Exploring Cultures Through Artmaking

I've been thinking a lot about sharing and exploring cultures through artmaking, perhaps because I'm feeling more and more need for people to experience others perspectives through accessible art activities.

I didn't read this article, but the abstract below pretty much sums up what I've been thinking:

"In this article (David P. Moxley's Incorporating Art-Making into the Cultural Practice of Social Work), the author considers how the diversity of art-making can help groups that face oppression consolidate their identity and support, build awareness of the greater community about the injustices the group faces, and foster cultural development useful in confronting social injustice through arts-informed social action."

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15313204.2013.843136?scroll=top&needAccess=true

I'm especially thankful for my Fund For Teachers grant where I traveled alone throughout Japan observing culture and clay. I was often the only white person on the train or bus, and have never in my life felt so obviously like the other. I grew up in NYC where every person represents. My students came from countries from all over the world, literally, we lived in QUEENS, the most diverse area in the US at the time.

I created a teaching unit called Art and Culture where my students taught others about the arts in their culture.

Living in Austin now, I miss access to all of the languages, the fabrics, the smells and tastes, and I'm trying to bring a little bit of that here.

I've applied to two grants recently where I hope to share more cultures through artmaking: CORE Cultural Funding through The City of Austin and The City of Austin Strategic Direction.