Arts, Environment and the Child: Walking the Wheel of the Seasons

Since I have not been entering my reflections day by day, I feel that much of what I would write would be redundant if I did some of these things day by day, as much of it was computer work. Therefore, I have complied all of my work on the flyer and the program into this first reflection. It is not really much to reflect on anyhow: sometimes there are breakthroughs, sometimes there are frustrations: computers at their best!...

Lunar New Year Flyer
I spent extensive time in the Macintosh computer lab at Evergreen, putting the flyers and program together. For this reason I could not stand to be under the florescent lights another minute in order to enter my reflections, and I should have done this by hand, so I'd have a nice record, but I didn't. Anyways, I am so happy about how they turned out. Many people have said they like the flyer, and I appreciate everything that went into it, and that Leanna could help out with printing them so beautifully. I have previously done many projects, but they are often printed on a tight budget, so I often do not get a chance to see something I've worked on turn out so nicely. It was a lot of work, and it was partly my fault. I realized that I should've done the final layout in InDesign, and these editing things would've gone much more smoothly. As it was, the 11x17 poster was a 100+ megabyte file, and even on these superfast new beautiful iMac G4s they have here, it was painfully slow to work on. Oh well, something I'll be more attuned to next time.

Lunar New Year program
This came together quite nicely. I was in a bad mood that day when I did the initial work, but I was able to get things going all right. I reversed the black and white balance, which I thought would give more weight to the front of the program. For some reason which still eludes me, when printed the white part in the calligraphy becomes grey. I tried to make the program kind of unique, and played with the layout of the people's names on the inside. Aldo came and gave me some feedback and was very helpful.

Although I've been talking to a few people in Synergy for a while, I hadn't been to an organizational meeting since the first one. Unfortunately, there was not a large turnout the night I went, but we watched a little bit of Futureama to kick-off the evening, and ate some Amy's pesto pizza.

When we got down to business, I explained how AEC wanted to get involved, as well as how I wanted to help out with arts & culture. They were open to that, and excited to have some people dedicated towards volunteering. They put me on their organizational mailing list (bejeezus - do they send a lot of emails) so I could keep up with what's going on. They also updated me and each other on how various aspects of the conference are coming along, and helping each other *synergize* so that things would come together well.

Oh my, what a lot of fun and noise! I came late, as I had been working on the flyer for a few hours that day. I thought that banging some things loudly would help re-energize me. It did! I had been feeling disjointed and flourescentized by being under the lights of the lab, and I emergred from the ballet studio refreshed and ready for the next thing.

We just had so much fun and laughter trying to stay with the beat and communicating without a common language. It was really neat to watch the lion dancers too.

I made contact with Eric Temple, a science teacher at Griffin School, through my recent work with the Canopy Club. We exchanged a few emails, talking about where his classroom is going, and some ideas that would make our work cohesive. On this afternoon, I went to his classroom on Steamboat Island Peninsula, where he teaches 7th and 8th graders.

I would've loved to be in his class as a kid. There are all sorts of projects mixing science and art: constallation drawings, atom-mobiles, and scientific drawings of animals and plants. There are about 6 or 7 aquariums around the classroom with turtles, snakes, and other reptiles. Part of the curriculum of the class I am working in is creating a compost pile, and building things for the new greenhouses they are setting up. It's all very inspiring. The project we are going to do is create models of streams: one that is healthy and one that is suffering. His class is going to be monitoring Schneider Creek, which runs just down the road from the school, and testing the water, soil, and observing plants. They have already done some planting in the area with willow trees.

I'm excited to be working in this class, and seeing how these children in this critical age of development respond to working in their natural environment.

My first day in this classroom!

Eric is an amazing science teacher, bringing together the ability to keep the kids under control, encourage respect, and teach all at once. He is not strict, but when he tells the kids to do something they listen. When they were doing water testing with water collected from various places, and putting samples of various 'contaminants' into it, he gave them verbal instruction only. And they did it!

I left remembering what an ackward time 7th grade is. This poor kid, who obviously carries the geek/nerd role, was constantly teased by the other kids. He could hardly say anything without getting persecuted. And then there is the tension between girls/boys at this age. And the boys who were teasing the other didn't seem to be doing it out of complete malice, only the need to reaffirm their own 'coolness' and sense of self. It's kind of sad.

