Running with Rabbits


After a comment on my Backyard Bunnies post, I have been thinking more about the Animal spirit of the Rabbit, and the medicine that is associated with this animal in the Native American tradition.  Fear, abundance and creativity are the words that are associated most with this animal.  I have been thinking about these words in terms of myself, being an artist and also being an art educator.

Today I was confronted with a photo on the front page of our local paper, and also an email request at work.  The photo shows an animated teacher and engaged learners, and the caption reads, "Preparing Future Teachers".  My email work request was to capture our GT students at work in our respective classrooms using photography.  These photos will be used somehow in a video that will be produced showing - what does our GT program look like at High school? and what are our GT students doing and how are they engaged in learning?  We are to take these photos of our GT students at work, and submit them for use in the district video.

I know that our society is photo and media driven, and here I am using a blog and photos for expression in my own way.  However, I take pause, when I think that we are supposed to make education and learning "look" a certain way.  Rabbits are timid, quiet, and blend in with the environment, is what my aunt reminded me of in her recent comment.  And as an artist, I very much identify with this.  I find myself many times as a quiet observer of life and what is going on around me.  I absorb it even through my skin sometimes, and my nerves feel the effect.  Just like a rabbit twitches and moves at the slightest sound, I also feel very sensitive to my environment and to changes within that environment.

I also feel fear and anxiety.  What if my teaching of art doesn't always look animated?  What if my students don't always look engaged outwardly, but are inwardly processing and thinking.  Sometimes, we need processing time, thinking time, and feeling time, in order to create.  And it doesn't always look like the public and media wants to see it.

Below is a photo of the article in the Waco Tribune Herald that I am referring to.  And also a link to the Rabbit Spirit Animal.  This is something I want to continue thinking about as I consider the Rabbit and my art and my position as an art educator.


http://www.spiritanimal.info/rabbit-spirit-animal/

Comments

  1. Oma's HomesteadMarch 28, 2018 at 7:12 AM

    Well said... being in touch with yourself is so very important as an artist, educator , and human. You must show your learners how to do this and I pray all those concerned understand this in some way.

    ReplyDelete

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