Continuity in Transition 2022-23

 Though 2022 and its projects are over, work seems to have barely begun on the intentions behind those projects. Though there is an end and a new start to the manmade calendar, 2023 might be a continuity in work from the previous year.

This year I missed writing the year-end Gratitudes, but with a heart full of thankfulness (and some dejection about failures) I chose not to stress uploading anything during the weak internet at vacation. Instead let my traveling diary help document some rumination.

 Sharing some of those excerpts might help set our 2023 work intentions. Most were penned on New Year's dawn watching the New (or not) Sunrise on the beach and after returning back home (just for the background of mixed tenses)

Transition is a period, a place

where one plane ends and the other begins.

Just like the simultaneous play of these Sea waves.

Change does not happen in a singular point.

Some newness has to begin before the previous ceases

so there is continuity from the past and that is how our life too sustains.

Nothing New can arise without some raw-material from the preceding past. 

Most of our 2022 has been experimental. It was a phase with lots of Whats, Hows, Whens, Wheres, Whos, the only clarity being 'Why' (purpose). Not much impact in terms of change but great learning experiences created during projects. Feeling Thankful for all the opportunities working with some wonderful people.and learning from their work.

What seemed like big projects and good accomplishments collectively, now seems to be just the seeds of possibilities that might have been sown or barely created. 

Now at this point when the new year’s sun is not yet out and precipitates of 2022 are still available, we make a choice of which seeds to be kept and which ones to pass. Which ones to start immediately watering and which to be saved for appropriate times.

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Some experiences of this trip reminds me of past projects making me rethink about them..

There have been some important happening till the last minute of 2022 and any call to wrap up the year any earlier would have been an incomplete picture of it for me..

Yesterday (midnight) on the beach, when all toasted for new year, the loud music, the blazing visuals, the heart pumping excitements, made me feel obnoxious and I drifted towards the quieter yet vibrant waves just a few yards away. The soothing sea sound with low key hues and the fresher winds that made me Breathe after the loud banging on my heartbeats, is an important ending for creating my 2023 intentions.. #Slowing down #Finding Harmony #Rhythm #Nature's beauty...

Some more work seems crucial for me to participate in, as a collective being. And, that ‘me’ stands for each of us as an individual ‘I’ 

Renovated floors at the O’Hare airport with Welcome in various scripts.

Youth entries from ‘Lingo Language Dialect’ exhibit displayed at the IAS Library.

Our mother language project that resumed in February (UNESCO's Mother language Day), was fun and seemed like a good Cultural-Arts experiment though not very important;. But looking back at our visit to Puerto Morelos, for a zipline activity in Mayan reservation land, brings back the question- how important are Native Languages?.  I met a guide there who helped me know the name of a tree (this tree captivated me with its roots running down the cave) in Spanish and Mayan. He was a rare one who could communicate in English. I was filled with questions about the history of the land, about its beauty and eager to know more about their culture but they were on duty and cared least about Mayan language or Cultures to be communicated to a foreign visitor like me.

Except for a few popular languages, not many native languages, are respected in our jet speed techno age, but don’t they convey the wisdom of their lands? The local culture seems to be so intrinsically woven with its geographical surroundings. this knowledge might be important for survival of all, including human as a natural being.. Maybe we should continue working on this fun yet important project on Mother-Language? 

Much Thanks to Mara Thacker from IAS Library for the cooperation and support with Language-Arts project. The Lingo Language Dialect Art exhibit was displayed March-April 2022 at the library while adjoining 'Language' virtual meet on zoom. 

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Catharsis/ Regeneration/ Detox...  same happens in waters (wetlands) and in our body and in nature overall.

Weaver park, Urbana Park Dist, IL. Prairie wetlands filter ground water that gets stored in aquifers underground

The Quintana Too Mangroves, a type of Wetlands, serve as water filters benefiting the underwater sea life as well as the life offshore.

On the very last eve of 2022, I experienced the AWE of the year! Was granted a boon to experience the beauty of coral life in the great Mayan reef! These are the second largest in world!!! What a delicate ecosystem and equally beautiful! I feel obliged to write another post for it..

To reach the Coral site, one has to boat-ride past the mangroves which are large stretches in themselves. But on the periphery of these water-land ecosystems, where human construction starts, it was daunting to see the amount of human litter,  more so after realizing- as a tourist, I am partly responsible for that pollution. Though carrying my own water bottle even within the resort when I was stared upon, in many ways I have been part of the problem unwillingly, unknowingly. It's time we realize traveling comes with a responsibility towards the destinations.

 Fondly remembering our Wetlands week 2022 celebrations! 

The week included an in-person event with school students at a local wetland area in Urbana IL.There were educational presentations by Julie Nieset (Illinois Natural History Survey), David Subers (Urbana Park District) and Matt Fitzel (Student at UIUC) followed by a hike to clean up the litter. 

The other event, a Nature Play-date at the Meadowbrook park, included a grounding session with Grasshoppers teacher, Bogdan Heretoiu, a hike around Meadowbrook prairie .with David Subers of UPD and puppet-making with magazine papers facilitated by me. 

The events are a good example of what we need more in our education systems-- more hands on experiences in Nature while being part of it.

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The Language-Arts project overlapped with wetland project and prep for Earth day celebration, followed by Environmental day prep, while planning for SOI Fabric exhibit which become a part of Art with Museums and all this culminating into E2Re collaborative Fall project.

So 2022 more strikingly brough out the connection within Culture, Ecology, Education and now to my awareness- Economy being an important part of the chain.

