Paste: SEE. Welcome to the pilot post of our Mixed Media Musings series! // Let me start with a disclaimer that I am not an art educator; however, I grew up with one as my mother. I received my BFA in Graphic Design, so I’ve had plenty of fine arts and design classes. These thoughts are based on things I have learned in school, in work, and in sharing what I do with my children. It’s a bit of a journal, so that you can see some of the things I think about when I explore art with my kids. Each will will include a directive, and starting next week, a project idea so that you can better put these thoughts into practice. // SEE. It’s pretty simple, isn’t it? When we communicate or express through art and design, we have an incredible platform for reaching others. We have to be informed by our own experiences as well as the commonality of our world and the human experience. So I’d like to challenge each of us to train our eyes to start seeing more clearly the world around us. Observe the branches on your child’s favorite climbing tree; how do they curve? Notice the green of the grass; it’s probably a lot more muted than you thought it was. Notice the rhythm of the street lights as they get smaller toward a vanishing point. Start to observe and articulate your own thoughts and feelings, and help your children do the same; notice the way that people around you interact. Think about literature or architecture that moves you. These are all things that inform what we create. In the next few weeks I’ll be posting about specific elements and principles of design that you can be looking for when you explore the world. In so doing, you will learn the language of art. Stay tuned! // I mean for this series to be interactive and the experience shared, so questions are welcome, and I’d love to hear what you think, see and create along the way! Please tag me and #mixedmediamonday!