COMMUNITY
SCAPES
(Lou Rizzolo and Nobel Schuler )
Evolving out of academic and artistic research by Professors Rich Cooper, Jerry Catania, and Lou Rizzolo at Western Michigan University in the mid-1980s the Creative Learning Workshop focuses on strengthening a positive attitude toward self and the development of the communal spirit between people. Facilitators Professor Lou Rizzolo, Western Michigan University Art Department, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Mr. Nobel Schuler, Art Director at Starr Commonwealth, Albion, Michigan, Dr. Rich Cooper, Western Michigan University Occupational Therapy Department and Mr. Peter Middleton, Art Teacher Black River Charter School, Holland, Michigan have implemented the Creative Learning Workshop's community development concepts into a major program, the World Peace Art Initiative, to strengthen community concepts for world peace.
Starr Commonwealth's support of the vision of world peace expressed in their message of 'The Oneness of Humankind' and their funding support in 2000 brought international art representatives to the Starr campus to expand this vision of hope and peace in the United States, Peoples Republic of China, Norway, Italy and Tasmania/Australia. The sense of community at the international and national levels has become a major focus. Large parcels of land have been donated in the United States and Tasmania/Australia where crop planted earthwork provide public sites for community and school peace banners, presentations and musical/dance works related to peace and community in October 2002 and in March 2003 respectively.
The procedure for a Creative Learning Workshop begins with a group (anywhere from 25 to 100 people) assembled to listen and ask questions about a slide presentation on the functions of the human brain and its relationship to human creativity. After this discussion, the group will move to a gym where a large 24'x100' plastic sheet has been arranged on the floor. Under the clear plastic are (30"x 40") white sheets of paper designating where each person might select to sit with shoes removed. Large and medium sized markers are distributed and, after instructions, the work begins! In a seated position, each person draws around himself/herself a shape they think represents how they are feeling at that moment/day. Once drawn, they remain seated within the "felt" shape. Around the outside of the outlined shape each person is asked to write words about their physical self, likes, dislikes, their mental self, their emotional self, their spiritual self and others.
These words encircle the outside of their "felt" shape. All of this work relates to self as the focus. The group is next asked to create colored line patterns interpreted from selected words within the shape and to repeat these line patterns in other areas of the interior "felt"shape. With words on the outside and created colored line patterns representing these words on the inside, each individual Self Scape emerges! Given sufficient time these Self Scapes become very personal and they help to give special identity to each person. Each Self Scape is very unique in both written and artistic meanings. The final results in solid colored marker and line pattern are visually quite stunning.
These Self Scapes become points of personal references in written and artistic form. To build a community these need to be shared. People are asked to quietly stand and step into another person's Self Scape. Each person moves from Self Scape to Self Scape reviewing each other's written and artistic descriptors. This process becomes the first attempt at learning not only about one's personal world Self Scape, but the world of other people in one's community (COMMUNITY SCAPE).
After reading and experiencing 8-10 Self Scapes each person is asked to think about common words and line patterns they remember when reviewing another person's Self Scape i.e., "I like pizza" connects with my "pizza pie" or "I'm 23 years old" connects with my "23", etc. With markers people are asked to make connecting lines to another person's Self Scape. These interconnecting lines form a community web or network. As more and more lines make connections between many Self Scapes an all-over artistic pattern is created representing ourselves and how we are interconnected to others in our community.
Once finished people are asked to step out of their Self Scapes and sit on the gym floor. What the group did not know was that the plastic sheet they have worked on is not one layer but an enormous tube with taped ends and fan vents. When the fans are turned on, the large inflatable or air structure 100'x18' in diameter unfolds! The inflated air structure has a fabricated entrance allowing each person to step into the world of a newly created community.
Each person finally sits inside the air structure. Looking up at the ceiling for the first time they see their Self Scapes all interconnected to form a new vision of community…….. a COMMUNITY SCAPE filled with unique people who have shared common purposes regardless of one's race, gender or beliefs.
Discussion focuses on the value and benefits of the new COMMUNITY SCAPE, how to initiate new starts towards understanding the components of that new community and how to remain committed to the ONENESS OF HUMANKIND.
Professor Lou Rizzolo, Mr. Nobel Schuler,
Dr. Rich Cooper and Mr. Peter Middleton have implemented the Creative Learning
Workshop described above in a variety of settings, receiving an overwhelming
positive response to the community building process. Rizzolo has recently
conducted workshops in Stavanger, Norway while Schuler was invited to participate
as Artist-in-Residence for the National Youth Summit in Washington D.C. in
June 2002.
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Albion High School Students created the above "World Peace Banners" for the World Peace Art Initiative and the Starr Earthwork 2002