Wit & Whimsy Sculpture at Stamford, last 4 weeks

Only three weeks left to catch Wit and Whimsy, the Stamford Downtown Summer Sculpture exhibition and enjoy the outdoor restaurants, parks and cultural events. Call 203-348-5285 or see WWW.stamford-downtown.com for a map and schedule of events, dining guide and more. Judith Peck has 6 of her large outdoor sculptures on display.

Sibling Rivalry

When a new child arrives a sibling’s hug can appear a stranglehold, but a hit that hides a hug can appear as well; this is the subject of Peck’s article archived on line in ParentGuildNews: http://www.parentguidenews.com/Catalog/ChildDevelopment/AHitThatHidesaHug/

Creating serenity, perception and self-confidence in your baby

Serenity in a baby occurs when she is contented in bodily functions and has no need to focus on her nagging innards. She is then free to perceive the outside world, explore it and begin to make those important neural connections. But along with responding to physical needs to create a serene environment, a parent must aim to build self-confidence for this is the basic mechanism with which all achievements are constructed. Accomplishing such independent feats as feeding herself, drinking from a cup, gripping a crayon and moving it across a piece of paper (occurring at whatever stage these do) leads her to feel competent towards attempting the next thing on the agenda. She will look forward to that next thing, approaching it from a position of strength with an expectation that she will manage it. With parental calm and encouragement she will sense that she is going in the right direction even when she doesn’t manage quite so well. From an environment that welcomes her participation, perceptions will form, sharpen, expand and mature. Serenity, perception, self-confidence, From this starting point will evolve the intelligent, creative child.

Some images of the Judith Peck sculptures on exhibit in the Downtown Stamford outdoor sculpture exhibit

Readers have asked to see pictures of some of my sculptures in the Downtown Stamford sculpture exhibition.

This is "Young Marrieds" which depicts a couple in nightclothes set to slide precariously down a double slide. The sculpture may be too alluring to young children who might be tempted to climb up and help the young couple before their plummet.

This is "Appalachia," a life size composition of a family by their dwelling. The family seems reconciled and hopeful admidst their extreme poverty; I have made the dog, by his tension, metaphorically display the urgency and desperation of their situation.

Six Judith Peck large outdoor sculptures on display in Stamford now through August

"Out of the mainstream and into the streets" was the phrase used by a previous New York Times article to introduce the Downtown Stamford Art in Public Places Sculpture Exhibit. This year's title, with the exhibit now in its 18th year, is titled "Wit and Whimsy." The 7 Judith Peck sculptures chosen by curator Eileen Heckerling for this show (39 in all) certainly seem to come under that unbrella. One Peck sculpture, "Young Marrieds," depicting two life size figures in nightclothes about to slide together down a double slide might have proven too appealingly whimsical to young children lured to join the preacriously couple in their free fall, so it was removed.
Try to get to Stamford, Connecticut and drive around the downtown streets to see the Peck sculptures and others by 12 sculptors on display now through August.

Here is Seated Woman Red on display.

Featured Artist on Santa Fe Art World

I am honored to have been named Featured Artist on Santa Fe Art World for the month of May. This distinction relates to the showing of my outdoor sculptures from June to Labor Day in the Stamford, Connecticut Downtown Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, for which seven (7) large sculptures have now been selected. Here is the link: http://santafeartworld.com/. Then click on “View the Featured Artist” for information, pictures and lots of computerized spelling glitches.

Appalachia Mixed media Life size


Pictured are the sculptures going on display. The exhibit is titled “Wit and Whimsy.” The sculptures will be placed along with others in various locations around the City. Previous reviews of this annual exhibition have had superb reviews in the New York Times and elsewhere with notable sculptors represented, so I’m glad to be represented “Out of the Museum and onto the Streets,” as a Times caption read.

Young Marrieds Mixed media Life size








Reclining Woman, Black, Red and Yellow
Welded steel and acrylic paint, 48" x 96" x 12"



Seated Woman Red Welded steel, 60" x 48" x 96"



The Tennis Player
Fiberglass, resin, imbedded bronze and found objects 62" x 28" x 15"

CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS

RESOURCEFUL ARBITRATIONS

Excerpted from Smart Starts in the Arts Chapter 4 by Judith Peck, Ed.D



Conflict hurts, but a resolution, well handled, can set a tone for good human relationships.


Resourcefulness has always been humankind's way of battling and overcoming external elements: devising tools, improvising materials, figuring out alternatives, inventing methods. The human brain is magnificently designed to try to bring alternate resources—physical and mental—into play when drastic conditions demand. The conflict of two siblings or playmates fighting over one fire truck, or parent and child at loggerheads over eating string beans is not drastic but difficult and frustrating. Easing the conflict is necessary and dipping into resources to find something effective might just solve the problem.

The reader at this point may say: "Look, children are going to attack each other over fire trucks and parents are going to force feed string beans. It's the way of life and it’s not going to break them up." True, but if it happens enough times and becomes a patterned response to the demands of one to the other, it may well fracture their enjoyment of one another. Conflict hurts; it is battle, and battle is hard on the nerves and emotionally draining. Conflict is uncreative; energies and concentration are spent in aggression and defense directed at the other and not to the enterprise at hand nor to the productive concert of one child playing with another.

Conflict, especially if it becomes chronic, is not desirable for other reasons having to do with the effect of stress on the brain. Stress hormones in the brain, such as cortisol and adrenaline, if overactive (not the normal preparation of the body for fight or flight), can eventually affect the genes and create learning disabilities. Helping Brad to feel he is not helpless but can do something about a problem or even a feeling is all important in instilling in him a lasting sense that he is worthy and important (Kotulak).

So, recognizing that conflicts between friends and family members are inevitable, we might agree that they are not desirable and finding ways to minimize conflict should be investigated.

Parenting Tips

There is a window of opportunity for children's learning, and although children continue to learn , as we all do at any age, the brain is particularly open to receiving instruction at particular ages.

The following passage from my book Smart Starts in the Arts: Fostering Intelligence, Creativity and Serenity in the Early Years http://www.iapbooks.com/ explains some of the easy and rather delightful tactics we can employ with our very young child to make the most of this window of opportunity in the very early years.

What Works (Kotulak, Ronald. 1996)

• Talking to your child frequently; this allows words to be learned faster, increasing vocabulary. Watching words, such as he sees on TV, without content specifically suited to his age, does not do the job. Moreover, you point to things as you talk and talk in short sentences, allowing him to take it all in, ask questions, and interact with you in a social way. Use many different words in a variety of combinations.


• Creating enriched environments with engaging toys, pleasing social interactions, story reading. Stimulating the senses by:


• Playing complex music on radio or tapes, such as the sounds found in classical music;


• Providing kinetic movement for vision to focus upon, such as that found in an intriguing mobile.


• Providing rattles and push-button toys with eye, ear and tactile appeal and later, clay or play dough, which not only exercises fingers and hands but creative vision and the tactile sensations of texture.


• Instilling confidence by allowing exploration, diverting attention when necessary by calm physical intervention, rather than yelling from your chair.
• Providing positive feedback. Praising accomplishments, responding to questions, giving firm guidance rather than commands.


• Finding time and situations for comforting touch, for holding and cuddling; using breast or bottle feeding routines for this, and during changing rituals, play times and sleep preparations.


• Removing stress from the environment; physiological responses to stress and high blood pressure are molded in early development when the brain is changing the most.


• Instilling in your child the attitude that he is not helpless; he can do something about a problem or a feeling; he is worthy; he is important. When he develops his view of the world, he will have that inside, always.