Sara Paula Hoffman

Went 2/11/07 to see the new work by Sara Paula Hoffman at Messing Gallery/Mary Institute/St. Louis.

My daughter, getting her Ph.D. in literacy and social justice (I haven't asked her what the actual degree will read), speaks to me about privilege. Walking into a school that competes with any country club, and seeing all the beautiful kids being picked up from Sunday activities by their beautiful parents in their beautiful SUVs sharply contrasts with the urban community college where I work.

But Paula's work, which I believe are extraordinary, speaks about the pain of growing up. Something is not quite right in the childhood presented in these oil on panel 12" squares. Sometimes we see bright local color, and other times the secrets hidden in foggy translucent overlays.

Based on Ibsen's Doll House from 1879, these painting echo the speech at the end of the play when she (a women for all times) finally says she has had enough.

And Paula's "ghosts" are represented not of her mind, but as paintings of discolored and aged Kodacolor prints. We view her self-psychoanalysis in these most poignant and compelling images. See her website: http://www.sarapaula.com/index.swf

Transparency and Assessment

We don't necessarily know how we are affecting people. Autistic individuals can't read facial cues, but can the rest of us? At school, we make a big deal about assessment, and we separate how students do on content exams from how we are doing as teachers.

One of my colleague clamors for transparency, with the assumption that the faculty should know everything about which the administration is thinking. Administrators certainly do a lot of "what if" scenarios which might be exhausting for the faculty or students to contemplate.

And then there is the issue of how to sell an idea. It is probably harder to sell an idea that was communicated prematurely before it was fully realized.

Though in a world of transparency we might learn to hold back judgement until the idea is realized, and we might become part of a process of evolving ideas, not just voting on them.

I do not know.

First Blog-My Third Third

So I retire 6/29/07, after 58 years in school as both a student and teacher, and, against my father's wishes, a dean.

My challenge is to make the most out of my third third. I'm not sure if I want to do this because of a work ethic, because of guilt that maybe I haven't done enough, because I don't know how to enjoy life, or maybe because I want to get very serious about life.

I tried hard to fix some things with others and their institutions. Though I certainly did make changes, I think I probably changed more than anyone else.

I've been thinking more and more about spiritual matters. I've always been more intrigued with mysticism than I have with rational thinking.

Ah, so much to learn about. And miles to go before I sleep.

Kim