Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Find Local Information Quickly Using Community News Websites

Community news is the wave of the future, and readers are surfing that wave online. When it comes to getting their news, more people would rather read it online than in a newspaper. One look at the formatting of both mediums and it's easy to see why.

In a newspaper, articles are written in long chunks of grey text. This means readers often have to wade through a lot of material that you don't even care about to get to the information you need.

Compare that to the way things are organized online. Shorter articles with colorful pictures make it easy for online readers to scan for the information they need. Users don't have to spend a lot of time flipping through pages of a newspaper. News stories often include summaries and are sorted by category. To see more of a story, just click a button.

Easy navigation is another main feature of online newspapers. Websites include a menu at the top that allows readers to quickly search for stories that interest you.

Online readers don't have to worry about missing a news item that's important as they can often subscribe to have articles on any given topic delivered daily by email. With online news, resident can easily be more involved in events that are happening in their community.

People like finding out about local news and events. By reading community news websites, such as Long Beach news sites in California, users can easily see things that are happening in their neck of the woods. Local news sites offer accessible calendar listings with free events, family festivals, music happenings and art openings.

Another reason to take advantage of community websites is that, without limits imposed by page restrictions, websites can contain a lot more information than you can find in a newspaper. No story is too small or too long to be included. And, it's all archived online for easy access later too. Online newspapers can often include months or years of informative articles. This is a great historical reference for any local historian.

Whether you're looking to be more informed about the community or for fun things to do over the weekend, take advantage of community news websites. There are many informational and entertaining articles you can read at your convenience.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

How Copyright Protection Works in the IPR and Entertainment Industry

Copyright is a term describing laws to reserve the rights of creative works to their original creators, or subsequent legal owners, for a specific period of time. A copyright is not the same thing as an industrial patent, which protects inventions and designs of tangible physical objects. Copyrights are instead related to intellectual property-music, books, art works, movies and films, and technology like computer software and databases. IPR insurance provides the copyright owner with the resources needed to take action against unauthorized use of intellectual property and receive compensation.

What's Covered
Copyright laws typically grant the author or creator-or another party who legally holds the rights to the creation-the legal right to either permit or prohibit particular acts involving his or her unique work. These include: Reproduction in any media that might be applicable such as print or sound recordings, distribution of copies for sale or free, and performance, broadcasting or any other dissemination in a public media. Translation into additional languages and conversion or adaptation into some other genre -adapting a book into a Broadway play, for instance-is also limited by the copyright holder.

Limitations
Copyright laws in the entertainment industry incorporate limitations that allow for use of creative expression without fulfilling the usual procedures to gain rights or compensate the creator. Often, if a creative work is not written down or formally recorded in some manner-certain dance choreography, for example-its use may not be restricted by copyright. Another example of copyright limitation would be governmental decisions, transcripts of legal texts and other official documents. These are generally open to free use by anyone.

Free and Not-So-Free Use
Free use is another copyright limitation, which allows use of creative work in the entertainment industry without authorization by the copyright owner or compensation to the copyright owner. Free use typically applies to scenarios where reasonably small portions of a larger work are excerpted or quoted and the name of the original creator of the work is properly included in mention. Free use also extends to using portions of a creative work for the purpose of education or for use in news reporting. If a copyrighted work falls under the category of a non-voluntary license, the portion of work may still be used without specific authorization; however, the holder of the copyright must be compensated. This is another scenario in which the resources of IPR insurance could be critical to receiving payment for copyright violation-particularly for the smaller, individual player in the entertainment industry who may not possess the assets or clout to pursue violations without insurance backing.

Copyright Duration
No copyright lasts forever. A copyright is valid for a specific span of time during which the rights of the copyright owner are fully enforceable under the law. Generally, the beginning of the copyright is considered to be the moment the work has been created or placed in some permanent form such as written down, recorded or photographed or filmed. Copyright laws are designed so the copyright will outlive its original owner by some period of time so that his or her heirs may benefit from the original creator's work. In the United States and the European Union, for example, the laws state that the copyright of works of creative and entertainment arts remain viable for 70 years following the death of the original creator.

IPR insurance is a valuable complement to the array of copyright laws that protect creators in the entertainment industry. It provides the assets and security to allow parties of all sizes to compete on a level playing field in the enforcement of copyright laws and obtain just, proper compensation when they are violated.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Manchester Pubs and Bars - It's Blindingly Bright Up North!

Apparently Tory think tanks believe that many northern towns are beyond saving and that the best thing to do would be to move northern residents out of their 'predicaments' and settle them down south.

This may be surprising and outrageous news to many Northerners who were not yet aware of their 'deprived' existence in areas that have been criticised as being beyond the point of rescue or regeneration.

