Arts & Dreams

Healing from Within

2012-01-26T14:30:00.000-05:00

We brought Arts & Dreams to a children's hospital yesterday. Students from a local school joined some of the patients to create inspiring affirmation paintings. It was fabulous!

Painting Hearts with Parents for Occupy Wall Street

2011-12-11T19:21:00.001-05:00

photos by Laura Baran and Matt Green

We loved being in Union Square for the Human Rights Day event with Parents for Occupy Wall Street on Saturday, December 10, 2011. It's always fun being a part of an event where kids and parents make art together. Kids painted paper hearts to represent every person arrested nationwide since the beginning of Occupy. We are inspired by the OWS movement because it allows all voices to be heard and have value, including children. Expressing hopes and dreams through art making can soothe us from within and help us create the positive social change we want to see.

Join us in Union Square Tomorrow for International Human Rights Day

2011-12-09T12:11:00.001-05:00

What: Parents for Occupy Wall Street March for human rights and against NYPD ‘bullying’

When: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011
              11:00 am G.A. (General Assembly) and arts and crafts
              12:30 pm Step-off to march downtown
              1:30 pm Arrival at Foley Sq.
              2:00 pm at City Hall Park (approximate times)
Where: Union Square children's playground
              down Broadway to City Hall Park

Who: New York parents and their children

Facebook Event Page: http://on.fb.me/taC6i1

photo by Mark Hamilton

Parents for Occupy Wall Street, a collective community of parents & organizations in support of Occupy Wall Street, will rally with their families at the Union Square children’s playground at 11am on Saturday, December 10th (The International Day of Human Rights). A children's GA and open-mic will take place where children and students of all ages can voice their concerns about problems within their communities, every child will be given the opportunity to speak.

During the GA there will be an arts and crafts session for the younger children and their parents to decorate and personalize paper hearts. Arts & Dreams will be there to help with the painting!

There will be an Anti-Bullying theme and a march to hopefully deliver 5,000 paper hearts to City Hall, which the kids will be able to customize on the day, representing all those OWS who have been arrested.

Occupy Arts & Dreams Went Great!

2011-11-08T16:05:00.000-05:00

Today was wonderful.

Occupy Arts & Dreams was a big success. We were in Zuccotti Park for just an hour and could have stayed all day, making empowering paintings about things we would like to see changed in our system, things we appreciate about ourselves, and positive images to help us feel good.

Volunteer Zyambo Phillips summed it up beautifully.

Thank you, Occupy Wall Street and James Rose of the Arts and Culture Guild! We had so much fun!

Photos © Patricia Geremia

♥ Occupy Arts & Dreams ♥

2011-11-04T06:30:00.000-04:00

We're coming to Zuccotti Park!

Arts & Dreams will Occupy Wall Street on Tuesday, November 8 at 1:30 - 2:30 pm.
Drop by for empowering art that you create. And keep. And share widely on the web!

What do you think about the idea of loving, approving and accepting yourself exactly as you are?
What phrases and images would help you feel good about yourself?
What would you like your government to look like?
How can you embody the changes you'd like to see in our system?
What would you draw on a blank page if you knew you could create something that would bring you joy?
What would it mean for you to occupy your heart with sweetness?

Occupy Arts & Dreams

If you're out of town or unable to attend, please spread the word for us. Use this link to retweet, or the Twitter button at the bottom of this post. Write us up on your blog. Share our Facebook event. Thank you!

Arts & Dreams at Space on White in Tribeca

2011-11-03T13:44:00.001-04:00

On October 2, 2011, when Space on White in Tribeca held an art event called RECESS!, open to the NYC community, the Arts & Dreams team were on hand to share two empowering art workshops. We had a great time really opening up about making art as well as soothing our minds with loving, kind thoughts. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon, Space on White, our volunteer Matt Green, and all the participating artists.

Saying nice things to yourself while looking into a mirror might seem silly. It can really shift your perspective.

Photos © Noah Fecks, Patricia Geremia and Matt Green

Out of the Darkness Community Walk in Brooklyn

2011-10-24T16:24:00.000-04:00

Arts & Dreams joined forces with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention again on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at the Out of the Darkness Community Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. We gathered at Cadman Park Plaza in Brooklyn, steps away from the Brooklyn War Memorial. Arts & Dreams brought a healing and empowering way for suicide survivors to feel their feelings - through art making.

The inspirational books we love: Louise Hay, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer and Dallas Clayton's works. Plus Patricia's beautiful silver hand mirror for "mirror work", a wonderful technique made popular by Louise Hay
where you look into your own eyes and say something loving to yourself.

Volunteer Matt Green and Arts & Dreams Instructor Patricia Geremia watching over the artists.

Awesome affirmation t-shirt.

