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March 9, 2016
Table of Contents
9 Things That Happen When You Carry A Sketchbook With You Nonstop ............................................................................. 2
Staying Creative: Adult Coloring Books Provide Mental Stability, Fun ................................................................................... 4
NASA Hosts Wildest Art Show in Solar System ....................................................................................................................... 5
Wastes as New Medium of Art; How Durable? ...................................................................................................................... 6
Travels Inspire Seton Hill University Art Professor's Work ..................................................................................................... 8
Apple Art Supplies in Brooklyn Is Hub for Matte Knives and Gossip .................................................................................... 10
Art Classes Help Alzheimer's Patients Boost Self‐Esteem, Maintain Vitality ........................................................................ 11
Is the Art Room the New Play Room? ................................................................................................................................... 13
Why The Art World Is Fighting Over A Bizarre Material Developed For Satellites ............................................................... 15
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March 9, 2015
9 Things That Happen When You Carry A Sketchbook With You Nonstop Go ahead, give your inner artist some space to grow.
"Draw everywhere and all the time. An artist is a sketchbook with
a person attached," artist Irwin Greenberg said.
OK, but what if you're not an artist? Or, at least, not yet. Can you
still gain something from incorporating a sketchbook into your
everyday life? The answer is yes, yes, a million times yes. And
here's why.
Exercising your creative mind is just as important as exercising
your body. Studies have shown that just seeing, never mind
creating art can lower levels of cytokine interleukin 6 ‐‐ a marker
of inflammation that can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and even Alzheimer's. And while coloring books
have recently become the trendy artistic outlet of choice, I'd like to make a case for their humble grandfather, the
sketchbook.
Coloring books are great for unwinding after a long day, but they're not the easiest to transport and whip out on the go.
A sketchbook and a pencil, however, can (and should!) easily become part of your everyday routine. Slip it in your purse
or backpack or back pocket and just like that, you can make art anytime, anywhere. Your pencil and paper become your
secret weapons, or secret friends, depending on how you look at it.
"I draw like other people bite their nails," Pablo Picasso famously declared. If you want to begin your own personal
journey towards Picasso levels of mastery, you best start biting your nails now. If you commit to living the sketchbook
life, prepare to witness some beautiful changes. Here's what can happen:
1. You'll have no excuses.
Paint is expensive. Canvases too. You'll probably make a mess.
There are plenty of legit reasons why art making often falls by the wayside for those of us who are trying to squeeze a
little creative experimentation into a busy schedule. But if you have your pencil and paper on you, the only thing
stopping you is yourself. As 14th century Italian artist Cennino Cennini put it: "Do not fail, as you go on, to draw
something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worth while, and it will do you a world of good."
A portrait, a tree, a sun, a little cartoon expressing how hungover you are. Just make sure you draw something.
2. The world will look richer.
How often do you pay attention to the squiggly line formed by the city's tallest buildings? Or the slouched posture of a
stranger on your Subway car? The agile physique of your neighborhood cat? The pile of junk in your garbage can?
Drawing isn't just a way to depict the world around you, but to discover the world around you. With your pencil poised
to paper, you suddenly become a creative hunter, eyes darting to locate the most visually enticing subject matter in your
periphery. You may soon find that the familiar people, places and things in your life look fresh from new angles, in new
lights, and utterly alien as they begin to break down into shapes, lines and shadows.
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March 9, 2015
3. You'll stop worrying about perfection.
No judgment about having too much judgment. I know the feeling all too well of spending under five minutes "in the
zone" only to pull back and, in a moment of horror and embarrassment, rip the work in progress into shreds. Of course,
no artist starts out being perfect, or even great, and the true sign of an artist is someone who keeps going.
If you accept the fact that your work will not be perfect (and no beginner's, or person's really, is) you'll save yourself a
lot of grief. Learn to accept your flaws, learn from them, and even appreciate them. Do you tend to draw eyes too big?
Have trouble capturing a person's face in profile? Have a shaky hand you wish had more grace? Some of these things can
be worked on and eventually changed and others just may become your artistic signature. You never know.
4. You'll spend less time on your phone.
Consider this an added bonus. Now, when you're waiting for the bus, letting your face mask sit, killing time on your
lunch break, etc., you won't have to find yourself in a dark social media spiral refreshing your high school nemesis'
Instagram to see if she uploaded more wedding pics yet.
You can now use brief spans of downtime ‐‐ even five minutes will do ‐‐ to create something beautiful. Trust me, this will
make you feel better about yourself than you will scouring the top Facebook trending topics to discover Beyoncé went
out to dinner.
5. You'll copy everything. And this can be great inspiration.
How many moments are there in a day when you pass an image ‐‐ on a T‐shirt, a mural, an Instagram post ‐‐ and you
think not just "I could do that" but "I want to do that." You'll be surprised how good it feels to actively incorporate the
images that inspire you into your work.
