Giving

I am full of thoughts this morning; aching to write as I make my coffee. I was thinking about Christmas and family controversy. Issues thrive whether there is a holiday or not, but I think it is interesting how those issues are less tameable around Christmas. Anyway, that really is not what I wanted to talk about. What I was thinking about was what someone told me this past week. I was sitting in on a conversation about someone who is claimed to be a selfish person. The conversation was concluded with the comment, "She should think of someone other than herself. She should try giving to others and she would not be so selfish." I have been thinking about that comment for the past few days. I think that comment is very true. We can remove ourselves out of our head by giving. This liberation from inner-thought could surely be a concoction for happiness. The problem with this ideal advice is that not everyone has the ability to give.

What if a key element to being happy was to give to others? How many of us are excluded from this cure? If someone is constantly consumed with making ends meet, how are they possibly expected to give to others? When people are in survival mode, stretching to make ends meet, they are stricken with selfishness. Can you blame them? I think it is also very easy for this comment to be declared if the person declaring has never struggled.

Giving is more than handing a concrete object to someone else. It is the feeling of contributing to the whole idea, making a difference. Having the ability to give is a result of fortune. More than anything the act of giving shows the existence of choice. When someone gives they had the opportunity to choose. It all comes down to free will and having the ability to utilize it. As an individual if forced to battle through the everyday, they are unable to employ free will. This disadvantage inevitability hinders happiness.

In With the New and Out with the Old

I went in the Apple store this past weekend. I have never seen a retail store actually shine from the outside. As I slowly wandered (and drooled) around in awe of the macs, I felt as if I was at Olympus resting at the feet of deities. With each step I took in the luminous environment, the idols became larger and larger until I found myself fiddling with 24 inch iMac. I have a G5 at home and I remember thinking I had it made when I bought it roughly four years ago. Now I feel like I should be squinting as I type this.

There is so much to know, so many devices and programs out there. How am I suppose to get my hands on them? I am a student, a mother, an artist and an office manager. How can I afford to keep up with the Joneses, or should I say Jobses. I suppose a good way of looking at it is that new technology can only take us so far and individual creativity takes us the rest of the way. It sure would be nice to have both though.

Impact of Technology

Our focus throughout this semester has been the impact of technology on all different aspects of our lives. I have customized my approach to these repercussions to analyze the artistic world. My investigation has probed art's place on the Internet. It is amazing to think about art in its most primitive sense. Try to imagine Durer carving crevasses in wood blocks to create his masterpieces, or Michelangelo chipping away at his stone. Artwork exemplified patience and dedication during the time of these two geniuses. Being an artist can certainly still require these traits, but our processes have surely sped up. Not only did the execution of a piece become more timely, but the artist's message can now reach millions through the World Wide Web.

For an artist to communicate efficiently they must think of a consistent way to group their work for a website. The artist's own personal style and technique should resonate through the site. Unlike artwork, however, the website needs to be clear and understandable even if the work is not. The conversion time of a visitor opening a page and deciding whether to enter or leave is rapid. The site must be enticing and easily applicable. The present day visitor has no time to waste. The unfortunate truth of the matter is when it comes to the web, there are millions of other voices trying to be heard and a message can easily be muted.

I have created this brief video to show the basic fundamentals to creating a website. The journey begins with the idea, the epiphany. The concept must make it to paper where all thoughts and travel are mapped out. Correct copy must be written for the site, because text is everything. The description should be simple, direct, original and plentiful. Images are suggested, but they must also be modest and careful. It can be very difficult for anyone who is artist to abide by the rules of the web. The Internet is governed by code and is very precise. All text, images and design is constructed by this code. Once everything is as it should be, the website can be published for all to view. A website should never be thought of as "complete". As Michelangelo dedicated his life to his creations, the web designer always needs to analyze and reconstruct.

Some things I like..

“When I say artist I mean the man who is building things -- creating molding the earth -- whether it be the plains of the west -- or the iron ore of Penn. It's all a big game of construction -- some with a brush -- some with a shovel -- some choose a pen.”
-Jackson Pollock

A Utensil for Every Hunger

Tonight in class we talked about the Fork and how it changes in different situations. My personal take on the Fork is that there is a specific Fork for distict purposes, as there is a unique utensil for each meal. I see the Fork resembling a medium. Every artist has his or her own vehicle to project art. I put together a small video to examine how there is medium for every artist as there is a utensil for every hunger.

Ode to Layers

Today is my "Ode to Layers" posting. Our physical world is abundant with all types of layers. Professor Moss brought in the book that is about the surface of objects, but an object without layers does not exist. There is of course the exterior of all substances, but an entire world lives and breathes beneath what is seen that is an essential part of the whole. There are layers within our skin, layers that construct our bodies. Layers encompass the earth, it is a buried system at work.

Layers are very important when it comes to art as well. Obvious examples of this would be a background and a foreground that establishes a sense of depth in a piece. Layers in art also offer a richness that is neglected by flat compositions. Having mentioned what an important aspect layers are in artwork, I am confused why layers are looked down upon in website design. Website design seems to be the one exception to using layers in design. The elements in web design are suppose to be thought of as all being on the same plane, existing side-by-side. This concept is very hard to succumb to, especially if you are used to using layers like I am. I long for the web to be as organic and layered as the rest of the world, and I hope I can find a way to do so.

Daily Technology

"Technology is a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment." Going forth after knowing this definition, I sift through my day and those who I spoke with on North Campus regarding the technology they regularly come in contact with. I use every piece of technology that was mentioned (except an MP3 Player and I do not ride the bus) so I began to mentally commute through my day. I hit my alarm clock, adjust the heater in my house, warm my son's milk up in a microwave, take a shower, curl my hair, make espresso, start my car, talk on my phone, stop at a stoplight, ride an elevator, live on the internet, scan images, print those images, design with Adobe, add on my calculator, park in a garage, swipe my school ID, correspond with my fellow students via email, take priceless photos of my family, watch a movie after I have popped my popcorn in the microwave and then I turn out the lights and go to bed...which I can't wait to do.