FREEBIES

Word Play

July 3, 2020 By Zola Zeester 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.]

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

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

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).

Feature photo courtesy of Taner Argali/Unsplash CC0

Art Therapy

May 11, 2020 By Zola Zeester 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.

An abstract flower design coloring creation. — Beautifulcataya, Flickr CC BY-NC-ND

Hello Angel Creative, Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Coloring a fish design in coloring book is fun and relaxing. — Melissa Dinwiddle, Flickr CC BY-SA

a beautiful abstract created from a coloring book — Beautifulcataya, Flickr CC BY-NC-ND

Wildlife coloring book creations are unique — Aimee Ray, Flickr CC BY-NC-ND

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.

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

April 25, 2020 By Zola Zeester 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

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

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

Love Conquers All

January 27, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

Love conquers all things; yield we too to love! —Virgil, Eclogue X, line 69

Resolved am I
In the woods, rather, with wild beasts to couch,
And bear my doom, and character my love
Upon the tender tree-trunks: they will grow,
And you, my love, grow with them. (excerpt, Eclogue X, Gallus)

Considered one of Rome’s greatest poets, Publius Vergilius Maro (aka ‘Virgil’) (70 -19BC) wrote three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: Eclogues (also called ‘Bucolics’), Georgics, and the Aeneid.

The first, Eclogues (a Greek word for “selections”), is a group of ten poems featuring a mix of visionary politics and eroticism that made Virgil a celebrity and legend in his own lifetime.

In Eclogue X (Gallus), Virgil creates a myth using the impassioned voice of his friend, the poet Gallus, imagined dying of love in Arcadia, celebrated in Roman times as an unspoiled, harmonious wilderness and the home of Pan, Greek god of nature, the wild, shepherds, flocks, of mountain wilds.

♥ Go to Project Gutenberg for English translation of Virgil’s Eclogues (Free to Read)

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

We’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/Pexels CC0

Glowing Glühwein

December 15, 2019 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

Glühwein (‘glowing wine’) is a popular mulled wine with a tradition in German speaking countries and the Alsace region of France, especially during the holidays when it is offered at Christmas markets. One taste, and there’s no doubt about the reason for the popularity; it’s a delicious, flavorful winter drink that instantly warms and comforts. It’s also easy to make this speciality at home on your stovetop with an added bonus — your kitchen will be filled with beautiful holiday aromas.

There are a number of Glühwein variations, and many family favorite recipes differ slightly. Some recipes call for anise star, vanilla bean, or a splash of brandy, and there is a non-alcoholic version (‘Kinderpunsch’). But, the best Glühwein recipes have traditional basics in common — heated red wine, spices, sugar and citrus, so we recommend you start with the recipe below (Zola’s personal favorite), and if you’d like to tweak it, experiment with added or adjusted ingredients and different wines when making the next batch. And, there will be a next batch because you, your family and friends will love this holiday magic in a mug.

Glühwein Recipe

Ingredients:

1 bottle Red Wine. Use any good quality (but not expensive) big, bold and full-bodied red wine (Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Zinfandel, or try a blended red wine).

2 cups Water
4 – 5 Tablespoons Sugar (adjust to your liking)

1 Cinnamon Stick
3 – 6 Whole Cloves
2 – 4 Allspice Berries

1 Orange (sliced)
1 Lemon (sliced)

Directions:

Put water, sugar, and spices into a large saucepan or casserole dish placed on a stovetop, and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 15 – 20 minutes.
Add the wine, orange and lemon slices. Heat through until the wine is steaming, but be careful to not boil and don’t let it simmer.
Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves and allspice berries. Serve immediately in mugs, or store cooled Glühwein in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, and reheat later to steaming in a saucepan (heat up slowly and do not boil).

Notes: Makes approximately 5 servings. Recipe can be doubled, or triple for a really big holiday party.

Feuerzangenbowl (‘Fire Tongs Punch’) is a German celebratory wine punch often served during the Christmas holidays and New Year’s Eve, featuring a lighted, rum soaked sugar cone dripping into a hot bowl of Glühwein. It is quite a show! Watch Chef Uwe Rudnick explain how it’s done in this demonstration video.