Of course the idea has received a barrage of criticism from the general public and MPs. I for one would be particularly unhappy if I were made to move from the spacious villages and beloved homely cities of the north to relocate south. It is doubtful that hardy Northerners would believe any think tank nonsense or take it to heart, after all those softy southerners can think about the north all they like. No one up here wastes time thinking about such tank nonsense, the pubs here are far too good for that sort of chit chat.

My recommendations of good pubs and bars in Manchester to distract you from boring chit-chat include:

Cinnabar

One of the coolest and most impressive bars in Manchester, this baby is a great place to take visiting friends as it is guaranteed to make their jaw hit the floor. The interior is designed like a private members' bar with an arty eastern twist. Six gigantic private pod sofas adorn the floor around the spacious bar and mood lighting sets the atmosphere for those sat out in the open. Luminous orbs hang from the ceiling and DJs from all over the world play funky beats to the city's wealthy fashionable crowd. The Cinnabar has a large car park out back to cater for its customers Ferraris and Aston Martins so if you do drive don't drink too many tasty cocktails from the extensive cocktail list.

Bacchanalia

Much more soberly decorated that Cinnabar, Bacchanalia (although a mouthful of a name) will not give you an eyeful when you walk in. Solid stained oak and brown leather sofas give this bar a nice clean modern feel, perfect to enjoy a cold pint before a trip to the cinema or after a day at work. Simplicity in style is not an indication of the cocktail menu, with over 150 cocktails to choose from and an extensive wine list; don't come here if you're indecisive.

Walrus

'Crazy' would be the best way to describe the interior of this pioneering Manchester bar. Serving excellent Asian cuisine dreamed up by the likes of ex-Nobu chef Paul Day and mouth-watering deserts Walrus certainly succeeds in capturing many an imagination. The brightly coloured hotchpotch interior is not dissimilar to an interactive art gallery and gives Walrus a unique and cheery atmosphere.

Odd Bar

I was tempted to review Lammars because it looks so gorgeous, but instead I decided it had to be Odd Bar because of the huge Sunday roasts and the fact that it always has customers. An easy place to hang out with your mates for hours with no need to dress up for the occasion, this pub/bar oozes chilled vibes. Entertainment at the weekend includes some great live bands and DJ's is all free and of great quality, with Piccadilly Records using their shop to supply the most coveted tunes in town.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Recession Marketing For Small Businesses and Independent Professionals

Over the last few months the financial news has been grim. In late 2008, while the federal government had not yet officially acknowledged that the U.S. economy is in "recession," financial markets were screaming headlines of "panic," "crisis," and even "Armageddon." When even savvy investors like Warren Buffett and T. Boone Pickens are losing billions in the stock market you know that things are getting crazy.

We don't want to minimize the pain and suffering faced by many due to circumstances beyond their control, but we don't want to give in to fear and panic, either. Hopefully the new administration in Washington will focus on helping the folks on Main Street rather than bailing out the super-rich on Wall Street. Meanwhile, here are some practical self-help strategies for navigating through tough economic times, maybe even getting ahead:

Are You Prepared?
Chances are you'll experience several periods of economic contraction during your lifetime. Financial planners recommend having enough cash-on-hand to cover at least a couple months' living expenses in case of emergency. Beyond that, they recommend paying off credit cards, having insured savings, a retirement plan, healthcare coverage, lots of equity in your home, and maybe a stash of silver or gold coins. If you've got all that, congratulations! You're probably as well prepared as anybody can be, and maybe you should be advising Wall Street or running for Congress!

It helps to take a long view. Transcendental meditators tell us that if we meditate panic will subside and the stock market will recover. Warren Buffett is buying stocks now because he thinks they're cheap. He's betting on the future, and he's 78 years old!

Recessions & Depressions
The federal government defines "recession" narrowly as a period of two consecutive quarters of declining gross national product, or GNP. "Depression" is a 10% decline. However, by the time the government gets around to crunching the numbers, most of us have already felt the pain for many months. Although the Bush administration hadn't uttered the "R" word until December 2008, everyone knew that unemployment was up, home foreclosures were skyrocketing, credit was tight, and paychecks were being stretched past their limits. Undeniably, the middle and lower classes were already scared and struggling.

Recessions typically last 18 to 24 months, although they can extend much longer. The worst economic contraction in U.S. history, the Great Depression of 1929, lasted over 10 years. One in four workers was unemployed, public sector jobs were almost nonexistent, there was no Social Security safety net, and bread lines stretched for blocks. The economy never fully recovered until the early 1940's, when the country mobilized for entry into World War II. Of course, war is one hell of a way to achieve full employment. Consider all the positive alternatives: housing, education, healthcare, green technologies, the arts and sciences, space exploration...!

