The Spiral Source

March 3, 2008
Last night, I asked each student to write down a time of day (like twilight, dawn, high noon, etc.) on a scrap of paper and put them in a hat. We all drew one and the prompt was to express the mood of that hour in art while letting memories, dreams, and reflections related to that time of day come to us for writing about afterward.

I have a lovely student with emerald green hair. Last night, her ripped tee-shirt revealed the words “Lost Girl” tattooed across the top of her chest. Libby has multiple piercings including a bar across the top of her spine that looks painful, but in spite of her ritualistic accessories, her dominant facial expression is best described as gamine. She is big-hearted, sweet-natured, and artistic. She gave me the word “revolutionary,” which began the spirals.

However, as the “leader of the pack,” I am always aware of many souls focusing and creating at the same time. In a previous scribble drawing called “Holding It Close,” which I also did while drawing with my students, the object being held close and growing was the spiral of an unfurling frond. I see that same cosmic spiral symbol of the psyche repeated here is a source image of many hearts working together in one space, “rocked in the spiral arms of the Milky Way,” as Lisa Aschman’s song says.

2 thoughts on “The Spiral Source”

  1. Thank you for your comments on my scribbles blog – yes, I have done about 85 memory paintings now – they are all on my blog. I didn’t plan on doing them – they just started falling onto the page if only I would be bold enough to catch them when I decided to learn to draw a couple of years ago. We left Scotland when I was 10 so yes, it’s my 10 year old self recording the text though I draw as best I can as an adult. Often, as I’m working, new ideas come to mind or in my mind I hear someone saying something related to my picture and add it to the text. I’m hoping to finish them soon, so I can arrange them in a book, at least for the family – but I keep thinking of more, so there are always about 20 ideas left to do, it seems. They are already a family treasure as most of the family photos are of rows of smiling people. I absolutely could not do art like yours – i am useless at doodling, playing with art materials or accessing inner musings like these. The internet is so wonderful for connecting with all sorts of people. Have you visited Jana’s blog – she does hilarious dream sketches amongst other things (link on my blog)

  2. YOur students are lucky ducks. I would love to play. YOu should write a book about all of these techniques to guide other teachers. The reference to The Spiral Arms of the Milky Way brought a smile, my favorite song on the album. The drawing is nicely done.

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