Thursday, March 31, 2016

An Abundance of Beauty, March 31, 2016

Thursday, March 31 CHAT!

Don't forget, my anniversary-day chat.

TOPIC:
Art, as described in this Just Add Light post: An Abundance of Beauty


Sandra Dodd: I will quote it.
Sandra Dodd: ART
Sandra Dodd: An Abundance of Beauty
Beain Sydney joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: Helping children discover and appreciate art can be difficult when the parents' idea of art has to do with galleries and oil paintings from other centuries. School creates a limited view of art, and culture reinforces that.
Sandra Dodd: There is no topic or subject or pursuit that doesn't connect to or consist of art. Here's a linguistic example: "Artificial" once meant magnificently lifelike or cunningly wrought. It wasn't an insult until fairly recently (in linguistic time, which is slower than human time, but not as slow as geological time). I find beauty in the forms and histories of words.
Sandra Dodd: For flat art, you can look at paintings, photographs and graphics at art.com (and buy prints or posters if you want). For things for children to play with (children, teens or adults), there are many links here: SandraDodd.com/art (interactive online, or physical fun at home).
Sylvia Woodman joined the chat
Sylvia Woodman: Hi
Sandra Dodd: I hope readers will contribute to a list of places to look for art, or things to see as art.
Beain Sydney: Hello! I can't stay for the whole chat, but since I'm up, I'll hang out for a while. It's Friday 5:10 am here :-)
Sandra Dodd: (and then there are some there—the original post is here:  http://justaddlightandstir.blogspot.com/... )
Sandra Dodd: Bea, did I read that you're moving?
Sandra Dodd: I'm a bit overwhelmed lately.
Sukayna joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: Back to Canada?
Sandra Dodd: maybe I dreamed it.
Sandra Dodd: Nearly nine people already.
Sylvia Woodman: I love art that connects to philosophy

Bea in Sydney: yes, back to Canada, but before that we're exploring the Pacific (or something like that :-)
Marta Venturini: Sukayna's here but having trouble with her internet.
Amber: Play date problems - I'm in transit :}
ClareKirkp: I crochet. Some of the patterns I've worked on are full of beautiful artistry. I am in awe of people who can design like that!
ClareKirkp: And knitting.
Serah: Bea, where in Canada?
Bea in Sydney: Montreal
Bea in Sydney: We'll be back there July 16

Beain Sydney: Yes, in Sydney for not much longer :-) I wonder if I can change my username... BRB
Serah: oh. oops. montreal! we'll be nieghbours! Im in toronto :-)
Sandra Dodd: Clare, I have an odd aversion to crochet and knitting—not to doing it, but to the feel of the items, in general. Also lace, tatting. :-)
Sukayna joined the chat 6 days ago
Bea in Sydney joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: And my grandmothers were both GREAT at two or three of those arts. So I feel bad. :-)
Bea in Sydney: There we go :-)
Sandra Dodd: But I LOVE to see people doing it.
Sandra Dodd: It's like magic
ClareKirkp: I can't post images here, can I?
JennyC joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: And I love yarn shops—to see the colors and textures all up like that.
Sandra Dodd: It's not the yarn that gives me a chill.
Sandra Dodd: It's odd.
ClareKirkp: The blanket I'm working on at the moment is a version of one I made for my brother and sister-in-law as a wedding shop. It is the project I am the proudest of, and it is the look of it that I love so much - the colours and the depth of it
regan: An artist I know has a work where she makes her own naturalistic stones (ceramics) and has someone skip that stone into the water of a lake/river/ocean. In the end it only exists as a photo of the skipping.
JennyC: I love that yarns can have the exact same ingredients as another, but be spun differently to create something soft and smooth
Sandra Dodd: And I like to see naturally dyed yarn, and the way it's wound or how the skeins are presented and stored.
Parvine: We were at beach today, where I feel art can be created easily and spontaneously. sand Art.
Sandra Dodd: Interesting regan!
Sukayna: I want to learn to knit....used to crochet with my mom as a kid
Sandra Dodd: Parvine, what about art that is already there?
ClareKirkp: I love skeins of yarn! I hate that you have to make them into a ball to work with them - sometimes I think I'd rather keep them as skeins and just look at them :D
Bea in Sydney: We do lots of crafting, but we don't go to art Museums or art galleries very often, and I often feel like what we do doesn't count. And being French and all, I definitely have this elitist view of what art is. I like this topic :-)
Sukayna: patterns left by waves or sea creatures?
Sandra Dodd: Maybe.
ClareKirkp: Since walking more, I have begun to see artistry everywhere - the design of buildings, for instance.
regan: I love the work of Andy Goldsworthy... he arranges rocks or colored leaves or sticks in temporary patterns in nature. Completely impermanent.
Serah: or the beach comber machines?
Sandra Dodd: Benches, trash cans, barriers, wharf?
JennyC: I like the lack of permanence that the performing arts has
Sandra Dodd: Clare, I was thinking about your walks and photos.
Sandra Dodd: Yes, about images. I think you can upload photos or links. We've had videos in before.
Sandra Dodd: I like the richness and lack of permanence of madrigal singing, and shape-note singing.
JennyC joined the chat 6 days ago
Sukayna: walks are nice for appreciating lots of things- recently loving long, slow walks to linger
ClareKirkp: The main building of the hospital I work at was built in the 70s. It is the ugliest monstrosity ever! But they didn't just think 'OK, let's build a brown concrete cuboid and be done with it'. No, they actually designed some unnecessary features into it! Someone actually 'did' some art with this hideous building! I noticed it only yesterday (the design, not the building!)
Sandra Dodd: HEAVILY musical—lots of harmonies, moving, crossing over each other, and if you're one of the singers, it's vibrating in you, and if you make a mistake it matters, and if you hit a high note or low note clearly and distinctly is't glorious.
Sandra Dodd: And then... quiet.
Bea in Sydney: Xsenia (7 years old) the other day at the beach found coconuts and did an elaborate display with seashells and leaves thing, and said to her sister something like "how can you not be inspired by all this".
AlexP: My father was a professional photographer and my mom is very creative and artistic. We grew up with parent that were always in awe and recognazing beauty and arts everywhere and that helped us develop that appreciation.
