Skip to toolbar

On2 In2

Find Your Fun - LIVE IT™

Create

Word Play

By 1 Comment

Many of us have felt that urge to write ‘something’ at some point in our lives. Some follow through on the idea, while others never quite get started or start but never finish because creative writing is a challenging endeavor requiring passion and perseverance.  But, now may be the perfect time to take on that challenge and begin the process of creating with words.  

“Creative writing” is described as the process of creating a literary work of any type, including memoir, essay, short story, novel, poetry, and screenplay.  While some aspire to write a best seller, the joy for many writers is in the writing process, its practice and development, or they have something to say and hope to have an impact on the lives of others.

The poem “Where We Dwell” was written by Arian Foster, professional athlete and poet.  Video from Todd Martin

If you’re feeling it, explore and learn more from these online resources: 

⇒  Modern Poetry – FREE to Download  This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2007.  It covers the body of modern poetry, its characteristic techniques, concerns, and major practitioners. The authors discussed range from Yeats, Eliot, and Pound, to Stevens, Moore, Bishop, and Frost with additional lectures on the poetry of WWI, and the Harlem Renaissance.

⇒  FREE online creative writing courses are offered by Open University along with articles full of helpful advice and tips 

⇒ Find More FREE Creative Writing Classes – a list of online creative writing courses offered free by top universities and educational websites (provided by learningpath.org)

⇒ Everything You Need to Write and Publish Your Book Using NY Public Library E-Resources 

⇒  9 Simple Activities to Inspire Your Writing, by Emma Johnson, Writer’s Edit (online literary magazine created for writers and book lovers)

⇒ 35 Writing Courses to Take During Coronavirus – BookFox is a resource guide for aspiring writers 

⇒  Wesleyan University offers via online classes that focus on elements of three creative writing genres, short story, narrative essay, and memoir. [Access to some video lectures and assignments are free so that you can evaluate a course offering prior to purchase.  If the course fee is beyond your budget, financial aid may be available.]

 

Robert Fullerton found inspiration to write poetry in the shipyards of Govan, Scotland.You’ll find creative inspiration from Robert Fullerton’s story of life in the shipyards, how he learned to write, and his creative process, A Thousand Sparks 

 

 

 

 

Poetry reading for On2In2™ inspiration is liveTake a look at the On2In2™ article Contemporary Poetry. You’ll find both live and recorded readings featuring unique and inspiring literary voices of today.

 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

Feature photo courtesy of Taner Argali/Unsplash CC0

Contemporary Poetry

By Leave a Comment

“Poetry is a distinct pleasure, and unlike any other art form.  It requires no special knowledge to enjoy it, just the patience to tune to its unique way of doing things; and once you’ve dialed into its wavelength, I can promise you’ll never want to go without it again – and nor will the world ever look quite the same.” — Don Paterson, Picador publisher 

WATCH On2In2™

Singularity by American poet Marie Howe, inspired by Stephen Hawking and the cosmos, is a contemplation on our origins, interconnectedness and separateness.  This short video of Ms. Howe’s reading of Singularity somehow enriches her reflective words, and inspires to do our own reflecting on life and home.    

Mihaela Moscaliuc is the author of ‘Father Dirt’ and Immigrant Model’ where she explores the feelings of living in different worlds.  Michael Waters is a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow, and his new collection of poetry delves into the sensual and spiritual with characteristic intensity.  If you missed the live stream broadcast of Poetry: Mihaela Moscaliuc and Michael Waters, there’s still time to watch a video recording.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

Ange Mlinko’s poems are about urban life, language and its failings, and the things we see and do not see, and all with a “unique sense of humor and mystery” (New Yorker).  She is the author of five books of poetry: Distant Mandate, Marvelous Things Overheard, Shoulder Season, Starred Wire, and Matinees.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of Poetry:  Ange Mlinko , there’s still time to watch a vide recording of the event.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

 

