A.A.C. Supports Literacy

Members of A.A.C.'s D.N.S.T.P. chapter at Georgia College pose for a photo with students from Baldwin County High School's Youth Poetry Collective--Team Spit Dat. The two groups united at the Baldwin County Literacy Fair Jan. 26, 2013.

Members reminded youth about the power of literacy by creating personalized bookmarks and conducting a live performance poetry reading during the fair. Discover more about A.A.C. by visiting our website and volunteering for other A.A.C. events. 

New Dance Competition Hits Milledgeville

Contestants of A.A.C.'s first community dance competition, "So You Think You Can Dance — Milledgeville," practice their group dance at Georgia College's Wellness and Recreation Center this weekend for our Saturday, March 9, show. Stay tuned to learn more details about the event and each dancer.

Do Good this Holiday Season

 
   

GoodSearching and GoodShopping this holiday season is the ultimate way to do-good while shopping and searching this holiday season. GoodSearch allows you to support your favorite charity at no cost to you by searching the web or making discounted purchases through GoodShop. We figured these are things you're going to do anyway, why not do it for a good cause?

To get started click the logo above, choose Art as an Agent for Change, and start searching and shopping. That's it. Happy GoodSearching!

Tips and Truths with A.A.C. - Constructive Criticism

By Melissa Cobb

This week's random truth reveals a bit more about the phenomenal Stevie Wonder!

One aspect of being in the field of creative writing that can be frustrating is having your work critiqued because it can be hard to know how people will react. On the other hand, critiquing someone else can be difficult because you want to be able to candidly express how he or she can improve his or her piece, but you don’t want to hurt his or her feelings. To make this a little bit easier, here are a few tips on taking constructive criticism and how to give constructive criticism.

Taking Constructive Criticism:

1. The most important thing to remember when someone is critiquing your piece is that anything they say about the piece does not reflect your worthiness as a person or anything like that. All this person wants to do is help you make this piece the best that it can. Also, it helps to remember that not every piece you write is going to be wonderful at first, nor is every piece going to be horrible.
2. If you disagree with something the person critiquing your work points out, instead of getting angry, ask them to explain why they feel this way and listen to what he or she says. You might get some really good insight.
3. Write down any criticism the person says on your piece so you can look at it later. This will help you get started revising.
4. Thank the person for critiquing your piece when the two of you finish.
5. Leave the piece alone for a few hours or a few days to let the critiques sink in, an then look back at the person’s comments and start revising.

 Giving Constructive Criticism

1. The most important thing to remember when critiquing another person’s work is to be candid about what he or she needs to revise but not to the detriment of the person’s self-esteem. Think of it as you helping this person make their work the best it can be rather than pointing out everything that is wrong with it.
2. Point out what the person needs to revise and why, and be specific and thorough.
3. Point out any strong elements of the piece and why they worked well.
4. Answer any questions the person has for you after you finish critiquing his or her piece.

Random Truth of the Week: It’s common knowledge that singer Stevie Wonder is blind, but it is not as well known that he also cannot smell.

Art Through Technology - Graphics Speak

By Mollie Cohen

As children we were often asked to do creative activities. These may have involved questions like, “If this color could make a sound, what sound would it make?” A Malaysian designer, however, took this idea and amplified it.

'Graphics Speak' is an installation for the Toolkit Festival, an Italian festival which encourages artists to go to workshops and to be inspired by the artists that have been chosen to display their work in the A+A Slovenian Exhibition Centre.

The installation itself is exactly what it sounds like. The artist (Weng Nam Yap) has designed several clear plastic discs that go over the records on record players. The user may choose one of these discs outside of the installation and then walk in.

The installation itself is inside of a darkroom and consists of two record players and an analog television. By broadcasting live video recordings of the discs onto the audio television the electromagnetic waves are translated into sound through a sensor. 

The last piece of musical instrument of is custom made. Instead of being able to place discs on it and manipulate the sound with those it produces a solid sound that comes from the lines that are already on it. The sounds this device makes can be manipulated by turning the crank to the right of the instrument and changing the line that the analog television is reading.

Various musical compositions can be made by mixing different patterns on the turntables. Though unlikely to produce anything truly amazing in the realm of musical genius, the art installation is one that stands on it's own as something that nobody else has been able to do. 

It is also family friendly. Due to the art installation not requiring anything truly special it is easy for children to interact with the exhibition making it a great hit among them. 

Art Activist of the Week - Art Works Project

By Whitney Gray

Does life imitate art or does art imitate life? Both could be argued, but some go out of their way to make art imitate life. The goal is to help others see a life outside of their own and perhaps be persuaded enough to learn more and take action.

 Art Works Projects creates pieces with this in mind. It’s an organization that seeks to raise awareness and educate the public about human rights and environmental issues through their art work.

It started with a woman named Leslie Thomas who was reading a story about genocide in Sudan when she witnessed a photo of a little boy whose face had been smashed because of his ethnicity. She realized that this captured image of a life in danger was shocking and haunting, but she also realized the motive that could be behind it. Art can be a window to another reality. 

Because she was inspired by one photo of injustice, she went on to create an organization that will strive to showcase countless pieces of artwork that imitate the lives of the abused, so that the general public could be exposed to human rights issues.

AWP’s artwork includes art and design exhibitions, books, recordings, films, and many other initiatives that are creatively displayed but also include information about the issue so that people can have an idea on how to get involved. Their projects range from sexual violence and genocide to human trafficking and forced labor.

 Their work is not meant to make individuals comfortable. It is often raw and shocking enough to cause discomfort, and from that discomfort comes change. For this, Art Works Project is the Art Activist organization of the week.

Visit the site at

http://www.artworksprojects.org/our-projects/

This Week in A.A.C. - Art Is Good Wine Tasting

By Natalie Sharp

Picture the scene. It's a Saturday evening, a bit chilly, but not too cold for your nice cocktail outfit. You enter  to find two violinists providing entertainment to a room full of similarly well-dressed people, and you notice that a jazz duo is setting up to play next.

At the tables to your left is an array of quality hors d'ouvres and wines. You make your way to one of the black-clad hosts or hostesses to get your food and a glass of that white zinfandel you saw a moment ago. As you enjoy the music, you mingle with the people around you. This is shaping up to be a beautiful night.

Does this sound like an event you might enjoy? Next Saturday, November 10, A.A.C. will be hosting its Art Is Good Wine Tasting to benefit the arts in Milledgeville. You can RSVP by sending an email to Melissa Reynolds at melissa.reynolds@aacshutdown.org. The cost is $40 per person and $65 per couple, so if you bring a friend, you can enjoy a significant discount.

Fine Wine. Great Cause. Indeed, Art Is Good.