Last month I posted 16 Ways to Reduce the Carbon Footprint in Your Art Studio and I invited artists to contribute their ideas. One artist was chosen for their answer, and has won a free class: Courtney Wooten pointed out that as artists, our greatest potential for impact can be made by using our art to “spread awareness, to shine a light, to educate, inspire, agitate and help build a movement.”
Courtney Wooten: Although we do a lot of re-using canvases and re-purposing materials in our home, my mind keeps going back to Toni Cade Bambara’s exhortation that, “the role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible.” As important as personal responsibility and praxis is to me, over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions come from 100 corporations. Reducing my own carbon footprint is great, and using my art to spread awareness, to shine a light, to educate, inspire, agitate and try to help build a movement feels even greater! No social movement is without creativity and visual art—as Brecht (I think, I’m paraphrasing?) reminded us, our artistic expression isn’t just about holding up a mirror to reflect society, but wielding a hammer with which to shape it.
[image_with_animation image_url=”8191″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Nikki Barber Printmaking in Thailand Our wonderful printmaking instructor Nikki Barber is on another artist’s pilgrimage to Northern Thailand. She’s spending one month as a studio-based artist in residence at Rajamangala University in Chiang Mai. There, she is able to interact directly with students, faculty, and Thai artists, experiencing the technical differences …
If you’ve gone into instagram or padlet to see some of the creative responses to these challenges, you have probably seen some of the fabulous contributions from artists. From out of the dozens of interesting artworks, here are a few. Day 8: Reverse Collage The instructions were to stack materials, then reveal layers.
Tina Kraft is a talented South Florida artist with connections to our besties at the New York Studio School. It was at NYSS where we met many of our great instructors such as Fran O’Neil, Charity Baker, Catherine Lepp, Sam Wade Levy, Shruti Ghatak, and Jonathan Harkham. Our own Keith Pfieffer is currently pursuing his …
Spring quarter classes completed last week, and we have a few week’s break before summer classes begin. At the request of my students, I’ll be posting creative project suggestions on V. Notes until classes start up again on June 21. Christo and Jeanne Claude On May 31, 2020, Christo, the his partner Jeanne Claude through …
The role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible
Last month I posted 16 Ways to Reduce the Carbon Footprint in Your Art Studio and I invited artists to contribute their ideas. One artist was chosen for their answer, and has won a free class: Courtney Wooten pointed out that as artists, our greatest potential for impact can be made by using our art to “spread awareness, to shine a light, to educate, inspire, agitate and help build a movement.”
Courtney Wooten: Although we do a lot of re-using canvases and re-purposing materials in our home, my mind keeps going back to Toni Cade Bambara’s exhortation that, “the role of the artist is to make revolution irresistible.” As important as personal responsibility and praxis is to me, over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions come from 100 corporations. Reducing my own carbon footprint is great, and using my art to spread awareness, to shine a light, to educate, inspire, agitate and try to help build a movement feels even greater! No social movement is without creativity and visual art—as Brecht (I think, I’m paraphrasing?) reminded us, our artistic expression isn’t just about holding up a mirror to reflect society, but wielding a hammer with which to shape it.
Use your art to raise awareness, call for action, and change the world. (Works for any medium and skill level!) – Courtney Wooten
Thank you for the call back to our powerful potential as artists, Courtney. Looking forward to seeing you in class!
Related Posts
Postcard from Thailand
[image_with_animation image_url=”8191″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Nikki Barber Printmaking in Thailand Our wonderful printmaking instructor Nikki Barber is on another artist’s pilgrimage to Northern Thailand. She’s spending one month as a studio-based artist in residence at Rajamangala University in Chiang Mai. There, she is able to interact directly with students, faculty, and Thai artists, experiencing the technical differences …
#30SAL Faves: Reverse Collage
If you’ve gone into instagram or padlet to see some of the creative responses to these challenges, you have probably seen some of the fabulous contributions from artists. From out of the dozens of interesting artworks, here are a few. Day 8: Reverse Collage The instructions were to stack materials, then reveal layers.
Drawing of Trees by Tina Kraft
Tina Kraft is a talented South Florida artist with connections to our besties at the New York Studio School. It was at NYSS where we met many of our great instructors such as Fran O’Neil, Charity Baker, Catherine Lepp, Sam Wade Levy, Shruti Ghatak, and Jonathan Harkham. Our own Keith Pfieffer is currently pursuing his …
All Wrapped Up
Spring quarter classes completed last week, and we have a few week’s break before summer classes begin. At the request of my students, I’ll be posting creative project suggestions on V. Notes until classes start up again on June 21. Christo and Jeanne Claude On May 31, 2020, Christo, the his partner Jeanne Claude through …