The Earth day 2022 marked opening of our experimental E2E2Re eco-culture-arts project. This included projects like Art with Museums' and 'Nature Art'. The projects later culminated into The E2Re Collaborative fall project with celebrations for AAH Month followed by ARD Month. Collaborators hosted events at their respective venues as we tried to inter-link their missions. Thanks to Beth Watkins and Kim Sanford from Spurlock Museum, Katie Snyder from Museum of Grand Prairie, Thomas Warde from PACA, Christa from IDEA store for coming together and contributing towards this collaborative undertaking.

Also it was humbling to participate in Urbana Park District's 'Earthday for Everyone' event.for Earthday 2022. We will ever be thankful to Savanna Donavan from UPD for letting us be part of their huge event with many amazing organizations that are working tremendously towards reversing Climate change.  

Paper collage activity as part of E2Re America Recycles Day’ with school students.

in some ways, do we need more unlearning as adults than providing too much learning for children. Today’s youths are much smarter,. they are moving much faster, but is it the right direction….

Living culture is -- the existing present that is nurtured by the valuable past.

The E2E2Re project included SOI 2022 celebration in collaboration with Asian American Cultural center. Thanks to Dr Sang Lee for her support and help with 'Traditional fabrics of India on th Silk Road' an exhibit displayed at the AACC August- Sep 2022. As an extension, a virtual meet hosted Guest talks and presentations Thanks to Dr Sowmya Anand for co-hosting and helping organise the virtual meet.

Fabric waste is one of the major concerns not just for its heavy carbon footprint production process but also the microfiber waste that follows. Though presently it feels hopeless for any talk on Circular economy, some more efforts to try and introduce the concept might help feed the bigger global change.d out

My trip was kind of reiteration on how Culture and Ecology are connected, additionally realizing, Economy plays a very important role in the health of both.  Maybe we need to find ways of promoting Green industries, Eco-business, Circular economy, Cultural economy?

In my personal dilemma for focusing on Art making vs continuing projects this year, the projects gain weightage for now. Lets see what the new year holds for us all.. 

A glance at E2Re.

3D Paper Tree Samples at ‘Spurlock Sundays’ as part of E2Re up-cycling activities.

This post on E2Re Project, was due long months ago but with events happening back to back, we were engaged in directing the events! As we are nearing its completion now, it feels overwhelming to cover this project in all its entirety. May be smaller segments will give us a chance to look at this Eco-Culture-Arts project from different angles too.

This post basically compiles all events at a glance.

Aim

The E2Re Eco-Culture-Arts Collaborative Project- Fall 2022 technically began since Earthday 2022 as E2E2Re (Earthday to Environmental Day to (America) Recycles day) and culminated into E2Re Collaborative Project.

Creating Faces with fond objects’ activity hosted at Anita Purves Nature Center as part of Urbana Park District’s America recycles day event

The aim of this project was to bring together groups from Community,  Campus and youth groups on a creative Eco-Culture-Arts platform.

This project is a collaborative undertaking of  Spurlock Museum , The Museum of grand Prairie , Urbana Park district, IDEA store, PACA, Ascend Art360 with educator Shannon Percoco and Kuldeepa VM

The other community groups willing to be part of it, made the scope of this project even more wider.

it is hard to process the various areas that this project touched, let alone document every single member who helped make it happen but we are thankful to all the Collaborators and participating groups for their share of involvement, not just in this project but in their own  workplace routines that correlate with the purpose of this project, that is- bringing more Eco awarness, Cultural understanding in our community.

Events by Collaborators

Each Collaborating organization hosted events that were either part of Arts and Humanities Month or America Recycles Day.

Arts and Humanities Month

Spurlock Museum’s ‘Contemporary look at the Classics’, hosted multiple groups like (excerpts are linked respectively) -

Fresh Press Paper showcased samples of locally made papers.

Fresh Press Paper with Educational tables

https://youtu.be/TaW4mnpjubo

Spurlock Museum tables for Paper Upcycling Crafts

Ascend art 360 with Display of up-cycled creations from community.

Perfromances by-

SPICMACAY- https://youtu.be/639eJ9myrbA

Urbana Fine Arts Center, https://youtu.be/LgWW-S7yrZ0

Shubhalaxmi Kumar’s dance group, https://youtu.be/G_tlHjD7ppo

The Wu Family,  https://youtu.be/E0XgHCEVyXY

Champaign Mixed CLovers 4-H Club. https://youtu.be/6RUGJOKom1c

More info on ‘Arts with Museums’ here

Ascend Art360  hosted the Contemporary Look at Classics- Virtual meet with Designers, Educators and community youths- (excerpts of talks are linked respectively)

Luciana Rezende from UFA- www.urbanafineartscenter.com/

https://youtu.be/MDW9pVu4pEo

Joe Rauen- www.joerauen.com https://youtu.be/zTIeheH3lZ8

Seth Feldman - https://youtu.be/YaFzO0aDff8

The Hindi Language group, - https://youtu.be/h89_4HX-qiA

Vyom Mehta,- https://youtu.be/FbHqwf_VBz8

Ascend Art360 hosted Flower arrangement and sketching with flower before cleaning the yards for winter. We talked about native plants, pollinator gardens, and had some fun watching the critters come out of flowers onto the table (trying to put them back out). It was a good example of using what would be discarded. The flowerpots were upcycled bottles. Flowers stayed for a week more and the drawing for ever :)

Displays at the IDEA store

More on Arts and Humanities Month here

‘America Recycles Day’ month

The PACA warehouse and IDEA store are showcasing community upcycled artworks that were part of E2Re Eco-Culture-Arts Collaborative events. Displays are on through 15 December.

