April 8, 2012
In
art, communication, creativity, design, imagination, inspiration
Easter Peace : )
Week #31, “52 Weeks of Peace”… Happy Easter!
April 6, 2012
In
art, inspiration, painting
A Simple Post
“We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.” ~ Lao Tzu
April 4, 2012
In
art, children's books, creativity, design, illustration, imagination
Great (& great fun) Design
Here’s something I wish I’d created. I absolutely love this minimalistic children’s story poster series by designer Christian Jackson. They’re clever, delightful, artistic and clean in a wonderfully organic way.
Great stuff, Christian!
By the way, I’ve also learned that they’re for sale, here at imagekind .
April 2, 2012
In
appreciation, art, creativity, fine art
Weird Theatre of The Contemporary Art World
Clearly, I’m doing something really wrong.
According to cutting edge L.A. gallery owner Tim Blum (interviewed on 60 Minutes at Miami’s Art Basel, one of the biggest, most lucrative art fairs in the country), the contemporary art world has become the ‘wild wild west’ of our time, a place with no rules and a multi-billion dollar economy.
As 60 Minutes’ Morley Safer said (I paraphrase), art fairs like the Art Basel are not necessarily the places you’ll find art that stirs the soul or shows you beauty, gives you a sense of peace or upliftment. No, here it seems the more bizarre, the better. With outrageous price tags.
Artist: Sam Durant
So I’ll admit that a small little part of my brain is saying, hey, maybe I could do some crazy s#%t and get on the bandwagon here! Because apparently art buyers want avant-garde, controversy, angst, and things projecting off walls that leave you feeling bafflingly unsettled.
But I can’t go there. It wouldn’t be authentic. And art, if nothing else, should come authentically from the artist’s heart.
There are many amazingly talented artists going without notice who have something quite real to share. Very different from a more theatrical art-speak world developed by god-knows-who-who-pulls-the-strings about what should “be worth” millions of dollars. But then maybe I’m just jealous that I didn’t think of creating a piece of art consisting of faucet fixtures placed on a wall.
Artist: Haegue Yang
I’m also guessing this post won’t win me any calls from highfalutin art dealers or earn me a show at the MOMA. Mind you, I have nothing against unusual interpretations, those who might feel, say, that a blue toilet seat is a deeply profound statement on some important aspect of life that I’m not enlightened enough to understand ~ but I am blown away by what brings the highest bidders.
There’s room in this world for all kinds of expression, and I applaud artists’ works being received and financially rewarded. I just don’t “get” the phenomenon of this particular, and kind of peculiar, corner of the marketplace. The jaw-dropping checks written for works that are at best “intriguing” for a moment or two. (But that’s just my opinion. Obviously some folks find them intriguing for longer than that; and those same people would most likely find my work incredibly boring.)
I suppose it all boils down, at some level, to the old unanswerable question “what is art”? And what will the market bear…?
Makes you wonder though. Where are the Michelangelo’s and DaVinci’s of our time? Where would Van Gogh, Homer, Innes, Benton and O’Keefe fit in all this? Where is the quiet but lasting emotional response as opposed to an immediate surface “shock”? Or will time, the great tester, find us nostalgic for dangling lightbulb art? I guess it could happen. And those who had the vision to see what so many of us don’t, will be hailed.
What a strange world we live in. Maybe I’ll just go out back and grab a banana from my van.
Artist: Paulo Nazareth
The full 60 Minutes segment can be read here.
March 31, 2012
In
appreciation, communication, design, graphic design, inspiration, words and language
A Plethora of P’s / #53: Path
proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
– ♥ –
Some of us, especially when we’re young adults, think we need to follow a set path. Line it up, stay on course. If you falter, get up, brush yourself off and carry on. And there is much truth in that ~ because if we try to follow too many paths at one time, we can become a.) overwhelmed and b.) lost. One path allows us to define a direction, set goals, see progress, maybe even see down the road a bit.
But life teaches us that a clear path isn’t necessarily what it seems. We learn that “things happen”, causing us to change course. There are detours, and there’s debris along the way. Not all the stones are smooth and flat, or angled just so. They might suddenly veer off, dip, crack or overlap. You might have to go through some muddy parts.
And besides all that, how do you know if you’re on the right path? And what happens when you stumble upon a different path? One that looks more inviting? Ah… that can really mess you up, if you’re humming along, thinking you’ve got this all nailed down pat. Are we really on track, or just kidding ourselves?
Maybe though, we could see many of those dips and swerves as opportunities. Adventure. Choices. After all, who’s to say what path is right for any one individual? Who decides? Who really knows?
Except that when it’s right, it feels right. Right there in your gut. You feel stronger, with more clarity, more determination, more light. Your dreams kick in. Obstacles? Surpassable. Detours? Hey, maybe they’re enhancements.
So go ahead and follow your path, your calling, your dream, even if it you don’t know for sure that it’s “the one”. With a plan in your pocket and an open mind, follow what lights you up, because in taking action, taking steps, you might even stumble upon something better.
March 30, 2012
In
appreciation, art, communication, creativity, fine art
“We Are You Project” Art Exhibition
Last weekend a new exhibit opened in Manhattan’s lower east side Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba.