Sukayna: ;)
Sandra Dodd: The building is less hideous, then :-)
Sandra Dodd: Sometimes it's the necessary features that are beautiful.
JennyC: It's that age old form vs function thing. So many 70's archetectural designs reflect that.
ClareKirkp: Slightly less hideous, Sandra!
Bea in Sydney: There is a very interesting looking house near my dad's place, very 70's design. I love it, but I think most people find it ugly.
Sandra Dodd: Flat-roofed buildings here have rain spouts, called canales. Some are very boring, but some are lined with tin, or shaped. Even old, rotting ones can seem really beautiful, in their context, on older buildings.
JennyC: The 60's were all about form while being functional, so the 70's swung a bit into function over form
ClareKirkp: My 12 year old does hooping - she looks really amazing while she does it and is creating art with her body :) My husband does fire poi - that is amazing to watch. Really beautiful art.
AlexP: I see my husband did not grow up surrounded by it and it is something that does not come to mind for him and only in few ocasions. My kids are much more tunned than dad. video games art, fan fiction art. Living with people that appreciate and see it helps. Because I grew up talking about advertizing my husband and I know talk about TV commercials and what is good and what is not. He can appreciate good ones now because of me paying so much attention to it from the artistic point of view!
Sandra Dodd: As I've seen where Alex's husband grew up, in what geographical surroundings, and what houses.... I think MANY people grow up where the world around isn't inherently beautiful.
Serah: alex, I too find commercials very interesting. I would love to sit with you and hear your views.
Sukayna: welding shop near our home has a large, iron violin outside the last few days....we have wondered about it together
Sukayna: car sized violin
Bea in Sydney: That's the house: https://www.flickr.com/photos/linneaxsen...
Sandra Dodd: And if the houses are similar, and plain-not-artsy, and if the work is hard and repetitive, it DOES seem that art could seem more foreign for them than for some people
AlexP: It woukd
Marta Venturini: Cool, Bea.
AlexP: It would be fun Serah! You guys really need to come visit again!!
AlexP: There is a fiel
ClareKirkp joined the chat 6 days ago
Serah: cool pic!
JennyC: I feel as if my entire life has been about art
AlexP: Argh sorry about all this mistyped words!
Serah: Alex, its your turn!
JennyC: And I see my kids doing that
Sandra Dodd: But inside Alex's house are GREAT artistic photos of her and Brian with a cow, and of their kids, and of their family. VERY sweet. And in the guest room, a basket of red towels with a green frog. Quilts.
JennyC: They come by it honestly
AlexP: My son once made a creeper head as a pice of iron ( dont remember the name-looks like a nail with big head) for an iron fence in a blacksmithing shop. Everyone in the even made one and they were all original pieces of art that are now dsiplayed in the iron fence!
Amber joined the chat 6 days ago
AlexP: And did you notice that the pictures and paintings in the guest room are all farms or barns?
Sylvia Woodman: Switching deviucez
AlexP: Same/
Sylvia Woodman: Bye/
ClareKirkp: Minecraft art - my 12 year old designed loads of beautiful buildings when she was heavily into minecraft. They were really beautiful! All my children do that now :)
JennyC: I wish that patrons of art still existed
Sukayna: that would be great, Jenny
Robin B. joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: Yes. Inside Alex's house is awesome, and the bathroom, and everything is pretty, and interesting.
AlexP: Same in my famil7 room! All now are barn paintings and even a painting of our farm on top of the fire place. My sister fiends aswesome paintings and get them for my collection. She just bought a wonderful painting of an old man for $5 on a thirft store and it looks gorgeous in her house.
Sukayna: my eldest does traditional art-sketches, paintings, many different things
ClareKirkp: They've all been very inspired by other minecrafters' creations. I bet a lot of parents don't see the watching of YouTube minecrafters as a way of their chidlren being exposed to art
Sukayna: we are her patrons for now :)
AlexP: WEll thank you Sandra.
Sylvia Woodman joined the chat 6 days ago
Sukayna: my kids have commented on the progression of game graphics as art (sonic, tomb raider)
ClareKirkp: Going to try to post an image of that crocheted blanket (art)
AlexP: Everything is rustic and second hand pretty much! Or repurpused. learned a lot with my mom and sister who are very very creative and artistic. Well my dad too! I am the less creative one.
ClareKirkp: https://flic.kr/p/EVUmQA
ClareKirkp: I can only embed them if I'm an administrator
Amber: I recently learned to crochet. But I'm already changing my interests. I'm a bit of a dabbler.
Bea in Sydney: Xsenia watches videos by other kids (sometimes also teenagers and even grown women) acting out scenarios with Littlest Petshops. Some of these kids are really talented, it's definitely art!
JennyC: I really enjoyed making small crocheted pokemon
Sukayna: rustic and second hand is very trendy now, Alex :)
AlexP: flicker refused to connect
Robin B.: As to places to find art - videogames. Some of the most beautiful renderings I've seen have been in World of Warcraft. When a new version comes out, I always try to get the Collector's Edition, because of the art book that comes with it.
AlexP: i agree Robin!! I even got a book for my son about the art in Dark SOuls. AMAZING!
Amber: There was an article I saw once that showed the progression of an artist - from when they started drawing up through to their current works, which I believe they are making for video games - wish I could remember the name
AlexP: Even Kirby's Epic Yarn has adorable art!
AlexP: Amber video games art is amazing!
Marta Venturini: I don't know who loved that game more, Alex. Me or Conchinha! ;)
Robin B.: In one of Senna's favorite series of games, Fire Emblem, the initial line drawings of the characters is included in those art books.
Amber: yes it was gorgeous
Marta Venturini: (Kirby's Epic Yarn)
JennyC: My oldest is art. She creates art with her own body.
JennyC: Make up and clothing and pieces, all art.
Marta Venturini: Rayman Legends is also another favorite of ours. Bruno played it when he was growing up and we bought it for Conchinha. The characters and soundtrack are really cool.
ClareKirkp: Manga art is a big thing, isn't it?
