The Art of Living : The Art of Living Ann Burkhardt, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Associate Professor & Director
Division of Occupational Therapy
Long Island University
Art : Art Art, a (product of) human activity, is made with the intention of stimulating the human senses as well as the human mind and/or spirit . Faces of Man, Soli Soli is a contemporary American artist, born in North Dakota, to parents who immigrated from Norway .The family relocated to California when the artist was 3 years old. Our personal histories
Influence us as artists.
Art as occupation : Art as occupation Self care-spiritual sense
Nurturing ones spirit
Allowing self expression in a verbal or non-verbal communicative means Nurturing Art by Rita Lloyd
Inspiration can be highly personalized and individualized : Inspiration can be highly personalized and individualized “I paint Art that communicates messages of healing and self love. To find the inspiration to paint such art, I first ask myself two questions ~ "Where in my life am I still struggling?" and "What do I need to learn or remember in order to better deal with these aspect of my life?" As I identify the areas of my life that need healing I search my heart and spiritual studies for advice. And the answers that I find are what I paint.” ~ Rita Lloyd
Art as occupation : Art as occupation Work
Developing skills (pre-handwriting, for example)
Development of personal identity though expression
Vocation-artist versus artisan
Avocation
Play or leisure
Exploration either unstructured or structured
Rest
Express to relax or to imagine
Human Development and Art : Human Development and Art Before we learn to write, we often use fingers or paintbrushes to free form expression and, eventually, to practice symbol-making.
Development of personal identity : Development of personal identity Art can involve expression in a number of ways. Sometimes photography is art. Sometimes what we wear/how we adorn ourselves creates art. From an MIT catalogue for a course: Composing Your Life:
Exploration of Self through Visual Arts and Writing (commercial graphic art)
Artist versus artisan : Artist versus artisan An artist
A person who is originally creative/a conceptual creator
An Artisan
Uses design or known craft approaches to restore or create designs that may be structurally original or that may imitate art that already exists, for example, in architecture
Artist-definitions : Artist-definitions
a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
a person who practices one of the fine arts, esp. a painter or sculptor.
a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.
a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
a person who is expert at trickery or deceit: He's an artist with cards. www.Dictionary.com
Art- work that is primarily subject to aesthetic criteria : Art- work that is primarily subject to aesthetic criteria “Drawing on historical and contemporary art sources, artist Richard Whitten creates intriguing puzzles of illusion and implied space. Using vibrant colors to highlight the meticulous detail and the complex architecture of his paintings, Whitten allows the edges of his works to break out of a confined rectangular format to freely flow beyond the borders, creating a sense of geometric freedom. “
Frye Art Museum Der Spielplatz, 1994
Artisan-definition : Artisan-definition a person skilled in an applied art; a craftsperson. Jessie Luther was an occupational therapist who worked in Newfoundland with Dr. Grenfell in the early 20th century. Jessie was an artist from the RI School of design who went on to study curative occupations at Hull House and then worked in the sanatorium in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Today her rug mats are highly collectable antiques. She is identified as an Occupational Therapist who was a founder of business and industry in Newfoundland. from the Grenfell Industries, collection of Laura Fisher Antiques
When artisanship becomes art : When artisanship becomes art "Quilts of Gee’s Bend" Art critics worldwide have compared the quilts to the works of important artists such as Henri Matisse and Paul Klee. The New York Times called the quilts "some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced." ‘Breaking the rules’
can create new
forms of art
from pre-existing forms
of craft.
Art as avocational activity : Art as avocational activity Unity Church, Lawrenceville, KS
“These paintings are made by people with no formal artistic training using ordinary materials often in extraordinary ways. This art frequently referred to as "Outsider Art" often expresses extreme mental states, unconventional ideas or elaborate fantasy worlds.”
http://www.unityoflawrence.org/art-cottonwood.html
Art and life- an occupational sense : Art and life- an occupational sense Health is supported and maintained when individuals engage in occupations and in activities that allow desired or needed participation….