It never goes out of style — How to make → The Perfect Martini

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your favorite mulled wine recipe, 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).

Feature Glühwein photo: Hannah Permberton/Unsplash CC0

A Thousand Sparks

December 8, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“If you watch a thousand sparks cascading,
They’re all wee thoughts,
or possibilities,
or ideas;
And, if you could think like that……….”

Robert Fullerton

At 13 years old, his formal education ended, and at 17, he started working at a shipyard in Govan, Scotland. An early start to a life of grueling labor, but Robert Fullerton looked through the reflecting glass visor of his welding helmet and found inspiration in the spirit of the shipyard.

In the video documentary, “Mining Poems or Odes” from the Scottish Documentary Institute (produced by Jack Cocker, directed by Jack Cocker), Robert Fullerton reveals how he learned to write, his creative process, and ‘tools of the trade’.

Robert Fullerton’s story reminds us that sparks of inspiration are everywhere, and the real magic is in a book. His passion for books and writing began when his workmate and mentor, Archie, gave him a copy of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists* by Robert Tressell**, the pen name of author Robert Noonan (1870-1911), an Irish-born house painter.

The novel is set in the fictional town of Mugsborough, and based on Noonan’s personal experiences of poverty and exploitation and his views on the relationship between working-class people and their employers, the gross injustice and inequalities of society, and workers’ acceptance of the status quo. Out of work and ill, Noonan was in dire straits during the writing, and there are traces of the anger and bitterness he was feeling in the Ragged story, along with compassion and a sense of humor.

Widely regarded a classic of modern British literature and ranked as a ‘best loved’ novel in a 2003 BBC survey, the completed manuscript originally called, The Ragged Arsed Philanthropists, was rejected by three publishing houses before Noonan died in 1911 at age 40. His daughter was able to sell the book rights to a publisher for £25, and an edited version (with most of the socialist ideology cut out) was published in 1914. Forty years later, Robert Noonan’s original manuscript was found, and the unabridged edition was published in 1955.

*Editor’s Note: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is available to read free in ebook form or online, and is also free to download and print, courtesy of Project Gutenberg. The volunteer organization founded in 1971 by American Michael S. Hart (1947-2011), inventor of the ebook, has created a digital library offering over 53,000 ebooks of literary works in the public domain that can be accessed, read, downloaded and printed—all free of charge.

Information/Resources:
Wikipedia: Robert Tressell, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Govan, Project Gutenberg, Michael S. Hart
“Welder Turned Poet….”, The Daily Record (February 14, 2016)

The historical works created during times of social unrest and cultural change continue to inspire today Activist Arts

There’s more inspiration here→ Watch: Creative Perspectives,
an On2In2™ collection of short videos

Feature photo of welder is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels, CC0

**Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link to this Robert Noonan biography “One of the Damned: The Life & Times of Robert Tressell” by F.C. Ball. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Chess for Everyone

December 7, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

It’s the ultimate strategy board game played by millions of people, with origins going back to the 6th Century in Eastern India. From there, the game spread east and west along the Silk Road trade route, and evolved into an organized, contemporary “mind sport” with structured international and national leagues, tournaments, and congresses governed by the Federation Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) as well as thousands of tournaments, matches, and festivals held each year for players at every level throughout the world. In the early 1990’s, online play with opponents around the globe became possible via connection to internet chess servers, e.g. Quick Guide to Free Internet Chess Server .

How To Play Chess ⇐ US Chess Federation guide to the basics: rules, setting up and moving pieces, and scoring
Chess Play & Learn App ( Free w/ in-app purchases Android and iOS) Watch and play, practice tactics, solve puzzles, participate in tournaments, read articles, and watch Grandmaster video lectures and lessons to help develop skills.
SHOP HERE – Chess Sets *Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via the link here to Amazon. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

WATCH On2In2™

It’s Fast – It’s Exciting! Watch move-by-move as players compete over 9 rounds of rapid chess and 18 rounds of blitz chess at the 2019 Cote d’Ivoire Rapid & Blitz, commentary by GMs Yannick Pelletier, Alejandro Ramirez, and WGM Tania Sachdev for the move-by-move along with GM Maurice Ashley.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the Cote d’Ivoire Rapid & Blitz, there’s still time to watch video recordings. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select matches from video posts located top right corner of media player below.

