Making Art on Tuesdays

Some of the children's art from my Tuesday class this term. Grades 1-4.

Starting a new Starter

A disaster

A little less of a disaster

A beautiful loaf at last

I think I would describe myself as a tactile person. I like to get really involved in the garden, the kitchen, the art room, and I usually wear the evidence on my face, grubby hands and clothes. I love to experience life through my senses.

I was prompted to try making my own sourdough bread last year after I began researching a low Glycemic Index (GI) diet to help improve my skin. The process of fermentation which occurs in sourdough has many beneficial effects on the flour/grains. I won't be able to explain it very well but this lady over at Nourishing Gourmet has done a lot of the research and explains it well here (will insert link later, having some trouble...)

I had a few failed attempts as you'll see in the first 2 pictures before Natalie's mum stepped in to help. She kindly offered me some of her starter and a proven recipe which helped me to achieve a beautiful loaf. I've since left that starter with my mum who is now regularly making fruity toast which she and dad enjoy for breakfast.

2 days ago I began a new starter from scratch - simply mixing 1 cup of organic rye (organic is preferably as you want to encourage growth of GOOD bacteria which might otherwise be inhibited by traces of pesticide), with 1 cup filtered warm water. Mix well and leave in a warm place in a bowl covered with cheesecloth. Even though it's cold and wet here today it is quite warm beside the heater vent. Each day I mix in equal parts flour and water to feed it. This morning I was excited to see that after only 2 days it has begun to bubble and ferment. Within a week I should have an excellent, slightly smelly culture so I can begin my bread.

Bread making can be a little fiddly for beginners, and sourdough especially as it requires long times to rise in between, but I think this quote sums up nicely why I enjoy it:

“Someone once asked me why I bother mixing and shaping my bread by hand. I didn’t have the words to answer them, nor could I understand why they didn’t just know. I will not let my fingers be reduced to simply button-pressing, dial-twirling or switch-flicking. There is no instrument in my bag of baker’s tools more useful and adaptable that my tow hands, and as long as I can use them to make and shape bread, I will.”

Dan Lepard in the Introduction to his book “The Handmade Loaf".

This afternoons project is my first attempt to make some mozzarella cheese from scratch...

Why I like high ISO

Last week Seth and I went on a photo walk with Amanda as part of a (very thoughtful) Christmas gift from Teresa. There was only one other German lady in the group (the aim is to keep it small) so it was great to get some contact time with an expert. We spent the first hour chatting about photography basics which are relevant to both digital SLR cameras and many 'point and shoots' as well; aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and the next hour practicing manipulating these and some other techniques such as panning (taking a photo of a moving vehicle so it is clear and the background is blurry...) and something else I can't quite remember the name of. It was a great refreshment on some important basics and intoduced me to some new things as well. I'm keen to try "light painting" so stay tuned for some of that.

One point Amanda made, and I have heard this over and over again, is that while a high ISO (probably 800+) on a film camera can have a cool, film grain effect, generally on digital cameras it's not advised to use anything above 400-800ish. As a guide my camera has a range between 100 and 3200. I use high ISO often when shooting in low-light. I actually quite like the look and think it is a good alternative to using a garish flash.

More information on ISO if I'm starting to sound like one of those jargon people that annoy me. This is from Amanda Kerr:

ISO stands for “International Organization for Standardization”. ISO is an indicator for the film’s (or in the case of digital – sensor’s) sensitivity to light. The lower the number the less light the sensor can ‘grab’during your exposure time. You would use a low number ISO like 100 for shooting in bright daylight and the higher numbers like 400 and 800 for shooting in low light. The higher the ISO the more chance there is of getting noise in your image, so when shooting with a digital camera keep your ISO as low as possible to avoid unwanted noise. Adjusting ISO should be your last resort, but without adding external light (i.e., flash) sometimes cranking the ISO up is your only option. NOTE: Nikon shooters of older Nikons like D200 need to be extra careful as these cameras can be quite noisy.

While I would be silly to think the experts are wrong, I think ISO is a great tool. I am going to try and prove, to myself and the experts that high ISO photos can be artful and excellently unique inspite of and because of the 'noise'. The one at the top of this page is from the other evening in deep cove, after the sun had set, which I think captures the clouds beautifully. It really was blue like that. ISO 2000. Here is another high ISO favourite of mine. Below are some panning photos. I know they're not perfect, but I'm working on it:

Cured of the study bug

Did I say I wanted to do more study? Not to worry, I've been cured of that.