Pablo Picasso allegedly lived by the motto, "good artists copy, great artists steal." So, go ahead, copy, steal, what are you
waiting for?
6. You'll physically observe your own personal style develop.
It's hard to know your style or aesthetic from a single image, especially one that feels unnatural or new. But over time,
you'll begin to see the quirks that define your work reveal themselves. The way you cross‐hatch to make shadows, or
need to fill up an entire page to feel finished, or love to draw every individual strand of hair.
You'll watch your style adapt and react ‐‐ maybe after watching an hour of cartoons you'll change a little, and after
visiting the MoMA you'll change again. You'll begin to notice which parts of your work are malleable and which are a
part of your artistic DNA. The little habits and peculiarities will start to operate as a second signature.
7. You won't just illustrate, you'll create.
After all the copying and stealing and seeking inspiration from the world around you, something will click. Instead of
paying attention to whether the flower on your page resembles the one outside your window, you may let the drawing
do the talking. How do the lines speak to you? What do the marks on the page suggest?
In short: you'll let go, find your happy place, respond to what's in front of you, and simply connect the dots.
8. You'll have a visual diary of your life.
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March 9, 2015
If you love the feeling of leafing through an old scrapbook or journal and seeing the different versions of yourself that
make appearances along the way, you will love getting a personal sketchbook collection. It juggles the places you've
been and the people you've seen with images of your hopes, fears and interior imaginings. You can look back not only
on how you used to draw feet like golf clubs, but also on the places you've visited and abstract images you've conjured
in your mind.
9. You'll zen out.
Drawing demands presence. It calls for attention. It requests you be in the world around you, aware of your internal and
external environment. Drawing needs an active pause.
A funny side effect of drawing is, without even realizing it, you start to meditate. Connected to the world around you but
free to stretch the boundaries of your own mind, drawing is a wonderful alternative form of meditating for those of us
who can't seem to stay still and breathe. You may notice a feeling of calmness washing over you, a visceral sense of
being in the zone, the comforting awareness you're right where you need to be.
Basically, put a little notebook in your pocket and your life could be altered forever. Whether you hope to become the
next Picasso or just a little less stressed at work, it's worth a shot. The Huffington Post: http://huff.to/1LNsQP6
Staying Creative: Adult Coloring Books Provide Mental Stability, Fun
NORTH LOGAN, UT: Louise Latham flips through a coloring book
full of colorful garden, fantasy and animal depictions in her
apartment at Pioneer Valley Lodge earlier this week, proud of her
work.
Latham used twistable colored pencils to transform black and
white dragonflies, deer with birds on their antlers, and
mushrooms with castles into images full of life.
“It just makes me happy,” said Latham, 84, as she flipped through
the coloring books to show The Herald Journal. “I color and have
such a good time.”
Latham colors to keep her mind sharp, but she is not the only one coloring. Multiple news reports indicate adult coloring
books are becoming the latest trend and a multi‐million‐dollar industry.
Latham was introduced to adult coloring books by her daughter, Laura Wolford, who heard about the books on a
morning television show.
“I knew instantly that my mother would love that,” Wolford said, ordering Johanna Basford’s “Secret Garden: An Inky
Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book” and several other coloring books online. “She loved it; it’s a beautiful book.”
Latham agreed.
“When I saw them, I was delighted,” Latham said of the books, adding that she usually colors while she watches TV. “It’s
good for your head as you get older and I like that. Creating is good for you; I’ve seen too many people watch TV all of
the time. It’s entertaining but it doesn’t really help you.”
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March 9, 2015
Wolford noted some of the coloring books are “whimsical” while others seem “structured.”
“She really loves the whimsical ones,” Wolford said. “It just relaxes her; it uses both your right and left brain for
technical and creative skills. It makes her so happy.”
Wolford said she’s seen a change in her mom since she started coloring.
“Without question; she is happy with that, and it relaxes her. She’s always been a positive and happy woman, maybe
this just enhances all of that,” Wolford said.
Latham’s extended family has also noticed a difference when they come to Utah to visit her.
“They were so surprised at how much she had done and how much joy it was bringing to her,” Wolford said. “There is
nothing more important than us kids knowing that our mom is happy, enjoying where she lives and has a good quality of
life. These books bring so much joy to her, we can’t believe it. We’re thrilled to know it’s a comfort to her; so it’s a
comfort to us.”
In a recent CBS interview, Basford said everyone from kids to people recovering in hospitals are latching on to adult
coloring books.
“I just felt that there was an opportunity for people to be creative and do something with their hands that was analog,”
Basford said. “You know, a blank sheet of paper could be quite intimidating. But with a coloring book, the outlines will
be there and I wondered if people would latch onto that as a chance to sort of flex the creative muscle.”
