Art-Truth-Beauty

  Art is as true as it is observed to be. It may depict truth, ideals, wishes, or thoughts, or may not even have a readily discernible purpose.Without any prior knowledge,  Pablo Picasso's  Les Demoiselles d'Avignon is a challenging piece to understand. It is unlike any artwork in that, while it is "truthful" in its essence, it is not a true-to-life depiction. 

     Art is always, on some level, true, but art doesn't have to be beautiful. For example, unlike his predecessors' works, there is nothing soft, pleasing, or external about Les Demoiselles. The forms are sharp, the gazes piercing- the shapes distorted, the colors heightened and changed. It is awe-inspiring and vivid, but is not, by any conventions, beautiful. Beauty may be depicted in art through shape or subject, and art may truthful- but although they do not have to be woven together, art is not solely one or the other.  

The First Couple Steps

I read the book Buddhism Plain & Simple, by Steve Hagen, it outlines the base of Buddhism. I was interested in the portion about mortality and leaving. It fascinated me how Buddhism has such a pliable and open to the thought of death. The Buddhist view on the end, like the beginning, there is not an end, it is on going and there is an acceptance of the inevitable end. It was immensely interesting to look into another faiths view on the end of ones life. Death, as in Buddhism, is not always the end, it may be just a stopping or just a small event, death may not be the true end.

The Devil's Music

       The Devil's Music is an outline of the history of blues. It covers topics and the effect they have had on the evolution of blues such as slavery and Black oppression. In this book it showed that it was not purely black people who started using blues (a form of jazz music) to express themselves. In fact, white people played a highly significant role in the beginning of blues and the interpretation of blues we have today. It also spoke of blues in certain places, specifically Atlanta, Georgia and Memphis, Tennessee.
       I think I'm going to use some of the things I've learned in this book to further my research in the history of blues in a specific area of the country. I haven't decided which part yet, maybe I will research Memphis or Atlanta or maybe I will go somewhere different and see what the history is in Chicago, Illinois. I'm not sure yet. I'm hoping reading more on the two specific places mentioned will help me decide which place interests me more. I'm definitely leaning toward the history of blues in Atlanta, Georgia and the specific artists that come from there.

The Ballad of Bob Dylan

The book I chose to read for my research paper is, "The Ballad Of Bob Dylan", by Daniel Mark Epstein. This book takes a holistic look on Dylan's family, friend, and professional life. One of the cool things I like about the book is that a lot of the chapters start out by describing a concert. The author sets the mood, then describes the key and time signature of the song he's performing. The book analyzes Dylan by analyzing his song lyrics. I have only read the first half, and so I plan on finishing the book as my "second" book. One of my favorite parts in the book is the description of Bob Dylan and his fascination with Woody Guthrie. Something about these artists just gives my an idealistic view of what life should be like; it makes me nostalgic for past times that I have not even existed in. One of my dreams is to be able to go back and live in the time of the Civil Rights Movement, and experience it along with all of the other social problems we had.

Book #1 on Buddhism

For my first book for my research paper I read The Buddha and Buddhism by Kerena Marchant. It is a book that covers pretty much everything you could ever want to know about Buddhists and the daily life of Buddhism. I have learned a lot about Buddhism as a broad topic, but also the minor details that are so important in the religion. The book went into great depth about rituals and festivals, sacred places and texts, and also the comparison of Buddhism today and Buddhism back when it first started being practiced as a religion.
The information I got from this book will help me out a lot with my research paper. It has helped me narrow down my subject and decide which parts of Buddhism I specifically would like to focus in on. The religion is truly so fascinating to me. I am glad I chose this as my topic and I am glad that I found this book to use for the paper. It is a short book but full of information and very interesting pictures that give a better understanding of what the text is saying. The book has made me feel much less stressed about the actual writing of the research paper!

Dragons in Chinese Myths

 I chose two books for this part of my research- Dragons, Gods & Spirits from Chinese Mythology by Tao Tao Liu Sanders (illustrations by Johnny Pau) and  Philip Wilkinson's Chinese Myth: A Treasury of Legends, Art and History.

     The Chinese dragon, or long,differs greatly from the European concept of a dragon- although prone to rage, long are generally fairly benevolent. They are guardians of water and may be kings of their domains. As such, certain rituals, like the dragon dance, feature the dragon. Each tale about dragons, despite variations, relates to the landscape.