MacArthur winner Alicia Elsbeth (‘A.E.’) Stallings is an American poet and translator, born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and currently residing in Athens, Greece.  Her work has appeared in Best American Poetry, Poetry magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, and the New Yorker, and she has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and United States Artists.  If you missed her live talk, there’s still time to watch a video recording.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the post on the video player below ↓

 

 

How to develop creative writing skills

Added Inspiration!  Explore more On2In2™ about creative writing here →     Word Play      A Thousand Sparks

 

 

 

 

Exploring the history of black arts and activism in AmericaHistorical works of art created during times of social unrest and cultural change continue to inspire Activist Arts

 

 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you!  If you’d like to comment on the fun you find here, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

 

Feature photo is courtesy of Alejandro Alvarez/Unsplash CC0

Artisan

By Leave a Comment

Arts and Crafts: Find your passion and the joy of creating a work of art here at On2In2™
Stan Reinshagen, inspiring artisan & hobbyist

My father was an ardent hobbyist. You might also call him a “generalist” because he didn’t focus on a specific hobby or category of interest.  He was a music lover and amateur musician (trumpet), gardener (vegetables), BBQ master (with a killer secret sauce), meister mechanic, weekend golfer, and smooth social dancer (the waltz).  While he didn’t have a creative arts background or formal training and never thought of himself as “talented”, a few hobby classes taken while serving in the US Air Force sparked a passion for the creative process, and he spent many happy hours in his private studio (the garage), exploring his varied interests and testing his handcrafting skills while working on a variety of arts and crafts projects. 

Dad made really beautiful things in ceramic, wood, metal, and leather.
All are treasured pieces.  Most importantly, he found joy in creating, and inspired our family to love ‘making things’.  Let his story inspire you — Make your soul grow.

To help you get started on the search for your passion and the joy of creating a work of art, below is a list of arts and crafts hobby categories for inspiration (including a few links to topical articles) as well as Zola’s arts & craft photo gallery, and there’s a collection of video documentaries on the Art Works and Creative Perspectives channels that include insightful stories from artisans about their work, motivations, and approach to the creative process.

But, please….before buying a bunch of hobby supplies, do a little research and consider the things required for the crafting (time, money, work space, tools, supplies, basic skills and physical abilities) and what you’d like to try. Then, start small.  For example, it doesn’t take much to start coloring, and many find the creative process of ‘coloring within the lines’ to be relaxing and therapeutic.  Find FREE adult coloring books → HERE.  Also, look for arts & crafts instructional classes offered in your community by colleges, museums, art galleries, recreation centers, and local artisans.  If that doesn’t work for you, search libraries and book stores for crafting books, and do some googling.  You’ll be amazed at the variety of instructional books, online courses and ‘how to’ videos available.

 

 

The Arts & Crafts Idea List

Candle and Soap Making

Ceramics/Pottery

Crafting

Digital Art

Glass:  Cutting and Blowing

Jewelry Making

Model Building (replicas of cars, planes, ships, railroads)

Leatherworking

Paint/Watercolor/Sketch  

Paper:  Papermaking;  Decoupage

Photography

Recycled Plastics Art 

Sand Sculpting

Textile:  Sew/Knit/Crochet/Embroidery/Weave

Welding and Metalworking

Wood: Woodworking;  Woodcarving/Whittling;  Woodburning

For more crafting inspiration, click/tap these links:
Watch: Art Works
Rubberband Art
Watch:  Photography
Watch:  Digital Arts 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’re the crafty social type. Please sign up via the ENGAGE page to join the conversation, share inspiration, ideas & creations, and network with On2In2™ playmakers.

 

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

 

Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via the Amazon link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo is courtesy of Gratisography CC0

Ballet Backstage

By 2 Comments

Ballet originated in 15th century Italian Renaissance courts, later developing into a performance dance in France and Russia, and over the centuries, has become a widespread and influential art form with many evolving stylistic variations (from classic to contemporary) and teaching methods (no less than half a dozen).