Basford added in her television interview, “I think at the base of it, everybody has that little bit of nostalgia about when
they used to color when they were kids.”
Latham is no stranger to creativity. She started her passion for art having drawing competitions with a grade school
friend. Wolford attributed Latham’s art skills to creating beautiful pages.
As an adult, Latham’s interest grew by collecting art work and pursuing oil and acrylic painting; artists from Cache Valley
and Salt Lake City were her inspiration.
“They just made me want to try harder, to learn how to do it right,” Latham said.
Now Latham is still pursuing art, but on a much different platform.
“This is about the most fun thing I’ve done,” Latham said of the coloring books. “It makes you happy, it makes you think,
it makes you do something.” The Herald Journal: http://bit.ly/1YpmFCF
NASA Hosts Wildest Art Show in Solar System
Wants public's help sending art to an asteroid
NASA is inviting the public to send art to an asteroid on its new
spacecraft: the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource
Identification, Security‐Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS‐REx for short.
The probe will be the first to collect a sample of asteroid and bring it
back to Earth.
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The spacecraft is scheduled to launch in September and travel to the asteroid Bennu to collect about 2 ounces (57
grams) of materials from the space rock and bring them back to Earth in 2023.
Bennu, formerly known as Asteroid 2012 DA14, passed within 22,000 miles of Earth on Feb. 15, 2013. That's close for an
asteroid, NASA says, less than a tenth of the distance to the moon. The rock, which has a 538‐yard (492‐meter)
diameter, makes a close pass by our planet every six years.
Scientists say this means there is a high probability that Bennu could hit Earth in 2182. This is why they want to learn
more about it.
So why send art to an asteroid that could one day crash into our planet?
"The development of the spacecraft and instruments has been a hugely creative process, where ultimately the canvas is
the machined metal and composites preparing for launch in September,' said Jason Dworkin, OSIRIS‐REx project scientist
at NASA, in a news release.
"It is fitting that this endeavor can inspire the public to express their creativity to be carried by OSRIS‐REx into space," he
said.
Interested? Here's what the NASA invitation says you can send: A submission may take the form of a sketch,
photograph, graphic, poem, song, short video or other creative or artistic expression that reflects what it means to be an
explorer.
You have until March 20 to submit your artwork. It would join the 442,000 names submitted through NASA's 2014
"Messages to Bennu" campaign. ktvz: http://bit.ly/1RPra6T
Wastes as New Medium of Art; How Durable?
In today’s world of creativity and amazing art, some of the world’s
most compelling and creative works have been born out of the
simplest and most abundant of materials: waste. But how durable are
these artworks? Would collectors and art buyers get value for their
money? Udemma Chukwuma writes.
Art is consistently revolving. Out of wastes, artists are now creating
beautiful things. They are becoming daring with the choice of
materials they work with and are continuously trying their hands on
new medium, recycling wastes and turning them into priceless
artwork. Some of the materials for these emerging medium include
ankara fabric, plastic, crown crock, newspaper, charcoal, corrugated
iron, spoons, you name them.
Some artists who are using waste materials as medium
Artists such as Kolade Oshinowo, George Edozie, Peju Alatise, Yinka Sonibare are few of those using rags of ankara fabric
to create masterpieces. Uchay Joel Chima, another known artist uses charcoal on board to create alluring works. Chima
had also delved into working with strings on canvas and finishing it with paint. Last year, Rom Isichei wowed those who
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came to view his new show. He created most of the works on display with all manner of cans, used tomatoes tines,
paper collage, corrugated iron, as well as sawdust.
Interestingly, recycling old waste not only benefits the environment, but also breathes new life into old objects once
seen as worthless. This is a case of one man’s meat is another man’s poison. But can the materials stand the test of
time?
Why the sudden shift?
Olaleye Oluseyi Martins, Principal Lecturer at the Art and Designs Department, Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa, Oyo State
said, “People are tired of the old. They are consciously seeking a new world of new materials and method e.g. in
ceramics, clay was only limited to the usage of artists, but the new material world has opened ‘clay’ up to the
pharmacist, the engineers and even the doctors, who used it in preparing a Nano‐particles gauze in stopping blood flow
in a critical wound.”
The realm of creativity, Martins said, is populated; and with incentives so high, “every artist is trying to cut a niche for
themselves, more so in this era of polluted environment. The mind of the artist is seriously working on alternative
medium of execution for various reasons.”
