Zoom Session 14

The Art of Seeing –

This week we ran a really interesting exercise. We were asked to look at a photograph and then look again more closely and then keep repeating this. It is amazing how much can be missed with a cursory glance at something. Our group discovered so much by analysing the image over and over again. The little details gave away lots of information. For example the police officer in our image was wearing a red poppy. Instantly we knew that the photo must have been taken somewhere in the UK in November. The poppy is synonymous with Remembrance Day which happens around that time. This week we also did another 5 minute free writing exercise. Our task was to look around our immediate surroundings and then say what it all meant. I talked about all of the disruption in my front room because of having the room below it plastered. We are extending the house and everything seems quite chaotic at the moment.

One thing which I found absolutely fascinating was the idea that my salary will actually be the same as my salary averaged across the salaries of my friends. Even more interesting was the idea of disrupting our averages. We did a little exercise about disrupting our average – whatever that might look like. I thought that my average day would be very disrupted if all of my students didn’t turn up for class. Then I remembered that last week I hadn’t actually turned up for class because I got my timetable muddled. So in many ways I guess I had unintentionally disrupted my students average. Below is my attempt at visual disruption. I took one of my Midjourney creations and I animated some brightly coloured shapes into the scene. The scene itself was disturbing enough because brightly coloured felt cakes are hanging from the ceiling.

I really do love this idea of disruption. I can definitely see how it might relate to my work. I also think that I should buy the book by Alex Kleon called ‘Steal Like an Artist’. I like his ideas. As always I really enjoyed the session and below I have updated my zentangle gallery.