Tree ferns are straight out of the world of dinosaurs, with fiddleheads bigger than a cello's. In Maori culture, unfolding tree fern fronds represent new life and positive beginnings |
I had 38 pieces in the show, and on the label of each one I wrote a sentence or two explaining why I thought it depicted an "Interesting Thing." I found this to be an interesting exercise in itself, and I recommend it to anyone. Like counting your blessings, look around and spell out to yourself how many things you're curious about, and why you find them so fascinating. Follow your curiosity, chase after your questions, grab the end of the thread and see where it leads. Don't be afraid to divagate!
(Teachers usually teach best when they're dealing with their favorite subjects, and the same holds true for artists and writers, and presumably all sorts of other people, as well. Sometimes it's fun to pick out writers' particular interests as you read their books. Lloyd Alexander is obviously a cat person, for example. I just finished reading Time Cat with T & P, although I like Dream-of-Jade better. Or the incredible Crystal Palace of Victorian London has caught the imagination of more than one juvenile fantasy author - Jonathan Stroud in Ptolemy's Gate and Catherine Webb in The Obsidian Dagger, to name a couple.)
One of the things I like about making visual art is that I can hold something up without saying a word about it, and just remind people to take a moment and consider what might be interesting about it. This once, however, it was also fun to spell out what I found so fascinating - why this plant or scene or object or animal interested me enough that I went through the process of sketching it, carving it, and printing it. For my exhibit I showed all sorts of things: a cocklebur, a grasshopper, a steam locomotive, my cello, a tree with gnarled roots, Pandora with her box… and of course, some dragons. They are all Interesting Things to me. What interests you?
There may be nothing in this world more interesting than a good puddle. (At least, to a toddler.) |
1898 Winton Phaeton, rubber block print by AEGN, 2007;
Octopus, wood block print by AEGN, 1998 (sold out);
The Puddle, rubber block print by AEGN, 2006 (sold out)]
One thing I find interesting are Anne Nydam's posts. Thanks!
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