1/18/2014 0 Comments Artsy.netHave you been on Artsy.net?
This is a question I wish I had answered "yes" to a long time ago. If you are the kind of person who loves art and wants to expand your knowledge of the world, this is the obsession for you. I honestly can't remember how I learned about Artsy, but since then I have somewhat relied on it for my doses of sanity (when daily life seems to go up in smoke), of inspiration and of reminiscence (I sometimes find myself missing those days of inhaling cups of coffee and meticulously studying and analyzing for my UW Art History classes). Like every other social media site, Artsy lets you customize your profile. Unlike Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, however, this one customizes according to your artistic personal interests and future learning endeavors. There is a tremendously wide range of media as well as a large selection of museums/galleries, as you can actually see photos of how particular art pieces are displayed in these venues--this gives the art fanatic a chance to keep their mind open and eyes searching for that unexpected hit of inspiration to come onto the screen. You can basically do the following three things on Artsy: Look at art you like, explore the art you may have never heard of or conceptualized, and write about art. I personally find the third to be the most exciting part about Artsy. You can really tell here that it is a website open to all perspectives. You have the chance to get your voice out in the art universe and perhaps to foster productive and flourishing conversation. Here is the link, which not surprisingly is www.artsy.net. Enjoy and let me know what you think! Much love, ~~MC
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11/18/2013 0 Comments I Gave In...to Pinterest.Above Image: An example of the many pins I have enjoyed...pinning lately.
Photo is courtesy of http://breakfastatyurmans.tumblr.com/ After many, many months of staying away from the irresistible trend, I finally gave in. I now have my very own Pinterest account! For awhile, I have been making my contributions on the website but only kept it at an arm's length, as it has been for my internship at a renowned art gallery. But, as time went on, I realized how appealing it is to communicate to others at such an abbreviated level. What I found even more appealing was that, despite how abbreviated the communication, I loved how one could still gain so much out of looking at a pin, whether it was of a recipe for the most delicious looking chocolate cake in the world or of an inspirational quote that perhaps you may find yourself relying on to help get you out of bed on an early Monday morning. So, I decided to create my Pinterest account as my abbreviated version of the MC blog. In other words, my Pinterest has three boards that are the same as the three sections of this blog: Foods for Fantasizing, Artistic Appetite, and Life au Cochon. And, just to you know, I do plan on continuing to devote myself to this website, just because I love it too much to stop. Follow this link and enjoy the rest of your day! But, on one condition: Please don't find yourself spending your entire Monday perusing about the boards - It's always nice to add some variety to the day. http://www.pinterest.com/mcshirene/ Much love... ~~MC 10/18/2013 0 Comments Take in the Morning FogSo lately, I have been taking morning walks in the nearby park after dropping my little brother off at his bus stop.
There is something about the nature that inspires you to take out your mental camera and mentally take a photo or two of the scenery. Though, this time I brought my literal camera and took lots of literal photos at the park. And, just so you know, it took some time to think before deciding whether to post this in the Life au Cochon or Artistic Appetite section; I chose Artistic Appetite, because one cannot compare anything to the art of photography, especially when it comes to photography of nature. :) Enjoy! ~~MC P.S. The last couple of pictures are obviously not at the park...I just couldn't help but take a picture or two of my morning coffee (a pot of which my lovely dad makes every day) followed by the pumpkin and owl welcome mat outside my front door. I guess you can enjoy those photos as well...I sure did. 10/17/2013 0 Comments Art in the LeavesSometimes, you just got to take a walk in the park. :)
Enjoy! ~~MC P.S. I may start a new thing where I dedicate a full post to photos. There's nothing like feasting your eyes on something once in awhile. 9/21/2013 0 Comments In RemembranceA week ago, I went out with some friends and ended up leaving my favorite ring in the bathroom; by the time I realized it was not on my finger and had rushed back to the bathroom to try to find it, the ring was gone. Despite that I quickly made peace with this incident, I decided to post the following writing piece that I had originally composed for an internship application, in remembrance of what was probably my all-time favorite piece of jewelry (I usually wear minimal jewelry; just earrings, one on each lobe). Here it is, and enjoy!