Will we have another Great Depression? While nobody can accurately predict the length or severity of an economic contraction, several mitigating factors are at play. Public sector jobs now account for up to a third of all employment, and Social Security provides at least a minimum safety net for the retired and disabled. Unemployment is projected to rise perhaps as high as 9%, but far less than during the Depression. Finally, the federal government is pumping vast amounts of money into the economy to mitigate the effects of the downturn. While this recession could be worse than most, it won't be the end of the world.

Pockets Of Stability
During tough economic times look for pockets of stability and counter-cyclical trends. Some industries are continuing to expand, in spite of-or even because of-the current business cycle. People may put off major purchases such as appliances and automobiles, so they spend more on repairs. Auto repair businesses often grow during tough times. Enviros are cheering because bicycle sales are booming! Tax lawyers may handle fewer mergers but more bankruptcy cases. And plumbers always seem to have enough work. Heck, Joe the Plumber is working on a book deal!

University enrollments often grow during recessions. Students who can't find work stay in school, and displaced workers go back to school to retrain for new jobs. As reported in Morningstar online (10/15/08), "In bad times, when individuals are losing their jobs, many people will look to education as a means to open up new opportunities. If there are fewer jobs to go around, potential students are more likely to return to school and learn a skill that provides increased, more lucrative opportunities." If you are an education provider, this may be the perfect opportunity to grow your business!

The entertainment and travel industries often benefit because people are looking for escape and rejuvenation. Expensive restaurants may lose patrons, but fast food places and grocery stores are much less affected. People still have to eat. Similarly, people may scale down vacation travel plans. That European vacation may become a family outing closer to home, a "staycation," actually keeping more money circulating in the local economy. Local spas may enjoy increased traffic even as the cost of travel climbs and the U.S. dollar weakens.

Healthcare spending is likely to remain constant or continue to rise owing to the aging of the Baby Boomer population. Seniors with discretionary income and good medical insurance are unlikely to postpone necessary procedures. Cosmetic and elective surgery will probably continue to grow, albeit more slowly. Fitness and prevention are growing trends that actually lower overall healthcare costs and should continue right through any economic downturn.

Where you ride out an economic storm is important, too. Northern California, with diverse economic strengths, great weather, and continuing draw as tourist destination, should experience a milder downturn than most other regions in the world. In the San Francisco Bay Area, singles and other lifestyle events and services, upscale retreats, and the youth markets should continue to show strength, even as other discretionary purchases such as new cars and home sales decline.

Negotiate With Cash
Commodity prices often drop during recessions, although this is not always the case. The term "stagflation," first coined during the Carter presidency, refers to stagnant growth accompanied by high inflation. With prices for groceries, gasoline, and many staples at or near all-time highs, stagflation is here again. Still, "cash is king," especially in tight credit markets, and with it you can often negotiate deep discounts, especially for major purchases such as autos, houses, and business supplies and services.

Recession Psychology
An important key to surviving a downturn is not to succumb to recession psychology. Recessions are scary and people feel uncertain about the future. Some people become literally depressed. They postpone spending, which further slows the economy. Entrepreneurs facing tough times may question their own self-worth. Try not to make important business decisions based on rumor or panic. Make measured responses instead.

Be consistent. Keep your clients happy and give them reasons to return, even at the expense of your profit margin. Avoid raising prices during a recession, even if your own costs are rising. Offer price breaks and concessions where you can-customers are looking for bargains. This creates goodwill and protects your client base. Offer clients alternative payment options. Extend credit terms. Accept smaller monthly payments, but insist on a regular payment schedule. If you are having trouble paying your own bills, re-negotiate with creditors. Make regular payments, even if you have to reduce the amount.

And be cheery! A kind word, a smile, and a good joke work wonders with friends and clients alike!

Contingency Plans
Could you stay in business if your income went down 10%? 25%? 35%? What is your "Plan B"? Most entrepreneurs find it natural to grow but difficult to deal with downsizing. Small businesses and independent professionals, especially those whose homes and savings are personally on the line, should avoid excessive borrowing, especially in times of tight credit and variable interest rates. Borrow as a last resort. Look first for ways to trim expenses:

Eliminate expense accounts
Cut salaries and wages
Postpone employee training
Defer equipment maintenance
Reduce staff
Replace salaried staff with contractors
Delay the introduction of new product lines
Extend credit from suppliers
Moving to less expensive offices
Postpone equipment upgrades
Renegotiate loans
Work harder or longer hours

Marketing In Tough Times
If you market consistently, you're likely to survive a recession stronger than you went into it. When your competitors are slashing advertising budgets keep yours constant. At least don't cut yours as much. You may even want to increase your outreach! Don't abandon your market simply to save a few dollars in the short run. Instead, position your business for future growth! Businesses that continue to promote through a recession often come out with a larger market share than they started with. We've seen this work time and again through several boom and bust cycles!

