Happy accidents

Well, for my senior project I've decided that I'm going to print all of my portraits on transparency paper. There are other deeper reasons but I will get into that later. I started testing some today and realized very quickly (after the first print) how dumb I am. I was in a rush when buying these expensive transparencies and missed where it clearly states "Write-on Transparency Film", then "Not for use in copiers and printers". "Awesome," I thought. But I began looking at the first print I made--it was a photo of my friend Caylyn. It was very...stylized and interesting looking:

Sure, my first thought was "that's creepy." The composition I'd created coupled with the way I edited it before printing made for an already interesting design, that I can take credit for, but the blots and runs of ink were completely left to chance. This is where I thank my artist predecessors, Duchamp, Cage, Pollock, and Rauschenburg among several others...probably several others I know nothing about that challenged the rules of art and incorporated laws of chance into their pieces. Oh man, I feel these art history courses running through my veins...I have to stop myself here. Back on task, back on task.

So, like Jean Arp and many others I decided to roll our old master painters out of their graves just a little more by doing another print. It's a photo of me playing piano, actually but once again manipulated in a way that reduced the original photo down to just 3 colors or so:

Me!

This one was printed much larger and more densely but I still love the way the ink separates and forms small spots of emptiness. Of course, the "white" that you see in these 2 prints is actually transparent, I just placed them on a white surface when taking the pictures. I won't be using this style for my portraits...It'd get to expensive with ink but I love the feeling of discovering something new even in the midst of "failure." I guess I just have to keep an open mind.

Consignments

Painting is fun. Unfortunately, I haven't done hardly any of it in my life...I don't quite know why. Either way, I was asked by my sister to help her paint a consignment shop. It was a blast. I found out there is something I just really enjoy about collaborating with other artists to make it happen. I'd ask Jessica "How's this look?", "What do you think about this?", or "There's just something not Quite there...What do you think?" She'd offer a suggestion and we'd bounce back and forth on color schemes and thematic ideas and it worked. I think, anyway

Apparently I've made a mistake. I accidentally painted a naked woman. It's Supposed to be a silhouette of someone shopping but what I'm finding out is that it sort of looks like a naked woman trying on clothes in a changing area...

NOT naked woman shopping at a consignment store.

Apparently the couple that is starting the shop shared a love story over some old sewing machine...They used to go shop in consignment stores together and he bought the sewing machine for her or something? Either way, I saw a graphic of one and ran with it and got another silhouette out of it:

Love Machine.

There are more photos of the mural but Blogger is being kind of ticky right now and isn't taking all my pictures so I can't put them up but you get the gist. Gist, I like that word.

Also I'll be putting up another long detailed post up tomorrow because I'm finally completely sure what I want to do for my senior project. I'm stoked.

.cliffhanger.

Economic breakdown of Milledgeville

I'll explain Why this map is important in another post, it is concerning my senior project, but as of now I'm just going to post it because I find it slightly interesting and it took me forever to put together. The information comes from the Census but in order to get This detailed of information they only allow you to see one little block of Milledgeville at a time...skip this next small section if you don't care but just want to see the map.

How it was constructed:
In order to get the map to show street names and things, I had to zoom in to where I could only see 4 sq. miles at a time. So a small portion. I then took screen shots of all the separate parts of the town then patched them together on Photoshop like a puzzle. It was at least 15 pieces I had to put together. A painn.
But, now that it's done. I have a nice Detailed economically broken down map of Milledgeville:

CLICK the map to make it bigger and more readable!

"The old days"

Incredibly dorky bumper sticker made in high school...
0's and 1's referencing binary code

Sometimes I think it is important to remember your roots--where you came from, and yes, that even means remember some of those high school days many of us dread. I stumbled across a notebook of mine that I kept throughout HS, a comic. It's really quite humbling to look back and see where I was just 4 years ago to where I am at now. Embarrassing perhaps, but anime, comics, and video game booklets; those are what kept me in it and, I guess, led me to here. I found folded up sheets of paper that I'd use for a straight edge because I had no ruler among other small ingenuitive things I'd problem solve with (I was in class for most of this after all so I had to get creative). In fact, much of this was drawn while I was in ISS or some other form of solitary confinement for discipline (Mom, don't get mad--remember it's been 5 years now...).

Anyyyway, I told myself when I first started this blog that I was not going to post any work that I had created before the date of the first post because I didn't want to use that stuff as an excuse and just stay content with what I've already made, but I'll make an exception for the sake of nostalgia tonight. So here we go...

