what color is thursday?

What would be truly surprising, would be to find that sound could not suggest color, that colors could not evoke the idea of a melody, and that sound and color were unsuitable for the translation of ideas, seeing that things have always found their expression through a system of reciprocal analogy.

—Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867)

 

A LOT OF people think of creativity as a form of divine inspiration, a natural blessing, an external force that we don’t or can’t control. It kisses the chosen, so we assume, and leaves those less fortunate behind in the dark. But creativity is a lot more than that — far less mystical, it is a method of thinking that can be acquired. And even more importantly, it is a choice! A choice that has the power to alter the way we experience the world and how we feel and think about it — and that ultimately changes us as human beings.

As an artist and synesthete (synesthesia = the cross-wiring of the senses), I would like to trigger these processes by using various methods of blending the senses to explore and advance this development of creativity.

what is synesthesia?

 

 
We usually experience the world with our five senses — we use our nose to smell, tongue to taste, eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our sensory nerves to touch and feel. However, what would happen, would we not only hear a sound but also feel it, taste it or see it?

Even though the synesthetic experience comes involuntarily for the synesthete, research, along with a fascinating study by the University of Sussex, has shown that certain synesthetic sensations and experiences can be trained and learned for everybody. One of the most surprising outcomes of the study was that those who underwent the training also saw their IQ jump by an average of 12 points, compared to a control group that didn’t undergo training.

 

the unified brain

How can we benefit from a more unified brain? What does it mean for our perception of reality and our interaction with it? What does it mean to be creative? How can we more effectively use our creativity in daily life — or even at work, for different approaches towards problem-solving?

Our memory clearly functions on a higher level when we are able to connect information with additional sensory experiences. The design world already takes advantage of this and knows what is called synesthetic design that incorporates as many senses as possible in the process of product development. And on a different note, recent scientific experiments with the (lab controlled) usage of LSD showed the ability of a more cross-wired brain to eventually break through addictions and problematic behavior patterns.

We are only at the beginning of understanding the immensity of this fascinating world.
 

 

what color is thursday?

The workshop series What Color is Thursday? consists of 5 two hour sessions, which will explore different cross-sensory relationships. Its focus lies on doing and creating, as it is proven that this is the best and most efficient way of actively experiencing, learning and reshaping cognitive patterns.

Although this hands-on workshop will use artistic means, you don’t have to be an artist, to discover the creative richness of a different perception — and how it can affect your life.

Individual courses are offered for adults or children (age groups 5-7, 8–11 and 12–16). The minimum number of participants is 5, the maximum 10.

I fused the beauty of dreaming and the reality of life into a single blissful color … On a clear bright day even the softness of the sounds is golden.

—Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935), The Book of Disquiet

Interesting things happen when the creative impulse is cultivated with curiosity, freedom and intensity.

—Saul Bass (1920–1996)

 

the lecturer

Yehudis Jacobowitz – born in 1970 in Munich, is a certified graphic designer, visual artist, and lecturer with years of experience working for European agencies, and her own studio, Hidur Design Works. For almost 20 years, Yehudis has also been a lecturer for graphic design at academies in Munich (Macromedia) and Jerusalem (Lander College), teaching individual and online courses of graphic design, computer graphics, creativity techniques, design thinking, typography, and print.

As a teacher and creative professional, she’s been continuously exposing herself to the creative process, accompanying each student on their own creative journey, to help them grasp its beauty – always one of her most exciting adventures.

As a synesthete, experiencing ongoing cross-sensory sensations (sound-color synesthesia / auditory-tactile synesthesia), Yehudis integrated the idea of the blending of senses into her teaching, while developing workshops for adults and children to encourage a unique view of creativity – an extension of our sensual perception.

 

contact us

We offer this workshop in Jerusalem and its surrounding areas, and in Tel Aviv. If you are interested in bringing the workshop to your neighborhood, please get in touch with us for all further details.

Workshop Organization

054–208 30 78