5 Themed Photos

Freezing Art

A form of art that has always baffled me is that of ice sculpting. The intricate details that some incredibly skilled sculptors are able to create are breathtaking. Not only are these artist challenged with working with easily crackable ice, they must also deal with less then perfect working conditions. In order to prevent melting or cracking these artist spend hours at a time in below freezing temperatures. The creations that result despite these difficult working conditions are nothing short of amazing.

Music

Music is my favorite art form. As I might have mentioned before I play the bass guitar and frequently write my own music and songs. Music is universal. It is apart of every culture worldwide. It is also a form of art that is more easily shared with others. Thus music allows the artist to reach and identify with more of their audience then say a painter could. Music is always changing as well are peoples taste in music but one thing is certain, as long as people exist music will continue to thrive.

Comic Book Art

Many people don't realize the skill that it takes to create the images in the comic book section of the bookstore. Although comics are not traditionally recognized as art, when you look at the skill and detail that goes into these books you may change your mind. For decades Marvel comics has been producing original stories and characters. Today, many of these famous comics are being adapted for the big screen. Talented comic artists are being hired to draw and create the story boards for these multi- million dollar films. Behind, the actors, producers, and directors are the artist that draw and create the visual concepts for these films.

Poetry

As I writer I appreciate lots of different genres and types of literature. However, when it comes to written works the most debated is probably poetry. Many people doubt it's worth and viability with our modern language and dialects. I know when I was in English class as a middle school student poetry was by far my least favorite portion of our curriculum. As I began to get deeper into poetry I found that my opinion began to change. There are many poems and works that are no less than excellent creations. Edgar Allan Poe is one of my favorite writers of all time. Having said this there are poems that I also think are tedious and boring. Poetry is literature's version of the abstract painting. One person can read it and have a revelation while another may see it as meaningless rambling.

Tattoos as art.

They don't call them tattoo "artists" for nothing. Tattooing has been around for centuries. However, today's tattoo's are more artistic and intricate then there predecessors. Tattoo artist take the human skin and transform it into a canvas. The permanency of ink in the skin also helps to add the the meaning of the piece. Tattooing is a difficult form of art to practice and requires a skilled and steady hand. Although many in the corporate world look at tattooing as a bad sign, I believe that it is unfair to judge someone in this way. Tattoo's are just another form of expression. You wouldn't look
down at someone for painting or writing a book would you?

WWII Plane Art

Some of my favorite works of art are those that appeard on fighter planes in WWII. I thought that I would dedicate one of my free blog

post's to these cool and unique pieces of art.

The Human Behavior

To me, this image effectively portrays human behavior. Humans have and always will have questions. The human mind has the ability to create and produce great things. The key to the mind is our races natural drive and desire for progress. We continually push our limits expanding them further. This behavior is instinct. It is in our nature to question and attempt to answer questions. We behave this way because it is how our mind is designed.

It must be tough...

In past cultures artist commanded the utmost respect from people. Michelangelo, Da vinci, Leonardo, all celebrated artist. I feel like today it is tougher for artist in our society. It could be because of my lack of knowledge in the area or just that I haven't been exposed to much of our art culture today but I'm not sure that I could name a "famous" artist living today. I feel as if many people dont recognize artistic talent as it should. I know if someone asked me to name a famous baseball player i could respond instantly. I think that artist today are under appreciated and deserve more recognition for their works.

Art and Film

Art and film are two important parts of our society. America's leading export is media. A large portion of media is film. We influence millions world wide with our films yearly. The most widely viewed form of American art is film. It is an important and many time motivational form of expression that many people identify with.

Public art is everywhere.

Works of art cover almost every restaurant wall. From statues to fountains it is difficult to walk down a street in your neighborhood without noticing some kind of artwork. Art makes the world interesting. It adds color and character. Without the use of art forms, houses, buildings, restaurants, cities etc...would be dull and less interesting. However, many times people take public art for granted writing it off as merely decoration. If one takes the time to stop and look at the works of art that surround them they may have more of an appreciation of what art gives to society.