 

And of course, I can not go any further without talking comics, self/friend made comics...not the published kind. These stick characters go way back, even to Elementary school...I have been a part of so many. My friends and I were known for them, haha. I even sold bookmarks once for 50 cents to a dollar a piece that had these characters doing random things (whatever the consumer :) wanted).They'd look like this--these are a few pages from a random issue (please don't feel the need to read them...):

Oh man...those were silly. Notebooks full of these things.

And to think, this would be pretty much everything I could put in my "art" portfolio besides the few cheesey flash animations and photoshop tutorials I'd gone through at that point. It's no stretch of imagination to see that I was far from the "art world". Crazy to see how far I've come...Maybe I should of done more of these (next photo). Maybe it would have helped prepare me for the craziness that is that art world from working in this sort of state of "automatism".

A day well spent

 

I think it's odd how different each day can be. Just look at an array of most college student's facebook statuses. One day is wonderful and productive and the very next day it feels like I'm in a hopelessly lost fight against a bear, but through them both I'm the same person and keep pushing through to the next one to see what it holds.
Well, not quite where that came from but this day in particular was a good one (just 4 days after a Really bad one). I played with audio stuff more and took to the woods carrying a camera and alongside me followed my faithful friend Cedric. Here are some pictures of the endeavor:

He was Super muddy...

Clouds

Deforestation

For some reason I really like this picture, haha

 The picture in my previous post "My new backyard" was a taken today as well and the picture of a leaf looks great if you click on it.

My new backyard

When I was younger my friends and I would go play in the woods. We'd build tree houses and "discover" new species of plants and sometimes, if it were a particularly gloomy day, we would have to hide from things, from people, from monsters. The shadows of the trees and depths of the trenches served us well. We were never found.

Now this tree is what is left amongst the soppy mud and dead branches. Like a memory it stands tattered but strong in what I like to call my new backyard.

Little, Liver, Love

So here it is, some things I've learned put together in a horribly great little song...rap...thing

The beat and song I played on an electronic keyboard I got in middle school, haha. It reminds me of something I'd hear in the 90's...

To listen, go here:
http://www.fileswap.com/dl/1QOqQ276/keyboard_test_mixdown.mp3.html

Enjoy. :)
I'll blog about it more later but as of now I'm going to Milledgeville to hang out with some friends

A little piano bit

Alright, so as promised I recorded a bit on my piano at home. No...my piano is not in the most pristine shape nor does it produce the cleanest sound, but it gets the job done and I enjoy playing it. :) Also the mic was in an odd place sort of and was facing me because I was testing how it does recording both the piano and my voice at once--that demo will come in the near future.
The biggest issue I've come across so far is not a fault of the mic but the operator (yes, that would be me). I need to keep tweaking my EQ to get rid of any kind of "muddy" sound. Anyway, here it is. It isn't very long or anything amazing. I was trying to play some highs, mids, and lows to see how the full sound would come together. Improv #1 in A-minor. Baha. Not really...it's called "untitled" as played in my living room...not much of a recording studio but one must start somewhere!

http://www.fileswap.com/dl/E04q17V6/first_piece.mp3.html

Obey the arrow. click That link.

Gilgamesh

I'm taking one core class in school this semester because I was never able to get into it until just now. It is a world literature class. We're reading the same old stuff mostly, But this semester we just completed the Epic of Gilgamesh which I'd actually not read yet so it was kind of interesting. Anyway, I had the joy of writing a 4 pg paper on it today(sarcasm). I got to the end of the paper though and realized there was an interesting paradox going on with the main character, an inner conflict basically. Here is my conclusion to the paper before I explain further:

       " Enkidu warned Gilgamesh. He basically said, “This is not a good idea.” The real questions that are answered toward the end of the story are slightly more deep than “did he survive?” These questions revert back entirely to his original goals; goals that were set in this section of the epic [the portion of the story I wrote about] and about immortality, consequences, and pride. We know that most of the men of his city were destroyed by a beast sent by the gods caused by his journey. We know that he was able to get wood for a very pretty door to adorn the city, one that would become very empty. We also know that through this prideful act of not heeding any warnings and pressing forward anyway he gained immortality…in his own eyes anyway by leaving the legacy behind of defeating Humbaba among other things he accomplished. These answers, though, only raise more questions. The entire epic is about Gilgamesh conquering gods and beasts but did Gilgamesh really win? Did he really leave behind the legacy that he would like to leave behind? In order to become a hero he did some very villainish things. The normal story of an epic hero means that he or she comes back from the journey changed for good and on a good beat, but the epic of Gilgamesh ends with a slow rhythm, one that could easily be interpreted as being a feeling of hopelessness. Gilgamesh now just a man looks at just a city with just a big wooden door and recounts his tales to one other surviving person so that his “immortality” may truly be achieved."