Both me and Matt have been touched by suicide. My brother Jeff took his life in 2000
and Matt's Uncle Stuart took his life before Matt was born.

This piece was based on an affirmation on one of Louise Hay's Power Thoughts for Teens cards.
We had them on the table for inspiration.

The walkers took off and the tent was left decorated on all sides with loving tributes.

Thank you for having us, AFSP. Thank you to everyone who walked over the bridge and back, made art,
smiled, cried, talked and shared. We love you and we hope to see you again.

All photos by Patricia Geremia, Matt Green or Laura Baran.

Teaming up with AFSP again! Oct 23 at Cadman Plaza Park, Brooklyn

2011-10-20T12:54:00.000-04:00

We are delighted to announce we're teaming up with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention again, with an Arts & Dreams workshop at the New York City Walk this Sunday to empower kids, teens and adults.

Join us on October 23, 2011 to prevent hopelessness by uplifting spirits. Arts & Dreams uses art-making to grow self-love, positivity and hope. No art experience necessary. We want to empower you to lead joyful and successful lives. And we're going to have fun doing it.

Where:

Cadman Plaza Park (click the link for Google map)
Brooklyn, New York

Starts: 10/23/2011 @ 3:00 pm
Ends: 5:00 pm

Arts & Dreams Empowering Art Workshop:
2pm - 3pm

Walk Registration:
2pm - 3pm

Opening Ceremony:
2:45pm - 3pm

Walk begins at 3pm

Subway Directions:

A, C to High Street - 2,3 to Clark Street - N, R to Court Street - F to York Street. Since it is a Sunday, be sure to check mta.info

The Out of the Darkness Community Walks are 3-5 mile walks taking place in over 200 communities across the country this year, with the proceeds benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). By walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks, you will be walking with thousands of other walkers nationwide to raise money for AFSP's vital research and education programs to prevent suicide and save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide and provide support for survivors of suicide loss. In deciding to walk you are taking us a step closer to making suicide prevention a national priority. You are welcome to register for the walk here.

Arts & Dreams is proud to support AFSP! We invite you to donate to AFSP.

Get Your Wellness On! Featuring Arts & Dreams.

2011-10-14T15:18:00.001-04:00

Arts & Dreams was on hand last month to provide an Empowering Affirmation Drawing workshop at Get Your Wellness On! -- a New York City community healing event conceptualized by Esmeralda Signore Williamson-Noble and sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This is a wonderful video about it.

You Become What You Believe

2011-10-13T12:31:00.002-04:00

This is a link to a wonderful video of Oprah's Lifeclass with the very inspiring author and life coach Cheryl Richardson.

If you are interested in learning how to become what you believe, and what that means, take the time for yourself to watch, even if it is in segments or playing in the background while you do other things.

Around the 35 minute mark, Oprah and Cheryl talk to a high school principal about teaching kids and teens about the positive, life changing power of affirmations.

FREE Arts & Dreams Workshops at Space on White

2011-09-20T11:19:00.000-04:00

We're delighted to announce Arts & Dreams will share Empowering Affirmation Art Workshops at Space on White's Community Event: R E C E S S !

R E C E S S ! theatre | dance | visual art | music | play!

Sunday, October 2
2:00pm – 6:00pm
Space on White (map)
81 White Street (Broadway & Lafayette)
New York, NY
Free with RSVP via Facebook!

Remember when you first discovered art? From handprint turkeys to xylophone scales, when we were kids, art was for everyone and being creative was always fun! Spark your imagination and invite your inner child to RECESS!, a special Space on White event for artists and non-artists to play, create, laugh, learn, discover, and have a great time reconnecting to the artist in all of us. Drop in on a workshop or stay for the whole day of easy, fun workshops exploring art, music, dance, and theatre, taught by our own community of artists!

CLASS SCHEDULE

subject to change
All classes are 45 minutes – sign up is day-of: first-come, first on the list!

ART
Period 1 – 2:00: ARTS & DREAMS
Period 2 – 3:00: ARTS & DREAMS
Period 3 – 4:00: SHOELACE PROJECT
Period 4 – 5:00: EXQUISITE CORPSE

DANCE
Period 1 – 2:00: OFF THE WALL
Period 2 – 3:00: WEIGHTLESS
Period 3 – 4:00: MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE
Period 4 – 5:00: DANCE WORKSHOP

THEATER
Period 1 – 2:00: SHAKESPEARE FOR FUN
Period 2 – 3:00: COLLABORATIVE WRITING
Period 3 – 4:00: IMPROV
Period 4 – 5:00: PLAYING WITH REALITY

PLAY
Open crafts including MAKE YOUR OWN LIPGLOSS

MEET
Mix & mingle with the Space on White community while enjoying snacks, music, and special surprises…

CLASS DESCRIPTION

ARTS & DREAMS
Empowering Affirmation Art Workshop
Participants in Arts & Dreams workshops learn to love and accept themselves with positive statements called affirmations, which they will then use to create their own affirmation art. Laura Baran talks about how using affirmations can help heal negative thoughts in a creative way. Everyone makes affirmation artwork of their own – drawing with markers, crayons, pastels, pencils and glitter. No experience necessary!
Taught by Laura Baran with Patricia Geremia

For more information on the other classes at R E C E S S ! click here.