     Many of the myths described in the books are ancient and have been told for many generations- therefore, each tale may have different variations. However, in many of those that are retold, specific places are mentioned. For example, in Dragons, Gods & Spirits, multiple water bodies and cities are mentioned in the tales. As David Abram notes in The Spell of the Sensuous, the setting of a story is integral to the tale, and that "without saying precisely where those events occurred... may alone render the telling powerless" (182).

Grunge Seattle

I chose to do my research project on Seattle Grunge. Seattle was known as a prosperous city with companies like Boeing and Microsoft led the way in Seattle as the biggest corporations there. Seattle is also one of the stranger cities in the United States as well, there are more unsolved serial killings there than any other place in the U.S. Toss in the constant rain and a end of the continent isolation and "countless other ingredients that makes rock and roll reinvent itself every few years, and you have a movement" (Grunge Seattle). That movement was Grunge music. This book explains how something like Grunge music formed in Seattle and the impact that it had as well.

Buddhism

 The book I read was titled, Buddhism.  Upon selecting the book and reading a short description of the book I expected to be reading an informative, but ultimately boring book about the history of the Buddhist religion.  I was pleasantly surprised when I quickly became sucked into the book.  The book itself goes in depth about the three major types of Buddhism, Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, and the beliefs and history behind them.  It also covers the religion's political, social, and spiritual influence and history throughout multiple countries, cultures, and continents.  The book went into enough depth where I actually learned a lot, but not to detailed where it became unnecessarily boring (The pictures helped).  The things I learned from this book give me a much greater understanding of the meaning of Buddhist practices and traditions.  This book has taught me more than I thought I would be able to learn from just one book.  It has introduced many different possible research topics for me as well.  One possible research topic is the development, changes, and interpretation of the religion throughout multiple cultures.  Another could be about how the religion is practiced today in western society.  There are arguments over the religion being picked apart and the true meaning of Buddhism not truly being understood.  Others argue that some interpretations of the religion involve universal Asian practices and are not essential to being a true Buddhist.

Andy Warhol: Artists and Autism

Andy Warhol, known for his Pop Art technique that he used in the second half of the twentieth century, is a famous artist that is one of the most remembered artists of his time. He had several unusual social and mental patterns that match up to having had autism, though he was never officially diagnosed. This is explained in the book I read, Lives of the Great 20th Century Artists by Edward Lucie-Smith. Even though the book covers many artists, Andy Warhol was one that captured my attention the most. Warhol used his obsession with repetition (another symptom of autism) to create his iconic Campbell Soup series.

This new discovery on Warhol lends further evidence for the connection between autistic behavior and artistic talent. There has always been some relationship between the autism spectrum and creativity, but now there is more being studied on how autism can be seen and interpreted through art and music. Warhol would most likely be diagnosed with a "higher functioning" form of autism. Something on the lower end of the spectrum: closer to Asperger syndrome. Autism and Asperger's is seen in artists who are hyper-focused on details and uniformity. It is a common trait of many creative professionals because they find it easier to communicate through art than being in a social situation that requires  talking and making eye contact. Below are some examples of Andy Warhol's most famous pieces. I'm sure many of you will recognize them. He definitely had an eccentric and colorful artistic style.

Assisted Suicide

     I chose to do my research project on medical ethics, more specifically, assisted suicide.  Assisted suicide, or physician assisted suicide, is when a terminally ill person chooses to take a pill that kill them, rather than suffering for an extended period of time just to reach the same result.  I read the book, Current Controversies: Assisted Suicide.  The book does a very good job of remaining neutral on the subject and lists both the pros and the cons of assisted suicide.  Many different experts from around the world all voice there knowledge and opinions on the subject giving you a complete view of it.  One of the pros is that its your life and you should have the right to die,  but one of the cons is that it would push poor patients into choosing a $50 suicide pill rather than undergoing treatment which could be tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Theses are only two of the issues under debate and the book provides an interesting read for those interested.

Captain Beefheart pt. 2

After reading “Captain Beefheart the biography” by Mike Barnes my thoughts on Beefheart and his most famous record have changed. I’ve grown to respect and (almost) understand his “masterpiece” of an album Trout Mask replica and just how much practice, time, and dedication went into it. Some of the neat things I learned about the recording was that for some of the songs Beefheart ( Don Van Vliet ) put cardboard over the drums to reduce the effect and tempo or how that the album was recorded in about four hours, essentially making most of the album a live recording.

I learned a lot about Vliets past too, like how he used to be a sculptor and avant garde artist, or how he came in relation with Frank Zappa (Another one of the most influential, and different artists of their time). All in all I really like Beefheart and his legacy and hope that him or his work doesnt go unforgotten.

