People are involved in the arts in some form on a daily basis, whether we recognize it or not. For most of us, (like the readers of this blog) this seems obvious , but what we do not realize is that not everyone experiences or interacts with the arts in the same way. Because of this lack of awareness, often time our society leaves behind people with disabilities: our cultural systems, institutions, and education programs often lack the necessary accommodations to make arts & cultural education inclusive and accessible.
Read moreBRIDGING: A Grand Journey of Exploration of Seeing
In thinking about the topic of ‘Bridging’ I immediately remembered some of our sessions during ITAC 5 - the fifth International Teaching Artist Conference - led by the Korean Arts and Culture Education Service (KACES) in partnership with ITAC Collaborative. The theme of the conference was ‘Boundaries Into Pathways’ and we explored the different ways creative engagement can dismantle or address challenges/blockages. To me, this feels like another way of talking about Bridging - how do utilize the arts to develop new routes and paths through historically hard to navigate or neglected spaces? How do we reach the other side? In thinking about these questions, I approached our colleagues at KACES who, since ITAC5, have been developing the ITAC Korea Hub alongside us. In response to my invitation, KACES suggested sharing the below interview from their webzine called 'arte365. This one, which they have generously translated for us, explores Teaching Arist Oum Jeong Soon’s project, which is a “big picture” answering her childhood question of “what is seeing”. We think it touches on the interesting gaps which often appear when thinking about how you bridge preconceived perceptions, with other people’s lived realities.
Read moreBRIDGING: Acceptance of Multiple Truths
What authorized and mobilized me to be able to do exactly what I am doing right now - writing this blog - was the practice of acceptance. Radical, radical acceptance. I have been fixated on a lesson I am borrowing from Dialectical Behavioral Theory (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), both of which are rooted in Zen Buddhism (and subsequently Buddhist Psychology - a topic I’ll save for another time). The lesson is simple: Acceptance ≠ Approval.
Read moreBRIDGING: to New Opportunity
I’ve encountered a whirlwind of changes since I graduated college. In just over a year, I moved to Washington, DC, started living with my partner, and changed jobs multiple times (while not always knowing what was next). Through each transition I faced, I had to bridge a wide gap between one thing to another. Although daunting at the moment, I found that building bridges is much easier when you look for common ground, even in unlikely places.
Read moreBRIDGING: the Artist and the Parent
In June of 2019 I found out I was pregnant. Thrilled, as I always wanted to be a parent. It was a beautiful nine months of wonder, excitement and planning. Wondering all the ways I could explore the arts and creativity with my little one. Excited to learn from my child and expose them to various creative experiences, planning how I might incorporate the arts into our daily practice as mother and child. So many thoughts, so many preconceived notions of how the arts would continue to be a river, creating buoyancy and movement into this new chapter of my life. Never a fear or doubt of how to keep the arts present in my upcoming new life — they had always been, as an artist is who I am.
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