Free with RSVP via Facebook!

Takin' it to the Streets!

2011-09-12T17:18:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, Sept 10, Arts & Dreams had the awesome honor of sharing an Affirmation Drawing Workshop in Washington Square Park, as participants in the Community Wellness Fair sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We were ready for some art making fun, rain or shine.

Handy cray-pas and the very inspiring and popular Louise Hay's Power Thoughts for Teens cards.

Our sheet of affirmations. At the end of each workshop we ask everyone to read one of these affirmations out loud while looking into their own eyes in a mirror. It's powerful.

Stickers and colored pencils? Check! And a sample affirmation painting previously made by me, Laura Baran.

New York, let's do this! (That's us: Patricia Geremia and Laura Baran)

A 5 minute rain shower, Patricia started her drawing. So did Matt Green, our extra special volunteer. All photos by Patricia or Matt. He's already on his 2nd drawing here.

Oh, hello. I'm getting interviewed about Arts & Dreams. Here I'm showing a drawing of my brother Jeff. He passed away in 2000. Arts & Dreams is basically a love letter from me to him.

Check it out: I Love Myself, yo! I made this little painting to convince myself to really believe it.

The sun came out!

Grateful and stoked after a perfect day. Thank you AFSP for inviting us. And THANK YOU everyone who smiled, chatted and came over to make beautiful, meaningful art. You're all well on your way to feeling good about yourself. With love, till the next time!

Free Arts & Dreams Sep 10 in Washington Sq Park

2011-08-30T13:45:00.004-04:00

Arts & Dreams will be a part of the NYC Community Wellness Fair on September 10, 2011!

Community Wellness Fair

Saturday, September 10, 2011 · 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Washington Square Park, Holley Plaza (Map)

New York, NY
View the event on facebook

Come visit the Arts & Dreams table and make an affirmation drawing for free!

The NYC Chapter of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a main sponsor of this Fair, which will consist of music, yoga classes, massages, and tables with important information on mental health and suicide prevention for the people of New York City in Washington Square Park on Saturday, September 10th from 1-5pm.

For more information about the AFSP, click the button below.

Please share this/blog it/tweet it/repost it.

See you Sept. 10th!

Teach kids how to shift from a negative emotion to a positive emotion

2011-08-24T16:30:00.000-04:00

Here are some great tips on teaching kids how to shift from a negative emotion to a positive emotion. From The Institute of HeartMath.

The HeartShift Tool helps you calm down and think more clearly. It teaches you how to feel better when you are upset and how to shift from a negative emotion to a positive emotion.

You experience many emotions every day: happiness, excitement, anger, fear, boredom, sadness, peacefulness, curiosity. Emotions come and go, sometimes helping us, and other times making life harder. Each of us can control the power of these emotions. Say out loud what emotions you experienced today.

Feelings that don’t feel good, like frustration, anger, fear or sadness, are uncomfortable. Remember a time when you were upset or frustrated? Did you notice there was tension in your shoulders? Did you have an uneasy stomach? Was your heart beating faster? What was your breathing like?

Let’s try to shift your attention to your toes. Focus on your right toe: Wiggle it. Focus on your nose: Wiggle it. Now point to your heart and focus there. At first, placing your hand on your heart in the beginning will help you focus.

The Steps of HeartShift™ Tool

Step 1: Notice what you are feeling.

Take a moment and ask yourself, "How am I feeling?" Say out loud what you are feeling. Let’s go to Step 2 to practice HeartShift.

Step 2: Shift to your heart.

Put two fingers on your forehead and then move them from your head to your heart while saying, "Focus on the area of my heart." Take a moment and keep your focus there for practice. Let’s go to Step 3.

Step 3: Breathe a feeling of calm.

Breathe slowly and easily. Imagine the air flowing in and out of your heart area. Take your time breathing in and out. Do this three to five times. What changes did you notice in your body? How do you feel now?

It is important to identify what you are feeling, whether you are upset, mad or sad. Remember, you have a choice to do whatever you want with your emotions! You can do a HeartShift to calm yourself down and think more clearly. Feel better fast. Let’s try practicing HeartShift one more time.

Step 1: Notice what you are feeling.
Step 2: Shift to your heart.
Step 3: Breathe a feeling of calm.

Hope you are feeling better. Have a happy day!