As sloppily written as that is (rough draft) I feel like I stumbled across an interesting idea. Gilgamesh was interested in immortality. He comments that through creating a legacy of being "the king that slayed Humbaba", a demon that protected a forest, he could gain a form of immortality. But what I began to wonder as I was writing my paper, and if I rewrote my paper it would probably be much better, is at what cost? He lost his friends to death. Most of the men in his city had been slaughtered. The gods were not pleased with him. Was it worth it?

Bringing it home, is it worth it? Gilgamesh's goal was to chop down majestic Cedars to create the best entrance ever but at then end of the story he's looking over this devastation and recounting his story to a scribe. That door, was it worth the fact that most of the city's citizens would never see it because they had to move or were killed? What I live for, today. Is it worth it? What type of legacy am I building and with whom and at what cost? I can't say that I can answer these questions or that I should be able to in the moment but one day there will be an answer, whether I like it or not. I pray I don't end up like Gilgamesh. Stuck. Looking at a "legacy", everything that I worked for, a piece of my own "immortality", that cannot be changed and it all be in empty ruins.

Audio! A long time in the making...

Alright, so I know it is not much so it seems but there is a lot of effort that's been put into this project for quite a while. I basically have an amateur recording studio in my room, lol. I just need foam all over the walls and I'd be set (not that I'm going to do that)...just saying.
I have a pre-professional mic (a RODE NT1-A) hooked to a preamp (Gemini PA-7000). Technical this technical that and wah lah. I have a legit microphone hooked to my laptop running Adobe Audition and it's wonderful.
There have been a LOT of obstacles to make this work. In case you aren't aware, there are lots of things involved with recording equipment, cables, amps, adapter, microphones, etc...It's like a giant puzzle. And each piece has its own quirk that you have to work with/around but it's totally worth it. Sometimes I feel like it is like cranking up a car for the first time after you've dropped so much money and time and thought into it.
After getting all the hardware figured out, I, of course, had to teach myself how to use Adobe Audition. I've used other audio programs before (including this one) but once again each one has its own quirks and equipment and my experience with Audition is limited.
That being said. Here is my first recording...lol.

http://www.fileswap.com/dl/2o3NrkJJ/testing1_mixdown_(3).wav.html

Shortly I'll be posting more and I would have perhaps played my guitar but it recently screwed up and I'm quite unhappy about it. So perhaps if I get time I will record a tune on the piano. :)

Until then. That little blip is all you get, haha. It's late and I still have some homework to do. This is the start of something glorious.

About as dorky as it gets! But this is me losing sleep to get this
thing to work like it is supposed to!

Wisdom

"Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances she cries aloud: "To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding. Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge. Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." Proverbs 8:1-11


pru·dence: caution with regard to practical matters; discretion.
The next verse is "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence"

A picture that I took a few nights ago that is completely irrelevant to what I just wrote

Hear hear for a little change?

I think yes. This blog has been slowly mutating and evolving from what it was initially going to be, which is totally okay. Well, as of now it's going to be basically a small look into my digital sketchbook. Time to stop worrying and start making. I've been reading a book that's amazing at pinpointing all the fears that collide that cause a person to stop making artwork. It's sad but true and I've fallen victim.

How's it going to change? Well you'll have to see. But as for now, check it. It's a short post.

Dada's Influence

This is the final section of a way too long paper final I had write for my DADA class last semester. I reread it all a few days ago and kind of liked it--so here's my sort of tribute to DADA, the weirdest/most effective art movement I've studied yet. This particular paper is actually more about my class however...but whatever. Here it is:

Dada…is an experience. This wonderful class has definitely been an experience. The reason that I call it an experience and not just a class, or a concept, is because it has taken all of me, my thoughts, talents, and abilities to truly understand the concepts presented in the book and in class. Therefore, I now have been cursed, or blessed depending on who you ask, to see Dada in everything. Whenever I walk down the street or am anywhere and see someone challenging the norms, defining themselves in their own way, or, especially, experimenting with different methods or means of getting from point A to point B using whatever facet, one of my first thoughts is, “that’s so Dada.”

