Author: BBCo

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Worth 5-minutes of Your Time

DrawContour
Do you want your hands to learn to see?

Not possible you say?

Read on…

Wherever you are this very moment, look around, hone in on a cluster of objects.

First, look. Trace the edges with your eyes.

Next , grab a chunky marker and a piece of paper. Beginning with your eyes focused at the bottom of one of the objects, begin to follow the outline edges (very  s l o w l y),  moving the pen at the same speed and direction as the eyes. Do not look at the paper—keep your eyes off the page! No peeking! And, do not lift the pen! Try to make the pen in your hand "see" all the curves and bumps that your eye sees. 

Don't rush. Making a connection between the eyes and the hand is a slow motion exercise. Only when your eyes are back where you began can you lift the pen from paper to see with your eyes what your hand saw.

You might giggle the first time you try blind contour because it takes a few tries to sync the sped of eyes and the hand. But when you stop giggling, you will see that the lines achieved during a blind contour are unique, beautiful in their own way.

Remember, the ultimate goal of blind contour drawing is to practice "seeing" the world with your hands. If you practice often, you will begin to notice moments when these drawings are more realistic than the drawings you made using eyes only.  

DrawContour2

-Kim

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Flying Fish

 

Creech

In her book Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech repeatedly uses the phrase “trying to catch fish in the air” to mean trying to achieve the impossible, when disillusionment is a much more likely situation. And as a writer with an idea, she doesn't just leave us there, no. Sharon Creech takes this concept of "trying to catch fish in the air" and gives it the form of a picture book (her first) in collaboration with the wonderful art of Chris Raschka. Inside the pages of Fishing in the Air, the world of imagination becomes a place where the similes and metaphors of memory are the storytellers of the mind's eye.  

Now let's write.

Visit our Pinterest Write it board and scroll through until you find a boy flying through the air on a shimmering orange fish. Start imaging. Where is the boy on the fish headed? What might his "fish in the air be"? What impossibility is he trying to make possible? Now, choose one of your personal "fish in the air" and describe it in a poem or vignette. What would happen if you actually caught one of those "fish in the air and rode" it where you pleased? Write about what would happen if you caught your singular fish in the air? What would happen if you caught five of your fish in the air? What kind of day would that be like?

 

Example:

Daydreaming

 

I usually think of it when I’m in line

usually somewhere in the steaming depths

 

of an amusement park in the summer,

somewhere in the crush of bodies slippery

 

with sweat and sunscreen. Or I think

of it somewhere in the musty belly

 

of the library basement, when I look up

from radio static of black words

 

on pallid page, into the one dim bulb

flickering like a sleepy eyelid.

 

When it’s been ten hours driving down

a straight road, and the car’s air

 

is a soup brought to a slow boil,

I shift in my place between the luggage

 

and the door, stare out the window

at particularly inviting cloud,

 

climb its towering pillar as my feet

make deep imprints in its soft stairs,

 

and perch on the very tip, where birds

pass each other with a faint rustle of wings.  

 

 

-Constance

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The Bold Lines of Fernand Léger

Mozart

It was time for Section five and the creation of a project inspired by The Mozart Season. Two things struck me as funny.

One. Let's begin by saying that this little book is a sleeper, a quiet little thing. The story is set in real time and place. The protagonist is fictional but preparing for a very real violin competition. And as many times as I have explored it with various circles of readers, during the Section 1 Discussion the consensus is unanimous, ""Not capturing me." Still, it never fails that by the end of the book the readers encounter some very real extraordinary in the seeming mundane ordinary. But what I find most tremendously interesting is the fact that, hands down, the most profound Section 5 projects have sprung from this particular sleeper.    

Two.  As we continued our explorations of lines in art and the specificity of the master artisan's linework, Lizzy wasn't particulary inspired by the bold lines of Fernand Léger.

And this is where the magic of integrated learning and Discovery always takes my breath away.

"it was Diedre who started the song. She began slowly, BONG bong Bong bong on the three big columns, walking between them. Then she reached up high and down low, faster, and I hit one of the two columns, walking between them."

And so begins this story's music. And so it is that this passage (that continues to develop in the pages of the book) has inspired several of my all-time-favorite Section 5 projects. And Lizzy's is one.

As I watched her begin the process of bringing shape to her idea, I was fascinated that, after a close study of Léger's lines (lines that did not thrill Lizzy in the least), Lizzy began to sculpt those very lines without knowing! I pulled out the original study sheet when I recognized the familiarity and we were both amazed! In art we call this, after Léger.

So I suppose if you were to title this Section 5 project you might call it:

Lizzy's Music Maker, after Léger and The Mozart Season (2014)

 

Leger

 

Leger2

 

-Kim

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Lovely Lines

Matisse3

Did you know that, when it comes to art, every line has a personality? That the lifework of the master artist has a particular voice?

