Art Explorer 8: Do you see what I see?

It may be a car's dashboard OR it may be a face... What do you see??

Correct, this is a picture of a car's dashboard, but can't you see the face? Look closer. The eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, even dimples are ALL there! Here, I'll show you...

• The vents = The eyes
• The knobs in the middle of the vents = The pupils
• The hazard light button + hour/minute buttons = The nose
• The CD slot = The mouth (which is smiling)
• The eject button + audio control button = The dimples
• The power/volume knob + tune/file knob = The cheeks

Can you see it now??

Well, its an illusion.  I classify it as an illusion, because its something that does not realistically exist. Instead, its a vision or picture projected in my brain that I associate with the concrete features.  The way I came across this illusion may seem peculiar, but it had to do with its shape.  Shape can refer to the outside form of an object, or it can be defined by a line or outline in the surrounding area (Schirrmacher & F0x, 2009).  Shapes also hold various personalities and qualities and can be characterized by: simple/complex, symmetrical/asymmetrical, clearly defined/vaguely defined, proportional/non-proportional or abstract/realistic (Schirrmacher & Fox, 2009).  

The three sets of characteristics that represent this illusion, are proportional/non-proportional, symmetrical/asymmetrical and abstract/realistic.  The proportion and symmetry of the picture is spot on, as the eyes, cheeks and dimples are parallel to one another, which is similarly seen in people's face structure. The abstract/realistic characteristic is in the illusion itself.  Realistically, the picture is made of shapes, such as circles, squares and rectangles.  However, in an abstract way, this picture is made of shapes that resemble a nose, mouth, eyes, cheeks and dimples.  As you can see, this illusion comes from a simple object that surrounds most of us everyday and with a little imagination, I transformed it into something completely different.

**Note to Future Educators**
There are many things in our everyday surroundings that can come to life.  And, this could be a fun activity to try in a classroom with young children, as their imagination and creativity is never-ending!  Try and see the fascinating creations that they come up with!

Art Explorer 5: Deja Vu?

The art film that my friends and I have watched and discussed is, Donnie Darko (as many other people have). Donnie Darko came out in 2001 and involves a fairly famous cast, including, Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze and Noah Wyle. We picked this movie, because the trailer instilled a sense of mystery and thrill and did not seem to be about a typical suburban boy. Donnie is a teen, who comes face-to-face with his unfortunate destiny through a series of bizarre encounters with an imaginary rabbit, Frank.  Throughout the movie Donnie is portrayed as fairly delusional, who pushes boundaries and in a way does not conform to societal norms.  The characters in this movie either followed a simple or complex view of the world.  Donnie, along with this Enlgish teacher, science teacher, therapist and Gretchen are all on a spectrum of complexity, while his gym teacher and principal are in the spectrum of simplicity.  This symbolizes the spectrum of fear and love that is portrayed in the movie.

After watching and discussing this art film, the art word I have chosen is depth. According to dictionary.com,  depth is:

• A dimension taken through an object or body of material (such as, time travel in the movie) 
• Complexity or obscurity, as of thought or objects of thought (such as the fear and love spectrum or the philosophy of time travel)  
• Emotional profundity (how Donnie, is trying to make deeper connections of the world)

I feel that this film is a clear representation of depth, as the entire concept is complex and obscure.  I found the movie to be fairly strange and unusual, but I cannot ignore the fact that it causes the audience to logically think.  It poses unknown questions about life and explores the curiosities of destiny and faith.  The movie ends in an abstract way, as the characters portray a sense of "deja vu".  For instance, Gretchen is riding her bike past Donnie's house and told of the accident. While she is starring at Donnie's mother, the boy asks, "Did you know him?" and she answers, "No".  Although, Gretchen says no, there is an underlying communication between the mother and her, as if they have met before and indeed know each other.  Thus, even when the movie is ending, it instills a sense of depth that must be interpreted by the audience.

**Note to Future Educators**

Depth is an aspect of art that should be emphasized in all classrooms, as it causes children to make interpretations and connections from the process to product phase.  It also allows educators to take on the view of the child; in the sense that they see the art through the child's eyes not their own.
Remember, depth does not mean "cookie-cutter art" or tracing pictures; it's an element that involves exploration and experimentation.

Art Explorer 7: Cheese Please

One food item that I cannot go without is a precious thing we call CHEESE. Cheese is categorized as a dairy product and dairy products come from cows. SO, thank you cows for all the wonderful foods that include cheese!!

Feta Cheese (my favorite!!)

Kefalotyri (Cyprus cheese)

Cheddar Cheese (old, mild, medium)

Tyrokaftyri (Greek cheese)

White Cheddar

Cottage Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese

Gouda

Marble Cheese

Brie

Blue Cheese

Oazis (Smoked Cheese in Hungary)

Swiss Cheese

Nacho Cheese

Gouda Cheese

Cream Cheese

Havarti Cheese

Cheez Whiz
Ricotta Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

You probably know the majority of these cheeses, however there are a lot more that did not make the list.  The 18 cheeses that made the list, are ones that I have tried!!

 YUM.

When comparing these cheeses, I not only think of taste, but I also think about texture, smell, shape, color and sizes. Some cheeses, such as blue cheese and feta smell a little worse then mozzarella and Swiss cheese (but, feta tastes WAY more delicious than blue cheese, or any other cheese for that matter). On the other hand, some cheeses have different textures. Cottage cheese and fresh ricotta have a much "gooier" texture compared to Gouda and Havarti. And, like all things, cheese comes in different shapes and sizes.  It generally comes in circles, squares (blocks and slices) and triangles. The customer can either buy pre-packaged (size is determined) cheese or not.  When not buying pre-packaged cheese, the size is not determined; the customer chooses its mass. Mass is weight and can be portrayed as, heavy and light, hard and soft, large and small, or block-like and open (Schirrmacher & Fox, 2009). So...When picking the style/form of cheese it ultimately depends on its purpose (dip, sandwich, pizza, cake, etc.).  For example, when I want cheese and crackers, I choose a hard cheese (cheddar or marble), but when I want toast I choose a spreadable cheese (cream cheese).

Whatever the food, I usually add cheese. Hence, CHEESE PLEASE!!

At this point you may be asking, "how does this relate to art or future educators?" Well...

**Note to Future Educators**

Remember that art materials are not limited to paint and crayons. Instead, try incorporating food items! For instance, using potatoes as stencils instead of sponges or using berries instead of paint (blueberries= blue paint, strawberries= red paint, blackberries= black/purple paint).  It's possible that incorporating food items may cause children to become more engaged in art activities, as they show interest in new materials and get to explore new creations!