A Test Of Character
Tough times can be a test of resourcefulness and character, separating those who really love their work and care about their community from those who are only in it for the money. In the end, those who stay committed to their mission often pick up market share from competitors who quit and emerge from recession stronger than ever.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Abstract Arts & Abstract Paintings - A Panoramic Vista Cultivated With Mystery, Thrived on Veracity

FOREWORD

I remember a while back, when I was faced with a very pressing situation requiring my instant attention. I was being interviewed live, on a major television station at prime time, along with showing a series of my slides in connection to the opening of an art exhibit. As soon as they wired me up, and situated me on stage, and only a couple minutes before going live, the very charming gentleman, who was to interview me, whispered to me the following: "I have no idea what to ask you, what do you suggest?" I said, no problem, if you ask me only 3 simple questions, I will handle the rest. He was relieved, and quickly jotted down the questions. The green light came on, we went on live, and wrapped up a flawlessly smooth and successful interview. Off camera, the crew came on the stage with big smiles, and acknowledged both of us; but they praised the interviewer, for surprising them as an art connoisseur!

DEFINING AESTHETICS

Aesthetics as a set of principles and branch of philosophy deals with questions concerning beauty and artistic experiences. As far as our general understanding of it is concerned it is a highly nebulous field, subjected to tremendous degree of misinterpretation, particularly in the field of abstract art. In any field of humanities where less accurately is known about that field and its principles have not been precisely formulated, the more authoritarian the field becomes. In the field of arts, with no exact fundamentals accurately developed, the techniques and approaches are wide open for the artists to imagine, explore and create their art.

The artist is also subjected to the "laws" of commerce, where various schools of divergent opinions begin to "teach" the artist "how" to be an artist and paint a certain way, citing the field's critics galore as she listens with an open jaw in lieu of reason. The "authorities," in the field of visual arts, most of whom have never painted any paintings themselves but are very "fluid" and "cultured" by having memorized a few standard opinions and artistic works and projects of humanitarian nature, analyze the paintings for the artist every step of the way, each time the artist presents a piece of her art for a critique, mainly to discover what's wrong with her art and how she should fix it according to these "professors's" brand of "expertise."

I admit to a tad of generalization here for making a point; but does any of this ring a true bell for you? Can you think of an artist you know who is or has been on this ship? I lived and survived through it all, trusting and believing that there had to be a logical and more nurturing way to free imaginative impulses so that the artist could paint as freely as he wanted. Something within me, was telling me, that something was inherently not quite right with the constructive criticisms that were to "teach" us how to view our own world of art, through the eyes of the "critics," excuse me, the professors. I had viewed this "school of thought" as an authoritarian method of teaching that smothered the thoughts, emotions, or efforts of the artist, but could not quite articulate the problem I was sensing at the time. I discovered later, that this mechanism of controlling thought through teaching, was only one of the elements in our society, which inherently brings about the suppression of the arts that stifles the creative impulses of the artists at the expense of the whole culture.

Artists are often "accused" of having their heads up in the clouds, and living within an unreal world of imagination. This brings about the necessity of taking a good and thorough look at just how reality bites. Plowing through several fields of study in search of a tool to measure the aesthetics and the creation processes can leave us empty handed, until we splurge into the field of philosophy to examine our thoughts and reasoning.

THE ART OF THINKING AND REASONING

Thinking and reasoning is a social activity for most people. They require the engagement of external forces as the individual is as much a part of society as the society is a part of the individual. From the moment of birth, the social labyrinth of customs, beliefs, languages, values, religions, politics, and other traditional ideas are all well positioned to mold the child into the image of those who the child is surrounded with, and it is thoroughly based upon faith and belief. So masterfully the operation is instilled into the society as social heredity that even science has often mistaken it as being genetic.

English philosopher and author Francis Bacon (1561-1626), and another English philosopher and mathematician Issac Newton (1642-1727), and others have developed ways of thinking and reasoning that requires a fact in order to be proven must be measured, sensed or experienced. And when we thrust this into the realm of mind and spirit we find our willingness reduced in accepting facts based upon faith or belief.

For this reason, in appreciating life, and creating anything within it such as art, looking for answers and solutions exterior to our own sentient qualities, intellects or experiences is to lose concept of our own truth, values and individuality. And the artist, very often, bears the brunt of this philosophy of "independent thinking" and frequently subjected to criticism by those who have a firm grip on the traditions of status quo.