Graffiti is Art thats not the problem....

You can't deny that graffiti is art. It takes talent, it is expressive, it takes creative thinking. All of these define art. The problem is that while the artist may think that the art that now adorns a multi-million dollar sky scraper is a good thing the owner of the building may think differently. The only real problem with graffiti is that it is also vandalism. On one end of the spectrum you have those who view the work and appreciate it for it's artistic value and on the others those who see it as desecrating something that does not belong to them.

Football is a Culture

I believe that football is a culture. It contains many different aspects that are focal points that define culture. When attending a football game many peoples actions or styles are different then those they would have at work. Different clothing is worn, certain kinds of foods are eaten, and people act differently. I went to the SEC championship at the Georgia Dome this weekend and began observe this similarities. The stadium was divided right down the fifty yard line, crimson on one side and blue on the other. After the game I thought it was amazing how people who have never met nor spoken a word will give each others hugs and high fives if their team is victorious. It was a really cool experience.

All right brained...

I have always been right brained. All through my school years I have excelled in English and History. Math and numbers have always been the most difficult things for me. I love to write and draw. I love music and have played the bass guitar since the seventh grade, I love to write music and songs. I really struggle in enjoying many left brained activites. I like to think outside of lines and numbers.

Roman Architecture

Roman architecture is my favourite. The building that I love the most is the colliseum. Its arches, height, detail, and genral difficulty create makes it one the most recognized structure on the planet. At its completion the colliseum was truly the most magnificent building human hands had ever created.

Fashion

I really can't argue the point that fashion is a form of art. Some people find that they can express themselves best through creation of new ideas. Fashion has always been a large part of culture. Many times fashion trends dictate they way that many people from diffrent places and ages dress. It also drives mareketing styles as well as sales.

Have You Forgotten: Darryl Worley's tribute to 9/11

Darryl Worley's music video for his hit song "Have You Forgotten" is a true piece of art. It is expression of emotion and opinion in it's best form. The video begins by showing images of the American people rallying together after the terrible tragedy. The video then portrays Worley and his muscians in the studio writting the song. Images of the towers crashing to the ground are used to help reinvigorate the passion and patriotism in the viewers. Real footage is used showing people sprinting awat from ground zero. Other images proceed these such as the flowers at the Trade Centeres memorials and our troops in the middle east. This music video is a work that is ment to inspire and reinvigorate the American people in their patriotism and is effective in doing so.

The HARRY POTTER puppet pals

Many times when something becomes extremely fashionable spoofs are created to criticize or make fun of them. During high school I was told by a friend to look up the harry potter puppet pals on you tube. I watched video after video of harry potter spoof videos and found some of them to be quite amusing. The reason that I consider these particular videos art isn't because they are funny or entertaining but because it was put together and performed by real people. The harry potter puppet pal gang is a group of four young kids who had the idea to create something funny but were also talented enough to make the show good enough to perform for live audiences.

Religous Art: Human Nature

In every culture their is some kind of religion. Thus one could argue that a religion is human nature. The need or subconscious belief that a higher power of some form exists is universal. This isn't only true with modern cultures but also with ancient cultures discovered by archaelogist. Sense the beging of human recors and history religion has always been recognized as an important part of ones culture. Much of the art that comes from these cultures refelect their religious beliefs.

The Human Condition

I think the famous picture that captures workers eating lunch on a steel beam of the progressing empire state building really reflects the human condition, To me, this picture represents the hard work and struggle of human progress. Humans are dilligent. We go to great lengths to continue to advance and imporve our society. These works include not only tangible items but also ideals as well as politics. Humans are compelled naturally to work and create, This is the human condition.

Film as Art.

Everyone loves movies. However, I believe that there are only a few movies that can truly be called works of art. I recently saw the movie " Slumdog Millionaire". The film takes place in the slums of India. The movie reveals the Indian culture and lifestyle of many thousands of people who are poor or homeless. It shows a side of India that while being unpleasent is all to real, I really enjoyed this movie and think that the way the film was shot and cut really show the directors artistic vision.

