About Me

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Private dealer and collector of too much stuff under the bed.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Philosophy and real art for kids.........


Amy Leask has a spectacular site whose mission is to "introduce kids (and the adults they run with) to the wonderful world of Philosophy." It's called kidsthinkaboutit
Children are challenged to think about:
  • What is real? What exists?
  • What makes a human? Is it our minds, our bodies, or a combination of the two?
  • How do we gain knowledge and understanding? Is it with our senses, our minds, or something else?
  • How can we be sure that something is true?
  • What is the difference between the good life and the bad life?
  • How can we decide on the right thing to do?
  • What does it mean for something to be beautiful?
    Ahhh, now you get why this link is on my site! I, too, ask kids to try to figure out what beauty is, in it's endless forms, and to decipher which of those forms they relate to the most. It's a wonderful steppingstone to communication and reasoning and enlightenment.
    (The image above is an antique scale/fortune telling machine, which is now considered a form of folk art! Discuss amongst yourselves!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Paul Pitt redux.....barn discoveries



Paul Pitt's charming folk art paintings grace the walls of quite a few museums, as well as private collections. His paintings bring to mind Grandma Moses and times gone by. The paintings are gems, filled with detail that surprises you each time you look. So much to see which coaxes a smile to your face. A forage into a barn on his Connecticut property unearth a few vintage works, when his style was just emerging. These paintings are lovely and available for sale through the gallery here