Some critics are however of the view that many artists are running away from drawing, painting and sculpting, and
embracing this new medium because they cannot cope. But disregarding this claim, Martins said, “Art is dynamic and
evolving. The modern world is even challenging, and greatly awakening the consciousness of everyone. And mind you,
not only in art. I would like to conclude that the 21st century is having its strong impact on Arts as it does on science and
computers…. Artists aren’t running from paintings and sculptures, but busy finding a better and modern ways of
communicating with this generation that always wants things done “instantly.”
Prof. John Ogene, an art historian, aesthetician, critic and a lecturer at Delta State University said doing art for the sake
of vogue is like gambling. It is not about escapism‐ running away from canon. Experimentation and sheer curiosity
contributed to the trend. Historically, this kind of practice came to the fore in Nigeria during the austerity and SAP
(Structural Adjustment Programme) years, when the cost of art materials was beyond the reach of the average artist in
Nigeria. There may have been other historical influences which had nothing to do with austerity measure. There were
also artists who borrowed a leaf from Western artists like Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp. Picasso did not run away
from painting and sculpture when he used waste or found objects for art.”
Art historian, critique and lecturer at the Kara State University, Morenike Fola Balogun in her view said “Trends change,
so does taste…. Artists have always ‘stolen from each other.’ Artists like to explore, be unique and at times, different… I
guess we are in the era when we are still going to see a lot of ideas, and innovations coming up as artistic expressions.”
She said art to her, “Is either God made or Man‐made; art is not static. It evolves and artists steal from each other –
consciously or unconsciously. The buyer can get value for his money in iron work, depending on the theme rendered and
the skill put into the construction. The salt of every work is the construction. If it is well balanced, I think it should be
okay; but if it is huge or massive, it will be better as an environment sculpture.”
According to her, artists stress process more than content. The level of abstraction she said “is more pronounced in the
use of material, plastic, paper etc. The artists are more adventurous now, that is why we see so many brands now. The
freedom to define their own terms has also helped the Nigerian artists.”
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March 9, 2015
Can they stand the test of time?
For Ogene, the quality of new art materials being introduced in art‐making cannot be guaranteed both in durability and
toxicity. “It may well be a passing phase, where some may last, and others may not. Nevertheless, they remain art,” he
said.
Explaining further on the durability of the materials, Ogene said “It largely depends on the buyer, in what connects his
life experiences and emotions and how that taps into his memories of life and environment. Some buyers may feel it is
worth the price after all, while others may see it as garbage.”
Balogun said, “Trends change, so does taste… Artists working with these medium are due to contacts with one another
and other cultures. Artists have always ‘stolen from each other.’ They like to explore, be unique and at times different… I
guess we are in the era when we are still going to see a lot of ideas, and innovations coming up as artistic expressions.”
She added that “the materials are durable; iron cannot decay, so also plastic, but the finishing also matters.”
While Martins also agrees with them, he said: “I have seen many artworks in recent times; be focused and set the target
at the right cadre of your intending customers. Again don’t forget the cravings for African arts by foreigners but yet
majority complains so much about weight and space in transits.”
Affirming that the materials are durable, he said: “Iron cannot decay; so also plastic. But the finishing also matters,
depending on the choice at play. Any buyer would definitely get the value….” Martins said. The Nation:
http://bit.ly/1Ypn3Bb
Travels Inspire Seton Hill University Art Professor's Work
GREENSBURG, PA: Carol Brode is an assistant professor of art at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, where she serves as
director and cur‑ator of the Harlan Gallery.
The Plum native has bachelor's and master's degrees in studio art from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and did
graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh and New York University. She has taught studio‐art classes at the Carnegie
Museum of Art, the Society for Contemporary Craft and in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Her own artwork involves encaustic painting — a wax‐based paint
that is heated and then applied to a surface — and working with
mixed media, depending on the concept of the artwork.
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg hosted
her 2012 solo show, “Carol Brode: One Time/One Place.”
She has four adult sons and four grandchildren and makes her
home in Bouquet, Penn Township.
Question: What are the tasks entailed in your work at Seton Hill?
Answer: As gallery director, I curate and install eight to 10 exhibits yearly and oversee all gallery operations. As an
instructor, I teach painting, printmaking, contemporary art and non‐Western art.
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(In the gallery), we have two student shows per year, one in August and September featuring the work from the spring
semester, and one in January and February, from the fall. The students submit their work, and the art faculty selects
from the submissions for the fall show. For the spring show, we bring in an outside juror to give the students a
professional experience.
Some of our other shows reoccur, like the “Women in Art” show, which is every other fall and is tied to an art‐history
class.
I curate the other exhibits with an eye toward a variety of media and type. We present mostly group shows and
occasionally solo exhibits.
Q: What inspires your artwork?
A: Time, place and memory are themes that exist throughout my work. Many times, I take photographs on my travels
and utilize fragments of them. I have also often used text to evoke associations.
