The Center for Civic Participation in Detroit, Michigan, has been researching the creative power of arts and culture as a catalyst for action, and has published eighteen essays through the Community Arts Network under the project title, "Bridge Conversations: People Who Live and Work in Multiple Worlds." Caron Atlas, Javiera Benavente and R. Lena Richardson conducted this project. Metadata about the project is also available.
There is also an Art, Nature and Environment Conference at Falmouth, UK, called Artful Ecologies 2 that has a great lineup of speakers.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
May Commentary
The Earth is in the news more and more. There is a minimum of one story about water every day in the newspapers here. My heart goes out to anyone experiencing loss from the earthquake and cyclone.
Kerala's summer is nearly over. Students are beginning a new school year now. This will be my first near-full year in South India (I will be in the USA for four weeks starting in mid-June). The temperatures and humidity have been a fascinating experience for this newcomer. Now I understand why everyone says that the monsoons are nice. I'm still learning the rhythm of the seasons, and how people organize themselves around that.
On this note, classes at Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts in Mavelikkara will start in the first week of June. I am looking forward to actualizing the course we are co-creating, which explores collaboration, and nature in art with emphasis on water. The college offers tracks in sculpture, painting, and applied arts. We have designed many experimental and experiential activities already, and more are emerging that will provide rich opportunities for discovery, learning, research, skill building, and more.
"We" in this case includes lecturers Shijo Jacob and A.P. Sunil, principal N.N. Rimzon, Beauty of Water collaborator V.Sasikumar, and myself, with student input of course. Sasi will be filming happenings as the course evolves.
Other Beauty of Water activities continue in development with Keralite leadership and partnership. Each activity is in creative stages. Drop me a line from the Beauty of Water website if you want to weigh in in any way.
Kerala's summer is nearly over. Students are beginning a new school year now. This will be my first near-full year in South India (I will be in the USA for four weeks starting in mid-June). The temperatures and humidity have been a fascinating experience for this newcomer. Now I understand why everyone says that the monsoons are nice. I'm still learning the rhythm of the seasons, and how people organize themselves around that.
On this note, classes at Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts in Mavelikkara will start in the first week of June. I am looking forward to actualizing the course we are co-creating, which explores collaboration, and nature in art with emphasis on water. The college offers tracks in sculpture, painting, and applied arts. We have designed many experimental and experiential activities already, and more are emerging that will provide rich opportunities for discovery, learning, research, skill building, and more.
"We" in this case includes lecturers Shijo Jacob and A.P. Sunil, principal N.N. Rimzon, Beauty of Water collaborator V.Sasikumar, and myself, with student input of course. Sasi will be filming happenings as the course evolves.
Other Beauty of Water activities continue in development with Keralite leadership and partnership. Each activity is in creative stages. Drop me a line from the Beauty of Water website if you want to weigh in in any way.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
United Nations Seminar on Art Changing Attitudes Toward the Environment
"...the universal language of art serves as a catalyst that can unite people in thought and action, and can empower individuals, communities, and leaders to incorporate environmental values into social, economic, and political realms..." READ MORE FROM THE UNITED NATIONS WEBSITE
Beauty of Water Website
Beauty of Water Website
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Article in New Indian Press Newspaper on Beauty of Water
[This entry was modified on 19 November 2008.] An article about Beauty of Water appeared in the Trivandrum edition of The New Indian Press (The Indian Express) on 22 April 2008. It is captured here in jpeg format. The interview was held in mid-March, and therefore names of some important contributors to the project were not included, such as artist T. Kaladharan. Involvement of others named in the article may be a bit overstated, but that was my mistake. Overall I am delighted with the way that senior reporter Reema Narendran stayed true to the actual project mission and activities. Beauty of Water welcomes this and other press coverage!
Beauty of Water Website
Beauty of Water Website
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Flowing Like Water
April has seen unseasonable rains in Kerala, and correspondingly, Beauty of Water is flooded with fantastic happenings! We have not posted lately simply because of the deluge of developments! Here are some hints...
We are partnering with a fine arts college to offer a course focused on collaboration and nature in art, with emphasis on water; we are partnering with a well known senior artist to host a professional art camp and subsequent show; we are co-developing curriculum for several childrens camps focused on water and expressive arts; we are planning film documentation; we are considering a village project; a new co-lead may join in coordinating in all of these areas; and of course, our main focus remains a high-quality collaborative art piece on the theme of appreciation for water.
Names and faces of the corresponding leaders will be published soon on the Beauty of Water website and in our electronic newsletter.
Beauty of Water Website
We are partnering with a fine arts college to offer a course focused on collaboration and nature in art, with emphasis on water; we are partnering with a well known senior artist to host a professional art camp and subsequent show; we are co-developing curriculum for several childrens camps focused on water and expressive arts; we are planning film documentation; we are considering a village project; a new co-lead may join in coordinating in all of these areas; and of course, our main focus remains a high-quality collaborative art piece on the theme of appreciation for water.
Names and faces of the corresponding leaders will be published soon on the Beauty of Water website and in our electronic newsletter.
Beauty of Water Website
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