Click here to view the embedded slideshow.

Last Saturday (Nov. 14^th) I had the pleasure of working with the Walker to develop and teach MyNet: Google SketchUp, a course designed to introduce the amazing world of 3d computer modeling to both kids and their parents (as well as older siblings and mentors). Computer modeling and rendering has long been a staple of architectural education and practice, but the software involved was, more often than not, exorbitantly expensive and frustratingly difficult to learn. The combination of these two factors ensured that such amazing technology was only accessible to those at the advanced stages of their design education or those already working in the field.

Then came SketchUp…

With its simple interface and simple tools, SketchUp was an instant hit. It was intuitive and inexpensive, making it accessible to just about anyone. While this was certainly a great development for grad students and professionals, its greatest potential lies with the introduction of this software as an educational tool for K-12 children!

That belief was validated and solidified by our class on Saturday. Students and parents not only learned the basics of the software, but also got the opportunity to apply this new knowledge to an actual project of their own design. The focus of the class was to design an ideal “fort” or “hang-out.” Before we jumped into SketchUp, though, everyone first made physical, scale “study models.” This hands-on process, allowed everyone to first focus on the design of the project before getting caught up in the excitement of trying to learn how to use a new computer program.

Building a prototype together

By using this process, students and parents were actually following the real-life, organic process used by designers of all disciplines! Once everyone had tested out their ideas with scale models, we then moved into the digital world and covered the basics of SketchUp. Thanks to its simple, user friendly interface, most were able to pick it up right away! We then shifted focus back to the forts and hang-outs, learning how to translate from the miniature scale models everyone had made to full scale digital models in SketchUp that allowed them to “get inside” their projects.

Adam Jarvi leading a family through the 3D modeling process

I was absolutely amazed by everyone’s work! Not only were the original models recreated in SketchUp with remarkable accuracy, they were also edited, refined, and personalized with colors, materials, people, and even furniture. The sense of ownership, engagement, and empowerment that comes along with the ability to create something that is uniquely your own was clear for all to see. As a designer myself, seeing others become engaged by the same things that excite me was extremely rewarding!

A final SketchUp project: one family's hideout

Thanks to all who attended! And thanks to the Walker for making this event possible!

Adam Jarvi

Designer and Assistant Director at DEMO, a non-profit focused on spreading the power of design to K-12 students and teachers throughout the Twin Cities.

Dan Graham, New Space for Showing Videos, 1995

7-yr-old O. and I had an unexpected day off on Wednesday, and we checked out the Dan Graham show. It was SO MUCH FUN. He loved the models (especially the high-rise building with the tiny movie theather) and exploring the mirrored stuff together was the most fun I’ve had in a museum in a long time. (The guards were even a blast — showing us how to play with the time-delated cameras in one room). O. summed up the show perfectly as we walked back to the car: ” I know how to make sense of it, but it still doesn’t make sense.”

Painting of a pony from the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Recently, I’ve run into several parents of young kids who haven’t taken their kids to museums or galleries — or if they do, take them only to the kids’ play rooms at the institutions. My kids have been hauled out to museums since day one (almost – - Baby J. was 7 days old for her first museum visit), mostly because, selfishly, I wanted to go.  Taking kids to a gallery can produce anxiety — they’re not quiet, they move fast, they grow extra hands when you’re not looking.

In case it feels like art musems are just for contemplative adults who talk in quiet tones, here’s a nice post by writer and critic Edward Goldman, who’s more than happy to see babies in museums — hooray!

Dan Graham, New Space for Showing Videos 1995 T.B. Walker Acquisition Fund, 2002

Mirror, Mirror Art project

Hello, I’m Alanna, the new Family Programs intern, assisting with Free First Saturday. I’ll be posting periodically on events relating to Raising Creative Kids, as seen from my behind-the-scenes perspective in the Education and Community Programs Department. For my first blogging assignment I decided to sit down with Ilene Krug Mojsilov, The Walker’s Art Lab Coordinator to see how the upcoming Dan Graham exhibition would be used to fuel a creative art activity that she’s designed for Nov 7^th Free First Saturday.