I've used photos of ancient sites in Greece and Israel in my paintings — mostly of doorways and stairs, with strong
contrast of light and dark, symbolizing passage. A fairly recent series incorporated fragments of text from the poetry of
T.S. Eliot, which spoke to me of time and memory. I've also incorporated my own “stream of consciousness” writing at
times.
Q: What excites you most about it?
A: I enjoy the process of making the artwork, of bringing it into being.
Q: Where has your work shown?
A: Carnegie Museum of Art, Westmoreland Museum of American Art, the Mattress Factory, Andy Warhol Museum,
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, State Museum of Pennsylvania and a number of smaller galleries.
Q: When did you realize that you would be an artist?
A: I was quite young when the desire to study art began, but I think being an “artist” became a reality when I had my
first solo show at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, the first year after undergraduate school. Seeing my name on the
marquee made things real.
Q: Do you remember the first piece of art that you created?
A: My middle‐school art teacher praised my watercolor of an alley scene and encouraged me to pursue art. However, my
first professional piece was probably a large painting that was exhibited at the Carnegie Museum of Art in an Associated
Artists of Pittsburgh exhibit in 1980.
Q: What are your goals as an educator and/or an artist?
A: I try to enable students to express and expand their personal vision and concepts, while at the same time enhancing
both technique and experimentation.
Q: What do you do in your free time?
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March 9, 2015
A: I read quite a lot, and like to travel as much as possible. I also work in my studio. I've traveled throughout Western
Europe (Germany, France, Italy, Greece, England — and long ago to 12 countries on a Eurail pass) and also to the Czech
Republic, Turkey and Israel.
I've been reading a lot of fiction lately for relaxation. Right now, I'm reading “The Golden Notebook” by Doris Lessing, a
classic which I should have read long ago.
Q: What would you do if you weren't an artist and educator?
A: I would be a world traveler — if I had unlimited funds. TRIBLIVE: http://bit.ly/1X8w1la
Apple Art Supplies in Brooklyn Is Hub for Matte Knives and Gossip
BROOKLYN, NY: On a short stretch of DeKalb Avenue near the campus of Pratt Institute in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, is a trio
of establishments essential to students: a pizzeria with good, cheap slices; a diner with an all‐day breakfast and free
refills of coffee; and Apple Art Supplies.
Sam Lee works seven days a week at Apple. His father, an acupuncturist in Long Island, bought the business about 15
years ago, when it was Jake’s, an art store in business since 1940. Patti Smith, in her memoir “Just Kids,” recalls debating
whether to spend money on paints and colored pencils at Jake’s or on grilled‐
cheese sandwiches at the diner when she and Robert Mapplethorpe lived
nearby in the late 1960s.
Decades later, the neighborhood is very different, but the bohemian dilemma —
sketch pad or lunch? — remains much the same.
On a recent Sunday, the bell that jingles each time a customer enters the shop
rang frequently. “It’s, like, the best shop ever,” Dan Rodriguez, 22, said after
gently ribbing Mr. Lee about the Justin Bieber tune playing softly in the
background. “Sam always has everything we ever need.”
“Even if you don’t have money, like I didn’t have today,” said Lara Hekimoglu,
21, an architecture student from Istanbul, “he lets you pay later.” On this particular day, Mr. Lee had advanced Ms.
Hekimoglu two sheets of chipboard and a block of basswood.
Mr. Lee stays open after hours for students with last‐minute supply needs, Ms. Hekimoglu said. He also delivers. “You
call him, and he says, ‘I’ll be there in 10 minutes,’” she said.
Such service breeds loyalty. An art supply chain, Blick, has an outlet two blocks north, on Myrtle Avenue. “They have a
lot more workers,” said Allie Vanderburgh, 23, of Dayton, Ohio. “You don’t always know who you’re talking to.” Of
Apple, she said, “It’s kind of nice always seeing Sam here.”
In a back room, near shelves displaying blue foamcore, is an impressionistic rendering of boats on the water and a life
drawing of a young dancer done in pencil. “We don’t know who it’s from,” Mr. Lee said of the art — it came with the
store. “But we try not to move it.”
Before he sold art supplies Mr. Lee worked as a salesman of novelties and toys. “I used to travel a lot,” he said.
“Different states. Different countries.” Now he commutes to Brooklyn from his home in Flushing, Queens.
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“It’s tiring,” he said. “But it’s fun dealing with the young customers. They always come in with their stories, their gossip. I
love gossip.”
Isabelle Li, 20, of Houston, and Arrick Peck, 25, of Glenwood Springs, Colo., were impressed by Mr. Lee’s knowledge of
the Pratt social scene.
“He somehow knew that we started dating,” said Ms. Li.
“We’re, like, how?” said Mr. Peck, 25.
