Tonight's picture was taken in September of 2003. Mattie loved to sneak behind all the plant stands to look out our big windows. What Mattie was holding onto was a wrought iron plant stand, a stand that is still in our living room today. However, the stand now hosts many of the art projects and Lego structures Mattie created. I did not necessarily set out to do this, to create a memory display, but it just naturally formed. Now I add to it periodically. This is also a plant stand that Patches used to jump upon in order to sit up high enough to look out the window. She too gravitated to this plant stand, which maybe why, Patches ashes are also located on it. This plant stand has been transformed into our memory stand!
Quote of the day: Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
I can't believe it but even within a free art class, which I attended last night, there was COMPETITION. Which is why FDR's quote resonates with me. The competition began as soon as the instructor went around and asked the five of us to introduce ourselves. Specifically he asked us to talk about our experience and skills with painting. That alone made me laugh! Mind you I would never have signed up for this class out of the blue, a friend of mine signed me up.
It was downright funny. The only male in the class described his skills as non-existent. Saying that he used oil paints years ago, but hasn't painted in a long time. Newsflash................. that wasn't exactly accurate given his skill set that I saw. Then another class member, who I would describe as edgy and agitating, quickly needed to tell us that she takes art classes and also has several pieces on display in the studio. Needless to say, the class dynamics were notable. Then there was me, the only person in the group who had never taken a drawing or painting class. No pressure there. Frankly I did not go in with any stress, but after being around a couple of these folks, my anxiety level went up.
The male student even asked me why I came to this class! He wanted me to know that watercolor is a hard medium and not a good one to start with. Lovely, like I could have done anything about that while being in the class.
Obviously the students who knew how to paint already were getting bored with his pace, and therefore began to redirect the pace, which I did not care for. But I could appreciate why the teacher veered off his plan in order to accommodate the students. I think being rushed while trying to create is actually counterproductive. It not only prevents creativity, but in a way it forces one to conform to how others are doing the art.
I would like to step back and try to imagine what this class could have looked like if there was cooperation, as FDR mentioned in his quote. Cooperation between students. There is something very unhealthy about the Washington, DC social scene when one feels the need to compete with others in a free art class. I would like to think this kind of behavior just exists here, but I know this is most likely human nature. At the end of the class the teacher wanted to invite students to attend his actual watercolor classes. Now part of me is intrigued because I would like to learn to paint, but on the other hand, if the class dynamics are what I experienced last night, that would defeat the purpose of going.
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