A ballet dancer [danseuse (female) danseur (male)] is a dancer who practices the art of classical ballet based on traditional technique and vocabulary.  Many years of extensive training (starting as early as age 2) are required before a ballet dancer has a chance to join a professional ballet company, and there is an established hierarchy ranking system within a company as well as strict gender roles.  Ballet training also takes a toll on a dancer’s body, making ballet dancers prone to serious injury after years of continuous physical strain.

The strength and stamina required of ballet dancers are not always obvious to a spectator as they make the physical demands of jumps, turns and lifts on pointe appear to be effortless during a performance, and there’s seldom a mention of a dancer’s personal sacrifice and total commitment.  In these short videos, ballet dancers tell their stories and provide a glimpse of the goings-on backstage and behind-the-scenes.

 

 

En pointe (‘on the tips of their toes’) is classical ballet technique performed wearing special pointe shoes that enable a dancer to support all body weight on a fully extended vertical foot. Consequently, the construction and wearing of pointe shoes involves a very complicated process unique to each ballet dancer.

 

The tutu is a costume dress worn in a ballet performance, made of fabrics such as tarlatan, muslin, silk, tulle, gauze and nylon.  There are two basic types of modern tutus as well as several derivative styles: the Romantic tutu is soft and bell-shaped with the skirt reaching down between a dancer’s knee and ankle;  the Classical tutu is short, stiff and projects horizontally from the dancer’s waist and hip.

 

One of the most famous of all ballet dancers is Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer (La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans), a sculpture created in wax by Edgar Degas in 1880 of a student at the Paris Opera Ballet dance school, named Marie van Goethem.  After Degas’ death in 1917, his family authorized copies of Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer and other Degas wax and mixed-media sculptures to be cast in bronze in order to preserve and sell the compositions.  Louisine Havemeyer, an Impressionist collector, acquired the first bronze cast of Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, and bequeathed it to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1929, where it can be viewed on display.  [Editors Note:  The original wax sculpture (a reworked version of the original sculpture that was shown in Paris at the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition of 1881) is located at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and other bronzes can be viewed at museums around the world — Cathy Marie Buchanan, author of the novel ‘The Painted Girls’, provides a list of locations ⇒ HERE ]

The bronze dancer’s tutu has been replaced a few times since the Met’s acquisition, and a curator recently decided it was time for another update as the skirt looked “tattered and dirty”.  The task was given to Costume Institute’s conservator, Glenn Petersen, and he tells the story of the historical research, fabric, design and color selections used in creating the dancer’s new tutu in the short video ‘Met Degas Tutu’.  Peterson’s goal for the new skirt was that it would be harmonious with the sculpture as well as depict a sense of movement to add to the way people view Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, and most would have to agree that he accomplished that goal and more.

 

Watch the great ballet dance performances from around the world LIVE & FREE On2In2™FREE To WATCH:  Ballet performances from around the world

 

 

 

 

 

Watch:  The DanceThe free-to-watch Dance Channel features On2In2™ collection of favorite dance videos, an On2In2™ video collection of dance performances and inspirational stories

 

 

 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you!  If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

 

Feature photo is courtesy of Flickr user, Pilar Castro, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Art Underwater

By Leave a Comment

“For Art may err, but Nature cannot miss.” — John Dryden, The Cock and the Fox

Underwater public arts projects created by the visionary Jason deCaires Taylor are not just unique exhibition spaces for divers and snorkelers to enjoy.  They’re also examples of successful marine conservation efforts as the sculptures serve as habitats for all sorts of sea life which transform Taylor’s work into living, constantly evolving art that inspires an appreciation for the natural beauty of the mysterious world underwater.  This video takes you there.

