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It has been quite some time since I have posted on my blog. Of course my life and purpose moved forward, but I stopped documenting moments, experiences, and thoughts about it. I am now back in school and reinvigorated to get back to blogging. For me the goal is to create a personal archive that documents my experiences as a student. I hope to look back on these posts as a resource and a journal. I also hope to inspire others through my words. Thank you for continuing the journey with me!
I started the MFA in Community Practice program at Moore College of Art and Design. The field is an old one that is just recently becoming institutionalized. It goes by many names from community practice to social engagement and a million variations in between. What is means right now to me is the fusion of art and social awareness. The art attempts to go beyond contemplation to action. The author of the work can be comprised of many makers, even ones who never would call themselves an artist. The process explores the spaces surrounding the established definition of art. And through this exploration, community practice artists hope to impact the world around them.
As an activist and artist, this program felt like a destined decision. I first learned of Moore while taking walks on my lunch break as a new Philadelphian in 2006. I worked at 17th and Arch streets at the time and would explore the area with my friend and co-worker, Dianne. I remember the first time I saw the school I thought how amazing it must be to go to an art school right next to museums! This was not something I was accustomed to as a person from Northwestern PA. Little did I know that a decade later I would be attending this school that at gazed at in awe. I am in the second semester of school and loving every moment of it. After 30+ years I am finally studying art at an educational institution; a dream that has finally become a reality.