Archive for January, 2010
Art for Art’s Sake!
Art enriches our lives, sparks our imaginations, and takes us places we would never think otherwise to visit. But art is disappearing from schools and even colleges around the nation, because art doesn’t teach a ‘tangible’ skill, but rather teaches skills for life. The combination of creativity and cost of art supplies has not continued to equate to the embracing of these fundamental skills. Nurturing creativity, innovation, and appreciation are the fundamentals of art, and without bold new thinking, the world would be a place in much worse condition than it is now. It’s important to request art be put back into schools, for the sake of children, and collegiates, because without art, nothing changes. Having an art show with students’ pieces on display easels is a great way to promote the endeavor and encourage artistic pursuits.
The first innovations to 21st century architecture began as art, film began as art, as did literature, and without these pillars of society, the world would still be in the dark ages. So visit museums, galleries, and encourage your children to be creative, you never know what they could contribute to future society!
Better Business Planning
When I started my own business last year, I expected to run a one-man operation for sometime, especially with the state that the economy was in. Luckily for me, I was able to find a cozy little niche market, and within a few months I realized the need to hire on three more full-time employees. While the extra workers definitely eased my workload, I hadn’t anticipated some of the new tools that I would need around the office.
After one week with my new staff, I recognized that we would need weekly meetings to ensure that everybody was on the same page. The first meeting was shaky at best, with me stumbling through my notes and looking quite unprofessional. After that little fiasco, I decided to invest in a few presentation easels, and since then all of our intra-company powwows have been much more streamlined.
Making Art in Limited Space
I recently moved into a new studio apartment and, to put it lightly, I am a little cramped. With just a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and small living room, I often feel as if I barely have enough room to breathe. While the view from my sixth story window affords me some idyllic sunsets, the limited space has hampered my ability to pursue one of my passions: art.
Before I moved to my new place, I had an entire room that was devoted to my work. Now I barely have enough space to turn around in the kitchen. Although it has taken a good amount of getting used to, I am beginning to adapt. Recently I purchased a small table top easel that I can setup on the kitchen table; this allows me to get a lot of my work done at home without taking up my coveted floor space.