Integrating art is necessary because we live in a world of trauma and history. We live in a world filled with a history of trauma and sometimes the only way to explain it is through the language of art or music or love. We must begin some place. - quote by me (I think)
I wrote this to collect notes from my blog post at www.bryanfarleyphotography.com about the 2015 Art Is Education ILSI conference. I will update this post periodically. If I update the other post, I will add notes to this post.
ABC - this is the feature photo that might not appear when reading the other post
I use ABC for Always Build Community. I also liked that ABC worked for the Stevie Wonder song. It starts with A as does Alameda County, Art Is, Archery, and Apples (see Erdrich). For the Erdrich post, I was going to write more about how some educators have sat next to the tree and tasted the apples. Just as many educators do not encourage students' participation, many administrators do not consider teachers' talent. We lose too much (potential shared) knowledge.
I love morning glories, perhaps as much as I love bamboo. If I could have both (and I can), I would choose both for metaphors. I meant to include a rocket ship as a metaphor, but it was cut.
As I was writing the paragraph about Americans and integration, I wanted to say more. I started writing that Americans want their schools the way they like their planes -- private and charter. The more exclusive the better. I would have needed to explain more (and fix some grammar) so I left this for another post.
214, V Day, Saint Valentine, the Saint of Love and Epilepsy, arrows (some of these terms made it into the main post in various forms). There are a total of 214 images
I had intended to include a metaphor about rocket ships... I heard in 1994 when I worked on a political campaign. Kevin Looper, our campaign manager, told it to our staff. I retold it during the institute. The metaphor was relevant last week, especially since we were near a science museum. (I have that kind of memory where I remember stories.)
Roots, JJ Cale, Call Me The Breeze and After Midnight. After Midnight is a reference to the song and a Tony Award winning revue about the Cotton Club.
The Breeze interview: Clapton on JJ Cale - Clapton discusses the roots.
Cale and Clapton perform Call Me The Breeze and After Midnight (maybe I like Kale, because I like Cale; maybe I am low key because I like Cale).
Eve Ensler and V Day - and the grassroots; Eve's tribute to Adrienne Rich and more about the Ghazal. I also included a photo about touch in the other post.
Mary Ellen Mark - I just missed her and wanted to view her NOLA work. I probably missed her, especially after reading about Ghazals
There were many other examples of "coincidences" or occurrences that I could have listed on the other page that required integration. The one year anniversary of Ferguson and Michael Brown was on February 9th. Aretha Franklin sang in Oakland for the first time in decades the day before the workshop started. The National Poetry Slam was in Oakland at the same time as the institute. There was a young man at our institute with a similar name. In an afternoon class, Chip taught the Charleston. On Saturday, I attended a panel discussion aboard the USS Hornet aircraft carrier. A member from The Lost Battalion spoke. Lawson Sakai, a member from the Nisei 442nd Regiment spoke too.
Courage and knowledge are necessary to connect. The same is true about integrated learning, and America has not yet learned how to integrate. We do not seem to have the courage, knowledge nor the will. This challenge only emphasizes the importance of our work.
When the 442nd fought in Europe, Japanese Americans were interned in the USA. Families used art in the camps. (find link to my Art of Gaman) I have photographed families and ancestors who were interned.
Perhaps we see less, because we have more imagery. When Gordon Parks took his American Gothic photo, many viewers were familiar with the painting that inspired the photograph. My picture of Onion Gothic might not be recognized by students today... might not be recognized by teachers. I am curious how many know about the painting and the photograph.
Erich Salomon is the photographer who inspired the photo at the bottom of the other post. He was the father of the candid picture. I don't like the current use of the term, perhaps because of it's lack of significance. When the term was applied to Salomon, it was a compliment. Salomon's famous photo has been included in this link.
Some people fear connections. Some educators become zombies or vampires; they have lost their heart. They are alive but they do not know how to live... and there is no way to kill them. The educator who has is armed with talent and compassion must understand that the vampire administrators can smell love, even if they cannot feel it.
We have access to more imagery, but we see less. We only see the surface; we never nourish the roots. We don't feed the foundation. We only measure the low hanging fruit.
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