#like the idea theres only one to interpret or attribute symbolism to very specific things

[eccleraprisma]

i remembered today how in the cult i was in there was this one guy so hellebent on proving other people who he felt were being too ‘unorthodox’ in the cult wrong that he starting citing a fictional ya novel like it was the new testament and looking back now that was hilarious and i laughed really hard about it today but also terrifying. im so glad i got out of there

[lifeofamastersstudent]

Reflection | Workshop 2

 4th June 2020 | online workshop | 6 people - Group discussion 

Part 1 : Word Based

Activity 1 : State one quality about ourselves 

Some of the words I got where - Patient , joyful, calm & patient, indecisive 

Activity 2 : Pick ONE word out of FIVE

Player 1

1. umbrella - protected and safe 2. Water - calm and composed. I’m okay to go with the flow most times 3. can opener - I picked can opener because I can find solutions. 

Player 2

1.Music box - because I’m entertaining  2. Rainbow - it brightens the sky on a rainy day and I’m feeling hopeful right now 3. Door - feels like it allows people to come in. I am welcoming. 

Player 3

1.Ball - because I do things around sports and in a way, the ball can go in any direction.  2. Sand - it can take whatever shape you put it into  3. Stairway - I think theres no final point in my life. I think theres always something work in progress. 

Player 4 

1.Tree bark - because I’m grounded 2. Waterfall - I relate to waterfall because I’m very emotional.  3. Cloud - I am very moody - somedays grey and somedays white and my name itself means cloud

Player 5 

1. 2. Pillow - soft and cuddly. And in general its the best thing ever. I am the best shit ever. 3.  ocean  - I found ocean appropriate. Its very vast and its very deep and its also pretty dark. And its something I can relate my imagination to. And you know how some people are really scared of exploring the depths of the ocean. And its also a lot of pressure to take.  

Player 6

1.Rock - hard exterior  2. Waves - calm, it can be soothing sea and it can be a tsunami. extremes.  3. Shadow - its dark as I am in a lot of things that I think of. I can match peoples energy - I can imitate them. 

Activity 3 : You get ONE word, find a connection 

Slightly more challenging because you get one word and you must find a way to associate with it 

Player 1 

Boat - The way I could relate to the word I got is - well a boat can sail. I think if you know how to do it properly then you can withstand harsher waters. If you are comfortable and then you can handle it. If Im prepared about a situation if its tricky or difficult, I can handle it a lot better. 

Player 2

Thorn - I can be hurtful. I can get angry. I can also protect the flower. 

Player 3

Sharpener - I dont like to see anything negative in a person or even me. In my relationships, there are lots of things which are very different about them - id say for them. Some id change for me and some for them. I’m always looking to sharpen my skills and change relationships for the better

Player 4

Chair - my word was chair. I associate with it because I give people comfort so if someone comes to me, I do provide comfort. But it also stands on four feet. So I feel like my support system keeps me stable and that intern helps me to provide comfort to people. 

Player 5

Night - I feel like on one side, experiencing a really pretty night. I fee like I can empathise with people and provide comfort and on the other hand the night can also get terrors. The dark fucked up thoughts and depression that comes with it. A flip side thing. 

Player 6

Rain - it can be harsh and moody in a way. But also calming when you’re inside the house so it can have two different sides of a coin. 

Activity 4 : Draw metaphors for yourself 

At this point player 5 said how it was easier to draw the metaphor and it was a bit challenging to sit and word the drawing correctly. 

Player 1 - “ill never have enough of my blue crayon”

It means if there something or a person that gives me comfort, I wouldn’t lose that person and try really hard to keep them in my life. A thing or a hobby. Ill do everything I can make sure to have it in my life

“happy as a pig” trying to be positive and be happy with whatever situation. theres no point in being unhappy with given situations. 

Player 2- an open door with rainbow - an open door to happiness 

Player 3  - I took my words sharpener and sand  “harder, better, sharper, stronger” I’ve also drawn a sand watch. It takes the form of anything. I feel like theres always something missing, something is constantly happening. 

Player 4 -  so I made clouds because I’m really moody. And I drew the few people who always deal with my moods. 

Player 5 - drew an ocean - part of the ocean is beautiful and the bottom has dark elements ( a treasure chest, a piranha, a whale, a dead person. Also drew a book - but then once you know me I go on non stop. And the whisk is because I create. Its one of my tools and my little universe. And the rings remind me of the planetary movement. 

Maybe I can ask Player 5 to elaborate the new components she added and if there was any symbolic value to any of them.  

Player 6 - I mixed all elements. I drew a shadow version of the drawing. One where I create my own problems and then me trying to protect others from theirs. I just put a rock in there just because and I added a storm. Its a duality. 