What are the first colors you think of when you hear “springtime?” Definitely not burgundy, dark brown or burnt orange, as those colors are reserved for the calm early nights of autumn. You also would not think of the subtle shades of blue and purple that winter brings. In springtime, you may think of colors that are alive and that bring out the adventurous side of you. Nectarine, the calm and sweet version of orange, makes a great choice of color for a loose-fitting blouse over a pair of dark denim skinny jeans, or perhaps even as a lipstick color. Emerald, another example, may seem strange to wear in the spring since it is a cool color; however, its light tone and ability to accentuate the warmer colors around it make it a lovely way to keep your outfit from becoming too intense. Coral, a personal favorite color of mine, is the new orange. It has warmth and yet does not excessively demand attention the way red does. Also, it can enliven any fashion item from a casual blazer to a flower shaped ring, the focus of this blog post. This ring, about one inch wide, is composed of two layers of intricately designed petals, all united by the oval-shaped center. The small petals, designed as to nearly glisten as they allow the sunlight to bounce off of them, and the center that projects into the space around it, make the flower come alive. In addition, the gold rim that envelops each petal, along with a thin layer around the center, accentuates the unity of parts. You can put this ring on when you go out to dinner in an all-black outfit, so as to bring immediate attention to the incredibly detailed piece of beauty. You can also slip it on your finger on your way out the door, when you are wearing a casual outfit of jeans and a neutral-colored top. This accessory brings many opportunities to you, most of all to find ways to make your wardrobe as lively as spring. ~~MC I want to start by informing you that this will be a relatively short blog--What I am about to present to you carries a lot of intellectual and aesthetic weight within itself. Maybe it comes from the pride I have always had in being a Seattleite, though I'm sure it also comes from how I basically just love his music, but I find Macklemore to be quite a talented artist/musician. You all probably have heard his hit singles "Same Love," "Thrift Shop" (the beginning of the music video takes place at a really cool bar that I've been to called Unicorn; if you're ever in Seattle, go to Capitol Hill one night and have a drink there as you enjoy the nightlife!), and "Can't Hold Us." But, you absolutely have to tune in to another song that I don't think has hit the radio stations yet, and it's called "Make the Money." I would tell you what the song is about, but the lyrics speak for themselves. Powerfully, in fact. Through its hardcore beats and background music, and the combustible passion that Macklemore displays in through tone of voice, indescribable pressure and occasional sudden subtleties in syllables, this artist sends a chill down the spine as the musical piece of work reminds you that life is about devoting every fiber of your being to what you love and to not sacrifice your identity and inner being for anything outside of your vision of passion. Have a listen, and let me know what you think. Enjoy! ~~MC 3/11/2013 0 Comments Modern Dance8/12/2011 0 Comments Jack Johnson in an Art GalleryTwo nights ago, I walked into an art gallery shop that I didn't think would give me the intense reaction it did.
Maybe it was the fact that Jack Johnson (probably my all-time favorite musician) was playing softly and yet lively in the background...Maybe it was the various hues and shapes that took over my eyes as I traveled from one corner of the store to the other...Maybe it was just the general sense of peace that blanketed the gallery, as this peace had allowed me to fully appreciate and take in every piece of art work and furniture and every scent of the candles that were perfectly laid out for any artsy person to savor. ...Hmmm, it was probably all three of those things. :) Have you ever walked into a room of art that all of a sudden shut out all noise that was surrounding (and perhaps draining) you the entire time before? Has an effortlessly thrown-together ensemble of decorative arts, paintings and bright candles overtaken you with its silent power of bringing a feeling of serenity? Or rather, to put it more simply, has your heart ever slowed its beat within your first glance at a piece of art? I would love to hear about any such interactions you may have had with art. These experiences are what I imagine to be the goal of the creators of these tangible visions we so admire. Thus, there is no reason not to share the thanks we should give to the artists/sculptors/etc for their work. ;) ~~MC Isn't it undeniable for us to say that art can take place anywhere? :)
You can see it in the Summer sky as it transitions from afternoon to evening, as the golden hue of the Sun mixes perfectly in the deeper shades of blue and hazy orange, blending altogether into one gigantic finished canvas... You can see it within the brushstroke-like sweeps of chocolate frosting that have effortlessly covered every inch of the round, finely crafted cake that sits before you, waiting for its artistic pleasure to be devoured... You can also see it in the most obvious places labeled 'art'--Picasso's alluring paintings of Marie-Therese, the Classical and Hellenistic sculptures smoothly modeled by Greeks, and even just the surprises of color that appear on the sidewalk below you as street art. ;) But what I recently discovered is that the art of your living room, dining set, and any everyday object normally seen as not more than for blinded use can be just as pleasing to the eye as the greatest of masterpieces beheld in museums. The photos below are just a few examples. I came across these images while reading Building 25, a blog written by the people of the Free People boutique. The message of Bldg 25 is that everywhere you look, there is art. It doesn't have to be a world-renowned piece or the oldest work to exist--Art can be the entire room in the picture above with the natural light illuminating its greatest aspects, the way a light can shine the highlights of an oil painting on canvas; art is also within the glow of the hanging lights in the picture below, complemented by the bright, loud-speaking tones of the pillows laid out thoughtfully over the soft-white couch. As long as something speaks loudly and distinctively as to stand out from its surroundings, it is worth being admired by the aesthetic eye. What do you think? Do you think these objects and everyday scenes could be set in the same light as a Picasso painting or as a mural painting recently excavated in Pompeii? Please let me know, there is nothing better than to extinguish one's flame of curiosity! :) Enjoy today and all the art that comes with it! ~~MC 7/5/2011 0 Comments An Explosive BandI was super excited to post this video for you, because it is evidently a great four minutes of artistic expression, not only by the music but by the visual arts as well. :)
Coldplay is one of my favorite bands as I have always admired them for their musical charisma and talent--their sound is like that of no other band. But I feel like this music video has taken them from being a band to a band of artists! As you are hit by the song's first strums of guitar, the Sun rises behind a row of quietly standing, deep blue-toned skyscrapers, as this bright light fills the clear morning sky with life. And as the song goes on, colors fill the camera and are splattering in all directions, as they sometimes blend and explode into fusions greater and more vivid than you can imagine. These colors seem to follow and surround the members of the band throughout the music video, as if the band is trying to say that wherever they go, they carry their passion for music with them as they will use their brushes and palettes to share that passion with the world around them. This is what I admire about Coldplay--they are not afraid to spell out their feeling for music to the world. Some bands may try to tone things down a bit before displaying their tracks and videos for all to see, but Coldplay seems to hold nothing back--it's as if, instead of spending time making and erasing pencil outlines on the canvas before adding the paint, they throw all the paint on with the entire possible range of colors showing up! Their full potential practically explodes within their lyrics and music videos! So I hope you enjoy this wildly explosive, colorfully talent-filled piece of work as much as I have. :) ~~MC |
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