IDEA Office Haiku Descriptions

IDEA Office Haikus

A Haiku is a Japanese short poem that uses very specific language to evoke emotion and/or imagery. The format is quite simple: a Haiku is three lines - the first with five syllables, the second with seven, and the third again with five. In a traditional Haiku, it is common to use references to nature. There is also a juxtaposition as the poem transitions from the first line to the third line.

In the fall of 2022, the IDEA team used a Haiku as a check-in/reflection activity regarding our experience in the IDEA office. The team could choose to follow a traditional Haiku if they wished, but were not bound by it. The only requirement was to follow the number of syllables and reflect on their personal growth as an IDEA scholar/mentor.

Towards the end of the Spring 2023 semester, we reflected on our Haikus by creating imagery to represent the Haikus authored in the fall. Each piece is now displayed in a hallway of 780 suites.

The following pages, created by IDEA Office student worker Malia Wilson, capture the Haiku, a written description of the connection to the visual image, and the author/artist from the 2022-23 IDEA Team (in alphabetical order).

Onwards!

I am going there Where, towards my discomfort Here, I will blossom

Katharine Brown, IDEA Scholar

Katharine Brown

“A blossoming California poppy behind a closed window. I chose to paint a poppy because I am from California and grew up next to the poppy fields. Growing up my dad would take us to the poppy fields when they were in bloom. In a lot of ways, the poppy represents my history and how I came to have the different views and perspectives I hold onto. The brown on the edges of the canvas are painted to look like a frame and I used foil to create a dimensional handle for viewers. The idea is that the poppy is in bloom, but to fully experience the blossom I needed to “do the work,” and open the window— or as stated in the poem— lean into discomfort.”

Past. Present. Future. Learning. Doing. Repeating. Moving the Needle.

Chandra Crudup, Associate Dean of IDEA

Chandra Crudup

“The circular patterns growing in size from the middle of the piece, represents a focus inward and outward, while also the concept of cyclical movement of learning, doinging, repeating. The tinfoil represents a mirror. The tinfoil spiral adds movement to the piece reinforcing that learning, doing, and repeating is not only one dimensional. A sewing needle is used to depict “moving the needle”, rather than a meter needle, as this work takes a series of threaded weaving of understanding, communication, and cultural honoring. The needle that runs diagonally across the piece is made out of reused wrapping paper made by and given to me by a young family member. The phrase, “moving the needle” is used in honor and memory of my dear friend and mentor Deborah Cox. Together they represent the past and future. The tinfoil in the eye of the needle is a mirror. A reminder of the self reflection and individual work necessary and that we must pause and look in the mirror to see where we are, where we have come, and where we are going.”

Hard times. Big struggles. At the end of The Journey, New Beginnings await

Tasha

Senior IDEA Scholar

Holmes,

Tasha Holmes

“We were given plenty of time to prepare, yet on the day of creation, ten minutes of introspective struggle passed before the blank canvas received its first pencil mark. Initially, I planned to replicate an image I had colored in a book earlier in the year, and staying within the lines and working with limited supplies was easy. However, a new challenge presented itself when faced with an unrestricted palette and an absence of boundaries. That struggle evaporated with the first pencil mark, opening the gates to a realm where time lost its sovereignty. In this timeless space, I allowed myself to breathe life into the canvas as the moment inspired me. Hours melded into strokes and shades, using all the available resources to birth an image.

The heart of the composition - a woman gracefully flowing in water - echoes from the coloring book that served as my muse earlier in the year. The towering structure reaching into the sky, a homage to my hometown, drew inspiration from a snapshot of downtown Chicago that graces my phone's screensaver. The clock, projecting from the tower towards the heavens, is a nod to the iconic Batman Signal, symbolizing a call to everyday heroes to rise and champion their communities. This image is a tapestry of compartmentalized yet interconnected themes - the natural and urban, the solitary and communal, calmness and emotional turbulence, articulated through the interplay of primary colors. It captures the complex duality of existence, embodying a sense of isolation yet simultaneous interconnectedness. The artwork weaves a narrative of life's strenuous journeys and the shimmering dawn of new beginnings, which rest under the safeguard of God's hand—traced in striking red, it stands as a tangible reminder to embrace stillness, recognizing His omnipresence within life's struggles. This divine assurance offers a lifeline amidst life's turbulent waters, preventing metaphorical drowning and solidifying the belief that I am not alone.”

Working with others to embrace our strengths and our flaws while creating change

Trey Jenkins, Senior IDEA Scholar

Trey Jenkins

“The joined circles on the page represent the collaborative relationship members of the IDEA team share. The relationship is strong, reciprocal, honest, and transparent. Each of the smaller circles are composed of materials that are the "ingredients" that make each of us unique. Each team member chose their own ingredients representing the coming together of our individual and collective gifts. Finally, the unfinished square at the bottom right of the page represents both the unfinished and sometimes flawed nature of anti-oppressive work that we must accept as a part of the process. While our attention may dwell on that open space, it is a reminder to see the bigger picture which includes much beauty and progress.”

Endless fear ahead. No 'right' or 'wrong' path. Possibilities

Cynthia Mackey, Senior IDEA Scholar

Cynthia Mackey

“When I think of space, I think of a never ending universe, where time and space are relative. As a child, I remember learning about the black hole for the first time and being filled with deep fear at the idea that we have no control over the fact that we will eventually be pulled into the center of our galaxy - to a place where no matter can escape. What a scary yet oddly fascinating thought! This fear drove me to learn more about our universe and the multiple understandings and predictions of space, planets, moons, stars, and the future of humankind. What I have learned so far is there is so much about space and time yet to be understood. In other words, there is still plenty of room for improvisation, adaptability, and imagination (Womack, 2013). As it relates to the work at the IDEA office and beyond, the painting of the galaxy and space is a representation of hope and a reminder of the possibilities that lie ahead as we freedom dream (Kelley, 2022) - envisioning, mobilizing,

Planning for big things and waiting for small changes teaches me patience

Mary Mathis Burnett, Manager of Inclusive Pedagogy

Mary Mathis Burnett

“A contemplative entity watching the growth of a potted plant. For me, this is less about my actual state and more about what I hope to be one day. As we toil toward the goal of becoming an antiracist and anti-oppressive space, I hope for patience and ease. I long to be present in the world as a learned elder who moves slowly, with contentment, and without expectation. Some gardeners will say that their favorite part of gardening is the harvest, while others will say they love planting. Most will agree that there is something meditative and healing about nurturing a plant as it grows from seed. Gardening requires patience, meditativeness, and acquiescence to nature while also working to support the needs of an individual plant, and the same can be said for the way we move to better ourselves and our world.”