‘Repair it and Rewear it’ Fabric repair event at Museum of Grand Prairie.

Urbana Park District’s ARD 2022 event at Anita Purves Nature center and Museum of the Grand Prairie, Mahomet, hosted their own activities that were in sync with the E2Re project.

Displays at the PACA Warehouse.

All these events promoted Repurpose/ Reuse/ Recycle in the spirit of America Recycles Day 2022. More details on ‘America Recycles Day’ month, here.

While executing action plan the E2Re project reached various other groups.

Art teacher, Mr Grant Thomas at Barkstall school hosted Map art by PACA and upcycling arts inspired by Spurlock’s specimens.

Ms Shannon Percoco hosted recycling collage art with her art class at Centennial High School.

Kuldeepa VM from Ascend Art360 hosted upcycling arts at Champaign library’s teens lab with help from Ms Kathie Kading and in Barkstall school classrooms with help from their respective teachers, Mr Burrus and Ms Blackburn.

Inference:

Over all, this project was a good success looking at the obvious Aim of  getting different groups together on the Arts platform, and It has truly been a join venture with everyone involved.

But it might be challenging to say the purpose was served. The outcome of the project has not hit anywhere close. It dint change much in terms of bringing awareness.. Partly, our weakness with social media might be the cause of this failure.

Although, no effort put in what one thinks is right, is gone wasted, we like to be optimistic in our work :) and see this as a learning opportunity if something similar needs to be pursued in near future. May be the efforts show up in future years? May be the ideas hit some grounds and sprout when its the right time? or may be the project just ends here in time. May be a post on E2Re Reflections is in formation!

We sincerely Thank all those who were involved in planning, supporting, executing the E2Re project.

Thanks to Beth Watkins, Kim Sanford,  Katie Snyder, Shannon Percoco, Savannah Donovan, David Subers, Kuldeepa VM for their help in planning and kick starting this project and to Thomas Warde, Christa, for their help Showcasing community displays at their respective venues.

Thanks to Mrs Linda Thiele, Dr. Sang Lee, Dr Sowmya Anand, Mr Grant Thomas, Mr Micheal Burrus, Ms Madison Blackburn, Ms Kathie Kading for organizing the  creative upcycling events in their respective groups.

We are grateful to artist, educators- Luciana Rezende, Joe Rauen, Eric Benson for their valued presence and contributions to this project.

Thanks to volunteers- Julie Nieset, Nazanine Agassi, Ms Shirley She, Kuldeepa VM for their help setting up, photography, video recording and managing the events.

Thanks to Ms Chong-Hwey, Dr Sayee Annak and Ms Julie Schubach for their Moral Support and encouragement in pursuing this project.

We are grateful to the many Parents, Community members and volunteers that are not seen but played an important role in making this Project happen.

Though the project is coming to an end, hope it can be the beginning of something better! Stay tuned for related E2Re posts in coming weeks.

Nature’s Poetry in a Red Maple Tree!

Its a Poetry month! And though I am not a poet nor a writer, I enjoy poetic talks and penning down my flowing thoughts.

For that process, makes me flow rather then talk

Makes me dance rather then just walk

It helps organize, the scattered attention 

Around one refined thought. 

-Part of a diary page from 04/13/2022

My diary excerpts on this post span within 3-4 days. It was inspired by the ‘Poetrees’ time at local library and my Red Maple Tree. 

Thanks to Elaine Bearden from Urbana Free Library for creating a beautiful ambience during ‘Poetrees’ event. And for Nature to share its immense joy and abundance with me!

These scribbles were chosen to be read with other local authors during ‘Pandemics as a Portal to Change’ virtual meet. it was a shared experience of revelations and insights into ‘We’ as a community facing common challenges. Thanks to Champaign Public Library for bringing us together!

Studying the textures of Red Maple bark and blossoms

Poetry might be a way of seeing things not just a genre of writing?

But these r just my thoughts.

For me, Nature is poetry

That always brings Awe 

Whether in forest, cities

Or on side walks,

There’s always a wonder 

And Drama 

Happening  interestingly 

Continuously

Simultaneously

Miraculously

On every enchanting path.

There’s a Red Maple Tree in our front yard. It’s a housekeeper that welcomes us with smiles every time we enter or leave our driveway. While we have appreciated it all throughout the year, I feel this year in my 3rd season of its flowering, I actually felt an Awe

I who promote connection between ecology and arts,  learning by observing, being in nature, blah blah, couldn’t find time to sketch flowers of something so close by and beautiful. 

We get so busy with what we are doing that we lose sight of why we are doing; and if that doing can happen without even doing, so much time energy and resources are saved. Probably that what they call getting simpler? But we are not talking of Minimalism or growing our own food, it is more about mindfulness that can help each of us reach our own ways of simplifying life for ourselves. 

Just sitting there under a Tree, 

with wind dancing merrily

and sunshine spotlighting 

every corner of Nature’s beauty

Reciting a poetry, 

In textures and forms

patters and colors 

of this blessed Maple tree 

That connects me to the Cosmic energy

Its like a poetry happening Here and Now

Nature’s poetry always brings an Awe!

With the onset of Pandemic, we were pushed to explore virtual world. 

