The Society for Layerists in Multi Media

 SLMM: Discovering Art Community and Creative Inspiration

I first learned about the Society for Layerists in Multi Media, or SLMM, through the inspiring blog of collage artist Nancy Nikkal. Nancy Nikkal: Art of Collage  SLMM maintains a website, hosts exhibitions, and holds a weekly Zoom meet-up for art sharing and connection. What drew me to the group is the notion of art as being layered not only with brushstrokes or imagery but also the meaning that derives from our lives and connections to all beings. This resonated with my Buddhist and Taoist studies. 

    "Layering is an evanescent metaphor that grows like moss from living and learning. Often there is a sense of something "other" than the visible in Layered art. The kinship among Layerists is their openness to inspiration from all aspects of their lives and their shared perception of an underlying connectedness to everything." 

                                                Mary Carroll Nelson

Here is a link to the SLMM website where you can read the full statement of founder Mary Carroll Nelson. Society of Layerists in Multi-Media

I joined SLMM this spring to explore the offerings and learn about the group. The first thing that came up is an inspiration to make art from tea bags. This prompt spoke to me, perhaps harking back to my love of tea as ceremony in my teen years and now, as a favored beverage for relaxation and restoring health.  

Now that I am working with teabag paper I see its lovely transparency, strength, and porosity.  Here are working photos of my first three teabag explorations. 

Robin

July 9, 2021

tea bag collage #1, 9" x 12", 2021

tea bag collage #2, iteration 2 with teabags and rose petals
(partially glued with second layer arranged)

tea bag collage #3, iteration 1 with teabags and assorted papers(unglued)

Playful Inquiry--What was the best thing about your day?

This post is directed more to the adults, those of you who find yourself in a new role, that of your child's co-teacher. 

So often in education we focus on "the teacher's role" and "the lesson to be learned."  

We focus less on the learner and their role.

 Learning at home offers a chance to focus more on your child 

and what they are naturally curious about.

                                 
What drives a child's interest? How can we help them go deeper? 

Follow this link to a TED X talk on Youtube entitled: Playful Inquiry--Try this anywhere!

"What is the best thing that's happened to you today?"

Synopsis: A simple, intentionally appreciative inquiry can result in a playful state that fosters creativity, openness and togetherness. Grounded in the science of positive psychology, this interactive talk demonstrates how appreciative inquiry opens us up to experience even greater positivity. The result: less fear and strong heartfelt connections and understanding between people, even strangers.

"Playful Inquiry" fosters an inquisitive stance toward learning. 

Play sculpts the brain, putting us in a state of mind that is optimal for learning. 

High challenge and low risk are present at the same time.

What? So What? Now What? is a simple framework for looking closely, thinking

about, and reflecting on learning.

What? What did you try, make, or experience? Describe or "tell" about it.

So What? stands out about this project or experience? What was challenging?

What was surprising? What did you discover? What did you wonder about?

Now What? Take a moment to reflect. What was valuable about this experience? What was

 frustrating or difficult. What will you do next?

Please share your "learning at home" stories with me at brooksro@link75.org Ms. Brooks

Being an Art Detective--Looking Closely at Three Artworks

Marc Chagall, Russian-French Artist of Jewish ancestry, oil painting

What does comparing one piece of art to another one have to teach us? 

Here are paintings by two famous artists

and one artwork by an anonymous artist.

(Anonymous means we don't know the 

name of the person who made it.) 

This is an invitation to use the Studio 

Habit "Observe" to look closely at each 

work of art. 

Begin at the top with Marc Chagall's 

musician. After you have looked 

closely at all three works of art, 

scroll down to the bottom for next steps.

Georgia O'Keefe, American, Canna Lily, oil painting

Kantha embroidery, colored thread on fabric, India

This is an example of  Kantha embroidery.

*Note: Kantha is a type of embroidery craft from the 

eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, specifically

 in Bangladesh and in the Indian states of West 

Bengal, Tripura and Odisha. (definition from Wikipedia)














Next Steps:

1. Notice your feelings. The words "I like it" or "I

 don't like it" might pop into your head. Put these

feelings aside to explore a little more.

2. Observe things in the three artworks that are similar. 

For example, there are flowers in all three

artworks. Can you find the flowers?

Is there anything else that all three artworks have in common? A color or colors? example: red, white

A line? example, curved lines

A shape? example; rounded shapes

3. Now you can focus on things in the artworks that are different.

How can you talk about the differences?  What is each artwork about? We call that "subject matter?"

What colors do you see? Does the artist use a color family like warm and cool?

How do the artworks make you feel? Now you can come back to the feelings you had at the start.


 Note: If you would like to be on my blog, please write some comments in the comment box below. 

I would love to hear how you liked this "seeing" exercise. What did you learn from doing it? 


Another note: You can do this "seeing" exercise with any two (or more) works of art.  

By noticing what is similar and what is different and finding words to describe what you see, you will

no doubt start seeing more! 


The more you see, the more you will understand about art and the ways that artists use the *language 

of art to express their ideas and feelings.  *line, shape, color, texture, form, space, movement, etc.


PS You can improve your "Art Detective" skills by looking at lots of artwork in books, on line, and in

 person! You might even have some art at your house to study.

Have fun being an art detective! 

Ms. Brooks