Dan Graham is a conceptual artist, among many things—a photographer, performer, video artist and critic. He has been working since the 1960’s in New York and is considered a pioneering figure in many modes of art. His retrospective, Dan Graham: Beyond, organized by the Museum of Contemporary art, Los Angeles opens at The Walker on Oct 31.

A lot of Dan Graham’s pieces are works of installation. How do you get kids to understand the concept of an installation?

Well first I get them to define the word “install.” I start out with the question: “Who knows what it means to install something? I liken the idea to a kitchen that needs to be redone and how an object like a stove, fits in the space.

Dan Graham’s work often challenges viewer’s perceptions. He creates environments where the viewers see themselves and are seen by others. Tell me how your art activity relates to this idea of perception.

The activity is called Mirror, Mirror. It is made from human-made materials, different from natural materials. Plastic, glass, lumber, steel, and metal are examples of elements used in architecture. I ask children to manipulate materials like plastic, Mylar, and foam core so that they can envision what a space could be. In this way, the art becomes self-reflective, as they can infuse their own lives in it. I ask the kids to use three different types of surfaces, transparent, meaning material you can see through; translucent, material you can see partially through; and opaque, material you cannot see through.

What are the reasons or intentions behind the project?

I like people to play with the idea of space by using materials that play with light.

We all perceive space differently. Light and shadow are ingredients in this recipe for a space. I also hope that this activity gives participants a way to delineate personal and public space.

How will the kids get this?

I always like to relate an artistic work to their own experience. I tell them, “Think of your bedroom.” In this way, the children are able to use the materials with specific purposes that arise from their own imaginations of familiar places.

Can this work for all ages?

Yes. Older kids can see the project as an interior design project. To younger kids, it can be an outdoor installation. It would be suitable for 3 years olds to teens.

Ilene is giving accessibility to contemporary art. It is a genre I admit I am not familiar with.

This seems to be an experience where the children are introduced to conceptual art without even knowing it. You’re offering an experience where they don’t get bogged down with definitions.

Exactly. They don’t get bogged down with definitions.

We are both smiling

It seems like you enjoy the experiential side of learning.

I like to learn that way…I like when there’s a challenge.

Our conversation dips into discourse about teaching methods. I am beginning to discover Ilene’s passion—her identity as an independent thinker, gutsy, intuitive and someone who discovered her own kinesthetic learning style early in life. She draws on this strength in challenging kids in the creative process.

I want all people to experience the creative process. I do my job because I’m discovering something.

How do you initially think of ideas?

I am inspired by other artists and exhibitions. I think: What could I do with this? What can I take? I borrow from these influences. That’s what makes working in museum education so interesting. There is always something new, a new exhibition…I never get stuck.

Do you ever run out of ideas?

No…like cleaning out my closet. I find new ways of looking at the everyday. That’s always been part of my experience…finding connections to the present.

Using Dan Graham’s exhibit, Mirror Mirror will construct a creative way for children to connect with their present.

I happened upon filmmaker Astra Taylor and her documentary Examined Life at the Women with Vision festival last spring and found myself a huge fan of the film, and I became intrigued by her bio, particularly the fact that she was unschooled until age 13. From what I know about unschooling, it’s very similar to the artist’s life. You wake up each day guided by the question ‘what do I want to learn today?’ You’re not told by a boss or teacher what to do, when to do it, and how to get it done, rather your own curiosities lead the way.

This anarchist approach to education has been fundamental to Taylor’s D.I.Y. attitude towards learning, creativity, and pedagogy. As one interviewer wrote, ‘Her non-traditional upbringing, or as she calls it, her “super weirdo hippy background,” stood her in good stead, providing a strong sense of confidence and an affirmation in her own abilities and artistic vision.’ Thinking about Astra’s unconventional past, I began to wonder how education and the way we’re taught to learn can hinder or support our creative development.

