Or How I Almost Got Thrown Out of an Art Museum
![Picture](/uploads/3/1/5/7/31575479/492667.jpg?366)
I knew it wasn't going to be good when the first thing that happened to me when I went to the Hammer Art Museum in Los Angeles was that the guard came up to me and said, "Excuse me Ma'am, you can't throw your bottle in that trash can; it's part of the art exhibit."
Once a year, my dear friend Rachel takes me on a Magical Mystery Art tour in LA. I love to get inspired by the creativity of others, but the modern art world is... well, I'll just say it's a bit too dark and self-centered for me to enjoy or even be able to relate to. I guess that's why they threw me out of art school.
Did you know that I was thrown out of art school?
They told me that what I made wasn't art.
"Well, then, what is it?" I asked.
"We don't know," they said, "But it's not art."
That's when I realized that I had talent.
Because in an art world where even a trash can is called art,
I had managed to create not-art.
That's a real talent. More on that later.
So, we were in and out of the Hammer Art Museum in 23 minutes.
As I left I felt very icky, like I had just walked through a swamp.
I was very disturbed by the de-valued sense of self and culture
that the artists expressed. I don't know about you, but I go to
art museums and galleries to be uplifted out of my everyday reality,
not dragged into the muck.
So, next my friend took me to the Bergamot Station Art Center and as she led me into the first gallery,
I felt like I was bathed in color and light. Robert Swain's paintings, "The Form of Color," sweep you into
an immersive experience of the interplay of light and color. It is impossible to be sad in this environment.
What a wonderful place to meditate and talk to G-d!
It's also a wonderful place to bring children.
Below you will find 7 tips for creating an Art Adventure tour in any art museum or gallery,
along with more pictures from the delightful variety of art in the plentiful galleries at Bergamot Station.
Just a word of caution, if you go to any art galleries with children -
Preview the exhibits first!
As our experience at the Hammer Museum showed us, we have to protect children (and ourselves!)
from some of the darker expressions of anguish and angst in art, where nowadays, anything goes.
Tip #1: Start the Adventure with Art Supplies
I was surprised that all of the galleries we went to gave permission to take pictures without a flash. That used to be prohibited.
Tip #2: Teach the Boundaries of Proper Behavior in a Gallery
![Picture](/uploads/3/1/5/7/31575479/3408170.jpg?151)
by educating him or her on respectful behavior in an art gallery.
Your child can participate in imagining what the rules should
be after you describe the effort and time an artist puts into
creating each work of art (sometimes years!). The bare
minimum rules should be no touching without permission
and no running or wild play. Children appreciate boundaries
and it helps free their creativity when there is some structure
to the activity.
Tip # 3: Ask your child, "What do you see?"
I did, she would bring me to each painting in the small collection of original art in her apartment and ask me, "What do you see?" Over and over again, until I got tired of the game, she would ask me to look at the abstract paintings and say, " What do you see?" And she really listened to my answers, even though I was only 5 years old. That's why I remember it to this day. This early creative activity developed my eye for detail and also developed my narrative story abilities.
One day, Grandma Sariette pointed to a Picasso sketch of two wrestlers merging in an abstract embrace.
"What do you see?" She asked me.
"I see a cocker spaniel," I answered confidently.
Grandma Sariette was puzzled. She looked at the negative space of the sketch and said, "You know, your'e right!" She pointed out the cocker spaniel to Grandpa Keck and my parents and from that day on, they had difficulty seeing the wrestlers. They could only see the cocker spaniel. That day, at age 6 was when I learned the power of perception.
Try it! Ask your child, "What do you see?" and listen actively and carefully to the answer. This is one way you can bring forth the hidden creative powers of your child.
Tip #4: Ask your child, "How does this make you feel?"
Tip #5: Notice, Describe, & Recreate Textures
Tip #6: Things Are Not Always What They Seem
Tip #7: Take the Art Adventure Home and Keep it Going
Do you have a Creativity Center at home? This is CRUCIAL to allowing your child's creativity to blossom and flow in a way that enriches all areas of your child's learning. There is always a way to create space for creativity, no matter how small your home is, if you make it a priority. Ask me how! Questions for You: Please share your comments below.
|