Dates for the end of Term 4 exhibition are:

Wednesday 25th November – ALL EM submissions should be at TLC by today!

Sat/Sun 28-29th November – Hanging weekend!! Don’t be shy… this is a good opportunity for DD students to get involved onsite and meet new people, not to mention the skills that you pick up from the experience.

Thursday 3rd December – Opening night of the show! Doors open at 7.30pm – so invite all your friends and family!

Monday 7th December – Pack up day. If you delivered your work to campus, please collect anytime after 1pm.

Review by Julian McKinnon

“Five painters 2009” was held at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts from August 28-30. The artists on show, Jane Blackmore, Anne-Marie Jean, Anna Stitchbury, Michael McCormack, and Matt Guild banded together to present a large scale exhibition that filled the entirety of the Academy’s galleries. The Exhibition’s duration, all too brief, was no reflection of the quality of what was on offer; all of the exhibiting artists had presented a significant number of artworks that were finished and presented professionally. The only drawback was that more people wouldn’t have the opportunity to see this body of work. According to Anne-Marie Jean however, the fleeting nature of the exhibition motivated people to prioritise seeing it.

The artwork on display was eclectic, ranging from Guild’s hyper-realist images of domestic kiwiana and rural Arcadia, to Anna Stitchbury’s largely abstract decorative creations. Whilst there was little common ground in the stylistic approach to painting, there was a consistent enthusiasm for the exhibition, the group, and painting itself. “Stylistically nothing competes, and all of the works are large and confident.” said Stitchbury. To the casual observer the differences in subject matter and painting style could make the exhibition appear disjointed, though a viewer with a broad appreciation for painting in all of its forms would experience this diversity as a sensory treat. On this subject Michael McCormack said: “A true artist or lover of art will be open-minded enough to appreciate all painting, be it purely abstract or hyper-realist representational work”.

Beyond the obvious differences in stylistic approach, the artists shared a belief in each other and the work “We collectively cover a broad spectrum of styles, but our artwork and our personalities work together.” said Matt Guild. This degree of personal cohesion appears to have been significant when the exhibition was hung “Things really came together at the hanging stage. It was like making a collaborative art work and a really creative experience. We got drawn into bigger picture of the exhibition as a whole.”Said Anne-Marie Jean “The more we get to know each other the more we develop a level of trust.”She added. This being the second consecutive year that the artists have held this show, that trust and cohesion has had some opportunity to grow.
In an intriguing and cooperative touch the works were interspersed throughout the gallery, rather than separated into showing areas by artist. The effect guided the viewer to observe each of the artists work in equal measure. My first impressions were of a vast, well presented show with a diverse range of work on display.

Matt Guild’s “Hamilton Beach Milkshake”, an exceptional photo-realistic rendering of the classic milkshake machine capturing detail down to the reflections in the chrome trim, immediately grabbed my attention. The detailing was impressive and demonstrated a huge sophistication of technique and a great deal of patience. When asked why he chose photo-realism Matt said: “I think that’s part of my character – my sock draw isn’t organized, but when it comes to creating things I like precision. The technical challenge of photo realism does it for me.” He discussed the food element recurrent in a number of his works “As Kiwi’s we relate around food. Watties sauce, Weet-Bix, and Jaffa’s capture the essence of Kiwiana. I wanted to transpose that aspect of kiwi culture into art.” He discussed his interest in pop art, Warhol, and Lichtenstein “In some ways what I’m doing has a Warhol influence with a kiwi inflection.” He said. Guild also discussed his representations of kiwi arcadia, vehicles in paddocks and rural scenes. “I’m interested by images that evoke a childhood memory, and give a sense of nostalgia.” He explained. His subject matter is so much a part of the New Zealand experience that few would not find some aspect of their past reflected in his images.