Having a Catharsis

By definition a catharsis is a : purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art b : a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension. When I first read the definiton I wasn't quite sure what it was that I was supposed to be attempting. I decided to just write about everything that I was thinking and feeling at a particular moment. To summarize the results I'll give a quick overview of what came out. I wrote how I have been stressed about my upcomming finals, how livng so far away from girlfriend sucks, the pressure that I was feeling in satisfying my parents expectations along with my excitement at becoming a newly intiated brother in my fraterenity. I found that after I had written it all out I actully felt much better. I think it is a good excercise for anyone who is feeling overburdend.

The Human Struggle: The Memorial to Iwo Jima

The sculpture of the Iwo Jima memorial to me embodies human struggle. The sulpture is of soldiers in combat that uniting to raise the American flag. The reason that i see this as human struggle is because it marks an an ending to a hard fought war to end oppression. It not only embodies the American people, but all people that fought, died, hoped, and dreamed for the end of tyranny and cruelty and europe. This to me a symbol of what people can do if they band together for the right reasons bring about change and freedom.

Dance? What would a male college student know about dance?

I've got to say there probably isn't much that most male college students could say about dance as an art form. However in my Sr. Year of high school several of the other seniors on the wrestling team and myself decided to take an introduction to dance class as a funny way to finish off our credits. I can tell you personally that none of our "moves" improved as a result of taking this class but I did surprisingly learn to appreciate dance more than I had ever thought I would. At about the same time I started taking dance i also began dating a dancer. She was involved in not only the dance team but in our schools dance company aswell. Alot of her world revolved around dancing and I was exposed to much of it. I went from never being involved with dance to being thrust into ballet, modern, and and hip-hop all at once. Through my experiences I have truly come to see dance as a beautiful as well as extermly difficult art form. It requires the strength and stamina of a sport combined with the grace and individuality of art. It is truly a uniqe thing to behold if you open your mind to accept it.

Art Education in Schools?

Art education in schools. First one must ask themselves is there really such a thing. I had a mandatory art class once a week until the end of eighth grade. Now i can honestly say that almost 6 years later that I remember very little of it. Art education in high school, while being more instructive and rigorous, is completely optional. While I understand that it is and should be a freedom for a student to choose his studies I do believe that some arts should be required to graduate from high school. Much of high school life is consumed with left brained activities. To quote my art teacher that is only teaching half of your brain. I believe that high school as well as middle and grade school education should be more balanced in order to more evenly educate the students. It is the job and the responsibility of our education system to teach students to the best of its ability and without art education I do not believe this is possible.

I Know What Art Is.

I know what art is not because I'm more intelligent than anyone else or because I'm an educated intellectual. The fact of the matter is that art is perceived by different people differently. One person may look at one piece and see lines while another person sees the same piece and sees something completely different. To me art is colorful, unique, and meaningful. However again I may see something where another doesn't and vice versa. Art is completely subjective and this is why it is beautiful. It is a pure form of expression. Although everyone may not think that your work is beautiful or even well done, there will be someone who understands or at least thinks they understand where you are coming from. Art is not corrupted by the opinions of others thus it is the most pure form of expression.

My Favorite artist, not an easy thing to decide.

There are so many brilliant artists out there that it is very difficult for me to just pick one out right. In light of this I have decided to narrow it down to a select few. Van Gogh has been one of my favorite artist since I was a child. When i was young my parents and I went to the High Museum of Art. My mom purchased a Starry Night poster that I had on my wall for many years. I think I appreciate him not just because of his art work but because of the difficult life that he lead. He was faced with many difficulties in his life and was not well recognized until after his death like so many great artist. Two of my other favorite artist have to be Leonardo Da vinci and Michelangelo. Michelangelo's statue of Davis is by far one of my favorites.