Today I had to go pick up my W-2 form for taxes which some might not consider the most pleasant chore (although for students I think it usually turns out to be a mini Christmas of sorts). Anyway, it was down in the basement and as I was coming up I looked upward to my joy and nostalgia! I saw a tangle of sunlight, stairs, and shadows that reminded me right away of M.C. Escher :) It was such a happy little moment of pleasantness. I feel like there are beautiful, happy surprises all around us if we just look. It made me glad and curious to see those webs of stairs above me and then to walk out into the sunshine of a lovely March day.
When I was in elementary school I remember studying Escher and being so intrigued by his puzzles in art. We got to learn to make our own tesselations (vocabulary bonus points, anyone?)--I think I tried to make mine extra complicated and I'm not sure it worked out too well but it was fun. I'm grateful for art classes. I have a lot of happy, peaceful memories from art classes throughout my life. Just like Dali's melting clocks, I feel that the importance and usual presence of time melts away in art or when we get involved in any task--especially a peaceful, concentration-requiring task.
A few summers ago I was in Russia and was able to take a traditional wood-painting class. In the midst of a city of around 6 million people (the majority of whom were unknown to me), hundreds of buildings, the craziness of studying a new language, and more I felt calm and rejuvinated in an upstairs workshop as I painted. Even though it's work it is so relaxing because it's a new thinking track---like taking your mind on vacation to see new scenes and experience new sensations. Hurray for art! I hope it will always stay in schools (and hearts).
I do have one bad memory, though, about an art class. That was when my kindergarten art teacher instilled in me a deep, nearly unshakeable fear of staplers. I'm pretty sure our teacher told us about a kid getting his or her thumb stapled off or at least straight through. I thought of staplers as malicious jumping cactuses waiting to steal my digits if I went anywhere near. Secretly (and now publicly) I'm still a little afraid of staplers--especially the automatic one's that bang like a gun.
Nevertheless, I love art and I'm even grateful for staplers! I think art encourages us to look around and love and ponder what we see--like the stairs above us after picking up a tax form. When we look with eyes of wonder we see so much to make us glad. It reminds me that God made this earth just for us. Maybe we could have learned in bland cubicles but instead He gave us beauty, variety, mystery, etc. Perhaps because these things would remind our souls of Him and of who we really are, making it easier to return to Him. Yes! This ties in to my post below--we can learn so much about God through His creations---that means everything around us can become a source of light and learning. Amazing.
Well, I'm off to a folk music concert for St. Patrick's day! Don't forget to find and kiss an Irish person (or a leprechaun if you get the chance)! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
hurray for small surprises!!! I bet this will be one too :) Anyway, this reminded me of the paper I had to write about Dali and the melting clocks. I didn't know or remember that you took an art class in Russia. How cool!!!
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