Dan Barry of Gallup, NM cannot verbally express himself, but uses his art as a form of expression…and connection. OT Practice
Framework, 2002
The concept of flow : The concept of flow Flow allows people to experience the feeling of complete and energized focus in an activity, with a high level of enjoyment and fulfillment (Csikszentmihalyi). Honfeng Yu, 2007
Structure-accentuating Dense Flow Visualization
Flow : Flow Flow is so named because during Csikszentmihalyi's 1975 interviews several people described their 'flow' experiences using the metaphor of a current carrying them along.
Csikszentmihalyi identifies the following as accompanying an experience of flow: : Csikszentmihalyi identifies the following as accompanying an experience of flow: Clear goals (expectations and rules are discernible and goals are attainable and align appropriately with one's skill set and abilities).
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow Concentrating and focusing, a high degree of concentration on a limited field (a person engaged in the activity will have the opportunity to focus and to delve deeply into it).
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow A loss of the feeling of self-consciousness, the merging of action and awareness. Enjoying the races, David Welch, contemporary English
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow Distorted sense of time, one's subjective experience of time is altered.
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow Direct and immediate feedback (successes and failures in the course of the activity are apparent, so that behavior can be adjusted as needed).
Apprenticeship is how artists often
gain feedback.
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow awareness merging (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975)
That which the artist
has dreamt about and visualized is finally expressed in such a
way that the art matches
the dream of an imagined
reality. Expression excels.
Spirit flies.
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow Balance between ability level and challenge (the activity is neither too easy nor too difficult). Moving Miracles
Dance Troupe
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow A sense of personal control over the situation or activity.
Frieda Kahlo Through her self portrait,
portraying her disability,
Frieda was able to
visually express the
change in her self
perception of her body
concept after acquired
impairment.
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow The activity is intrinsically rewarding, so there is an effortlessness of action.
Cartooning is a form of graphic art ROI:
Return
On
Investment
Achievement of flow : Achievement of flow People become absorbed in their activity, and focus of awareness is narrowed down to the activity itself, action
Pow wow is
Art of dance and
A spirit connection.
Absorption in
Activity can be seen
on the faces of
these Dancers. The Jingle Dress
Dance is a healing
dance. In legend, a
mother cured her
Dying daughter after
making this regalia
and dancing.
Finding beauty : Finding beauty Living in grace, a relative sense of elegance and beauty of movement or expression is artful living. Gustave Klimt, 1907
Adele Bloch-Bauer 1
Occupations : Occupations provide meaning to us in the cultural context of our own lives.
Other roles related to the occupation of artist : Other roles related to the occupation of artist Art Collector
Art Historian
Casual observer
Museum visitor
Observer
‘True believer’
To appreciate the flow and find
beauty in art, once does not
have to be the artist. One needs
only to share the vision. Flow can be achieved for the observer
when what one dreams about or
what one imagines has been
captured and expressed by another.
The art of practice-outcomes : The art of practice-outcomes Occupation becomes art when transcendence occurs, or when the process of being or existence goes above and beyond the limits of material experience. An Occupational Therapist is an artist in their role of therapist when, in the course of therapy, flow is experienced through process. This affects both the therapist and the client. Personal meaning is restored for the client. When the therapist witnesses this outcome, the therapist also experiences personal reward. Synergy has occurred as an outcome. Practice has become art.
Context and content sometimes go hand in hand : Context and content sometimes go hand in hand From an Artist who received OT
"And we began to work with my occupational therapist in the hospital," Close said. "Tried to get the orthotic devices, something that I could use to hold the brush. And they built me a wheelchair-accessible easel. I used occupational therapy for what I thought it was supposed to be — a way to get back to your occupation. And I started to paint while I was still in the hospital." Chuck Close, CBS Sunday Morning BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y. March 8, 2007
Chuck Close : Chuck Close
Slide33 : Autumn in New Hampshire; Burkhardt,A (1975) The End