My journey of virtual sharing began with a few poetic lines I had scribbled at the start of lockdown.  And out of respect for the local call for Arts for ‘Pandemics as a Portal to Change’, I submitted those as a poem instead of my artwork (Pic on top right). The poem had shades of my guilt, for enjoying the Nature when the world was ablaze with sorrow and distress. We were at the mercy of some microscopic killer virus that even Alexander the Great would not be able to suppress had it gotten to his chest. What is ‘Great’ then, I had thought? 

Its been a journey of 3 years now going through another mass destructive cycle on Earth with onset of War in one of the corners of this interesting celestial body, which humanoid creatures address as- Our/ Your Land

Whose land? Whose Earth? and what for? 

Who’s ‘me’? And who means ‘they’? 

All the might of global organizations

May it be UNO UNESCO or Peace corps,

Could not Stop 

The the destruction 

of the huge neighboring mass.

Yet, in this chaos

There peeps a call 

From the blessed Nature 

To my mind’s hall

Asking me to open up 

To its beauty that perishes fast

Yet its effects persists for (sometimes) life long 

Poetry is great

It pulls from the unknown depths of 

my terrifying darker space

That which I cannot decipher

With what I can connect

It gathers the dispersed seeds 

of many thoughts 

Into one enclosed fruit 

That my heart wants to taste

3 years now!

This how much the Pandemic completed 

And also how much my association 

With the Red Maple blossoming season going on.

So much has happened

Times ran fast, but with each step

One could see the milestones passed

Working diligently 

On a thought that was revealed 

In recent years past

About some connection between 

Eco- Culture-and Arts

Creativity- What? Why? How?

Halloween Monsters made out of recyclables for exhibiting at ‘Thrash Flash’ exhibit in Makerspace event- 2016

“‘Creativity develops finer mind, Art itself being a faculty of advanced mind’”

These lines will be found on our webpage ‘Creativity Sustainably’ from where other content is being eliminated to make space for new. Some of this content seemed fun to be shared and talked about. So made it into a post.

What is Creativity? Why is it important for our mental health? What develops creative faculties of brain?

While many studies on this topic can b found on internet, this post is aimed for interactive talks rather than just info based. We have few starter points below while sharing our past events and their creative nature. Feel free to question, elaborate, play with for ideas. Welcoming all :)

‘Creativity’ broadly means, ones unique way of doing anything, not just creating Art. It can be applied everywhere. May it be home decorating, problem solving at work, fixing things with inadequate tools, or cooking, or pretty much anything. ‘Creative’ is an ‘Outlook’ and its possible for all.

Many factors promote Creative thinking.

Left: Casually made cave with fallen grass cuttings and rocks around.

Nature play or just being surrounded by it, has profound effect on quality of brain development. Where arts are concerned, Nature has influenced the many artistic expressions, even if there was no trace or direct reference to it in the art works.

As an advanced animal species, we do not need to try hard to connect with Nature, we just need to disconnect with unhealthy mental and physical practices that stop our creative organic flow as a part of Nature. 

Right: Friends playing as princesses with long colorful hair.

Girls made Paper flowers with colorful streamers and used the rest to make  their hair streaks.  The dances and gestures that followed were a visual treat with novel play!

Unstructured play time is a great platform for promoting child’s own creativity. Being Mindful of the materials that surround them during that time of their exploration, can help give it a meaningful direction.

Left: Environmental Day 2020 virtual celebration with puppets.

Puppets made during Earth Day-week  Zoom meets, came to life in Puppet Show on World Environmental Day 2020. Puppets spoke about the effects CoVid19 has on their Habitat and discussed possible ways of co-existence with humans.

“But like every human thing, Art and creating 
need not be contaminating anything. 
True Art is Sanctifying.”

— From Creativity Sustainably.

There is immense raw material around us for making casual short-term Art and playful creative projects. There is no need to buy foam stickers, sparklers, or any materials that will be used for 15 minutes of crafts that end up in landfill within 5 days and stay there for 50 years. The less we buy ready-made, the more is scope for creativity, and added advantage— Fun close to Zero waste!

Making available Natural world can amaze and inspire, bringing in the wonder of creation while touching ones own naturally creative channels. Why not use dry materials found in Nature that can be decomposed into nourishing earth for life! For example our creating activity at Maker Fest 2017.

Unlimited supply of market products 

can hinder ones creative stimulus 

also increasing our  

carbon footprint Extensively,                                    

Can we Re-think 

Creativity Sustainably? 

Check our latest Earth-n-Arts projects here.

Our Past exhibits like ‘Paper exhibit’ for Boneyard fest 2019 Environmental Arts at Maker Fest- 2017, 2019 , Inspired by Nature and many others were successful Zero-waste events.

While we face some daunting Global issues,  compassion and  creativity can play a positive role in finding the right solutions.

They all point towards our relation with Nature, and towards exploring our own Nature as humans, towards our relations with each other and with our co-creatures existing on this unique planet.

Transitions- Gratitude for 2021

Movie Night at Anita Purves Nature Center. Wall-E in Moonlight.

As one man-made calendar outdates, 

the other is replaced.

The previous events

r still playing its presence in the next 

And present movements 

already had its seeds in past events.

This is a space where 

two moments, two planes, two episodes

Interact Transit Transform 

Creating a chance for change

2021 saw the best of both- 

The brunt of pandemic, shadows of which seem to extend into this following year.

And the rise in awareness, in connectedness and urgency for harmony as a collective fate. 

