Google dazzles with its doodling again ~ this time with some fancy animated footwork in honor of Charlie Chaplin’s 122nd birthday, and it’s a clever one. Enjoy!
You may have heard of Stephen Wiltshire; he’s a London based artist renowned for his masterfully detailed drawings of cityscapes.
Stephen Wiltshire is autistic. He didn’t speak one word until he was 5 years old. His mind, however, is pure genius. His “disability”, as so often is the case, has provided an amazing gift.
Thanks to my friend Jai for sharing this with me… now it’s my pleasure to share it with you. If you view the video, I pretty much guarantee you’ll be awed.
For more on Stephen, his journey and incredible talent, go to: The Stephen Wiltshire Gallery.
proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
Whitman, Yeats, Kipling, Dickinson, Angelou, Gibran, Frost, Sandberg, Tolstoy, Cummings, Wilde, Shelley, Rumi, Shakespeare, Wordsworth….
When I hear these names, eloquence comes to mind.
Eloquence, combined with deep understandings of nature, love, and the human condition; poets have a profound ability to both explain and move our hearts.
Granted, I may be biased towards poetry. I’m a poet’s daughter, spoon-fed the deliciousness of words. From an early age I came to appreciate the beauty ~ and the power ~ of language.
So, bias aside, I realize that not everyone appreciates poetry. But I do think that everyone who does, experiences an expansion of heart and mind. Good poetry is arresting. It’s elevating. Some even say intoxicating. Like being dipped inside a rose, the senses enveloped.
It’s also demanding. It requires your attention. Using only words, poetry engages first the mind, then cuts through to the heart.
And though wrapped in prose, it’s probably the most directly communicative of the arts. In its purity, perhaps the most artistically vulnerable. No visual props, no chords to set a tone. A play of words forming emotional shapes, it’s a meeting of pen, mind and spirit; music and painting put to words.
Poetry has many faces, runs the gamut from simple to complex, lyrical to abrupt. Like song, it’s often a matter of taste. But it’s worth a savoring, magical, thought-provoking, reverent taste now and then. It’s the language of love. It’s the language of life, of loss, of longing and lifting up. It nourishes the mind; it’s a tonic for the soul.
A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The world seems to be self-destructing all around us; chaos reigns, governments play with our fates and Mother Nature wreaks havoc. It makes me feel irritable, and kind of helpless ~ and makes me yearn for a side trip to a topic that’s far from the tangled fray: Art.
Maybe it’s to maintain a sense of balance. Maybe sanity.
Not to suggest we ignore what’s happening out there, but to suggest that sometimes our collective focus adds to the madness ~ and that sometimes it’s healthy and good (and wise) to turn our attention away from a negative alignment, and towards something neutral, lighter, brighter, simpler. Maybe breathe in some art. Even briefly. Can’t hurt ~ can help.
As Oscar Wilde said: “It is through Art … and through Art only, that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual experience.”
Cezanne
And as some others have said:
“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” ~ Twyla Tharp
”Imagination is the true magic carpet.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale
“It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet.” ~Kojiro Tomita
“Great art is as irrational as great music. It is mad with its own loveliness.” ~ George Jean Nathan,
”Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep”. ~ Scott Adams
“Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it.” ~ Robert Motherwell
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Pablo Picasso
Wyeth
And finally (lest we be all too serious) …
”How important are the visual arts in our society? I feel strongly that the visual arts are of vast and incalculable importance. Of course I could be prejudiced. I am a visual art.” ~ Kermit the Frog
You may now resume your regularly scheduled day. Hope you feel a little mentally refreshed. I know I do.
So, I’m barreling along today, putting the final touches on a website, creating mastheads, writing copy, polishing a logo, scheduling meetings … and then I see this:
And I think, how fantastic! It’s from my talented publisher Mary, at Shenanigan Books. She’s very crafty, that one ~ in all the right ways.
She’s also started a new blog with features about the company’s growing flock of authors and illustrators, news about their books, happenings in the world of publishing, and a special Kid’s Page showcasing easy-to-do craft projects, ideas for young authors and illustrators, plus science and nature activities. Head on over now and you’ll find instructions for making a fairy house as beautiful as this one!
So even though writing this up added one more unexpected thing to my to-do list, it made my day. (Because as you surely know, I have a thing for fairies.) Hope it brightens yours as well!
It’s almost time for fancy bonnets, colored-egg hunts and chocolate bunnies … which gave me an idea!
