Two Lights

Key of V

Equipped with voices as complimentary as V and E's and the innate beauty of the violin/guitar combo, Key of V achieve pretty easily. But these artists aren't satisfied with just pretty. They fight their songs with Alanis-like rambling, bursts of energy that bring Patti Smith to mind, and transitions that would make David Bowie proud. One can never infer an ending from any of their beginnings and yet--somehow--none of the songs sound random or forced. In a strange way, it's all still organic, like assemblage is naturally embedded in their intuition (rather than being a result of aesthetic upgrade due to external stimulus).

One might think that Joanna Newsom's relatively recent claim on childish inflection would overwhelm any such attempt by another act in the near future but not in this case. Whereas Newsom's vocals seem like they come from a lonely elf in a cave on a mountain, Key of V's are more like lights chasing each other in the city. Got it? Good.

Many times when I hear local music, I spend my listening time evaluating the performers' decisions. However, while experiencing the Key of V, I forget that I'm in Williamsport, I forget that I'm in the Coffee and Tea room, and I exist solely in their music. Key of V, due to the atmosphere created by their deft compositions and sisterly chemistry, become place. Whatever plane their playing creates is where I am.

You may accuse me of being overtly positive in my review but I don't see how I could be otherwise. By routinely performing here, the Key of V enrich our culture. Their playing is an experience that I enjoy every time and think about for days after.

It's good art, so, why not encourage it? Why must one always be critical? If you want to hear a tirade about bad art just catch me after I view common crap at the multiplex. "Rich people gone wild" should be the description of Hollywood in its current state. With that in mind, any artists/entertainers who craft their own bubble and invite us in for an engaging, adventurous, challenging, and ultimately pleasurable experience should be nurtured, promoted, and discussed. The Key of V are two artists whom I soulfully endorse.

Sir Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson

I couldn't make it to Sir Ken Robinson's lecture at the Community Arts Center on Wednesday but after I heard several people raving about it, I became determined to find more information about him. Amidst my search, I found a lecture of his in its entirety at

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

I also found several snippets of lectures on Youtube.com like the following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mddD1yGREKQ&feature=related

and more:

http://vodpod.com/search/browse?q=sir+ken+robinson

Anyway, part of the reason why I was so interested in finding information about him is because none of the people who were excited about his lecture could relay any concrete ideas of his for education reform. They were all excited, they had been entertained, and they kept talking about the importance of creativity but they couldn't articulate exactly what is wrong with the education system and how we can change it.

After watching several videos of him talking, I now know why: He's a great speaker, he's hilarious, he's very intelligent, he's a good storyteller, but he never, as far as I know (and part of my motivation for this post is that I hope people prove me wrong) communicates specific problems or specific solutions.

I'll take one of his statements and consider it: He argues that schools should treat creativity as important as literacy.

Every English teacher I know encourages kids to write. As a matter of fact, I just substituted for a language arts teacher at a middle school in Williamsport and she has the kids reading a short story by Ray Bradbury (The Whole Town's Sleeping) and then writing their own tale. What is creativity if it's not encouraging kids to write and teaching them them techniques that can improve their output? There were no constraints on their task besides "the content must be appropriate." The kids were free to be, and encouraged to be, as creative as they wished. My memories of schooling don't contradict this experience. I was consistently encouraged to write short stories in high school English classes. My high school (in South New Jersey), even though it was poor and mismanaged, had a creative writing class, three computer graphics courses, and a career art track.

He mentions that kids' talents are being squandered and that their gifts should be nurtured earlier and allowed to flourish more. While there may be some truth to the fact that some parents discourage their kids from the arts due to the dearth of economic opportunity is such fields, I find it hard to believe that schools repress kids' talents. Teachers that I know whole-heartedly encourage students to refine their gifts and to become the best artists they can be. Teachers are proud when one of their kids excels in anything, schools as well. If students have the slightest interest in any subject, their interest is cheered because it engages them with something other than video games, each other, or themselves regardless of whether they're fascinated by dance or science.