Luckily, Astra will be back to the Walker next Thursday night (talk and gallery admission are free) to speak about how her personal experiences of growing up home-schooled without a curriculum or schedule have shaped her personal philosophy and development as an artist. If you need a primer, check out this great interview she did with CitizenShift or you can get a better idea of Astra’s influences by her recommended reads:

* * * *

Animal Liberation by Peter Singer

A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guatarri

The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing

Ways of Seeing by John Berger

Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit

The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World by Lewis Hyde

* * * *

Other Suggestions:

“Against School” by John Taylor Gatto in Harpers Magazine, September 2003

How Children Learn by John Holt

How Children Fail by John Holt

Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School & Get a Real Life & Education by Grace Llewellyn

Lipchitz liked to explore themes from mythology. According to legend the Titan Prometheus stole fire from the god Zeus and gave it to the humans. Zeus punished Prometheus by chaining him to a rock where a vulture would eat his liver every day, only to have it grow back every night. Eventually Hercules killed the bird. It’s a great bedtime story.

Ashley turned to me and said “Prometheus was kind of like a superhero. He fought for the humans and never dies.” Perfect! We had theme for day: Super Sculptures!

Fast forward to September. Families had a great time making their own action figures using masking tape and newspaper with artist Mary Rivard. Heroes are often known for being incredibly strong and the artist gave Prometheus some serious muscles, so we invited bodybuilders to come and flex their stuff.

But what is a superhero without a cool super suit! We gave kids tape, cardboard, some paper, makers, string, and let them go wild. Photographer Sam Hoolihan made some fantastic backdrops and spent the day snapping shots of people in their cool new costumes. It was awesome.
Just look at the results.

On Saturday, September 5^th there’s another exciting Free First Saturday event happening at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Super Sculptures, inspired by the mythical sculptures in the Garden.  To see a collection of superheroes living in the Garden click here.  Events run from 10am-3pm, and all activities and Walker admission are totally FREE.

In anticipation of the Flexing Force performance by local bodybuilders, I asked our performers a few questions to help us better understand the sport of bodybuilding . Here’s what Laurey Heinrich, Michelle Soldo, and Ponce Saysomphou had to say:
 

Laurey Heinrich

How did you first get interested in the sport of bodybuilding?

LH: I sold memberships at a gym and was surrounded by people who were interested or competed in bodybuilding shows. I was absolutely fascinated by strong women who could still look feminine. A female competitor told me that I have the body shape to do competitions.

MS: I’ve always been athletic. In high school and college I ran track and played soccer. Both sports involved strength training. During the 20 years that followed, through law school and due to very long work hours, I became less and less physically active. In August 2005, six months before my 40th birthday, I thought back about the things I used to do, the sports I used to play, the healthy and active life style I used to have…it was then I realized it was time to make some important lifestyle changes. 

Michelle Soldo

What does a typical weekly training schedule look like for you?
MS: On weekdays I’m typically up at 4:30 a.m. I have coffee, eat the first of 7 daily meals and take the first of 3 daily courses of supplements. I’m in the gym by 5:30 a.m. I do 45 to 60 minutes of cardio every weekday morning. I prefer step mill and elliptical machines. I also train abs 2 to 3 mornings a week and sit in the sauna as often as time permits. I return home by 7:00 a.m., shower, dress for work and I’m off to the races. I begin work at 8:00 a.m. If I’m lucky, my work day ends at 6:30 p.m. After work I meet my training partner at the gym. We train a single body part each day, followed by 30 minutes of step mill or elliptical, or a 3 to 4 mile run. I get home by 9:00 p.m., eat my 7th and final  meal of the day and prepare my meals for the next day. I’m typically in bed by 10:30 p.m.

Over weekends, my training partner and I go for a long run on Saturday morning – which is typically between 6 and 8 miles, Saturday evening we may also lift a single body part, and Sunday is a day of rest, unless I’m training for a contest, then it’s a day of cardio.

PS: I workout 5 days a week. 2 hours a day. Unless I’m prepping for a show then I’m working out 7 days a week.

Ponce Saysomphou

Do you have to have a special diet when training? If so, tell me about it.
LH: Clean eating is a must. I eat whole grains, a lot of protein, and healthy fats and a lot of water.

PS: In my offseason I don’t really have a special diet. I’m just trying to gain more mass. But if I was training for a show, then my diet is very strict. It’s basically a high protein and low carb diet. I usually keep it simple nothing too complicated.