JennyC: Oh, absolutley
AlexP: One of the things I love about my Korean Show Faith is the cinematography . The colors and scenary, everything makes it for beautiful art! Together with amazing music it creates a wonderful piece of art that is the show!
JennyC: Cosplayers build on manga and anime
Robin B.: And as a result of playing those games and loving the characters, Senna cosplays them, which involves turning art into fabric. :-) It can be tricky, but it's a full-on creative puzzle to figure out how to turn drawings into costuming.
JennyC: Alex, that's how I feel about theater
Sandra Dodd: There is a filmmaker named Franco Zeffirelli
Sandra Dodd: EVERY FRAME, he tries to make it like a photo.
Bea in Sydney: French game, Rayman Legend. And you can totally tell in the graphics. I love that, that you can often tell more or less where a graphic artist came from from the feel of his drawings.
Robin B.: Satyricon!
ClareKirkp: I used to be incredibly inspired by historical costuming in my late teens and early twenties
Sandra Dodd: And I thought that when i was first watching Korean dramas—they reminded me of Zeffirelli films.
Bea in Sydney: graphics, or drawings
JennyC: I'm making a mental note of that Sandra
Sandra Dodd: And then on one of the shows (and I don't remember which), on the wall in a character's living room, was a BIG image from Romeo and Juliet, that he did in the 1960's.
AlexP: My son wears this outfit he created based on a female character he loves from a game. His outfit is a masculine version. He had me put ribons and make him a cloak all out of his imagination on top of something . His own creation. Very interesting
Sandra Dodd: I meant to make a still of it and write that up, the connection, with kdramas. But time passed, and I don't remember which show it was anymore.
Robin B.: Oops, that was Fellini. I get my Italian directors mixed up. :-)
Marta Venturini: Yes, Bea!
Sandra Dodd: My house is not nice like Alex's.
Sukayna: lots of tedious art put into anime films, depending on the animation and director

Jill Parmer: Cool Alex. Luke designs the back pockets or tells me what to sew on them when I make jeans for him.
Robin B.: Tedious?
AlexP: Sandra yes! Franco Zefirelli. I grew up with my photographer dad talking about him! And the Japanese director Akira Kurosawa
Sandra Dodd: Raghu Bharadwaj, when his family visited here, though, LOVED my house. He gave me an award well, after they left.... wait...)
Jill Parmer: He has Naruto clouds on one pair, and a World of Warcraft icon on another.
Sukayna joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: The Raghu-Weasley Star Award for the most interesting home. I think it's because it was cluttery with things he thought were interesting.
Sandra Dodd: http://thebharadwajknights.blogspot.com/...
Sandra Dodd: http://sandradodd.blogspot.com/2009/12/o...
Sukayna: yes, very time consuming and detailed...exhausting but in a good way
Robin B.: Do you mean detailed? Or elaborate, Sukayna?
AlexP: My kids would love your house! They love lots of things, books, games, atifacts, curiosities, etc
Marta Venturini: Sweet, Sandra. :)
Sukayna: depending on computer use or hand painted etc it can be very, very detailed and lengthy
Marta Venturini: (Raghu's award)
Serah: oh, how nice :-)
Sandra Dodd joined the chat 6 days ago
Robin B.: Do you know someone who draws such art for anime, Sukayna? :-)
JennyC: That's sweet!
AlexP: Sandra you are the first person who called my house pretty !
Sukayna: my daughter has been researching and attempting various types of animation
JennyC: My house will never be clean and designer. Artists live here, so sometimes my living room is full of boxes and cardboard and there are always things on surfaces, like scissors and tape and paint and glue
Sukayna: it seems tedious (some of it, but cool) to me
Serah: i love your house too Alex! its filled with love
Robin B.: My daughter draws by hand and on her tablet. She works tirelessly, sometimes, at it. But I don't think she'd term her work tedious. My work for a bank was tedious!
AlexP: There is an unscholing teen that I know that is making some amazing art!! ( Other than Brie's daughter) Sam came with her family to our two conferences in Minnesota. I have seen the evolution of her art and man she is making some absolutely gorgeous pieces
Sukayna: on a tablet like ipad?
Sylvia Woodman: That sounds like my house Jenny! Where ever there is space Gabriella uses the area to make things!
Sukayna: or tablet like paper?
Robin B.: No, a drawing tablet. Wacom.
Bea in Sydney: drawing tablet.
Sukayna: Ah- well, to me, not being an artist, the amount of work and patience and detail does seem tedious :)
Bea in Sydney: I bought one (drawing tablet) for Linnea recently, but she doesn't like it, and prefers drawing with the mouse.
Sylvia Woodman left the chat 6 days ago
Sukayna: I suppose to the artist it is a labor of love
Sylvia Woodman joined the chat 6 days ago
JennyC: I have pictures hung in frames in my living room. The pictures are boring and lame, but I wanted to keep the frames and the easiest place e to store them was on the walls. One day they will have beautiful art in them
Bea in Sydney: :-)
Marta Venturini: :)
Sukayna: I meant tedious in the wow! I could never do that, too much effort- for me, like working in the bank maybe
JennyC: 3 large frames. I got them second hand but they are expensive nice frames
Sandra Dodd joined the chat 6 days ago
Parvine: Atai really enjoys drawing on her Wacom tablet! Doing Anime drawings.
Sandra Dodd: That's funny, Jenny—that the frames are the art. :-)
Sandra Dodd: Nice.
Sandra Dodd: So... I'm behind on the chat, and couldn't see Clare's link, and have been on the phone.
Marta Venturini: We have an amazing artist in the house, Bruno. I love his paintings so much! Conchinha enjoys painting with him -- And I love to watch them paint/create together :)
Sandra Dodd: There will be a memorial service for my friend Helene here at my house on Tuesday at 4:00 pm.
JennyC: They really are and one day something can be privileged to be in them
ClareKirkp: Yes, I don't think I'd have the patience for the detail in some art in terms of paintings or drawings, but I think that's because they're not my thing (so far). A lot of people wouldn't have the patience for the crochet and knitting I do or the learning of piano pieces.
ClareKirkp: I don't know why my link wouldn't work :-/
AlexPolikowsky7 joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: Is that flickr account set to private?
Sukayna: Yes, Clare sorry to be unclear
ClareKirkp: No, Sandra - it's public!
