feeling sheepish

i have not written anything in forever, obviously youve noticed this, whoever you are. pregnancy has eaten my brain. its not an excuse, just an explanation.
:)
the other is that i honestly haven't been looking at anything lately - oh for shame! i do however have a bunch of archived stuff i need to post, so at least thats something. stay tuned, but dont hold your breath.

Feeling Red Today...

Kevin B, Venice Beach, CA

Wired Magazine frequently has digital photography contests - most recently their Red contest. Click here to see the full list of winners, chosen by Wired readers, in addition to the fabulous shots picked by the editor.

plight of the modern day photogrpaher - internet thievery

just some food for thought...

its a practice thats becoming commonplace these days unfortunately. We have such wonderful resources at our disposal when it comes to viewing art and at any moment they can be horribly abused. A recent and growing problem is the theft of images from community-based photography web site Flickr. Though many think of Flickr as a place to deposit family and vacation snapshots, more often than not it is utilized by both struggling and established artists that need an easily accessible medium on which to display their work. They are not simply posting insignificant snapshots, they are trying to increase the visibility of their work...perhaps to draw the attention of potential employers, spark the imagination of other artists and to show the rest of us simpletons what can be done with just a camera and some know-how. We have been given the freedom to access these images at any time and enjoy them. Unfortunately it is this freedom that some see fit to take for granted.

In a day and age where people are addicted to the internet, we download images and programs at will, often without stopping to think where these things come from or who they belong to. Then there is the generational problem where people have the impression they are entitled to whatever they want, whenever they want it. People are taking and using these images without payment or credit given and many arrogantly think they have the right to do so...the very idea that they are entitled to these images, simply because they are on the internet, and they have the right to distribute them as they see fit. Whats a starving artist to do? its doubtful they have the means to hire representation, most of them are worried about making rent. inevitably, their images begin to disappear from the internet. yet another case of inconsiderate morons ruining it for the rest of us...


its an issue that cant be ignored, even by simple bystanders. many of us are well meaning but dont hesitate to right click on something without stopping to consider where it came from or who it belongs to...or that someone could be losing their lunch money over it...no matter how stupid or random we think the image is. many of us may not be using these images in ways that cause the major problems, but like it or not in one way or another, we've all contributed...

read on:
PhotoShelter Protects Your Images From Would-Be Flickr Thieves
Why Lane Hartwell Popped the 'Bubble' Video

room of the week: dream studio

problem with saving as you go is after a while you dont know where the heck it came from. here's a home studio i've been drooling over for a while...

PIP ...a nifty idea

I, and all ocd doodlers out there can appreciate this one - the post it project (P.I.P) this nifty little blog features works done by tyhe blogger in addition those sent in by readers and other random people.

I think its great for so many reasons -

1. post it as a canvas? of course! in this bizarre ass society, why not. also in its way kind of a social commentary on what art, free time, and expression has become - in terms of expansion and/or what it has also been belittled to.


2. on the other hand, just a fun, do it at any moment idea that can be done by anyone anywhere. instant art, each unique.


3. i forget my third point. i'll add it later

blogcandy: http://thepostitproject.blogspot.com/

just a glance - Chris Gilvan-Cartwright

I was doing some follow up on Su Blackwell to see if she had anything new or interesting going on...one gallery where she recently had an exhibition had another artist that caught my eye.

Chris Gilvan-Cartwright, or CGC as I am going to call him because i am too lazy to spell all that out again, creates his compositions using paint and pastel. I find much of his work to be hit or miss, but definitely provoking to the imagination. Much of his work is done carefully placed layers, creating a real physical sense of depth and continuing space.

The first piece that caught my eye was this one:

what drew me to this particular piece, among several others was that much of what's in the foreground ranges from extreme detail to silhouette figures, but his backgrounds are far more intriguing - one could almost get lost in them. CGC's technique creates a visual experience where we can be sure each individual viewer will have their own idea of what scene may be playing out within them....anything could be happening, which in itself is an exciting notion.

I tend to find his black and white or monochromatic works the most interesting, his full color works tend to be too over the top, to put it nicely...and his range of subject matter can be questionable at times. Although i do appreciate the sense of light he creates in several of those odd pieces. He manages to make them glow in a way that a graphic might glow on the screen.

artist's page: http://www.gilvan.co.uk/html/home.php

recent showing: http://www.longandryle.com/artists.html

steampunk

I was on my way home the other day when i cought this story on NPR. Steampunk, a new movement (wow, an actual movement) that looks to take our boring mass-produced world and infuses it with the seemingly over-embellished looks of the past. two opposites thrown together to produce very interesting results.

It's interesting to consider the way things are made today vs. yesterday. When did we reach the point where standard items stopped including elements of real artisian craftmanship? when did everything stop being interesting? Today we see these things in antique stores or in museums and they seem very out of place or almost over the top. every item people used, whether it be furniture, cars, containers, personal nick-nacks, all were naturally embellished with delicate molding or imagery of some kind. at somepoint, this all stopped. everyday items became very simple, and nearly all the same. an almost seemingly communist approach to appearance, which was ironic as most countries we're violently against such an idea at the time.

i also find it interesting to how this all ties in to the semi-psuedo-victorian revivial we are seeing in furniture and decor in the last 5 years...many of steampunk's items look to be right at home in a Brocade catalog.

etchings on standard Altoids tins. I above and beyond hated etching in college. It was a medium that just didnt speak to me. this however, i could have gotten on board with.

Imagine using this every day. probably not practical, but way more intersting than your lame-ass keyboard.

on the web: steampunkworkshop.com
NPR feature story: www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18710895