As Thich Nhat Hanh says- ‘No mud, no Lotus’. The mud is the reason for Lotus to flower. There has been enough space this year and much negative from past to accelerate our speed for humanity to blossom.

As an Art facilitator, It is nice to see how Arts are creating a revolution, making a difference and creating awareness while also maintaining its flavorful creativity, nourishing our senses. 

It would  be nice to share some of my inspiring Art-moments from the exiting year as 2022 makes its way into present.  Most of these events would be continued into 2022 and I feel pleased to write about them.

I would like to start from events we hosted. A huge thanks to all the Volunteers, Supporters and Guests who, inspite of the stress and challenges, made 2021 a productive year generating more hopes for all.

Our first important event was ‘National Crafts Month 2021’ 

We r Thankful to Spurlock museum and Museum of The Grand Prairie for being our cohost on this week long virtual celebration.

Ms Kim Sheahan had beautifully compiled various resources and activities based on each day’s themes. As a Storyteller, she did a fantastic job with her interactive stories, opening up youths for creative activities that followed! 

Kim Shehan’s stories can be enjoyed at Facebook live on their page

https://www.facebook.com/SpurlockMuseum

Also it was wonderful to hear Ms Katie Snyder, from Museum of Grand Prairie, talk about the local history as she gave us a virtual tour of various Museum collections.  Interesting to know a little more about our local orientations.

Over all it was a great learning experience and fun too! 

We are working on ‘Art based on Museum’, a project for March 2022. 

Our Earth-day event was a wonderful culmination of Arts, Culture and Eco -Talks. Thanks to Ms Beth Watkins from Spurlock museum for cohosting this virtual event. Ms Watkins brought to the virtual scene, the Museum’s prolific collection based on Series themes. The presentations, in form of slide shows, were a treat for one’s with artistic taste  and historic inclinations.

Link to the meets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZWwqKneOMo&list=PLRx2TLHW7oP4DcBbg1FebnmHXA79TDFdN

Another event in the series of Earthday celebrations was  Spirit of India- Ladies’ meet. We are thankful to our guests, Harshal Jagdale who shared her creative reuse of fabrics and Nirmala Gehlot who threw some light on her Native foods and their foraged origins. It was a wonder and learning while watching them.

Check the excerpts here

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRx2TLHW7oP4wdgjpmjcFNTva8VQQVV9l

Spirit of Inia also celebrated ‘Environmental day 2021’ We are grateful to Aditi Tiwari Misra and Ketki Bendre for gathering the kids and helping organize a week long virtual STEAM workshop that culminated in Environmental day zoom event. It was impressive to see how our youths at this age are aware and open to work towards the right change. Excerpts of the meet here-

https://youtu.be/AVi_04VTW_c

Collage of Art works display at Boneyards Arts fest 2021- Artists from right to left: Michael Roughton, Mohan Tracy, Michael Sherfield, Kuldeepa VM

Our Cultural exchange event for Boneyards 2021 was an invigorating experience!  Thanks to Nazanine Agassi for sponsoring the event and gathering her talented friends who brought various interesting facets of their native cultures, making it a fun yet enriching experience! Thanks to Bao Bui for hosting the event. There was Music, Talks, Food, and Visual arts! 

We are looking forward for more such cultural events. Check some excerpts here-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyZ-PBzoJjk&list=PLRx2TLHW7oP5L_Tcty_7KemxTcejx4-BF

‘Inspired by Nature’ exhibition including the following meet ups were part of ‘America Recycles day 2021’ celebration. It was fun and educational series.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRx2TLHW7oP41TyuyZpLNJpOmDE6VyDOQ

Huge Thanks to Asian American Cultural Center for hosting our exhibit, and to all the Guest Artist, and David Subers from Anita Purves Nature center for being willing to help in anyway to promote environmental work. Even though a short time, he agreed for a presentation on pollinators and a game based on right recycling methods.  He shared the following link to help create local pollinator pockets. 

https://extension.illinois.edu/cfiv/pollinator-pockets

APNC will have many interesting events and Nature based activities as the new year unfolds. Some events are mentioned below in APNC para. 

As part of the exhibition prep, Julie Nieset and George Hardbeck hosted a persimmon planting activity and art making from dried leaves, a panel called ‘Nature the best recyclers’ with 4-H youths. Thanks to them both and to Mrs Thiele, our leader for 4-H Club, for encouraging us always. The panel adorned one of our exhibit walls.

 The ‘Inspired by Nature’ project will continue well through Spring of 2022.

Some of my surrounding experiences.

End of the year I happen to attend a book discussion on OCTAVIA E. BUTLER'S ‘PARABLE OF THE SOWER’ 

A virtual event hosted by Champaign Public library as a pre-event discussion for upcoming performance at Krannert Center.

I haven’t read all the book yet but the discussion was very involving and for me,  it was inspiring to hear each participant’s take on revisiting our own societal, personal and inner relationships moving into the Future.  

The performance is coming up in Feb of 2022. 

https://krannertcenter.com/parablepathcu
 

Another event in fall by CSAMES hosting Afghanistan rapper, Sonita, was deeply moving and inspiring how the next  Gen is leading in powerful ways, a much needed change.