Jane Blackmore’s works, landscapes reduced to a hazy streamlined aesthetic impression, use a restricted and dark palette. They communicate enough visually to give the viewer a distinct landscape, though leave out representational detail for the sake of graceful simplicity. In some instances they’re driven to the brink of abstraction. “At one point I explored pure abstraction, though I couldn’t get immersed into it in the same way I do with these works.” Jane said whilst indicating one of her brooding landscapes. The stylistic effect is smooth, absorbing, and easy to appreciate. There is a moody, emotional presence to some of them, which strikes an inner chord. “Most of my works explore similar subject matter, so I’m working in a familiar zone. That said I think there’s a balance to be struck between working in an identifiable style and maintaining artistic integrity. Sometimes I have to go completely all out in my emotional engagement with a painting to stay true to my artistic impulses. Often those works which touch my emotional core get the best reactions from viewers”. With many complements and more than a few sales, viewers were clearly responding to her work. Given the aesthetic beauty and subtle elegance of her work, it wasn’t difficult to see why.

Anna Stitchbury’s works combine paint with textured Fabric. Stencilling, silkscreen, and gold leaf all have a role to play alongside conventional painting. Her works are decorative, fun, and funky. “Coming from a textile background I don’t find it satisfying to work paint straight on to canvas. I start with a seed of an idea and apply paint and texture to the canvas. Texture really adds complexity to the work, though it’s out of my control. There’s an element of surprise in how it comes out, it builds on itself. The process is very organic.” Her approach to making art and her personality seem to match the vibrancy and quirkiness of her work. “If I had to call my art by a genre it would be romantic comedy. It’s something light that you may not remember in ten years, but really enjoy at the time. She’s happy with terms like: decorative, playful, and pretty being applied to her work. “Serious artists tend to run away from such labels. I don’t have a problem with that – I come from a design background”. It’s not that Anna isn’t professional, dedicated and committed to being an artist, more that she prioritises spontaneity, creative expression and fun. “I just don’t take myself too seriously. I just really enjoy painting and want to pass on to viewer some form of feeling, especially happiness.” With that goal in mind, the work she was exhibiting clearly hit the mark, offering a light and enjoyable point of difference to viewers.

Michael McCormack’s street scenes and forest sketches are highly representational, though they steer away from photo-realism. Paying homage to the post impressionists, Derrain, Gauguin, and Vlaminck, McCormack uses colour in a way you wouldn’t see in a natural setting. Deep reds, purples, splashes of orange are present, but woven into the colour scheme with a subtle sensibility that leaves the viewer initially unaware of the unnatural hues. Wellington city features largely in McCormack’s work, though evidently this is more about his experience of being in a place than the city itself. “I’m concerned with catching the essence of a moment in time, and the light present in that moment, more than any particular place. That said I love Wellington, I chose to live here when I came to New Zealand” said McCormack, originally from Ireland. “I draw inspiration from the transformative effect light has on colour. Light enhances colour. I work with light, perspective, and composition to invite people into the painting.” McCormack goes on to explain other sources of inspiration that have influenced this latest body of work: “I have always loved the free use of colour of Paul Gauguin, his violets and mauves especially. My Kaitoke Bush paintings are influenced by this use of colour, German expressionism too to some degree and also the approach of fellow 5 painters exhibitor Anne-Marie Jean. McCormack’s more usual subject matter are street paintings. “I have always really related to Edward Hopper’s work, though when I saw it in the flesh I found the paint quality a little disappointing. Nonetheless the way he captured light was extremely compelling.” For all of the references McCormack’s work is very much his own, weaving light, colour and perspective to make an inviting representation that gives the viewer much more once they scratch the surface.