Bea in Sydney: I can't see your link either, Clare
ClareKirkp: But my laptop is being odd - I need a new one, really. It may be something to do with that.
Robin B.: I see your point, Sukayna. ;-)
JennyC: Last night my youngest was learning moonlight sonata on the piano, by ear. It was really nice
AlexPolikowsky7: Had to join from phone! Tablet battery was almost gone!
Amber: There's a suburb of Miami called Coral Gables - they have very high taxes and strict laws regarding trees and house colors and whatnot, but the result is an incredibly beautiful area - lots of old growth trees, huge banyans, colorful bougainvillea, houses in all shades of pastels. It's wonderful just driving around town.
Sukayna: :) I am glad
AlexPolikowsky7: Yep I know Coral Gables.
Marta Venturini: I always feel very lucky to live in such a gorgeous city like Lisbon, architecturally speaking.
Bea in Sydney: Have to go, we're going away for the weekend and are supposed to leave in half an hour (though I'm the only one asleep right now :-) It was nice to chat for a while :-)
Bea in Sydney: (I mean not asleep)
JennyC: There was a neighborhood built like that near where I grew up, but it isn't necessarily beautiful all these years later. All the house had to be the colors of marshmallows. And the neighborhood was called marshmallow meadows
Sandra Dodd: https://www.flickr.com/photos/71707138@N...
Sukayna: old architecture can be art/history
Amber: My favorite place I've visited so far has been Barcelona. I was so impressed that they even had artistic sidewalks, stamped with designs.



Sandra Dodd: I cut off the s, and it opened for me (http instead of https)
ClareKirkp: They're not allowed to build in non-cotswold stone in cotswold villages because of how they look
Sandra Dodd: Will that open for others?
Sukayna: Bye Bea!
Marta Venturini: It did open, yes Sandra.
ClareKirkp: the 's' is still there in that link you posted just now, Sandra
Sandra Dodd: Bye, Bea!!! Have a good weekend
Sandra Dodd: I know. When it opened, the "s" was stuck back into the address. :)
Bea in Sydney: yes, I can see your photo, Sandra. Bye everone!
Sandra Dodd: Werid.
Sukayna: yes it is lovely, Clare
Sandra Dodd: So is that the one, Clare?
AlexPolikowsky7: My mom said Lisbon is gorgeous too Marta
Amber: Clare is that Sophie's garden pattern?
Marta Venturini: I was looking for some photos of our sidewalks.
Marta Venturini: They're gorgeous too.
ClareKirkp: Sophie's univers, Amber - Sphoie's garden is the middle square that was designed as part of a different crochet along the year before
AlexPolikowsky7: Saw it Clare!! Love it!
Sukayna: cobblestone patterns?
Marta Venturini: Your mom knows what she's talking 'bout, Alex. ;)
Amber: aha! yes okay. excited I could recognize it :D
Amber: love that pattern
Robin B.: I played clarinet in high school. That was somewhat tedious, since I really wanted to play the saxophone. I know how to play guitar, though I don't own one anymore. I play 'ukulele and can sign and play. I have a beautiful Celtic harp that I still cannot play a little, let alone well. I seem to have a mental block.... I dance hula, which is an art form. My husband writes books, drives race car (to do that well, it's an art), draws, has built gorgeous furniture. Art is all around us, though I don't think of anyone but my daughter as an artist. Interesting!
AlexPolikowsky7: We have famous sidewalks in Rio de Janeiro. They are made with Portuguese Flag stones . Beautiful.
Jill Parmer: Art and food. Does anyone remember Anna the Red who used to make bento lunches? That was some cool art work.
Robin B.: sing and play, not sign! That would be interesting!
Jill Parmer: http://www.annathered.com/gallery/bento/
Sandra Dodd
Sidewalk cobblestones in Lisbon:  http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/SandraDodd/...
AlexPolikowsky7: I agree! Food set
AlexPolikowsky7: Food art is delicious!
ClareKirkp: Thank you for reminding me about dance, Robin. I've watched some tango dances that have really moved me, and had the pleasure of dancing a few tango dances where a few bars have felt deeply moving - that's art :)
Robin B.: Gotta go. Bye all.
Marta Venturini: Hehehehehe
Robin B. left the chat 6 days ago
Marta Venturini: Thank you, Sandra. :)
Sukayna: we have really artistically created vegetable carts in the streets here- but I have no photos to share :(
AlexPolikowsky7: https://www.google.com/search?q=copacaba...
Sandra Dodd: Jill, is Anna the Red someone you know? American? What? Why would we remember her? Bento boxes are great!!
AlexPolikowsky7: See the one in Rio in the link above
Jill Parmer: Our city has been doing Art in Public Places, and one of the things they do is have artists paint the transformer boxes. I love finding them around town.
Jill Parmer: http://www.fcgov.com/artspublic/transfor...
Sukayna: Thanks, Sandra! Yes, we have some roads like this here, too.
Amber: Wow Alex those designs are so fun - they remind me of terrazzo floors. The Miami airport has newish floors that are terrazzo with gold sea-creature inspired designs set in them.
Jill Parmer: People mentioned her a fair amount on the old unschooling message board.
Sukayna: Bye, Robin
Sandra Dodd: Okay. :-)
JennyC: I'm doing choreography today for a children's theater production and I'm using socks as props
Jill Parmer: Either that or I just paid a lot of attention to it over the years, because I found it so fascinating.
Sandra Dodd: Was she an unschooler, or just a famous Bento-box artist?
AlexPolikowsky7: Some bento pins I saved
AlexPolikowsky7: http://pin.it/tXnZr_y I thought you'd like this Board on Pinterest...
ClareKirkp: This is a cotswold village near us: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...
Jill Parmer: Bento box artist.
Sandra Dodd: I like cake art. Cake decorating. Not to do, but to admire. :-)
Marta Venturini: https://www.google.pt/search?q=cobblesto...
ClareKirkp: I don't know how much of their prettiness is by design and how much is about how the villages sprung up
Sandra Dodd: That is beauutiful, Clare!
JennyC: It's not food art, but I'm using mundane items to make some dance
AlexPolikowsky7: Beautiful Marta!