He had a very big idea — create giant cement sculptures and place them on the ocean floor in areas with barren sea beds.  Then, in 2006, Jason deCaires Taylor founded and created the world’s first underwater sculpture park off the west coast of Grenada in the West Indies.  It was a great success, and has been listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic.  In 2009, he co-founded an underwater sculpture museum, Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), that includes a collection of over 500 of his art works in the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc, Mexico. More underwater sculpture gardens followed in the Bahamas and Spain, and he’s currently working on a new project in the Maldives.  In this TED Talk, Taylor shares his story and breathtakingly beautiful photography.

 

 Jason DeCaires Taylor talk is courtesy of TED, CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International

 

Information/Resources:
Gallery: The sculpture garden at the bottom of the sea, by Kate Torgovnick May, Ted.com blog article (December 23, 2015)
Locations Map of the underwater sculpture exhibits around the world (Jason DeCaires Taylor Projects)
(listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic)
Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden  (Included in the sculpture garden is, Ocean Atlas, a young Bahamian girl who appears to be holding up the ocean, and at 60 tons/18 ft tall, it’s the largest underwater sculpture in the world.)
Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), Museum of art under the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc (Viewing via glass bottom boat, scuba and snorkeling)
Museo Atlántico, Located near the south coast of Lanzarote, in the Bahía de Las Coloradas, Spain
Alluvia, Sculpture lies at bottom of the river Stour running through city of Canterbury in Kent, UK
Pemuteran Temple Garden (statues of Buddha, Ganesha, Turtles behind an ornate Balinese gateway, constructed as one of three Bali Reef Foundation/Australian Aid funded projects)

 

There's much to discover underwaterDive In2 deep waters and explore the otherworldly beauty of ocean life  Watch:  Underwater Discoveries, an On2In2™ collection of short videos, Free-to-Watch, On-Demand  

 

BIG, POWERFUL (sometimes dangerous), and a beautiful BLUE, the Ocean does more than its share to sustain life on Planet Earth.  Saving Our Ocean

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you!  If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

 

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from the Jason DeCaires Taylor Ted Talk video

Upsurge

By Leave a Comment

“When it all comes together… it’s like, man, this is the moment.” — Ray Collins

Chris Bryan loves filming in the ocean more than anything.  In fact, it’s his passion, and he says capturing the rare moment when first rays of light hit the ocean without any other person in sight is “unexplainable, its one of the most amazing feelings ever, its like my own personal therapy” to experience such “absolute beauty”.  Chris shares some of these beautiful moments in his latest video project MOCEAN.  Views captured by Chris for the video are like nothing you’ve ever seen before, and watching is nothing short of awesome.  

 

In the water, Ray Collins creates works of art with his camera, and cinematographer/photographer, Armand Dijicks, brings Collins’ seascape photographs to life in the short video, The Infinite Now, by transforming the stills into cinemagraphs — beautiful and mesmerizing.  Cinemagraphs create the illusion of motion by applying image editing software to composite a series of still photographs into sequential frames.  The result is amazing.  

 

The Ocean is an essential life force, and we must stop its destructionLove the Ocean?  See & Learn more On2In2™ ⇒   Underwater Discoveries    Saving Our Ocean      Cranking Surf

 

 

Ray Collins started out his working life in a coal mine, and has become an internationally acclaimed, award-winning ocean photographer.  In the short video, Sea Stills produced by Malibu Media, Ray describes his inspiration and technique in capturing moments of water and light in a wave.

 

Information/Resources:
Chris Bryan Films – Cinematographer (watch more surf and underwater video)
Armand Dijicks (online courses, video tutorials and ebooks available)
Photographer Ray Collins  (info on photos and book ‘Found at Sea’)

 

Video and live stream lectures and lessons offer helpful advice from camera pros on how to take better photographsMore FREE To WATCH, and Learn from the best photographers
→  Watch: Photography video channel for inspiration and → Pro Photo Tips for how-to-tips and advice

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

 

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from Ray Collins video, Sea Stills

Art Therapy

By 2 Comments

The term “art therapy” was first introduced in 1942 by British artist Adrian Keith Graham Hill (1895 – 1977) after realizing the drawings he had done to pass time while convalescing from tuberculosis at a UK long-term care facility had been helpful in his recovery, suggesting other patients could be similarly benefited from both the creation and appreciation of art.  The idea caught on.

