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Visual Arts

Shooting Stars

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First Astrophotograph is John W. Draper's Moon Daguerreotype, taken on March 26, 1840 from the rooftop observatory at New York University.
Moon daguerreotype by J.W. Draper (1840), PD

Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787-1851), inventor of the daguerreotype photographic process, was the first to attempt to photograph an astronomical object in 1839.  It was unsuccessful because telescope tracking errors during the long exposure time caused the moon to appear in the image as a fuzzy, indistinct spot.  A year later, John William Draper (1811-1882) was the first to successfully take an ‘astrophotograph’ – a detailed photo of a full moon taken from the rooftop observatory of New York University on March 23, 1840, using a 5-inch (13 cm) reflecting telescope and 20 minute long exposure.  Later 19th century advances in technology allowed photographing of celestial objects that revolutionized astronomical research at the time by recording images of stars invisible to the human eye.Night photography offers a chance to capture and document inspiring scenes few people have the opportunity to experience due to artificial light and air glow pollution.Night photography offers a chance to capture and document inspiring scenes few people have the opportunity to experience due to artificial light and air glow pollution.

Get how-to tips on night sky photography technique from National Parks photographer Chris Nicholson in this video presentation: “Shooting Stars: How to Photograph Night Skies”.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the video post on the media player below ↓

 

Matt Hill joins Chris Nicholson in this step-by-step guide to ‘painting with light, including live demos, in the video presentation: ‘Illuminating the Night: Everything You Want to Know About Light Painting.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the video post on the media player below ↓

 

Watch “Understanding Astrophotography with Christopher Witt and Todd Vorenkamp” video presentation, and you’ll be shooting stars in no time.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or the video post on the media player below ↓

 

Information/Resources:
Photography Tips to Capture the Night Sky by Andy Porter, the National Forest Foundation (May 27, 2016)
10 Things:  How to Photograph a Meteor Shower, NASA
Wikipedia:  Astrophotography

Video and live stream lectures and lessons offer helpful advice from camera pros on how to take better photographsTravel, sports and outdoor photography tips from the pros

 

 

 

 

 

Milky Way within stars at night are harder to find because of light pollutionFind the best locations and experience the night sky teeming with glittering stars

 

 

 

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The star trails feature photo is courtesy of Andrew Preble/Unsplash CC0

Activist Arts

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“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)

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Feature photo is courtesy of Pixabay CC0

Birds of America

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John James Audubon was a 19th Century artists and naturalist, and his "The Birds of America" publication is regarded as the greatest study of birds in history.
JJ Audubon by H.B Hall, PD

Some time around 1820, French-American artist and naturalist, John James Audubon (1785-1851) started work on a personal project to paint every bird species located in North America, using unique methods and materials as well as extensive field observations.  It was a tremendously challenging and costly endeavor, and many doubted Audubon’s ability to pull it off.  In fact, the idea would seem a little wild & crazy even today with 21st century technology.  But, Audubon was no ordinary guy. He was also totally committed to finding and illustrating every bird in North America for publication, working more than 15 years toward his goal and raising cash by teaching, selling art works, taking oil painting commissions, hunting and selling animal skins, and conducting exhibitions and demonstrations.

How to view and download John Audubon's extraordinarily beautiful illustrations in The Birds of America.
Common American Swan (The Birds of America, plate 411) is courtesy of the National Audubon Society, John James Audubon Center and Montgomery County Audubon Collection

The result of Audubon’s work is The Birds of America, first published in England as a series of 87 sets of prints between the years 1827 and 1838.  Now considered to be the greatest study of birds in history as well as one of the greatest examples of book art, the original publication included 435 hand-colored, life-sized prints of North American birds on handmade paper that were produced from copperplate etchings and engravings with water-coloring applied by assembly-line colorists.  An accompanying text (‘Ornithological Biography’) was written by Audubon and the Scottish ornithologist William MacGillvray and published separately in five volumes (1831-1839).