But the artist moves on, knowing where the roots of criticism lie, and reasons that people who resort to "criticism" operate in the absence of true understanding, and since no knowledge can exist in the absence of understanding, there we arrive at the presence of "ignorance." Thus, knowing the basis and the mechanism behind criticism, often serves as a tremendous source of empowerment and consolation for the artist to continue with his art on the grounds of certainty and knowledge of her art and transcend through the highest echelons of culture called: aesthetics!

Bacon had come to the conclusion that no field of study by itself is sufficient in the absence of another form of discipline exterior to it to align and coordinate it in the direction of its goal. We can elaborate further that it is not possible to walk a path aright in the absence of defining its destination. Therefore, to stay clear off the grounds of myths, mysticism and superficial approaches, we can take a look and see how the arts can be best served by defining its goal under the broad umbrella of philosophy that embraces all the arts, sciences and humanities.

Just as it is impossible to have a full view of a countryside by sitting on one of its boulders under a tree, every field of endeavor, to be fully understood, must be viewed and analyzed from a ground much higher than where it germinates. Thus, in the field of visual art's, we cannot look at an abstract painting's isolated data out of context without a consideration of its existence within the scope of a life that contains the art. Bacon say, that would be to use a candle to light a room that is illuminated with daylight.

ART IS COMMUNICATION

We all enjoy and desire a pleasant conversation with our associates, friends and family. But when we look, and inspect our environment, we notice that the great majority of our population, have difficulty with communication. A two way communication takes place, when we can freely initiate our thoughts or ideas to one another, acknowledge each other and continue this interaction, back and forth, by continuing with the sharing of our thoughts and ideas, very much similar to a friendly game of tennis; where the return of the ball, is dependent upon the quality of the serve.

There are times when we notice a break in communication, when either one of the parties, in its turn, fails to acknowledge and originate a thought or an impulse back, to continue with the conversation, or to bring about an optimum conclusion.

The people having these difficulties with origination, are generally accustomed to prepackaged amusements, such as a weather disaster, or an incident or story relayed by a coworker. They get very low on originating communication on their own, inspired by their own imagination; and they become somewhat vexed, when faced with an "imaginative conversationalist." This is either through their upbringing and cultural environment, or their education.

Origination is very important to bring about a communication. To this degree, these people communicate mainly regarding subjects that are handed to them by external sources. They see a news story, they talk about it; they get a call about a family affair, they talk about it. They wait for an exterior circumstance to bring about an interaction, otherwise they do not engage by "creating" a communication. They either have a compulsively irresistible urge toward doing something, or inhibited and behave awkward and unnatural in communicating. If they manage to engage, they often turn sharply, towards derailment of the dialogue, and bring about a good degree of resentment, ill will and unwanted conclusions.

The people who do not originate, or do not engage imaginatively, are inherently dependent upon others to give them primal reasons to engage in a conversation; this is due to being endowed with very little imagination. As a result, we can conclude, that a pleasant and engaging conversation, requires the participation of two imaginative minds, with similar endowment of creative impulses, to mutually create the art of communication.

The field of visual arts, follows the same principles, as art is a form of visual communication. The artist originates his communication as s visual message, through the presentation of his art, to his audience. The quality, and the presence of this initiative that he forwards in his art, forms the visual message, that he delivers to his audience; the quality of which, determine the response of his audience, to whether engage or not. Hence, arts much similar to personal dialogues and conversations, follow the same basic principles of communication, in its success or failure

An artist with low imagination, who does not originate verbally, does not communicate visually either. He originates no visual messages in his art, or when he does, it is so scarcely done, that it stirs up no interaction with his audience. This absence of expression, is mainly due to the artist heavy reliance upon the origination of the audience - as an external force - to brings about a communication, in the direction of his art, which is "silent." Thus, no emotional interaction takes place between the audience and the painting.

An artist, high on imagination, is more likely to enjoy the virtuosity necessary in the technical execution of his art. Thus, he is competent, to effortlessly and vigorously, create his visual messages on his canvas; bringing about an interaction between the audience and his painting.

The visual message does not have to be the same for every viewer. The message, serves only as a visual or artistic "code," to be subjectively decoded, by each viewer; much similar to a popular piece of music, that echoes widely by communicating to the listeners - same melodic tone creating a different mood in different listeners.

Thus, the communication quality of an artistic expression, is the artist's intention as a carrier wave, by which her message is delivered to his audience. The technical expertise, by which the art is executed, is also very important, and at times, successful all by itself; although, the quality of the visual communication, always remains senior to the technical execution of the art. The carrier wave, which communicates the artist's intention, to his viewers, is a phenomenon occurring between the artist and the viewer and resides within the realms of spirit.

