suggested this.....
http://grethewittrock.com/projects.php
Lovely work this.
I am going into overload with all the amazing information, events, interests, that you all are putting forth. I appreciate this forum as I am able to watch each of you in your progression as well as share mine. You all also have such great ideas/thoughts/suggestions that you pass on to the rest of us. Thanks Future for setting this class up in this way!
DeleteFiber Arts has many faces, many ways of presenting work. Installations, DIY, small works, traditional works, traditional works taken the next step. Explore it all...play...have fun and see what speaks to you. Do not judge, just open your heart . Your community can be Junction/ this class.
DeleteCarleen,
DeleteThe activities of community work you've done is quite impressive. Community development is a fantastic way to interact with local culture/context into the art environment by immersing yourself with other contributors in artistic ways.
I am not well versed in fiber art, but I remember last year at TAEA when they had the Banksy presentation on yarn bombing. It was quite a show and this art form made me re-think how ordinary urban landscape can be celebrated with this art form. Automobiles, buses, signage, public benches and public spaces were all subject to "bombing". I particularly take a liking to Samantha Field's colorful triptych work and her innovative use of materials in her "She speaks folly" work.
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ReplyDeleteThe first year is totally exhausting when it comes to teaching. I think very few people realize how much of teaching is performing...especially when you are teaching little ones like Kinder - you really do have to put on a show for them. I can't imagine having to go from Kinder to 8th grade! Oh my! I teach Kinder - 5th, and that's hard enough.
DeleteOne suggestion I can make as far as making things "easier" is to maybe plan similar lessons as far as materials go for grades that are close in grade. For example if you're covering color in Kinder and 1st - you can cover Mondrian with both grades, cover primary colors - have primary paints, but advance 1st grades lesson slightly so that it's harder. You can pair up primary grades like that so your supply prep is less strenuous. Maybe with older grades plan longer projects so you're not prepping new supplies every day for them, but giving them opportunities to dive into projects that they can take their time on.
Another thing is maybe think about Units - I am not sure what your curriculum looks like, but if you break up your year into units it may be less stressful to hop around to different grade levels if you're covering (for example) Line with every grade level the lessons may be very different but the content goes across the grade level but just advances as the kids get older - this may be a way to not go crazy!
Good luck with your planning!
I agree with Carleen! The advice she gave on making similar lessons with different outcomes is very valuable.
DeleteAlso, it does get better. Making new material from scratch is hard and time consuming. After a few years you have almost everything you need and it gets less intense. I find that knowing the students, at least some of them, from year to year also helps. When the students know you (especially middle school) it makes for a much more relaxed and controlled classroom.
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DeleteI will be thinking good thoughts for all of you--warm blakety thoughts.
DeleteFrom the non teacher--B vitamins--we all take them at festival time.
Emily, my frst year teaching I too did K-8. It was a huge PIVOT (insides joke for Bailey, this is LISD's catch phrase for the 2014 school year) from college. I 100% agree with Carleen one lesson with slight variations for multipul grade levels. I would usually have 3 -5 lessons going at the same time across the 9 grave levels. Even still that was a intense year, compounded by the fact that it was the schools first year being open.
DeleteAs for the TEKS I wouldnt worry about going in order or even really focusing on them. If you sit down andd read them they are so vauge you can know them all out with a handful of lessons.
I would just try to expose them to as much cultural variety as possible don't sweat the TEKS. Besides no one checks anyways, which is sad on one hand, but give you wonderful freedom.
Like any other job, the more you do it the better you get so know that the 1st year is about as bad as it gets. It gets better, you get better, andd it gets easier in many ways.
I completely agree with the above said comments! Next year will be easier because you will reuse the majority of your lessons, you will know more of the kids, and have settled a little more into what a school year looks like, and heat to expect etc.
Deleteand Daniel is right no one checks the TEKS especially in our area, very sad but true!
