There were three major kernels of thinking that created this project:
1. Like most folks these days, I don't have a job and since I'm also not in school (Does anyone else love school as much as I do?), I have little to occupy myself with. There has also been a significant lack of art output in my life. I feel mostly uninspired and if I am inspired I am not executing those ideas. As a woman and an artist, I'd like to be continually evolving and right now I'm feeling rather stagnant.
2. My (amazing) son Max, turns 3 in March. This means that he will be 3 1/2 when he starts preschool and I'd like to start putting some effort at real learning at home.
3. I was speaking to my Mother about buying clothes and my closet and what I wear and what I don't wear. The same goes for the Refrigerator. Do we buy more than we need? In an era and a country of major consumption sometimes we are plagued by too many choices. What if we narrowed things down a bit? Would it be harder or easier? What would it be like to place some very intentional focus into several aspects of our lives?
So, I've created this crazy art and learning project wherein for each month for one year we will limit our focus in each of these areas:
Number
Letter
Color
Shape
Musical Genre
Art Medium
Chicago Cultural Institution
New Habit (Not included in chart. See Below)
So , I came up (or divided into) 12 of each of these areas and dropped them in a box and picked them randomly. (Say YES, to Artistic Chaos!) This is what I ended up with:
| October | November | December | January |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| ABC | DE | FG | HI |
| Yellow | Brown | Green | Orange |
| Triangle | Square | Diamond | Rectangle |
| Blues | Classical | Folk | Hip/Hop |
| Crayons | Clay | Fabric | Dance |
| Field Museum | Zoo | Shedd Aquarium | Chinatown |
| February | March | April* | May |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| JK | LM | NO | PQ |
| Purple | Blue | Gray | Red |
| Octagon | Circle | Star | Crescent |
| Jazz | Polka | Motown | Country |
| Paper | Musical Instruments | Cooking | Acting/Theatre Arts |
| Art Institute | Nature Museum | Planetarium | MCA |
June | July | August | September |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| RS | TU | VW | XYZ |
| Black | Silver/Gold** | Pink | White |
| Oval | Heart | Trapezoid | Pentagon |
| Reggae | Latin | Rock | Middle Eastern |
| Chalk | Acrylic Paint | Pencils/Markers | Watercolor |
| Botanical Garden | Children's Museum | Science&Industry | Millenium Park |
* Now Sam, Stars and Planetarium in the same month? You really just drew both out of a box? Well, No. There were a couple switches that had to be made for the Cultural Location based on weather, so I took the opportunity to put those two together. I also originally had Middle Eastern music slotted for December. Ultimately, I decided that we wouldn't really explore Middle Eastern music that much admist Christmas Carols and replaced it with Folk (which originally landed in September). Folk music is something we are pretty familiar with already so it doesn't need to be explored as much and can also likely be incorporated into our Christmas Carol listening (which Middle Eastern probably wouldn't be). However, everything else is just as it came out. Pinky Swear!
** I had a hard time coming up with a 12th color, so I chose Silver/Gold. I'm a little worried about our ability to find Silver and Gold clothes. Max has none and I only have one pair of Gold Lame' panties. So, I think we have some thinking to do and would GLADLY take suggestions (from the 2 people who will probably read this! Hi, Mom!)
OKAY!
So what does all this mean? (Are you lost, yet? This has been crazy hard to explain if you don't exist inside my head.) The overall idea is to create an atmosphere where these specific categorizations are constantly absorbed into our daily living and consciousness. The challenge is to make us more mindful of our choices. It will definitely be a bit tricky at times but hopefully also pretty fun.
Let's take it by each category:
Number
Clearly some of the categories are more reflective as an educational tool for Max. Hopefully though, I as an artist and thinker will find ways to incorporate the more simple areas creatively. Each month we will focus on that particular number. We will count to that number. We will identify objects in the quantity of that number. Could he possibly learn to add or subtract with that number? Could he actually learn to write it?
