A version of the creative process: Bjork- All is Full of Love
How:
The Making of Love
August 18, 2008 at 2:34 pm (Creative Process)
Tags: bjork, Creative Process, robots, style
The Visitor
August 16, 2008 at 3:20 pm (Movie review)
Tags: learning to live, Richard Jenkins, The Visitor, Tim McCarthy, Walter Vale
(Spoiler Alert: For those who enjoy the frame by frame, emotional unraveling of a story as I do, read no further than this paragraph. Just know that I highly recommend this wonderful film).
The Visitor is a simple yet captivating film about a seasoned college professor who has given up. His passion, fire and drive were laid to rest along side his beloved wife many years ago. Walter Vale’s time is now spent pretending and avoiding. He suits up every morning, only to move through the empty, predictable life he has designed for himself with little as connection as necessary.
One day, despite his protest, Walter is assigned to leave the comfort of his Connecticut home for a few days to speak at a business conference in New York. He arrives at his rarely occupied New York apartment and hears an uninvited someone moving about. Walter opens his front door to step into a figurative parallel universe led by two illegal immigrants at an important crossroad in their personal journey. Walter slowly decides to join them but soon finds out he must set out on his own.
Along the way, Walter will passionately exclaim ‘its not fair’. And life is not. The untimely passing of his wife. The weight of governments on the neck of an innocent, profiled man. The guilt that a mother feels for an error of judgment. But nor is it fair that a man can squander his opportunity to enjoy his life. This lesson, when learned is the sound emanating from the African drum eventually played by Walter Vale from his heart.
Writer-director Tom McCarthy does an excellent job of presenting each character with its own life force and a genuine infusion of humanity.
Richard Jenkins,Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira and actress Hiam Abbass were excellent. With hearts exposed, each gave a powerful performance.
The Visitor is about giving: how it helps us, may hurts us and definitely how it can heal us-when given a chance.
You will most likely find this limited release film at your local indie/arthouse film venue. Support quality and go to the theater to see it if you can.
Do Our Schools Kill Creativity?
August 16, 2008 at 3:13 pm (develop creativity)
Tags: creativity, Sir Ken Robinson, ted.com, The problem with us is
Sir Ken Robinson
A must-see for every parent and teacher. Education guru Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. Sir Ken Robinson is author of “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative,” and a leading expert on innovation in education and business. (Recorded February, 2006 in Monterey, CA.) More TEDTalks at www.TED.com (quote from post on Youtube.com)
For more fascinating talks on a variety of topics: www.ted.com
Heath Ledger Portrait: A Positive Thing
August 16, 2008 at 9:42 am (Creative Process, portraits)
Tags: angel and tempter, batman, beautiful, heath ledger, Vincent Fantauzzo, way too soon
The last and only portrait of Heath Ledger captures him as an intense, brooding young man, a distant, troubled look in his eyes. Just under his well-defined chest is a simple red tattoo of the girl who was the centre of his life — two-year-old daughter Matilda.
It is a portrait in triplicate — the pensive central figure is flanked to the right by Ledger looking bleary-eyed but grinning, and to the left by another cast deep in shadow.
Although the portrait could be interpreted as confirmation that Ledger was suffering emotionally in his final days, Melbourne artist Vincent Fantauzzo paints a very different picture of the man, saying the actor was feeling “very positive about the future”.
Fantauzzo, a friend of Ledger’s, had been meaning to paint the actor’s portrait for three years — but it was only last month, during a break in Ledger’s frenetic schedule, that the artist was able to have him sit for the portrait. Fantauzzo flew to Perth during the Christmas break to paint Ledger at his family home, and completed the painting in Melbourne.
Yesterday, still reeling from the unexpected death of his friend, the artist reluctantly spoke about his feelings and the work. “I just can’t believe it. I think everyone is saddened and shocked,” Fantauzzo said.
He was intending to enter the portrait in this year’s Archibald Prize, but now he’s not so sure. The art award, one of Australia’s most prestigious, has a first prize of $35,000.
“I want to make sure I am doing the right thing,” Fantauzzo said. “I have spoken to his close friends and they have told me that he would want it to be in there, but I don’t want it to bring negative attention. I just want it to be a positive thing, like a tribute to Heath, rather than people reading it the wrong way.”
Although Ledger appears troubled in the painting, Fantauzzo says the portrait was meant as a comment on the scrutiny that celebrities such as Ledger endure, and the effect it has on their lives and emotional health.
“The last few days are the perfect example of that sort of scrutiny,” Fantauzzo said. ”It was really about the public figure and everybody trying to get a piece of you.”
He has yet to title the painting and is still putting the finishing touches on it. ”I have been working on it for the past three weeks, for 10 hours a day. I have just been meditating over it and his life and his family, and I just feel really bad for his mum and all the negative attention because Heath was very positive about the future.”
Fantauzzo said that unknown to many, Ledger was a strong supporter of artists and the arts, a fact the actor didn’t like to publicise.
