Hidden Treasures

The word SCULPTURE - COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD MEANING: TO REMOVE, MOST OFTEN USING WOOD OR STONE." (Joseph Conrad - http://stonecutter.blogspot.com/2011/05/stone-sculpture-why-bother.html)

Many of us are consumed with our careers or being the best person we can be however, no matter how well my personal performance, I can never make myself great. Greatness comes from the ability to see greatness in others, to be instrumental in the greatness of others. What makes a great father is his child's perception of him. What makes a great wife is her husband’s perception of her. A great person is so, because of the ability of others to see greatness in them. A lot of people have opportunities available to them because they talk well, some because they are charismatic. Some are given opportunities by virtue of the genes they are born with, however greatness does not always come in the obvious forms.

In the movie Avatar the leading actress, Zoe Saldana is holding in her arms the small frame (in comparison to herself), of the dyeing broken body of the leading actor played by Sam Worthington who is unable to breathe on his own, she says to him, “I see you”. She is able to see the great person she knows him to be, and the great person he is yet to become. Together with her tribe members, they help him to make a full transition.

Creative people have the ability to see greatness in things or people that may not yet be obvious to the untrained eye. Many people plant flowers, but a landscape designer or artist, has creative vision. You can give them the roughest most chaotic land mass and when they are done, it has been transformed into something beautiful. Many people can sing, I can only copy an artist who has given meaning to the words because of the tone of their voice and the emphasis placed on certain words. Whenever people find out I draw, they frequently tell me they themselves draw or know of someone who does. But that is different from being an artist.

A good example someone who is an artist as opposed to someone who draws or someone who sculpts can be seen in Michelangelo when he created the statue of David. In a story told by Michael Clark, he talks about Michelangelo’s search for the right piece of stone. When he finds it, the stone merchant inquires why he chose that particular piece of stone. The stone merchant says, "You have seen hundreds of pieces of marble in all of these shops and all of them are of greater quality than this one. Why have you chosen such an inferior stone to carve your statue from? His answer was simple, yet to the point, I have chosen this one, because this one is the one with David in it!" (http://www.awildernessvoice.com/David.pdf).

One of the greatest kings who ever lived was David. David however was not the first choice. When the prophet Samuel went looking for the next king he was presented with David’s seven older brothers, all of whom had the appearance of being the next king. But Samuel knew these were not the one, he knew that surely there must be another. Then the father brought in David the smallest and most unlikely choice, this was the one. Samuel saw something not recognized by the untrained eye. Samuel made opportunity available for David, and when the challenge arose David was the one who was ready.

You have the potential to surround yourself with those who see great things, you also have the potential to be a great artist or visionary, perhaps the creative who see’s the next David waiting to be released from stone.

Design for Life

Think of your life as a beautiful newly build house, without the amenities.  Some may look at you and see just another house, others look and see things in you that you are not even aware of.  You have the power to make something beautiful and unique within that house.  And only you can bring out its full potential.

There is a creative force within all of us.  In most of us it is lying dormant, somewhere beneath the many layers of the things I must do, and the things I need to do.  Sometimes it is buried underneath the need to pay bills or family obligations.  Are we being entertained so effectively by the media that our days are so full that we have no need to express who we are.  Few people dare to carve out time to really express something they are passionate about.  Some don’t even know what that is.

There is nothing wrong with paying bills and meeting family obligations, or enjoying our favorite shows or video games, but at the end of the day, what is shaping your life?  We possess treasure, waiting to be discovered.  It is your creative ability that will show you how to see and effectively express your unique gifts or what you are passionate about.  Chip away at things that slow you down and keep you from reaching your ultimate goal.  Think about how you want your life to be defined.  Develop a plan. Then design it,

 

You are the designer of your life.

What makes a Great Artist

 There are so many forms of Art. Cooking is an art, decorating a home is an art, storytelling is an art.  But what is it that makes a great artist?  It is my opinion a great artist is someone who can create an experience; someone who inspires and they teach us something, or make us curious.

Artists have a way of seeing the ordinary in extraordinary ways.   There was a time when I painted houses and apartments on a daily basis, and I loved painting houses, it was like orchestrating a symphony.  On occasions I would go out to get lunch or stop by Home Depot to pick up supplies, when someone would stop me and say, where did you get that outfit?  And I would look at them in shock for a moment, before realizing they were serious.  I guess I didn’t look like your typical house painter, because I am small in stature and I was very meticulous about my hair and earrings.  Later on when I looked at the white painter pants and white tea shirt, I saw what I had taken for granted, the color combinations, dabs and strokes  from various painting experiences, were harmonious and artistic.

An artist is willing to work meticulously and habitually to demonstrate something that is vividly seen in their mind.  Their diligent and habitual efforts develop into their own unique style, which is not always appreciated at the time similar to the paint dabs on the work cloths I had taken for granted.  Artist may perhaps be forerunners of personal branding and pursuing what you are passionate about.  Through their work we gain keen insights about who they were, or who they are, and also insights into the tone and dynamics of their time.   The story's they tell transcend time and space, making a statement which sometimes cannot be expressed with words.   When you see it you will take notice and ask who did that? 

Because we value the human experience and our history we maintain these great works of art in museums, and pay millions to obtain and preserve them.  We are willing to travel across the globe just for a chance to see them.

There are many modern day artists of all types, whose work I value.  Do you have a favorite artist?  Are you an artist who has been inspired by someone?  I would love to hear from you.

The Business of Art

I am constantly amazed by all the beautiful artwork that can be found wherever I look.  When I look at the ground I see dense, dark soil and thick tree roots as I begin to glance up I see how the tree begins to become lighter and the branches start to reach out as though they could become free from the roots that hold them down, their leaves and branches flow with the wind.  Behind them as far as I can see are clouds flirting about freely, defying gravity in a beautiful lightly tinted atmosphere. 

Some of the great artist, such as  Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, their lives were marked by financial struggle and personal tragedy, yet,  they were passionate about creating art.  Today their legacy and inspiration live on and their art is worth millions.

Today art is an intricate part of our everyday lives.  Artists are committed to improving the human experience everywhere.  Their contributions are evidenced in the movie and television industry.  They design and develop material for print and web.  Artists are an essential part of helping businesses of all types to develop identities and brands, along with advertisement and promotional material.  Artists are building prototypes, for the scientific and medical industry; they design games and books for all ages.  The stories they tell help to inspire people and they help others bring their vision to pass.

As an artist/designer who has a particular interest in web development, I performed a Google search for art and entertainment websites.  I was drawn to the website of Aardman Animations.  The studio was founded by Peter Lord and David Sproxton  in 1976 while working on their first low budget project.  Aardman Animations began by producing clay/stop motion animations and later began producing CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) animations.   It is clear they were not just producing art for the masses, but rather they themselves had a particular brand of art.  Their unique style of animating and storytelling began to bring them more and more success as evidenced in their first full feature animation “Chicken Run”.  In 2005 they won the Academy Award for best animated film, “Wallace and Groomit:  Curse of the Were Rabbit”.  Peter Lord and David Sproxton, have created character’s such as Wallace who is an inventor, and Groomit his canine friend.

The overall theme of this site describes the history of Aardman Animations, where they started, what they are doing now, and what they are working on for the future.  The site is biographical and demonstrates a complete portfolio of work they have done.   It is professional, entertaining and reflects their unique style. 

  

During my visit on this website, I saw an example of how following your passion can not only enhance the human experience but also lead to a very successful enterprise.