You and Me Versus Stan Lee

Drawing 2 student Adrian Eaton recently got asked to work with the public at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival. The theme this year was Superheroes and Adrian proposed ‘You and Me Versus Stan Lee’.
“Children and adults were encouraged to invent new superheroes using an idea generator. Their submissions were stuffed into my head while Marvel supers were stuffed into Stan Lee’s. Both our heads were developed on hardboard on a backdrop of the universe to signify infinite possibility. The point was creativity makes us super. We all have the capacity to invent and our uniqueness makes us special. The purpose of the work was envangelical, in spreading the word about the joy of being creative through art.”

Relinquishing control Adrian become a facilitator rather than a authoritarian leader, he divided up the tasks and with his encouragement participants were free to create whatever they wanted.
One of the things Adrian noticed was that art creates art. “While children are painting, other children spectacularly gravitate towards what is going on. Soon, participants become facilitators and teachers to the next wave of participants. I like that fact about creativity- it self perpetuates.”

Engaging with the public is not the easiest thing in the world and I would like to commend Adrian for putting himself out there and having the confidence to get involved with this event. Distance learning students are probably subject to more self doubt and uncertainties than bricks and mortar students but pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can be so rewarding as Adrian has learned. It can be daunting but why not do something collaboratively or even start by volunteering at local gallery workshops and festivals, even if it’s face painting can be a confidence builder. As Adrian says, It’s about the process not the product.
Check out Adrian’s blog here for a thorough rundown of the day.