From: jainy maewood (polkadotsf@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Oct 21 2004 - 20:56:09 BST
Mel:
Wow, you guys are an interesting group here. You get right to the
point...and I'm quite certain I don't have the vocabulary to respond to you.
At least not one that includes the ideas presented in Lila, but I will try
from what I understand from my experience, if that's okay with you.
The attempt to draw or paint a subject, is an action that inherently
provides a movement towards direct observation. The problem for beginning
students, is they don't readily understand how to rely on their eyes rather
than their thinking mind. So its a question of getting them used to putting
their attention where it needs to be in order to have a TASTE of this
experience. The practice of art has two functions in my opinion. The first
part is for the visual artist to have a direct experience of that which is
seen. And that experience is always an unknown. Always new....and deepens
as practice matures the artist. The second is to convey that experience to
the viewer via the form in which the artist has chosen to work.
The perceptual shift can be encouraged by giving very specific exercises to
the student designed to move the attention into the senses and out of the
thought process. One way is to ask the student not to look at the paper at
all while they are drawing. Just to focus on the nowness of drawing a
single contour line of the shape of the figure, for instance, without regard
for the technical quality of the drawing. Another, is to ask them to slow
down the movement of the hand until it becomes synchronized with the
movement of the eyes - one guiding the other, keeping pace with the other,
and to stay with the sensation of that balance for as long as possbile while
drawing. Both of these exercises take the emphasis off the "product" of the
drawing or painting, and place it on the inner experience of the artist -
the seeing.
The artist needs to learn to trust the seeing, more and more. It is the
seeing which will leave a trace of something of intrinsic value in the work
- not the honing of technique.
I hope this addreses what you were asking about? I would also like to hear
your thoughts on the subject....
thanks
jainy
>From: "ml" <mbtlehn@ix.netcom.com>
>Reply-To: moq_discuss@moq.org
>To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
>Subject: Re: MD Poetic Quality
>Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 10:29:25 -0600
>
>Hello Jainy:
>(Pleased to make your acquaintance as well.)
>
>No need to apologize...no offense taken
>from your post. I do agree the ideas in
>ZMM/Lila give an important door for any
>student to step through.
>
>I would love to hear more about your
>experience with helping your art students
>move from "thinking about" to the higher
>value state of "really observing."
>
>Experience is often far more usefull than
>words for this type of perception...
>
>thanks--mel
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "jainy maewood" <polkadotsf@hotmail.com>
>To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2004 9:48 PM
>Subject: Re: MD Poetic Quality
>
>
> > Hi Mel (pleased to meet you):
> >
> > Yes, I agree. Sorry....I didn't mean literally, I was using the word
> > "required" to emphasize my own enthusiasm for the book. Lets say it
>could
>go
> > on the "recommended reading list" - that's a voluntary proposition.
>Although
> > I think many of the ideas from ZMM could be snuck into the teaching
> > environment vis a vis exercises, designed to raise questions in this
> > direction. For instance, I sometimes teach painting to beginning
>students.
> > And it's clear from observing them, that unless they stop "thinking
>about"
> > what they are looking at, and start really observing it, they will not
> > perceive well enough to create a likeness. Something in this
> > direction...bringing up questions about how to study, how to perceive
>the
> > problem we are in front of - how to paint the figure or whatever, as a
> > problem of quality of thought and perception. But it's a hard nut to
>crack
> > anyway you look at it!
> >
> > Jainy
> >
> ><snip>
>
>
>
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