Without any discredit to the standard of the other artists’ work, to my eye the most captivating artist on show was Anne-Marie Jean. Her work has an expressive grace and painterly depth that can elude the viewer at first glance. Brushwork that initially appears loose, almost careless, draws the viewer into a deep almost meditative reverie after a few moments of observation. Her works give the viewer just enough to grasp their representational elements: landscape, trees, and foliage before they delve into a deep conversation between paint and canvas. It seems like the artist’s concerns were at least as engaged with this dialogue as the nominal subject matter. Areas of primed canvas appear through the paintwork, giving an element of rawness, though they read every bit as much a part of the work as those painted to a likeness of flowers. The works operate in a zone between sketch-like depictions of forms, and something bordering on abstract expressionism. It’s of little surprise that Jean lists Cy Twombly and Joan Mitchell amongst her influences. “I want people to be aware that I’m painting. I do a lot of sketching and I want my work to retain a sense of drawing” said Jean. “The painting is started from a visual or experiential cue, but I like to let the painting inform what comes next. It becomes a conversation” she added. The excellent painterly qualities of these works grew on me more and more as I browsed the gallery. We discussed her interest in and inspiration from nature, bushwalking, and her tendency to work on a large scale “Larger scale works can envelop your senses. When you’re out in nature your whole body is engaged, big paintings can emulate this” she said. Jean went on to discuss the emotional aspects of paint and what can be achieved with it. “I’m in love with painting and what can be achieved with it. I can’t predict who’s going to like my paintings – there doesn’t seem to be a particular type of person, though people who do like it really like it passionately.”

The show was sponsored by Grant Thornton, Kensington Swan, PrintStop Plus, Jackson Estate Wine and Billionaires Catering. “Their sponsorship was what secured the show for us and contributed to making it such a success.” said Anne-Marie Jean. Evidently it was a great success for the artists, attracting a large number of regular followers and support as well as a whole new audience. Matt Guild in summarising said “A key thing about the show was getting our work out there and gaining exposure. We’re all working on our own careers, but also working together. Five artists have a broad appeal, and there’s more momentum and energy behind it than in a solo show. As this is the second time we’ve had the show, People follow the concept. We’re all committed to getting a 3rd installment to happen”. Wellington’s art viewing public will welcome a third edition, and the opportunity to see this talented group of artists take their collaborative efforts further.

By Susan Knaap

It’s easy, as an artist, to take the road well travelled when it comes to promoting ourselves and our work – doing the standard marketing palaver, displaying our art in artist friendly cafes, or galleries if we’re lucky. Few of us ever think outside the square or, if we do, fear tends to nip great ideas in the bud fairly early on.

Not so for TLC student Catherine Sinclair who, long ago, decided with friend and fellow student Rebecca Fordyce that they wanted to establish genuine credibility and eventually get their work seen in places like the City Gallery. Some of you may remember an article I wrote on the pair last year when they set themselves up in Civic Square for half an hour at a time over a period of seven weeks, painting each other’s portraits.

Civic Square was again the location of choice for Catherine’s latest installation ‘100% Sheep’, but in contrast to the very public nature of the last endeavour this one was covert and unsanctioned, installed in the pre-dawn darkness. 100 miniature wax cast sheep – all white, but for one black sheep, wearing red scarves (“It was cold and they looked somewhat naked and in need of warmth”) and lined up in neat, precise rows. “I thought up the idea in response to seeing Gregor Kregar’s live sheep installation on the City Gallery lawns in early 2007,” says Catherine. “I felt that the lawns just cried out for sheep.”

So why the stealth and intrigue in setting it up? “Guerrilla art is an affordable way of getting your art noticed without having to rent space from galleries,” she says. “By gate-crashing the re-opening I gained an audience without having to send a single invite. I think that art should be accessible and I adore the Civic Square space and see it as an extension of the interior space. When I knew the City Gallery was being closed (for renovations) I thought the re-opening would be the best time strategically to install my sheep. When I saw the lawn space was vacant, I knew they would get maximum exposure, although I did expect them to get moved along by security. I guess the quality of the installation meant they looked as though they were meant to be there and so they stayed until I packed them up at the end of the day.”

