More progress...

Things are finally starting to really take shape here. We are figuring out the exact necessities of trying to pull off this small scale event. Canvas? Check. Justin went out and grabbed an obnoxious amount (small scale really ain't that small scale). Paint? On its way. Jean is going to grab some over break at Lowe's. PVC pipe for our PVC instrument? On its way. A bit of an issue, the pipe is on backorder, so I might just cancel the order and ask Jean to pick some up at Lowe's as well. It's all good. What more do we need? People and instruments. We can pull the people together no problem. The instruments will be makeshift, as they should be. Trashcans, loud clangy things, etc...So beautiful. So now, it's just a matter of doing it.

The point came up today from our critique that perhaps we should consider actually going through with the large scale event. The thought was to set up a station on the diag on a day where LOTS of people are going through the area. The idea was to shoot for "goodness day." I like this plan a lot. Depending on how the small scale model goes, we might just go ahead and try for it. How fun would that be? A blast, I assure you.

And that is the progress report.

Progress...

This is good. Progress is good. The group sat down last week and really discussed what we need to do. We've got a more concrete idea of what we are doing now, this is very good. We plan on running a trial of the event at some point by creating a small scale extravaganza! We discussed a lot of logistics last week: what exactly we need to pull a small scale event off. The answer is canvas-a (fairly) large amount of canvas, so we can try this painting thing out. Likewise, we need paints, paintbrushes, cans, etc...In the musical realm, we need a few percussion instruments. We also want to create our own instrument with a large amount of PVC pipe. I don't know too much of the math on this one, so I'll have to leave it up to my engineering friends, but we want to create a blue-man-group-esque PVC....instrument. See this around 4:45. This is a particularly cool idea because it enables the instrument itself to get paint on it/get painted. So, in short, small scale version of the EXTRAVAGANZA is coming, one large piece of canvas, lots of paint, a handful of people (hopefully), and a few instruments. We put that together and watch the magic happen. Cool beans.

Data Collection

This was a wonderful week to do interviews, since my family came up to visit on Monday. I had the chance to pitch this idea to my dad and my brother, and I also interviewed a good friend of mine from the music school. The group is pretty diverse, I would say. All love music and music plays a vital part in each of their lives, but they each have a different story when it comes to music. For my dad, he's in the business of it. For my brother, he plays in the school band. For my friend, she is making a career out of performing it. So, while they each came from a music background, I feel they are varied enough to get a diverse opinion. Also, my brother is 13 and holds no punches. I am continually astounded at the stunning level of observation that comes from him. And now, the quotes...

"What if the people don't play the instruments well-what if they suck?"
"What if the sloppiness of the art doesn't inspire the musicians?"
"That's the basic idea-to have people that aren't professional, but how well would that work?"
"The interplay of music and art is a really cool idea..."
"Does it really incorporate engineering as a vital component?"
"Like the inspiration of the music and the art, that's really cool."
"I would definitely think people would come and participate...that would be really sweet"
"Is one pillar enough?"
"Isn't it awkward to have to walk through a circle of musicians to get the the art? What if it was a room, instead? Where the musicians were in the middle and the walls were coated in canvas?"
"Love the idea of bringing art to the masses"

Some really cool ideas from the group, actually. I think some of the ideas are reiterating what we have already thought, but some of them are really quite pointed and true. We'll have to discuss as a group to see where we go from here.

January 25th-Refining and Evaluating Ideas

What do Petroski and Tharp have to say about the importance of revision?

• Both Petroski and Tharp see revision as a vital step in any creative process, a necessary ingredient to any successful work. Petroski makes the point that we, as creative individuals, are in a constant pursuit of perfection. We will never reach it, but we are always in pursuit. It is only with revision that we can come close to a more perfect creation. It takes a critical and humble eye to make adjustments, to see what doesn't work and try to find something that works better. This can be during the process, in which revisions can be direct changes to the product, or it can be retrospectively, where we learn from our past mistakes. Tharp takes a very similar approach to revision. She argues that revision is a necessary stage to make a creation reach it's full potential. She cites when she was working on Movin' Out as a direct example of the power of revision. She premiered the show in Chicago and received a hefty dose of negative criticism. She revised and refined the show while in Chicago, and made it that much more successful when it came to Broadway. Her revisions made the show the success it was. She clearly believes in the power and necessity of revision.

What are some of the criteria by which Petroski and Tharp each define failure, and what role does failure play in revision?

• Petroski and Tharp see failure as a way to get closer to a more perfect piece. Failure is a way of seeing what doesn't work and thereby highlight what does work. Both Petroski and Tharp think that failure should be taken in stride-as an opportunity to get better and not to give up on an idea. Tharp defines some specific kind of failures: skill, concept, judgment, nerve, repetition, and denial. She says a failure of skill is simply when human ability blocks a idea, which is only a cue to start working to achieve the intended vision. She says that a failure of concept occurs when an idea is just not viable-it just isn't a good idea. She recommends just dropping the bad idea. She sees errors in judgment as failures to be objective enough to know when something should/should not be cut. She defines a failure of nerve to be a lack of self-confidence in the ability to bring an idea to life, and just recommends taking a chance and trusting in yourself. She sees a failure as a result of repetition occurs when something has been worked with so much to the point that you are unable to make informed decisions about the idea. You are too close to the idea and need to step away in order to make good decisions. The last kind of failure as Tharp see it is of denial. This is a reliance upon other's ignorance and non-understanding as a way of passing off sub-par work. It is only cured by self awareness and coming out of the 'denial.'

January 18th-Fixation and Allowing New Ideas to Emerge

How do Dobbs & Smith define fixation?

