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The Total Environment Framework | Jaried M. Millare. 2020

 READING MATERIAL FOR
GEC 22.3 - INDIGENOUS CREATIVE CRAFTS
(Weeks 3 and 4 | August 24 – September 5, 2020)

TITLE: The Total Environment Framework

INTRODUCTION:

This topic is an introduction to nature and culture; how branches of

knowledge are interdependent; nature as divided into physical and biological;
culture, society, communication; and the arts and crafts – its meaning and
classifications.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES:

By the end of this material, you should be able to:

1. Define and discuss nature and culture, and the branches of

knowledge;
2. Identify the meaning and classifications of arts and crafts; and
3. Write an essay about nature and culture, and the arts and crafts.

DISCUSSION OF THE TOPICS:

Each branch of knowledge has its own purpose. They may be different
in many ways but they are connected to each other. We may not live in this world
if we stand alone. We live with and for others to stay alive and to survive just like
natural things.

Nature is one of the things that we rely on - where we live together

with other species, the flora and fauna, and even the raw materials that are later
on made into products. Examples of these are the so-called native crafts which
are made from all-natural materials. These signify our indigenous people and
their historical connection to the land, which they have historically been
independent on for survival.

Depictions of nature can also be about intellectual thought and

spirituality. Art involving nature can be done simply to display the beauty of the
natural world around us, to make specific observations in an environment, or to
open our minds to philosophical ideas about our own connection to nature. Art
influences society by changing opinions, instilling values, and translating

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experiences across space and time. Art, in the same sense as communication,
allows people from different cultures and times to communicate with each other
via images, sounds, and stories. Art is often a vehicle for social change.

Figure 1: “Man & Woman”

Artist: Jaried M. Millare

Culture is rooted in a time and place. It defines how people relate to

nature and their physical environment, to the earth and to the cosmos, and
expresses our attitudes to and beliefs in other forms of life, both animal and plant.
Even globalization or the world of cosmopolitan communities are made of
transnational people. Cultures tend to make roots in and adapt to the particularity
of specific environments and geo-historical contexts. This is because at the
fundamental level, biological and cultural diversities are closely interdependent.
They have developed overtime through mutual adaptation between humans and
the environment, and therefore, rather than existing in separate and parallel
realms, they interact with and affect one another in complex ways in a sort of co-
evolutionary process.

For this reason, traditional and indigenous practices for the

stewardship and use of environmental resources, including buildings techniques,
are in general, green ‘by design’. They embody an intrinsically more sustainable
pattern of land use, consumption and production, contributing also to food
security and water access, based on knowledge and practices developed over
centuries of adaptation.

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The Total Environment Framework | Jaried M. Millare. 2020
 “Biological and Cultural diversity are
intrinsically and inextricably linked and together hold key to
sustainable development.”
www.unesco.org

Figure 2: The Total Environment Framework.

To wrap up, Figure 2 shows that the connections of nature and culture
are interdependent. Each branch of knowledge has its own role to play in life,
especially the environmental resources. On culture, it is clear that we live in a
society with diverse but equally important cultures, each with its own languages
used to communicate. Each culture has its own representation, meaning, and
purpose behind their arts and crafts. Art, culture, and context have a profound
influence when it comes to a person or group’s style. Related to this is the
historical context which is the record of events that affected the artist in the
development of his/her work in terms of political, social, economic, scientific,
technological, and intellectual backgrounds

Variations in style are sometimes linked to cultural contexts such as

period style. It refers to the general characteristics common to much of the works
in a specific period of time or cultural phase. Regional style is the manner of
expression common in the works of artists working in the same country or are
and individual style is the manner of expression used by particular artist.

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 To identify, understand and appreciate an artwork, there are so-called
components of art namely subject, style, content, form, media, and technique.
These components are the duty of an artist whether to adapt to or strain against
the bonds of the existing style. Below are brief reviews on subject and style:

a. Subject matter is the main theme of a work of art which could be a

person, place, thing, or abstract idea selected by the artist. It may
mainly be influenced by the culture in the society he’s living in.
Speaking of subjects, Iconography is the study of the subject
matter and symbolism. One’s awareness on symbolisms can
enrich his/her viewing experience.
b. Style is characaterized by the manner of executing the visual
elements and media associated with the work of an individual artist
which can be derived from a school or movement, or a specific
culture or time period.