What kind of special preparation is involved leading up to a competition/event?
LH: I would say so much of the preparation for a show in mental! The diet and training are intense and you need to remain focused. There are many hours spent at the gym, cooking, planning your meals, and setting up appointments for suit fittings and tanning, etc.

MS: When I prepare for a contest, I lift weights 5 days a week, train abs 3 days a week, do a lot of cardio – typically 45 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes a day – 6 days a week. I also tan several times a week. Three days out from a contest, I begin to reduce my water intake from 200 ounces of water a day to 8 ounces the day before the contest. The day before the contest, I have spray tan professionally applied from head to toe. Contest morning, I set the alarm for 3:00 a.m. when I get up to have a bowl of oatmeal. I sleep until 6 a.m., put on my posing suit and mentally prepare for prejudging which typically begins at 8:00 a.m. At that point, I’ve done all I can do and I focus on enjoying the moment that I’ve worked so hard to get to.

PS: I usually train about 8-9 weeks for an event/competition, eating a very strict diet of high protein and low carbs, and doing cardio everyday for about 30 min.

Funniest/craziest bodybuilding moment?
LH: For about a month after I won the 2008 NANBF Ms. Natural Minnesota my 5 year old daughter would announce to strangers…”My Mom is the CHAMPION of Minnesota!” and of course no one knew what she was talking about.

MS: The first time I was professionally spray tanned for a contest, my skin color was so dark that when I stood up against a dark wall, you could only see the whites of my eyes and my teeth.

PS: The craziest moment was when I won my class in Natual Mr.U.S.A and got my pro card. I always wanted to become a pro natural bodybuilder. I just didn’t think it would happen that soon. I thought it was pretty awesome.

Are there any common misconceptions about bodybuilding?
LH: Yes! Some misconceptions are that all bodybuilders use steroids, they are not intelligent, and they are not flexible. That is far from the truth! Many of us use good old fashioned hard work to train and eat right. Bodybuilding takes a lot of discipline and the right knowledge is extremely important. And some bodybuilders are extremely flexible and actually do the splits on stage!

MS: There are many common misperceptions about bodybuilding. Two primary misconceptions relate to nutrition and motive.

In regard to nutrition, people often incorrectly assume we starve ourselves. We don’t. We eat more than most people, but choose our food carefully to maximize muscle growth.

In regard to motive, people incorrectly assume all bodybuilders pursue bodybuilding because they are vain. Some are. Some are not. For many like me, bodybuilding is a personal hobby, a personal passion – it’s not an attention seeking endeavor. Some people spend hours scrap booking, reading, playing golf, woodworking, watching sports, watching television, going to movies, gardening….I spend that time in the gym. In the words of my wise older brother Buddy Soldo, “The Soldo’s are artists. You Michelle, you’re canvas is your body. You’ve found you’re gift. Don’t waste it.”

What super power do you wish you had?
LH: To change people into whatever they would like to become.

MS: That’s a really great question. If there’s a superhero whose super power is the world’s fastest metabolism and they can eat all of the chocolate cookies they want without gaining weight, that’s the super power I want.

PS: I wish I had super strength and could burn fat without doing cardio.

Have you ever beaten anyone up?
LH: uugghh….no, because everyone is too afraid to take me on!!! j/k

MS: Yep – I sparred all through Junior High – no kidding!

PS: I’ve never beaten up anyone before.

Who was your favorite super hero when you were a kid?
LH: Wonder Woman and the Bionic Man!!

MS: I was a big Wonder Woman fan. I liked her outfit. When Xena the Warrior Princess was big, I liked her too. She’s the superhero I plan to emulate on Free First Saturday.

Can you give us any hints as to what families can expect to see on September 5th?
LH: You will see me evolve from a cocoon, into a butterfly, into a bodybuilding super hero.

MS: I anticipate that families will see athletes who love the sport of bodybuilding. Their enthusiasm and love of the sport will be evident through the unique routines they perform and will be evident in their smiles. Our goal is that everyone has a great time. Come join us!

PS: I’m looking forward to the event. It will be entertaining and fun! I can’t wait.