The cost of printing the first edition of The Birds of America was an amount equivalent to more than $2 million US dollars in today’s money.  Audubon financed the massive print project with pre-paid subscriptions, but only the wealthy could afford the subscription price which limited the publication to no more than 200 complete sets.  Consequently, more affordable editions were later produced using lithography and published during the mid-19th century.

 

“The Birds of America’ will then raise in value as much as they are now depreciated by certain fools and envious persons.” — John James Audubon

 

Almost two centuries later, Audubon’s bird art is still captivating and revered among birders and art collectors, and his influence on ornithology and natural history has been widespread and enduring as The Birds of America and Ornithological Biography significantly contributed to the understanding of bird anatomy and behavior.  Watching the short video, ‘Audubon’s Birds of America’ from the Lost Birds Project, you’ll get a sense of the massive beauty of these works of art as David W. Carson, curator of the History of Science Collection at Cornell University, conducts a private viewing of The Birds of America.

 

Six of the birds illustrated by John Audubon in The Birds of America are now extinct, and many more are endangered.  Also — According to a recent study, North America has lost more than a quarter of its entire bird population during the past 50 years. [North America Has Lost 3 Billion Birds, Scientist Say by Nell Greefieldboyce (NPR, September 19, 2019)] ⇒⇒ Learn how you can help by visiting the National Audubon Society’s Action Center.

A copy of the complete The Birds of America series is available FREE of charge for viewing and high-resolution downloading via ⇒⇒ the National Audubon Society’s digital library, courtesy of the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove in Audubon, Pennsylvania and the Montgomery County Audubon Collection.  Be sure to check it out, and let John Audubon inspire your own creative work.

Audubon’s personal copy of The Birds of America is held within the Stark Museum of Art Rare Books & Manuscripts Collections in Orange, Texas.  An original, complete series is on public display (one page is turned each week) in the Audubon Room of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  It was purchased by the university in 1839 for the astonishing price of $970 (equivalent to approximately $80,000 today). Undoubtedly, a wise investment.  In December 2010, a complete first edition from a private collection was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London for US$ 11.5 million (a record breaking auction price).

Other permanent public display locations:  Trinity College (Watkinson Library) in Hartford, Connecticut; University of Pittsburg (Hillman Library);  Liverpool Central Library;  Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vermont;  and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Ewell Sale Stewart Library) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Look around– there are surely more opportunities for viewing a first edition as there are currently 107 held by institutions, and many periodically offer special exhibits.

Information/Resources:
The Life of John James Audubon: The Naturalist (1869) [FREE ebook] The primary source material for this biography was Audubon’s notes and journals, written/edited by Lucy Green Bakewell Audubon and Robert Williams Buchanan. The JJ Audubon image is an engraving by H.B. Hall based on a portrait by Henry Inman that appears in the book.
John James Audubon – The Making of an American (2004) by Richard Rhodes*
Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’ at Yale:  Creating a masterwork one feather at a time. Article by Mike Cummings, Yale News, June 30, 2015
“Ornithological Biography” or an Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America Vol 4, (1838) by John James Audubon [FREE ebook].
Featured photo of Columbian Hummingbirds is from plate 425 of The Birds of America
Wikipedia:  The Birds of America

 

If you just can’t get enough about birds, there’s more here ⇒ Bird ID Challenge (test your birding skills);  Birdsong Melody  (the music and magic of the mockingbird);  The California Brown Pelican; and Fast and Fearless (the Hummingbird).

 

 

Audubon was the first, but there’s a new illustration of birds to get excited about!    The Wall of Birds* tells the remarkable story of artist Jane Kim’s 2,500 square-foot mural celebrating the diversity and evolution of birds at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  It took her 2 1/2 years to create the one-of-a-kind, life-size mural showcasing all 243 modern families of birds, and the book “is a visual feast, essential for those who love art, birds, and our natural world”.