•  Dobbs & Smith define fixation as a persistence in unsuccessful method in problem solving. Unwarranted assumptions, typical thinking, or recent experiences can cause fixation. Dobbs & Smith define three categories of fixation: process, function, and perceptual. Process fixation occurs when one is attempting to apply an old method of problem solving to a new problem. When a problem resembles (on the surface) one already encountered, one can become fixated upon the old method of solving the problem, as opposed to thinking about new ways to tackle it. Functional fixation occurs when objects are mentally associated with the function they are most often used for, and it is difficult to detach oneself from this association. It prevents objects from being used in new and innovative ways, because they are only seen in the light that they are most commonly seen in. Perceptual fixation occurs when previously learned ideas about a problem are applied to a seemingly similar problem, even though it might not be appropriate. One becomes fixated upon ideas, restrictions, and solutions, that might not make sense in a given problem.

When and why does Gerber recommend throwing away previously generated ideas?

• Gerber acknowledges the fact that previously generated ideas can often limit us in creating new, perhaps better, ones. When previously generated ideas are given full attention, the focus is upon the past, not the present or the future. In successful idea generation, this clinging to the past can often stunt the growth of these new ideas. Gerber does acknowledge, however, that in a developmental stage, ideas are better off thought about and fleshed out, as opposed to forgotten quickly. This is only because development only can occur in such a situation of retrospective thinking. New ideas, however need to be without boundary so the best ones can shine through.

Reactions...

Gerber's thought of throwing away ideas to make room for new ones is pretty terrifying, really. It takes a confidence in oneself, the confidence to acknowledge and appreciate that you will have more than that one good idea. It is scary, but in a way, I think liberating. The freedom to improvise and spontaneously respond and create is too wonderful to pass up, honestly. And Johnson's ideas about great ideas being the collision and dialogue between smaller hunches supports this idea as well. When we open the floodgates of new ideas through improvisation and spontaneous creation, regardless of old ideas, these fresh ideas can interact, combust, argue, meet, and respond to each other to create a brilliant and original final product. I feel that my group can (and will) let go of our old ideas in the search of new and exciting ones. I feel that we can allow our ideas to incubate and take shape and fight until we have a polished final idea.

5 Proposals

5 ideas, 5 projects, 5 experiences that I'd like to work on? Let's see...

I: Art Installation

I have always found it quite interesting when art explodes out of the canvas into our world. It is an experience within itself to fully explore an installation art piece, to spend some time in a world created by art. That idea might be a tad romantic, but it is very true. Take a look at the installation art around campus-the cube for heaven's sake. We've got intense participation in spinning the cube, the pedestrians feel connected to the art because they are able to interact, to participate, and observe directly with the cube. Installation art is a fascinating area that would be TONS of fun to work on. I'd love to work on an installation art piece within Bursley, outside of Bursley, or anywhere, really! And the installation doesn't have to be limited to just physical materials-soundscapes, performance art, or related performances can enhance the experience as a whole! It's an incredible artistic experience that would highlight creativity and collaboration!

II: Open Musical Performance

As a "classical" musician, I'm often dissappointed by the stigma that surrounds my art. It seems that people think the art is "above" them, that the music is only playable by the supremely gifted and the "special" among us. That is complete crap. Music, particularly western art music, has never been more open to anyone! If you bother to look, there is a tremendous amount there that can be played with, regardless of skill level! I want to propose a concert, but a special kind of concert, one where the performers aren't elevated to the level of gods. I want to create a collaborative piece that anyone can join in on at any time, and anyone can leave at any time. A specially creative jam session that is rooted in improvisation, but structured enough so that we won't make something that sounds "bad." I want to emphasize the fact that anyone can sing, hit the piano, and hit drums. We can have participation from everyone if they know what to do and feel comfortable doing it. When it becomes more about the music and less about the individual structured notes, we can have everyone involved and it will be fantastic musical and artistic experience.

III: Video Game Design

I'm the farthest thing from a "gamer" but I truly respect and admire the medium as an art form. That being said, I'm also aware that over half of the marketplace is filled with commercial games, games that aren't focused on artistic value, but instead upon making a profit. I propose we change that. With the variety of talents in Living Arts, it wouldn't be hard to program, write, design, compose, storyboard, and create a fantastic game. It would actively involve all of our members, since anyone can have valid ideas about anything related to the game. Plot points can be focused on just as much as the music, logistics of gameplay just as much as the programing code. I love the idea that we could create something that would really appeal to our age group that also had intense artistic value!

IV:Art Gallery 2.0

Taking an inspiration from darkroom, I'd like to create an art gallery that was more than an art gallery has ever been before. The focal point of the gallery would be the art itself, of course, but extra elements can enhance the experience as a whole. We can play with lighting, placement, sounds, pathways, and all of the other elements of the gallery itself. It would be interesting to design the space just as artistically as the art itself. With our artists, we've got art, with our musicians, we've got music, with our actors, we've got performance art, with our engineers, we've got design elements. We've got everything. The question would be, would the art still have precedence, or would the experience take over? Would everything blend together in a collective artistic chaos? Or would the works which inspired the space maintain their solitary power? Very interesting questions, we would just have to try to find out.

V:Multi-Media Movie

Along the same vein of the Art Gallery 2.0, what if we were to apply the same ideas to the movie-going experience. What if the soundtrack to a movie was live? What if you had to crawl through a space to get the next part of the movie? What if supplementary pieces of art filled the space- at one time distracting you, but at the same time adding to the experience as a whole. What if we had live actors come out at points? What if we took a storytelling element and used it as the way to connect across all of our individual disciplines? What if the story was non-linear, or heck, non-plot based? What if modern dance was the exposition, a movie the middle, and music the climax? What if we were to play with the form of this tradition-based experience and trick the audience into physically experiencing the movie. Woah. What if?

Wallet 3000

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