Art....Inspired By "to create is to destroy"

"To create is to destroy. To destroy is to create." That's what 18 participants in my 10-day artist residency at the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg did this week to make a unique piece of abstract art.

Creating abstract art rearranging your name.

In big bold black letters they wrote their names on square sheets of paper. Next they destroyed that paper by cutting it into 16 small squares. From there they created a new piece of art by rearranging the pieces, gluing them in place, and coloring in the negative spaces with various colors.

The full quote that inspired their new abstract creations is:

"To create is to destroy. To destroy is to create. Life is about getting up  out of your chair and doing something. It is about doing nothing. Making a mess. Moving your hand and your body. Leaving a mark. It is about doing. Action. Finishing. Experimenting. Trying something. Immersing. It is about absurdity. A creation. Evidence that you exist. Using materials. Destruction. It is about fun. Doing the opposite. Breaking the rules. It is about ideas. Getting dirty. Making mistakes. I'm going to ask you to make a mark and its going to be messy. Don't worry about that. That's the point." -- unknown via www.boardofwisdom.com

In an art class for older adults, participants create abstract art using their name.

The artists residency focused on creative aging is an Arts In Education program of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Jump Street, and a research initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.