AlexPolikowsky7: Beautiful Marta!
AlexPolikowsky7: Beautiful Clare
Sandra Dodd: http://sandradodd.blogspot.com/2014/06/a...
Jill Parmer: I love that Marta.
Sandra Dodd: A photo I took in a town calle Stroud, that turns out to be an awesome photo.
ClareKirkp: I'm not Christian, but religious art always astounds me too - that people put so much work into things out of pure devotion. This is in a Norman church about half an hour from us - ancient frescos on the walls. Most churches have bare walls now, but once they were all decorated in bright colours. http://glosoracle.com/articles/wild-daff...
Amber: ah how fun. there's something I like even more when art is incorporated into something functional - like crocheting a blanket or these gorgeous sidewalks and streets - compared to art you hang on a wall
ClareKirkp: Stroud is 15 minutes from us, Sandra :)
Jill Parmer: So...Clare lives in art. ! That is awesome.
Sandra Dodd: Religious music wows me.
Sukayna: Wow! Lisbon streets are amazing! Thanks Marta!
AlexPolikowsky7: I love the HGTV show House Hunters, specially the international one, so I can see different. Building designs!
AlexPolikowsky7: Wow that is a gorgeous shot Sandra
Sandra Dodd: I just lucked out with that, and I love it.
AlexPolikowsky7: I think i want to go visit Clare on my way or back from Korea!
Parvine: Lisbon is certainly beautiful and art is everywhere. The old trams are beautiful!
Sandra Dodd: Lisbon has views, like crazy, in all directions.
Sandra Dodd: SO! Compared to rural Minnesota, I think it's easy to appreciate art in Lisbon
ClareKirkp: And this is Gloucester cathedral - Gloucester is the city I live in. I can walk to the cathedral in half an hour. It's known throughout the country as a particularly beautiful cathedral. http://www.cheltborohomes.org/web/wp-con...
Sandra Dodd: It's impossible NOT to see art up, down and all around, in some places.
Sandra Dodd: Art / beauty
ClareKirkp: http://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8165/767102...
Amber: These flickr links remind me how when I first joined flickr, I started collecting/curating macros of flowers - and tried to do it so that I would have different colors, shapes, and types follow one another - like those posters of doors
Sandra Dodd: VERY wonderful, Clare. Please take me there. :-)
ClareKirkp: My kids want to take you there, Sandra :)
ClareKirkp: We all love visiting the cathedral - I find it quite overwhelming in its beauty - that people spent so much time crafting something that most of them would never see finished.
ClareKirkp: Alex - you should definitely come some time :) I may be biased, but I do live in a really lovely part of the UK!
Sukayna: I feel that way whenever we go to Baalbeck- the huge pillars, the amount of work
Sukayna: The remains of the mosaic floors...
Sandra Dodd: New Mexico is pretty.
Parvine: I have childhood memories of Baalbeck :)
Sandra Dodd: And artists come here.
Sukayna: :)
ClareKirkp: Roman mosaics are pretty cool too
Sandra Dodd: And buildings tend toward artsiness (not counting the 1970's, and I live in a 70's house)
Marta Venturini: True, Sandra. About Lisbon. :)
Sukayna: it is bigger in real life, add to it the snowy mountains...
Sukayna: sorry syntax
Sandra Dodd: OKAY! I want to say this now. I feel like making a point. :-)
Sandra Dodd: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
Marta Venturini: :)
Sandra Dodd: Why do people say that?
ClareKirkp: What I love about ancient art is the thought that they contain the essence (or something) of the person who created it so many years ago
Sandra Dodd: Sometimes they say it because the thing someone said "wow" about isn't all that great, they think
AlexPolikowsky7: Because some people see beauty where others don't?
Sandra Dodd: Or if someone says "it's not that great," the one who DOES like it claims it. :-)
Sandra Dodd: But I think some people look at the world through beauty-seeing eyes.
ClareKirkp: Is it that we see beauty where we see it, regardless of what other people see as beautiful?
Sandra Dodd: They behold beauty that others don't.
Sandra Dodd: I honestly don't know. Sometimes it seems like a put-down.
ClareKirkp: I feel more like 'wonder' than 'beauty' - I can be moved by something without it being beautiful
ClareKirkp: Isn't art about being moved?
Sukayna: yes, Clare and Sandra
Sukayna: sometimes seeing it firsthand, not on a screen matters
AlexPolikowsky7: I certainly look at the world with beauty lenses. Some people are the opposite. Negativism colors their 0
AlexPolikowsky7: perception
AlexPolikowsky7: perception
Sandra Dodd: But I think the biggest buzzkiil of all time comes out of the mouths of lots of people. Ready? Brace yourselves. I'm going to demonstrate the buzzkill of art-appreciation.
Sukayna: carries an emotional, physical chare?
Sandra Dodd: "That's STUPID."
Sukayna: charge
AlexPolikowsky7: Make
Amber: Maybe something is more beautiful to one person more than another because it has personal meaning - something that affects them because of their particular experiences
AlexPolikowsky7: Awe
ClareKirkp: Yes, Amber, I think that.
AlexPolikowsky7: S
AlexPolikowsky7: I can see that Amber
ClareKirkp: Sandra - I never saw 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' as a put down. I think it has been said to me as a child when I told someone they were beautiful and they 'rebuffed' me by trying to say that I was the beautiful one...if that makes any sense?
AlexPolikowsky7: Back to what Sandra says , yes it does seem like most times it is a out down
JennyC: Right Sandra. That's a buzz kill for anything
Sylvia Woodman: I think some people are naturally inclined to see beauty, and others need help noticing it. I'm always pointing out things to Gabriella and Harry in the hopes that they will start to notice beautiful and interesting things themselves.
AlexPolikowsky7: Ugh you like that? I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder
ClareKirkp: But I do, now, having considered it again in this discussion, think it means that not everyone may find trhe same thigns beautiful!
Sukayna: Sometimes, I am in awe of the ability to produce something...
Sukayna: Sometimes, I am in awe of the ability to produce something...
Amber: the beholder quote reminds me of what my husband said once - which was that Value is determined by the Customer. This is a very business-y take, but, he said it to me in response to a low-self-esteem moment. It was meant to buoy me.