Catherine kept a low profile throughout the day, choosing to sit across the Square to watch the reactions to her work. “Kids were counting sheep and making the rows straighter if they were moved out of formation. Most people smiled when they saw them, especially when they noticed the one black sheep in the family!” she says. “Many people took photos. It was funny seeing well-dressed people squatting down to have their photo taken with them.” And because no-one claimed the work as their own, there was quite a buzz about who the artist might be, with plenty of amusing snippets of conversation overheard.

There was one unexpected encounter of interest on the day. A local print artist, Moira Gaerty, was doing her own creative project called ‘100 Strangers’ which required her to go up to 100 strangers, take their photo and find out something about them (all of which is being recorded on www.flickr.com/photos/moiragaerty/3994253442/). As it happened, she approached Catherine (who turned out to be her 2nd stranger), whereupon she learned about Catherine’s installation and discovered they were both working with ‘100’ themes. To cap off their encounter, Moira produced a brown plastic Canadian Moose from her handbag and placed it in front of the sheep for a photo opportunity.

By all accounts, it was a worthwhile and confidence enhancing experience. “My art looked professional and sat well within the space,” says Catherine. “There was a playful interaction between the sheep and Yayoi Kusama’s ‘Mirrored Years’ installation on the external walls of the gallery. The weather was good and there was a ton of people enjoying the activities and live music. I felt I was living the dream – ‘100% Sheep’ looked like ‘real art by a real artist’.”

While this installation was ostensibly Catherine’s project, it profited greatly from the generous help and advice of others. “Rebecca Fordyce was pivotal to the success of the project, as I was able to talk issues through with her when things went wrong and I felt like giving up,” says Catherine. “Her technical advice was very handy and her belief in the integrity of installation art was steadying when I felt like selling sheep one by one!” Rebecca also crocheted all the scarves for the sheep and Jules Hunt photographed the installation and crowd interactions. Additional helpers included Carrie Burke, Ellen Williams, Andy Catton, Holly Horrid and her son Luca (the latter two helping to reinstate a handful of sheep who suffered broken limbs, thanks to an uncontrolled toddler late in the day!).

So, where to from here for the artist who’s out to get noticed? “I have a big and very different installation planned for next year,” Catherine says, “and despite being daunted by the huge amount of work it will take, I now have greater confidence that I can translate my ideas into reality.”

The Learning Connexion’s programme for Deaf and Hearing Impaired students has been running for nearly four years and we’re celebrating with an exhibition showcasing work from students studying towards their Diploma in Art and Creativity (Honours).

It’s the third time we’ve presented our Deaf and Hearing Impaired students’ work in Wellington City and this time is bigger and better than ever. “Breaking the Sound Barrier” is on at ROAR! Gallery for three weeks and includes work by nine students.

There is an eclectic mix on show, spanning a range of media, reflecting the diverse nature of the students studying with us. Hendrik Groot’s paintings consist of beautifully layered colour fields with suggestions of shapes and spaces; Rosie Solouta has a bronze cast of a face which wears a hearing aid; Charlie Stouts’ digital prints include references to animation and popular culture and Alesha Hudson has made wearable art entirely from neck ties.

The opening night was a packed out success, with speeches given by Rachel Noble, CEO of Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand (formerly, the Deaf Association) and Stefan Hall, a tutor with the Deaf Programme at The Learning Connexion. There were also two New Zealand Sign Language interpreters present to allow hearing and Deaf to communicate about the art work and generally have a fantastic time.

The exhibition is on until October 24^th at ROAR! Gallery, 55 Abel Smith St. Open Wed – Sat 11 – 5pm. The show was made possible with help from Wellington City Council.

If you have any questions regarding the art and creativity program for those who are Deaf or Hearing Impaired, please contact Ann at thedteam@tlc.ac.nz

Watch highlights of the opening:

Press release by Barbara Burke:

What goes through your head when you drive to work on a Tuesday morning? Do you concentrate on your journey and how you’ll go about it? Or, once you slip into autopilot mode, do you berate yourself for not practising your saxophone last night or just gaze at the hills around you?