As if family life isn’t challenging enough, Manhattanite Colin Beavan takes it to the ultimate test when he decides to embark on an experiment to see if leading a life with zero environmental impact affects happiness. To make it work, however, his coffee- and shopping-addicted wife and their toddler have to join his quest. The film, which screens at the Walker September 16th (did I mention it’s FREE?!) follows this life-changing adventure as the family adapts to their new lifestyle, the couple struggles with their marriage, and the criticisms fly after Beavan’s many media appearances.

Co-director of No Impact Man, Laura Gabbert graciously answered some questions about the making of the film while visiting with family in Minneapolis.

What got you interested in this project?

Colin’s wife, Michelle Conlin is an old friend I grew up with in Minneapolis. I knew Colin was embarking on this experience early on so my filmmaking partners and I asked him if we could make a film about it.

What made you think this would be a good documentary?

Colin’s project was interesting to me as a filmmaker because it was a character-driven, solution-based approach to the environmental crisis. As we embarked on the filmmaking, we were excited by the immediacy and the intimacy of observing one family attempting to make these changes in their lives.

How did you convince Michelle and Colin to let you make a documentary film of No Impact Man (NIM)?

Michelle was game from the beginning. She’s a journalist and knew it would be good for the project. Colin was leary of a documentary crew following him around and observing his family life, but eventually he agreed that a documentary film could explore different dimensions of the project than his book.

When did the filming begin and can you give a sense of how much time you spent with the family over the year?

NIM began in November 2006, and we started filming about one week into the project. Justin Schein (co-director/cinematographer), who is based in Brooklyn, was there twice a week for shooting. I made regular visits to New York (from L.A.) 6 to 7 times over the year, and I slept on Michelle and Colin’s sofa each time so that I could shoot them late at night or first thing in the morning. We followed the Beavan/Conlins for the entire year and for about six months after the project ended.

Can you explain how you and Justin adapted your filmmaking to reduce your footprint?

Colin requested we make as green a film as possible. Documentary filmmaking already has less environmental impact than a Hollywood production. I had to reduce my air travel in half. Since the film was shot in NY and edited in LA we used the internet to send cuts back and forth. In NY no cars or lights were used, and all tracking shots of the Beavans riding a bicycle were done from a bike. The filming was all local since the Beavans didn’t travel. Justin decided to use the old DV camera he had instead of purchasing a new HD one, and he used 4 rechargeable batteries all year long. Six months into the project when the Beavans turned off their electricity, we shot only with natural light. We went with a grainy look as our subjects lived by candlelight.

Do you think you’ll try to incorporate these practices into future projects?

Definitely. There are new environmental codes for fiction and nonfiction filmmaking and technology is making it much easier to be green.

Did you ever think Colin and Michelle would reach a breaking point?

The publicity explosion around the experiment was the most challenging thing for Colin and Michelle, especially after the NY Times article came out (“The Year Without Toilet Paper” March 2007). Colin was inundated with requests by the press and this started getting in the way of the experiment. Colin was thrust into the position of being a spokesperson for the environmental movement and this was a surprise and challenge for him at first. (Although since the NIM year, he’s become a prolific educator and public speaker.) Colin and Michelle each had their ups and downs during the course of the year. Half way through the year Michelle had what she calls a “conversion experience” and began to feel more motivated politically as she began to see the positive effects the experiment was having on her health and her family.

How did you see the Beavan/Conlin family evolve over the course of the year?

By stripping away things like shopping and entertainment they got back to the basics of spending time with one another, they rediscovered things they had lost. It was the Walden side of the experiment. It made them healthier and happier. They focused inward a little more. Paradoxically, they also became more engaged in environmental issues in their community. They became more engaged politically.

One of the ideas behind the Walker’s Raising Creative Kids initiative is that parents are key models in developing their children’s creativity. Certainly the NIM year must have forced Colin and Michelle to think outside the box when it came to parenting. Can you comment on the creative aspect of their family life during NIM?

They spent a lot more time together as a family and a lot more time out exploring the city. Because they had no light or electricity in their apartment, it forced them outside and they embraced the city in ways they hadn’t previously. They biked everywhere in the summer and spent evenings along the Hudson River and in their community garden. Because one of the rules of the experiment was “not buying anything new”, in order to buy their three year old daughter Christmas presents, they shopped at their local consignment and second-hand children’s stores. There was a great post in Colin’s NIM blog related to this idea of what to do without TV.

