Insights and Awakenings

Art — Wonder in a Moments Notice!

By Virginia Buchan, M.Ed., BFA

Social Skills Educator and Visual Arts Specialist

Everybody notices something about their day, the weather, the atmosphere in their workplace or school, maybe a birdsong on their walk to work. Artists notice what others may not and incorporate it into their work. Children notice what others might not and sense it, and sometimes it is hard to name.

In our practice at The Meeting House, we encourage ‘noticing’. Noticing is the practice of paying attention to a feeling, the embodiment of an emotion, a physical sensation, a joy or a challenge and the full range in between.

Noticing how we may be feeling, noticing what may be hard, observing and listening to ourselves leads to noticing then accepting, then learning. Getting to those feelings and reactions can help us emotionally to understand ourselves and other people too.

Wonder can also be experienced when we take time to notice and behold something that surprises, when it is unexpected, stops us for a second and then magnifies the moment. That moment of revelation, which can stem from art, anchors us in powerful ways and promotes a feeling of curiosity in ourselves to know more.

New York City with its dynamic rhythms, the ebb and flow of its people and its magical places is a perfect place to notice, observe and wonder. Anywhere, anytime wonder is ready to be invited in. Even the phrase that begins with, “I wonder” invites possibility and a path of discovery.

Our arts practice at The Meeting House is built on the expansion, exposure, and exploration of artists whose work inspires us to develop work based on their vision. By providing a range of materials, from the everyday to the esoteric, curiosity and collaboration with materials is emphasized. Art making allows for skill building, whether practicing self-regulation of mood and emotion, or undertaking planning on how to construct something and where to begin.

The act of perspective-taking by seeing the world through eyes other than one’s own, allows us to adapt to new circumstances and tolerate frustration when a project or idea requires change. This important ability to adapt and embrace unexpected outcomes is how many great pieces of art came to be, through trial, error and the risks taken.

Exploration and experimentation is embedded in the creative approach we use in our SEL arts curriculum. It opens horizons and provides opportunities for students to further their curiosity and find themselves in the act of creating.

Making, fashioning and group collaboration among peers has long been a place to bring learning and focus that allows for self-esteem, pride and satisfaction to flourish. The Meeting House in its core mission, has deep roots in the belief that growth happens at every age and stage of life. The notion of "I wonder", seems to always nurture that.

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