Art
Out of Crisis: Left Brain Mode of Being and Constructivism
This
book was created during the week of wild fires
that ravaged Southern California in the Fall of
2003. This is not the first time I have felt so
compelled to make art during a time of crisis.
Is it therapy? Perhaps. Clearly, it s a response
to the intensity of emotions I was experiencing.
During a discussion with my sister, we talked of
the advantage of right brain activity in problem
solving. The theory of the structure and functions
of the mind suggests that the two different sides
of the brain control two different “modes” of
thinking.
The left brain is logical, rational,
analytical and looks at parts. The right brain
is random, intuitive, holistic and looks at the
whole. When we experience intense emotions an activity
that is a right brain “mode of being” can
give us a new perspective; some detachment
from a difficult issue. Sis related her
love of drawing to this concept. She said,
like meditation, it can give you a calmer look
at emotional issues.
It may be that the intensity
of my creative process was also related to the
need to “do
something” as I observed the devastation
of the fires on the people and environment
of Southern California. My intense feelings
were fueled by the media coverage. I began
by working on the images about water. I visualized
water and rain to counteract the fires. One
evening early in that week, I asked the question, “Why
is water blue?”
I believe this book demonstrates Constructivism
as a philosophy of learning. It is founded
on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences,
we construct our own understanding of the world
we live in. Each of us generates our own "rules" and "mental
models," which we use to make sense
of our experiences. Peggy
Ann Jones
