Simultaneous Incorporation

The Blog: Simultaneous Incorporation
Part of the allure of quilts is that they often simultaneously incorporate a multitude of endearing features: color, design, skill, time, warmth, love.

Ruminating on quilts and simultaneous incorporation reminded me of when I got to be an art lady a few years ago at my children's elementary school. Every second Thursday, I donned my black art lady apron with the rainbow hearts (usually I’m not into hearts, but this was an exception) and “The arts, heart of education” emblazoned on it and went to talk to kids about a specific work of art and its artist—Renoir, Picasso, Marc Franz. Ooo.

In between time, I would go to the art poster cupboard in the library, find the cardboard-backed print next on the docket, and take home the print to study and research. If I was lucky, I remembered to bring the car since I’d learned the hard way that riding the bike didn’t work too well. Study and research complete, I could then plan an amazing (?!?) presentation for the kids—the more props neatly deposited in my trusty apron the better.

Being an art lady simultaneously incorporated some of my favorite things—art and children--and so it became one of my all-time favorite volunteer jobs.

One day I rummaged in the art cupboard for my next print—a painting by American artist Faith Ringgold. Unfamiliar with her name or work, I finally located a print anchored by black but vibrating with color. A series of triangles around the edge completed the piece. When I googled Faith Ringgold, I was fascinated to learn about her technique: she paints her subject on canvas, then quilts around the edge. She also has numerous children’s books to her credit. Her career looked like a serious case of simultaneous incorporation to me.

I could relate.


The Etymology: Simultaneous
from L. simul "at the same time" (see similar) + -taneous, abstracted from spontaneous, etc.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=simultaneous
Ah--I hadn't made the link between "simultaneous" and "similar" before.

The Prompt:
What have you simultaneously incorporated in your life? Did you plan it that way due to a specific need, or was the circumstance the result of happy chance?

The Book: Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold
A big city girl finds her beach on the black rooftop of her apartment building, and her imagination takes flight from there.

The Links:
Learn more about Faith Ringgold and her work at http://www.faithringgold.com/ or http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/catalog/author.pperl?authorid=25610.