Letters
Similar in objective to the Number. This one is easier for me to incorporate(ie: Lists of A things. Looking up definitions for unfamiliar words that start with T).
Color
This is where it gets trickier. One major clothing item in the color of the month has to be worn every day for that month. The more color the better. Foods of that color should be eaten. Some art should be made with that color. Whatever area that color can be absorbed in, it should happen. (Are you really going to wear yellow for an entire month? Won't you get sick of it? How will you do it? Yes, Probably and we both have very vibrant closets. We will also pick up a few items from thrift stores if necessary. The idea is to limit our choices and focus on a color. Does that mean more laundry? Probably, but it also means that laundry won't ever pile up the way it does now.)
Shape
Again this is similar in scope as the Number and Letters categories. The shape should be recognized by the end of month. It should be drawn and it should be related to real world objects. (Some of these are pretty self-explanatory.)
Musical Genre
The musical genre is the thing to be listening to almost to the exclusion of other music. (ie: "almost" means that in December it's o.k. to listen to Christmas Carols at holiday parties and while trimming the tree but when not listening to christmas carols we should be listening to Folk music.) The musical genre should be researched and fully understood. For Max, this should be the music we listen to during our kitchen dance sessions, etc. For me, everything else goes out of my ipod in October and only the blues goes in. If at all possible, a live concert should be attended by all (or some).
Art Medium
All art work should be represented by the medium, experimented with by Max and at least one art piece created by using the medium. The only exception for this is a specific commission, performance, daily cooking and if it's necessary to make a present for someone (However, if at all possible, the medium should be used even for this. I just make most of my gifts and I worry about November folks and my ability to make something out clay or how many folks who have January birthdays really want the gift of dance from me?)
Chicago Cultural Institution
The Chicago cultural location must be visited at least once, preferably twice. We want to become really familiar with it (because often we don't get to see everything in one visit.) It would be useful to do some research to precede the trip and incorporate aspects of the location into other areas of the project.
New Habit
I added this after I created all the others and it's definitely the scariest part of the project for me. It will definitely also be the hardest. While I was thinking about the other areas of the project, some of them were so focused on Max that I wanted to add something that would really be a challenge. (In another world, an adult version of this project would include authors, cultures, artists, food and films.) I also decided that I really want this to be somehow life altering in a really healthy way. So I added the "New Habit" catergory. Ever day for that month we will incorporate this New Habit into our lives. Since some of them are longer (and I did it after) I just created the list here. I've still picked these out of a box at random:
October: Exercise for 20 mins Everyday
November: Make the Bed Every Morning
December: Clean 15 Mins before bedtime. (Max before his, Me before mine.)
January: Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day. (For Max, Little Dixie Cups)
February: Mail a Card or Little Letter to someone Every Day
March: No Eating Out or Ordering In*
April: No Meat
May: No Sweets
June: No Cab Rides*
July: No TV Watching
August: Eat Nothing Pre-Packaged
September: Start a consistent Recycling Regime
* We are going to say that these habits are essential except in very special pre-planned situations or emergency situations (ie: I already have a plan for Max's birthday that involves eating at a very special restaurant. Or, yes we will exercise everyday in October but if I get really sick and am in bed for the day, I will be excused from the exercising. OR say we have a real emergency and we need to say, get to the hospital fast and a cab ride is our only quick and reasonable option...we're taking a cab.)
Which brings to mind my original idea of having a "Free Day" at the end of every month. One day in which the rules don't apply. ANY color can be worn! Any music can be heard! No New Habit to maintain! Perhaps it would be better to give freedom to choice of the "Free Day". So there, it is. Evolution of the project already. One "Free Day" each month with the freedom to choose which day it will be.
Finally, I thought to myself, maybe I should write about this? How much can we learn and reflect if we don't keep a written record of the process? Will a public announcement make us more likely to stick with it when things get tough? Will it be really helpful to be accountable? Maybe I should start a blog?
Now I've really gone and done it.
