Artists in the Workforce

A respectable report on artist in the workforce is reported on by the National Endowment for the Arts.

http://www.arts.gov/news/news08/ArtistsinWorkforce.html


Photo source
http://www.flickr.com/photos/exploratorium_public_programs/199104927/

Artists Confuse Census Bureau

Click to enlarge


It sounds like the left brain trying to force the right brain into a box. Try googling 'characteristics of artist'. Here is another that is interesting. Artist was defined as an "Organism that presents art." Organism? http://books.google.com/books?id=cpc7CJH1-s8C&pg=RA2-PA119&lpg=RA2-PA119&dq=characteristics+of+artists&source=bl&ots=nJ6lAUxi8I&sig=rHhh4VkfDCAP6In38Pyzy8b7rYo&hl=en&ei=vWtKSqu

God...an Artist?

God is often referred to as the Father, but why do so many people call Him the Creator? Is God an artist? Being a part of this world is like living in a museum every day. It seems the Creator is constantly in His studio mixing colors, shaping, and sculpting. Every artist likes his art to be noticed. We always have a new painting hanging in the sky when we wake up. In this world there is always something beautiful, interesting, and unique to observe.

There are billions of people in the world, yet every single human being has their own distinct shape and color. Hands, eyes, feet, noses and other features of every single human seems to have been formed uniquely for them. The work of landscapers have really already been done. Landscapers are really workers in the museum of the world shifting art pieces around identifying what artwork looks best next to another. Witness the testament of autumn and spring or the songs of winter and summer. Make a point to visit a local botanical garden and observe a little more closely the intriguing creative quality of trees and mysterious beauty of flowers.

God the artist is really is in the full creative mode when He makes fish and things in the ocean. Have you seen just a piece of the coral reef or visited the local aquarium and witnessed the amazing shapes, colors, and patterns of things that live in the ocean? Kinetic sculpture is art that moves. The ocean is a beautifully choreographed song and dance of the kinetic art in the sea. Or what about animals? Whether at the zoo or on the Serengetti plains; observing animals are like going to another gallery in the museum. It is hard to ignore the grace of patterns, shapes and textures in animals.

We sit in the best art class everyday of our lives. All we have to do is use the gift of our own sight to what is really around us. If one refers to the Holy Scriptures, the very first scripture starts off with “In the beginning God created…” He was an artist in the studio before anything else. Art and creating are important to this world. Stop for a moment and imagine all this creativity gone and the world as a blank canvas of nothingness….. Or imagine you had no sight and were blind? Would creativity mean something then? Whether someone believes in God or not, anyone with sight can see there is no denying there is a great creative force among us or the importance of art in our world.

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15684217@N03/3230949286/sizes/o/

What Makes People Remember Art

Art is a product of a human experience. When art captures the human condition, human struggle, human psyche, human nature, or human behavior, it is destined to become a classic. It's destiny is classic because it then becomes a record of a time in history. Artworks that are intriguing and pull the viewer into the world of another are never forgotten and help the observer to understand the experience, struggle or condition of another human. Artists are powerful people that help others to understand the behavior, nature, and the psyche of other human beings. In 1948 Picasso captured the tragedies of war in his painting "Guernica." Tupac Shakur is a loved artist because his music seizes the experience and the cultural war of growing up black and poor. Right now our world is at war. Artist Arabella Dorman courageously and eloquently captures the psyche and culture of soldiers in the Iraq war in her series of war paintings. http://www.artmarketmonitor.com/2009/05/27/war-paint/
(The Tupac postcard is a postcard secret from http://www.postsecret.com/)

The Artist With No Eyes. Yes. He Painted These.

Esref Armagan, taught himself to write and to paint. He was born with no eyes. Mr. Armagan also learned to draw perspective--something many artists with sight struggle with. This blind artist has helped artists learn depth in color. He has helped psychologists learn more about the brain and has opened new doors in helping neurologists understand how human beings really see. An amazing clip on You Tube of Esref Armagan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3AgO6H0H98

"Good Times" Artist Dies

Ernie Barnes, the artist known for his painting on the closing credits of the classic dramedy show "Good Times" has died at the age of 70. The painting entitled "Sugar Shack" was also used on the cover of a Marvin Gaye album.

