THE BASIC ARTFORM METHOD
IMPRESSIONISTIC 0BECTIVE (select one or two questions)
that images come to your mind?
that lines do you remember (or phrases)?
which words were the most striking to you?
who were some of tile characters in this story?
REFLECIIVE (select one or two questions)
where did you begin listening? pay attention?
what feelings did you have when you listened?
when did you get restless? stop listening?
when did you identity with the characters?
:
INTERPRETATIVE (select one or two questions)
what do you think is the meaning of this reading (story)?
why is it important that ?
what, in life around you, does this reading talk about today?
how has this significance in your own life?
.
DECISIONAL (select one)
who do You feel needs to hear this story? why?
what claim does this make on your own life?
what word would you address to this life situation, or to these characters?
. .. .
.
THE JOURNAL READING
.
Read the quotation twice or have group repeat it more
than once.
which word or phrase do you consider to be the most important? What aspect of life is this quote dealing with? What is the insight about life it is pointing to?
who do you feel needs to hear this today?
Read the quotation once more or have group repeat it once
more.
ARTFORM CONVERSATION METHOD FORMAT |
The ARTFORM CONVERSATION, named for its original use in discussing movies. poetry and paintings, is designed to peel back layers of awareness to get at the very origins of the decisions and relationships out of which people live. It can be used for a large or small group to reflect on any common experience and is a means of getting beyond immediate responses, abstractions and emotionalism. The conversation consists of a series of questions which take people on a fourlevel journey from the OBJECTIVE through the REFLECTIVE and INTERPRETTVE to the DECISIONAL.
OBJECTIVE QUSTIONS |
Questions begin with what people see, hear, touch - the FACTS |
What scenes do you remember? What colors? What bits of conversation did you hear? How many people were there? |
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS |
Questions illuminate people's emotional responses - what they feel toward some- thing, whether or not they like it. whether it angers, excites, intrigues, frightens, or delights them |
what was your first response? Where do you remember the whole group's reaction? Where were you excited? |
INTERPRE- TIVE QUESTIONS |
Questions highlight layers of meaning and purpose people ascribe to situations and responses: the significance or importance people attach to something: the story out which they will live |
what is this movie about? What story would you tell about this event to someone who wasn't here? What were the most significant events of this week? Why was this day important? |
DECISIONAL QUSTIONS |
Questions allow people to choose self-conscious relationships to their situation and themselves in the situation, Here the names and titles people give to things reflect how they are appropriating their experience |
What would you title this movie? (news article, event, week, day)? How does today effect your anticipations of tomorrow? |
Applying this method not only to art objects but to events, settings,
and people allows individuals accustomed to the frantic pace of life to
exercise their expertise for reappraisal and reflection.