I have always heard by your 3rd year of teaching you are the most settled, know what you are doing and is usually one of the smoothest years, as you are more confident in what your doing, knowing expectations of yourself, school. Kids, admin, etc.. And it all gets way easier!
There is also a cycle first year teachers go through... The struggle of not knowing what's going on, to about thanksgiving break feeling more confident to after Christmas break feeling like you know what your doing to spring break and feeling like if you can just make it to the end of the school year! Good luck and hang in there!
Emily,
DeleteI completely understand the exhaustion and difficulty of teaching so many levels. My first year teaching I taught k-12! There was no order progression. A Kinder class, then a 3rd grade, then a 6th grade, then a 2nd grade, then a 9th grade (etc.). The next year I worked at a different school (my current school) where I teach 6-12. This is still a big jump, but not near as big as K-8. It will get easier. Carleen made great suggestions. Ganging up concepts/units/projects/supplies that you can use from one lesson to the next is a great way to ease it up a little. That is how I go about it as I jump from high school to middle school and back again. I often gang up units (clay/printmaking) so there is less clean up/prep between in-a-row-classes. But as also was stated, your first year is the toughest as you are starting from scratch. Don't give up! It does get easier. Keep asking questions here as we can be both encouragement and resource for you.
Great advise and support. And Daniel is correct TEKS are what we all do at all levels everyday, they simply are written down for others to understand. It is like the color wheel, it makes more sense after you have mixed color not before.
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ReplyDeleteI recently finished Beatrice Wood’s autobiography, I Shock Myself. In her book, she recalls her life and what led her to her art career. What I took away most from the book is how she was always in some sense involved with her art. There were years where she did not do much besides engage with the arts community, but she was still involved. There were years she spent in her studio. There have been times when I did not have access to a studio and was only able to minimally contribute to the art community or encourage students in their pursuit. Now I’m at a point where I can sit down and work for extended times. What I gathered from her experiences is that time not in the studio can still be a useful time in an artist’s life. She used her travels, the people she met, and places she lived to inspire her later on in her life. Those experiences are rich and valuable. I have many images of places I’ve traveled and the people I’ve met who have richly impacted my view of our world. I’m eager to see how those show themselves in my work down the road. Her life was rich, full of interesting people and places. I aspire for my life to be the same.
ReplyDeleteShe had many dark experiences and abusive relationships in her life, but she focused on her art and worked towards healing. I don’t believe that art is the end all goal, but it is a valuable tool to be used in the healing process and in bringing awareness to others.
Wow it sounds like a good read! I may have to check into that book! That's for sharing! I agree... Art is so healing!
DeleteThis has been a crazy good week! Not sure where to even start... Let's see I finished the book I was reading the Fourfold Path to Forgiveness, as I ended this book, I know that I may not truly be able to forgive at this point but that I am on the right path to getting there! That is major progress!
ReplyDeleteEarlier this week, (my mom has been hounding me for a few weeks to do this) I stopped by Water to Wine a winery here in Round Rock and Austin and talked to the manager/owner about getting my artwork up for display/sell in her business, as they have artists for each quarter display and sell their pieces, she offered me the January 2015 slot right there on the spot! So January 30, I will have an opening night for my exhibit and invites will be sent out and all of that good stuff! I'm super excited for this opportunity!
Soo as I was trying to figure out what pieces I already have and what I want to create to display, I went to my lists of artwork I have in a couple of spots. I wrote down on a board in my classroom so I have a visual to keep me on track as I have to have at least 25 pieces and then if anything sells pieces to replace! So I went to the list I have on my phone and started looking and realized I have so many pieces I thought I needed to do but after reading this book I just started deleting them, I felt like there was no need to hold onto the past and that pain, and hurt but that I need to move on and work on the future, the present, the positive and the good that is being done and something that I just enjoy drawing and painting! For me this is a HUGE step for me! I know how incredibly blessed I am and so thankful for such amazing opportunities!