In recent years I’ve gotten to know and respect several of the participating artists, on occasion sharing gallery space with them, and wanted to show my support. I was also intrigued by the show’s theme: “We Are You”. A simple phrase, but deceptively potent and full. I like how it causes the mind to bend a bit.
As a body of work, the exhibit is described as “an artistic overview of the current state of Latino socio-cultural, political, and economic conditions in the 21st Century … reflected in paintings and prints by thirty-three prominent, contemporary Hispanic artists whose trans-cultural and pan-Latino-heritage can be traced to many and diverse Ibero-American traditions, including Mexico, Puerto-Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, and Spain and Portugal. Most importantly, each artist or their families have experienced the perspective of being an immigrant, refugee, a migrant, expatriate, or nomad, who gratefully found a new home in the United States, and where over the course of years, they have attained professional success by expressing both their vision and unique personal story.”
They’re an impassioned crowd, friendly and welcoming, and the art was fantastic, with wonderfully varied expressions of what was so eloquently stated in the above press release. Here’s a sampling of what’s on display. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth a visit.
Full listing of “We Are You” exhibiting artists:
José Acosta, Efren Alvárez, Nelson Alvárez, Willie Báez, Josephine Barreiro, Hugo X. Bastidas,, Monica S. Camin, Priscila De Carvalho, Jacqui Casale, Gerardo Castro, Pablo Caviedes, Carlos Chavez, William Coronado, Maritza Dávila, Rosario D’Rivera, Fernando Goldoni, Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo, Roberto Marquez, Raphael Montañez Ortíz, Hugo Morales, Lisette Morel, Gabriel Navar, Julio Nazario, Jimmy Peña, Joe Peňa, Duda Penteado, Mel Ramos, Rolando Reyna, Jesús Rivera, José Rodeiro, Marta Sanchez, Sergio Villamizar and Raúl Villarreal.
Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 6 pm or by appointment
Gallery Location: 219 East 2nd Street at Avenue B
The exhibit runs through May 5, 2012.
For further information about the show and related events please contact Kenkeleba Gallery Director at (212) 674-3939 and/or visit the project’s website at: http://www.weareyouproject.org
March 26, 2012
In
art, books, branding, creativity, imagination, inspiration, life and the universe
“where in the world is peace?” … community art park
These terrific pictures were shot in downtown Dayton, Ohio at Garden Station ~ an old rundown railroad turned dumping ground turned into a community garden/art park by a local artist collective. Positive hearts and minds in action ~ love it!
detail of "Peace Wall" ~ Garden Station, Dayton, Ohio
"Peace Trees" ~ Garden Station, Dayton, Ohio
full view of "Peace Wall", Garden Station, Dayton, Ohio
Where to next?
(ps: you can see all “where in the world is peace?” images compiled on our special “where in the world is peace?” page. Our book is on Amazon, our totes, mugs and things are available here. Send your own pictures to 52weeksofpeace@gmail.com and we’ll also post them on our FaceBook page. Let’s see where peace goes!)
March 24, 2012
In
appreciation, art, fine art, imagination
Have a Seat!
I’m not sure I’d want to sit for long, but discovering these creatively recycled chairs by New York sculpture artist Linus Corraggio sure made me smile. Great craftsmanship with marvelous personality.
These pieces can be seen at the Wilmer Jennings Gallery at Kenkeleba, 219 E. 2nd Street, New York, NY. They’re a fairly permanent exhibit, although I understand Mr. Corraggio comes in and switches them around now and then, swapping one piece for another.
According to the lower east side gallery owner, Corraggio was part of the original “Rippington Street School” (I hope I have this right) ~ a collective of sculpture artists in the city, who were ousted from their original location when, of all things, the space was turned into a parking lot (Joni Mitchell sings in my ear…). They moved to another space which was also bought a few years later for commercial purposes, causing the group of artists to disband and find their way individually. But I bet they had a grand time while it lasted.
You can see more work at his website, linuscoraggio.com.
March 21, 2012
In
art, communication, inspiration, intelligence, life and the universe, philosophy, presentation, work and play
“The Happiness Advantage”
OUTSTANDING.
“Train your brain, and create ripples of positivity… ”
Unlike the stereotype of a brooding artist/musician/writer, whose greatest work comes on the back of depressing events, I’m with Shawn Anchor that happiness inspires productivity.
Anchor’s TED talk is entertaining, articulate and wise ~ and makes you feel good at the same time. A must listen!
“If we change our formula for happiness and success, what we can do, is we can change the way we can then affect reality….”
March 20, 2012
In
art, books, children's books, creativity, drawing, illustration, work and play
Mockingbird’s First Day of Spring
This little fellow is hoping for sunshine. Or maybe he’s up early looking for that first worm. Or could be he’s getting a little bored waiting for the rest of the book to be finished (the one where he has a starring role)…. after those silly dragons have their day in the sun, of course.
(With a few word substitutions, not such different wishes than some of our own, eh?)
Ah, spring ~ full of hopes and dreams, delights and newnesses (even a new word for you) ~ happy first day of it!
