"Be Still!"

CAPTION: "When is a Still Life, not a Still Life?"

Socrates and I have many common traits. Contrary to what you might think? That is probably not a compliment for either one of us.

Our principal link is our reliance on the Socratic Teaching Method. Don't run to your stack of Greek philosophy texts to get up to speed. This is simple. What we have dubbed the Socratic Method of teaching is simply forcing students to come up with their own answers by  the teacher ONLY asking questions.

"What a clever and thoughtful way to inspire thinking?," you may be cogitating. 

Maybe. But if Socrates and I are anything alike? When I don't know something? I often ask the students a question and they go find out for me. Saves me an incredible amount of work. (That by the way turned into a very practical and effective tool in journalism.)

We all know that Socrates and myself are loaded with Empirical Knowledge we are able to impart to the student body. So why on earth would we require the students go discover these insights on their own? If they do that, we, that's Soc and me, won't get any credit for it.

Well there are three reasons I believe we use this method.

1. To inspire a natural instinct to observe and investigate the unknown.

2. To somewhat selfishly work through our own frustration of not effectively getting our message heard.

3. To cover up the fact the two of us, Soc and me, are having a Lazy streak.

Anyway I thought I'd self impose the Socratic Method on the sketching dilemma I'm working through. Here goes.

"Why are you so wigged out Paul?"

"It's this sketching thing. People get so emotional about exposing themselves."

"Why do you think they get so emotional Paul."

"Well Soc, I've looked into that. For some cultures it's considered like stealing a hunk of someone's soul."

"Well Paul do you think there is a way to get around exposing their souls."

"You know I think maybe I could just focus on some body parts, like feet and hands."

"Can the hands and feet reveal any part of a person's soul Paul."

"Hmmm. Good Point Soc."

"I'm just asking questions Paul, nothing else (heh,heh.)"

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

"Are there any other solutions to your being wigged out Paul?"

"You know what? Why don't I just do Still Life?"

"Why don't you?"  

"By golly I will. I'll draw a big vase with a big leafy plant in it."

"Why is that composition called Still Life Paul?"

"Well because it has this big ol' honkin' inanimate vase in it. And it's not living."

"Is the plant living Paul?"

"You know I never gave that a thought until now Soc. Good question. It is true that it is a live plant, but hey its Still?"

"Where is the market for Still Life Paul?"

"You know I was just looking into that Soc. This guy John Kannenburg, curator of a website art forum must have had the same question. And he answered himself by golly. "

"STILL LIFE, as an art form, is hopelessly outdated."

"What else does John Kannenburg say Paul."

"It's right here Soc. He pompously writes this little thought."

"Artists must seek multiple methods with which to make their messages heard!."

"Is that good advice Paul."

"I need to give that some thought Soc. Oh, my God....one of the plant's leaves just moved Soc. Now I can't call it Still Life. What will I do?"

"What do YOU think you should do Paul? ( just thought I'd invite Freud to have lunch with us.)

"I've got it! I'll just take a digital snapshot of my still life, transfer it to my computer, somehow animate it, use PhotoShop to crop it and enhance the color, and create a new genre. I don't know...something like....hmmm...STILL LIFE IN CYBERSPACE. Eh? Would that be good Soc?"

"I'm asking the questions here Paul?"

"Well at least answer this question Soc. Want to go shoot some hoops?"

"Can't this aftenoon Paul. I've got some stupid forum they want me to speak to. I'll take a rain check. Oh, and are you ever going to tell me what a HOOP is?"

"No!"