IMAGINATION VS. COMMUNICATION

Imagination is the faculty or action of forming ideas in the mind and the ability to be creative and resourceful. The ability to originate communication, is in direct proportion with good imagination. The reverse is never true that imagination has to be imperiled first to result in failure of imagination to express thoughts and ideas. Imagination becomes thwarted and dulled in artists who become dependent upon others to reach out to them, to the point that they do not reach at all. These artists can then, greatly benefit, by rehabilitating the ability to originate, and initiate expressions of thoughts and emotions, and thus restoring their imaginative impulses in favor of creating communicative art.

Imagination is the driving force behind the artist's dexterity by which he executes his art and the deftness by which he communicates his impulses as visual messages. The more refined the artist's creative impulses, the clearer are his visual messages in sharing his thoughts, feelings, perceptions and other creative faculties with his audience. Imagination is the prior cause, which precedes the expression of art as its effect; a cause that unarguably and intrinsically, initiate itself in the future, as a postulate first, followed by an effect, which becomes expressed as a painting. Its conception is superior to its execution. Thus, the artist, through his imagination, continue to live in the future.

In the case of abstract expressionism, the art is the conduit for the dialogue, between the imagination and the audience, via the expression as a painting. The more the artist becomes intimately acquainted with the inherent truth, and virtues by which he was created himself, the more freer become his imaginative impulses, and the more spirited he can express his art.

Abstract expressionism, is a genuine fruit of the imagination. Imagination is the only form of wealth, that gives us art as its dividend. Imagination is where the art is conceived and germinated. Imagination does not work with reason, it does not attempt to classify the physical universe as real or imaginary, it does not assess or evaluate things into categories; it only conceives ideas and expresses them - nothing more.

The magic of art, does not exist in its execution, or presentation of feelings and mental imagery independently exterior to the mind. Execution, or presentation of the art, is the technical expertise; the externalization by which the art is expressed. The magic of art, particularly modern art, resides within the intellectual awareness of the mind, in conceiving and forming of ideas. The essence of creation, resides in its conception. When the artist, completes the formation of a conceptual idea, and it then arrives in the external world in the form of an abstract or modern painting, the artist has given birth to expression, and the creation process is complete.

Similarly, when we originate a verbal communication, the words we utter, are expressions of ideas we have already conceived and formed in our mind, what is being expressed in our speech. It is external to the boundaries of our imaginative and intellectual calculations, and subjected to the limitations of the physical or material means, by which they can be expressed; as it is not difficult to recall the times, when our thoughts or feelings, were far more beautiful, than what we have been able to express in our speech. The action of painting, the writing of words, the striking of the piano keyboard, are only the interpretations of the imagination in the field of thought and spirit. They do not exist in the realm of aesthetic creation, which is a spiritual pursuit.

An imaginative idea, is far greater in scope, than what the artist portrays on canvas. The expression, whether in the form of abstract painting, singing a song, writing a poem, or composing a piece of music, it is always limited to the boundaries and limitations by which they can be executed within the material world. Thereby, it is an alteration of truth conceived in the imagination. The extend of this alteration, as to how much the expression realizes, and fulfills the conception of the original idea released from the imagination, is not measurable, or fully known at this time.

A work of art is understood and appreciated by direct observation. Between the artist who creates the art, and the viewer who contemplates it, lies the magic: Expressive imagination. It is our own creative impulses, perceptions and recognition of the aesthetic expressions within the art, that allows us to experience what is being resonating to us from the artist; and thus, becoming engaged in a two way communication with the artist through his art; the art is an spiritual connection to the artist. Aesthetics, when fully perceived, elevates us into the serene realm of timelessness.

KNOWING IS SENIOR TO UNDERSTANDING

Knowing and understanding are two of the basic fundamentals in creating art. Knowing is a part of imagination within the mind, in which aesthetic impulses are conceived and transformed into artistic expressions; a process which is best understood by defining both: knowing and understanding; and why knowing is above understanding.

Knowing is an intrinsic quality of the mind, in variable measures. Knowing is a state of awareness and a perception in pursuit of a goal. It requires no reliance on exterior forces. Knowing is always accompanied with certainty, ability, and confidence. Knowing is a state of awareness; it is a given state of knowledge. Those with great abilities in a given field, have confidence and are fully aware of knowing that they know, independent of any external factors.

Knowing is different than understanding, which comes about with learning. Knowing is the enlightenment felt in perceiving truth. Knowing is self-contained. It is a singular activity which exists by itself and within itself. Knowing is knowing that one knows. Knowing is the faculty to perceive and the capacity for truth - it is a self-determined knowledge.