Today was the Synergy volunteer meeting. Unfortunately none of the other people from class coule make it, but I represented. I got an overview of the projects that were going to be going on, and a more clear idea of the breakdown of things.

The Twig Installation workshop is going to be Feb 19th now, instead of 18th, which is great, because the 18th we have class all day. I signed up to do twig collecting, but it just didn't happen. Graham said it was okay b/c I've already helped out with enough stuff so far.

Its funny to see the balance of organization and chaos that the Synergy hubsters are experiencing right now. Since I've been kind of on the outskirts about it for awhile, I've seen the progression. They're doing a great job of getting this organized and together, but at the same time, through their emails, etc, I do get a certain sense of tension between some people. Just that some people are more on top of it than others, and are riding the others to get on top of it. Which, that stuff happens whenever you get a group of people working on something together. It is different seeing it from the outside than it is to be entwined in it playing some sort of role.

I am not sure if I am to count this in my hours or not, and I will take it off if not (I am certainly not worried about getting enough hours this quarter!).

This experience left me with a high that I have not yet come down from. It was absolutely rejuvinating, refreshing, and exhilerating. We got so in-depth about the moves we do in class, and I dont think I can ever move through them the same again. My whole body and mind and mindset and spirituality feel so integrated, I feel so happy about all of life, and I feel more able to handle all of my problems: they feel so miniscule. I feel myself living in meditation (okay, not all the time, but more). I sing in my car, whatever comes out of my throat. I did that before but now it feels like it's expressing even more, and becoming more beautiful. Chungliang gave us so many tools for living, such a beautiful way to look at life. Such a way to live life. I am infinately happy that I attended the workshop.

And what an extention this day was of the feelings I described above!

I loved listening to the poetry and history of hermits/poets in China by Red Pine. I am so glad that Hannah wrote that beautiful and simple poem, and had the courage to share it with the class, and that this resulted in the angelic singing by Victoria, Heather, and Hannah.

The calligraphy and expainations of the I Ching by Chungliang were also very inspring. First thing I did back at home was to look for my Book of Changes, which I have had hanging around the house forever, but not ever really delved into. I couldn't find it, which was very unfortunate. I am sure it will come back up in a time when it is appropriate.

The performances following were so beautiful. Hirsh's children are so lovely and talented. I enjoyed getting to see this extension of his life, and experiencing the magic they create through their art forms. The peacock dance was particularly enticing; I cannot believe how gracefully she moves. There must be a fusion of mind and body, and a settled, content awareness within her to be able to move that way. How lovely!

Very ironically, I was at a friend's birthday party that evening, when a guy asked me, out of the blue, if I knew some certain type of Tai Ji or knew someone who teaches it. I guess it was not completely out of the blue; I was sort of dancing to the music but encompassing the dance to the I Ching movements we'd learned earlier. And that ended up being they type of practise he was referring to. I was very struck by the way he picked up on the energy I must have been emanating at that moment. Unfortunately I couldn't refer him to someone teaching it, as Chungliang has been the only person I know of who teaches it, and he lives in S. Oregon.

I met with Kate for an Art meeting for Synergy today.

There was good news and bad news. The bad news was that Diane Kurynza, an amazing artist in Olympia who makes recycled art, who at one point showed interested in being part of the Synergy conference, did not seem as open as she once did. I am not sure what her change was. Kate had also had a couple other downfalls as far as space scheduling, and other logistics. We talked about some ways to get around her problems. I sent an email out to the people I know inviting them to participate if they had any sustainability related artwork.

A gorgeous and crisp early morning, with the mists rising up as the sun broke through the thin layer of clouds still clinging in the South Sound atmosphere.

So today, the plan was to work outside. Each student was assigned a task, and they worked in pairs or trios. Some watered plants, others made table legs (for their plant tables to be put into their greenhouses), others worked on getting water pumps ready to pump some unwanted water from the previous few days out of the holes they dug the last time it was nice. I shoveled gravel. I made some small attempts to talk with the students. Its interesting; they don't know what to make of me. There are a few who will talk with me a little. Indeed, they will start rattling off in such spurts that I can hardly keep up with what they are saying! But in my conversation attempts with a couple of others, it was that one-word-answer/grunt type thing that kids between the ages of 12-17 give to "adults." So, its kind of funny. I was very impressed by the hands on activities that they are doing; it is good experience to have. I had no idea how to use an electric drill at that age; or any idea of how to make a table. Good stuff.

