I like to think of life as a form of art.  Sometimes it is a hectic abstract painting when we are caught up in the hustle of the race that we might feel like we are running.  This is when all we do is eat, sleep, drive, work for seemingly days and days on end.  Other times, life is an intricate and detailed sculpture.  This happens when we take some time to actually watch the world around us.  Some days you might even find that life is like a post impressionistic work that looks put together from a distance, but once you come closer to examine it, it is not all that it once seemed.

No matter how you see it, life is art.  The infographic below gives an interesting look at the common things that we do in life that we might not even realize are such a large part of life itself.

To find out how much all of this illegal downloading is really costing artists who, after all, are only trying to earn a living, let’s look at this infographic created by the MPAA (or Motion Picture Association of America — the same group that issues movie ratings.)  Bear in mind that MPAA has a clear bias in presenting the figures you’re about to examine, so keep and open mind, and let us know what you think.

Regardless of what you think of it all, it cannot be denied that different people with different talents do indeed possess differing personality traits that make them most suitable for the careers and even hobbies to which they are attracted.  As a writer, I enjoyed reading all the copywriter tendencies from the infographic — especially the one about the Daily Timesheet, and spirit animal.  Do you see yourself here?  Let us know!  We would love to hear from you.

A Brief History of Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting

Bob Ross was born in Orlando, Florida and began painting when he was 18. While stationed in Alaska while in the Air Force, Ross began to take art classes at nearby colleges. After developing his techniques, Ross began to tour the United States to teach his unique style to others. In 1981, Ross formed the Bob Ross Company, with the intention of developing a television show in order to showcase his teachings.

In 1982, the very first episode of “The Joy of Painting” was aired. The show is low-budget, unrehearsed, and completely unedited. The show aired for 25 years and accounted for 403 total episodes. The Joy of Painting continues to be wildly successful. It is carried by nearly 450 public television stations and featured on channels in popular dish packages in the United States and South America, and broadcasts in other countries such as Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Canada, and several more.

The Legacy

Bob Ross’ television show has made an incredible impact on his viewers. Bob Ross and his television show have developed a cult-like following among people of all age groups. Young and old seem to cling on to his soothing voice, patient techniques and reassuring words. His wonderful style and show has been used by youth programs, senior citizens, and handicapped persons due to its rehabilitation effects.

However, his viewers were often not painters. They were just viewers captivated by his magic, his voice, his gentleness, and his ability to turn a blank canvas into a beautiful picture in 26 minutes. While many have tried, very few have been able to replicate the success of Bob Ross. There is no doubt that his show will continue to air for years to come, and continue to inspire generation after generation.

The first Art Institute is in Chicago and it is over 130 years old.  It is also a museum in Chicago with an amazing collection of art from the ages.  Any art lover can appreciate all that can be seen and learned at the Art Institute in Chicago.  You can see for yourself why it is so remarkable in the video below.

In the modern times, many inexpensive or medium priced watches mainly used for time telling, are electronic with quartz movements. More expensive and collectable watches, like blum lux watches, are valued mostly for the workmanship and aesthetic appeal that they display rather than for simple timekeeping duties and more often than not, have entirely mechanical movements which are powered by springs. Owners of these types of antique watches know that mechanical movements are not as accurate as the more affordable quartz or electronic movements.

In addition to keeping time, most pieces today often present the year, month as well as the day. It is not unusual to come across a watch that has other additional time-related features which include chronographs, alarms and timer function. Further, some modern designs of watches go as far as proving GPS or the Global Positioning System technological facility which is convenient for travelers.

Wrist watches had often been used for their fashion qualities. People all over the world have appreciated them as collectible works of art and jewelery as opposed to mere time pieces. This has expanded the marketability for watches which range from very inexpensive watches to extremely dear watches that are taken to be mainly personal adornment like jewel bearings that hold gemstones. The inexpensive watches are also very accurate in their time keeping.

In the traditional sense, men’s watches that are appropriate for all functions which are business or informal purposes, semi formal or semi-casual purposes or entirely formal wear are thin, plain simple and golden. However, recent conflation in dressing and elaborate, high price has to the notion among some socialites that expensive, complicated, rugged and sports watches are becoming fashionable due to their expense.

Many watch producing companies specialize in either simple or complicated watch markets. In the early 1980’s a Swiss organization employed graphic designers who re-designed a totally new annual collection made of non-repairable watches. Other companies specialize in more rugged but highly reliable watches for aviation and sport use. Other companies still, specialize in affordable watches with multifunctional features. It is worth noting that counterfeit watches in the market that ape the more expensive fashion watches are known to cost the watch making industry about one billion dollars every year.

The reality of art thievery it is that is takes very highly skilled and highly trained former security professionals to get the job done. The most famous case of art theft in history is when the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, and the thief was only able to make off with the painting because he had worked at the Louvre. Even then, it still took police two years to track down Vincenzo Peruggia, and it was only because of Mr. Peruggia’s impatience in selling the painting that he was eventually caught.