“He was the centre of so many people’s lives and he helped so many people. He didn’t ask for any of that to be known. He took time away from his holiday with his family and Christmas to sit for the painting. That was pretty kind.”
Source: By Gabriella Coslovich-01/25/08
Full article: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/stars-portrait-has-artist-in-a-bind/2008/01/24/1201157560392.html
Musical Notes in My Family
August 16, 2008 at 9:19 am (Personal)
Tags: Delta Rhythm Boys, Exotica, Korla Pundit, Organ, when talent was talent
Unfortunately, the only musical talent I possess is the ability to enjoy listening. It is nice to know that some of my family members explored and enjoyed the fruit of their great musical talents during their lifetimes.
My Dad’s Uncle:Mr. Clifford Holland
The gentleman 2nd from the right is my dad’s uncle. He was kind en served as the director of my children’s choir group during his later years and hear me yelp every Thursday and Sunday. The gentlemen to his left is currently my dad’s neighbor. He has a ton of fantastic stories about the entertainers and the music industry during his performing years. I hope to bring you more info on this handsome set of gents soon.
My Grandmother’s Cousin
What an interesting life. I am blessed that both of my maternal grandparents are alive and able to share so much of their history and family stories.
Youtube Screening Room
August 16, 2008 at 8:55 am (Film)
Do you love film shorts? I do.
So imagine my glee when I stumbled upon this glorious site: http://www.youtube.com/ytscreeningroom.com
One difficulty faced by short film fans is waiting for and/or finding screenings, film festivals and other ways to experience them. YT brings the films to us to consume at our leisure..Yay! YT features 4 new films every 2 weeks. The site also maintains an archive (so the wait for new films won’t feel so long 
)
Here’s a sample of creativity showcased in the YouTube Screening Room.
imetthewalrus
In 1969, a 14-year-old Beatle fanatic named Jerry Levitan snuck into John Lennon’s hotel room in Toronto and convinced him to do an interview. 38 years later, Levitan, director Josh Raskin and illustrator James Braithwaite have collaborated to create an animated short film using the original interview recording as the soundtrack. A spellbinding vessel for Lennon’s boundless wit and timeless message, I Met the Walrus was nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Animated Short. </em>
Creative Revenue Generation
August 16, 2008 at 8:52 am (Uncategorized)
As of July 1, 2008, the state of California prohibits tax payers, family income earners, productive members of society and other drivers from using cell phones while operating a motor vehicle unless used with a hands-free device. If caught holding a cell phone to one’s ear, consequent fines could range from $20- $190. The amount of the fine is dependent upon the number of previous offenses and other fuzzy math.
Does the California legislature believe that these laws will make us safer? If so, where’s the evidence? A good number of studies conclude that the distraction caused by using the phone, not holding the phone, is responsible for many cell phone related accidents. (Relevant links below).
And I’m not sure how a far more engaging activity, such as texting, is not illegal while driving. To be fair, officers have said that one can be pulled over for texting if one is obviously distracted. Obviously.
Some experts who doubt the effectiveness of a ‘hands-free law’ warn that its’ enactment may be counter productive in that in creates a false sense of security for blabbers. In an unsent letter thought to be from the former US Secretary of Transportation, Norman Y. Mineta, he states; * ‘We are convinced that legislation forbidding the use of hand-held cell phones, will not be effective’. Such laws ‘may erroneously imply that hands-free phones are safe to use while driving.’
Our safety is compromised when our attention is compromised (eating, yelling at the kids, looking for that damn cd, checking out the hottie in the next car). So the purpose of this law must be either to serve as A. a distraction (no, our legislators are really doing…something) or B. A new source of revenue to be plucked from those desperately trying to hold on to what’s left after visiting the pump. (In other news, the metro bus system is deemed ‘not so bad’ by folks who once arrogantly proclaimed they’d never be caught dead utilizing it).
On the first day of a new day in traffic, some Los Angelenos expressed their frustration on the talk show circut. A few defiantly announced their plans to rebel against this latest chipping away at our individual freedoms by not changing how they use their cell phones, even if an officer of the law is nearby. And if they are pulled over while on the radio, SCORE! People, the problem with this form of protest is that in the end, you lose (unless you can somehow finagle a reality show out of the deal-which is possible in LA).
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Viewzi:Creative Search Engines
August 16, 2008 at 8:48 am (Web Resources)
Viewzi Results on a Megan Fox in CELEBRITY PHOTO VIEW
I love Google and consider it the best way around the web. *Muah*
That said, when you’re in the mood to experience the web , www.viewzi.com may be an interesting alternative. Viewzi is a far more visual and sensory engaging search engine. The difference between Viewzi and other search engines is the presentation of the results. Users decide how they prefer to view results-by picture, video, song, audio,text and a myriad of possible combinations of these elements.
Don’t like the views? Viewzi has two open APIs (application programming interface) so that users can create their own views. Data sources include Google, Yahoo, MSN and basically anywhere on the web. The possibilities are endless.
