Words & Images

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I am just returning to the blog. After such a big push in making this epic chalk project happen I have been catching up on things that I let go of and beginning other work (concept art on a Pixar/Disney project).

The chalk drawing is still there out on the Base, it will be there for months until the rains come. I recently visited the site and took some photos. One thing I am really glad of is that we kept words off the artwork. I'd tell the kids, "no words, pokemon, or spungebobs."

Some kids would moan when I said this, especially the pokespunge kids. I'd say, "I am sure you are great at drawing them, they are cool and were actually created by other artists just like you, but what we would like here is for you to use your own imagination."


Even during the last day of the event when we had 1800 come and work on the piece, we got on the sound system and reminded people to not use words or these other images. But after we were done and gone, people have come out and drawn and there are words all over the place, mostly on the outside areas of the drawing. Mostly personal names, some words, and a few political

My creative hit about words and images is that words are easier. Take teh fact that there are NO ART TEACHERS in the elementary schools and math and reading are focused on. We are not supporting our kids to think visually in a world that is image driven. Vision is our primary sense. I think of the Waldorf schools and how they keep movies and TV and advertisement away from kids in their early development and emphasis stories, myths, songs, movement, and art to educate the child's soul.

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