What makes art thievery unique to other types of theft are two separate yet intertwined dynamics. Firstly, art work and pieces are one-of-a-kind, meaning no matter how high certain pieces are valued at, they still are essentially priceless. Secondly, some art pieces have significant cultural meaning, like the Mona Lisa to Italy, O’Keeffe’s florals to Hawaiians or skull bone landscapes to New Mexicans, and thousands of other artifacts and paintings that are representations of culture, history and society. The fact that art can symbolize so many things, and is the major reflection of culture as we know it across time itself, makes it very powerful and hard to measure the value financially. This is why art thievery is so intriguing, and art thieves face serious jail time, if they are caught within the statute of limitations. For most US state’s and other countries, the statute is anywhere from 3-7 years, but most thieves can hide out for that long and then sell their art for a much higher price back on the market after the statute expires. Or sometimes the pieces are merely kept for private collections and sold at a much lower price. Either way, having a short statute of limitations on art thievery makes it too easy for these criminals to get off. And while museums and private collectors have installed exquisitely complex security and home alarms to defend their prized pieces, some more work on the back end needs to be done to deter future art robberies.

It is said that art is one of the things that makes life more enjoyable. Art represents an interpretation of something through the eyes of an artist, whether that artist is a child or a trained art professional. The artwork which develops out of the talent, vision and energy of its creator gives the viewer a glimpse into the artist’s experience of life, fashioned into a drawing or piece of artwork. It could be a design or sculpture or other tangible expressions of the spark of creation which inspired making the art in the first place.

Artists Make Their Art in an Attempt to Express and Share Their Creativity.
Artists typically create their art in an attempt to both express a statement and to support themselves and their lives. If they are fortunate to have a following among their patrons and friends, then they have a ready and eager market for their wares. This is especially so when the art created is both aesthetically attractive and functionally useful, as in the case of pottery, sculptures, weavings, fabric art and other similar genres.

Support of Art Endeavors is Important during a Slower Economy
The ability to find good art is dependent on the strength of the local economy. Because public funding for any artwork tends to dry up during an economic downturn, professional local artists must find galleries or studios to exhibit and sell their work to gain exposure. This practice will allow them to be able to derive any income from the sales.

Fresh, Innovative Art Styles are Needed to Keep the Art Market Growing and Vital
When the market for fresh, innovative art can’t be supported by existing demand impacted by a weak economy, the spark of creativity is dulled somewhat. The normality of life and the need to make a living can outweigh the declaration of new, cutting edge artwork.

Search in New Venues to Locate Fresh New Styles as well as Existing art by Known Talent
Studios and galleries highlighting new and established local talent are full of affordable artwork. These locations are an excellent forum for finding undiscovered items which can infuse new life into any room needing a jolt of aesthetic energy. This is true for all types of artwork, both in the form of drawings as well as tangible pieces.

Discovering New Talent When the Economy is Weaker and Local Artists Offer Their Works for a Better Sale
Undiscovered local talent can be an unexpected treasure when looking for new art to display. An individual seeking new expressions of artwork should be creative in discovering where these are available. A local art school or museum is often an untapped source of this beauty. A local consignment art shop may also be able to point the shopper toward new and undiscovered works. Take the opportunity of an economic downturn to find local art and artists; they will be happy to meet you.

Abstract art is just that, abstract. No real definition or subject to it, just what the artist felt was meant to be together. It may be just me but I feel that abstract art is the only true realm of the visual artist. Is a digital artist really an artist? Why does your chosen media have to be canvas  and not in an array of digital forms. When the artist creates abstract art they just, for want of a better word, fling color and texture together because they are compelled to do this in a certain way or order to establish their ideas. Even if you don’t love abstract art you should just sit and look at an abstract painting once in a while. See if you can discern anything from what you see.

Walt Disney’s Fantasia can be considered a form of abstract art due to the fact that he had his cartoonists listen to the music he was using and draw what they felt or saw in their minds. What these artists saw was an amazing amalgam of colors, textures and suggestions. Each time you look at an abstract painting and think, “Well, I don’t get this.” That’s fine. The artist doesn’t expect everyone to get it. The artist usually doesn’t expect anyone else but themselves to understand what they’ve contrived. Most artists are driven to create these pieces.

Art can be beautiful or offensive. Ethereal or coarse. Declaration or request. It can be all of these together. It can be acceptable or controversial. No matter the artist they consider their art to be worthy of at least examination. Just because you think something is horrid or beautiful doesn’t mean someone else will believe the same of a piece. An artist can create many different types of art and each item they create can be totally different than another of their work. Don’t assume that since you don’t like one piece the artist has created that you will dislike everything they do.

Art. Well, we know the official definition and my opinion but what you consider art is totally up to you. Never let anyone tell you what you should or shouldn’t like. Make your voice heard and don’t get your feelings hurt when someone else doesn’t share your views on what art consists of because this is where the art of God comes into play. In my honest opinion humanity is probably the greatest body of art in existence. He made us all different, good and bad, saintly and evil. Yes, I know. A Lot of people out there disagree with the whole concept of God. That’s their choice. Art is art is art.