At this point I also shared a few of my own - Tea pot , Music box , Egg 

I noticed during this activity that some people used words and images . So their words complimented their drawings. 

A challenge I faced during these workshops is how sometimes people brought in borrowed meanings into their objects. Like if an object reminded them of something someone said or did and it has some impact on them. Then they added that meaning into their story. Weaving it. 

This exercise didn’t necessarily add more value. Most people seemed to repeat their metaphors - only in some more detail. 

My follow up question to the players would be - did this exercise help build up and clean out the metaphors - make them more clear or was it just a repetition of expression - giving your thought a visual form?

Part 2 : Theme Based

Activity 1: State one quality for a tree

I asked people to give one quality to a tree. I now see that people applied some of these qualities when they were later asked to find similarities with the tree.

Activity 2 : If you were a tree, what would you look like

When I asked people to draw a tree that represents them - some people went into creating a version that would be ideal but which may not necessarily fit where they are in life - there was also imagination that came into play. 

Player 5 focused on her tree being able to give to the animal community 

Player 2 drew a tree that he found inspiring 

Player 1 emphasised how important it was to be stable and strong 

I think people focused on the “if you were” a lot more than if you were a tree, then what kind.

Activity 3: if this group of people are a single tree, what part would you be?

Player 1 said she would be the branch, she feels like she can support people but not as much as the bark would. 

Player 2 I would be the leaves because they are visually pleasing, they are calming and they are just hanging there. Taking in the sunlight

Player 3 I think I’m really like the roots , ike it absorbs the water, the foundation for the tree. The stronger and better the roots the better the tree grows

Player 5  for me id be the little hole in the bark because I fee like the older I grow the more I need this sense of home and feeling of belonging somewhere. Having a little shell to call my own. 

Player 4 I think id be the fruit because I think I’m sweet. 

Player 6 I picked a single leaf - I see us all as a group and all of us as single leaves. In a broader sense, a part of a whole - nothing standing out, nothing standing out but it makes a part of a group. 

Activity 4 : Pick a tree you most associate with. At this point I showed images of different trees. 

Player 1 picked a autumn tree because of the warmth

Player 2  went on the visually appealing one

Player 4  picked the one with fruits - because it looks similar to my tree that I drew

Player 6 picked two. First one because it was similar to the ideas and the drawing I drew.

Player 5 picked the one with fruits. Giving and inviting. The tree with green mush - a safe environment with other trees. 

Interestingly, player 5 was able to build onto the image of the tree and imagine what surrounds it. 

Player 3  picked the fruit one and the one above the autumn tree. Nishant says he has a lot to give - it doesn’t come right away, it takes a while. And in the other image - the surrounding of the tree impacted the tree. Seems adventurous - on a hill. 

Activity 5 : Make metaphorical portraits ( with new or old metaphors + physical attributes, if you like)

People did have fun making their metaphorical portraits but I think its because this group is very creative and involved in creativity hence they were more patient. 

(Some of the portraits can be found on the blog)

Overall Feedback 

Player 3 says, “ my eyes gravitated for things I was already thinking of” when it came to picking a tree.

Player 5 said she already had an idea for the tree and then I had to pick and choose. 

Player 5 said that when I gave her a word, she was able to talk about it and visualise. But when I gave an image, she had to compromise and make it fit. 

Player 3 said that some of the things people tend to draw are very specific to how we’ve been taught to draw them - like trees. For someone who isn’t much into arts. They might choose to draw a simplified tree that they are trained to draw.

Player 2 felt like although the activities were fun and the session was engaging. He didn’t really get a metaphor out of it at the end of the day

Player 6 suggested to - Give people one word and see how all people interpret it. 

Player 3 suggested that I test concepts 

Player 4 said that we are designers. We can think of things to associate with. Its harder for people who aren’t designers. 

I got suggestions to test this with an older audience and younger audience 

Player 3 said that people who are much older face different types of challenges and face mid life crises. Their responses could be irrational or bizarre. From a younger crowd, I did expect a lot of creativity but with an older audience that would change things. 

Player 4 said that she didn’t realise that a certain object could encompass the things I felt. I knew the overlying feelings but I didn’t visually associated it with anything. 

Overall Reflections

At times there was a focus on what I want to be as opposed to what I am 

Drawing the tree impacted picture selection. 

The creative background of this group may have impacted the workshop

The outcome may not have been entirely clear even with the creative bits 

People found it engaging and fun. 

People love to hear other peoples perspective on things 

Providing visuals can be very limiting when you start with people trying to give a glimpse of their imagination. 

The age might affect the creative output. And if the people are conditioned to think in a creative way.