Affirmation paintings by teenagers in the Bronx

2011-07-27T19:17:00.001-04:00

Earlier this year we brought Arts & Dreams to teenagers in the Bronx. Patricia and I shared our individual experiences about growing up with low self-esteem. I talked about my brother's suicide and my depression. We both talked about being kind to yourself and how expression can uplift you from the inside out. And then it was time for the teens to understand the healing power of art. They really liked the Power Thoughts for Teens illustrated cards by Louise Hay. Each card has a positive statement (affirmation) that gave the guys and girls great ideas for their paintings. Most of them had never used paints before and never heard about affirmations for that matter either. They wowed us with their imagination and creativity. These are some of their gorgeous affirmation paintings. -- Laura

Confidence

2011-06-29T11:31:00.003-04:00

painting by Laura Baran

Keep the child's mind full of harmony, of truth, and there will be no room for discord, for error.

Now, what advantage is it to send a youth out into the world with a head full of knowledge but without the confidence or assurance to use it effectively, or the ability to grapple with life's problems with that vigor and efficiency which alone can bring success?

The time will come when no child will be allowed to grow up without being taught to believe in themselves, to have great confidence in their ability. This will be a most important part of their education, for if a child believes in themselves enough, they will not be likely to allow a single deficient faculty or weakness to wreck their career.

Excerpt from The Miracle of Right Thought by Orison Swett Marden, published in 1910

Students write stories. The Story Pirates act them out.

2011-05-16T12:50:00.002-04:00

The Story Pirates work with thousands of kids every year to foster language and literacy skills. How fun!

Hip Hop Genius: Remixing High School Education by Sam Seidel

2011-05-15T18:42:00.001-04:00

Hip Hop Genius: Remixing High School Education from sam seidel on Vimeo.

Creativity Is An Antidote When You Lose Hope

2011-04-21T11:22:00.002-04:00

source: Parker J. Palmer

"When you lose hope, what’s the best antidote? Mine is creativity, the alchemy that takes a spirit-killing experience & transforms it into something life-giving. Creativity takes many forms, of course, depending on one’s gifts: planting a garden, making art, reaching out to someone in need, becoming a change agent. For me, it often means writing. What about you? Your answer might give hope to someone lost in the dark." -- Parker J. Palmer

My brother Jeff took his life when he was 20, and I feel that because I have been drawing all my life, it has strengthened me to feel connected and joyful even when things fell apart. I have used creativity to express my feelings and uplift my thoughts. Creativity nourishes me. Art is a wonderful field where there are no rules and anyone can play with colors and shapes and inspire themselves to feel more alive. I created Arts & Dreams because in my life creativity was my antidote to hopelessness. -- Laura

The Art of Allowing

2011-04-19T16:06:00.000-04:00

Affirmation painting by Laura Baran
"The most important thing that you can teach your children is that Well-being abounds. And that Well-being is naturally flowing to them. And that if they will relax and reach for thoughts that feel good, and do their best to appreciate, then they will be less likely to keep the Well-being away, and more likely to allow it to flow into their experience. Teach them the art of allowing." -- Abraham-Hicks

Exercise to Increase Self-Compassion from Dr. Kristin Neff

2011-04-06T13:51:00.001-04:00

artwork: Edgardo F. Garcia

Changing Your Critical Self-talk
by Dr. Kristin Neff

This exercise should be done over several weeks, and will eventually form the blueprint for changing how you relate to yourself long-term. Some people find it useful to work on their inner critic by writing in a journal. Others are more comfortable doing it via internal dialogues. If you are someone who likes to write things down and revisit them later, journaling can be an excellent tool for transformation. If you are someone (like me) who never manages to be consistent with a journal, then do whatever works for you. You can speak aloud to yourself, or think silently.

1) The first step towards changing the way to treat yourself is to notice when you are being self-critical. It may be that – like many of us - your self-critical voice is so common for you that you don’t even notice when it is present. Whenever you’re feeling bad about something, think about what you’ve just said to yourself. Try to be as accurate as possible, noting your inner speech verbatim. What words do you actually use when you’re self-critical? Are there key phrases that come up over and over again? What is the tone of your voice – harsh, cold, angry? Does the voice remind you of any one in your past who was critical of you? You want to be able to get to know the inner self-critic very well, and to become aware of when your inner judge is active. For instance, if you’ve just eaten half a box of Oreo’s, does your inner voice say something like “you’re so disgusting,” “you make me sick,” and so on? Really try to get a clear sense of how you talk to yourself.

2) Make an active effort to soften the self-critical voice, but do so with compassion rather than self-judgment (i.e., don’t say “you’re such a bitch” to your inner critic!). Say something like “I know you’re trying to keep me safe, and to point out ways that I need to improve, but your harsh criticism and judgment is not helping at all. Please stop being so critical, you are causing me unnecessary pain.”

