Notes of the March Meeting by M. Haviland Well, ladies and (not to exclude our other readers) friends. this month was a gem. We met, ate, and chatted with the usual glorious vigor, and eventually settled to the meeting Itself. Many new faces again, and after an introduction all around* we began a listening journey with Ruth Asawa. Now this lady, Ruth Asawa, a very well known San Francisco artist and Art Commisioner comes quietly but with an art explosion., The wonder of it all is the continuation, the ongoing experience she basks in, making art her life. and her life an art. So. without going to any great lengths 'to bring her art to us in relationship with architecture. she left it up to us. And in the quietness of her Oriental subtlety, she and spoke of her life, and work. and involvement. Perhaps one wouldn't call Black Mountain College a miracles perhaps the practicing artists who came to teach for $5 a month and room & board weren't luxuriating in inspirational happenings, But a student was welcome to come and learn, no degree was granted, no jobs were guaranteed. Work-study was anintegrated function of the programming for the times, this -was a revolution in education. Ruth mentioned artists. writers, thinkers people we respect for their work who attended Black Mountain College. Josef Albers took achance -- and succeeded -- with a school thatbroke the rules. Somehow continuing to break the rules Ruth Asawa came to San Francisco with her architect husband choosing not to go commercial she decided to experiment, to work to understand materials. And that she did. One can't begin to describe the efforts and achievements of an artist who believes in art -- but maybe this is difficult to describe the theories and philosophies of this same artist,. She stressed not having a job, she could be labled a housewife, but her approach is such that work and family go together -- separation divides a family, and thus her children work with her and her husband. The family as nucleus is always there for her. Perhaps that was part of the reasoning for her entering the schools to work with children. She says of herself that she is a mother first. and that It was her intent to apply what she had learned at Black Mountain College.More involvement was needed, the problem was the children and their environment, and school plays such a vital role in the growing minds of the young. Hence, volunteer programs involving both parents and children at their environment using and/ or based on artists whose spiritual lives depended on being artists were.established In schools. As the children painted the walls., everyone,involved gained from the experience. The rewards seen great; while Ruth Asawa does not claim that the reading level has gone up. she stressed the necessities of sharing. love. adventure. discovery. and all part of the art experience. And without this enrichment, how can a school, a neighborhood, an entire city be alive and healthy? Along the traverses of her life. she has discovered how to handle a busy life and be involved. She emphasized that while agreeing with the equal work. equal pay demand which women have made. she hoped we would remember some of the simple things of our heritage as woman. Pickling. making Jan. baking bread, and garden, without slowing our rush Into the business world, are vital parts of our already active lives. Personally, I'm hoping for the 48-hour dayl See you In April! |
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Newsletter | Mar/Apr 1974