Sonita Alizada’s family has been targeted by the Taliban due to her public activism for Afghan women and girls. She is trying to get her family safely overseas and we can help her at following link.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-sonitas-family

This reminds me of  ‘Wonderful Women creating Change’ a virtual event hosted by Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. As they mentioned, ‘ Women’s history is the history of entire humanity, of science, and of arts…” I felt uplifted after attending part of the event. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG0H8_f3wa8 

On Arts and Cultural front, it’s astounding to see how the global issues are impacting the Art creation in immersive ways. The exhibitions I encountered this year were not just high quality Art, some of them were centered around social activism, cultural awareness, human histories, Ecological issues, all in interesting ways, bringing new approaches towards social norms as well as Art expressions!

‘Americans in Spain’ at Milwaukee Art Museum,

 https://mam.org/exhibitions/details/americans-in-spain.php

Sewn in Memory: AIDS Quilt Panels from Central Illinois at Spurlock Museum

https://www.spurlock.illinois.edu/exhibits/profiles/sewn-in-memory.html

Abraham’s Farewell to Ismael at Perez Museum of Art

https://www.pamm.org/collections/abrahams-farewell-ishmael

Krannert Center for Performing Arts annually celebrates Ellnora guitar fest! This year I was fortunate to attend it after several years of gap. Many uplifting performances!  The one caught my attention the most was Joe Reuen’s performance with his hanmade guitars from everyday objects. Not only the designs of instruments were amazingly creative but also their varying Sounds were engaging! Joe also learns Eastern classical music making it no surprise to feel the depth in his art an his  music. https://college.berklee.edu/bt/news/joe-rauen

On environmental front much work is impressively progressing all over the world! 

In March, I happen to attend a virtual Turtle conservancy meet hosted by Florida Wildlife Conservation.  https://flmtph.myfwc.com/attend-online/

The talk of saving turtle habitats touched various topics related to environmental issues. One of them, the night light pollution coincided with our ‘night lights  off’ promotion based on Champaign county’s documents on this topic. The page 6 on link takes us to useful info on light pollution 

https://www.ccfpd.org/Portals/0/adam/Content/m0Yrrp4qo0Co3Fvdr8-fOQ/Text/DarkSkyResourceGuide2.pdf
 

Who doesn’t love pristine nights! You see I have always been  attracted to the Darkness. ‘Darkness’ seems to be aesthetically and spiritually inclined, whereas the ‘Dark-side’ carries negative connotations.

No surprise I love All Night landscape paintings, not  just ‘the Starry night’  and I enjoy my own collection of night captures, though they r urban. Oh so much to write about night landscape… may be a different post later! 
 

Talking of night, reminds me of movie night hosted by Urbana Park District at Anita Purves Nature center, a place me and my kid loves to visit whenever possible! And the movie was none other then my favorite— Wall-E!!! I watched it several times yet it was wonderful experience to watch it in open air with people dispersed at secured lengths and the moon rising behind movie, it was like experiencing a larger drama around the movie screen!

The UPD has some interesting events planned for coming year! One of them is ‘Butterflies Across the World’ exhibit which is open at the center for viewing. They will have an adjoining virtual event free for public but registration is required. Check their event at 

https://www.facebook.com/events/496097961838832?ref=newsfeed

To register for event-

https://apm.activecommunities.com/urbanaparks/Activity_Search/10579

As we talk of Nature, comes to mind Ms Elizabeth Evans, an ESL teacher from Franklin Middle school who initiated the idea of Gardening on unused piece of land in their premises. Her work caught momentum forming into a Garden club. It is inspiring how Ms Evans worked through the challenges to get the ball rolling and made possible some meaningful addition to the education system.

Talking of eco, reminds me of WRI’s talk on Carbon emissions promoting  E- vehicles in public sectors.  Personally, it is uplifting for me to attend any meets hosted by WRI. It’s putting efforts in action based programs simultaneously promoting Global Eco- talks, data softwares, creating provoking newsletters and much more. Their work in developing countries makes it an impactful organization curbing Climate change 

https://www.wri.org/our-work

So many events are catering to awareness of a global village, simultaneously fostering local lands.

Membranes that divided science, arts, ecology, economy, compartmentalized gender groups, discriminated social classes, are all dissolving through time, creating newness.

Though the situation is not the best, we r better equipped after couple of years of survival challenges, more resilient  for future threats. So let’s look forward to a creative world thriving in a harmonious wave.

Autumn Leaves

As December dawns, 

the last leaf from November awaits its fall. 

There are other trees 

Still bearing several more leaves 

That are still tightly holding on

So this is a small tribute to the grandeur of passing Autumn 

Before all those leaves fall. 

Like every year, we resumed our autumn fun activities with warm hues of Fall leaves.

As we resumed our art play-dates beginning of this October, small group of kids met and collected various fallen leaves’ specimens. 

We Sketched them observing its shapes and curves while learning about rendering and graded line fun.

Some kids colored their drawings, some traced!

But that was irrelevant as best part was we all touched a part of nature that was technically dead but had some life left with much more beauty in them!

The girls giggle and teased amidst the fall leaves, echoing the beauty of Autumn amaze!

Then another day we had couple of senior members gather for Art meets. 

Photo credit: G. Zhang.

One of them awed on design of Maple leaf that lay outside the entrance door ready to be carefully picked.

He brought it in with him, enquiring and discussing about its type of species to solve his Quest

We rendered a still-life that was placed.

And the Maple leaf fitted in just fine within the Visual context.

After the sketching was ended, G took photos of the still life, that became an art in itself!

Then came Thankgiving!

Instead of just card making, we baked cookies 

That would go with the theme- ‘The Autumn Leaves’

It was an experiment!

And though intimidating, it was a lot of fun to execute its shapes.

