Music Video as a Work of Art

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELkWIGOxPyk

Some people may not see this as a work of art, but I do. There is a lot of passion in the video. Though it may not be visually pleasing, it is still a work of art. All of Rascal Flatts' videos are amazing and have the same passion behind them. These 3 artists love what they do and take pride in their work. I love this video!

My Favorite Poem

"one month vietnam."
I went through my own Vietnam
a secret Vietnam
and the effects
still bruise me visibly
still cause my hand to shake
visibly
with her every incidental cry,I flinch,
flinch so horribly inside
and I feel it all over again.
thecryingwhythecrying?neverawhyforthecryingjustthecrying
I remember the oily grip on my sanity
the slip and slide in my fingersI
remember the despair,the woman's fear
that maybe something bestial-I-broken-be
that maybe,I don't love my child (deep breath, I do)
And though things are better now,
even good now,
when she tosses in the crib at night
when she calls out, so innocently, so sincerely,
I close my eyes,
and I see minefields.


This is a poem by one of my old friend's, Sarah Pearlman. Though I'm not sure of her feelings or meaning behind it, I can relate to it very well. She is an amazing writer and poet! She has many many great pieces.

Human Condition

As humans we are in a constant state of battle. We fight for freedom, power, and happiness. We may not be in a physical battle, it may be emotional. We are always fighting for something. These constant states of war are what our current and permanent condition is. We fight for things we believe in, things that matter, and to make an impact.

My Favorite Piece of Ceramics

I made about 50 of these things. They were so easy to make. I extruded some clay and took a tupperware container and turned upside down. Then I put a plastic bag over it so the clay wouldn't stick. Then I measured the clay and laid strips down. I enterlaced the bottom strips. They made great gifts. My family loved them very much!

My Love Paintings

These are my paintings about my boyfriend and I. The one on the right isn't finished yet, I had to stop working on it because of homework and finals! I will definately finish it and start more after the tests are done. The one on the left was my first attempt at painting people. It turned out cartoon-ish, but I still really like it. My boyfriend wanted to take it, but I wouldn't let him. I had a small picture to ise for this. It is on a canvas a little bigger than an 8 x 10 piece of paper.

My Paintings

These are a few of my paintings. I did them over the course of a year. I love to paint now!

My Ceramics

I never took an art class before, especially in high school. I needed to fill my schedule up, so I chose a ceramics class. I quickly fell in love with it. These are just a few of my pieces. The yellow jar won "Best in Show" for the ceramics section in my art show. Also, I made an Indian marriage vase that won the "Purchase Award" out of the entire art show. My school purchased and kept the piece on display in the library. I didn't know that I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. I can't, however, throw on the wheel. I prefer hand building!

My First Painting

I did this painting early in 2008. I had never been the painting type, but I decided to give it a try. I love drawing palm trees because my pawpaw lives near the beach. So I tried my hand at painting. I am pretty happy with the results.

Interview with an artist...

I interviewed my high school art teacher, Cathy Amos. She isn't well known rather than locally. She retired from teaching in 2008. She still does art in her home. She is an alumni of UWG.

When did you first begin doing art?
I started drawing as a child as all children do and never stopped. I always thought teaching would be fun so it seemed natural to combine the two. Teaching high school art was a dream job.

What inspires you?
Nature inspires me especially elements of geology, and the earth.

Are you working on any art?
Currently, I am working on a series of oil paintings that employ pit fired ceramics using images that relate to ancient ideas about the earth, archeology, geology, etc.

What type of art interests you?
All art from the past is of interest to me. I am a docent at the M. C. Carlos Museum and our ancient collections are also inspirational.

Who is/are your favorite artist(s)?
My favorite contemporary artists are Chuck Close, Maya Lin, Andy Goldsworthy, and Anslem Kiefer.

Public Art

The Eiffle Tower is a famous piece of public art. I was lucky to be able to see this during my senior graduation trip.

Graffiti...Is it art?

Graffiti is art. The artists express themselves in the form of graffiti art, and art is a form of expression. The fact that they are destroying property doesn't influence the art. The places they chose to do their art are chosen for a reason and are placed there for everyone to see.

Human Behavior

A natural human behavior is selfishness. We sacrifice whatever it takes just as long as it benefits ourselves, no matter what it costs others. We always are trying to make a better life for ourselves and don't worry about th others around us.

Human Nature

As humans, we are all greedy and envious. We want to "keep up with the Jones's." We always want something more, nothing is ever sufficient. We long to be a step ahead of everyone else. We want and want and want. The human race is a very selfish and demanding one. If we see something we want or don't have, we MUST have it and we are fixated on it until we get it.

I Know What Art Is...

Art, to me, is anything that someone can use to express themselves. Whether it be in the form of painting, poetry, scultping, music, or expressive writing. As long as it means something to the creator then it is art.

My art is a release to me. It helps me say something without using actual words of mouth. I do drawings, paintings, and ceramics. They end up only meaning something to me, and just look pretty to others. But, my art is art to me because it means something to me, it doesn't matter if anyone else sees or understands the meaning behind it!

My Left Brain, My Right Brain

My left brain is very good at problem solving. I hate math, but my left brain is good at it!

My right brain is creative. I use it to make tons of art. I make t-shirt designs, pottery, drawings, and paintings.

I prefer the use of my right brain more than my left because color, expressing, and creativity are more exciting than math!!

Catharsis

I was 12 when my greatgrandmother died. She was really my best friend. I spent every free second at her house. We lost my greatgrandfather together when I was 7. We leaned on one another greatly. My granny smoked profusely during her life, and she ended up getting lung cancer. She chose to not fight it because she was still deeply saddened by the loss of her husband (she never was the same after he died). The cancer spread to her brain. We visited her in the hospital every weekend. The last time I saw her was the day before she died in August of 2002. She had gotten to the point to where she couldn't speak, she could only stare. We knew that she wouldn't be with us much longer. My grandmother and my mom were there the last time I saw her. We sang one of our favorite church songs to her, "Everybody Will be Happy Over There".

There's a happy land of promise over in the great beyond
Where the saved of earth shall soon the glory share
Where the souls of men shall enter and live on forever more
Everybody will be happy over there
Everybody will be happy, will be happy over there
Everybody, will be happy,
Will be happy over there
We will shout and sing His praise
Everybody will be happy over there
Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers will be singing 'round the throne
In that land where no one ever knows a care
And the Christians of all ages will join in the triumph song
Everybody will be happy over there
We will hear nobody praying and no mourning in that land
For no burdens there will be for us to bear
All the people will be singing glory, glory to the Lamb
Everybody will be happy over there
We'll meet the one who saved us and who kept us by His grace
And who brought us to that land so bright and fair
We will praise His name forever as we look upon His face
Everybody will be happy over there

Despite my lack of singing talent, it took everything that I had to sing those lyrics (it's even hard reading the lyrics now). She looked at me while we were singing and tears rolled down her cheeks. I knew that she loved me greatly, but she was ready to leave this earth. She squeezed my hand three times, "I love you." Then we left. We got the call the next day that she had passed away.

We sang the same song at her funeral, along with "Amazing Grace." Every time I hear those two songs, I can't fight back the tears. Never have I had something make such an impact on me. I miss her everyday and I know that she is looking after me as she always did when she was here with me.

RIP Granny, I love you