3) Reframe the observations made by your inner critic in a friendly, positive way. If you’re having trouble thinking of what words to use, you might want to imagine what a very compassionate friend would say to you in this situation. It might help to use a term of endearment that strengthens expressed feelings of warmth and care (but only if it feels natural rather than schmaltzy.) For instance, you can say something like “Darling, I know you ate that bag of cookies because you’re feeling really sad right now and you thought it would cheer you up. But you feel even worse and are not feeling good in your body. I want you to be happy, so why don’t you take a long walk so you feel better?” While engaging in this supportive self-talk, you might want to try gently stroking your arm, or holding your face tenderly in your hands (as long as no one’s looking). Physical gestures of warmth can tap into the caregiving system even if you’re having trouble calling up emotions of kindness at first, releasing oxytocin that will help change your bio-chemistry. The important thing is that you start acting kindly, and feelings of true warmth and caring will eventually follow.

source: self-compassion.org

Develop Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff

2011-04-06T13:48:00.000-04:00

source: Why We Should Stop Chasing Self-Esteem and Start Developing Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff

How do we feel good about ourselves without needing to feel better than others and thus falling into the narcissism/self-loathing trap? One answer is to develop self-compassion.

Self-compassion involves being kind to ourselves when life goes awry or we notice something about ourselves we don't like, rather than being cold or harshly self-critical. It recognizes that the human condition is imperfect, so that we feel connected to others when we fail or suffer rather than feeling separate or isolated. It also involves mindfulness -- the recognition and non-judgmental acceptance of painful emotions as they arise in the present moment. Rather than suppressing our pain or else making it into an exaggerated personal soap opera, we see ourselves and our situation clearly.

Self-compassion doesn't demand that we evaluate ourselves positively or that we see ourselves as better than others. Rather, the positive emotions of self-compassion kick in exactly when self-esteem falls down; when we don't meet our expectations or fail in some way. This means that the sense of intrinsic self-worth inherent in self-compassion is highly stable. It is constantly available to provide us with care and support in times of need. My research and that of my colleagues has shown that self-compassion offers the same benefits as high self-esteem, such as less anxiety and depression and greater happiness. However, it is not associated with the downsides of self-esteem such as narcissism, social comparison or ego-defensiveness.

Instead of endlessly chasing self-esteem as if it were the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, therefore, I would argue that we should encourage the development of self-compassion. That way, whether we're on top of the world or at the bottom of the heap, we can embrace ourselves with a sense a kindness, connectedness and emotional balance. We can provide the emotional safety needed to see ourselves clearly and make whatever changes are necessary to address our suffering. We can learn to feel good about ourselves not because we're special and above average, but because we're human beings intrinsically worthy of respect.

Why not try it? If you want to learn more about self-compassion or test your own self-compassion level, go to self-compassion.org.

Kids Activity Pages by Miranda July

2011-03-29T14:18:00.000-04:00

From Miranda July:

Here are some kids activity pages I made for a magazine called Apartamento. Apartamento means “apartment” in the Spanish language. A child living in an apartment might get bored, as children everywhere do, and might therefore need an activity to do. Please print out these pages and give them to the bored child immediately, before he gets into any more trouble.

Amazing Things Can Happen

2011-03-28T14:52:00.004-04:00

"If you take what you learned in your years vandalizing buildings and apply it to putting murals on pre-schools, amazing things can happen." -- Dallas Clayton

Arts & Dreams at Manhattan Free School

2011-03-01T23:00:00.006-05:00

A workshop all about THANKS
What are you thankful for?

Arts & Dreams workshop about gratitude at Manhattan Free School on January 31, 2011

We read An Awesome Book of Thanks! by Dallas Clayton and talked about gratitude. These are some of the beautiful paintings the students made of things they're thankful for, which included: roller coasters, Coney Island, Dads, Moms, spaceships, stars, being artists, aliens and flowers. Thank you for having us, Manhattan Free School!

Believe in Yourself and Believe That You're Somebody.

2011-01-17T21:17:00.001-05:00

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (via The Trevor Project)

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success for Children

2010-11-30T11:48:00.001-05:00

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success for Children by Deepak Chopra:

Everything is possible. We all have the gift of creating absolutely anything. There’s no limit to what we can do or be.
If you want to get something, give it. Always give with a happy heart. The greatest gift is feeling good.
When you make a choice, you change the future (karma).Your choices bring about changes. To make good choices, follow your heart. How do your choices make you feel?
Don’t say no—go with the flow. Create peace within by learning acceptance of what is outside our control.
Every time you wish or want, you plant a seed. Making your wish is like planting a seed and believing that it will grow. Let nature do the rest.
Be open to life and enjoy the journey. New ways and new ideas can lead to more happiness.
You are here for a reason.Your dharma is your purpose, path, or vision, the unique talent that you are here on Earth to share. Your dharma is your happiness.

