Art Criticism

3.E. 'Focus' Experiment

Hammock at Midday, acrylics, Cea Winter 2010

(Time: 1.5 hours)

Based on your experience painting 'en plein air,' with your Monet-esque Painting Series, you are going to do an experiment. Like a scientist, you will collect your data, analyze it, and make a powerful discovery. ~ It is an obscure piece of information, to modern global culture, that you could use to make your life a whole lot more like you want it: to make you feel good!

To begin with, think back on your experience outside in the elements, immersed in paint, sun, trees, water, wind, rain and bugs.What did you experience out there as you were painting these colors exactly as they existed in front of you?

Notice if you where in a better mood or worse mood after you finished your painting sessions? Why do you think you felt this way?

If you found you were in a better mood, what about this experience, do you think made you happier?

If you found you were in a lousier mood, were you focusing singularly on the colors and shapes or did you let other stressers in (like feeling like your painting isn't good enough (judging yourself), it's too hot or buggy (focusing on physical discomfort), or worried you're doing it all wrong (criticizing yourself)...?

For Audio recording of the Mentor, click here:

(MP3 audio)

Part of the program here is to increase your level of self-awareness. So, the more you know about your unhelpful habits or thoughts, the more you are able to catch them next time they show up, debunk them & keep them from spoiling your fun (which is the opportunity to get the bliss or pleasure available from what you are doing).

There is this good feeling in just being open to enjoying what is in front of you without the yakking of your mind interfering and stressing you out instead. If you pay attention to what actually goes through your mind every minute, you will be amazed that you can have any relaxed enjoyable experiences at all.

The mind is almost on automatic and often just parrots what others have said about you or the harsh things you have said to yourself (& none of it is true or reflects who you really are). If you actually listen to the complaining & criticism it serves up, instead of recognizing it as nasty noise or garbage, it can rob you of the enjoyment you could be having at any & every point in your day.

If you found yourself in a worse mood after the 'plein air' painting, rather than in a better mood, ask yourself: "Was I focusing on what was wrong, or was I focusing on what was right with this situation?"

In order to do this experiment, scroll down to the chart below. There is an empty chart waiting for you to fill in and there is an example chart of another person's experiment. Read it all over. When you are done, you will listen to an audio clip of the Mentor who will lead you through an experience that will help you gather data.

When you are relaxed and ready to do the experiment, with a pen and paper nearby, click on the audio recording here:

(MP3 audio)

Click on this text if you do not have audio capability on your computer

With these notes, fill out this chart to make it easier to compare your findings:

To fill out this chart & submit the Journal Response answers,
highlight and "save" the empty chart you see below, click , at the bottom of the screen, to bring up an edit box. Then "paste" the empty chart in the edit box and type your answers into the chart spaces. As well, before submitting, answer the Journal Response questions below the chart. When you are done, click (Remember to include the title.)

CHART:

Here's an example on one person's experience and findings with this experiment/ exploration: