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.

0

“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

0

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.

0

Whitney Houston ~ Rest in Peace

All the world mourns Whitney Houston today. But I don’t think we mourn the loss of a “big star”. I think we mourn the loss of something that was great and genuine in our midst.

Part of the tragedy of Whitney Houston’s early death is that we could have easily imagined it working out so much differently. We could imagine her growing older, becoming a grandmother, and a laughing, wise and dignified grande dame to a next generation of talented singers and actresses with dreams as bright as Whitney was in life.

We’re in shock, not just because she was so young, but because it just seems all wrong somehow. As if she took a left turn and got utterly lost, unable to find her way back. And now she’s gone back to the very beginning, by reaching the very end, too soon for the rest of us to fathom.

I’m not so sure it’s anything other than that, although we could philosophize all day that her passing reflects the downside of the spotlight, a fall from grace, the perils of super-stardom… because, there is no doubt, Whitney was a superstar.

She was a bigger-than-life star simply because her gifts were powerful and so completely pure. No bells and whistles, no shock-value accessories, nothing but a voice that was heaven-sent and an ability to make each tone matter, each word touch ground or circle the sun, and the physical poise and beauty to carry it off.  It is the rarest of individuals who reach that level of fame and adoration with no embellishment needed. She was not just another starlet ~ she was a class act, with talent as real as it comes.

I sometimes think that certain God-given gifts are born into souls too tender for this world. That very sensitivity allows them to share their gifts purely ~ as surely Whitney Houston did ~ but their humanity, their frailty, takes a beating. A wrong turn too many and in the end, there is mourning.

Rest in Peace, Whitney Houston. The world was a better place for your having been here.

0

The Brilliant Charles Dickens

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
Charles DickensA Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens, English novelist (1812 - 1870)

If humans were immortal, Dickens would be 200 years old today. Although, considering the body of work he left behind, appreciated generation after generation, he’s among those who have become as immortal as it gets. I’ll wager that every one of us has experienced at least one (if not a few) of his written achievements, most notably A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and Oliver Twist.

Who was Charles Dickens? A man of great passion, drive and intellect. Among English writers he is second only to William Shakespeare in literary prowess, fame and public recognition.

He was the second of eight children born on February 7, 1812, to John and Elizabeth Dickens. His mother taught him to read, his father considered him a young prodigy. He devoured the considerable amount of artistic and literary works available in his home, enjoyed trips to the theatre and adored stories told by his nursemaid. From age 7 to 9 he was schooled by a Baptist minister named William Giles. He was consumed by ambition and dreamed of becoming a gentleman.

But his youth became marked by hard times when his father was jailed for debt. At age 12 he was sent to live in a boarding house and work among a rough-edged crowd in a blacking warehouse, fixing labels to boot polish bottles ~ a harsh, impressionable experience that would later inspire the semi-autographical novel David Copperfield, and feed his view of society’s inequities.

A few years later, his father was released, and young Charles resumed a couple more years of schooling at an academy called Wellington House. At age fourteen he was employed as a clerk in an attorney’s office. He got his first journalism job at age 16, as a shorthand reporter in the courts, shortly followed by a position as a newspaper reporter.

Fueled by a desire for distinction, Dickens was an unusually hard-working apprentice, and a fast-growing disillusionment with politics led him to contribute essays and short stories to other newspapers and magazines (something he did throughout his entire life).

Connections developed as a political journalist gave him both success and a following, allowing him to begin publishing his own fiction early in his career. His first great success came with his monthly installments of The Pickwick Papers. At the time this was a publishing phenomenon, making the serialization of novels a profitable venture and available to folks who couldn’t ordinarily afford literary works. Within a few years he was regarded as one of the most successful authors of his time.

His novels were often a revealing commentary on humankind’s misgivings, his own disenchantment with the world’s economic drives and social injustices ~ an imperfect world we all know to be true, regardless of our stature.

“Through his books, we come to understand the virtues of a loving heart and the pleasures of home in a flawed, cruelly indifferent world.”

In 1836, Dickens married Catherine Hogarth, the daughter of his editor (although some say daughter of a newspaper co-worker). They had ten children before separating in 1858. Around that time Dickens began public readings of his work, including a series of readings in America in 1867-68, which took a physical toll on his already failing health. Buried in Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey in June of 1870, Dickens left an unfinished novel called The Mystery of Edwin Drood (I’d like to read that!) as well as fifteen completed novels, countless short works and an enduring following.

0

Super Bowl Ads / Part II: The Forgettable and The Unforgettable

If you’ve read my last post, I stand corrected, thanks to my friend Mary.

There was one more really good, memorable ad besides the Chrysler/Clint Eastwood piece. (I hadn’t seen this one ~ must have been firing up the hot fudge sauce when it aired…) This one’s just a happy hoot! ~ and every bit as good for wit and creativity as the Chrysler ad was for class and message.

0

Super Bowl Ads: The Forgettable and The Unforgettable

“Ads are the cave art of the twentieth century.”
~ Marshall McLuhan

If this statement is true, and if we consider the majority of this year’s Super Bowl ads, we’re becoming pretty forgettable.

