Don't push

Petra from Barcelona asked me to share some of my unschooling experience that may be useful for Corona time. My kids are bigger now, 13-23 years old, but my process has been the same over the years and Im happy with the results so Im willing to share.

Obviously these are unusual times so zoom it or put a mask on it but the big picture should be the same :

0-7 years old: focus on welcoming the child to the world. Making the beginning of a kid’s life as happy as possible is simple common sense. Children grow up to be independent adults out of being cuddled and supported. Having an independent child is just the best long term investment a parent can make, so allow yourself to be egoistic and enjoy these magical years with lots of quality time: Joy, playfulness, imagination, taking time to explore and wonder, hugs, reassurance, making a mess, story-telling, “comfy time”, spending energy, kitchen experiments, costume corner, living-room parties, popcorn movie-nights, family sleepovers, etc.

7-14 years old: Establish a weekly system with personal projects, exterior activities, and social life. it’s time to start fixing some kind of a curriculum. Based entirely on your kids talent and curiosity, within reason and budget of course. There is no logic in dictating content - instead, focus on providing tools. The more your kids are in love with the subject matter, the better they will apply themselves. That simple. Trust your child. This approach creates a learning mechanism within them that can later be applied to the ever-changing needs of their future lives.

14-21 years old: look for ways to professionalise the child’s main interests, to enhance various life skills, and open an honest conversation about sexuality and relationships.

Overall, within this loose yet fixed grid, children find their way and become happy, independent adults around the age of 21; some sooner, some later. 

This is a very brief explanation of our Unschooling process, I hope it makes sense to the parents amongst you, and thank you again Petra for asking.

The image above is from “Don’t Push - 10 Lessons from Giving 5 Births”, a self-published Blurb book I am currently working on.

Tracing is fun; it turned out to be my main activity during this confinement time, using Wacom Stylus and Adobe PhotoShop.

What are you working on?

Change is Banana

I discovered change late in life. I managed all the way up to 40 yesrs old not notiving it was the basic constant. since, I see just that. Pema Chodron says life changes all the time and if you dont believe it just look out the window, or at the mirror.

How does this is helping us now? resisting change brings suffering thats just how it is. the fastest we let go and move on the less we suffer so it seems. how can we apply this to here and now?

Art yifat gat / model sara gat / photos julia gat

My Sara says change is Banana, basically she means ok mom, I got it.

Not only Im all for change is Banana, I actually think it should have been the title of this coloring book.

Oh well, next time. In the mean time enjoy this free PDF version down here

If you know someone with a kid pass it on.

If you actually get around to coloring it, please send me pics, I would love to see those…

Take care

much love

yifat

Corona coloring book

This hybrid between catalog and coloring book was born during corona days. Julia and Sara came knocking on my studio door. Julia had a camera in her hand and I had just finished this series of works. We went outside and I said, you know what, there is still some light. As Julia was taking Sara's pictures the white background of the works seems like papers to me and i thought this could be a coloring book. I love coloring books. I should have lead with that. They are one of my childhood sweet memories. My favourite school activity …

CORONA STUDIO

A4 papers

+

A pencil or pan or marker

=

Corona studio time

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That simple.

Have a pile of office papers on the dining room table and a glass with what ever you can find to draw with. thats it, your studio is ready.

Drawing can help you get through this, can help engage in conversation, tell stories, vent anxiety, stay playful and create magic.

Stay solid. Draw.

The happiness trap: How to win the battle between money and meaning

“If you’re using your passion and skills to help others, but not making money, then this is solely a hobby or pro bono work, not a business.

If you want to build a business, then you can’t avoid the fact that you’ll need to start making money. If you battle with charging for something you love doing, then you have work to do.

If you’re in this group it’s time you started to act, and think, more like an entrepreneur:

• Develop a different money mindset

• Learn about different business models

• Discover proven approaches to boost your income

• Get access to some simple yet powerful tools

“Money is like a mirror, showing you who you want to be. In the mirror you see the reflection of the free you, the secure you, the enabled you. So you believe money really is those things. You see those powers when you look at money.” Tom Nixon

The game

Putting the work in the middle, has always been important to me, because otherwise whats the point, right?

As a lover of data and flow charts, I been trying to find a work model that is clear, repeatable, scalable, and long term. Basketball seemed like a good metaphor for the game.

How do I use this chart?

Sometimes when I have to deal with different disciplines i get confused or overwhelmed. looking at the chart brings a sense of order. its ok to take care of a store / dealer/ student/ dealer / project issues all in one day, just same of the same list. It also reminds me that the prize is the work in the middle …

Giving form vs giving birth

I learned about natural birth through five labors .

I never thought this could be of any use in my art blog but here we are.

I was invited on FB to a group called giving form and than It clicked - how did I not see it before?

yes, its the same.

why how where ? ??

kind of everything about it really.

take the famous pushing scene from all the movies. its false.

In natural birth we let it flow like the river. you are not to push, it comes out by itself, you are to not disturb, find the position most comfortable and make room for it.

Art? Birth? same …

about work

Dealing with form color and scale as a path towards sustainable liberation, my process is a funny one because I’m actually a perfectionist doomed to fail, over and over again. Hunted by the powers in play, I choose submission over the illusion of having a choice. When not complaining I know I’m a surfer riding one of the most amazing waves there is, When I do catch a good one, Its connecting me to eternity, Universal knowledge and all my previous and future lives, worth it. so here I am, doing the only thing im good for. catching waves.

Space

same lines different context - different meaning