Arts & Dreams at P.S. 11 in NY - September 28, 2010

2010-10-01T21:04:00.004-04:00

Affirmation paintings at P.S. 11 in New York City!

Thank you, P.S. 11! We read "Incredible You!" by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. Students made affirmation paintings with acrylic paint on canvas boards. Aren't they fantastic?

The Memory Project

2010-09-15T09:48:00.013-04:00

Ben Schumaker was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin when he created the Memory Project for kids who have been orphaned and disadvantaged. Since the kids don't have personal belongings from their childhood like photographs of themselves or baby pictures, high school students paint their portraits. This is such a magical project. Click here to check it out: The Memory Project

Can You Teach Emotional Intelligence?

2010-08-17T21:29:00.005-04:00

Really inspiring stuff about emotional intelligence! Check it out. - Laura
DailyGood: Can You Teach Emotional Intelligence?

Chuck Close: Everyone deserves a right to feel special

2010-07-02T11:29:00.021-04:00

The very first time I went to the Museum of Modern Art in New York when I was 18, I happened upon a retrospective of Chuck Close's work. I was stunned, awed and utterly moved. Huge portraits, magical and captivating. I felt proud to be an artist and more proud to be a person, alive and able to experience being moved so profoundly. Later on, I learned that Chuck Close is also a fascinating person who has overcome adversity and pain. He is a champion of young artists everywhere. Here he talks about arts education and school. - Laura

Excerpt from Chuck Close interview in Guernica Magazine

Chuck Close: I think it was three art classes or three music classes a week. From kindergarten through high school. And I have to say that this was a really poor mill-town, Everett, where I moved after Tacoma. I do think that one of the worst things that’s happened in America, if I can rant and make a speech, is teaching for testing and making getting the scores up the most important thing that schools can do. It takes creativity out of the hands of teachers. But it also means that schools are going to divert money from the arts and put it into remedial education—the three r’s, because that’s what their job depends on, getting those scores up. And everyone deserves a right to feel special. Everyone deserves a right to find something that they’re good at and for people like me who are learning disabled, if I hadn’t had art and music, I would have dropped out of school.
I always said, if I hadn’t gone to Yale, I would have gone to jail. I’m a product of open enrollment. I did not take algebra, geometry, physics, or chemistry. I took bone-head general math and science, with all the kids in the bib overalls who just came off the farm and had never put on shoes before—we were in this room together. But, they had open enrollment in a junior college in my hometown. They took every taxpayer’s son or daughter.

Well they gave me—this is before SATs, thank god—the University of Washington had a great predictor test which every kid in high school in the state of Washington took, and it predicted my grades in everything. It predicted an F in art, by the way, and the only thing in which I was predicted to get a D was nursing. And god knows I’ve had enough nursing in my life since then. But it’s something that I feel very passionate about. The opportunities that I had. Because if you don't have a chance to find out what your skills are because you’ve never been given an opportunity to take courses, then you don’t get the mentors and you don’t get the teachers who are excited about what you’re doing and pulling for you. You don’t get the scholarships, you don’t get the pats on the head, the things that make you feel worthwhile as a human being and successful as a student.

Karla McLaren: The Seven Intelligences

2010-07-01T14:21:00.013-04:00

In my inbox this morning was Karla McLaren's newsletter for July 1st. It is so beautiful that I wanted to share it in full. - Laura
PS: I haven't read her new book yet (The Language of Emotions: What Your Feelings Are Trying to Tell You) but I listened to a podcast discussion on it and found it fascinating.

Karla McLaren: Excerpt from The Language of Emotions

As I've been doing interviews, people have been focusing a lot on Conscious Complaining, probably because it's a good "hook," but I've really been thinking a lot about the seven intelligences I feature in the book. Here's the introduction to that section:

The skill of empathy allows us to read the interior state, the intentions, the emotions, the desires, and the possible actions of other people or animals. If we're very good at reading emotions, our social intelligence and our emotional intelligence tend to be very high. We get people and animals and their needs in the way some intellectual geniuses get mathematics or physics, or in the way artistic geniuses get colors, shape, and perspective. Empathy is one of the multiple kinds of intelligence we have.

However, most of us grew up in a world where multiple intelligences were not yet understood. It was only in 1983 that Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner's work on multiple intelligences became known. Dr. Gardner identified more than just the logical intelligence that most people focused on at the time – the intelligence that allows us to do math and science, identify patterns, and use logic and deductive reasoning. Logical intelligence is the one that can be measured on an IQ test, and for decades, it was the only aptitude that was openly called intelligence.