Bevan Shaw sat down at intersections around Wellington and sketched and painted hills, roads, bridges and road markers for his forthcoming exhibition, What are you driving at? – opening on Friday 9 October at Toi Pōneke Gallery. His intensely colourful, imagined landscapes have both the signs you see on the road as well as images from wandering thoughts embedded, sometimes hidden, among the paintings. All you have to do is take a long look at his paintings to see some of these camouflaged objects.

But Bevan’s paintings are not just about driving, journeys and pathways – these ideas make up a small part of his in-depth exploration of colour, ways of seeing and “the patterns that the brain creates from visual information”.

Bevan says he thinks about colour and pattern in almost everything he sees, and reading about the psychology of sight and perception has greatly influenced this body of work.

“What I love about paintings as a medium is that not only do they tell you things about how painters see the world, but they also make you think about how differently you see the world,” says Bevan.

Throughout his paintings, he has meticulously created series of multicoloured lines and densely patterned landscapes to play with the viewer’s eyes.

“This could be a fun exploration of sight for visitors to the gallery,” says Bevan. “You can have a go at playing something like ‘Where’s Wally?’ as you make out the hidden symbols and objects behind the patterns, but I hope that it will also help you enjoy thinking about perception and how our sight works.”

Bevan grew up in Auckland before moving to Christchurch to do a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury and then moving to Wellington. He has exhibited in group exhibitions throughout the country – this is his first solo show.

Q & A

by Ruth Korver

TLC stopped by for a short chat with Bevan about the exhibition.

How does it feel showing your work by yourself rather than in a group show?
It feels fantastic. You have control over the exhibition process, what happens, how your work is presented and so on. With that process is a large personal responsibility. It’s a nice challenge to do everything yourself. If you don’t know something you learn quickly. Paradoxically the tougher it became the more organised I got.

How did you find the space for the exhibition?
I have been looking at galleries regularly, especially in Wellington. I looked at the shows each space was having, the artists involved and visualised how my work would look in each space. Most spaces have their own application processes so it is important to ask questions.
There are many advantages to showing at Toi Poneke. One advantage is you do not have to man the show – an important consideration for a solo exhibition.

Is all the work new, made for the show?
Most of the work in the show was made since April, so about 4-5 months. Two works were made previously. A few months ago people may have seen me drawing on a folding chair around Wellington intersections with large sheets of paper! Direct observation is important. I think it is important to get out of the studio and directly observe what you are interested in visually if possible. Photographs flatten depth, and change visual information.

What are the concepts behind your work?
I prefer viewer’s to make up their own minds about this. I really wanted the show to be quite open, so there are ideas which are specific to certain paintings and other ideas which link the paintings. Some underlying interests tie them together: interests in colour, paint, visual perception, landscape and my everyday surroundings.

How is colour important in your work?
I’m very interested in colour and how to approach it. I do not accept using colour in my work only for the emotional charge it brings. I like to observe how colour works in the real world, how it reflects off one thing onto another. You can think of colour in a very logical structured way but it is also endlessly changing. Then there is an interesting approximation that happens as you move from observed scene into a painterly reality. Colour also has a fascinating history – it is very important.

There are lots of patterns in your paintings as well?
Yes there are. Everything in a painting is placed there by hand and so it seems that patterns naturally begin to occur as approximations are made. I think it is natural to see patterns in everything. Many patterns also have strange effects on our visual perception. Parallel lines are a good example. Most eyes are asymmetrical, so patterns of radiating parallel lines tend to go out of focus somewhere. When you look to the blurred parts, they become sharp and other areas blur. This creates a shifting wobbliness, an illusion of movement.
There are many patterns that guide us and help us in our everyday surroundings. Road markings are a good example of this. I regularly spend time driving in a car with no distractions due to the demise of the car speakers. I began to think about what my eyes were seeing and this began creeping into the work.