Please check back for chess live action updates, and take a look at the Live Stream Program Guide for more On2In2™ streaming info.

Watch the best players battle for big prize money! The 2019 Champions Showdown: The Kings – an exhibition event featuring five individual match contests: Hikaru Nakamura vs. Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Fabiano Caruana vs. Pentala Harikrishna, Wesley So vs. David Navara, Leinier Dominguez vs. Veselin Topalov and Sam Shankland vs. Richard Rapport. If you missed the live stream broadcast, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the matches. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

On Monday, November 26, World Champion, Magnus Carlsen of Norway and American challenger Fabiano Caruana drew Game 12 of their 2018 World Chess Championship title match, leaving the score tied at the end of regulation; therefore, the drama continued with a series of tie-breaker games to determine the champion.

If you missed the 2018 World Chess Championship tie breaker games (Carlsen v Caruana), here’s a recap and analysis video.

Feature photo is courtesy of Pixaby/Pexels CC0

Chocolate Amaretto Truffles

November 29, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

This easy, no-bake chocolate delight with just a hint of sweet almond flavored liqueur pairs perfectly with an after dinner cup of coffee. These truffles also make a great gift. Here’s the recipe discovered in a magazine 30 years ago.

Chocolate Amaretto Truffles

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus chilling
Makes: 3 dozen
Store in refrigerator up to 3 days. Freezes well.

Ingredients

2 bars (4 ounces each) German sweet chocolate

1/4 cup amaretto liqueur [Amaretto is a sweet liqueur that originated in Saronno, Italy. You can substitute any almond flavored liqueur.]

1 teaspoon instant espresso. dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut up and chilled

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder

Directions

Melt chocolate bars with amaretto and dissolved espresso in top of double boiler over simmering water. Stir until smooth. [Note: If you don’t have a double boiler, you can melt using a microwave oven. Just be careful to avoid burning.]

Remove top of double boiler from heat and whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at atime until smooth.

Add vanilla and stir.

Cover and refrigerate until firm (about 3 hours).

Scoop mixture into rough, round shapes (about 1 – 1 ½” in diameter).

Roll in the cocoa powder and place in individual small paper cups.

Are you thinking — a cup of coffee sure would taste good right now? It’s easy to brew delicious handcrafted coffee at home using a french press with these step-by-step instructions → HERE

Cookie Crunch

November 8, 2019 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

Traditions of cookie decorating can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and got a start in North America during the 17^th century with the introduction of cookie cutters, molds and holiday decorating by Dutch and German settlers. About 200 years later, decorating cookies for Christmas gained popularity in America as more German-imported cookie cutters became available and cookbooks featured cookies cut in holiday inspired shapes sparked creativity in home kitchens. Today, the popularity of cookie decorating continues to grow during holidays throughout the world with all sorts of creations.

This holiday season, Zandy R (@pillbug) has been working on a cookie cookbook and experimenting with different iced cookie recipes and techniques (sugar cookie cut-outs decorated with royal icing). You can do it, too. Here are her cookie decorating tips:

• Use your favorite sugar cookie and royal icing recipes, try something new or go nostalgic with a family recipe. Find Zandy R’s (@pillbug) absolute favorite sugar cookie and royal icing recipes here → Roll & Cut Sugar Cookies. If this is your first cookie decorating adventure, best to do a little research before starting. The Complete Photo Guide to Cookie Decorating by Autumn Carpenter

• It helps (a lot) to have the right equipment. To decorate cookies with royal icing, you’ll need piping bags and/or squeeze bottles (a bunch, if using different colors) and a small offset spatula or rounded butter knife (to help spread the icing). Also, toothpicks come in handy for tiny, precision work.