The bell jingled. Scott Jones stepped in. Mr. Lee smiled. “You look the same,” he said. “Except for a little bit of
mustache.”
“Thanks, man,” Mr. Jones said.
After completing Pratt’s graduate program in industrial design in 2013, Mr. Jones, 43, moved to Washington; he was in
New York to catch a show at the Whitney and stopped by Apple for pencils, a matte knife and his favorite pens. “I used
to come here all the time,” he said.
Nearly three years had passed since his last stop at the store. Mr. Lee seemed pleased by the visit. “I recognize all the
kids,” he said after Mr. Jones left. “Even 10 years later, I recognize them.” The New York Times: http://nyti.ms/1puRl9Q
Art Classes Help Alzheimer's Patients Boost Self‐Esteem, Maintain Vitality
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL: After living with Alzheimer's disease for
seven years, Pauline Dennis has trouble recalling the names of
family members and even the names of the colors she is painting.
Pauline, 79, likes to paint colorful round shapes in a class for
Alzheimer’s patients called “Memories in the Making” at the
Woman's Club of New Smyrna Beach.
Because of a faltering memory, Pauline does not always remember
the water color she did the week before and will protest each week
that she's not an artist.
But once she dips brush to water family members say, Pauline the artist emerges.
“She doesn’t want to think that she can do it, but she gets into it immediately,” said her brother, Alex Demers. “It’s
amazing to watch.”
"She just calms down. She just paints like she has been doing it all her life,” he added. “It seems like she just gets into (a
creative flow).”
Alex said Memories in the Making is “an outlet. It’s certainly a place to calm the mind.”
Memories in the Making is a program of the Alzheimer’s Association now offered for the first time in Volusia County
through the organizational support of The Hub on Canal, an art center in New Smyrna Beach, and the city of New
Smyrna Beach, which is making space available at the Woman’s Club, organizers said.
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Sally Mackay, president and co‐founder of The Hub on Canal, explained that the Alzheimer's Association provides the
training for teachers and art supplies while the Hub does the organizational work, staffing, and "keeps the program
running smoothly."
The class is not considered art therapy, although there are therapeutic benefits, such as the calming effect of getting
into the creative “flow,” said Pam Levin, an art teacher from Orlando who led the initial Memories in the Making classes.
Memories in the Making is more about art for art's sake without any of the pressure of being judged or having to please
someone.
“It is art for fun,” Levin said. “There’s no failure here. This is not a process where everybody has to make the same
thing.”
The artists do build a portfolio of work. They are asked to sign their work and write something about the painting they
created.
The class is intended for those in the beginning to middle stages of Alzheimer's. They still have self‐awareness about
their condition but may need a self‐esteem boost, Levin said.
“Alzheimer's patients feel they are losing themselves,” Levin said.
They’re at a point in their lives where “everybody seems to focus on what they can’t do,” Levin said.
Fortunately, creativity is one of the last functions of the mind to go, Levin said.
Their art is a statement that “'I’m still vital. I am still here. I can still contribute. I can do things,'” Levin said. “This
program is about the abilities they still have versus the abilities they have lost.”
“So (the art) helps them to retain their sense of identity, too,” Levin said.
Art is a new experience for most participants. Levin estimated that she has had only two students who did “any real
painting before” taking the class.
“It’s probably worse for them because they can remember what they used to do,” she said.
One advantage of Alzheimer’s patients is that they often lack the inhibition and perfectionism that prevents many
people from trying art, Levin said.
“For someone who has never painted before, they have no expectations of themselves,” she said.
“They are willing to just jump right in. Whatever comes out, comes out,” she said. “I have engineers who discover they
can paint.”
While Pauline still has her inhibitions, she enjoys the class, said her husband, Mike Dennis of New Smyrna Beach.
“She thinks she does not want to go, but once you get here, you can’t get her out of here,” Dennis said. News‐Journal
Online: http://bit.ly/1UOG6oG
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Is the Art Room the New Play Room?
Is the art room the new playroom? It would be if Megan Schiller of
Mill Valley, Calif., had her way. After time spent in early childhood
education, and then experience running her own children’s art
studio, Schiller now helps parents design mini art studios for their
kids in their homes. She calls her business “The Art Pantry” because
she believes that it’s just as important for kids to have room to do
art as it is to have room to store and make food. “It’s about letting
kids develop a creative confidence at a young age,” she says. Schiller
wants to help all families have a dedicated creative space, even if it’s
only a drawer in the kitchen for storing markers and crayons. “It’s a
long process and it takes time but it’s really worth it,” she says. We
talked to Schiller, whose own daughters are now 7 and 4, about the
why’s and how’s of an in‐home art corner and where she goes for
creative inspiration.
Q: Why is it important for kids to do art?