Adrian Hill later taught drawing and painting at hospitals, and wrote that art therapy seemed to release the creative energy of patients and relieve mental stress by “completely engrossing the mind” and diverting attention from illness and injury.  [Adrian Hill’s books on art therapy include Art Versus Illness: A story of art therapy (1945) and Painting Out Illness (1951)]  He also believed the practice of art “in sickness and in health” was essential to the well being of all society, and continued throughout his life to write art instructional books (including Drawing and Painting Trees (1936, 2008), still in print*), and promote the use of art therapy in public health services.

Today, art therapy as a curative technique varies in definition, process, application and approach, but the primary purpose is restorative healing by means of any type of visual art, including drawing, painting, sculpting, photography and digital art.  The benefits, however, are more far-reaching as the act of creating an artwork seems to calm the body’s nervous system and provides a means of self-expression that can be enjoyed by anyone searching for a relaxing, enlivening pastime.

Listed below are a few artwork ideas to get the creative juices flowing (no training, experience or special talent required!).  You’ll also find creative inspiration from On2In2™ video selections on the Art Works and Creative Perspectives channels and more arts and crafts project ideas in the posted article, “Artisan”.

ο  Go outside and sketch or photograph something you find beautiful or interesting

ο  Build a sandcastle or draw in the sand

ο  Cut and paste clippings, images or whatever you find to create a paper collage or sculptural object

ο  Finger paint or make scribble drawings

ο  Create a unique greeting card

ο  Experiment with digital art by using a paint/sketch app

ο  Get a coloring book for adults, some gel pens, markers & pencils, and start coloring

COLORING BOOKS

Previously considered child’s play, coloring “inside the lines” is actually fun for everybody and has become a popular hobby for adults.  (An estimated 12 million coloring books were sold in 2015/US, Nielsen Bookscan)  It’s a do ‘anywhere, anytime’ creative process of design and color that appeals to so many because it doesn’t require a big investment in art supplies, training or work space and can be enjoyed solo or with friends in social ‘coloring’ groups.  The best part— there are no rules.  Make it fun. Color in a way that makes you happy (inside, outside & between the lines).  Your work of art can be displayed, given as gifts, used in other arts & craft projects, or saved and collected as part of a personal journal.

The variation of coloring book creations is endless, and colorists love to share their inspiration and works of art.  Take a look at a few beautiful examples in this slide show.

 

 

There’s a wide selection of coloring books available in bookstores, hobby shops, and online via ebooks and digital apps (for purchase & free of charge) that are filled with pages of line drawings designed uniquely for adult creative colorings.  Illustrator, Johanna Basford, has published a number of best-sellers, including Secret Garden, Enchanted Forest and Lost Ocean.  *Learn more and shop online here for all  → Johanna Basford Coloring Books,  and browse the multitude of other coloring books available in a variety of styles for colorful creations  → Coloring Book Selections    

 

My first attempt at using coloring book app "Colorfy"
Seashells in digital color by Zola Zeester

Most coloring apps are free to download on phone, iPad or tablet via App store, Google Play, etc., but pay attention to the basic v. premium offerings as there are often in-app purchases required for select designs, colors and brushes. [Editor’s Note: After downloading “Colorfy” (by Fun Games for Free) on an iPad, took it for a short test drive, and created the simple seashell design you see here in about 10 minutes (could make a nice greeting card?).  It worked ok and was fun to play with, but quickly discovered there are very few coloring options and tools available for free (which is not fun).  There’s convenience and novelty in using these cool creative digital tools, and Colorfy was easy enough to navigate.  Really like the feature that allows uploading of personal, original drawings and sketches for coloring.  However, using old school paper and pen coloring books as a means of escaping phones and screens for a couple of hours is likely more appealing to many of us.

