Outside the Box
Love this short animation – and hope you also think outside the box! Thanks, “The Creativity Company”.
Category: Outside the Box
These are blog entries that do not fit into specific categories.
The Hidden Revealed
Watching a large bird soar on the wind, for a moment I could glimpse the invisible currents of air as it rose and dipped without any movement of its wings. And I thought, isn’t it like that with all invisible things? They are seen only in the effect they have on things nearby. We are surrounded with a substance we cannot see, the air, but we understand it primarily by the effect that it has on objects within it. When I say “a windy day”, images of tree branches or leaves moving come to mind. Even fog is simply water droplets floating in the air – we never actually see the air itself. The same with gravity. And so are other invisible things understood by the effect that they have on those who are near. Things like love, hate, kindness, are never seen with the eye. They only become visible in the words and actions of those who are moved by them. In some ways God is like that too – invisible but seen in the actions of those who are near to God. And as far as art is concerned, when it is expressing a heart felt emotion, whether it is pure emotion or an emotional response to a subject, it is making visible that which was previously invisible. A high calling indeed.
What You Love, What I Love
The fact is, the arts are subjective. The dictionary defines subjective as “…the nature of an object as it is known in the mind as distinct from the object itself.” In art, this means that a painting I love is not necessarily one that you also love. And what is really tricky, there’s not necessarily a right or wrong about differing opinions on art. Perhaps you have a hectic life, and would love a painting that reads as calm and peaceful in your home. Perhaps you are high energy and want a painting that reads the same. Maybe you delight in a detailed realistic rendering, or perhaps you love to let your imagination explore abstract shapes. And so our mind rules our opinion of the artistic object, in this case a painting, aside from what the actual object is. Subjectivity is, I think, a good thing by and large. It allows for a great many different artistic expressions appealing to a large range of audiences. It means that there is no one best way to interpret a subject artistically. That all said, I’m never going to love your painting of Elvis on black velvet, but I do respect your right to have it above your couch… if you really must.
That Itty Bitty Screen
Ah technology. We love it, we hate it, but mostly – we get addicted to it. Here’s an interesting article “To Enjoy the View Without Help From an iPhone” by Nick Bilton. How about you? Do you control your technology, or does it control you?
Artist’s Role in Society
It’s an interesting question: What is the artist’s role in society? Art Promotive asked this question of 10 different artists. Here is the link to see their responses: “Art Promotive“, and I’d love to hear what your answer to this question is!
Going for Gold
With Olympic fever upon us, it is impressive to see what mere humans can accomplish. If there is just one characteristic of an Olympian that impresses me, it would be the perseverance. The long determined road of hard work that goes into honing a skill to that degree. I admire the same thing in great artists – singers, painters, actors, dancers and the rest. How about you? What do you admire about those who are in the spotlight in London England right now?
Summer Memories
Sometimes it comes over me again – that delicious enchanting feeling of an endless summer from when I was little. The delight of many hours of sitting in a field pulling at blades of grass while chatting nothing and everything with a good friend. The unhurried breeze that came to play. Nowhere to go, nothing needing to be done. The way the grass tickled bare feet, and hopping nimbly over roads that were too hot! Popsicles! I liked the orange ones best. No polite way to slurp that last bit before it melted off the popsicle stick. Yes, summer was good, and still is. What are your favourite summer memories?
En Plein Air
EN PLEIN AIR
Summer is here, and up from the grass /
Spring lots of easels, painters having a blast. /
If they’re actually painting, or just soak in the sun, /
Plein air painters sure have lots of fun. /
So don’t be suprised, when the painters are gone, /
By orange, red or turquoise blades of grass in the lawn. /
Cheryl O
(I know, I should stick to painting 😉
The Garden of Your Mind
Do you ever imagine things? Here’s a song to put a smile on your face.