cp,
You sure pack a lot of thoughts in an email. While I'm thinking, I get
the fancy A by seclecting the unfancy A, then going up to the little
thingy that says "Fonts" and selecting the size, color, shadow, and
font I would like it to be.
(don't tell anyone I use a Macintosh, they won't think I'm quite so
clever.)
-jc
On Aug 29, 2004, at 5:02 PM, Cuyler Page wrote:
> jc,
> (or is it "j(only) c(only)" as the civic officialdom has on the
> forestanding "J" in my family tradition name system of first initial
> and middle name)
>
> The best job description of an Interpreter is to be like a glass lens
> that allows a visitor to see the real thing more clearly, basically
> transparent or invisible (not supposed to be the subject of
> attention) and providing a focused view of something with meaning to
> be discovered, assisting with the discovery or facilitating the
> discovery process. The classic definition by Freeman Tilden, a
> National Parks worker who established the notion of interpretation, is
> that it is an Art that uses all the other Arts to perform its task.
> Of course, Interpretation can take many forms, from personal
> presentation and interaction to signage and even as simple a device
> as a path to a selected viewpoint if designed to accomplish a goal of
> provoking a meaningful experience. Our Interp Canada BC Chapter
> newsletter is called "Provocation", a word you might like to interject
> into conversations at the conference if you want to appear to be "in
> the know." If you are job hinting, definitely use "to provoke"
> (better experience of a site / new awareness / interactive group
> participation / yada yada yada..... ) as the reason for designing
> anything.
>
> When I moved into the museum world from architecture, and took my
> first course in historic site management, I was struck by the great
> similarity between Marketing and Architecture as I had learned to
> practise it. Namely, it was a task of identifying the needs and
> dreams of the client/user, the tools of the designer, and the
> realities of the site (and budget), and then making a marriage of them
> all for the mutual benefit of all. Marketing was presented as the
> task or art of identifying the needs of purchasers and marrying them
> with the offerings of the sellers for mutual benefit. Interpretation
> was approached the same way exactly, understanding where the visitor
> was coming from in terms of pre-knowledge and experience, and then
> connecting that with the offerings of the historic or natural site or
> artefact. It was all the same game plan.
>
> As a restoration woodworker, I approached the work as an Interpreter,
> seeking to find the appropriate method for the work based on the
> combination of historic precedence along with owner/user/viewer
> education and enlightenment. An important part of preservation of
> the structure was to inspire the o/u/v to want to take care of the
> thing into the future, hence Interpretation. It was especially fun
> doing that at a public historic site where I made a point of doing the
> work in the public view instead of in the off-season, visibly keeping
> alive the craft as well as the object. The greatest benefit was
> probably to me since I learned a huge amount from the old timers
> visiting who would eagerly want to show me how they used to do it.
> It was often like serving an apprenticeship (but with the benefit of
> not having to put up with the bad moods of a master). The artist
> Robert Bateman began his youthful career as an Interpreter in a
> Canadian National Park. When speaking at an Interp Canada conference
> a few years ago, he said he considered Interpretation one of the most
> important professions today in this time of ecological
> challenges, because the intent of the work is to inspire people to
> love the subject being presented, and once they began to love it, they
> would then take care of it themselves. I couldn't help recalling
> FLW's commentary that ornament is an expression of enthusiasm for the
> thing you want to ornament and therefore an expression of love.
>
> For crass and commercial purposes linking Interpretation and
> Archytecture, there is lots more money easily available for giving
> workshops than for finding buildings to restore at places where
> Interpreters usually work. Unfortunately, the government managers
> (at least out here), who once had a mandate to support groups like
> Interp Canada with their staff and budgets, now must be content with
> personal subscriptions to journals. Our current
> ultra-conservative Provincial government cancelled all Interpretation
> programs and staff in the Provincial Parks a few years ago as "useless
> frills." A decade ago, the Provincial Parks and Historic sites staff
> were actively supporting and managing the volunteer Interp Canada
> Society. However, the current government loves to hire consultants
> to give workshops to community groups and volunteers "to empower them"
> as a strategy for downloading traditional responsibilities.
>
> It turns out that the fall Vancouver Island conference is by BC
> Chapter, but the 2004 National Conference is in Lethbridge Alberta,
> October 20 to 24. http://www.interpcan.ca/2004natconf.html
>
>
> Say, -jc, how do you get that fancy "A" with the heavy line on your
> Times New Roman "Architect"? It looks great !
>
> Loved your picture of actors. Certainly known more than a few
> Architects that were more Actors than Interpreters, starting with my
> official Advisor at Cornell who forbade me from taking a course in
> Perception in the Psychology Department as an Elective, saying
> emphatically that "Perception has nothing to do with architecture!".
> Years and tears later, I started to laugh!
>
> cp in bc
>
> My interest may crass and commercial, as well as thinking that
> Interpreters are way cool. Kind of like actors without the dramatics
> and the self-important twitches. But what would I know, I'm just an
> Architect.
>
> Vancouver Island sounds much more interesting than Michigan, do they
> have a web site? I'm fond of Canadians as well as Interpreters! Its
> like a cosmic convergence!
>
> -jc
>
>
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