Observation Piece

Observation Piece, 2011-2019

First, grab some people. Everyone take 10 minutes to wander alone, without talking, around a small, pre-defined area. Observe and notice your surroundings: surfaces, negative and positive spaces, lines, patterns, detritus (Gum on sidewalks, accidental paintings). Follow your curiosity. Search for everyday beauty and the overlooked, go forth with a sense of affection for the place.

 Second, regroup and tour the same area for 10 minutes, sharing things that you noticed during your observation and why they stood out to you. Beware the urge to be critical and prescribe fixes.  Stay in the present and focus on everyday beauty you observed.

Developed for my work at Springboard for the Arts to help artists and non-artists use their observation skills to look at everyday, seemingly mundane places and find beauty in them.