Knowing is self-assurance, it is self-belief. Something that is known without effort. The mastery in a given skill is knowing. The imaginative impulses of an artist that spontaneously conceives an abstract art is knowing. Knowing is the self-confidence by which a task is pursued. It is a certainty in thought, and knowingly perceiving that certain conclusions can be drawn. Knowing is the work of the imagination in conceiving an abstract painting, or making instantaneous conclusions, as to the completion of an art composition. Knowing is awareness of the truth within, and the certainty that it can permeate through any, real or imagined barrier.

Understanding on the other hand, is below knowing, because it is dependent upon the engagement of external elements, in the material universe, to fulfill its aim. It is the result of education, as a group activity involving the external world. Studying about prehistoric art, or modern art for instance, creates an understanding about these two styles of art. It does not rely upon our perceptions, or awareness of what is innately ours.

An activity in pursuit of understanding is a potential knowledge, as it is acquired, such as the study of a modern painting. It does not fulfill its aim by itself. Understanding is to come to know something in a certain direction; such as learning to play the piano, or a foreign language. It becomes skills in doing things aptly, which leads to knowing.

An ability to cook and enjoy good food with ones friends is understanding of how o cook and entertain. The ability to paint a piece of modern art is an understanding of the art itself. The ability to raise beautiful flowers and share them with our neighbor is understanding of gardening and creating goodwill. The ability and competence in having a successful conversation with someone is understanding of good communication skills. Understanding is the universal solvent. Understanding brings about peace and harmony. It can wash things away.

In the field of arts, exterior sources of reference, used as mimicry or imitation, compromises the integrity of imagination, ideas, thoughts and concepts; and so becomes impure the art, when it is created through understanding, and reliance upon external forces. Knowledge, purely expressed from within, through the mind and the spirit, is how the artist gives birth to new abstract forms. Abstract art is an example of origination of communication to the viewers as a pure presentation of self-expression.

VIRTUOSITY IN MODERN ART

Pure creation of fine art, such as abstract paintings, is an emotional activity that surmounts any rational thoughts or reasons, as it fulfills itself through an spiritual journey into time, motion and space, with light, color and form. It is an state of awareness, that summons the most innate essence of the artist's imaginative and analytical forces. The higher the awareness and the clarity by which he perceives, the higher will be the versatility, and willingness by which he performs along the various facets of life.

Johannes Itten (1888-1967), was one of the principal teachers of modern art at The Bauhaus School in Germany, whose teaching philosophy, has produced several great artists of the 20th century. Itten's principles bring to light, a greater and more in-depth understanding and appreciation of the values in acquiring additional skills in the field, outside of the arts. He believed, studies and mastery in areas such as philosophy, gardening, landscaping, sewing, woodworking, etc., were necessary in developing personal interaction and direct experiences with nature. In Itten's view, understanding life, it's structure, forms and textures, plays a significant hand in developing one's creative impulses. He believed, broadly acquired dexterity, was essential in the competent execution of art through memory and inspiration. Itten's concise and illuminating words on the subject are expressed more eloquently in the following quote.

"If new ideas are to assume artistic form, physical, sensual, spiritual, and intellectual forces and abilities must all be equally available and act in concert." - Johannes Itten

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966), a German artist, who lived in Paris in his youth, and was a patron of the French avant-garde movement. His friends, impressively included Matisse, Miro, Picasso and Bracques. He evolved through the revolutionary period of the Western art in early 1900, and later, when he immigrated to America, he became well regarded as the father of abstract expressionism. Hofmann taught the very effective approach of encouraging his students to explore within their own experiences, to develop artistic signatures unique to themselves; and consulting nature only as a reference. He articulates this concept partly as follow:


"Nature is permeated by rhythm whose variety cannot be restricted.
Art imitates it in this respect, in order to clarify itself and thereby
attain the same degree of sublimity, raising itself to a state of multiple
harmony, a harmony of colors that are divided at one moment and
restored to wholeness by the next. This synchronic action is to be
regarded as the real and only subject of painting." - Hans Hofmann

Through his technique of push and pull, Hofmann proved that the illusion of depth, space and motion, can be created abstractly, through the use of color and form, in the absence of representational imagery. His teaching was very influential in the progress and the development of abstract expressionism, specially in terms of his philosophical wisdom, that nature is the greatest art and artist and it is there not to be imitated but to inspire.

THE MOMENT OF JUDGMENT

The artist conceives his aesthetic ideas in his imagination, and transforms them into paintings. His paintings carry a visual message, and communicate it to his audience. These paintings are his artistic performance by which he tells about himself. His art, ought to be created purely for his audience, in the absence of any considerations given to any possible critiques given by the critics. People's emotional responses are the sole decision makers, as to whether the art is successful or not, based on the quality by which a the art communicates to them.

