-- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn wrote: > > P.S. Â Not that that is a good song, or anything... > > P.S.S. Â My main point was that "god given talent" is a real thing. Â Some > are born with perfect pitch...don't have to learn it. Â Some will never > "hear" the pitch, so could be schooled to ignore their ear perhaps, but it > isn't the same thing. Â
Yes, we are different in ultimate capacity, but the same in that we all have something we can work with if we choose to. I approach everything with the idea that if I share the neurology of someone who can do something (have a brain) I have a shot at doing what they did. And until the world lays its heavy hands of my actual limits on my shoulder, I act as if I can do anything with practice. I go through this discussion almost once a day with my GF who insists that I just had latent talent and she has none for visual arts. But since she doesn't want to add this to her creative pursuits it is a moot point right now. > > > > >________________________________ > > From: Emily Reyn > >To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" > >Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 12:56 PM > >Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: When I stopped believing my own > >lieâââ¬Ã¦ > > > > > > > >Alright, one more.  No, I didn't realize that, but that isn't my point.  I > >don't dispute the benefits of training, or learning, or marketing - not at > >all. Look at Motown, for example.  My point is that the singers had > >inherent talent as individuals or perhaps, an inherent gift of singing on > >key and voices that rang out..."let freedom ring."  Today, voice is not so > >important....after all, look at what Kim Z of Real Housewives put together - > >"tardy for the party" with a lot of synthesized and mechanically tuned help. > > That woman cannot sing on key either.   > > > > > > > >>________________________________ > >> From: turquoiseb > >>To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > >>Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 12:14 PM > >>Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: When I stopped believing my own > >>lieâââ¬Ã¦ > >> > >> > >> > >>--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn wrote: > >>> > >>> I think I will give this a try...I don't have that > >>> particular natural affinity either, but it would be > >>> an excellent exercise for my brain in exploring its > >>> capacity for communicating different perspectives, > >>> if only to myself. We haven't all internalized great > >>> pitch, however; I think that is skill is inherent to > >>> how the brain HEARS and differs between people. I > >>> had a good friend in band, years ago, who always > >>> played flat...she couldn't hear the note. We went > >>> to go see a Peter, Paul, and Mary concert and she > >>> sang every tune with them, out of key. Drove me > >>> crazy! Ha. > >> > >>What you possibly don't realize, and that might color > >>your view, is that Peter, Paul and Mary were one of > >>the first "created" musical groups. Just as with the > >>Monkees, they were selected by a producer independently, > >>and then carefully *trained* by this producer in the > >>traits (and visuals, especially in terms of forcing > >>Mary to grow long "hippie" hair to fit more into the > >>image he had in mind) and to learn the types of riffs > >>and the types of music presentation that the producer > >>thought would make them famous. Turns out he was correct. > >>How much of this was talent, and how much training? > >> > >>> > From: curtisdeltablues > >>> >To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > >>> >Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 11:27 AM > >>> >Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: When I stopped believing my own > >>> >lieâââ¬Ã¦ > >>> > > >>> > > >>> >à> >>> >Thanks for responding. The great thing the Right Side of the Brain book > >>> >does is apply techniques to help us see things differently. For example > >>> >she uses a small pane of glass (8X10 photo glass works great) with cross > >>> >lines drawn in to help your vision translate 3D images into 2 dimensions > >>> >on the plane of the screen. I guess some people have a natural affinity > >>> >for this but I sure don't. > >>> > > >>> >I'll bet you have a much more developed artistic eye than you are giving > >>> >yourself credit for if you love and notice art. I like to tell people > >>> >who are dubious about my "you can play guitar" spiel that if I am off > >>> >one half step on a note they will notice because we have all > >>> >internalized great pitch from listening to music. So the trick is to > >>> >translate that into our bodies, more athletic than artistic. > >>> > > >>> >For drawing it seems to be a little trickier because some of our > >>> >distorted perceptions are actually important survival mechanisms. So to > >>> >SEE perspective clearly enough we may need some counter-intuitive help. > >>> >Betty's book is excellent at this. > >>> > > >>> >--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Emily Reyn wrote: > >>> >> > >>> >> Interesting story. ÃâàI am not a visual artist, and in fact, > >>> >> have issues with spatial translation. ÃâàI cannot draw at all, > >>> >> but have, like you, attempted to follow the lines or learn the lines > >>> >> of simple things. ÃâàIn looking at a tree, for example, I can > >>> >> follow the lines, but often the dimensions are off when it translates > >>> >> to paper. ÃâàI can bring up a visual of a fox, but cannot > >>> >> translate the