The holiday season appeared so quickly, it seems like it was just Halloween. I'm sure that the commercialization of the season has helped to give this time of year it's frantic pace; but that is a topic for another time. I've struggled this year to get into the spirit of the season. Hard economic times weigh heavy on my mind and the burdens and worries of everyday life make it hard to recreate the joyful holidays I experienced as a child. Times when I'm sure my parents sheltered me from their own worries during the season. Reflecting on this I began to realize that maybe that is the true magic of the season, the selfless acts of our family and friends around us? Of course I can find creativity in this magic and generosity, even in our current times. After a recent conversation with a friend, I was so impressed with how their family is handling their own tough times. With work hard to find and children that are excited and filled with holiday joy, these parents; wit...

From jportfolio - Seeking Creativity "> How a classic painting such as Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" has changed with modern media. The definition of kiss by Merriam Webster is "to touch with the lips especially as a mark of affection or greeting." While this is accurate, words cannot express the emotion behind a kiss. There are different "kisses." There’s the kiss between family members or friends, one of affection and admiration. The kiss between two lovers is quite a different thing, filled with passion and emotion that words cannot describe. The most passionate of kisses had at one time been reserved for private times between the lovers. For me visual cues that artists enhance can more properly reveal the emotion behind a kiss. There are some very famous images of kisses. Even if you've never seen the movie "From here to Eternity," you have surely seen the famous seen of Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr's passionate kiss...

A graphic designer and docent's venture into mixed media assemblage arts. The Akron Area Arts Alliance , an organization that promotes the arts and culture in Akron and the surrounding areas received entries for its biennial Out of the Box Auction this weekend. This year the Auction will be preceded by an exhibition running October 29 through November 7 at Summit Art Space , the joint community gallery project of Summit County and the Akron Area Arts Alliance. There is a chance to bid on the boxes during the gallery exhibition. Bidding concludes on the night of the Arts Alive Awards. All boxes that were donated by artists are a chance to contribute to the local arts communities since the money raised by auctioning the boxes goes to AAAA and Summit Art Space. All of this, and a chance to be included in the membership of the organization, sounded like a great opportunity to not just observe the arts in the area, but to be active in the creation of local art. So, I took my la...

Influence of versatile painter and graphic designer is still seen today. Graphic Design has come a long way from the early days of posters for the Moulin Rouge. For me these early posters are the basis for a majority of our design and advertising layouts. Many credit Piet Mondrian a fine artist for his introduction of the geometric grid to the art world. I find the posters of Pierre Bonnard and Toulouse-Lautrec to be one of the masters of the graphic layout. In a lithographic entitled "France-Champagne" you see an excellent use of graphic elements and type in a layout that leads your eyes from left to right and top to bottom across the design. Even the use of fonts, you notice only 3 different styles, creates an order of importance in the text and allows your eyes to properly separate the message. The colors, although monotone in this example, contain depth and contrast. The light and airy nature of the woman's skin and the bubbles filling up the corner is striking a...

From jportfolio - Seeking Creativity "> When you hear that something has gone green, you most likely associate it with a safer alternative to the environment. Digital photography, unlike traditional photography with its harmful chemicals, is a good choice for photographers concerned with the environment. So professional and amateur photographers alike can feel confident they are demonstrating the beauty of the environment around them. The environment has been a subject for photographers for decades. One of the first to become famous and successful at this was Ansel Adams. In the 1930s Adams became an active member of the Sierra Club, promoting and encouraging the conservation and beauty of Yosemite National Park with his broad and inviting images of the landscapes of the west. What Ansel Adams was able to accomplish with his work and dedication to the environmental movement, can still be seen today as photographers relay the beauty and importance of the landscapes around th...

The city of Akron is known globally for its innovation. During the height of Industrial rubber production Akron was the home to headquarters for the B.F. Goodrich Company, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, and the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. Akron has also shown innovation in the art world. One look at the convergence of old and new architecture at the Akron Art Museum will show that Akron's art patrons can appreciate innovation. On the campus of the University of Akron, you'll find a sparkling blue polymer sculpture bringing innovation to public art. The sculpture is by famed glass artist Dale Chihuly. Highlighted by the reflective Goodyear Polymer Center, Chihuly's sculpture attracts the attention of many visitors. You're almost certain to see someone gazing up at the blue "rock candy," as I've heard it referred to on more than one occasion. The idea for the sculpture was a collaboration that symbolized the university's polymer pioneering ...

Many people may not think of a trip to the cemetery as a place to find art. But if you are a taphophile, that may be exactly why you're there. The word taphophile comes from the Greek words taphos, meaning "tomb" philia, meaning "attraction or affinity to something." These people do not have to be depressed or morbid to find cemeteries a resource for art. Some people, such as myself, find them to be a peaceful place filled with interesting stories. Maybe it was my lessons practicing driving with my grandfather in the local cemetery that made them a comfortable place, but I digress... Of course I would not be going on an art trip to a cemetery at night; I've seen too many movies not to fear the human element that could be lurking in the shadows. But I've seen cemetery photos, both day and night with incredible contrasts in light and texture, and find both peace and mystery in these images. Daytime brings plenty of beautiful and unexpected sites. One ca...