Art
I've ot a bit distracted from the collage art course by the surprising effect of one of the earlier exercises. The instruction was to consider the effect of speed, and pressure, on mark making.
Like pressing lightly and moving your crayon slowly, or maybe the other way round, fast and light, slow and heavy, or slow and heavy, slow and light...
The effect on the page is interesting, but what was more interesting to me was the way it made me feel 'inside', as it were.
Starting the top left circle, fast and heavy at the centre made me feel tense, almost as thought I was cross about something. Slowing down and reducing the pressure felt as though I was slowly unwinding and calming down. I reversed the process on the second circle.
Jabbing heavily and fiercely at the paper to make lots of heavy dashes, and then gently stroking the crayon to make lighter dashes had similar emotional states associated with them.
The bottom set of lines was mesmerising to create. I rhythmically applied and lifted pressure as I drew the crayon across the page.
Hopefully some of you might grab a pen or pencil or crayon and try it for yourselves. Or not. Or naybe you will have a go and say 'no, the doesn't happen to me...'!
Ɓooks
I've started 'English Lessons' by Carol Atherton
It's an English teacher explaining how she teaches set GCSE texts and why they are important and relevant to young people today. I wish my English Literature teachers had been like her...
Each chapter deals with a different text. So far I have been absolutely spell bound by Robrty Browning's poem 'My Last Duchess'; a cold-blooded account of coercive control, and the way teenagers need to be taught how to behave towards each other. I've never read the poem, but I found it on the net and followed her descriptions as she unpacked it.
Next was 'An Inspector Calls' by J B Priestley. I knew of the pay, but nothing more. Again, Carol Atherton' chapter (subtitled 'On social responsibility is brilliant.
The third chapter will be 'To Kill A Mocking Bird' by Harper Lee. I've read this a number of times and seen the film, but not as a school book.
Two chapters were all I could manage in one session - I need time to ponder.
So I'm about to start another light-hearted easy read for between Mrs Atherton's lessons.
Music
The art stuff I was talking about in the beginning has quite a crossover with playing an instrument. Playing loudly, or gently, fast or slow can convey and emotional moment. The trap is in getting so lost in your feelings that you lose the control needed to play the music! I've always found that a fascinating dilemma.
Murray Perahia and Schubert's Impromptu in Eb major shows what I mean...
That sounds a very interesting book.
ReplyDeleteIt is, and very readable too.
DeleteHow wonderful that you are finding such interesting things to do. The collage course does sound like fun.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit more eye opening (and demanding!) than I was expecting!
DeleteThat sounds like a really interesting lesson. I love your drawing!
ReplyDeleteHave you had a go with pencil and scrap paper?
DeleteI must look for "English Lessons". We had "My Last Duchess" in high school English, can't remember which grade. And in Margaret Atwood's story collection "Moral Disorder" it's the title of a chapter in which an academically inclined adolescent female student tries to explain the poem to her protesting boyfriend/classmate to help him pass his exams (reflecting my own teenage experience, although not with that particular poem). In light of these two experiences, I'm keen to read Atherton's chapter on it. - Oh: just checked my local library's holdings and they have "Reading Lessons" by Carol Atherton - this must be it, yes? I feel very lucky - access to an excellent big-city library is one of my regrets on having moved out of Toronto, although small-town life certainly has its compensations. And our local library often does offer me pleasant surprises like this. Your blog alerts me to so many interesting things!
ReplyDeleteCarol Atherton opens the chapter on the Duchess by describing an experience she had as a student, being asked to visit another girl in hospital to help her keep up with the lessons. I'm glad you're able to get hold of the book so easily.
DeleteThe Schubert is wonderful and the playing sublime. Oh to be able to play like that. I must look up the Carol Atherton book. I tried the pressure thing with mark making and it did make my shoulders tense. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteSchubert played well is just... luminous....
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