Colin and Isabella at Market, photo courtesy Oscilloscope Laboratories

How has NIM changed you and your family’s lifestyle?

A lot of this stuff just makes sense to kids–composting, for example. When Colin challenged us to make changes in our own lives, this was something my family adopted. My kids (an 8 yr. old and a 5 yr. old) intuitively understood composting and they got a kick out of it. If someone at our house tries to throw vegetable scraps in the garbage, my kids are there to correct them. We’ve started a vegetable garden, and the kids enjoy seeing where their vegetables come from and harvesting and eating their own produce. We do our best to carpool, which is challenging in L.A., and we participate in local environmental organizations such as Tree People’s tree plantings around the city.

Do Colin, Michelle, and Isabella continue to live according to the same rules of the NIM year? Have any allowances been made for the sake of convenience?

They’re low impact now as opposed to no impact. There’s still no air conditioning, but air travel is allowed, and they share a plot at the community garden. Their main mode of transportation is their bicycles, but if it’s raining or snowing, they’ll take the subway. They’re not nearly as strict, but definitely more mindful about their choices. NIM was a full-time job…to make your own bread every week and do your laundry by hand only works if one adult in the family doesn’t need to be at the office from 9–5 (Michelle maintained her job at BusinessWeek throughout NIM). What they learned is that it’s pretty easy to reduce your impact by 75%, but it’s the last 25% that’s really hard.

What’s your next project?

There are several. Habeas at the Gate, a narrative film based on a friendship between a Guatanamo detainee and his Park Avenue lawyer, and The F Word, a documentary about the state of feminism today.

Thanks Laura. I can’t wait to see No Impact Man when it screens at the Walker!

I’m excited the Walker is screening it. I actually took art and dance classes at the Walker when I was a child.

No Impact Man makes its Minneapolis premiere at the Walker’s Cinema on Wednesday, September 16, 7:30 pm before opening at the Lagoon Cinema on October 2nd. The Walker screening is free and will be introduced by co-director, Laura Gabbert. Colin Beavan’s book, No Impact Man The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process hits shelves in September and you can read his daily posts on the No Impact Man blog.

Seexeng, who’s a practicing artist and teacher at South H.S., developed the overarching design on a series of 50 small square canvas tiles and asked participants to select a tile that spoke to them, and fill it with their own symbols. Once the paintings were complete the families helped themselves to a delicious buffet of food from Mango Thai, while Seexeng speedily dried and assembled the paintings onto a large plywood frame behind closed doors so that the unveiling was, to quote Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, “the best prize of all, a SURPRISE!”

Families hard at play

Calvin Her, PaYong Xiong, Missy Her, Mysister Her

The spread, courtesy Mango Thai Restaurant in St. Paul

Voila! The culminating masterpiece

Detail of mural

What images and symbols can you find?

Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge (1988). Whether you bike or drive to the Walker, start your visit with a trip across this fabulous bridge by Minneapolis artist Siah Armajani. Look for the poem, count the cars.

Wind Chime (After Dream) by Pierre Huyghe

Wind Chime (After Dream) by Pierre Huyghe. Tell the kids your going to go see some wind chimes (they’ll be unimpressed), then walk with them through the grove of chimes installed in the sculpture garden. It is unexpectedly mesmerizing, and kids can play tag and listen at the same time.

The Garden

The Garden by Claes Oldenburg. A successful visit with my kids always involves food. Thursday nights, you can order hot dogs and hamburgers cooked outside on the grill. Place your order inside in the Bazinet Garden Lobby, and check out the rows of mysterious, rotting lemons in glass jars, then go outside, and see the garden where they’re buried while the burgers cook.

Sky Pesher by James Turrell After dinner, run up and down the hill a few dozen times, then make one more trip up the hill and discover one of our favorite semi-hidden spots at the Walker:  Sky Pesher by James Turrell, which is built into the ground near the WAC building. It is a delight and a suprise, and a great place to end a busy day.