Art’s nature versus “real” nature.
The beauty and perfection of Nature is in its imperfection. It is asymmetrical. Alfred North Whitehead and Albert Einstein suggested whatever we needed to find was in Nature.
Nature has ways of speaking to us and revealing itself when we are present and attentive. Being awake means encountering Nature as part of it rather than outside of it as virtual observers. When we open up all our senses Nature reveals herself readily.
It is in the ordinary we find the extraordinary. Art is a way of expressing Nature through the sensuousness we feel. When I look at art, it is the less than perfect representation that attracts. There is something in the asymmetry that pulls me deeper into my relationship with the world.
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About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope and its anticipatory relationship with the future, and hope as an essential element in learning.
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
Indeed 🙂
What a great and powerful post my friend ! A real hymn to Nature and its unparalleled potentiality …
Thank you. We are in Nature.
Does it not strike you, that the farther we venture into a wilderness, the less “I”,(ego) we need or use.
Some of mans ailments, mental ailments do not exist in pure nature, like PTSD.
In nature you are quick or lunch, a therapist is not needed.
Awareness is a vital part of survival.
As we gather into cities we lose the connection.
You are right. I think what might happen is our senses heighten and we become part of what we are. In a class last year, I told the group when I get out of the car on my road trips in the mountains I know I am part of nature and am more aware and observant.
Last week, during a school meeting we were asked “how do we teach students the beauty which is true and good?”…I could only come up with this answer: “nature”.
Foxelle
There is probably no better answer. There is a little research in the area and it finds that children who spend time in nature find it soothing and invigorating.
The sentiment of being in nature, awake, as part of it resonates with me strongly. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome.
I am tagging you with a recognition tag:
http://viktoryarch.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/just-a-thought-recognition-tag/
Thank you for you blog.
I appreciate and enjoy it.
Thank you for your kindness.
Best wishes.
Thank you for the kindness.
This resonates so much Ivon. Thank you!
You are welcome Val.