When it comes to the lines of Matisse, spare, weightless, whimsical, and articulate come to mind.

Line is a foundational element when it comes to the language of art.

For this reason we invited Matisse, virtually of course, into the Guild and invited the master artisan to help our apprentices explore the rich potential of line.

You can too.

Matisse

 

Matisse2

 

-Kim

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after Winn Dixie

 

WinnDixie

I must admit that I am not an animal lover.  To all of my friends whose families are complete because of their furry friends – please don’t misunderstand me.  While I love our family bunny (sweetly named Comfy Cozy by my youngest son), I believe it is quite a different relationship than is shared by people who are dog-lovers.

In the heartwarming yet complex story of Opal and her dog Winn-Dixie, I was drawn into the relationship between these two characters – a girl and her dog – and their parallel desire to feel loved and needed, in spite of their histories of abandonment and loss, and the surprising opportunities for redemption through such difficult experiences.

Each week, our group of fifth and sixth graders would gather to share their insights into this young girl’s life.  I was concerned about some of the life themes that my 11-year-old would be exposed to through this story, but what I realized is this was an opportunity for my daughter to: empathize with others’ pain, find meaning in some of her own painful experiences, and have a safe place to discuss and explore these difficult life circumstances that are sometimes easier to shelter her from.

Because of Winn-Dixie, our cooperative homeschool Guild (comprised of four wonderful families with eleven children between us) decided that we would throw a party – not just any  party, but a potluck lunch.  And not just any potluck, but an array of food specially chosen to mimic the one specially planned by Opal.

Dump punch, dump cake, and a jar of pickles are only a few of the fancy items we put out for our big event.  But we didn’t stop there.  The TV room was specially decorated with pink twisted crepe paper in preparation for our great party, and we all watched this movie with grand anticipation. It was the great culminating experience after having walked through the story hand-in-hand together.

I’m still not an animal lover.  But this sweet dog helped tell a story of unexpected redemption and hope in a way that speaks to all—children and adults alike.

 

-Christian

Now go read this book and have your own celebration – and please don’t forget to share your potluck pictures with us!

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Added Value

Shell

“Drawing is based upon perspective, which is nothing else than a thorough knowledge of the function of the eye.”     -Leonardo DaVinci

We are designed to see and understand an object based on the relationship between the play of light and dark on its surface. Value is the term used to describe the lightness or darkness of an object. As light is reflected off objects, we interpret its attributes. When we draw a three-dimensional object in two dimensions, we are creating an illusion.

Over the years I’ve encouraged many a child to “look closely” by developing a specific Habit of Being—the Observation Journal. 

It is always best to begin observational drawing exercises by encouraging the Observer to see the contours or the “lines” of an object. To capture natural organic lines on the page is a lovely skill.

  Value1

As soon as this becomes a comfortable task, its time to encourage the Observer to look beyond lines that five the object its flat shape toward a close observation of the light and darks of an object. To accomplish this task, begin with a light contour adding a light value or tone by smudging then adding patches of medium darks and dark darks according to what the seer is seeing. The transformation is simple and stunning!

  Value2

And it’s never too early or too late to start. A six-year-old executed these drawings of the wonderfully sea-tumbled mollusk. Anyone can add value to an observation. 

-Kim

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Breaking the Rules in Good Company

Writers

I have been discouraged when people don’t like my writing—when people don’t like my voice.

I'm sure this is true for all writers.

The truth is, it’s hard to be yourself when people disagree with what you personally find interesting and beautiful.

Authenticity is a lesson that is almost never taught in school but is integral to being an artist. The truth is, sometimes, people won’t like your writing.

Now, sometimes that friction between differing opinions is definitely healthy and necessary. Dozens of blog posts could be written about the value of knowing the rules before you break them, and the importance of having the humility to listen to other artists’ advice.

But, sometimes, when the choice between two kinds of line break or two uses of allusion seem substantially subjective. As writers, we have a choice between doing what people approve of and doing what they find aesthetically satisfying. One lesson that students need to learn is that, throughout their writing careers, they will have a choice between being recognized and having painfully genuine integrity.

And that is the real-life choice between being normal and being divergent, the choice between being a people-pleaser and being a literary mutant.

The good news is that the greats were often literary mutants. Literary mutants who, no doubt, knew the rules and broke them well. Think Walt Whitman, e. e. cummings, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen—all of these people were literary freaks when they first unveiled their writing. Each of these writers faced critics who thought that their writing was careless, boring, or just plain weird. These writers were extremely talented and willing to take risks, but that means that they were also ahead of their time. These writers were the hippies, the revolutionaries, the weirdos, the outliers.

But it’s hard for me to remember that being a hippie is ok when people tear my writing to pieces in the workshop.

So I have a very important question.

Again.

To what extent are we willing to let young writers raise their voice?

 

-Constance

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I’m Thankful for Sandra. What about You?

Eggs

This is not a typical high school project.