On the simplest level, take a look at how Dada has influenced our class; it has opened people up to each other in ways that other art history classes are not able to. We are put under false identities or maybe actually real ones for once, by being given nick-names. As silly or ridiculous as they may be, it is like being put behind a mask, an aid to participate freely and not have your name tarnished. No one knows your real name, after all. Considering Dada is heavily based on getting back to the basics and finding the underlying truth of art, it makes perfect sense that one would need to able to go within themselves, where truth lies, to understand it. We have all begun to open up and contribute various skills to the classroom. As I have told a few classmates, “learning what Dada is has been one the most miserable but rewarding things I have had to do. Miserable because of the crazy videos and pieces of art that one has to go through to understand it, but rewarding by the freedom it gives an artist to work without rules.”

On a slightly more sophisticated level, I have noticed direct relations from Dada to modern society; elements of the movement that have leaked their way through time and are now still going strong. Look at typography, for instance, the play on letters and words through styles that are directly related to our early twentieth century counterparts. Montages, whether through video or through the use of collage, are everywhere; in advertisement, movies, and cork boards. One step further, in my own art work. My art, though unintentionally, is a derivative of ideas presented back in the Dada periods. Otherwise, by now, art would be so restricted to rules and specific styles that the freedom that I can have when doing something abstract would be lost.

The contradictions presented by Dada, order and chaos, logic and just because, specifically in reference to art, are confusing and frustrating to think about but, I think, necessary for every artist who wants to know why they are creating anything. So what are Dada’s influences and where are they? Well, going off the definition that Dada is everything and nothing; its influences are everywhere but nowhere.

One step at a time.

Cutie Boutique

 

 Wonder Woman.

Well, it is about that time again. School is running its course like a determined train (but weather I'm finding out is its weakness!).  I'm totally not ready for it.  I've got several other projects on my plate that I've been working on that I would rather work on than school projects. But! This is where I am and what I have been served and I plan to work fervently at being the best I can be at it--surely I'll reap the benefits at some point? That's what I keep telling myself anyway.
A good while back whenever I first made the crazy decision to pursue art as a major, I was given a book to read by someone who is well versed in the perils and rewards of making art; the title of the book is Art and Fear. An excerpt on perfection and hard work:
       "The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the class into two groups. All those on the left side of the studio, he said, would be graded solely on its quantity of work they produced, all those on the right solely on its quality. His procedure was simple: on the final day of class he would bring in his bathroom scales and weigh the work of the "quantity" group: fifty pounds of pots rate and "a", forty pounds a "B", and so on. Those being graded on "quality", however, needed to produce only one pot -- albeit a perfect one -- to get an "A". Well, came grading time a curious fact emerged: the works of highest quality were all produced by the group being graded for quantity. It seems that while the "quantity" group was busily churning out piles of work -- and learning from their mistakes -- the "quality" group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay."

 

 "Ker CHA!"

"Take that, Goliath!"

This book has so much to offer anyone participating in any form of art. I'll probably be posting another one soonish solely about it soonish but as for now, that's all you get.  The above story brings me comfort in my constant juggling of ideas and wants. I have done so much random Stuff but can't seem to make direction of any of it. Hopefully all of it will come together. Fingers crossed.

Samuel and Emma are here. They are both so full of...character. And I love it! They'll run back and forth having conversations with each other and I have no idea what either of them are saying. Just earlier I was eating with my mom and the kids at Maebob's and Emma said something neither nor I could interpret. We looked at each other puzzled then to Samuel and said, "Samuel, what is it that your sister is saying??" He repeated it just as she did as if that word were perfectly clear. Out of ideas my mom and I just dropped it and assumed we never figure it out--they just have their own language. To give closure to that story, though, apparently she was asking for something that sounded like "Sah-K" which translates to "napkin".

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to god. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.
finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:4-9.

"Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
lover her, and she will watch over you.
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding." Proverbs 4:5-7

Among other new things I will be focusing on this semester, I'll be allotting my early Tuesday mornings to leading a guys Bible study where we'll be trekking through the book of Proverbs. I feel right about it but incredibly nervous--who am I to be leading other guys through the study of a book based on the subject of wisdom? I'm surely not the wisest cracker.  But I am willing and that's all that is asked of me so let's do this thing. Anyone interested feel free to join!