image on paper. ÃâàI see this as a brain issue; I > >>> >> cannot SEE to translating image on paper. ÃâàI could never be an > >>> >> architect, but once the drawing is visualized for me, I can describe > >>> >> it in space. ÃâàI love art however; it communicates so much in > >>> >> ways that words do not. ÃâàOne of my children has a more natural > >>> >> talent of "seeing" visually; the other is like me and is reduced to > >>> >> elementary drawings replete with stick figures. ÃâàMy last art > >>> >> class was in 9th grade - > I found that, for me, I am better at geometric shapes, abstract translations > at best. Ãâà> >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >> >________________________________ > >>> >> > From: curtisdeltablues > >>> >> >To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > >>> >> >Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 10:21 AM > >>> >> >Subject: [FairfieldLife] When I stopped believing my own > >>> >> >lieâââ¬Ã¦ > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Ãâà> >>> >> >I know, a little "Man Bites Dog" headline, huh? But since you are > >>> >> >here anywayâââ¬Ã¦ > >>> >> > > >>> >> >I was lying to some little kids again. I mean not lying, lying but > >>> >> >tossing some bullshit that all of a sudden I began to smell. I was > >>> >> >in a Title One school (poorest kids in their county) teaching them to > >>> >> >write a blues song to help them understand the difference between > >>> >> >character traits and feelings, which for a first grader is at the top > >>> >> >of their cognitive limits. (Feelings change in the story, but > >>> >> >character traits persist to define how a character will behave in the > >>> >> >story. Hopefully character traits can also change through education, > >>> >> >or we are all kinda screwed, but you see the simple difference > >>> >> >right?) > >>> >> > > >>> >> >I was drawing a picture web of ideas using characters from their > >>> >> >story about a fox and a mouse and was drawing a really, really shitty > >>> >> >fox. I mean worse than cave man on cave wall shitty. (No offense to > >>> >> >our ancestors meant some of them drew better than I did.) I told the > >>> >> >kids that as a musician I tend to pay more attention to my ears so I > >>> >> >practice music but not drawing. All this is sort of true, but what > >>> >> >was a stinking lie was the implication that somehow this preference > >>> >> >defined my character trait as a musician guy who can't draw. It sent > >>> >> >me into introspection on my long drive home. > >>> >> > > >>> >> >WTF? Why was I shitty at drawing and was it really based on my > >>> >> >sensory preference? Or was it something that had just been > >>> >> >overlooked in my education, cast aside as something adults don't need > >>> >> >to know how to do? What other area of knowledge is it acceptable for > >>> >> >adults to perform at a first grade level? (Oh sorry that is a two > >>> >> >digit number and I don't do math that high!) > >>> >> > > >>> >> >As I reflected on my art classes I remember being taught how to use > >>> >> >certain mediums, but never having anyone show me how to draw. It > >>> >> >seemed to be accepted that some kids were "talented" (I am beginning > >>> >> >to hate that word as a total cop-out in art.) and they could do this > >>> >> >magical thing called drawing. And then there was me, a special Ed > >>> >> >artist to this day. Was this just a limit I needed to accept, or had > >>> >> >my educational system failed me? > >>> >> > > >>> >> >I needed to know, so I went to the library and took out a big stack > >>> >> >of how-to-draw books including one on drawing animal cartoons. In a > >>> >> >few moments I knew I had been selling myself and others a bill of > >>> >> >goods about me being able to draw as a limit. With some simple > >>> >> >instructions I could draw a very passible fox for my class the next > >>> >> >day, as well as a very cute but simple mouse. I had just never been > >>> >> >shown how to draw one, and some of it was counter-intuitive. So I > >>> >> >still sucked at drawing in general but in the specific I could pull > >>> >> >off a fox and a mouse. And it was still magical how they went from a > >>> >> >real picture of these animals to the stylized few lines that defined > >>> >> >them, so I had even more questions now. How did the guy (or doll, > >>> >> >I'm still in my Film Noir phase) first discover how to SEE what lines > >>> >> >mattered most? > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Relevant side discussion: If you come up to me after my blues show > >>> >> >and tell me you like my music, I will thank you and then ask if you > >>> >> >play an instrument. If you tell me you have no musical talent but > >>> >> >would love to play guitar I will tell you that anyone can learn to > >>> >> >play simple chords on a guitar and have a blast playing most of your > >>> >> >favorite music. My practiced spiel includes the fact that I have > >>> >> >taught many people to play guitar who never thought they could, and > >>> >> >it is a simple matter of having someone show you where to put your > >>> >> >fingers (Youtube) and then putting your fingers on strings for 15 > >>> >> >minutes every day till you groove it in. Some go away inspired, some > >>> >> >go away dubious, and some just go away. But some actually do what I > >>> >> >suggest and write me glowing thank-you emails. So for music I > >>> >> >believe that talent is overrated as far as personal satisfaction is > >>> >> >concerned. We may never have the raw talent of Jimi