How about a literary treat for the young ones’ Easter Baskets? Yes! Fill it up with chocolates, and pink and yellow peeps, tie it with a bow ~ then add something that can be enjoyed long after the last bit of bunny has hopped away.
Naturally, I think the books and toy shown above would be excellent choices : ) (and you can find the links to buy them on my books page) ~ but there’s a whole world of great books out there for kids. I’m a huge (HUGE) advocate of children reading (actually, I’m big on everyone reading) … reading to them, reading with them, and when they’re able to read on their own, appreciating their joy at discovering new worlds through words and pictures.
So think about it. Slip a special book inside a child’s Easter basket this year. Really, chocolate AND books? It’s a win-win.
proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
Once again, the positive P-word I’d planned for this week was preempted by a sudden inspiration. This one thanks to an old college friend who unwittingly mentioned that it’s National Tartan Week!
Scotland runs thick in my blood; the plaid used for this “P” is, in fact, from my maternal family line, the MacNaughton clan. Something I’m rather proud of.
And what’s the positive message? I’ll tell you this ~ it’s not the wearing of plaid pants, plaid skirts, or men in kilts. It’s not about saving a penny, or drinking Scotch Whiskey (although both notions have their place). It’s not about the uniquely moving sound of a well-played bagpipe. And it’s definitely, most definitely, not about haggis.
It’s about being proud of who you are and where you come from. It’s about appreciating those who came before you, and it’s about confidently showing your colors, inside and out.
So this one’s dedicated to all of us with Scottish ancestry ~ but meant for everyone. Honor the stepping stones of history, respect your heritage, and let the best of who you’ve become shine like a bold plaid.
“Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead.” ~ Scottish proverb
While doing a quick search for something online this morning, I noticed the Google logo had another fun interpretation. There on the screen was an old-fashioned illustration of a big ol’ double-o ice cream sundae ~ and my heart skipped a beat.
You don’t understand. Or maybe you do. Maybe you share my love for sundaes.
To explain: I am a hot-fudge sundae aficionado. I was weaned on chocolate, you see, and later treated to a secret family recipe for hot fudge sauce, which I now make on a regular basis. And of course the purpose of ice cream is to serve as a vehicle for the hot fudge. So I should probably admit that it’s really more about the good sauce than the ice cream, but in truth, together they’re dreamy.
Plus … ice cream sundaes are just “happy”. Did you ever see someone who was unhappy while eating ice cream? Seriously. It’s a gift from the Gods.
Now that you know this juicy personal tidbit, you can see why I was delighted to learn, via today’s clever Google logo, that today marks the 119th anniversary of The Ice Cream Sundae. How cool is that? (Maybe cooler if it were a rounder number, but I’ll take it.)
Apparently The Sundae was “invented” in 1893, by Ithaca, New York soda fountain proprietors Chester Platt and John M. Scott. It was first called a “Cherry Sunday”, because it was served on a Sunday, presumably with a cherry on top.
Eventually, I don’t know how, and am too excited to care, the name changed from “Cherry Sunday” to simply “Sundae” (although my word loving mind is a bit curious, how it went from Sunday, to the sort of Shakespearian spelling of Sundae… I’ll find that some other time…)
So please go ahead and enjoy an Ice Cream Sundae in honor of its anniversary. And smile all the while.
Thanks Google!
Gotta love WordPress. In wintertime you can make it snow right there on your blog. In notes they use casual, “we’re your friend” text that makes this virtual world feel more homey. And they have all this stuff set-up so you can tell if folks are paying any attention to what you’re blogging about.
I’m a fan.
But they got me today (and, I assume, every other WordPress-er). I took a quick look at my stats – some of that great stuff mentioned above – and saw that I had hundreds more views than usual!
I thought maybe it was my extra fabulous post about the gryphon…. but then I noticed the words “April Fool’s” above the # of views. Yep … good one!
Gryphons are nobody’s fool.
A winged monster with an eagle-like head and the body of a lion, gryphons make fierce warriors and noble guardians. I created this particular gryphon for The Silent Warrior Fund, a non-profit foundation that assists US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) soldiers and their families.
A strong symbol for a worthy cause. I’m proud to take part, and grateful to be able to use my talents freely because of their dedication and incredible courage.
My client chose several treatments ~ for website, letterhead, gear, etc. ~ but the gryphon will be the steady mascot on all. I’ll share the final logos later, and provide links again for those who’d like to learn more / support the cause.
