#5-Art Word of the Week: Perception

This week’s art word does not come from the list I had previously been choosing from, since I did not feel Donnie Darko really applied well enough to any of them. Our perception is our capability to take in sensory information and attempt to make sense of it by relating it to what we already know (Shirrmacher & Fox, 2009, p. 173).  The movie Donnie Darko demonstrates a young man’s struggle to maintain a balance between what he perceives and what is reality.

Out of the five choices, Donnie Darko was the only movie that I recognized, besides Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  Like many other people that have watched this film before me, I too found it to be quite creepy, especially the bunny rabbit named Frank.  As sinister as this “friend” was, it was slightly comical when you realized this extremely disturbing creature was portrayed as a bunny. The portals that Donnie sees are pretty weird, but they’re an interesting special effect.  I’d say I was creeped out the most when Donnie was tapping the knife against whatever he was seeing...his face looked almost manic at that point.  Donnie’s struggle to maintain his sense of reality is profound.  His struggle shows just how much of an influence his sense of perception has on his daily life.

Nevertheless, this film is...interesting to say the least. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t understand this movie in the slightest bit. I’m glad that I was not the only one of my friends that found this movie to be confusing and difficult to follow. I was unable to connect my visual perception of what was happening in the movie to what I believe makes sense in the real world.  Perhaps that is the point of a movie such as Donnie Darko...you’re not suppose to understand it the first time you watch it, or even if you watch it more times after that. I’m definitely one of those people that will more than likely never fully understand it...but that’s okay with me. There are plenty of other movies out there that are more appealing to my sense of artistry.

EDUCATORS
This blog post helped me realize that really any film can be considered art, since the actors, directors and producers are using the big screen as a canvas to convey their ideas.  As a future educator, I will ensure that children are presented with the idea that media, more specifically film, is an excellent avenue to express their artistic thoughts.  In a classroom, if we were to be exploring film, I would allow them the freedom to investigate films that they personally feel are artistic.

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J.E. (2009). Art and creative development for young children (6^th Ed.).  

       Belmont, CA: Delmar.

#4- Art Word of the Week: Pattern

PATTERNS. We’ve been learning about the composition of patterns since we were young children.  Identifying and creating patterns was a key concept we were expected to learn in elementary school.  Patterns suggest rhythm regularity and repetition, and are evident in children’s artwork, math and reading abilities (Shirrmacher & Fox, 2009, p. 142).

The pattern I found in downtown Toronto is a part of the RBC Building.  This particular structure stands out because of its bright gold exterior.  This building has always caught my attention because of the patterning of the windows.  Although I have passed by this building numerous times, I never noticed a specific part of the building that has a different pattern, as shown in the pictures below.

The heavy lines that are used to frame the windows stand out so powerfully against the clear glass panes.  The staggering of the different sections reminded me of a staircase leading to no set location.  The many squares in this design form a structure that makes you think about it as a whole, but also as individual sections.  Looking at this pattern from the outside makes me wonder what it is like to look at it from the inside.  I’m curious as to what people who work in building think of this pattern…if they’ve noticed it at all.

EDUCATORS

I think we often overlook patterns that surround us.  We become so accustomed to our routines and to what is familiar that we don’t take time to notice new features in our environment.  I think gaining a new appreciation for what patterns are embedded in our surroundings is an important concept to teach children.  If children learn to view the world for more than what’s on the surface and pay close attention to details in their environment, such as patterns,  they will become more attuned to looking for unique, special features.  As educators, providing materials for children to create their own patterns, as well as providing opportunities to seek out patterns will help them with their math, science, language, AND art skills.

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J.E. (2009). Art and creative development for young children (6^th Ed.).  

       Belmont, CA: Delmar.