Do you respond a lot to other artists’ work?
Of course! Art is fascinating because it reminds you of how differently others interpret their surroundings. You also notice what you notice! I especially enjoy seeing good paintings and have a number of favourite painters.

How do you feel about putting up your work and getting feedback from an audience, and talking about what you’ve made?
I feel fine about it. I am confident in the work. I have been getting very positive feedback from a wide range of different people. When people talk to you about your work, it is a compliment because they are interested in the work.

You didn’t put an artist statement up in the show, you had a list describing moments of driving?
That list was my artist statement. At an exhibition, I do not like being told what to think by an artist statement but prefer to look at the work first. The list was positioned around the corner away from the entrance to the space as a way of allowing people to first look at the work. By encountering the list later on they can then choose to think about it based on just seeing the work. The list contains 27 points which can loosely relate to individual paintings, or link chronologically with a 27 minute routine trip. There are also psychology references which have informed the work. The format of the list was chosen for allowing an open interpretation.

Where to next?
I have many exciting ideas that I am developing in my studio that were generated from this exhibition – there is so much to do. I am very satisfied with how this show was put together, and have enjoyed visiting it many times already! It is on until the 30th of October.

What are you driving at? runs until Friday 30 October at Toi Pōneke Gallery, 61 Abel Smith Street.

Pick ‘N’ Mix is a group exhibition showcasing the diverse and exceptional talent of staff and tutors at The Learning Connexion School of Art and Creativity, the Hutt Valley’s newest art school.

While our regular exhibitions generally showcase students’ work, this is a rare chance to see what TLC staff and tutors get up to in their artistic lives. You’ll see artwork from a diverse collection of staff including not only the art tutors themselves, but personnel from areas as wide-ranging as administration, reception, audio visual, student support and marketing.

Dan Wilkinson - "Illumination"

With thirty three staff participating, this show promises something for everyone – from bronze casting, to painting, installation and jewellery. Some well-known Wellington favourites are participating – Kapiti jeweller Hanne Eriksen-Mapp has produced some stunning contemporary jewellery, printmaker Lucy Adams is exhibiting screen-printing and filmmaker Kate Logan is branching out with a collection of mono-prints. Dan Wilkinson, who is based at Nautilus studios in Owhiro bay, is curating the exhibition, an experience he is looking forward to. “It is so exciting and inspiring to work with so many creative people. Hanging their work will be challenging, but it’s awesome to see how everyone expresses themselves in their artwork.”

Pick ‘N’ Mix opens at The Learning Connexion’s new campus in Taita on Thursday, October 22nd from 7.00pm. The campus is alongside Taita College at 182 Eastern Hutt Road and is covered in one of the largest, most colourful murals in the Southern Hemisphere – hard to miss!

The exhibition runs until Monday October 26th and is open from 10.00am–4.00pm daily. We’ll see you there!

Hanne Eriksen-Mapp

Hanne Eriksen-Mapp

New on Watch This Space!

At Artists Alliance we are keen to respond to the needs of our student members. As a result students can now opt to make their profile pages public. Students who opt for the public profile option will be listed under “People” in the open access part of the website. They can also insert links to other websites on their profile pages.

Students can also curate their own virtual exhibitions from anywhere in NZ . This is a great opportunity to have a go at putting an online show together  or presenting work for end of year assessment. The virtual exhibitions are in the public area of the website and can be accessed directly from the home page.  Instructions on how to set up  a virtual exhibition can be found under Articles on the website (http://www.watchthisspace.org.nz/article/how-to-create-a-virtual-exhibition-on-watch-this-space/33919 )

If  your students have any questions regarding the changes please don’t hesitate to contact us.

A couple of upcoming short classes still have places available for the weekend of October 31/November 1:

INTERPRETING WITH PAINT
Gary Freemantle
October 31 – November 1

Some people believe copying is a way to learn how to paint, but if everyone did that without individuality or interpretation all art would look the same.