Sandra Dodd: It's like an on/off switch, and I think that for unschooling and unschoolers, either it's that the parents are open to beauty, and wonder, and awe, and joy
Sukayna: Sometimes, I am in awe of the ability to produce something...
Sukayna: Sometimes, I am in awe of the ability to produce something...
Sandra Dodd: Or that they are willing to turn more that direction for the sake of their children.
ClareKirkp: Maybe the person who said it to me as a child didn't mean that I was beautiful but that not everyone might see the person I was talking to as beautiful
Sandra Dodd: Not sure, Clare.
JennyC: I think we all have preferences. What's needed is appreciation, even for things we dislike, esp if it's a thing our kid likes
Sandra Dodd: I think maybe partly it means that nothing "is beautiful" but that the person who sees it thinks so.
Sukayna: so sorry for the four-peat
Sylvia Woodman: I lived in NYC for four years while I was in college and then I moved home for a year and when I returned home I was so struck by what a beautiful town I had grown up in. I had lived there for 16 years as a kid an never noticed. It was only after I was away that I truly SAW it.
Sandra Dodd: From Hamlet: "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"
ClareKirkp: When I was a child, I enjoyed doing 'art' until a teacher started improving my art for me. I didn't realise that that was when I started thinking I wasn't creative or good at art until only a few years ago. And then I was really angry with that teacher for essentially saying that my art wasn't good enough
Sandra Dodd: So if a child thinks something is beautiful, it must be! :-)
Sukayna: perception, then?
Sandra Dodd: Appreciation. Perception.
AlexPolikowsky7: I think one can find beauty in pretty much anything! I find opossum
Sylvia Woodman: Aristotle also wrote about that. That people like to sort things into categories.
Sandra Dodd: So maybe beauty touches emotion, as someone said above (Clare, I think), but
AlexPolikowsky7: so beautiful! They are so ugly they are too cute
ClareKirkp: I remember giving my grandma a clay frog 'I'd' made and she was delighted by it and I just felt really flat about it, and I realise now that that was why - becuase it wasn't my work, it was my teacher's!
Sukayna: Yes, Clare. My kids used to basically tell the art teacher off
Sandra Dodd: as Sylvia's example—when she was at home in her home town, it wasn't noticeable.
ClareKirkp: For me, art is definitely about emotion. As I've got older, I'm more appreciative of art and it has more capacity to move me.
Sandra Dodd: So sometimes the emotion comes first, perhaps, sometimes. Like homesickness.
ClareKirkp: And I've become more mindful so I see art and beauty (in terms of things that move me) in more places
Sandra Dodd: Homesickness can make the damnedest things seem wonderful.
AlexPolikowsky7: So true!
ClareKirkp: Yes, and also triggers - I was so madly into Tudor history all my childhood that seeing something 'Tudor-y' really stirs that sense of passion I once had as a child.
Sukayna: i get to live kind of like a tourist, in my adopted country
Sukayna: so I am always finding things beautiful that are mundane to locals
Sylvia Woodman: We could all choose to live like tourists wherever we live!
Sukayna: Yes, that is great unschooling advice
ClareKirkp: I think being a home educator makes you see where you live more as a tourist anyway (well, it has for me, at least!) - we look for places to go and things to see :)
regan mobile joined the chat 6 days ago
Sandra Dodd: I don't drink Coca-Cola. I drink root beer or Dr. Pepper. But the last time I was in England, I was out eating with people, and I guess I was getting tired of unfamiliar food and water and everything, and in a restaurant I choose to have a can of Coke and it was just... Well, for one thing, they use better sugar. But even the can, and the flavor, were making me feel patriotic or something. I didn't expect Coke to be "comfort food," but that day it was.
Sylvia Woodman: I think it's a really helpful mindset for unschooling.
Sandra Dodd: And I thought the can was beautiful. :-)
Sukayna: white toast and butter :)
Sukayna: hate it in America, love it with tea and cream in Lebanon
ClareKirkp: I remember that feeling of unfamiliar food from my exchanges in France and Germany in my teens.
Sandra Dodd: Hampton Court is such a great place to be. I hear it's across the river from Janine Davies' house. :-)
Sylvia Woodman: Sometimes the right food at the right moment can be a revelation. I remember the first time I had Thai food was like that. I had never tasted cilantro or lemon grass before and I was transport. It was so exotic for me!
Marta Venturini: Will you be staying with Janine too, Sandra?
ClareKirkp: Yes, it's very close to her! I grew up very close to it too - it was just about my favourite place to visit, but very expensive nowadays
Sylvia Woodman: sorry transported
Sandra Dodd: I like English food! Love the ham, bangers, fish, chip butties. I'm happy with it. But still, homesickness is a real thing sometimes, and it changes perception.
Sandra Dodd: Yes. I'll stay with Janine for a few days. And she's going to pick me up from Clare's house, I think, so we'll all be in one place at one time for a bit.
ClareKirkp: I said I'd take you somewhere for a cream tea, too, when you're here.
Marta Venturini: Cool :)
Sandra Dodd: THIS is good, and I agree: " I think being a home educator makes you see where you live more as a tourist anyway (well, it has for me, at least!) - we look for places to go and things to see smile"
ClareKirkp: Maybe that village that I posted a pic of!
Sandra Dodd: Cool. :0)
Sukayna: I have been desperately seeking malt vinegar for some time now....
ClareKirkp: We've recently been doing 'treasure hunts' around our local city. My 9 year old, in particular, really loves them and now knows way more about our city than I did even just a year ago. Sandra -you'll like this connections story...
Sandra Dodd: I have an India-print bedspread on the window here. I don't get it together to actually buy or make curtains. I used to have some "net curtains" (machine lace) I bought in a charity chop in East Yorkshire up there. One of the magnets is the projection of that lace on the ceiling.
ClareKirkp: Two of the treasure trails led us to The New Inn in Gloucester, which is where Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed queen. So Poppy remembered that the second time of going and was interested in why she was only queen for 9 days. So we watched the film with Helena Bonham Carter in about Lady Jane Grey and half way through, I realised it was going to be hard for her to understand without knowing all the before-bits
Sandra Dodd: But right now I have an India print bedspread. It's not beautiful, but I bought it for 100 rupees because it was sun stained, and I used it as a towel, covers, comfort-blanket when I was in India. It was practially a throw-away, and it has sun-faded mush more being in the window.