Have a blessed week everyone!
Andrea,
DeleteThis is SO exciting!I hope that I can make it to see the show, if not for the opening night.
That would be awesome! I believe the show will last for 2-3 months it spends on how they set up the next show on how much time I get! I'm so excited!
DeleteYEAH!!!!!!
Delete
ReplyDeleteSo this past week I got deeper into my book Identity and the Museum Visitor Experience by John H. Falk and started to see a lot of connections to my experience in public schools, as well as the discussion last week about what all of us get out of visiting museums, and why we enjoy or dislike them.
A few key points from the books research thus far.
The author, as well as many other cited researches, brings up the topic of Leisure and its increased role in the social function of 20th and now 21st century individuals. With the rising tide of middle class citizens of the world from the many growing industrial nations, specifically that of South America; Eastern Europe; and the biggest and most visible of the bunch Central and South East Asia, more and more people are finding themselves with an ever increasing amount of leisure time. Due to this rising standard of living for much of the world’s population, less and less time is spent perusing the lower levels of Maslow’s physiological and safety needs.
“They are now able to focus on achieving “higher levels” of need-love and security, self-esteem, and self-fulfillment, the latter of which is the pinnacle of Maslow’s hierarchy.”
The author talks about how in the past few decades leisure is beginning to see a major pivot from escapism and a do nothing approach, think laying under a palm tree on a beach with a fruity rum drink, towards what he calls “value added” leisure. This value added leisure takes on the role off fulfilling many of the modern citizen’s new needs. These new needs have everything to do with identity. As I stated before, different people have different identities, and thus different identity needs. This goes a long way to explaining why different people with seemingly similar demographics can have drastically different museum experiences, identity is made up of factors far more complex than sex, race, socio-economic status ect.
There is a lot to cover, but basically different identities require different needs, resulting in a vast array of what the author terms identity related visit motivators. These are factors that push different identities to look for different ways in which to fulfill their identities needs via free choice learning. This idea of free choice learning is how people reaffirm their identity either consciously or subconsciously. This is where he and many other cited scholars start to break visitors in to categories based not on the usually demographics but into groups seeking different identity affirming experiences.
A sample of the various groups.
Explorer-Facilitator-Experience seeker-Professional/Hobbyist-Recharger
Do any of these labels sound familiar to what we all said we get out of a visit to the museum? Would you classify yourself in any of these? I found myself moving from one group to the next.
The author give this nice example of the model he is proposing.
DeleteIdentity related needs + perceived museum affordances -> visit expectations->in museum visit experience-> satisfaction and memories -> repeat.
What I found really interesting was a point about this idea of free choice learning as a function of leisure time was a point brought up that most adults engage in free choice learning for reasons that are foreign to the goals one finds in formal or traditional education and learning. Mastery of content is not the main goal, or even a desired outcome, of free choice learning. Instead it is considered identity based learning, aimed at fulfilling ones higher level of needs.
“Visitors do use museums in order to support their lifelong, free choice-learning, but the purpose of that learning is not to gain competence in a subject as in a school or work-based context. Museum visitors are using learning as a vehicle for building personal identity.” – John H. Falk
I visited the Texas Tech Museum this weekend and took in the Inuit Art exhibit as well as a collection of Native America pottery. I will post about that experience and how I looked at my own visit with the new lens of identity needs and visit motivators later in the week, I know that was a really long post so I stop here with a question.
If the model Falk is putting forth is true, how does public education stand to gain from this new understanding about identity and free choice learning as identity building compared to the idea of content mastery?
Explorer-Facilitator-Experience seeker-Professional/Hobbyist-Recharger
DeleteDaniel, I related to pretty much all of those labels as a museum goer. I explore new ideas. I facilitate experiences for my students at museums. I seek the experience of a work of art in person and so on. I would not have even dreamed that a curator has to think about all of those identities as they set up an exhibit. It makes me appreciate the exhibits and museum set up that much more.
