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poem: what do your answers mean?
June 7, 2006
artist's way guided intent (june)
by gl. at 11:59 pm
that was a very successful evening! the first deliberate artist's way guided intent event went well -- and i can tell because i have so much i want to talk about and so many ideas for next time. :)
i feel like i hit a plateau (the good kind, the kind where you can stop & look around & breathe) about how to handle studio events like this. i hated theatre management unless i was directing, but i get excited about other art management stuff. (does anyone remember the ephemera exhibit)?
the overall structure has always been good, but i finally nailed some details:
- instead of forgetting, er, remembering to bring over CDs, i tuned into the mhcc jazz station (though i prefer it when they play big band). no advertisements and few words meant i could leave the music on the whole time, and it set the tone without being too frenetic about it.
- i set up the table with half-sized flyers describing all the studio offerings (inspired by the end of this post). to keep them from blowing away when the windows were open, i weighted them each down w/ a seashell, which i realized would be a lovely tradition to start: offer a small seasonal gift (seashells or raspberries in the summer, apples or chestnuts in fall, etc.) to participants each month. (the snafu: though i had my stuff at a seat, i wasn't at it when someone decided to sit there, which meant i had to take a different seat -- and the unique shell i had intended for sven went to her instead. she loved it, but i'm still a little sad. :)
- we began in the kitchen: i've learned that if i still have tasks to do in the kitchen when people arrive, that's where people gather -- and it makes the experience more convivial when it begins like that than if we're all sitting at the table, waiting for everyone to show up.
- though speaking of which, we also began pretty much on time, even though two participants hadn't arrived yet. starting late means we get out late, and some people have miles to go before they sleep.
- i have a fairly decent introduction strategy: i ask participants to answer who they are, why they're here, what art they're doing and what art they've always wanted to do. i even have a special bonus bonus question: what would you do if you knew you could not fail? (in my case, it's act.)
- one of the unexpected benefits of the guided intent structure is that it limits a fair amount of anxious chit chat. due to the intro and the collection, reflection & feedback components, there's only about 1/2 an hour to talk with each other while we create.
- i got a new insight about how to introduce myself & simplify what i do. i'm too tired at the moment to do it justice, but it goes something like this: "i'm a creative advocate: i like to encourage people to make art."
- and last but not least, finally setting the white balance correctly on the camera saved me so much pain and frustration this time 'round. the pictures look better and took less time to post than the two prior months. that's a huge relief, because what's the point of taking pix if they're all going to come out terribly?
- oh... AND i have a fabulous idea for the august open studio (the august guided intent is unlikely to happen because sven & i will be in canada). stay tuned for details!
a few more things i still need to tweak:
- how to collect money in an unobtrusive & nonchalant way
- how to relieve people who are stressed about the amount of time to create the collage
- clarifying the closing ritual
yes, but what about the art? oh, okay....
["leaving my mark": click to see the other pieces ]
compositionally, this isn't one of my favorites, but as a visual image to represent power, especially how i felt about my struggles working for the void of csusm, it's very intriguing. the words beneath the star are german. in the reflection component i wrote: "what compels me to move past the point of exhaustion, into bloody feet and a desert of sand?" it's taking me almost an entire page to slip out of my facilitator role enough to actually engage with my piece, so i feel like there's more to be explored here.
posted by gl. | June 7, 2006 11:59 PM | comments (4) | categories: artist's way
Comments
What a great life you've set up! I especially love the seasonal artifact at the table idea. You make me wish we lived in Portland.
Posted by: shelley Noble at June 9, 2006 12:09 PM
ah, shelley, thanks! in our fantasy life we'd totally form a creative collective, with the artist's way folk and the blog brothers cross-pollinating and attending each other's film premieres. ;)
Posted by: gl. at June 9, 2006 9:28 PM
I so enjoy reading your blog. I wish I lived close enough to participate in person. What great creative energy!
Posted by: Angela Rockett at June 12, 2006 3:47 PM
thanks, angela! you're not TOO far away, really... you're welcome to stop by an open studio or guided intent event at any time! ;) i love what i've seen of your work, btw.
Posted by: gl. at June 12, 2006 8:58 PM