Sandra Dodd: It's a souvenir, but I could tell stories about it, and it soothes me. But others must come in there and wonder if I'm okay in the head.
ClareKirkp: So I offered to tell her about all the before bits and she was interested and I talked about Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn and the Catholics and protestantism and the Church of England and who wanted who on the throne etc. etc.
Sandra Dodd: Which is what gets me the Raghu-Weasley Star award, I guess.
ClareKirkp: And she remembers and understood it all! Every bit! And she's been talking about religion since then, because her great-grandparents are devout Christians so she's been asking about what they believe
Sylvia Woodman: I love hearing stories of adults who like/have/use comfort things, Sandra.
ClareKirkp: And then thinking about the cathedral and what that's there for. And there's a war memorial at the cathedral and her and my 7 year old noticed that there are lots of war memorials about, so we've had conversations about those too. And she asked my brother to take her to our local military museum, where she dazzled him with her knowledge.
Sukayna: My kids are always amazed that many people seem to have a limited knowledge of history...that they do not realize how far back things go around us
Sukayna: and that has led to lots of other tangents
JennyC: I got new sheets for my bed and picked the print because it reminded me of my grandma and some of her very old things she used and loved
Sukayna: unusual things, all good
ClareKirkp: I think if you call it 'history', it makes it into a 'thing' when really it's mostly just an explanation of why we are where we are now.
Sukayna: agreed- for brevity using the term here
Sukayna: all the stuff that went into construction/destruction​/reconstruction, geography, religion, language, culture etc
ClareKirkp: I wasn't criticising your use of the word, Sukayna - more suggesting why some people don't seem interested in knowing any history
Sandra Dodd: Holly just came in, and Keith brought me some food, and I'm behind again. I'm really sorry.
Sandra Dodd: Holly just came in, and Keith brought me some food, and I'm behind again. I'm really sorry.
Sandra Dodd: WHen I clear the room later, I will read this whole chat carefully and wish I could respond. It will be too late. -)
Jill Parmer: I found and really like a textile technique called Pojagi, I think it's Korean. And I want to make some curtains for our back room like this.
Jill Parmer: https://www.google.com/search?q=pojagi&e...
Sukayna: Oh, I mean they genuinely do not seem to have any idea anything existed prior to 1900 or some arbitrary date recently
Marta Venturini: So cool, Jill!
JennyC: I have a few things because they belonged to my grandma. I have a stained glass lamp that I love because it casts beautiful light
Sukayna: and my kids wonder how they can look forward without understanding how we got here...
ClareKirkp: More on unusual things that move us: I took photos of my workplace this week. It's an operating theatre. My friend took a photo of me scrubbed too. I did it to show my grandad who was a surgeon and who is over the moon that I now work in theatres myself. We think he is going to die soon, and I want to bring him the photos because I think he will enjoy seeing them. He spent all his working life in operating theatres and was in charge and saving lives there.
Sylvia Woodman: I sometimes wonder if it weren't for historical fiction if I would know any history at all.
ClareKirkp: I think it will move him to see where I now work, kind of in his footsteps. Not really art but moving and beautiful in its own way to an old man.
Sukayna: which also, sometimes, means appreciating art- like your cathedrals, Martas roads, Alex's barn etc
JennyC: The very fact that they are called theaters connects it to art and history :)
Marta Venturini: :)
JennyC: I'm the same way Sylvia
Sylvia Woodman: Someome else might say if it wasn't for travel they might not knw any history at all.
Sandra Dodd: So nice, Clare. And the photo will be good for YOUR grandchildren, too.
Sylvia Woodman: Or food. There is a lot of history in food/cooking. Family recipes, comfort foods, holiday foods
Sandra Dodd: And presentation, and the dishes (ceremic, glass, familiar plastic. :-)
ClareKirkp: And some of the surgery in the speciality I work on is really amazing. I work in ENT and we do operations on the stapes - the smallest bone in the body. It's done by microsurgery and it's simply awesome to watch the skill and artistry of the surgeons doing such incredible work.
Sukayna: connections...
Sylvia Woodman: Good point Sandra!!
JennyC: Oh, marzipan candy! Art and history and food
Sandra Dodd: I LOVE my table and three chairs, that I got for $50 at a flea market.
AlexPolikowsky7: There was food that was not available in different parts of the world too!
Sukayna: love marzipan
ClareKirkp: If they do endoscopic ear surgery, you can see it on a big screen and then it feels like the body is the art. I'm moved by human anatomy!
Sandra Dodd: They are probably from the 1930's, very light wood, joined without any metal. Small, plain—probably were in some school art room.
JennyC: Dance is human anatomy, in movement :)
Sylvia Woodman: Harry has been playing a video game that has the premise that WWII never ended so lots of 1940s music, and military stuff which led to an interest in MREs so yesterday we found a place that sells them so we bought a couple for him to try.
AlexPolikowsky7: I love old furniture! From rustic and promitive to ornate and intricate!
JennyC: I have a couch from the 1930's
Sukayna: how did they taste?
Sylvia Woodman: One of them came with a way to warm the food up without a stove or fire. It was a chemical reaction that took place when you added water so there was a bit of chemistry thrown in for good measure!
Sandra Dodd: Keith knew what "MRE" was and Holly says "What game, did they say?"
Sukayna: rabaab has recently been all into WW2
Sylvia Woodman: Fallout 3 and Fallout 4
Sylvia Woodman: I found music from the 1930s and 40s and made a Pandora station (I'm using Pandora a lot recently!)
ClareKirkp: I have two parker knoll chairs from my grandparents' house. I guess they must be from the 30s. I also have two silver spoons from India, which my great-grandad brought back - he lived there, in colonial India, before my grandma was born.
ClareKirkp: They're really beautiful.
ClareKirkp: What are MREs?
Sylvia Woodman: Harry loves the soundtrack to Anything Goes so we found a local HS performance to go see and it turns out one of the guys he knows from Tae Kwon Do was in the pit band so we got to see him and it was all so lovely!