In an artwork, considering and incorporating the so-called elements of

art is crucial. Line, texture, shape, and value are the most basic and
indispensable, and are the immediate building blocks for expression. Their
characteristics are determined by the artist’s choice of media and techniques and
can communicate a wide range of complex feelings.

We all know that there are so-called major arts. Art expresses beauty,
oftentimes non-functional but radiates intellectual thought and spirituality. Art
records history, preserves objects, persons, and place through immortal artworks
and art masterpieces.

Figure 3: “Piritikan”
Artists: Jaried M. Millare

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The Total Environment Framework | Jaried M. Millare. 2020
 As a review, the major arts are literature, painting, sculpture, and
music as the four main arts, of which the others are derivative; drama is
literature with acting, dance is music expressed through motion, and song is
music with literature and voice. An addition to these is film/cinema.

Art performs a number of public functions while aesthetic forms taste.

It allows you to reproduce reality according to the canons of beauty. In this case,
the social renders ideological influence and transforms social reality.
Compensatory fills the lack of beauty and harmony in everyday life and
hedonistic brings pleasure to man. The cognitive function makes it possible to
understand reality with the help of artistic images and is educational. It forms the
personality of a person.
s

There are so-called functional arts, which represent fine arts that serve
utilitarian purposes. It includes all things we may see in our daily life from lighting
and furniture to small decorative elements. We can say that functional arts regard
usefulness rather than just beauty or ornamentation.

Figure 4: Arts and Crafts

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The Total Environment Framework | Jaried M. Millare. 2020
 Clear quality art like drawings, paintings, plays, and poems are
made with inner causes and motives to be able to come up with tasteful artistic
experiences. On the other hand, when we speak of interior or industrial purposes,
the functional side of the equation plays a role in the design process because the
intent of the design is not judged from its beauty or aesthetic aspects, but with
the purpose of it being functional and handy. (www.hedcorativesurfaces.com.)

The minor arts are drawing, drafting, weaving, furniture,

blacksmith, jewelry, handicrafts, ceramics, ikebana, calligraphy, etc.

Figure 5: “Sa Pamitisan kan Bulkan”

Artist: Jaried M. Millare

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:

1. Write a two-paragraph essay answering this question:

How are the elements in the total environment framework

related to each other and what are their positive and negative
impact to arts and crafts?

2. Write a two-paragraph essay answering the question:

What is “arts and crafts” in terms of expression and

practical aspect?

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The Total Environment Framework | Jaried M. Millare. 2020
 EVALUATION (Written Essay Rubrics):

CATEGORY OUTSTANDING (1.0-1.4) VERY SATISFACTORY (1.5-1.9) SATISFACTORY (2.5) POOR (2.6-3.0)
Purpose and The paper The paper items are The paper items There is no
supporting details points to specific clearly, but the clearly, but the supporting
examples to illustrates and supporting supporting information or
includes only information is information is support is
the relevant information. general. The paper incomplete. The incomplete.
includes only the paper may include
Information. information that is not
relevant.

Organization & The paper breaks The paper breaks The paper breaks Many details are
Structure the information the information the information not in a logical or
into whole-to into whole-to into whole-to-whole, or expected order.
whole, whole, point-by-point There is little sense
point-by-point point-by-point structure, but some that the writing is
structure. It follows structure but does information is in the organized.
a consistent order not follow a wrong section. Some
when discussing. consistent order details are not in a
when discussing. logical or expected
order, and this
distracts the reader.
Transition The paper moves The paper moves Some transitions The transitions
smoothly from one from one idea to the work well; but between ideas are
idea to the next. next, but there is connections unclear or
The paper uses a little variety. between other nonexistent.
variety of sentence ideas are fuzzy.
structures and
transitions.

Grammar & Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes more
Spelling errors in grammar errors in grammar errors in grammar than 4 errors in
(Conventions) or spelling that or spelling that or spelling that grammar or spelling
distract the reader distract the reader distract the reader that distract the
from the content. from the content. from the content. reader from the
content.

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The Total Environment Framework | Jaried M. Millare. 2020
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Prepared by:

JARIED M. MILLARE
Faculty, Humanities Department
BUCAL, Legazpi City

- END OF THE READING MATERIAL -

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