 

 

 

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Sacred Shadows

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Intersections (2013), is a sculptural installation created by Anila Quayyum Agha, a Pakistani-American artist.  Simple in its materials and artistic method, the effect is a powerfully elegant, original work of art that wondrously transforms a room into an ethereal space filled with intricate shadowy geometric patterns enwrapping gallery visitors who then become a reflecting element of the artwork.  Agha said her art is influenced by personal experiences as well as the complex social and political issues of our time, and the intent with the Intersections installation was “to give substance to mutualism” while exploring the disparate views of “public and private, light and shadow, and static and dynamic”.  It was awarded grand prizes in the 2014 international ArtPrize competition, and later exhibited at the Rice Gallery in Houston, Texas as well as the Peabody Essex Museum and Indiana State Museum.

The video documentary, “Intersections”, produced by Walley Films, is an exceptional opportunity to view this transcending work of art as Anila Quayyum Agha recounts her inspiration, discoveries, and creative process.

Agha’s installation pieces focus on transforming public spaces using Islamic architectural motifs, light and shadow, casting viewers of all cultural backgrounds under shadows that allow all to contemplate and reflect.

 

Resources/Information:

Anila Quayyum Agha website anilaagha.com
Past Installation, Rice Gallery
ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Michigan (Intersections).  ArtPrize is an annual public art event and international competition.

Watch:  CREATIVE PERSPECTIVESPoetry reading for On2In2™ inspiration is live  A diverse group of artists reveal thoughts and feelings about their work and living a creative life in this On2In2™ collection of short video documentaries.  It’s an interesting and inspiring bunch.

 

 

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Feature photo:  Still shot from video documentary, “Intersections” © Mark & Angela Walley

Ephemeral Art

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“Building a sandcastle is ‘about capturing a moment’ amidst the forces of nature.” — Renzo Piano 

 

How to build a sandcastle with a few simple tools and a basic structural and sculpting techniques
Photo: Flickr user, Amanda B, CC BY 2.0

The first references to sandcastle building on a beach go as far back as the 19th century.  Since that time, the love of sandcastles has grown worldwide to include all ages as it remains the perfect beach activity for creatives, and the sculptures have progressed from small to massive, simple to complex art forms.

Building beautiful sandcastles requires simple tools, a few structural and sculpting basics, and understanding it’s all about having fun in the moment.

 

Here are a few sandcastle building tips for the beginner:

First, there’s an art to sandcastle construction, and success takes patience and practice. [See ‘How To’ information and free video lessons listed further down this page.]  You must also understand and accept that a sandcastle is a temporary structure, and it’s destruction is part of the creative process.  So, don’t forget to take a few photos and enjoy the moment.

Get Help.  It can get hot on the beach, and those buckets of sand and water are heavier than you might think; therefore, you may need friends and family to help with the heavy lifting.

Plan.  Sketch out your castle design before getting started. Gather up the tools (basics: buckets, shovels, spray bottle, mason’s trowels and artist’s palette knives)

Sand Quality.  The best sand for building is fine-grained because it can be tightly compacted. If the sand is course, full of shells or debris, you’ll have stability problems trying to build the castle up high or at a steep angle.

Location.  Watch the waves, and find a tide schedule.  Try to build your sandcastle above high tide to save it from early destruction.

Building.  Fill a bucket with very wet sand.  Pound the top, and carefully lift it straight up (no twisting or tilting).  Push sand up around the castle foundation at an angle for added support.

Cracks.  Patch them up right away by packing them with more wet sand, and reduce the structural stress by slicing off some of the top and/or sides with a trowel.

Carving.  Use various tools and your imagination to create windows, doors, and steps. Start from the top down. Keep the sandcastle moist by spritzing with water using a spray bottle.

Decorate.  Make your palace special.  Search the beach for bits and pieces that can be used to decorate the sandcastle or collected for a separate art project.