Hendrix, but he > >>> >> >was a > legendary > >>> >> practicer too, so it is still up in the air concerning this > >>> >> Natureâââ¬"Nurture balance. > >>> >> > > >>> >> >But I had never applied my own theory to myself with drawing till now. > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Back to the main story: > >>> >> > > >>> >> >We have all probably owned this book, I know I did, but never worked > >>> >> >through it: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. > >>> >> >I got the latest edition from Amazon and let her guide me. Within > >>> >> >two chapters I was drawing so far above what I thought I could ever > >>> >> >do. I realized that this is a huge gap in education, and an amazing > >>> >> >opportunity to understand altered states of brain functioning. (more > >>> >> >on that later.) Now don't get me wrong, I am a beginner and am still > >>> >> >on the "suck" continuum in my final products. But now I see where I > >>> >> >need to go, I see the path before me. It will take time, but the > >>> >> >time spent is so enjoyable I am sorry I didn't discover this before. > >>> >> > > >>> >> >In a nutshell, what my girl Betty (Now THAT is a noir-chick name!) > >>> >> >turned me on to were some critical concepts about how people SEE in > >>> >> >order to draw accurately. It turns out that most of us draw through > >>> >> >the filter of our conceptions because we don't know how to tell our > >>> >> >hyper-verbal brain functions to chill the F out while we try to > >>> >> >actually SEE something that may not make conceptual sense, but > >>> >> >happens to be the way things look from that angle. If we see a cube > >>> >> >we KNOW that each side is equal, but if you draw it that way it will > >>> >> >suck because it does not appear that way to our eyes. When drawing > >>> >> >faces we really go into hyper-drive with our conceptions because we > >>> >> >are so focused on getting information from people's faces. (We > >>> >> >naturally suck at eye placement because it is actually in the exact > >>> >> >middle of our faces and we all think it is about one third down from > >>> >> >our hairline, and we all place ears too far forward on a profile as > >>> >> >well as > lopping off > >>> most > >>> >> of the top of people's heads in sketches. Our intuition betrays us.) > >>> >> > > >>> >> >So brilliant Betty had me draw from a picture that was upside down so > >>> >> >I only saw shapes, or draw the spaces and shapes around and inside a > >>> >> >chair instead of the thing itself, to let my perception have a chance > >>> >> >to shift into less concept laden seeing. And the results have been a > >>> >> >revelation. I actually drew a cool chair this way, as well as the > >>> >> >corner of my room. (I even got the counter-intuitive perspective > >>> >> >lines right-ish.) > >>> >> > > >>> >> >One of the coolest parts of the book was a quote from Van Gogh > >>> >> >pissing and moaning about how hard it was to draw as he was teaching > >>> >> >himself, and even some examples of what he drew when HE sucked! > >>> >> >(Yes, Van Gogh sucked at first just like some of us do, even though > >>> >> >he may have been able to take that ball and run with it much further > >>> >> >than I can once he got going.) > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Which brings up my current perspective on art. We have been betrayed > >>> >> >by our educational system if we can't bang out chords on guitar or > >>> >> >piano to delight ourselves if we want to, or draw an accurate > >>> >> >representative likeness of something we see. Those are the basics, > >>> >> >and it is within everyone's ability to master that. What makes art > >>> >> >become ART is what we do with that foundation. How can we use those > >>> >> >chords to move someone's emotions, or represent not just the surface > >>> >> >of how a person looks, but how they feel to us on a deeper level in a > >>> >> >picture. (Think Picasso's brilliant insight drawing single eyed > >>> >> >women because that is how their eyes fuse into one when we are > >>> >> >leaning in for a kiss.) > >>> >> > > >>> >> >So now drawing through my art book lessons (I have a stack) is a part > >>> >> >of every day, and I relish the state of non-verbal thinking that it > >>> >> >shifts me into. It is truly a meditative, restorative state that I > >>> >> >crave. It is different from the flow state I am in when I play > >>> >> >music, but I can't articulate how yet. It has some similarities in > >>> >> >the time distortion and expansion of awareness feelings, but It is > >>> >> >definitely running different brain software. How it fits into the > >>> >> >model of how we alter our minds through meditation is anyone's guess. > >>> >> >So I hope Marek is lurking, but I will send him this if he isn't. I > >>> >> >would love to hear his take on this since he is so developed both as > >>> >> >a visual artist as well as a verbally expressive thinker. > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Anyone who is a visual artist or anyone who wants to share > >>> >> >experiences about their relationship with art are most welcome. > >>> >> >This has so many profound implications about how we approach > >>> >> >education for me, especially concerning non-verbal intelligence,but I > >>> >> >have bent your eyes (ears?) long enough. > >>> >> > > >>> >> >Thanks for being a place to send such a piece. I'll hang out for any > >>> >> >responses. > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> > > >>> >> > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > >
