Many who know me or have been to my office have seen my collection of Pixar characters. In fact, I have two shelves full of toys from the studio’s movies Toy Story, Wall-E, Finding Nemo, and Cars, to name just a few! Recently, at the Golden Globe Awards, Pixar’s film Inside Out won as best animated feature film, and for anyone who has watched the movie, it provides a wonderful glimpse into the mind of a young person and the complexities of emotions many preteens and teenagers experience. It also sheds light on how our emotions as parents or educators can shape our hopes and desires for our students. This summer, I happened to read an article (linked: http://theconversation.com/inside-out-what-universities-can-learn-from-pixar-about-emotions-45341) that explored what universities can learn from Pixar about emotions. Emma Jones, a lecturer in law at the Open University, states: “InInside Out, it is emotions which are guiding Riley’s every waking moment and even influencing her dreams. 

This past month, we were fortunate to welcome more than 226 parents to campus for Family Weekend, and while many families were able to join us, we know that it is not always possible for all families to make the journey to Natick. During the weekend filled with parent-teacher conferences, performances, class visits, and events, I was personally excited to have an opportunity to speak with families in Boswell Hall. This year, my Head’s talk was centered on the recent inclusion of Walnut Hill School for the Arts in the October 4th issue of The Boston Globe Magazine. The article we were featured in focused on nine innovative ideas that can transform education, and Walnut Hill was one of only two area independent schools selected for this coverage, the other being Phillips Academy Andover.

The Webster Dictionary defines Renaissance Man as a person who is interested in and knows a lot about many things. A writer, composer, film director and most notably as a world renowned photographer, there is no question that Gordon Parks could easily fit that definition. And while the description is simple, Mr. Parks was deeply complex and a profoundly influential American artist whose work over the past 50 years has come to be seen as some of the most important photographic work of our time.  He was deeply committed to the causes of social justice and equity having been born poor, in Kansas during the time of segregation and in his biographic information it is shared that he purchased himself a camera which he proceeded to teach himself how to use and would ultimately serve as a the tool that would give him the artistic voice of his generation. It was for these and many other reasons that Jennifer TumSuden and I decided we would organize a trip for Walnut Hill students to the MFA in Boston to see his collection of work on exhibit.

Opening this past June, the Museum of Science in Boston is hosting an extraordinary exhibit on the Science of Pixar which enthralls visitors to go behind the scenes of some of the most memorable and entertaining animated movies of the last 20 years. The exhibition, which is over 10,000 square feet, contains 40 interactive elements allowing you to enter into the world of art, science and technology that makes Pixar the groundbreaking company and studio it is.  A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to bring my son and three of his close friends to experience the exhibit as part of his 13th birthday party. While the boys bounced from booth to booth, I was able to really explore the fascinating and awe inspiring world that makes Pixar so special.

Few cities in Asia have seen the expansive and rapid growth and development Shanghai has experienced. Sporting over 24 million people, modern day Shanghai is a global epicenter of business, finance and commerce. Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to visit the city has experienced, what is undoubtedly one of the most stunning, colorful and visually stimulating skylines in the world. However, back as early as 1987, photos of the city and its surrounding area show a flat, green port location that was essentially untouched for decades. 

This year marks my fifth visit to Seoul, South Korea and in many ways I have found a familiarity with navigating one of Asia's most modern and arguably historic cities. During past visits, I was able to find small pockets of time to explore the city and it's many cultural jewels. Every traveler who makes their way here finds it necessary to visit the night markets in Namdaemun, explore the neighborhoods of Itaewon and Insadong, as well as the awe inspiring buddhist temple at Bongeunsa. Having experienced the privelage of visiting these places and enjoying the opportunity to photograph them I decided that this year, my tight schedule would allow a single visit to one location and an opportunity to explore in depth, the sights, smells and sounds of the place. It was clear that I should select a location that had a variety of cultural and photographic opportunities to explore and without question, a day spent in Bukchon Village was where I would hope to soak in South Korea's historic architecture and traditions. 

Back in May of 2014 I happened to wander into the Wellesley Book Shop to look for a book I could take on an upcoming trip I was making on behalf of Walnut Hill. After perusing the isles for a few minutes, I gravitated to the arts section and found Peter Korn's book "Why We Make Things and Why it Matters : The Education of a Craftsman" and decided it would make a good read for the roundtrip flight. A little background on Peter, he is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, a non-profit woodworking and design school in Rockport, Maine. A furniture maker since 1974, his work has been exhibited nationally in galleries and museums. Born in 1951, Peter grew up in Philadelphia, where he attended Germantown Friends School. He majored in history at the University of Pennsylvania. There is more information available at his website www.peterkorn.com.

This is my father's original Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera. I remember as a kid many family photos being captured by the dining room table or on vacation and I was lucky enough to have my Dad gift me his prized jewel a few years ago. It has sat in my camera cabinet on display since and aside from the occasional test photo with Impossible Project 600 film, it has gone mostly unused.