We intentionally used white flours 

So as to bring out the intensity of Natural Color, more.

We made sugar-cinnamon cookies with Beet for Red

And salted cookies with rice flour plus turmeric for Yellow’s flair

The raw batters looked amazing with stunning colors 

But after baking, they all were fade

And ofcorse it was expected

But yet we had not accepted

until…. The cookies cooled

And the kids tasted..

Ahh, they said, “Not bad at’ll'“

For the efforts we made

For the ideas we executed 

While shaping the leaf contours 

And carving carefully its veins

It was worth all the pains!

So much fun we gained

Inspired by Nature,

making edible Art that also entertained!

Art need not be confined to Art 

It can intermingle with everyday’s caos

While tidying, while dressing while cooking 

or even on gardening patch.

Art can be part of anything you choose

Enhancing beauty, adding zest

of creative Energy 

in whatever we do!

Good bye, beautiful Autumn! Thank you, my Friend :-)

Zen experience with living structures

Guggenheim Museum from inside.

It was a dream come true to visit some of the art  destinations on wish list. 

I was fortunate to be granted a visit at Guggenheim, MOMA and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling waters’!

One could feel the Zen experience in each of these.

Guggenheim had Kandinsky displayed elaborately through all his phases. i have liked Kandinsky for his thoughts more than his paintings but this exhibit changed my relation to his huge body of works and art journey! 

Apart from the morphing phases of his interesting paintings, the Museum’s non-angular circular movements could not be missed. Though a backdrop to exhibits, the Guggenheim Museum offers a beauty of its own, without distracting the value of artworks on display. For me, it was a contemplative experience more intensified with Wassily Kandinsky’s presence.

The magic of a beautiful visual or melodious sound is that it lingers in our minds and heart long after we have parted with it That is what happened to me with Motherwell, Rothko and V Gaitonde’s Paintings. And later, the playful light hearted joy with  Calder’s Art works at Museum of Modern Art. I still savor the subtle visual pleasures after returning miles apart. 

Both, Rothko and Gaitonde had expressed their interest in Zen philosophy when they met at New York. A fact that was surprising to me. The influence of Zen is felt in both their paintings which are meditative.  One has to be relaxed to feel these masterpieces. 

About Mark Rothko: https://www.nga.gov/features/mark-rothko/mark-rothko-early-years.html

About Vasudeo Gaitonde: https://www.christies.com/features/VS-Gaitonde-7387-1.aspx

The abstractionist at MOMA reminded me of another fav contemporary artist from India, Pandit Khairnar, whose color field paintings create similar experiences of contemplative spaciousness. https://www.gallerythreshold.com/artist/pandit-khairnar/

While the visual pleasures still lingered, as though a cherry on top, I was gifted a ticket to tour ‘Falling Waters’ a Frank Lloyd work that I have always yearned to visit. A Huge thanks to the lady at entrance who helped me get into the tour in-spite of technical challenges and to my hubby who went lengths to procure a ticket for visit. 

The ‘Falling Waters’ is not just visual experience it is deeply moving to ones being. This architecture is a precious gem in the wilderness of Pittsburg. We had Guide Gerald who had his own interesting way of sharing the narratives of history geography and science of this house, Thank you Gerald! 

Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘Falling waters’ built on top of a waterfall.

I could feel the Zen in entire structure! It was in rhythm with the surrounding natural formations. One particular corner in the passage that leads to guest houses has a partial rock cutting naturally thru the corner walls. There flows a tiny unnoticeable stream of water. Instead of repairing the wall, it is let to flow down with an outlet in the floor for water to subside. Gerald quoted Wright saying,  ‘it is better to flow and play with the water rather than fight it’. 

Lloyd’s love for Japanese paintings and its design principles shows its influence on his own designing philosophy. 

After returning home, I did not want to waste time in trivial happenings of life. I think the 3 day trip changed me in some way (at least temporarily ;-)

Talking of home, I have always enjoyed the sanctity of my own house! The light and space are dramatic and the entire house feels connected! It is Amish built!

A well designed space can heighten our experience of living. And it doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive, in fact it needs to be simplified, connecting us to the immediate surroundings and to ourselves and to each other dwelling in this house.
Reminds me of an architect (may be from Texas university) I watched a decade ago on Art21 series. The episode was about how architecture (in this case housing) design should be space and environment specific. The conventional four walled structures cannot serve the best interest for all geographical regions. It was a genius solution to the heat and economic conditions of community living in New-Mexico.

I forget the name and details but loved the driving force behind designing simplified low budget yet strong and sustainable housing complex. 

With the onset of lockdown, we have experienced our houses in an intense way. Many of us beautified our houses in our own way. This might be counted into the positive outcomes of Lockdown! Art works add to the mood of the space and sometimes it creates spaciousness of internal nature.  Having an expensive art piece is not necessary, we can create our own art! This art adds beauty and belonging to everyday living. 

Visiting great places is wonderful experience but creating some of these spacious zen aspects in our own homes is of better benefit and easily possible. 

May we built structures to create space for awe and harmony not enclosed walls to disconnect from the flow of life.

Art encounters through Pandemic

Since the Pandemic’s blow,

the existing systems crumbled,

people shuffled, ideas tumbled. 

Though the annihilation still goes on,

it’s inspiring to see

how we r coping up and moving on. 

I would like to share a gist of some lockdown events I came across, that made me feel optimistic and hopeful about future in spite of Pandemic’s despair. As my field is Art, would like to stick with my Art inspirations. Hope this brings the same optimism to you as it did to me.