A Society of Symbolism

Symbolism, a term used by society to describe the iconic representation of it's various themes, lessons and ideas. Symbolism causes emotions we may observe, experience, and use in our everyday lives. Much like a metaphor, a symbol can contain many meanings at the same time, and more often than not, it holds it's meaning within meaning. For example, the iconic glass slipper in Cinderella represents long lasting beauty and purity of the heart possessed by its owner not only on the outside but on the inside as well. Also the glass slipper represents Cinderella's uniqueness, because it fits only her foot and no others. A lesson that can be learned from Cinderella's story is the true value of an individual cannot be determined by their station or appearance.
A story its self can be symbolic, the Legend of Hercules, the Roman name for the Greek Heracles, represents the journey to manhood as Hercules learns of his father’s identity and his quest to rejoin him on Mount Olympus. Instead of using fame and glory to help him return to the home of the gods, Hercules learns that being a true hero has less to do with impressing the masses and compromising your character for vanity and more to do with listening to your conscience, following your heart and living up to your own standards not someone else's.

Angles

             Well now that I have read my first book, I am quite surprised. I never initially thought that the Christians had the monopoly on angles. But I would never had thought of how many different religions use them and for how many different uses as well. I know religions end up forming orders usually. Did not actually think there was a lot of order with in the religion its self. For those of you who follow what I am saying. There seams to be a very strict hierarchy in place in which the angelic system is run, not just for Christianity too. It is a shared belief that angles operate with higher and lower ups. The watcher or guardian angle was also a common appearance throughout the book with various religions. Now I am very curious if I will find the same kind of connections with demons and their roles in religions.    
            With what I have learned I believe studying angles will be a lot easier that I thought. There is such a variety of angles out there and just about all religions use them one way or another. I just hope studying demons will be just as easy.

Naturalism in contemporary american culture essa

Dillon Chase

Block 4

Nowadays it seems like you can’t change the channel without hearing the word green. In this case, green isn't just a color, it represents the concepts of sustainability, reduce/reuse/recycle, reducing your carbon footprint, and being sensitive to the environment. This generation is more concerned about protecting the environment and reversing global warming, yet might be the least connected to actual experience in nature.

Parents of the current generation heard the dramatic news about the gaping hole in the ozone layer, and their children are taking the first steps forward to fixing it. They are doing this by thinking of new, and creative ways to reduce the amount of global warming and stop greenhouse gasses. The federal goal of reducing factory emissions is driving careers, and education in environmental studies.   

Perhaps one of the biggest and most controversial subjects in the media is genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). Massive seed and chemical companies have transformed almost all of our food into a biological mess, and only very recently there has been an outcry against this.  It seems like everywhere you turn you see the word organic and stores reminding you to buy locally. Buying locally not only supports the town/city that you live in, but also reduces the need to transport food long distances, which reduces carbon emissions.  

Americans are very accustomed to seeing trash stations that come in three sections, trash, glass, and plastic. These can be seen in many public places, and are expected to be there. Recycling is a reflexive habit. For example when a restaurant has only a single trash can, most people will be confused and look for the recycle bin, some even take it with them home to recycle it properly.

As much as today's youth is concerned with preserving the environment, they sure don't spend much time out in it. Most of the american youths experience is probably from learning about it in a summer camp, or doing a “nature walk” around their local park. This lack of exposure might indicate how we've grown distant and more afraid of nature, while believing they feel connected to it when they actually aren't. Most Americans have grown so distant from nature that they really don’t know what it is anymore. A majority of the youth would rather stay inside and play video games than hike a mountain or canoe in a lake.

Nature has played a huge influence in how we've designed some of our modern inventions, for example studies on aerodynamics from bird wings have been implemented in airplane wings and the invention of Velcro being based on burrs sticking to hikers clothes. Even high end modern swimwear mimics shark skin in how its hydrodynamic. Modern designers and engineers have turned to nature to inspire them because most to all of the time nature is flawless.

Radio and television advertisements promote green products and green careers. Whereas one might have predicted a gasoline company would be interested only in gasoline, these companies have image ads lately to express their commitment in taking care of the environment and designing future fuels. Their ads are almost like a challenge for all listeners to reduce their own carbon footprint. Its a subtle message for people be more conscientious to strive to be green, for example by turning off the water while brushing their teeth, collecting rainwater to reuse in gardens, and not littering.

