Writing and art go hand-in-hand author tells high-school students

By Brooks Taylor, Mt. Pleasant News

You don?t have to be an artist or a writer to know the two forms of expression are joined at the hip, Jennifer New, a published author from Iowa City told Mt. Pleasant Community High School students Monday in instructor Rebecca Bos?s art classes.

New has authored three books and has been writing for 15 years. During that time, she has spoken to art and English classes in schools, detailing how art and writing are intertwined.

?I am trying to encourage them (students) to be playful, try new things and pay attention to their surroundings,? New said afterwards. ?Today?s kids are too busy with their cellphones to pay attention.?

?Artistry and writing are similar, I consider writing a form of art,? she continued. ?Curiosity and paying attention to detail are very important.?

As people pass into adulthood, they begin to fear criticism and keep their creativity to themselves, she said. ?If you think you are doing things that aren?t good, you just quit doing them.?

New spoke to four classes at MPCHS Monday and during her presentations, she had writing assignments for students.

Her first assignment was to have students jot down three things that they used to do but couldn?t recall the last time they did them.

Another writing assignment given to the students was having them close their eyes and imagine a place you know and can see. Pushing the students further, she asked that the students observe what is above and below them and to the right and left of them.

New told students to observe the weather, what they are wearing and write about the place in the present tense. ?Write this as if you are writing to a good friend. You can do this exercise over and over. It helps build skills of memory and noticing, and learning to notice things that others don?t notice. Paying attention is a practice.

?People have to push themselves to be successful writers or artists,? New continued. ?What did you learn today that you didn?t know??

New said one of her favorite quotes supporting the principles of writing and art was by Anne Lamott and follows. ?Clutter and mess show us life is being lived. Tidiness makes us think of held breath of suspected animation. Perfectionism is a mean frozen form of idealism while messes are the artist?s true friend. What people tend to forget is we need to make messes to find out who we are.?

She encouraged the students to keep a journal with friends during the summer, adding images and stories. ?Track something like the weather, the clouds, the garden. Learn a new skill and track the progress in a journal.?

In her appearances before school classes, New said her goal is to ?find a few students who will be captivated.?

Her appearance in Mt. Pleasant was sponsored by Walmart.