To disabuse you totally of any mysteries, involving the recognition of a successful work of art, here lies a simple acid test by way of an Asian tale: an ancient Chinese poet whose poems were laudably read throughout the land, had a simple test to insure the acceptance of his audience. Each time he wrote a poem, he surveyed its popularity in his town. He took it to an old flower lady he knew in the town's square and read it to her. If she liked it, he published it; and if she did not, he discarded it and wrote a new one. His very thoughtful and wise conclusion in doing this survey, was the following: that if his poems were understood and appreciated by a peasant lady in the town square, they will also be popular with his readers. So, here lies the simplicity by which a widely successful and pure work of art should communicate its essence.

The point here in terms of visual arts, is that a successful work of art, whether representational art or abstract art, has to impinge emotionally, upon people who view it, and bring about a sentient response that causes them to engage and understand the painting. When they understand it, they talk about it, participate in it, and put a part of themselves in it, to complete it for themselves as their own work of art.

The Chinese "flower lady" is the acid test for every good piece of art, which nullifies all the esoteric classified fallacies, put together by the "experts" who pontificate that a certain type of convoluted "knowledge" or "expertise" is a prerequisite for the public to understand and appreciate art, specially abstract art. Nothing is further from the truth. The simple truth is this: every individual viewer's instinctive, and instantaneous pulse of joy that he feels and senses strolling through his heart, as a reaction to the pleasure, brought about by viewing the art, is the ultimate judge; alerting the viewer, that he is in the presence of a successful work of art - and no more.

ARTS: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

"Art is greater than science because the latter proceeds by laborious accumulation and cautious reasoning, while the former reaches its goal at once by intuition and presentation; science can get along with talent, but art requires genius." - German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Purity of life force, or spirit does not belong to any part of the physical or material universe. It has no mass, no form, no location in space, no energy, and no motion. It resides in the realm of spirit; and that is not religiously, but spiritually speaking.

The more intellectually, and spiritually endowed is the artist, the more powerful will be his demonstration and expression of his ideas. Clarity of his concepts are directly related to the level of his awareness and his willingness to face life. The more purity, vitality and awareness the aesthetic mind of the artist attains, the more intelligently forceful and sentient will be his artistic expressions. Abstract art, in its purest form is expressed through the soul.

The interaction of the artist with his canvas, when he paints, is an awe-inspiring time of feeling totally free, from the concerns of the material universe; as he enters the sublime world of spiritual awareness. A state where, according to Schopenhauer, the sun can be viewed the same, either from a prison or a palace. It is this level of sublimity that saturates life with an enchanting beaut; assigning aesthetic quality to our sufferings, enabling us to view our pains from a much higher elevation.

Art inject serenity and calm into our space. It humanizes our relationships. It soothes our mind and soul. Art transcends us from the agonies of the transitory, and the material world, by placing infinity into our view. The best arts appeal both, to our intellects and our emotions. The magnificent field of art elevates the culture, and gives Man a splendor of peace and joy to rise to.

As the aesthetic mind, become purged and purified of its impurities and misconceptions, it begins to approach more towards the infinite level of awareness and knowledge in its purest form; an ascend, which leads the aesthetic mind closer to eternity; an awareness level instinctively knowable by those who have achieved a higher level of awareness; a level, where the aesthetic mind can effortlessly journey through distant times and places, to bring back imaginatively divine souvenirs in the form of art.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

My Kids Really Enjoy the Free Movies Online

I keep my kids busy when I need a break by choosing from a huge list of letmewatchthis for them to watch. They like their cartoons, and I will use the service when I need time to do a chore such as write checks to pay bills, do the dishes or other things. The twins are still very young, and I usually try to work on things while they are asleep. Most every waking hour of theirs is spent with us playing and learning together. We have a great time. However, the best way to keep them occupied right now is by watching one of their favorite animated movies. The free ones I found online are perfect for this.

Most of the time I find our daughter watching the movie while her twin brother is fast asleep. She is more like me. She is a light sleeper while our son sleeps like his dad. Just like most kids their age, I think they have seen their favorite animated movies about a dozen times each. The free movies online make it easy and very budget conscious for them to be entertained while I get some work down outside of nap time.

Dad does the same thing on his days off when nap time is too short to get a chore done. It works, and we get to be choosy about the movies they watch. I like that a lot. Plus, all it takes is a laptop or tablet put anywhere they plop themselves down. I wasn't going to tell you this, but me and dad end up watching some of the animated movies with them. We like seeing the ones we grew up with again even though we saw them dozens of times when we were kids. It's a fun thing we do together, and it works great when you have some household chores to get done without kids underfoot.