School of Curiosity
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What? Your chair has four legs?
September 4, 2013
Jeff Hessing, resident artist at The School of Curiosity, reckons our minds are full of preconceptions and that the process of painting is a great way of challenging what we think we know. Challenging what we think we know is one way to find new insights, meanings and even new ideas. This will be his theme when he leads the art workshops at our ‘End of Summer School’ in Villefranche-sur-Mer 23-25 October. You can download the full prospectus here.
He’s exhibited all over the world, mainly the US, China and France and is as excited about the “End of Summer School’ as we are. He says “Painting is a lot more than putting marks on a page or canvas. It is a way of seeing. We see with our mind. Our eyes are merely lenses. Over the years our minds develop countless preconceptions about how things appear so it can quickly interpret the world around us. For instance; chairs have four legs. The novice artist looks at a chair then looks at the paper. His mind tells him chairs have four legs which he then draws. But in reality he cannot see one of the legs from the angle he is looking because it is hidden by the seat.
In my class we will do exercises that force us to really see familiar objects as if for the first time. To short-circuit our preconceptions.
This same process applies to all problem solving. Our minds tend to go to old familiar solutions, to follow well used patterns of thought rather then see things with fresh eyes and come up with an innovative idea”.
How many legs has your chair got?
Have a curious day.
Darling I sold the house. We’re making a one minute film!
September 3, 2013
Marina Nicholas came over to me one day when I was having coffee at my local cafe. She excitedly showed me a hand written story she had made for her son Bruno, who loved racing cars. I said it was very good.
The next time I saw her she had sold her house and used the money to create one minute of animation based on her character ‘Franco’ who is a racing driver. She’d taken it to The Cannes Film Festival won a prize and has now signed up 38 countries for the series. This despite having no experience whatsoever in the media industry.
I should have been surprised. I wasn’t. Years before doctor after doctor had told Marina that she couldn’t conceive. She experimented with every possible technique and every possible variable until after seven years Bruno was born. She put her research into a book which was published in 16 languages and hundreds of other kids were born.How does she do these things? Come and find out. She’s just one of the amazing people that will be part of the faculty at The School of Curiosity ‘End of Summer School’. You can find the full prospectus here.
You should come. You never know where it may take you when you open up the door of curiosity.
Have a curious day.
The Lovemarks effect
August 9, 2012
If you’ve sat watching advert after advert during the Olympics, you are probably tired of hearing about brand names. But have you ever noticed how we seem to notice some brands, despise a few and yet really care about others?
Kevin Roberts, Worldwide CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi, calls the brands that rise above the rest and create an emotional attachment with the consumer as ‘Lovemarks’. These are more than just brands, we feel something about them, we are engaged and even attached.
Roberts says that Lovemarks have three qualities that distinguish them from mere brands – mystery, sensuality and intimacy.
My Lovemarks are The School of Curiosity; VW Camper; Monocle; Radio 4. What are yours?
Have a curious day.