Nature, Creating, and Philosophy

Facilitated by Dr Kathrine Cuccuru, ‘a philosopher...walks...talks...makes’
The workshop explores the question: Is experiencing nature, and creating art inspired by our experience of nature, a way of doing philosophy?

Saturday 21st November

10.00-12.00 Workshop

12.00-13.00 Lunch (included in workshop fee)

Location: Uppertunity (see below for how to get here)

See below for full workshop Outline

Workshop Outline

1. What is philosophy?
Objective: Drawing on participants existing intuitions and understanding of philosophy, introduce the question.
Activity: Guided Discussion.

• What do you think when you hear the word philosophy? Immediate responses only! Most outrageousanswers welcome.
• From responses, we work together to identify philosophy’s general aims and think about what we mightdo to achieve these aims.
• Raise the possibility and form initial thoughts on if the experience of nature, and creating art of it, is a wayof doing philosophy.

2. Experiencing nature

Objective: to reflect on our experience of nature Activity: Focussed Attention

• Go into the garden (or look at it, access/weather dependent). Choose something to focus on. You canuses all your senses. But you cannot change what you are focussing on for a timed 2 minutes.
• Record answers or think about: How did you feel? What did you think? What surprised you about theexperience?
• Change your view. Repeat above.
• Discuss feelings, thoughts, surprises, and together consider if they answer the question

3. Make an Artwork!
Objective: to reflect on the process of creating
Activity: Using the above experience of nature as inspiration, with the limited resources available make any type of artwork.

• 20 mins for making.
• Record answers or think about: what was it like? How did your experiences of nature affect your creating?

4. Is it philosophy?
Objective: bringing all our experiences together, attempt to answer to the question Activity: Guided Discussion

• Appreciate each others artwork by observing how nature appears as inspiration in them.
• What have you learnt?
• As determined in 1, did your experiences achieve the aims of philosophy

Materials
Assortment of coloured paper, card, pens, pencils, etc for making; or participants can bring their own preferred materials for making.
Small white board or flip chart with markers (optional)

How to Get Here:

Uppertunity is located atGround Floor Left, The Circle at Dudhope Castle, Barrack Road, Dundee, DD3 6HF.

Contact

Please get in touch to let us know dietary requirements and if you have any questions at:

[email protected]