TED: Beauty. Imagination. Enchantment.

Friday, March 04, 2011

TED: Beauty. Imagination. Enchantment.

When viewing TED2011 last night, these three words kept running through my head, and I realized when exposed to art, they all lead to one another, but not always in that order.

For two hours last night, I was simply enchanted by the artists who shared a brief insight to their imaginations by displaying the beauty they create. It was inspiring; especially to this fledging artist who found her passion for clay work a little later in life. Not enough room here to tell you all I took away, but here are a few thoughts.

Beatrice Coron, is a papercutter artist who found her calling at nearly 40. After walking on stage draped in the most beautiful cloak cut from a single piece of paper, I washooked. Fascinating me with the simplicity of a silhouette, I was left enchanted by the complexity of the stories she tells in one single strand of paper.

Sarah Kay took my breath away! She was lucky, finding her passion at the age of 14 and harnessing it to become a remarkable performance poet. Not only beautiful, her imagination is bursting from her core and she clearly knows how to look inside herself to discover what matters most. Now 22, she is wise beyond her years advising us to put the things we know to be true into the work we do. So honest and so enchanting.

Kate Hartman is a funny and thoughtful artist and technologist. She creates devices and interfaces for humans, houseplants and glaciers in a playful manner that questions the ways in which we relate and communicate. Her recommendation to discover the act of listening is simple, yet so underrated. I mean, we all have two ears and one mouth right?

I want to thank Shea Hembrey for the laughs. This artist and curator is immensely talented, brilliant and amusing. We should all live by his three H’s – putting Head, Heart, and Hands into our work. And I will always keep this thought in mind: if you can’t find what you like, create it yourself.

And to Jason Mraz – you are A-W-E-S-O-M-E! I didn’t think it was possible to adore you even more but “You #$*&ing did it!” Thanks for the anti-Sesame Street performance. I promise to be better at acknowledging others around me each day.

~ Wendy

When viewing TED2011 last night, these three words kept running through my head, and I realized when exposed to art, they all lead to one another, but not always in that orde

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For two hours last night, I was simply enchanted by the artists who shared a brief insight to their imaginations by displaying the beauty they create. It was inspiring; especially to this fledging artist who found her passion for clay work a little later in life. Not enough room here to tell you all I took away, but here are a few thoughts.

Beatrice Coron, is a papercutter artist who found her calling at nearly 40. After walking on stage draped in the most beautiful cloak cut from a single piece of paper, I washooked. Fascinating me with the simplicity of a silhouette, I was left enchanted by the complexity of the stories she tells in one single strand of paper.

Sarah Kay took my breath away! She was lucky, finding her passion at the age of 14 and harnessing it to become a remarkable performance poet. Not only beautiful, her imagination is bursting from her core and she clearly knows how to look inside herself to discover what matters most. Now 22, she is wise beyond her years advising us to put the things we know to be true into the work we do. So honest and so enchanting.

Kate Hartman is a funny and thoughtful artist and technologist. She creates devices and interfaces for humans, houseplants and glaciers in a playful manner that questions the ways in which we relate and communicate. Her recommendation to discover the act of listening is simple, yet so underrated. I mean, we all have two ears and one mouth right?

I want to thank Shea Hembrey for the laughs. This artist and curator is immensely talented, brilliant and amusing. We should all live by his three H’s – putting Head, Heart, and Hands into our work. And I will always keep this thought in mind: if you can’t find what you like, create it yourself.

And to Jason Mraz – you are A-W-E-S-O-M-E! I didn’t think it was possible to adore you even more but “You #$*&ing did it!” Thanks for the anti-Sesame Street performance. I promise to be better at acknowledging others around me each day.

~ Wendy

Friday, March 04, 2011