The idea came up again to do a printed catalog of the painted word art show.

I was glad to see so many people interested in doing this. My spirit is in it, but I am wary of taking on too much work at this time. I am afraid this came off slightly mis-interpreted: that I don't want to do it. So, I said I'd help people learn some inDesign. I just don't know how much more I have in me, and as the days get longer and more beautiful, I long more to be outside. Also, I have other computer graphics work (wowie-zowie!- some of it is actually paid!) that is piling up. So, I just have to figure out my boundaries and how much I can put into this, so I don't hurt myself or overburden myself.

I just put this in here because I am constantly getting emails, and sending off emails, that are project related. Especially with Synergy, since my email address got added to their organizational list.

I met with Hirsh, Aldo, and Abby to talk about page layout and using InDesign.

Unfortunately, there was no specific layout to work with yet, but I gave an overview on how to use the program, and to do the things that may need to be done for it.

It's interesting how once you know something, it can come so easily, but to people who are unfamiliar with it, it can seem like a different language. I tried to bridge the language gap then...

I am excited to see the catalog come along, and that there are several people interested in this project. I am very happy to lend my hand in support, and to work on a cover for the project. It would've been too much for me to do the layout on my own.

I love this school, and this classroom!

The kids began their projects today. They are so hilarious! They are doing one model of a "healthy" stream, and one of a devastated stream. For the one that's not doing well, they have a nuclear plant, monocrop farming, and a meth lab in the plans. It's great. I was surprised at how much they knew about stream ecology as they were making up their plans.

Oh, the program....

So, I volunteered to help with the Synergy program, and assist the graphic designer who has done the posters and flyers, etc. Then she got overloaded with schoolwork, and had to step down. So all of a sudden it's on me. And she had put out calls for the text, so it could be edited, as well as the images. It just never made its way over to me. There was always this elusiveness in acquiring it.

Also, when I was just helping Cassie, I was going to be doing some photo editing, and some text editing, and she'd create the layout. Now that I was in charge of layout, no one else seemed to be stepping up to help me with the preparatory work. And then there were different schedules to sift through, none of which were correct, and I didn't have a model to work after.

Then one day, I came in and made a nice layout, and spent a lot of time searching out text. And then all the work had disappeared the next time I went in to work on it. So I worked it back out again, was given about half of the edited text for the program, and did what I could.

Unfortunately, at this point, I feel like never volunteering graphic services again. I feel that my time is not appreciated, and if they were paying for me to do it, they'd have their sh*t together more. It is not only this project, but a few other things I've worked on over the past few months that have led me to feel this way. And I don't like feeling this way, because I do enjoy doing this stuff, and working for groups that are doing good things.

Oh, a day of cutting and arranging twigs. A nice atmosphere all around.

It was chilly, but not too cold. It was overcast, but not rainy. When I arrived, the crew was on break, drinking a "warm beverage", which they offered me. It was some spicy apple cider, or something similar. What goodness.

There was a trellis to the side of the group, which was to serve as a serpentine back. I got to work cutting branches, and then assisted with making a large sculpture, which is intended to be a kneeling figure with arms out, holding a "nest" where people will be placing notes of their "intentions". Meanwhile, others were working on creating domes. Quite a bit was accomplished, and it was a good demonstration of what communal effort can make reality.

Today was the day to do the stream monitoring with my class!

The kids got all their wading boots on, and we all went down to Schneider Creek to collect some water samples, soil samples, invertebrates, and take some tests. I was so impressed at the work these kids do! They were testing the PH of the water, the dissolved oxygen in the water, and doing turbidity tests!

Wow....

It was all a whole lot of fun. Their projects were so hands on. I asked them to explain their testing to me, partially so they would have to think about it and learn more throuh the explaination, but just as much for my own understanding. I got some great photos (which I can't post on the website b/c of legal things, you know, minors, consent, etc.). Anyhow, it was a great time, with a lot of learning. Even though the weather was cold and windy, it was sunny and beautiful.

We walked around a wetland area further up the stream where beavers had moved in, made dams, and ended up killing a large stand of trees because of the resulting inundation. The processes of succession fascinate me. There seemed to be a lot of 'natural learning' going on here.

Edible Forest Gardening Workshop! (Synergy)

As I am in the stages of creating my garden at home, and working through many ideas to see what can be incorporated, this workshop has given me a few ideas of some new things to plant.