Deeper spirituality. Photography. Fundraising. Marketing. Senior project. Videos. Presentations. Stories. Old people. Friendships.
All the above are things that are on my mind with ideas attached already for the beginning of this semester not including things associated with work!

Harp Harp Harp

Another excerpt of an email that I sent in reference to my video (posted previously) The Mousetrap:
" I enjoyed making the video and am quite surprised at how well it was accepted by people. I received emails from many people asking if they could show it to small groups and giving me praise for doing a good job. I am not letting it get to my head and taking it for more than what it is but it does let me a few things; the main one being that I am on to something. I intentionally made something that people would like.

Strengths:
Though the sketches were simple, they were good enough to illustrate the scene well enough with likable and very easily identifiable characters; for whatever reason they just seem to work. Before I made it, I asked myself what I wanted from the viewer to be--I wanted them to be intrigued and entertained. I feel as though both of those goals were accomplished. Intrigue from the development of the drawings, entertainment from the overall production. I enjoyed the story and it was something most people can appreciate because of its simple but strong lesson, also something that worked for the better. The music, though cheesey, was there and something for the viewer to listen to. I wanted it to set the mood, sort of a contrast to the playful children's story aspect of it.

Weaknesses:
I did like the music (sort of) but my selection of it was rushed and I think it's really cheesey. It got the job done, but for the future I'd like to focus more on the audio aspect. Maybe on my next video I'll do it on a musician to help force me into it. Certain aesthetics I didn't like or particular drawings were rushed but I was not going for anything spectacular really. In fact, the only reason I made this video (which was done from scratch to finish in 7 hours) is because I was not able to go to a concert I wanted so instead I went to the library one night and did it all in one sitting. I must add to the weakness section that I hate the text at the end--the video was made quickly, but not crappily(if that's a word) and I feel like the text is really corny

Final assessment and application:
I have been thinking a lot and I think I am going to drop the 3d aspect of the project. I know...game changer. BUT, I have my reasons for doing this. I am finding myself interested how we perceive and utilize space. My original idea (before wanting to do 3d) had to do with the use of multiple projectors, like 3 or 4, but I think I may revert back to that idea on a smaller scale, maybe just 2, but do something like project them into a corner just to get people off normal axis and their senses heightened.
Ultimately, I have become much more focused on the idea of how to tell a story and customize one's experience more than I have just the techniques of 3d and though I do still firmly believe in the effectiveness of using 3 dimensional elements I want to do something with quality and not spread myself too thin by attempting to make my video turn 3d and lose it all...if that makes sense. For once I am making a decision like this not out of fear of failure but in the comfort of knowing that I have thought it through and can still make something cool with techniques I already know. I am exploring deeper into the essentials and I love it. I plan on making 1 or 2 more small videos like 'The Mousetrap' and seeing where my final video ends up after that. It's a lot of work but work I am looking forward to so that makes it all the better."

The email ended up kind of long again but the main point that is a change in my head, which I have been leaning towards for a little while now, is I am not going to be focusing on 3D for my senior project. Yes, I will still be using it but it will no longer be the main thing. A change of concept is nice for me. I'm not feeling as suffocated as I did before, anxious about learning how to effectively communicate 3D images without hurting people's heads.
Maybe I should paste drawings all over the walls that guide your eyes to one single point that states bluntly, "Made you look." Hahah. It would emphasize my ideas on perception, how artists have a power that comes with great responsibility :) to alter perception and make people see what the artist wants them to.

“All that you do will inevitably be flavored with uncertainty—uncertainty about what you have to say, about whether the materials are right, about whether the piece should be long or short, indeed about whether you’ll ever be satisfied with anything you make. Photographer Jerry Uelsmann once gave a slide lecture in which he showed every single image he had created in the span of one year, some hundred-odd pieces—all but about ten of which he judged insufficient and destroyed without ever exhibiting.” (page 19)

A discovery

Caylyn:

now i'm just putting the color touches on it

randomly

and i have 43 more to go...

Me:

Those should go by quick

Caylyn:
...

i know

lol

hopefully

Me:

put on an episode of Boy Meets World and you'll be done by the time it's over

Caylyn:
i like your thoughts

i haven't seen that in forever

Me:

That's what I do

Caylyn:

cory and sean get your creative juices flowing? lol

Me:
Haha, delightful distractions

:)
part of the art of art is keeping yourself sane while doing it

that's why there's so many crazy artists out there

A Touch

A little less analytical and a little more ramble.

