Learning Link, 19

An artist and musician friend often talks about the process of creating as one of 'listening to the materials'.  

Found the same concept in writer Michael Pollan's thoughtful book on building a small cabin.

From A Place of My Own,  by Michael Pollan:

"The architect Louis Kahn used to talk about interrogating his materials in order to learn what they "wanted to be'---that is, what the distinctive nature of a material suggested should be done with it:   
         "You say to brick, "'What do you want, brick?"  Brick says to you, "I like an arch."  If you say to   brick, "Arches are expensive, and I can use a concrete lintel over an opening  What do you       think of that, brick?"  Brick says, "I like an arch."

.......Working attentively with their materials can draw the architect and builder into a kind of dialogue with the material world; you learn a lot about a shingle--and about red cedar--watching how it responds to your handling."    (A Place of My Own,  Michael Pollan, pp. 199-200)

Just thinking about how that process evidences itself in working with creating music and most importantly, working with children....