Dr. Gardner saw intelligence differently, and he put a name to six other forms of intelligence that go along with logical intelligence. Four of these intelligences are linguistic intelligence, which allows us to write, communicate, and learn other languages skillfully; musical intelligence, which allows us to identify tone, pitch, and rhythm, and to appreciate, compose, and perform musically; bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, which allows us to utilize our bodies and our musculature with great skill (think of dancers, athletes, and gymnasts); spatial intelligence, or the ability to recognize patterns in space, and to utilize space in novel ways. Architects, builders, people who are good at geometry, and most visual artists are strong in the spatial intelligence category.

The other two intelligences Dr. Gardner identified are interpersonal intelligence, which allows us to understand the intentions, motivations, and desires of others, and intrapersonal intelligence, which gives us the ability to understand our own motivations, intentions, and desires. These are incredibly important forms of intelligence that help us pilot through the social world.

With the ground of Dr. Gardner’s work to stand on, we can refer to intelligence as a constellation of abilities – and not simply those skills you use on IQ tests. However, here’s the problem for empaths: When most of us were growing up, the only kind of intelligences that mattered were the logical and spatial kinds that are on IQ tests. Maybe our musical and artistic intelligences were accessed in school, and probably, our bodily, sports-focused abilities were too, but P.E. and art were probably not an equal focus of our school day. When I went to school, P.E. and art were not seen as essential to learning, and now, with all the budgetary problems facing schools, P.E. and art are even less likely to take up a large part of the school day. Therefore, we don’t tend to access all of our intelligences at school.

It is very telling is that our interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences are not a part of our formal schooling at all. I think I took a class called Citizenship once, but I can’t really remember it. What I do remember, in school and out of it, is that behavioral and social skills were often taught on the fly. We learned how to act by watching others or by being praised or yelled at, but there wasn’t any actual instruction. We earned to be in relationships and to be siblings or friends through osmosis, or on the fly, or by the seat of our pants. We didn’t receive direct instruction about our relationships or our emotions unless we made some huge social mistake, such as openly displaying unwanted emotions like anger, jealousy, or envy in their mood states. We were taught math and logic, we were taught art and music, we were taught P.E., and we were taught reading, writing, and languages. But in regard to our emotions, our interpersonal skills, and our intrapersonal skills, we were just supposed to have figured it out somehow.

As children, we were expected to have come into school with our interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences already fully matured. We were expected to have our emotions, our social awareness, and our understanding of others under our belts already. We got demerits or gold stars for our behavior, but we didn’t learn how to identify our emotions or work with them skillfully. So if we were angry or sad or afraid at school, we’d have to keep it hidden or risk being made the center of attention. If we acted out our anger, we’d probably be sent to the principal or the school counselor, or we’d have to go to detention or stay after school. The anger would take us out of the normal school day, out of the classroom, and out of the way. And the other kids would learn, “You don’t do that. You don’t express anger, or you’ll be shamed.” If we acted out our fear or our sadness, we might be seen as weaklings and maybe become targets for the other kids, or we might become the teacher’s pet, which is often the same thing as being a target.

We certainly didn’t learn that anger helps us set effective boundaries; that fear is our intuition; or that sadness helps us relax and let go of things we don’t need anyway. What I also noticed at school, and it may have been different for you, is that acting out our compassion was also frowned upon. For instance, if a child was being isolated and identified as a geek or a target, you took your social survival into your own hands if you tried to befriend him or stick up for him (if you didn’t have status, that is). Sometimes, I saw kids with status – you know, the cool kids, the pack leaders – reach out with compassion and essentially throw a cloak of protection over a social outcast, but it didn’t happen as often as it needed to.

What I saw growing up, and what I still see, is that we’re asked to grow to maturity while keeping two of our most important intelligences under wraps, in the shadows, out of the way, and off the radar. As adults, we tend to need therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists to help us access our emotions and our interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences – even though these intelligences belong to us and are essential to pretty much everything we do. It’s not surprising, then, that we don’t know what emotions are, what they want, or what they do. It’s also not surprising that we’re left to create a ground under the emotions for ourselves.

I wonder, did you have the chance to develop all of your intelligences when you were a child? Specifically, were you lucky enough to have clear instruction about emotions and how to work with them? Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone had that?

As I look at the troubles we humans are having with greed, insensitivity, violence, multiple intolerances, and all the varied "isms" we create, I can't help but think that our real problem is emotional. Certainly, we're as logically, spatially, musically, bodily-kinesthetically, and artistically smart as anyone could wish for. Humans rock those five intelligences!

But as we can see everywhere we look, every hour of every day, we humans often fall short in our interpersonal (and inter-group!) and intrapersonal intelligences. With my book, I hope to change this. It is truly the most important work I can imagine. I believe in the possibilities inherent in human nature, and I hope we can bring our already-massive smarts to the most vital intelligences we possess.