A: It’s about letting kids develop a creative confidence at a young
age. They don’t have to have a passion for the arts … it can develop
into growing up and using power tools. It’s about knowing how to
use supplies and take them into their life. For example, if they’re
playing with their toys and they want to have a rocket ship, they can
go and build one. It’s not about the product and what it looks like in
the end; it’s about letting them touch things and get messy. A lot of kids like to squeeze a whole glue bottle out because
they’re learning to use their muscles. I like to let them do that, because it teaches them what’s too much glue. If they’re
allowed to explore, then they learn why, and that will carry with them as they get older.
Q: Why is it important to have easy access to art?
A: In general, if kids have access to supplies, then they can develop confidence—though, I don’t let a 2‐year‐old have
complete access to paint and things. If kids always have to ask permission, they won’t feel confident and they might not
use the supplies very much. If supplies are accessible but disorganized, they might not use them either. In a dedicated
space, with easy access, art becomes a part of their life. Imagine if kids had to ask permission to play with a stuffed
animal—that would change the way that they play.
Q: What is an ideal place to set up for art? What’s too small, too far away?
A: It really depends on the family, the kids, their ages, and their personalities. For young kids, or kids who want to be
close to their families, it’s important to have it close to you. The kitchen is great—the kids are more likely to use the
space while you or other kids are engaged in other activities. If you don’t want to see it all the time, or if you have guests
over, then you might dedicate a cabinet in the kitchen. Or even have a portable caddy—one of those plastic boxes with
different compartments, and carry it around in the house. You can also have closed cabinetry that’s just dedicated to art
supplies; an armoire or something. For older kids who like to have their space and don’t mind going into another room
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without their parents, a bedroom or someplace with the most room would work. Except basements! Even if a kid is
seven or eight years old, they don’t want to go into a basement without their parents.
Q: Do kids need easels? Why kind do you recommend?
I don’t think easels are essential. But it is different for kids to try to draw or paint in a vertical way [rather than flat on a
table]. I like to have things against a wall so that you can save floor space, but I like to mount something onto the wall. If
you like easels, there are also some that are adjustable or smaller for toddlers, or even tabletop easels, that give them
the experience of painting or drawing, but you can put it away when you need to.
Q: Where do you go for art project inspiration?
A: The Artful Parent has been my go‐to resource since I started teaching art. She’s always been an inspiration. Meri
Cherry is a great blog, because it’s fun and simple and easy to do with kids. She’s also an art teacher. TinkerLab is great
for more science and making. Babble Dabble Doo is good for art and engineering combinations. The Art Bar Blog is also
just beautiful inspiration. She’s an art teacher too. You can see the kinds of projects that she does in her living room—
big, messy art projects. It’s inspiring to see that you can still do messy art projects in a nice home.
Q: How do you balance instructing your kids on art projects with letting him or her just play with paint?
A: A lot of kids will explore, but they might not know what to do with something. I explain what it is and explore it with
them. We might do painting, and I’ll teach them a technique, like printmaking, or watercolor and crayons. Then I’ll just
leave the materials there and let them explore on their own.
Q: When are good times of day to do art?
A: My girls have a lot of creative energy in the morning. I set up art prompts at night and that will keep them busy in the
morning. In the afternoon, after being at school all day, they like to have some downtime. Being messy with their hands
and playing with Play‐Doh and toys is helpful for that.
Q: Talk to me about art prompts. What are these?
A: I call them “invitations to create,” because they’re a way of inviting a child to explore materials. I like to set out about
three to five different things, displayed really nicely and inviting on a tray or in the middle of a table. I let them come
across it on their own. Usually they’ll walk in and notice it on the table and they’ll want to work with it. It’s a good way
to get them excited and engaged with their materials in a different way—I might pick out something they haven’t used
in a while.
Q: What do you say to parents who feel a little apprehensive about the mess and the expense?
Definitely pick a few things that you feel comfortable with. If you get something that you’re not comfortable with, like
finger paint, and you’re terrified to use it, you might put it off and not try it. Then just sit and play explore the material
alongside your child. It’s amazing to see what they do and it gives them encouragement and excitement to try new
things.
Q: What five items should each art space start with?
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When I taught art classes, I always had four to five supplies I would always start the kids off with. Washable tempera
paint, because you can do finger painting, paint on an easel, mix colors and do color theory. Liquid watercolors are really
fun because toddlers can mix and pour and stir as if it was water; older kids can use droppers or do resist projects with
crayons. For drawing, I always start off with beeswax crayons because they’re softer and have more vibrant colors so
they’re easier for kids to use. And then markers. And for modeling, either Play‐Doh or clay. Parents probably feel more
comfortable starting with Play‐Doh, because it’s easier to clean up, but if they’re ready to try clay, it offers a different
sensory experience. Also try glue and collage. That’s the other thing I always introduce kids to, even if they’re one‐and‐a‐
half. Squeezing glue bottles is good when they’re learning how to use their motor skills. If you wanted to know one
organizing tool I always start with, it’s a caddy to organize drawing tools. My favorite one is from Land of Nod. It has four
cups, so you can put markers, crayons, colored pencils, and one other thing in it, which gets kids to branch out. The
Washington Post: http://wapo.st/1LNuC2G
Why The Art World Is Fighting Over A Bizarre Material Developed For Satellites Vantablack may be the blackest material ever created—and everyone wants to use it.