Get Inspired.  Attend sandcastle/sand sculpting festivals and competitions as a spectator or participant. [See short list of events we’ve discovered at the bottom of this page for information.]

 

How to build a unique drip sandcastle using dribbling technique
Matt Kaliner, CC BY-NC 2.0

 

A ‘drip castle’ is a variation of the traditional sandcastle, created by dripping a slurry mix of sand and water from a fist (the technique is sometimes referred to as “dribbling”).  In the short video, King of the Castle, Matt Kaliner, university sociology lecturer & sand sculpting hobbyist, demonstrates the dribbling technique while building his weird and wonderful sculptural sandcastles.

 

 

‘How To’ Information/Resources:

Basics for the Beginner  Jenny Rossen, a professional sand sculptor and artist, explains the basics of sandcastle construction in a short video.

How to Build a Sandcastle  In 8 video lessons, expert/international champion sandcastle builder, Mark Venit, explains each step in the process of building a grand castle in the sand.

How To Build a Sand Sculpture – choosing a good sand, building forms, and best sculpting tools

Blueprints Before High Tide:  An architect explains the perfect sandcastle (Heard on NPR Weekend Edition Saturday ,August 1, 2015)

Sandcastle and Sculpting Festivals and Competitions:

Major Sand Sculpting Events Around The World – Discover exhibitions and competitions in Australia, India, Indonesia, Portugal, USA and more!

US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Expo – Called the most creative atmosphere in the world, World Master Sand Sculptors come from all over the world to compete at this event.  Entertainment, Food & Activities (Labor Day weekend 2019) Broadway Pier and Pavilion, San Diego, California

Weston Sand Sculpture Festival – Something for Everyone!  Marine Parade, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1BE, UK

Neptune’s International Sand Sculpting Championship – Virginia Beach, Virginia (September 27 – October 6, 2019) festival, competition, clinics

Sandcastle Days – South Padre Island, Texas October 3 – 6, 2019 (Admission FREE) demonstrations, competition & lessons

American Sandsculpting Championships – Fort Meyers Beach, Florida. For more than 30 years, held the last 2 weeks of November. (Free Lessons)

International Sand Art Competition – Key West, Florida 

The Siesta Key Crystal Classic – Siesta Key, Florida, November 15 – 18, 2019 (Free Lessons)

Texas SandFest – Port Aransas, Texas, April 26 – 28, 2019 (Rain or Shine) festival & competition

Cannon Beach Sandcastle Festival & Contest – Cannon Beach, Oregon, June 7-9, 2019

Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic – Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, June 2019 (dates to be confirmed) Free Lessons

Blue Water SandFest – Port Huron, Michigan, July 2019 (dates to be confirmed) Free Lessons

Revere Beach Art Festival (September 15, 2018) & International Sand Sculpting Festival (July 2019, dates to be confirmed) Revere Beach, Massachusetts

 

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Feature photo by Benjamin Carlson/Unsplash CC0

Artisan

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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 

 

 

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Feature photo is courtesy of Gratisography CC0

Art Underwater

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“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

 

 

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

Upsurge

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“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

 

 

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

Art Therapy

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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.   

 

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.

 

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

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

Art Transforming Trash

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“The opposite of beauty is not ugly… it’s indifference.” — Richard Lang

There are many complex issues involved in the elimination of pollutants from the environment, but there’s at least one problem easy to identify and understand — trash.  Take just one walk on a beach, and you’ll quickly see the ugly truth.

More than 8 million tons of plastic makes its way into the Ocean each year, and the stuff doesn’t go-away or disappear.  Just one plastic bag takes 1,000 years to decompose.  Much of this garbage can be seen floating on top of the ocean surface.  Between California and Hawaii, the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is more than double the size of Texas, and it’s just one of many similar floating debris patches.

Ray Ives, a retired Royal Marine and commercial diver, saw even more during his 40+ years of deep sea diving,……“You can’t believe some of the things people dump in the sea.  It’s like the biggest rubbish dump in the world”.

