October 31, 2012
In
branding, creativity, design
52 Weeks of Peace [squared] / Week #76
A little peace for the season…. a time with magic in the air!
October 30, 2012
In
appreciation, art, communication, craftsmanship, creativity, skill
Tuesdays with Chris: “Creativity in Sports”
ChrisStaley / Snowfall At Night / 16x15x15
This week’s video shows Chris interviewing Penn State Head Football Coach Bill O’Brien. How, one might wonder, do you relate a game like football with the arts?
Chris manages to weave the two worlds together quite remarkably, within the context of perceptions like illusion, deception, sculpting your medium, and discipline … and it all makes sense. (If you missed my introduction about Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013, you can read that here.) Enjoy!
October 28, 2012
In
art, craftsmanship, creativity, photography, skill
Loving Doisneau
Photo professionals and art history buffs have surely fallen in love with French photographer Robert Doisneau long before I did ~ but no matter when in time, I’m glad I found him. Of course, we’ve all seen his work, but perhaps didn’t know the name behind the lens.
His work is rich, spontaneous, human story-telling at its photographic best. And, if by chance I needed anything more to endear me to his work, it’s black & white.
Robert Doisneau lived from 1912 – 1994. There’s a fabulous site about Doisneau and his work, here.
October 25, 2012
In
art, creativity, imagination, inspiration, skill
Pumpkins!
‘Tis the season to bring out your carving knives and spook those goblins with clever sculptings!
Here’s a sampling of fantastic pumpkins* ~ some of which I’d think would require not just skill but the patience of a saint. They’re inspiring, yes? Another example of our wondrous capacity for creativity. Enjoy!
* All images found on the web, at various places: marthastewart.com, countryliving.com, goodhousekeeping.com, flicker and google images.
October 23, 2012
In
art, craftsmanship, creativity, imagination, presentation, skill
Tuesdays with Chris: “Throwing a Snowman”
Chris Staley
“Everything an artist makes is a metaphor.” This is the overriding theme in this week’s video from Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate. With disarming style, Chris recreates a snowman, a flower, a bent can and sticks in snow, inspired by a classroom visit with young children. (If you missed my introduction about Chris, you can read that here.) Enjoy!
October 21, 2012
In
art, craftsmanship, creativity, design, drawing, fine art, painting
Creative Duet: The Prolific William Morris
Perhaps the grand lord of the decorative arts, one could think of William Morris as the craftsman’s craftsman. His uncompromising belief that the best things in life were hand-made using natural materials combined with his exquisite drawing and watercolor skills to produce a vast collection of wallpaper and fabric design still widely used today.
Early on he was dedicated to creating beautiful, hand-crafted furnishings, which led to fabric printing and then to excelling in the arts of carving, dying, embroidery, stained glass and weaving. A prolific individual, to be sure.
But ~ yes ~ there was more to this inspired man than textile design. Throughout his life he wrote and published poetry, fiction, and translations of ancient and medieval texts. As author, illustrator and medievalist, he helped establish the fantasy genre, and was a direct influence on authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien.
Morris was born into a well-to-do family on March 24, 1834 in Essex, England, educated at Exeter College in Oxford, and was married to Jane Burden until his death in October, 1896.
October 18, 2012
In
art, communication, creativity, design, graphic design, imagination, inspiration, words and language
A Plethora of P’s / #64: Paisley
proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
– ♥ –
According to Wikipedia, paisley is a droplet-shaped vegetable motif of Persian origin, but its western name derives from the town of Paisley, in central Scotland.
Well, you learn something new every day.
What I’d already known was that paisley seems to have an almost immortal popularity that’s been used heavily by the likes of the equally immortal designer William Morris and fashion giants Gucci and D&G (Dolce & Gabbana).
I think of it as a happy print; happiest when used sparingly and elegantly. Of course, for those who like to shout it out more boldly, that works too. Either way, wear it in good cheer. There’s quite a bit of history in a piece of paisley print!
(see our growing, ongoing Plethora of P’s here)
October 15, 2012
In
appreciation, art, craftsmanship, creativity, inspiration, music
Craft, Music, Mythology and Beauty
Inspired by myth, but entirely real, these handmade guitars may be the most exquisitely beautiful musical instruments I’ve ever seen.
Music and mythology have a long, rich history together. Sculptor William Jeffrey Jones has taken that tradition to a whole new level by creating a marriage of craftsmanship and design to mythology and music in the form of high-end professional grade guitars. I’m in awe.
Wouldn’t you just love to hear these played by a master…? They’re so special you can almost hear an Irish ballad playing itself ~ but in the hands of a musician like my brother, or Clapton or Santana or Kottke, oh, what musical beauty would roll.
You can explore Jones’ website to learn more about how he made these pieces of art, as well as the philosophy and heart behind them.
October 13, 2012
In
branding, creativity, design
52 Weeks of Peace [squared] / Week #75
The intertwining of colors and textures. The weaving of comfort and protection, warmth, pleasure, practicality and play into numberless long-lasting things made with love… So much goodness in one ball of yarn. So much peace it can bring.
October 9, 2012
In
art, communication, creativity, inspiration, life and the universe, presentation
Art and Life: Perspectives from Chris Staley, Penn State Laureate 2012-2013
For the next 7 Tuesdays (maybe more), I’ll be sharing some superb videos created by Chris Staley, master potter, educator and Penn State Laureate 2012-2013.
In these intelligent, thoughtful sessions, Chris explores the relationships between art, life, humanity and, in the video below, technology. Maybe we’ll call them “Tuesdays with Chris.”
After earning his masters degree from Alfred University, Chris began an illustrious career of teaching, lecturing, showing in countless one-person and select group exhibits, and has been the recipient of numerous grants and honors. His resume speaks for itself, as does his extraordinary craftsmanship.
On a personal note, Chris also happens to be a fellow grad and old friend from my college days at Wittenberg University. It’s been inspiring to reacquaint with his work and see where his talent and gentle perseverance has taken him. His insights are wise and genuine ~ I think when you watch this collection of videos, you’ll get the sense that you’re talking with an old friend yourself.
Note: This is actually the 7th in the series, but (as I sometimes do) I’m going out of order because I think this is particularly relevant to our modern culture. Enjoy!