Sir Ken Robinson: A Learning Revolution

2010-06-28T11:53:00.011-04:00

"Human talent is tremendously diverse."
This is Sir Ken Robinson talking about personalized curriculum.

"Every day, everywhere, our children spread their dreams beneath our feet. And we should tread softly." - Sir Ken Robinson

PS22 Chorus

2010-03-09T11:40:00.008-05:00

These guys are amazing!!!!! "There's nothing you can't do!"
I found their videos and had to share. For more inspiration, visit the PS22 Chorus blog.

Big Ups

2009-10-15T15:54:00.024-04:00

This is an awesome note from Miss Pat at Divine Mercy Catholic Academy, who we visited in July. Thank you, everyone at Divine Mercy, for such an inspiring time.

"I've seen a remarkable change in the students who attended Arts & Dreams in July. The program lifted their self esteem, they learned meditation, how to paint and how to love themselves and others as they are. Arts & Dreams is a program to remember. Looking forward to having Arts & Dreams come back to our school at a later date."

"Miss Pat" Geremia
Administrative Assistant
Divine Mercy Catholic Academy

October 6: Arts & Dreams at MPL's Manifesting Circle

2009-09-06T20:17:00.025-04:00

Arts & Dreams are guest speakers at MPL's Manifesting Circle on October 6th!

The hour will include a conversation about manifesting, guided manifesting exercises with Joanne Morton, Founder of The MPL Project, and a talk with us, the Arts & Dreams team, Laura Baran and Patricia Geremia. We're going to share our personal experiences and how Arts & Dreams came to be. Everyone leaves with a gift. It costs $10. RSVP is necessary. Learn more here.

Manifesting Circle
October 6, 2009 (Tuesday), 7:30-8:30 pm
Magic Passion Love Studio on Doyers Street, NYC

Update: Here we are after the Circle! Laura, Joanne Morton of MPL, Patricia and Joanne's painting

Suggestions for Using Affirmations

2009-08-19T11:11:00.036-04:00

We love affirmations. They're confidence-building statements with a positive essence. They make us feel good. In our Arts & Dreams affirmation paintings workshop, we explain what an affirmation is, then each child creates their own affirmation painting.

For older kids (like us), the concept of an affirmation can be understood more deeply. The spirituality inherent in affirmations is described in a book we recently came across. These wonderful excerpts about using affirmations are from Nurturing Spirituality in Children by Peggy Joy Jenkins, Ph.D.

Affirmations are positive statements about who we are and what we can become or experience. Almost anything we really want to change about ourselves can be changed by using positive declarations or affirmations. The change is in our belief about ourselves.

The most important affirmations for children are those that build their self-esteem. Self-esteem is the foundation of joyful, successful lives. Many parents and teachers teach their small children to use the magic words "I like myself." Such words foster friendliness and cooperation because we must first like ourselves in order to like others. Encourage the children to use these magic words three times when they wake up and when they're about to go to sleep in order to counteract the bombardment of put-downs from self and others that they may experience throughout the day.

Older children can use "I feel warm and loving toward myself" or "I love myself totally and completely." The "self" referred to is the Higher Self, and these words mean that the children are affirming the Spirit within them.

The more joyous the emotion you attach to the affirmation, the more effective the affirmation will be. Feelings, both negative and positive, have formative power.

Arts & Dreams August 2009 Workshops at MPL Studio!

2009-07-31T11:46:00.025-04:00

We're honored that the Magic Passion Love Studio in Chinatown is hosting our upcoming workshops! Clicking the schedule enlarges it and makes it clearer.

August workshops are for 6 children each and can be catered to suit additional age groups. For more information and to register, please email us at artsanddreams@gmail.com.

What We Do

2009-07-31T11:07:00.053-04:00

"What we think about ourselves becomes the truth for us. Self-approval and self-acceptance are the keys to positive changes."- Louise Hay

Arts & Dreams at Divine Mercy Catholic Academy in Ozone Park - July 21, 2009

2009-07-30T11:18:00.021-04:00

Affirmation Paintings!

These are just a couple of the beautiful paintings. They were all amazing!
Here's what some of the kids had to say about the workshop:

Brandon (Grade 8):

"During summer school, I had the best time ever. The affirmations were fun to learn about. Hopefully I can get my cousin to do this also. Her birthday is coming up and she loves painting. She also wants to be an artist. I showed her the picture of mine and she wanted to do at least 3 on her walls. Thank you so much for everything."

Amanda (Grade 6):

"On July 21, 2009 Arts & Dreams came to my school. My favorite part was that I was painting. I felt happy and proud of what I did. Thank you so much for the time, I hope that you could come back again."