Edible Forest Gardening (EFG) is about transforming your space - no matter how large or how small - into an oasis of unique food that will be available year raound. It is about creating a sustainable world. It also went along with Marja's talks of how native peoples didn't just let the forest run wild and bushy and out of control, but rather tended it, cultivated it to provide everything they needed.

As I am on one acre of property, I feel that I can begin to do this with our space.

One central theme of EFG is perennials. By incorporating edible perennials into the garden (which are actually more nutritious than their annual counterparts) you create less work for yourself, and greater bounty (they also tend to produce more)

A few good books were mentioned, and a nice list of plants to try was included in a handout. I'm very excited to look for some of these plants over the next few months and gradually begin to incorporate them into our garden.

Paul Stamets: Fungi Perfecti (Synergy)

Although he has appeared at Synergy twice before, the Lecture Hall was filled to capacity with students anxious to hear Paul Stamets speak. I was only vaguely familiar with the man and his work, but remembered hearing last year that he was very good.

Paul began by asking people not to tape record the session, so that he could speak more freely. And that he did, with his vague references to psychadelics, condemnation of corporate policy, and outspoken discussion of the genocide of Native Americans.

MUSHROOMS WILL SAVE THE WORLD!
...according to this enthusiastic optimist, and he backs up his assertations with hard scientific evidence and mycological experiments. Oyster mushrooms that can absorb and break down nasty toxins...mycelium that can serve as organic 'pesticides'...mychorrizal fungas which can pair with plants to help them grow...

His talk was absolutely fascinating, and I feel lucky to have seen him speak, for he is the calubur of person who may well become a legend.

Twig playing and parade watching (synergy)

I played with some twigs in the beautiful sunlight as I strolled through red square at the school. I saw these in their baby stages, these domes, now covered with scotch broom and fir, which once were merely a frame of sculpted twigs. The serpent has also come along quite nicely, taken shape and form, come alive with the many hands who have worked towards its collaborative creation.

I also saw the end of the flower parade. I had wanted to make a costume, but, I guess I just never got around to it.

Everyone was dressed up so cute and bright and happy tho!

Paul T. Anastas (Synergy)

While I enjoyed listening to this lecture, it was less compelling than Stamets discussion. It was more science/technology based, and while I find that sector very important in reaching sustainability in this day and age, I guess it's just not me. I was more stimulated learning about the many to-be-discovered functions of fungi than the possibilities available to 'molecular architects'. One thing I found interesting though was the fact that no new plastics have been introduced on a large scale in the last 30-40 years, and the ones in use are all petroleum based. One new plastic, with a base made from corn or wheat (and eventually farming by-products) has just been accepted for large scale use, and this is progression being made.

I love this classroom and I'm going to miss it!

I would continue to volunteer there, but, well, things go how they go. Being there has really helped me see education in a new way. (Evergreen does that as well, of course, but, in a middle school setting).

It's interesting to see most of all how these kids interact with each other, because of the funny age they are in. A student teacher began working in the classroom last week, and he said one thing that stuck with me. He's planning to be a high school teacher, and he mentioned something along the lines of how impressionable kids are when they are older, which is something that many people don't necessarily see. But when they are at these ages, say from 12 - 17, they are trying to figure out who they are, and what they want to do with their lives. They are sorting out their realities, and defining their friendships. So, even if we don't see as much receptivity as adults, and they think we are "uncool" or what have you, our presence can make a big change for them. Introducing them to a subject with enough enthusiasm at this age could actually lead to their life's passions. Anyhow, this thinking was rather inspiring to me.

I went on a little island retreat this weekend. It was very refreshing and beautiful. I saw beauty in every place and every thing, and took an early morning bike ride in the fresh air. With the more temparate climate, I noticed more things budding and blooming. I saw salmonberry flowers, and Oregon Grape flowers. There was something that looked like oceanspray leaves that was flowering with pink inflorescences. I even saw a salal putting off some buds (but only one plant out of an entire FOREST of salal, weird, huh?).

There was this little girl there, who was just under 2 years of age. Her mother is from Italy. This little girl is the most amazing, darling kid EVER. I have never known such a soft, gentle, and wise soul. I now am unable to put in to words what a beautiful child she is, but here's a picture of the mother and child together, laughing, which depicts more than I ever could attempt to with my fumbling words.