Artists are using their creative talents in amazing ways to help make positive change as their works of art bring attention to the plastic pollution problem the world faces and inspire all of us to “rethink plastic”.

Gyrecraft is a short film about crafting objects at sea, in the past with whale’s teeth and in the future with plastics collected from Ocean waters.

Studio Swine went on a 1,000 nautical mile journey through the North Atlantic Gyre, from the Azores to the Canaries, collecting plastics as they sailed.  (The North Atlantic Gyre is one of five large systems of circulating ocean currents.  The vortex of currents traps man-made marine debris into a large, dense floating debris zone called  the ‘North Atlantic Garbage Patch’.)  Using a specially designed ‘Solar Extruder’ machine, the plastic pieces collected during the trip were melted on board ship with heat from the Sun, creating a ‘sea plastic’ material used to create art works.

 

In the short video, Sea Chair, watch as a stool is built on a boat from the plastic collected in a fisherman’s nets.

 

Since 1999, Richard and Judith Selby Lang have been visiting a special spot at Kehoe Beach at the Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California, collecting plastics that have washed up on shore. The Lang’s then take their treasures home, wash and sort the items, and create works of art.  Over the years, they’ve collected tons of the stuff, learned a lot about ocean pollution, and discovered each little bit of found plastic has an interesting story to tell and provides an insight into human culture.

 

Aurora Robson is a multi-media artist known for her work with waste materials, and the founding artist of Project Vortex a collective of creatives who work with plastic debris as a medium and support organizational efforts to reduce the amount of plastic littering the oceans and shorelines of the world. She has said the intention of her art is “to take something negative, try to change the direction it’s going, and turn it into something positive”.

 

Inspired to create your own “environmental art”, but not sure how to start?  David Edgar creates marine life art forms from plastic bottles, and his instructional fish project video is a how-to guide for beginners. In the demonstration, you’ll learn that creating a sculpture requires scissors and a couple of simple tools, and reshaping plastic can be accomplish with heat from a hair dryer.  Really, the possibilities are endless because unfortunately, so is the trash.

 

Information/Resources:

Point Reyes National Seashore  Point Reyes is a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean, supporting a large diversity of species throughout the food chain and ecosystem.

One Plastic Beach  The Lang’s offer workshops, presentations, art sales, commercial and residential artwork commissions

Aurora Robson  See more art and media

Washed Ashore – Haseltine Pozzi, an artist and longtime art teacher, made it her mission to collect garbage that washes up along the Oregon coastline and use it to create large art sculptures in an effort to bring awareness to the enormous amount of plastic pollution in oceans and waterways and inspire change.

Project Vortex is an international collective of artists, designers and architects creating art works with plastic debris in support of projects that intercept plastic waste in innovative ways and help water cleanup efforts.

Plastic Ocean by Tan Zi Xi – an inspired art installation simulating the environment of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch created the experience of being immersed in a space covered with trash.

Healthy Seas – a joint venture of non-government organizations and businesses dedicated to cleaning ocean of litter and recycling it into new products such as socks, swimwear, textiles and carpets.

International Coastal Cleanup Day is celebrated annually the third Saturday in September to encourage people to join in efforts to rid beaches of the garbage plaguing beaches, and around the world, conservation groups organize cleanups along coastlines and waterways. 

Plastic Oceans Foundation – a non-profit organization with a mission to engage people through education and media projects, campaigns and global partnerships

Underwater sculpture museums contain breathtaking works of art that seek to encourage environmental awareness and appreciate the breathtaking natural beauty of the underwater world.You’ll be surprised to see what lies
beneath the waves – Art Underwater 

 

 

The Ocean is an essential life force, and we must stop its destructionOur Oceans are suffering from many decades of
abuse and neglect, but each of us has the power to help heal it 

 

 

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Feature photo is courtesy of Free Stock Pro/Pexels CC0