This is a watercolor composition, a gift from a friend.

This is the prized possession that hangs in my kitchen with Mona Lisa’s ubiquitous gaze following my paces patiently, “Kim, you can.”

Lore has it that Sandra’s high school watercolor teacher offered an automatic “A” to anyone in the class who anyone who could paint an egg—a trememdously difficult task to accomplish well.

Now I’ve never imagined this teacher’s comment as a dare, but rather something more like an Eeyore-under-the-breath-utterance that he hoped might someday come to pass. I’ve never imagined snarky, or cynical, but more someting akin to longing, the longing to motivate.

And I’ve never imagined Sandra’s tackling of this teacher’s offering as anything other than a response to the Muse, a delighted response to the spark of imagination. Sandra simply said, “I can.”

The sheer whimsy of the composition is my proof. There is not one guile puddle in sight.

Thing is, you might look at this painting and respond, “No, I can’t.”

But you probably said that about tying your shoe, reading The Cat in the Hat, or adding five apples and three plums. But you can, right?

Not all children will grow up to paint like Sandra. Not all children will grow up to hypothesize like Einstein.

But many children who might have will not because they are not inspired to try. All children have precious potential. And this is why I spend my days encouraging children to press into their important work.

Children who are encouraged to engage in the right kind of practice over time develop Habits of Being and habits of being give us the gumption to say, “Yes! Yes, I can!.”

Who would have imagined that, all these years later, a teacher’s nudge and Sandra’s creative response would continue to resonate, “You can.”

I’m so thankful for my dear friend Sandra.

-Kim

 

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Meet Constance

Constance

Would you believe me if I told you that I wrote my first poem when I was six years old? Even when I was in elementary school, I wrote little illustrated verses almost every week. I’d be too embarrassed to share those verses here, but even before I turned seven, writing was my natural outlet for my emotions.

Writing has been to me what reading is to Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird: natural, unconscious, without translation. Breathing. Even when I don’t have the time or inclination—or even when I feel discouraged with my writing—I’ll sense the urge to write poetry as if it were an urge to find air while underwater.

Flash forward from the six-year-old Constance to high school sophomore Constance.

I met Kim sometime after finishing my freshman year of high school—she was Mrs. B. to me then. She was the first writing teacher of mine whom I actually admired. I still remember meeting her for the first time, showing her a couple of my poems, and being stunned by how her suggestion to change one word revolutionized the tone of an entire stanza.

Kim introduced me to the world of submissions, and helped me get published and recognized by various literary journals and contests such as the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards. More importantly, she taught me to value the workshop environment, and constantly championed my decision to become an English major in college.

So that’s where I find myself today—a sophomore English major at USC. My writing-related dreams include studying poetry in Paris, interning at Poets and Writers, Inc., and using my love for words as a human rights lawyer… but that’s all still in the air.

The only thing I can tell you right now that is substantially relevant is that writing, to me, is like breathing.

———————

Constance Chan has interned for Kim since 2011 and has helped develop curriculum with Blackbird & Company Educational Press. Her writing has been recognized by domestic and international journals and contests such as the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards and USC’s Undergraduate Writers’ Conference. She is an English major, human rights minor, and Thematic Option Honors student at the University of Southern California. She is passionate about imagist poetry, breakdancing, and leftover Chinese takeout on those days when you don’t have time to cook dinner.

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A Telephone of Cardboard.

Telephone

Thanksgiving is a terrific time to connect with friends and family across the miles. But it's also a perfect time to help young writers creatively communicate thankfullness. Visit our Pinterest page and let the writing begin: 

Telephones come in all shapes and sizes. 

Imagine a telephone.

Now, imagine a telephone made of cardboard.

Imagine someone trying to make a call, but the only telephone is a telephone of cardboard.  

Does this person realize that the telephone is made out of cardboard? Does s/he want it to be made out of cardboard, instead of being fully functional? Why? Does the narrator know why this person is using a cardboard phone? Or is s/he just as confused as the reader? Or, what if the character in the story or poem happens upon the phone, picks up the receiver on a whim, and the cardboard telephone actually works? Who is on the other end? Is that person using a cardboard telephone too, or a standard phone? 

Imagine the possibilities and then craft your ideas into a story or poem. 

 

Example: 

The Girl with The Cardboard Phone

 

There is a girl who talks on a cardboard phone

every day during recess.

 

Past the thwacking of jump rope

on cement, past the many grabbing hands

 

at the monkey bars, below the cracked tube

of the playground slide,

 

you’ll find her clutching the cardboard receiver,

stroking the thin fringe of its ripped edge

 

with a white finger. We used to wonder

what secret messages were being passed

 

into the thick brown strip, soggy with dew

and wet leaves, and whether

 

anyone was replying. We wondered

until one day, we wandered by and caught these words:

 

“I love you too”— accompanied by a smile

like a warm cup of tea on the greyest day.

 

-Constance