Sukayna: she likes eastern european stuff- architecture mostly- and wanted to know about the cold war, peoples opinions about 'russia' etc so ended up getting into that period
Sylvia Woodman: Meals Ready To Eat. Basically military field rations.
JennyC: I'm guessing that MRE's are some kind of food ration dry good
AlexPolikowsky7: Fallout is pretty cool! I even made Nuka cola here (there are recipes online)
Sylvia Woodman: I got harry a nuka cola t-shirt. I felt like such a cool mom!
AlexPolikowsky7: Cool!
Sylvia Woodman: That's one unforeseen benefit of unschooling. I feel like I am constantly "leveling up" my Mom game.  
Sandra Dodd: For Christmas, Ashlee got Marty big wall art from fallout New Vegas.
AlexPolikowsky7: Ha! That is a cool way to put it.'
Sandra Dodd: Nice, Sylvia
Sylvia Woodman: I love that people are decorating their houses with art from Video Games.
AlexPolikowsky7: Just now my son wanted to touch up the paint in his room. I offered to do it but he went and got everything ( I helped some) and is doing it right now. He does not want help. I want to take over had help but I need to step back.
JennyC: My oldest did some beautiful window display art. I wish I'd taken a picture. Someone smashed the window and now she can't do it anymore. But she had so many cool displays.
Sandra Dodd: Is that something you guys can see?
Sylvia Woodman: Also a couple of months ago we saw a show called Video Games Live at the NJ Performing Arts Center. It was all music from video games played by a symphony orchestra paired with fan art on a big screen. It was amazing!
JennyC: Yes!
Marta Venturini: Yes, Sandra.
AlexPolikowsky7: That is wonderful Sandra!
Sandra Dodd: There's another one, too, I think.
Sandra Dodd: But that's what Holly could find quickly on Marty's facebook. 
JennyC: Oh, we saw pokemon symphony, art and music!
Sandra Dodd: Kirby has stained glass versions of some Nintendo characters, hanging up high in his house. I hope they'll move them in front of windows, where they aren't at the moment.
AlexPolikowsky7: Very cool! I always wanted to go to those symphonies!
Sandra Dodd: Destiny ordered it for him, from an artist in Germany or somewhere.
AlexPolikowsky7: My mom has a Mario and a Luigi painting she made for my son. Used to be in his wall. Now he is more
AlexPolikowsky7: Into other things and no longer has them hanging
Sandra Dodd: Hold on. I'm so wrong. Star Wars and Pokemon. 
AlexPolikowsky7: Cannot see Sandra must be private
Sandra Dodd: I keep wanting to click "like" on stuff up there.
Sylvia Woodman: ME TO!
Sandra Dodd: (holly showed me how to do that, but then you lose the explanation and comments)
Sylvia Woodman: It's the Facebook Effect!
Marta Venturini: Wow, so cool!!!
Sandra Dodd: I guess they are Nintendo after all. Doh!
Sandra Dodd: -=- My oldest did some beautiful window display art.-=-
Sandra Dodd: -=- My oldest did some beautiful window display art.-=-
Sandra Dodd: Where?
Sandra Dodd: Jenny—I can't keep up, but I missed if there was more of that story. 
Sylvia Woodman: I think Jenny might be AFK
Amber: ah found the artist progression - Noah Bradley - https://medium.com/@noahbradley/how-i-be...
AlexPolikowsky7: Those are awesome Sandra!
Sandra Dodd: I was just telling Bhry Jontry about the progression of an artist friend of mine. I knew her from LLL and homeschooling, long ago.
Sandra Dodd: She started painting sunflowers. Just sunflowers. Lots. Acrylic and then outlining some parts with sharpies.
Amber: Oh and it's Magic The Gathering
Sandra Dodd: (Sharpy markers, for Europeans)


JennyC: Sorry, helping someone get out the door
Sandra Dodd: And gradually added other elements—pots or fences. The sky. 
JennyC: She was doing window displays for the nightclub she works at
Sandra Dodd: And started doing a painting a day project, so she just painted and painted and now she's locally kinda famous. 
JennyC: The last one had a giant chicken holding a poster board that listed the dates and themes
AlexPolikowsky7: Wow Amber! Awesome!
Sandra Dodd: I have the first thing she offered for sale that wasn't flowers. It was a movie theater near the university. I could tell you lots of movies I've seen there. I bought it but still haven't put it on the wall. It's a little one, but it's MINE!
Sandra Dodd: Bhry and Noor might be moving to New Mexico.
Marta Venturini: Really? Cool!
Sandra Dodd: Brie. Sorry. I'm spelling her like nother friend of mine.
Sylvia Woodman: I heard that!
Sylvia Woodman: LOL I thought it was a typo. I'm trying to figure out a way to see them before they move away.
Sandra Dodd: This cht has been a very nice oasis in a difficult week, so THANK YOU, and I'm sorry I missed some good parts, but every single bit I read was fun, and I'm thrilled to be overwhelmed by such an outpouring (dumping) of what's beautiful, all around people!
Sandra Dodd: This cht has been a very nice oasis in a difficult week, so THANK YOU, and I'm sorry I missed some good parts, but every single bit I read was fun, and I'm thrilled to be overwhelmed by such an outpouring (dumping) of what's beautiful, all around people!
Sandra Dodd: Wanting to see beauty helps!
Amber: Happy Anniversary Sandra 
Marta Venturini: Oh!, happy anniversary, Sandra! I hope you and Keith have a nice day and a nice party, later today.
Sandra Dodd: Being positive and hopeful makes things seem more beautiful, doesn't it?
Sandra Dodd: 
Parvine joined the chat 6 days ago
Marta Venturini: 
Sandra Dodd: Thanks. 32 years married, 38 years together.
JennyC: Chat was nice  art is lovely. And now I need to construct a lively piece of choreography
Sylvia Woodman: Mazel Tov Sandra and Keith!
JennyC: Lovely and lively
Sandra Dodd: Thanks!
Serah: oh! i missed the whole chat ;-(
Sandra Dodd: Have fun, Jenny.
Sandra Dodd: I missed some too, Serah, but there are lots of good things.

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