 

Coloring Tips for the Beginner


3 hrs of coloring in 2 min (Thomas Johnson, Randolph Smith/The Washington Post)

♦ Use color pencils, markers and/or gel pens. Experiment with different kinds, but test them out for ink bleeding through the paper before starting.

♦ Place a piece of paper under the color book page you’re coloring to protect the other pages in the book from indentions and ink bleeds.

♦ Color from the outside ⇒ in.

♦ Build up layers for more depth of color rather than pressing too hard.

♦ Keep pencils sharp and caps on pens and markers.

♦ It takes practice. Slow down and enjoy every moment.

FREE!! COLORING BOOKS

We love freebies, and free coloring books make it fast & easy to begin a coloring art project.  The NYBG 12-page “Color Our Collections” coloring book (a favorite) is provided absolutely free to print courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden and the LuEsther T. Mertz Library  [To download/print from this page: Click/Tap the arrow within the small square located top right corner (the “pop-out” box) of the NYBG coloring book below.  It redirects you to a separate page.  Print and/or download the coloring book pages from there.]  Now, just gather up some pens and pencils and start coloring your one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Find more free to print coloring books from the On2In2™ resource page here ⇒ “Free Coloring Books“.   During the first week of February, special collections libraries, museums and archives promote coloring using copies of historical drawings and sketches, making it a good time to search social media for one-of-a-kind (and free!) coloring books using the hashtag #ColorOurCollections.

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

Resources/Information:
Wikipedia:  Art Therapy, Adrian Hill
“Why Adult Coloring Books are the Latest Trend”, The Washington Post (May 2, 2016)

*Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via the links to Amazon within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo of art paint mess is courtesy of Unsplash, CC0

Spring Flowers

By 4 Comments

And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast
Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.

                                                                                      —Percy Bysshe Shelley*

 

The Flowers video by Jamie Scott captures Spring in bloom using time-lapse photography.

 

*Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 – 1822) lived his short life on the wild side, and the political and social views expressed in his poetry were considered radical in the early 19th century.  It all resulted in expulsion from Oxford, alienation of his father, financial and marital difficulties, and limited appeal of his creative work.  However, his popularity grew following his death, and Shelley is now regarded as one of the finest lyric poets in the English language and one of the most influential to generations of poets.  In 1838, Shelly’s poetry was first published as a collection edited by his widow.  The 1914 edited collection by Thomas Hutchinson attempts to restore the poetry to its original text, and is available here to read free-of-charge in digital format (courtesy of The Internet Archive).

 

Information/Resources:
Wikipedia: Percy Bysshe Shelley and poets.org
Blooms and Buds, National Park Foundation blog article (March 10, 2017) – Where to find spring flowers in US National Parks

 

They love their bluebonnets in Texas, and spotting the first one means it's Spring.In Texas, you know it’s Spring when you spot the first bluebonnet, and taking a long drive “to see the bluebonnets” is a long-standing tradition

 

 

 

 

The Chrysanthemum, Royal Queen of Fall,
is a flower with history and purpose

 

 

 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social network

We’d love to hear from you!  If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

Feature photo of close-up tulip is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

The Ballet

By Leave a Comment

FREE To WATCH On2In2™

The Spanish National Dance Company, ‘Compañía Nacional de Danza’, was founded in 1979 as the Spanish National Classical Ballet, and has evolved toward a more contemporary style with a distinctive identity based on Spanish cultural and folklore roots.  The company tours Europe,  achieving international prestige under the direction of Víctor Ullate, María de Ávila, Maya Plisetskaya and Nacho Duato.

Giselle, is one of the world’s most often performed classical ballets as well as one of the most challenging to dance.  The romantic, ghost-filled ballet tells the tragic story in two acts of a beautiful young peasant girl who falls for the flirtations of the deceitful and disguised nobleman Albrecht. When the ruse is revealed, the fragile Giselle dies of heartbreak, and Albrecht must face the otherworldly consequences of his careless seduction.  [10 Facts To Know About Giselle, Kansas City Ballet].  

