art
Artistic, musical, creative, and entertaining topics in Journal's workplace sphere.
Nico Cathcart
Nico Cathcart has been an artist practically since birth. From the time her fingers could grip the ferrule of a paintbrush and guide it along a flat surface, Nico was painting. In those very early years she worked in water colors and gouache on rolls of brown packing paper, fabricating homages to Van Gogh. When she became a teenager, Nico discovered oils, and a teacher of hers who saw her talent and obsession with the painted word gave her a book that would move her toward what she has become—a gallery artist and one of Richmond’s leading muralists. It was an art book, and still sits on a coffee table in her home. It’s about one of the grandest murals ever painted—the Sistine Chapel.
By Charles McGuigan5 years ago in Journal
Is art meant to be beautiful? Or utilitarian? Or both?
Some works, such as those that come mainly from the field of design, are there for us to use and "apply", while others, like a painting of Rembrandt, is there to be experienced, admired and loved. In essence, this would be the main difference between fine art and applied art, two major categories of the arts in general.
By Lindsay Eichorn5 years ago in Journal
I am Loonatania
I am Loonatania I always wanted to entertain the world with my stories and talents. Since I was a little girl, I loved to make people smile and it would make me feel good inside. Like spark's coming out of people's eyes to give them every reason to laugh and live a good life. Growing up, I had a dark side of my childhood that wasn't always pleasant behind closed doors. To remove that horrible things I saw in domestic violence, I would look at old classic cartoons of Looney Tunes, Popeye, Betty Boop, old black and white classics, Disney films Bambi, Dumbo, Pete's Dragon, Mickey Mouse. I loved Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Space Jam, Jurassic Park, Twister and Annie and I loved the magic behind it and it fascinated me. I would mimic the characters voices and act out with my toys. I loved the most was how they had live action and cartoons blend together and it's silly. I used to believe it was real, but only to realize that I was disappointed to find out they weren't real. One day what really caught my eyes was when I decided to watch the credits from Bambi and then I saw something on the VHS, I never saw before. It was behind the scenes in the making of Bambi. I was in awe how they put the pieces together and I thought it was beautiful. Learning about Walt Disney's company and watching them paint Bambi and the landscapes. They would use actual Deers to sketch on their movement and how it would work during the film just like they did for Lion King and other projects. After that every VHS that had special features I wanted to learn more about animation. I also later watched how the Twister film was made, oh man, that was amazing. CGI on the Twister was beautifully done. Roger Rabbit really fascinated me the most. I also learned how people would provide voices for cartoon characters and I love it.
By Tausha Henry5 years ago in Journal
Creative ideas to make photo calendars for your workstation
How many times have you found yourself missing important dates or forgetting tasks? In today's hectic schedule, it's hard to keep track of everything. A photo calendar, however, is the best way to stay up-to-date.
By campbelljoef5 years ago in Journal
Writing Through the Bad Spots
I stare at the screen and wish I could conjure something from nothing. The particles would coalesce in the air, swirling and entwining, as they accumulated into a book that dropped into my lap. (Is there a Harry Potter spell for that?)
By Jillian Spiridon5 years ago in Journal
An American Painter
For a long time, Miyoko Ito was essentially obscure outside of Chicago. She painted theoretical works with hints of Surrealism and Cubism during the 1960s and 70s. At that point, New York was accepting Pop Art, and a significant number of Ito's counterparts in Chicago had joined together under the insurance of the Hyde Park Art Center. Ito stood somewhat separated from these different developments, rather making her own visual language with deviation and reminiscent structures.
By Nancy Baker5 years ago in Journal
One Man's Trash is Another Girl's Hobby
The morning glow that shines through my window. The sound that echoes in the room. The alarm that wakes me. Since it doesn't have a shape of its own, one can't just say where inspiration is. I push open the curtains. The color of Mexican plum blossoms engulfs the light from the window, cutting patterns on the room's interior. From my dresser, I grab the same ordinary clothes, and head to the usual place. The kitchen table is filled with evidence of a well-lived home. Half-burned candles and half-finished plates of food sit on a cluttered table. Lunch bags open and close in rapid succession as a day's lunch is chosen and repeatedly reconsidered. Freshly pressed work uniforms are laid on the back of worn wooden chairs. Then, as abruptly as it started, everything is quiet. Mom waves goodbye for work, and siblings depart in a flurry of jammed toast and hastily finished homework. I take a sip of lukewarm coffee and unfurl a crinkled sheet of notebook paper. On it lies a rough sketch of a girl and a list of random objects. I look up at the Roman clock that hangs above the "EAT" sign on the kitchen wall. Exactly 8:02 am, it's time to make a doll.
By Mukena Addict5 years ago in Journal
I love art
Since I was a child I have been a creative individual. I think it all started because my parents traveled the world in a VW bus so my imagination was my best friend in the first couple of years on earth. I found my imagination early by looking into nature and create images in the clouds or rock formations. Then I started to color and doodle what I saw in the world and replicated them on blank paper that lead to creating cars or cities of the future on other planets. As I got older I would create stuff with my hands from sand to clay and then more technically stuff out of wood scraps. My whole life I have just been very creative and I had a need to express myself through making of stuff.
By Theartistjosko5 years ago in Journal
Pour Decisions
‘Inspirational Creations by Jae’ was the name of the craft business I started when I was 10 years old. I usually don’t tell the story because the people that I do tell think I’m joking about a little kid being a business owner. My mom even went and got a DBA started in that name for me. I attempted my go at handmade cards, beaded jewelry, bookmarks, and even purses. I still have a handwritten list of sales from when I attended my first vending event. That day, I made less than $20, and even that felt like pity from the older women who thought it was just a cute idea. I wanted to live up to my name and be inspirational; although my products didn’t feel as beautiful as I had envisioned they would be. I think my greatest obstacle lay in my limited knowledge of entrepreneurship and access to the resources I needed to make that happen. So, I ended up sticking to gifting my family members nicely handmade items on the holidays and taking art classes in school.
By Jae-lin Mitchell5 years ago in Journal