Now, at a time when budgets are shrinking, promoting creativity may be necessary because we all know that the arts are the first to be cut when money's short. But I would argue that history, science, math, and literature give students the necessary tools they need to be effectively creative. Without this core of knowledge, what are kids making art about? All writers and artists I know are amateur scientists. They've got an extensive interest in things and what things are made of.

Robinson says the current education system is made to train children to be professors and that this path isn't the right one for every kid. Both are true. School is geared towards making every child an academic and this path is erroneous. However, the answer doesn't lie simply in making them more creative. What about making them handy? What I mean is: aren't carpentry and mechanics just as important in solving this problem? And carpentry provides kids with a path that gives them enough material knowledge to be great artists and skills that can make them money.

I don't want to ramble on for too long here. My main point is that Robinson's language is hopelessly bogged down in vague notions of "creativity." What I want to know is what exactly he wants teachers to do differently than they are now. Or what exact changes should be made in the educational system besides "focusing more on creativity."

Photos from the Avenue of the Arts

The Pajama Factory:

Java Juice:

Le Chocolate:

Docent Arts:


Lycoming College Multimedia Gallery:

BREAKING NEWS -- POETRY IN WILLIAMSPORT

Dear Gentle Reader,

I cannot be sure of what I heard tonight at the Poetry Slam in the J.V. Brown library--some may call me mad--but I if I did not report my findings I would feel selfish, like I'd been privy to a great secret of the world and had kept it all to myself. There is, and the reliability of my senses depends on it, for those who yearn for more than America's Next Top Model, for those who are unsatisfied with talking heads on television, for those who detect the slight value of pop lyrics, and for those who seek a community of refined minds, a great poetry scene in Williamsport.

Let me tell you of Larry Bassett, a man whose funny bone extends through his entire skeleton and whose personality flares from every pore, setting any room ablaze with life, life, boundless, quirky, vibrant life. http://lawrencebassett.com/

Let me tell you of Tara Holdren, a woman whose words rush and roar like a rollercoaster but stick and hold like a web. She leaps from poetic to frank and back so quickly you might mistake one for the other.

Let me tell you of Fiona Siobhan Powell, a woman whose tales, stocked with the historical depth of Celtic lore, lull you into warm comfort as they slowly choke your heart or welcome you into nature as if you've just been born again. http://www.fionasfable.com/

I feel as if living has just been advanced to the next level, upgraded to a new plane, endowed with another layer, and thoroughly seeded. For all those who missed out, I can only hope that this meeting of souls and syllables occurs again in the near future.

From Court to Museum

By LEAH MATHER
matlea63@pct.edu

WILLIAMSPORT—The Dog Museum by Brad Holland is based on an idea he had for years after his divorce. The acrylic on panel painting is part of an exhibit titled Third Eye in the Gallery at Penn College, and it was created to cover a book.

“I got this assignment for a book called Inside the Dog Museum, and I thought, ‘Perfect,’” said Holland.

He recalls when he was getting divorced he filed the papers at the New York City Supreme Court building. The same building was used in Miracle on 34th Street; he saw it as a “great, old building” and imagined it in 200 years with dogs roaming through it.

“There were all these pillars in this building,” he said. “My idea was horizontal, and it had [those] pillars.”

For his idea, he wanted to paint a lot of “wolf-like” dogs, but the book’s dogs were little pit bulls. Transforming his thoughts meant tracking a stranger, who was walking a pit bull, around the streets one night.

“I just followed them around for a while and visualized the dogs walking and then came home and painted them in,” he said.

For the assignment, his idea also became vertical, and the pillars became more dramatic. “It kind of grew as I went,” he said, remembering.

In the end, The Dog Museum includes a variety of whites, grays, and blacks that stretch up past the canvas, 7 small dogs, and allows everyone who sees it to judge the book by it’s cover.

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Thanks to Leah for being the first to send a writing to the blog! I realize there hasn't been much activity in the last week but I've been down in Philadelphia. Now that I'm back...I'm ready to collect writings for next week's exciting events...check back here frequently for updates.