Lillie Webb
FROM NEURONS TO PICASSO
~ an honors seminar ~
The Reason
It's a rather subjective question, but one that must be asked. In every living, breathing moment, we get to grace this place we call Earth; we are actively creating our own reality. How fascinating is that! And how utterly strange. We may have evolved to be more civil and technologically advanced than our primitive ancestors but that did not erase our peculiarity. I may have initially taken this seminar in hopes of finding the connection between our neurological makeup and our innately artistic endeavors, but I gained so much more.
Why this course?
What I've known about myself my whole life, and what has solidified as a growing adult, is that creating is my why. It is the leading force in my endeavors and the fuel to my passions. When I am not creating, I am not me. However, this creativity is not confined to fine arts or physical processes. Yes, those are pure forms, but the act of being creative spans art forms. But...what even is art? This is a question we asked multiple times in this course, which is another reason why it called to me.
The Experience
As stated on the UHP website, this course is "designed for students of all majors who want to better understand the science of creativity and the biology of art, gaining skills to think critically about how artistic inquiry continues to shape the human experience." To achieve these objectives, I wrote weekly reflections on the assigned course materials, kept a journal of our labs and my findings, and applied concepts we'd discussed in class to create my final artifact.
While it was only held once a week on Thursday evenings, I found this course to be extremely engaging, both physically and mentally. I have always been an appreciator of art, but until this course, I had never gone as far as researching the evolutionary influences and neurological processes occurring behind-the-scenes of it all. Our weekly discussions fostered a curiosity that I have not felt in a long time and hope to continue nurturing.
The Impact
This course impacted me in a multitude of ways. I had little to no experience or knowledge related to neuroscience. Having taken this course, I am still nowhere near an expert, but I now know the basics, which is a significant improvement. Most prominently, though, this course heavily impacted how I view art and our (the human race) relationship with it.
This experience also impacted my definition of a global citizen scholar. I believe one of my biggest takeaways from this course is the importance of curiosity. This term, however simple, holds volumes, as it is the starting point for every major discovery. You cannot have ambition without curiosity. A great leader not only has curiosity but fosters it.
Old definition:
"To me, a global citizen scholar is a leader who strives to accomplish their goals, all while inspiring and helping others in the process."
- Lillie Webb
New definition:
"To me, a global citizen scholar is an individual who leads with kindness, noble ambition, and fosters curiosity, all while inspiring and helping others in the process."
- Lillie Webb
The Notebook
A personal journal of my lab experience in the course
My Artifact
Our final project
For my final project, I decided to create an artifact that explores how our brains interpret fashion through combined sensory inputs such as color and texture. My artifact is a multi-sensory board that features six types of fabric. Each fabric is unique in texture; however, I chose to use the same bright red hue
throughout to act as the controlled variable. By doing so, I believe the viewer will have a stronger experience. Essentially, our perception of fashion is constructed through neural processing and my artifact demonstrates this through the combined use of color and texture.