Super Bowl advertising is eagerly anticipated by millions, almost as much as watching the game. (Some would argue that the ads are the main event). It’s a huge opportunity to hawk wares to a captive audience, and highly regarded as a showcase for some of the best & brightest commercials made.

So, I watched to see what cream would rise to the top, and was incredibly disappointed. Have I just become jaded and old-fashioned? As a reality check, I asked my teenage daughter if she found them entertaining. Her answer: “No.”

She was out of the room for the only one that I found powerfully memorable and worthwhile. It happened to be a serious ad, and featured Clint Eastwood (I’ll let that fact speak for itself). In case you missed it, here it is:

Aside from this one, I thought: “they just don’t make them like they used to!’ Okay, I’ll admit that the “we go” Budweiser dog ad was sort of cute, and I liked the one about entrepreneurs. So there, I found two more. But by and large there were too many ads and too little substance.

Of course, they don’t have to make them like they “used to”, except for maybe having some more class, more wit, more depth, more intelligent ingenuity.

Am I asking too much? I don’t think so. If the idea is to make a big impression, and get the most bang for the probably obscene amount of monies spent, they might take some tips from some great ads of Super Bowl’s past…

With the wealth of talent and creative energy in the world today, you’d think the 2012 Super Bowl ads could’ve been a little bit spectacular. In my opinion, it just goes to show that technology doesn’t equate with creativity, and bells and whistles don’t make the message.

0

In Praise of Black and White: Part III

Almost like clockwork, my mind turns to black & white imagery… as it did last January, and the January before that. I hadn’t realized that! In truth of course, it’s not just a once a year thing ~ I’ve always been drawn to the power and beauty of black & white art, probably from the first time I picked up that favorite tool of mine (the #2 pencil), and sensed that magic was held within its lead.

So, once again I’ll post the original text (which remains meaningful to me), and share some choice imagery. (If you want to skip to the pictures, I won’t be offended!)

……………

Each year, a new Ansel Adams wall calendar hangs on the door leading to my studio. His superbly articulated, stunning black and white photography reminds me daily of my love for the natural world and the innumerable shades, shapes, shadows and tones that create, change, and emerge from, our world.

Yet the classic beauty and the powerful visual possibilities of black and white are often neglected. Straight black and white design is often passed by in favor of any use of color. As if black and white implied something dull or less important. Which is far from the truth!

When used well, black and white is intensely dramatic, vigorous, elegant and rich. It can make a powerful point without the distraction of colors. It plays on bright or moody, or edgy or slick in ways that color cannot. It can sparkle with cleanliness, and shimmer with subtlety. When used well, it expresses itself with undisguised strength, character and integrity.

Of course, not all photographers have the eye nor skill of an Ansel Adams. Not all designers *see* in black and white. Clients rarely consider it. But it would be nice to see a greater appreciation of the noble duo of black and white.

When people want straight talk, when they want the truth, they’ll say “tell me in black and white”. But people often speak in shades of gray, or dress their language in garish colors for dramatic effect. And so it can be with design – a multitude of colors may become too competitive, potentially drowning in an undifferentiated sea of tones or gussied up so much the point is lost for the color, like shouting for attention in a crowd.

Color, in and of itself, is naturally beautiful. Bold, rich fusions of color. Earthy color, otherworldy color. Pale, cool, warm or dense. It’s vibrant and alive and emotional. But color alone will not make a bad design good. And it’s not so much that color is overrated, but that black and white is underrated. The effects of black and white can be pretty spectacular.

Stripped of color, a million shades become a lansdcape of lights and darks that blend and weave and bounce against one another to create a very rich whole. A striking black and white image often touches us unexpectedly …  refreshing, engaging, and wonderfully inspiring. It’s raw and fundamental – and like a good story, it’s satisfying. Like a good story, it allows your mind to add its own color by filling in the parts left unsaid.

Enough said. Enjoy.

0

The Great Gift of Curiosity

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
~ Albert Einstein

I love this! The following is an inspiring lesson on the enormous value of curiosity and wonder, shared through a truly worthwhile video from a community-based online education group called Skillshare. Many thanks to the Skillshare folks for putting this out there!

If you have kids or young adults in your life, share it with them too. Share it with anyone who appreciates learning, life and the human potential, anyone who thinks they’ve “done it all”, and those who may have temporarily misplaced a passion for what makes things tick.

Above all, keep asking questions. Keep wonder alive!

0

The Lost Pen

I’m working on a project that calls for a special kind of pen. A marker, to be exact. My favorite marker. I might even go so far as to say the perfect marker.

Then I remembered a sad truth: these most magical of markers have been discontinued. They don’t make them anymore. Which is just wrong. They were the best. They were beloved. They should bring them back.

You think it silly perhaps to mourn the loss of a pen? Maybe if you understood that they had just the right feel, just the right flexibility, just the right fluidity and just the right saturation. They didn’t dry out easily and lasted for ages.

Any professional knows that the right tools matter. For designers, no artist marker held a candle to these.

The good news is, I found 3 remaining markers tonight. In a special box, hidden inside a cupboard, hoarded like secret chocolates. The bad news is that the end is near. It’s the last dance. And I’m not happy about that.

Seriously, they really should bring them back.

0