If you missed the live stream broadcast of Giselle by the Spanish National Dance Company in December, 2018, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the performance.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located in right top corner of the media player below.   

 

 

Watch behind the scenes and personal stories of a life of ballet.Dancers tell their stories and provide a glimpse of the goings-on backstage and behind-the-scenes → Ballet Backstage

 

 

 

Contemporary dance performances to WATCH LIVE & FREE On2In2™Drawing on classical ballet and modern dance as well as non-western cultural dances, contemporary dance is exciting, unpredictable and constantly evolving.  FREE To WATCH performances → Dynamic Dance 

 

 

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

 

Feature photo of Spanish National Dance Company by Maite Villanueva CC BY-SA 4.0

Activist Arts

By Leave a Comment

“If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him… We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth.” — John F. Kennedy

Throughout history, art has been created by people for many different reasons and purposes, both non-motivated (no specific-purpose other than a basic human instinct to create) and motivated (e.g., the artist intends to communicate a specific emotion, comment on an aspect of society, or bring about political or cultural change), and works of art have often been controversial for a variety of reasons, provoking intense debate, criticism and indignation as well as influencing new ideas and shifts in prevailing sentiment.

An art movement is art with a specific common goal among a group of artists for a certain period of time (months, years or decades).  There have been many diverse art movements during the 19th and 20th centuries, their meanings and objectives explained by the artists involved in the movement or art critics and historians.

In the US, the ‘60s were years of social unrest and cultural change, and contemporary artists responded to the turmoil and addressed the issues by producing creative works of activism.  The Black Arts Movement (1965-75), aka Black Aesthetics Movement or BAM, emerged when a group of African American artists were inspired by the Black Power movement to create expressive works of poetry, novels, visual arts, and theater that reflected pride in black history and culture and explored the African American experience as a means of arousing black consciousness.  Although it began in New York, BAM spread across the country and influenced a generation of artists.

In Southern California, the Black Arts Movement generated new forms of artistic and cultural expression and the development of community-based arts organizations in an effort to end discrimination in entertainment industries and focus attention on the conditions within black working class neighborhoods.

In her book South of Pico*, MacArthur winner and Columbia University professor Kellie Jones explores how artists in Los Angeles black communities during the 1960s and 1970s created a vibrant, engaged activist arts scene amidst racism and social upheaval. Building on her research and work on the Hammer Museum exhibition Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles, 1960–1980, Dr. Jones, along with a discussion panel including UCLA professor Robin D.G. Kelly, will expand your understanding of the history of black arts in Los Angeles and beyond.  If you missed the live broadcast of this event, there’s still time to watch a video recording.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the post located on the video player below ↓

 

Creative PerspectivesPoetry reading for On2In2™ inspiration is live – artists reveal thoughts and feelings about their work and living a creative life in this On2In2™ video collection, available to watch free & on-demand.

 

 

 

Online crowdsourcing art history project allows everyone to browse and transcribe archives of artistsFind out how you can help with art history research right from home, and discover the life of an artist using a very cool, free to
use online tool “AnnoTate”

 

 

 

Information/Resources:

Political Change from the 1960’s to Now:  Connections Between Arts and Activist Movements by Andrea Assuf (The Public Humanist, Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, October 30, 2009)
On Black Aesthetics:  The Black Arts Movement by Candice Frederick (New York Public Library, July 15, 2016)
The Black Arts Movement (blacklist.org)
Witness:  Art and Civil Rights in the Sixties (Brooklyn Museum)
Wikipedia (Art and Art movement)

*Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

 

Get more fun delivered straight to your inbox. It's easy to sign up for the On2In2™ newsletter.

 

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you!  If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

 

 

 

Feature photo is courtesy of Pixabay CC0