I felt the same way Martha, so much of what I identify with is based on the nature of my visit. It makes perfect sence since my expected outcomes vary so drastically based on if I go alone, with a friend or family, with my students. With each visit my motivating factors affect my learning outcomes.
DeleteDaniel and Martha,
DeleteI too fall into the above categories depending on whether I am going alone, bringing a large group of students, one or two students (or former students) or going with friends (who do not consider themselves "artists"). I have been aware that each of these groups brings along with it a different viewing experience for both me and those I am with. I have very different expectations from each of these group (or solo) museum outings. Additionally, as Martha so importantly pointed out, I had never considered the importance of this either regarding how a curator has to take all of these factors into consideration.
Hello all. I apologize for my late entry this week. I have been bothered with eye twitch in my left eye all day. I was required to suddenly take down my show (Eloquent Meld) today at Urban Tech as the painter was coming to patch nail holes and touch-up paint for the upcoming October show.
ReplyDeleteI wondered why I didn’t get the same treatment for my show. Presently, I’m not sure what that could mean. As Future can attest, I learned a great deal about “do’s” and “dont’s” when you accept an invitation for a show. Although I was invited by the Architecture department, I felt disconnected from them from my Alumni roots years ago.
My submittal this week is a continuation of the activities and opportunities for disabled individuals who produce Art at the Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, CA. Again, this is from the book entitled “One is Adam, One is Superman” by Leon Borensztein. The great thing about this art studio (fully equipped I might add) is that individuals are given the same opportunities to create as any committed artists. Society views these individuals as “Outsiders” and controversial because of the isolation and lack of acceptance.
Outsider Art has always been created (albeit rare). But in the past few years, the enormity of self-expressions for outsider art is gaining in societal acceptance every year. That is promising for all of us - as Teachers and Artists. My premise is that until we really understand this group (and I mean deeply understand), these individuals will always be dismissed by society as incomprehensible or simple-minded. This idea is not only inaccurate, but it fails to understand the depth of what these disabled individuals can/do offer to society. No, they are not formally trained, but many are aware (subconsciously) of those ideals through their experiences. That is amazing to me. Their crafted artworks are profound with meaning.
Leon Borensztein’s photographs celebrate the artists’ achievements, rationale for self-expression and, most of all, depict hope as something that can be built and strengthened every day. I am saddened about how readily these artists’ works are simply overlooked. John McGregor wrote a forward to this book Creativity and Disability that aptly summarizes society’s lack of vision with his words “The failure to explore or to attempt to understand the unique nature of the various forms of experience underlying these works represents an additional form of exclusion, and a denial of the reality so powerfully present in these creations” (McGregor, p.9 One is Adam, One is Superman 1st Ed. 2004)
One of the best points I like about this book is that Leon Borensztein presents the portraits of the artists along with their works – side by side. A casual glance provides evidence that these artists are proud of their achievements and identify readily with their works. The photos prove the individuals’ physical and psychological reality through their art.
Interesting points here Rick. It is funny when we talk about outsider Art being excluded or overlooked. Having spent undergrad in the Visual Studies and now with the MAE, I have been exposed to so much "outsider" work. I know this isn't the norm but I can't help but think the tide is starting to turn. I think as a society we are starting to see the walls that seperate the "norm" from the "other" come down. The idea of the other or the outsider is, in my opinion, becoming more common place and more in the open. Race, gender, sexuality, people with disabilities, all these labels are starting to hold less power as an excluder.
DeleteObviously they are still big factors in how people are treated, and the opportunities afforded but compared to 20 years ago I think progress has been made. People are more aware than ever. Not to say there isn't still work to be done, but we are moving in the right direction.
The link below is for a program called "My Possibillities" located in Dallas. Last year they were the recipient for the Art Con auction. The fellow talking about the program in the video is my friend of mine.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=moyIu-mF1F4