"Matthew (M.E. Baird) takes a unique approach in his lectures, combining deep wisdom with engaging storytelling. He often begins with Philosophy and Literature, using them to frame his exploration of various art movements and subjects—something AI and internet searches can't replicate. Infusing his lectures with dark wit and unexpected insights, he dynamically delivers them, making the experience both informative and entertaining."
M.E. Baird initially studied fine art at Frankston Technical College. He then pursued a degree in Landscape Architecture at RMIT, Melbourne, where he also completed additional units in Architecture, Sculpture, and Drawing. Later, he completed a Master's in Design at Deakin University in Victoria. Throughout this time, he maintained his passion for music, film, literature, and an academic career. His multidisciplinary approach to creativity has provided him with a unique set of perspectives and skills for exploring creativity and expression.
For two decades, parallel to his music and art practice, M.E. Baird held sessional academic, teaching, and creative scholar roles across art, design, and architecture at various art and design schools and universities in New South Wales and Victoria. These include RMIT University, UNSW-COFA, UNSW Built Environment Department, Sydney University, and Deakin University. He has won several awards for teaching excellence. As an academic, he specifically examined creative philosophy, memory, and creative processes across various art forms, including art, design, architecture, film, music, and literature.
Although no longer teaching or undertaking academic work, M.E. Baird is available for private lectures, presentations, and one-on-one mentoring.
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To host M.E. Baird for an event or mentoring, email us directly at: mebaird1@icloud.com
CURRENT SERIES OF LECTURES & PRESENTATIONS
- Feasting On the Substance of a Good Idea.
Part 1. What is creativity? What makes a good creative idea? Abstraction, ideas naked and absolute.
Part 2. How to generate a good idea. How to overcome that zone of despair when they don't come.
- Abstract Expressionism (The New York School).
From impulse to madness. A deep dive into one of modern Western art's most misunderstood, misappropriated, massed, mimicked and much maligned movements.
- Symbolism in Art
Symbols, Icons and Semiotics. An angel crashes to earth in Scandinavia while an Italian-Argentine Witch moves to Paris. Meanwhile, a traumatic scream can be heard from Oslo to Berlin.
- The Sublime, Romanticism and The Rise of The Modern Landscape [Painting}
The 'Sublime' in the context of art and philosophy represents one of the most impactful periods in Western landscape art. However, the movement under the umbrella of Romanticism would come to represent, on one hand, the origins of the 'self' in art, philosophy, music and literature. But would, on the other hand, inadvertently turbocharge the scourge of colonialism, genocide, industrialisation, capitalism, and a human-induced climate crisis. It even includes an evil villain in the form of a 15th-century Pope.
- The Art Of Listening (Interactive Workshop)
Drawing and mark-making are not only the very first forms of ‘recording’ for humanity, but are at the foundation of any art or creative practice, regardless of the medium or discipline. However, these practices and processes rely purely on the eye (observation), brain and hand connection. There are other ways of utilising drawing and the capacity to think at a deeper level, simply by including our ears and the process of listening. The method I employ uses drawing and or mark-making in response to compositions and audio-delivered text. These methods have been scientifically proven to allow different parts of the brain to be ‘switched on’ and stimulated, taking the intuitive thinking process to new and deeper levels.
