Art of Listening (for Iron County Today)
Art of Listening
by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President
"When people talk, listen completely. Don’t be thinking about what you’re going to say. Most people never listen," said Ernest Hemingway. A large part of any art form is the art of communication, but that also means the art of listening. What are you as an artist trying to communicate? When you go to a museum or a play what message do you hear from the artist?
One of the reasons former students still come up to me about both my husband and mother's teaching impact is because they were both gifted listeners. They made their students and friends feel important because they were intently listening. It was obvious they valued what was being said and their responses demonstrated understanding. They were also both avid readers and were always trying to learn something new.
It is sometimes hard for me to concentrate fully. An art gallery can be overwhelming to me with all the colors and variety. I have to really focus to have a conversation there. It helps to look at someone's eyes and focus on the color. That helps block out all the distractions.
Often an image communicates more than a speech. For a visual learner seeing art is essential. For an aural learner, hearing gets across the message more effectively. Even though I am a musician I learn better by seeing. I prefer reading books rather than listening, but I have many friends who love audio books. Some of my students can memorize quickly and don't really need the printed music. Others find memorization super difficult and play much more confidently with printed music. It is valuable to try different types of communication to see what is effective for your personal learning.
One of the values of engaging in your own personal artform is that it helps you connect with details. Noticing details of color or shape helps hone listening skills. Noticing changes in pitch and tempo creates listening skills that translate when learning a language or dealing with a tricky legal document.
For two years I taught high school journalism and photography at Beaumont High in Texas. It was exhausting because I sense people's feelings and have focus issues. So I knew the student on the back row was grieving because his father had died, but the girl on the left side wanted attention and was misbehaving to get that attention. After we moved back to Utah I concentrated on private violin teaching so I could focus on one student at a time. My mother thought that was inefficient and I should do more group classes instead of private lessons. The tricky bit is that each student is different and needs specialized guidance with the coordination of playing and the nuances of musicality. When I have to speak to groups I have to write down what needs to be communicated instead of just hoping I can remember the details.
What can you communicate with your art? What have you learned by listening intently this week? What relationship did you deepen through active listening?
Remember that the Cedar City Arts Council mini-grant applications are due Aug. 31. The application is on our website under Support. Up to $500 for community art projects. Link to application: https://www.
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