PLAY

By creating paper structures in class in the context of a limited time constraint, we were able to reject the tendency to put to much thought or care into the construction, composition and process of our pieces and simply have fun using our hands and see what came of our efforts on the fly. I enjoyed the opportunity in the way that I had no chance to over think the results like I typically do. It allowed me the opportunity to create quantity using instincts and then pick and choose the most beautiful parts or angle with the camera after I was done. I feel that this was the difference between the structure and the photo. The structure was raw, confusing, overwhelming, random and improvised. However, by being allowed to choose specific parts and alter the lighting, the photos were much more specific, polished and beautiful. They were both improvised and thought provoking, allowing the viewer to make their own interpretation.

When creating the sculpture, I feel like I had the tendency to want to create something that made sense or was part of a story. I wanted it to have some sort of recognizable form. I felt like tat is what it needed to make sense standing in the middle of the room. However after looking at the photographs, the beauty would be lost in the 2D representation if I was concerned with creating a recognizable form. The beauty lies in the curves, folds, dramatic shadows and glows. By being able to choose the section that I was focusing on, the cluttered sections of randomness with scotch tape which were cropped did not detract from my image. The way that the structure is seen is much more beautiful knowing that the piece was put together through swift decision making and random collaboration. It seems much more natural and expressive than if we had been given larger amounts of time to sit and think before we acted.

I think that the authentic feel to these playful pieces created out of curiosity add incredible richness and depth to the results. This is certainly why artists incorporate play into their decision making and selection process and why I need to embrace these activities much more. The unique angles, shadows and moods that come from a process like this are beautiful and inspiring. This activity has certainly reinforced the importance of play in the way that it has allowed us to create beautiful pieces that I would have never been able to come up without the limitations on materials and time. I think that playing with new materials and processes is the only way that we are ever able to create something unique from all of the other images and objects that we see everyday that embed themselves into our memory. WIthout the process of play, we are tied to what we have already seen and are destined to simply recreate those works. Unless we take time to play and let our intuition create something new and beautiful!