Because of consumers care for nature many environmentally friendly, and green products have become available, such as hybrid cars and biodegradable cleaning products. Look closely at your next beverage container from a takeout restaurant and you'll probably notice that its made from recycled plastics and plant matter.  You can even choose to buy clean energy these days; entire towns are powered by wind farms.

Nature is a facet of American culture and will always influence the way we live. It decides what we eat, learn, and do in our everyday lives. With nature in mind we continue to improve how we use the resources we have available, nature is a beautiful place.

To Live Within A Dream

I spent my childhood moving from town to town, crisscrossing the country. Utah then Texas and Wyoming, back to Utah and again to Texas, on to Florida, to Georgia, and New Hampshire. We never stayed in one place for very long, and moving every couple of years or even months didn’t really allow for one to get too comfortable or attached to anyone or anything without having it all painfully ripped from you. So, being the quiet introverted girl with very few friends that I was, I did the next best thing. Instead of hanging out with friends and getting involved in a sport that I would never have the opportunity to enjoy, aside from the fact that I was not too keen on the athletic aspect of life, I picked up a book and started reading.
It was not long before I was hooked and ended up going through, at the minimum, one and sometimes two books a week depending on the size of the books. After the ending of first and heading into my second grade years, in another school and yet another town, I had finished my run with picture books. They were no longer interesting enough, I needed more substance and I longed for something with more action, more heart. I became so easily immersed in the mystery and magic of these bound piles of parchment, which smelt of wisdom and imagination, that I started to disconnect from the real world. All I wanted was to jump in and get hopelessly lost in the wonder and excitement of these marvelous novels that had so captured my mind.
Soon these bewitching tales had followed me, long after the conclusion of my reading them. They penetrated my dreams, creating new endings and enticing episodes of mischief and mayhem in which I was able to insert myself and manipulate. I was happy and I was finally safe.
Then I discovered legends ranging from the quests of King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table to the toils of Robin Hood and His “Merry Men”. Unsurprisingly, I quickly fell in love with these tales and as I read them they became a part of me and I a part of them. They became separate entities from the stories they had been before I experienced them. They shaped who I am and became an integral part of my life.
From behind closed eyes, my mind was both my escape and my torment. When my eyes were open I yearned for the thrills and adventures that came with the dreams. They were constantly calling me back to their presence, making me unable to wait until I would be reunited with my dear friends from my imagination. The hours in between my time with them were excruciating. When they were closed I lived countless lives where I was someone to be proud of, with no mask behind which I would hide. My life it seemed I began to live in dreams, those precious fantasies my mind and memory longed for. I've spent nights dancing under stars and twilights running ever faster under the towering trees. I've fought pirates and sailed the seven seas, flown to the second star and straight on till morning, glided on a ravens wing, and been sent soaring from a child's swing.  I wanted to dance with the moon until the sun broke into day and the twinkling stars guarded me from beyond the pale blue sea that blanketed the sky, to ride the wind, high in the clouds until the ground beckoned me to return once more.
Inside these stories, I was safe and finally felt like I belonged. They were beloved and sacred, and were the perfect escape from the ever changing and terrifying world around me. My collection grew larger and larger and spilled from one bookcase to another. It eventually became so vast that several of my books built up in stacks on top of my desk and dresser or were either safely stashed away on my closet shelf or neatly tucked into several boxes. I never threw out a single volume whether it was a children’s book like Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes and Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo: Who’s Afraid of Fourth Grade by Nancy E. Krulik or a more complex reading like Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini or The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. For me, each book was sacred and within their bound pages they each carried a secret world where one could escape to during difficult times.

90's Seattle Grunge

I have chose this topic because I love the music of this era and the expression that is put into the songs. Seattle 90's Grunge music was a dark type of music because of the intense lyrics and the drug culture that surrounded the type of music as well. When I first started listening to Grunge I thought it was just a bunch of untalented musicians but I realized that there was a deeper meaning behind the music which also affected the culture as well. It interests me because I love playing music and this kind of music has really influenced me so I'd like to find out more about it and the culture that surrounded it.

The Creative Involvement Behind Improvisational Music

I have chosen the synchronized, yet out of key, the tight and sloppy, improvisational music my friends. I'm so excited to write about this topic, first of all because I love to play improv myself but also because I'm an avid listener and just love the art itself. For those of you who don't know about this form of music, improvisational is played with only a main idea or notion of what you are going to play. Knowing the travel of the keys, the musicians sync and explore the different sounds, as well as try to connect to the body expressions of the band members and the crowd in order to find direction in the piece. I am excited to focus on not only the form itself, but the people who perform the music and the direction of its existence.