Participants: AKMA, BlissBrowne, DebbieGleason, ChrisCorrigan, and SusanKerr -- last name right?
Jon opened up the session by talking about an article in Harper's about the numbing of culture. With the advent of TV and the increase in attention deficit as a result of being bombarded by a variety of media, we don't create our own art. Instead, we are consumed with consumerism. Bliss mentioned being a speaker at a conference in Oxford and getting the idea of people creating living statues. They themselves became the art. I spoke about a class I took called, Drawing from the Inside of Your Head where I learned to create and not worry about technique or lack thereof. We talked about the conventions placed on drawing and painting. AKMA brought up creation within a congregation, ie, a choir getting together to peform. I imagine that collaboration, regardless of spiritual context is extremely powerful for the participants. I hope that AKMA will post and clarify because I am acutely aware that I missed some of his intent in the telling. To me, there's little difference in listening to liturgy and listening to the Irish music Chris performs. Both can be uplifting and stir passions. I would prefer a church/synagogue over a bar in some instances and the bar over the house of worship in another instance. Both serve their purposes. Chris and I talked about how media bombardment has caused us to be willing to accept mediocrity. We also talked about creating over merely consuming art. This conversation was very spirited and congenial. I think we may have gone a different direction than Jon intended. We segued to spirituality and how we connect to the divine or not. We also touched upon how we don't give children room to create. We impose conventions on them when children are very young. Me chide people for daring to be different. We value acquisiton of art over the pure appreciation. Since we don't create art, we are disconnected from the creative process and the joy that can be derived from trying a hand at something. One of the things AKMA reminded us of was how every art museum exhibit had a gift shop at the terminus. I mentioned how I have felt bombarded by sensation by art curators using up every inch of wall space.
Please, someone. Kindly correct me and add in what I missed. I realize this is a jumble, and I'd like to take more time to adequately describe this session. Jon picked a very good topic which led to a very spirited discussion.