Since the experiences r fresher, I prefer to start with the latest and the farthest.

~ As the traveling prospects opened up safely, we could visit Myrtle beach, S. Carolina, this summer.

One of the most impressive (and succesful) projects I came across unexpectedly while taking a driving break, was W. Virginia’s Tamarack marketplace stop. This arts program was the state initiative to built a platform for local makers and artisans. Many citizens lost their coal mining jobs. Tamarack was formed to promote handmade, locally made fine quality goods, creating economy that empowered its own home-talents!

Their collection is unique and original. Check the webpage https://www.tamarackwv.com 

I am Thankful to Tamarack staff, Mike Bragg, for sharing some interesting info! Check the clip https://youtu.be/SL618t8YqYk

~ Beaches have a way of connecting us to our own vast Ocean within! Apart from the touching moments with the turquoise waters of Myrtle beach, I was lucky to encounter a local library- ‘The Chapin Memorial library’ that gave me some insightful books! Thanks to a librarian who was patient with my search! 

The book, ‘Living Beaches of Georgia and the Carolinas’- By Blair Witherington and Dawn Witherington, is loaded with interesting pictures and detailed study about the Grand Strand’s flora and fauna and as mentioned, is truly - A Beachcomber's Guide! My artist mind rejoiced in relating the natural beauty with the picturesque photographs!

The book, ‘Soul of the Sea: In the Age of the Algorithm’- By Nishan Degnarain and Gregory S Stone.

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34735206-soul-of-the-sea

I had to quick browse for lack of time, but a take-away for me was their provoking thought- “we need to think in new ways, on fundamental levels, to approach new problems that we face in new age...” The content with logistics and diagrams are an eye opener! For me, it stimulates action.

~ Another visit that stimulated me artistically was at the Milwaukee Art Museum https://mam.org, and not just for its Art but more for it as a piece of Art! The architecture is a stunning experience of Forms and Space beautifully illuminated with a modern touch! 

They had an interactive activity for kids outside and inside the museum! My kid sketched some of the artifacts and enjoyed learning its aesthetic in a closer way! More such activities needed please :)

Sketches by Khushboo Mehta, 9yrs.

MAM’s Sketchpad activity for kids to note their favorite artifacts.

The many alternative Art events that opened up new ways of working, to cop with Lockdown situation, made them Novel in a positive light! I was impressed by such projects in my town.

‘The great Artdoors’ https://40north.org/programs/thegreatARTdoors was a lovely idea!

This project is a creative response to the limitations faced by galleries and indoor public places. When the visitors could not visit galleries, the Art came out in open for the community!

I also enjoyed the Crystal Lake Art Fair!. Even with the safety protocols, it had the same artsy vibe! Apart from some wonderful art stalls, the interactive yarn art project I found most interesting! Designed by Ashley, a staff from Urbana Park District, it was a board and cut-out letters that would finally make up the decorated Title. Anyone could stop by and work on covering up the pieces with the colorful yarn available! (Title pic of completed letters. The dry leaf seemed to match with the event logo ;-)) This activity was joyfully easy yet so vibrant! (confession :- I messed up the yarn rhythm by weaving instead of circling the corners :-/

As physical spaces closed virtual world kept us afloat! Though the digital experience might not equate the former, it has its pros of being available for longer and for wider audience! 

The Giertz Gallery at Parkland College hosted a virtual art competition for youths. https://www.facebook.com/71496921120/videos/273284644434462

While this is not great in itself, the way it was organized was impressive! It had talks and shows for community and was educating in its nature! They also organised ‘Around the block’ virtual exhibit that hosted several artist talks. Sadly, i couldn’t attend many of these but I love the gallery’s approach of inclusion and education! 

https://www.parkland.edu/Audience/Community-Business/Parkland-Presents/Art-Gallery/About 

‘PANDEMICS AS A PORTAL TO CHANGE’ was another virtual exhibit open to public and would be archived as pandemic collection. https://kam.illinois.edu/exhibition/pandemics-portal-change-community-exhibition 

I loved their title and so decided to submit a poem as my abstract paintings were not ready yet. The organisations that hosted this project also were actively involved in uplifting the community spirits through arts ithroughout lockdown period. Like Grand Prairie Museum’s ‘Art in a Time of Quarantine’. 

https://www.facebook.com/museumofthegrandprairie/videos/245278170111577

Though not visual arts, I was touched by Elaine Bearden from Urbana Free library who kept the virtual book club going even when the number of attendees fluctuated. There were interesting books to look forward every week! These sessions were followed by their creative art event the Story-Walk at Parks https://urbanafreelibrary.libnet.info/event/4482232

Though the buzz of crowd was paused, so much was happening in the corners of every block! 

Our own website was created because of Pandemic. We stood up to the challenge of designing alternative ways of keeping creativity alive!

We are grateful for a chance throughout Pandemic, to work with some wonderful organizations whose philosophies we respect! Project details and links to the organizations can be found on https://www.ascendingaesthetic.org/projects

My Pandemic experiences have been on extreme ends

oscillating btw highs to low depressions,

joyfully optimistic to draining pessimism,

and though most of it is just loss and failures,

there is so much raising insight gained!

When we don’t hold on, there is nothing to lose!

In fact efforts might be needed to loosen ourselves

so some space is made

for what needs to sip in the cracks

and let the serene beauty fill in those gaps. 

Let’s hope we come out on the other side of Pandemic with more resilience for all.