RSC 臥虎藏龍之教師篇

written:郁茹老師

Theodore C. Mahle, MFA

Arts Faculty

Ted has been teaching drawing, painting and art history in various Rudolf Steiner College programs for many years. He received a BS in Art Education from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. For seven years he worked as a graphic designer in New York City, and took evening art courses at the School of Visual Arts. After taking the Foundation Year in Anthroposophical Studies at Emerson College, England, he completed a three year painting training, according to Rudolf Steiner's methods, from Beppe Assenza at the Goetheanum Painting School, Dornach, Switzerland, in 1976 (ERES MFA Equivalent). He was a teaching assistant in the school from 1975 to 1978. Then he was employed as a painting therapist at Sonnhalde Schulheim Curative Home, Gempen, Switzerland. Returning to the U.S. he directed the Arts Program, a year-long morning course in drawing and painting at Rudolf Steiner College from 1982 to 2003. He taught art in the Davis Waldorf School from 2003 to 2005 and continues teaching at the Steiner College and around the country. Please see Ted's website: www.outofthecolor.com for examples of his art work as well as student's work.

Iris Sulivan

I was born in Australia where there were powerful nature forces and humans were a small minority. I lived on the warm Pacific Ocean, with fragrant breezes and tropical fruits. The light, air and water elements dominated my environment. Through my tough adolescent experiences, I longed to understand the soul and its individual journey to awakening. I read Rudolf Steiner when I was young and in his voice I found my teacher. At 20 at Emerson College, I discovered color through a slide presentation by Michael Wilson and later that year, saw my first paintings by Lianne Collot d’Herbois. My heart had found its guides, yet it took another 14 years of life experiences before I could deepen my understanding and painting out of the wisdom of Lianne Collot d’Herbois. It was not until the death of my fourth child that I could begin my training as a painting therapist following Lianne’s guidelines. Twelve years later, I now work in Fair Oaks, CA with small groups and individuals with light, darkness and color as both art and therapeutic experience. The artworks offered here have arisen from my classes with a group as we strive to make visible the truth of the color as human feeling. The struggle of the human soul for truth and peace through art is my life work.

因為華德福教育裡，老師的繪畫功力一定要被培養或訓練起來，否則日後畫黑板說故事時，牛變馬也是不太好啦！所以，我們的課程中，繪畫佔很大的比例。從溼水彩，到炭筆粉彩筆和紗畫Veil painting。除了畫，還有藝術史。這藝術史和一般我們所以知道的，可能有有些不同，因為我們是以Steiner 的觀點做切入的。而主要教我們的老師，就是泰德。

而其實我在入學之前就有上過他的紗畫工作坊，但是，他完全不記得。不過我對第一次畫Veil painting   的作品還蠻喜歡的，畫呀畫出母與子女們。

泰德在學校教畫也很久了，經驗很豐富。但是因為他表達與解釋的方式常讓學生摸不著霧水，拿畫筆，要三百六十度的轉動，不要執著技巧，要讓畫筆和顏色帶領你。一開始，還真是辛苦，因為舊有作畫的習慣會跑出來，結果是老師登登跑過來，拉著你的手，做三百六十度的自由旋轉練習。

因為班上有同學是都沒畫過畫的，也有正科班出身，所以泰德也很有耐心的在調適與我們班相處之道。在台灣，我們當學生時，都是適應老師，哪有老師來適應學生的呢？話說回來，泰德還是有些事情是無法與我們來調適的。像是畫畫時可以說話，但是不可以哼歌，不用到歌，你才哼一個音，他就會馬上請你停止。同學和他爭論，他的理由是，他聽音樂和畫畫是分開來的。反正，在他的課堂是不行的。不過，泰德都是找很好的畫材讓學生使用。像上Veil painting時，更可以感到好畫紙的重要，因為顏色是一層乾了再上，紙一直處在溼溼乾乾溼溼乾乾的反覆狀態，如果用一般的紙可能就毛掉了。（這專業畫家吉仁也一定知道）工欲善其事，必先利其器，因此在做畫時，真是很專心的就和手上的顏色努力溝通，還要不時停下來冥想。三週的時間，也只夠完成一幅（捻花）。

除了教我們畫畫外，最常就是見他背著相機到處照，任何慶典活動，他就不停的咖擦咖擦地拍。喜歡找學生聊天，喜歡吃壽司。

在和這個土土又風風的泰德相處一年後，在我二年級時，很幸運的也與另一位繪畫老師愛莉絲學粉彩畫。

與愛莉絲學畫，是系主任特意安排的，所以每週一晚上在她家的工作室上課。因為她本身又是學色彩治療，所以畫畫時，其實會有些壓力。因為她會從你的用色構圖就可以把你看透透喔！我是感覺受益良多，因為她會針對我個性上的問題用顏色來平衡，類似什麼顏色要多什麼可以少些等。
而且愛莉絲對人智學與歌德色彩學很熟，所以我們上課時，她常會談到顏色與靈性與現實的關係。原來在一幅畫的背後所隱藏的靈性意義其實是很深的呢！

畫完秋天守護天使以橘色為主後，我們畫馬莉亞以紅藍為主，這也是華德福學校在冬季佈置的主題色呢。