I went along to a lecture with Josh last week for a subject I'm really interested in. It's called the Christian Imagination. It's about the theology behind art, and using art to explore theology. It includes a visit to a monastry, a local sculptors studio, singing lessons, dancing, poetry and more.

And yet half of the assessment is a response to the readings. A lot of readings. And that part really scares me. Because the readings are heavy. The type you have to read and then re-read. Some are olden day style too, they just don't read smoothly to me. And poetry. Perhaps I'm not a real artist if I don't understand poetry, but to me it's like strange modern art. I find it so cryptic. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to poetry, I just don't speak that language.

Josh read me a quote from one of his text books which had way too many big words in one sentence. It made me angry. I feel like it is pompus and elitist the way "educated" people use exclusive language that the average 'Jo' can't understand.

I took a 4 year teaching course and it took me until near the end to work out that the 'pedagogy' they'd been talking about all along just meant 'teaching'. Why on earth can't they just say that then?

I think people at universities make up words.

So, all of this to say that I no long desire to study. BUT I do desire (and plan to continue) to learn and read and be taught by inspiring people.

Our first falling snow

Ok, so I used some very mediocre manipulation, but that's only because it was such a light snowfall that no one would believe me otherwise. I promise you it was real and that's why I was jumping for joy.

We have also seen some snow (on the ground mind you) on a bigger scale when we went snow boarding, but this snow was special because it chose to fall on us on "our" first day of College. I say our because they specifically invited family to attend the orientation but it is really for the course that Joshua is about to undertake.

Warning: long paragraphs coming up. Summary at the bottom of the page if you're feeling lazy and want to scroll down.

It was so encouraging hearing from the president and various other faculty about the beginning of the college 40 years ago, about their mission and philosophy and other interesting bits and pieces. Out of everyone I'm pretty sure I took the most notes and asked questions and I'm not even studying. That was the torture of it really. It made me want to study, and I never thought I'd go back there again. Anyhow, I will get my man through the next few years, and we'll see what I can squeeze in as well - they run some night subjects and summer courses too.

Prior to leaving Australia a number of people asked us "Why do you have to go to Canada for it?" and "What is so special about Regent?" I wasn't totally sure how to answer these questions but Josh and I were both really excited to come to Regent - it seemed right. Now I know the answer. And I'm sure it's the right place for Josh to study (and possibly even me - they have such amazing arts programs)!

In my own words some notes on Regent and why it's amazing:

First a little on the Brethren. To be honest if I'd heard anything about these guys in the past, (please, no offence intented at all) then all I imagined were old-fashioned Christian people whose men drove horse buggies with long beards and women wore long dresses and scarves. I don't know if there is some truth in that or if I am confusing them with the Amish but that was all I 'knew' or perhaps didn't know. What I learnt this week however was that the Brethren church movement began in the 1820's in Ireland with a group of believers who felt that ministry should apply to all believers, not just the ordained person standing at the front of the church. So they started the brethren church - a group of believers who were all brothers I suppose and respected the role each person had (in whatever sphere of life) as 'ordained' by God. That's my take anyhow. And I like that idea a lot.

In the 1960's a guy belonging to the Brethren church here in Vancouver recognized within the church a general emphasis on spirituality, piety (prayerful, worshipful, generally devoted to God kind of actions), but at the same time an anti-intellectualism. I guess some of this exists even today - people feel academia is a threat to 'faith' which is more abstract. But they go together brilliantly. Josh shared along these lined in his last sermon at Cornerstone before we left (which was another thing which made me think this is all coming together so well)- it's important to have an informed faith - to know what we believe and why we believe it.

Anyway, back to this 1960's guy who may or may not have had a beard, he thought to himself "Hmmmm, could we start a theological institution that took both piety and intellect seriously?" Turns out this guy met up with a bunch of other like minded thinkers and they started Regent College in the late 60's. Unlike many theological colleges which train people to be ministers of specific churches, Regent prepare people for 'ministry' (what does that even mean - I'm going to assume it means living out your Christian faith - striving to be more like Jesus and to worship God with practical intention and action) in ALL of life. Oh and they're transdenomination so you don't have to be a bearded Brethren :)

Yikes, anyone still reading. Anyhow I enjoyed learning all about this.

Summary: The Brethren have some cool ideas. Regent is an amazing college and if Josh wasn't brilliant enough already he is going to be super brainy and super good-looking and a super kind guy when he's done. Maybe that is enough words in one stretch for the moment. I'm usually the picture girl not the word girl.

Love Sharolyn