The power of perception is one that is of extreme interest to me. As an artist (that's kind of weird for me to say still), I have become very sensitive to things I see. Perhaps "appreciative" could be a more correct term. Two years ago, someone could have told me about Duchamp's The Fountain, a urinal tipped on its side that was submitted into an art show in the early twentieth century, and I would have laughed. Hard. Of course, after learning about the events surrounding the entry of The Fountain and studying What exactly Duchamp was thinking, I appreciate it. So much. This is just an example of how someone can be ignorant to what they see, not at the fault of anyone many times--it just happens, and after being exposed to its context completely changing his or her perception of it. Interesting how that works isn't it?

I read in a book that was written by Phil Vischer about the rise and fall of Big Idea, the company that produced Veggie Tales until its eventual crash in 2004. He'd built a multimillion dollar company from scratch and wrote a book about the entire process, what happened from day one until it ended. One of my favorite parts of the book is when he was talking about the physical obstacles and aids of creative process--things that affected his employees such as their work environment, pay etc... According to him, you have to submerge your artists into an environment that puts them in the "mood" to create, a stimulus to creativity so to speak. They had this gigantic fun factory of an office. Sculptures and characters were decorated all over the place along with complimentary gyms and meals, good meals. Google does the same thing. Watch any video about "a day in the life of a Google employee" and see the obscure treats Google give their employees--things that provide an environment that makes them comfortable such as never ending cereal supplies and places to get massages for free. Another example is I recently listened to a lecture that talked about an Australian company's policy, a company that deals with lots of programming and coding. This company decided that for ONE day every two months they were going to allow their employees to work on whatever project they so desired as long as it was some sort of progress--they could stop their assigned project and collaborate with a friend on a completely different task. The results? That ONE day's worth of work produces more patches and fixes to bugs and aids to production than the whole other two months. Why? The employees are Enjoying their work. They are working on something they are Passionate about. They work in total submersion to their own ideas--it is psychologically a change of scenery to an environment that They enjoy and are comfortable with.

Like I said, this is a ramble but it's about to make its way back home. How is an artist supposed to create awe-inspiring work of art that appeals to normal society intentionally? Besides having an understanding of the skills required to create the art, two ways: They need to be Passionate about it and they need to be a part of (or at least have an understanding of) the society of people they want to appeal to. Just like the companies I mentioned earlier put their employees into an environment whether physically or psychologically, ultimately they both get the to the same place psychologically, an artist needs to learn how to immerse him or herself into that moment and think...create. This is where I believe the creative process is at its most efficient and affective state, it's that moment where time has no priority and people find themselves skipping meals unknowingly. It is something that I am working hard to achieve and requires experimentation to see what I really enjoy working with. Maybe one day I'll get it all straightened out. :)

The picture I first posted is one taken by my Dad in Kenya that tugs at my heart. The phrase that I added to it, "Sometimes I try to remember the last time I had this problem" is one that pops into my head every time I see it. I manipulated it to a point that I felt like it properly conveyed the message I want others to see when they look at it which is the same thing I see when I look at it.

The following picture is another favorite of mine. I played a spin off stick-ball game using that water jug top in his hand with this boy and his friends for a solid half an hour. I made a connection with him, one that ultimately allowed me to capture this moment. The intense gaze of the already worn face of this young boy puts an intimacy between him and the viewer--the depth between the viewer and the photo is diminished and the viewer is placed directly within the same distance as the photographer, a conversational distance. People have asked me what my secret is to taking a good photo and my response is generally a shrug to avoid a long discussion, but what I really want to say is a majority of the substance of this whole post. Ever seen the difference between an unathletic person who tries really hard at a sport and someone who has the natural ability to be good at that same sport? Humans have an ability many times to discern what is natural versus what is forced. Photography is the same way. That sounds daunting and a little hard to hear, but it is actually really freeing. Don't force it. Yes, do things that may be difficult or hard, but that are intriguing. Have Fun with your subjects...love it. Do you love your children? Take pictures of your favorite parts about them. Do sunrises grip your imagination? That's when you need to pull out your camera. Does a specific hobo bring you to tears everyday at work? I'd put money on it that for the price of a hamburger he'd let you take pictures. You have to get over worrying and start doing. That's the difference.

/ramble