It’s not every day that you get to watch art world royalty duke it out
over the right to use advanced nanotechnology. But that’s exactly
what happened this week, after The Daily Mail reported that Sir Anish
Kapoor had been granted the exclusive rights to use a material called
Vantablack—also known as the blackest material ever created by
humans. The U.K. painter Christian Furr was one of some critics who
weren't happy about the news. "We should be able to use it," he told
the Mail. "It isn’t right that it belongs to one man."
So, what is this alchemical material? And who, exactly, has the rights
to license a color? The story is surprisingly interesting—it involves the search for exoplanets, NASA, and even some
unsettling health claims.
The race to create the blackest black has been on for decades, and it grew from the search for ever‐more‐distant light
from far‐off galaxies. Using telescopes and other imaging sensors to detect light from these distant objects is a
precarious game, given our own blaringly bright solar system, and scientists have long searched for a reliable way to
block out any interference when looking deep into space. Even in deep space, light from stars and other planets can
reflect off of a spacecraft’s many metal and PV parts, creating noise that muffles what the system is really trying to
"see."
The obvious solution to this problem is to paint everything black. But in the high‐stress vacuum of space, normal paint
won’t do. In 2011, NASA announced it had developed a special, super‐durable black coating of carbon nanotubes that
could absorb almost every type of light and withstand the tough conditions of space. The bizarre material is covered in a
"forest" of carbon nanotubes grown vertically in a super‐heated lab, creating an extraordinarily dense surface area that
absorbs any and all light. "Our material is darn near perfect across multiple wavelength bands, from the ultraviolet to
the far infrared," said project lead John Hagopian at the time. "No one else has achieved this milestone yet."
The next year, a team of researchers led by the U.K.’s National Physical Laboratory and a company called Surrey
Nanosystems announced the creation of a very similar coating. Their material was intended to be used on satellites as
well, to absorb the various infrared and visible light waves that could interfere with sensitive optical systems. And like
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NASA’s coating, the material used an incredibly dense coating of vertically oriented carbon nanotubes to suck up 99.96%
of light.
In fact, both of these materials are so dark humans technically can’t even "see" them: We’re simply seeing the complete
absence of light. Soon, the terrestrial applications of their material—now known as Vantablack (Vanta is an acronym for
"Vertically Aligned Carbon NanoTube Array")—became clear, and today, Surrey is focused on turning the space‐borne
material into an Earthly hit, with collaborations that range from art, to marketing, to military applications.
Kapoor got involved with the company last year, as well, writing that he was intrigued by the material after meeting
Surrey Nanosystems’ CTO, Ben Jensen. The version of the material he acquired the rights to use is actually a second
version of the original that’s much easier to apply to surfaces—it looks the same as the original Vantablack, but can be
sprayed on, and allows a small amount of electromagnetic spectrum through.
What does Kapoor plan to do with the stuff? While the studio declined to comment, Kapoor did offer a hint last year in
Art Forum: "It’s a physical thing that you cannot see, giving it a transcendent or even transcendental dimension, which I
think is very compelling. Imagine walking into a room where you literally have no sense of the walls—where the walls
are or that there are any walls at all. It’s not an empty dark room, but a space full of darkness."While Surrey
Nanosystems also declined to comment for this article, it pointed out that Kapoor only holds the rights to use
Vantablack in art within the U.K., since the material doesn’t pass U.K. export laws. It’s unclear whether the license is in
perpetuity or limited, or whether Kapoor will have the power to extend the rights to other artists.
It's worth pointing out that not only is it insanely expensive to use Vantablack, which must be applied by an expert,
questions remain about the safety of carbon nanotubes, which have been shown to be carcinogenic in rats. "We have
ongoing partnerships with European research facilities investigating nanomaterials' safety," Surrey says in a FAQ. "New
data and relevant publications will be uploaded to our resources section as and when they become available." In other
words, even if Kapoor hadn’t acquired exclusive rights to the stuff, it’s pretty unlikely we would be seeing it used widely
by other artists.
Still, it’s pretty fascinating to see a technology originally developed for advanced optical systems already making its way
into the art world. Yves Klein would certainly have approved. Fast Company: http://bit.ly/1RPrQta