See Zandy’s favorite cookie baking tools below. The stainless steel rolling pin eliminates the sticky dough problem by keeping the dough cool, the battery-powered sifter is genius, the 4-tier cooling rack is a great space saver during mega cookie baking projects, and the Kitchen Aid mixer—well, that’s really a dream machine. For more information on any item, click/tap on the photo within the in the ad, and there’s a search box to help you find anything else your heart desires.

• Roll out cookie dough with a chilled rolling pin to avoid sticking. Have fun cutting out a variety of cookie shapes Holiday Cookie Cutters

• After cookies are baked and cooled, keep at least overnight (loosely covered with a sheet of parchment paper) before decorating.

• If using royal icing (as Zandy R did for her cookies), there are no quick short-cuts. Let each application dry before applying the next one. Check out Betty Crocker’s advice for decorating cookies with icing ⇒ here

• It’s a creative process of experimentation and experience, and that takes time and patience. Don’t be afraid to try different techniques and colors because you’ll get better and better the more you decorate.

• When something goes wrong and you totally mess up a cookie, eat it immediately.

This page includes affiliate links to a shop website. If you purchase a product or service directly through the link, Zeester Media LLC may earn a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Decorate Valentine Day cookies with these helpful tips

Discover the fun decorating cookies for every holiday with these On2In2™️ recipes and decorating tips.

Cookies decorating ideas and inspiration from On2In2™

It's fun to bake and decorate christmas cookies with these On2In2™ recipes and tips.

It's fun to bake and decorate holiday cookies with these On2In2™ recipes and tips.

Cookie decorating for Thanksgiving holiday

Feature photo courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Magic Tricks

October 18, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

There’s a mystical feeling of awe in magic, sparked in a person’s mind with staged tricks and illusions performed by talented magicians (sometimes referred to as ‘illusionists’). One of the oldest forms of performing arts in the world, magic shows have been popular entertainment for centuries, and magic tricks continue to evolve and amaze us.

For those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not believe, no explanation will suffice. — Joseph Dunninger (1892 – 1975), aka ‘The Amazing Dunninger’, pioneer performer of magic on radio and television

TRICKS of the TRADE

Magicians pull rabbits out of an empty hat, make objects seem to disappear or move from one place to another, transform the colors of a silk handkerchief, destroy something (like cutting off a head or tearing a dollar bill) and restore it, and escape from a restraining device [Harry Houdini (1874 – 1926) was known as the ‘Handcuff King’]. Other illusions include making something appear to defy gravity (levitation), making a solid object appear to pass through another object, and predicting the choice of a spectator (e.g., a specific card from a deck, word or number). Really, there are many different types of tricks, and magic acts often use several combinations of effects.

Creating “real” magic moments while faced with fast-paced technological advances during the last 50 years has presented challenges for magicians. However, Doug McKenzie, a New York-based magician and mentalist, has found innovative ways to merge traditional magic tricks with 21st century tech. Absolutely, crazy amazing. Watch these videos and see McKenzie in action.

LEARNING MAGIC TRICKS

Magic is a fun to learn creative art form, but the teaching of magic was at one time quite secretive, and professional magicians were often unwilling to share their knowledge and magic tricks with hobbyists and amateurs. Today, there are many books (See Magic Trick Instruction Book Selections), videos and online ‘how-to’ resources available to beginners. However, there’s more to magic than learning some tricks. It takes study, training, and lots of practice. How to Learn Magic Tricks (with Pictures), WikiHow

Jay Sankey shares his secret to reading minds using a paper napkin in this video demo.

Watch this ‘how-to’ video demonstration of a cool card trick for beginners.

Information/Resources:

Magic clubs offer an opportunity for new and experienced magicians to help one another learn and improve. There are usually minimum requirements, auditions and club membership fees. Here’s → a list of magic clubs around the world

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.

Photo credits:

Levitation performed by P.C. Sorcar (Magician), Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library Digital Collections

5 of Diamonds Card magic feature photo, Omid Armin/Unsplash CC0

FREEBIES

Word Play

Art Therapy

Spring Flowers

Love Conquers All

Glowing Glühwein

A Thousand Sparks

Chess for Everyone

Chocolate Amaretto Truffles

Cookie Crunch

Magic Tricks

MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS

FREEBIES

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MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS