Friday, December 5, 2014

To my online community

Sometimes I wonder what would a door look like (done in Junction) with this particular community of online bloggers with all your immense talent! I envision all the mediums that would contribute to the image and I am sure when finished, it would be a true spectacle to behold.

 Rick, thank you for sharing your journey that took me from the world of architecture to art education. It has inspired me to think about how architecture design can be used to bring community together or inhibit it. I also began to think about how our own school of art
Could benefit architecturally with a structure designed to promote an atmosphere of collaboration and community. Maybe the merger of these two fine gifts could change our whole perspective of what it means to “educate” someone? Maybe this type of “education” could stop school violence?

Lynn, thank you for sharing your ideas of home. This topic has taken me back to my own childhood experience and what “home” has represented for me. The idea of home has always lead me back to my Oma and Opa’s house. I can still hear and smell the aroma of fresh bread, quiet conversation and the voice of “Paul Harvey” on the radio. The time spent with my Oma has been some of my most cherished memories of “Home.” As the one year anniversary of her death approaches, I am flooded with both gratitude and grief over her loss. My Oma taught me so much about love and acceptance that she gave my heart a true “Home” and I will carry her memory in it always. Honestly, I am finding that I am grieving her more now than when she died. I feel this is where “healing through arts” (Andrea) can take place if I choose to take this “creative path” (Lynn). Here is a photo with my Oma “Sophia” and I at our last visit. I also would like to share my painting that I called “Sacred Journey Home” inspired by my Oma’s last days on this earth.










Daniel, I really found myself interested in the post about the printmaking from the Inuit people of Cape Dorset, Baffin Island. Your post leads me to visit the TTU museum and look up more about the artist Kenojuak Ashevak. Being a proud Canadian, I love to see the First Nations artwork appropriately appreciated and not exploited. Seeing this incredible artwork displayed gave me a renewed awareness of the struggles of the first peoples of North America. Since my research has been on community, it would further interest me to do research on this and their social practices as a cohesive group. I felt we received a glimpse of this by studying the works of Julia Parker from our weaving class spring semester. Thanks again Daniel for “weaving” all this valuable learning together!


Everyone in this blog has contributed to my learning experience; however, these are those that resonated the most during this semester. Thank you all for your wonderful contributions to this online community and have a blessed Christmas!


8 comments:

  1. It has been wonderful to see your doors and I really ejoyed our conversation at Jaysons defence when we talked about community. I loved your words about your Opa and Oma and seeing your painting about your Omas journy. My Grandfather is in the hospital right now, he had a heart attack the day after Thanksgiving. He just got moved from ICU to hospice and it looks like he will be passing in the next day or so. Your post made me think about my time with my Grand Daddy Jack, and how much he has shaped me into the man I am today.

    I agree with what you had to say about healing through Art in reference to Andreas work. My final piece has images of my Gradfather that I am going to transfer, which is hard because of the timing, but at the same time it feels like an good way to sit and think about him, to remember and honor his life.

    Thank you again for your post and input this semester.

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  2. Daniel please be assured of our thoughts and prayers during this very trying and pained filled time as you say goodbye. Also be comforted by the memories of "Grand Daddy Jack's" love for you which I believe is eternal! I have experienced this love first hand in my own beloved Oma's passing.

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  3. David thank you for your contributions!! Please take a look at my review of the class' research. I specifically concentrated on you, Lynn, and Andrea.

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    1. Emily incredible and insightful pieces that you have created on the societal impacts on our beloved youth who are LGBTQ! I just read about a 12 year old who recently took his life for being gay and the terrible bullying he endured for years...so tragic and sad! I hope you will display these somewhere in order to impact your own community so LGBTQ teens can find hope and others (those who are not LGBTQ) can possibly find tolerance..... and maybe even love.

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  4. David you brought me back to my Meenas house on cool summer mornings, sitting on the front porch while she brushed my hair, windows open and the smell of being there while reading this.. It's been 2 years since my pawpaw passed and it's just not the same visiting and getting to go into his study with all his movies and books piled so high, his many treasures all over the place.. Thank you for sparking those memories! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!

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    1. I am glad my thoughts of my Oma inspired good memories of your Meena and PawPaw. These memories I believe are eternal and grieving family can always lean on them especially during Christmas.

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  5. David,
    It has been a pleasure to see your work, and join with you as you share the events in your life. Your thoughts and comments have been insightful, and I agree that we have much to learn about what it means "to educate someone" as well as a rethinking of traditional learning methods. I have begin to implement collaborative experiences and self-driven projects into my classroom and it has been wonderful. I know the feeling of grief over departed loved ones as you are experiencing again at this moment the loss of your Oma. The waves come and go, the memories are what help us through those tough times. I love the photo of you and your Oma!

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