This course will help you creatively interpret source material to come up with individual approaches to paint that help you discover your own unique way of working.

USE THE TECHNOLOGY
Perry Scott
October 31 – November 1

Have you ever wanted to explore the creative potential of power tools in your artwork? Innovative sculptors and multi media artists have been quick to exploit the diversity of pre-fabricated materials and various technologies used to work with them.

This weekend is about basic familiarity through hands-on experience. The focus is on “safety first”, then cutting, shaping, grinding, texture and fixing methods….and while we are at it – make something!

For more information on these classes see our TLC Short Classes page.

Stage 3, TLC Student and Multimedia artist, Rebecca Dodds, is hosting her 3rd exhibition. A solo exhibition of curiously macabre works that take a look into the inner psyche of the human condition.

Whether you are a horror fan, an anatomy enthusiast, or lover of art that pushes the norm, there is something for everyone.

The exhibition opening is being held on Halloween night (October 31st) at the new gallery “St. Art” on Cuba street.

Rebecca’s work explores many subjects including the ever-present fear of death that is ingrained in those of the western world from an early age. How each human when pulled apart is made of all the same components as each other and as nature, thus dark thoughts we have (but may not act on) can be as cruel as that of nature, or as joyful. This exhibition helps the artist and the viewer to understand parts of the shadow, that it’s okay to have it, and that it’s sometimes better to recognize it than to suppress it.

Mistaking A Bruise For A Shadow includes mixed-media paintings, crafts and jewelery made by Rebecca Dodds during 2009.

Back in August the New York Times ran a piece called ‘Your baby is smarter than you think’. On more or less the same reasoning, adults are smarter than they think. TLC exhibitions are a demonstration of what this means.

The Times item said: ‘…babies and very young children are terrible at planning and aiming for precise goals. When we say that preschoolers can’t pay attention, we really mean that they can’t not pay attention: they have trouble focusing on just one event and shutting out all the rest. This has led us to underestimate babies in the past. But the new research tells us that babies can be rational without being goal-oriented.’

I’m convinced that these same processes occur when adults engage in art (which takes them out of their usual logical landscape). Essentially art takes us into different kinds of thinking from the routine habits of school study. Rather than being something to abandon, like a pair of shoes which are too small, it’s a dimension of thinking which could be fostered throughout our lives.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/akaradrix/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The writer of the Times article, Alison Gopnik, and fellow researcher Tamar Kushnir, carried out some intriguing tests which enabled them to gather clues about the effectiveness of ‘baby thinking’. For example, pre-schoolers could do a kind of statistical analysis and make reliable choices between coloured blocks which caused a machine to light up. They would choose the colours that worked more often (quite a subtle test).

When you try to find what ‘works’ in art you’re doing much the same thing, and far from being a limited aspect of pre-school intelligence it’s something that crops up again and again in the more complex aspects of our lives. It’s relatively straight forward to do the arithmetic for a shopping list (how much do you have to spend and what do the items cost?). On the other hand it can be extremely complex to figure out career choices or the value of education. How can you predict the benefits of tertiary study in the overall arc of your life?

Art gives people the opportunity to practice complex, non-linear reasoning. This is different from reductionist thinking in which all unnecessary aspects of a problem are set aside. The challenge with real life is that everything is a factor. Pre-schoolers are doing something fundamentally important when they see a world in which everything is happening at once. That’s the way things are. The arithmetic of shopping lists is useful but it’s only a small part of the big picture.

When you grapple with art, even the apparently simple things like the choice of colours are really complex. One of the extraordinary benefits of art is that it provides real practice for this type of thinking. You get clues about what is working. The clues are different from getting the right answer in a multiple choice question but they’re nevertheless effective. Just as pre-schoolers can do statistics without numbers, adults can use art to sharpen their skills at navigating complexity.