Ernie Barnes was also a professional football player. His love of athletics and his understanding of the human form helped him to develop his classic moving figurative style. His interest in art was ignited when he would accompany his mother to her job. His mother was a maid for a prominent attorney. Ernie Barnes would stay occupied by looking at the art books on the attorney's shelves.

Ernie Barnes was also overweight and bullied as a child. He hid from bullies and spent his time drawing in a notebook until a teacher found him and recognized his talents.

Comedian Eddie Murphy is the owner of the orignal painting "Sugar Shack."

Da Vinci's Resume

The Middle Ages was a period of crisis and trouble. The Black Death had caused major disruption in the economy. The economy was stagnated. Then came the Renaissance. Renaissance means "Rebirth." Art and Science very much stimulated the economy through inventions, art and trade.

In 1481, Leonardo Davinci applied for a job. He wrote a letter to Ludovico Sforza, later to become Duke of Milan. He wanted to work at at Sforza’s court. He was not just an artist but obviously had very high science and mathematical skills. Here is his resume. And yes, he got the job.

"Most illustrious Lord, having by now sufficiently considered the experience of those men who claim to be skilled inventors of machines of war, and having realised that the said machines in no way differ from those commonly employed, I shall endeavour, without prejudice to anyone else, to reveal my secrets to Your Excellency, for whom I offer to execute, at your convenience, all the items briefly noted below.
1. I have a model of very strong but light bridges,extremely easy to carry, by means of which you will be able to pursue of if necessary flee an enemy; I have others, which are sturdy and will resist fire as well as attack and are easy to lay down and take up. I also know ways to burn and destroy those of the enemy.
2. During a siege, I know how to dry up the water of the moats and how to construct an infinite number of bridges, covered ways, scaling ladders, and other machines for this type of enterprise.
3. If by reason of the height of the banks or the strength of the place and its position, it is impossible when besieging a place, to avail oneself of the plan of bombardment, I have methods for destroying every rock or other fortress, even if it were founded on rock.
4. I have kinds of mortar; most convenient and easy to carry; and with these I can fling small stones almost resembling a storm; and with the smoke of these cause great terror with the enemy, to his great detriment and confusion.
5. I know how to use paths and secret underground tunnels, dug without noise and following tortuous routes, to reach a given place, even if it means passing below a moat or a river.
6. I will make covered vehicles, safe and unassailable, which will penetrate enemy ranks with their artillery and destroy the most powerful troops; the infantry may follow them without meeting obstacles or suffering damage.
7. In case of need, I will make large bombards, mortars, and fire-throwing engines, of beautiful and practical design, which will be different from those presently in use.
8. Where bombardment would fail, I can make catapults, mangonels, trabocchi, or other unusual machines of marvellous efficiency, not in common use. In short, whatever the situation, I can invent an infinite variety of machines for both attack and defence.
9. And if battle is to be joined at sea, I have many very efficient machines for both attack and defence; and vessels that will resist even the heaviest cannon fire, fumes and gun-powder.
10. In peacetime, I think I can give perfect satisfaction and be the equal of anyman in architecture, in the design of buildings public and private, or to conduct water from one place to another.
I can carry out sculpture in marble, bronze, and clay; and in painting can do any kind of work as well as any man, whoever he be.
Moreover, the bronze horse could be made that will be to the immortal glory and eternal honour of the lord your father of blessed memory and of the illustrious house of Sforza.
And if any of the items mentioned above appears to anyone impossible or impractical, I am ready to give a demonstration in your park or in any other place that should please Your Excellency - to whom I recommend myself in all humility, etc.

Do we need more people in our economy that have creative skills comparable to DaVinci? Is there any similarity between the Renaissance and our economy today? Did his creative skills give him an edge? Read the "Whole New Mind" post and see if any comparisons are there. What do you think?