Arts Literature

February 28, 2010

Guggenheim Museum – Solomon R. Guggenheim 's Great Gift to New York City

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New York is the largest city in America has been and remains the inspiration behind most of the most enduring piece of land of art and literature. 'S from Langston Hughes to Jonathan Safran Foer, and Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, New York City hustle and bustle of many an American cultural movement since the early 1900's it was. This fact is all the more evident from a wide range of museums and galleries, the best known of whichThe Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum, among many others.

View of art and architecture, New York, Guggenheim Museum (technically called the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) is one of the most interesting places of the city and artistic forum. The famous author EB White once said, "New York is the nation that the white tower is the village", and may be able to say that, artistically speaking, theWhite Tower in New York and the Guggenheim. Located at the corner of 89th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan's Upper East Side, to the architect Frank Lloyd Wright look outside the building, which he described as "a white ribbon curled into a cylindrical stack," and was intent on cutting-edge design, which makes the Metropolitan Museum of Art as "a Protestant barn." Although at that time universally condemned, the building is now regarded as one of the most beautiful of New York – as often happensCase with the best pieces of architecture.

Originally founded in 1937 as "The Museum of Non-Objective Painting, the Guggenheim was founded primarily to show the work of early modernists like Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky. In particular, it is demonstrated by the work of Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock on continuous basis. Recent exhibitions have different ideas of Russian art and socialist, Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition, David Smith: A Centennial includedand images of Baghdad born artist Zaha Hadid. Future plans showcases the works of Lucio Fontana and Spanish Painting from El Greek to Picasso. This eclectic array of artists and artistic works that show the continued commitment of the Guggenheim Museum in its original aim to present the work of the new modernity, but also new forms of modern art in the twenty first century. Although "high" in modern and postmodern art are the most important lines was pursued byGuggenheim was also host to a variety of commercial art, including motorcycles seasons and Giorgio Armani suits present.

The Guggenheim Museum in New York, part of the Foundation Solomon R. Guggenheim, founded a non-profit organization in 1937 by major philanthropist Solomon R. Guggenheim and artist Hilla von Rebay. Since the founding of the first Guggenheim in New York, the base for other museums in Bilbao, Venice, Berlin and Las Vegas, is open to the left, andin the process of creating another Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi. For tourists artist might, an idea perfect for the holidays, a trip around the world for all the Guggenheim museums. This idea is not as expensive as it may seem: for example, there are Hilton hotels in these cities and with the Hilton Honors award system, traveling art enthusiasts can use hotel rewards points accrued for recovering and miles of air with a variety different airlines, for theirGuggenheim world tour a vacation with a difference.

The relationship between language and art – the art is structured like a language

Filed under: Literature — Tags: , , , — arts @ 9:32 pm


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The art is structured like a language. There is also a conscious and deliberate mental activity and an irrational, unconscious form of expression. Art can include a sudden feeling of joy and liberation, and also include a mass of mental and emotional reactions. Art has the power to stir emotions and shock, the power to confuse, to reject educate, E. The language has very similar characteristics. Language is a tool we use to communicate and to express ourEmotions and thoughts. Through the language of art, we can also communicate and provoke reactions within the viewer.

And artistic value beyond the speakable and therefore can not be captured in the language or form of art function as a determining factor when its expressive or emotional content out of the reach of language?

The nature and identity of the work examined. If an object created in the imagination, is based on a theory of linguistic expression? If you useLanguage works to communicate the meaning and the cognitive function of art to communicate emotional meaning.

In the case of deaf visual artists, their art is structured like a language? Language is not only verbal, but can also sign language and symbols. Give a person deaf and sign language and the meaning of the symbols of mental form, from which to create his art.

Ideas alone can be works of art, are in a chain of intellectual development, which could be found in some form. The ideas are basedlanguage, that is, through language and symbols, we can create art. Conceptual art is based on ideas, it has undertaken in the spirit of the viewer as his eye or emotions.
The more we study this topic, the more you realize that it can not be separated from the language of art. Art is the language and the language is art.

Thunderbird Native American Art

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The Thunderbird was one of the most dominant icons in Native American art and legends. Indeed, the concept of the thunderbird has been so popular that it was not called in the application to be a Native world classic automobile, liquor, a 1960 children's adventure television show (and subsequent recent movie), a squadron of U.S. Air Force and the name is referenced in pop music (remember the word "T-Bird" in 1950's rock and roll?). The Thunderbird is one of the few cross-cultural charactersNative American mythology, as in the legends of the Pacific Northwest, Plains, and found in the tribe north-east.

The Indians of the Pacific Northwest Coast always lived along the shores and never ventured inland to the mountains. Legend has it that the Thunderbird, a powerful living God in the form of a giant, supernatural bird in the mountains. The Quileute tribe of Washington state as a cave on Mount Olympus, as the home of the Thunderbird, while the Coast Salish, it is consideredLocated on the Black Tusk peak in British Columbia. It is thought that never Thunderbird someone wants to come near the house. If Native hunters get too close, the Thunderbird odor and the sound of thunder by flapping their wings. It would also roll ice out of his cave and down the mountain come with a piece of breaking into many small pieces.

Some tribes like the Kwakwaka'wakw believe that their people as soon as an agreement with the Thunderbird for his help during a food crisisand in return agreed to tribes to Thunderbird all the time to pass to honor her image prominent in their Northwest Native American art. For this reason, many West Coast art totem with thunderbirds with outstretched wings are carved up.

The wingspan of Thunderbird has been described as twice as long as a Native Indian war canoe. Under the wings of lightning snakes which are used in Thunderbird as weapons. Lightning is created when the Thunderbird sheds lightSnakes or flashes when his eyes shining like fire. Sometimes these lightning snakes are depicted in Native American art, with a wolf or a dog as a witness in tongues snake. They are sometimes referred to as the Thunderbird dog. Native American Art exhibition of Thunderbird with a large hooked beak and prominent ears or horns.

The Thunderbird is big and strong enough to be their favorite food is the hunting of whales. Snakes are lightning Thunderbirdwhile hunting on the sea for the whale. After the deposition, the Thunderbird will return the whale to eat on the mountain. According to legend, the Thunderbird and Whale mortal once fought so hard, that whole trees have been uprooted. This was the explanation of why the treeless prairie regions near the Pacific Northwest Coast Mountains. Thunderbird and Killer Whale are often depicted together in the northwest Indian art. A great example is a popular NorthwestNative American Art Carver Richard Hunt in one of Northwest Native American art exhibit at the Vancouver International Airport.

The Squamish Nation in British Columbia, Canada has a thunderbird as their symbol. My Thunderbird is presented as one of the special messenger of the Creator. Squamish, Thunderbird is a symbol of strength and the change with the three feathers of the tail, that the past, present and future. Thunderbird is in the clutches of a face of a lizardspiritual protection for the people of the Squamish Nation represents.

For many people, natives and immigrants in the same way, the Thunderbird has become a symbol of power, strength and nobility. The vintage cars of the same name as a contemporary version of re-introduced.

Honest and Inspiring Tale of NFL Athlete Tony Mandarich’s Struggle With Addiction

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March 14, 2009

My Dirty Little Secrets-Steroids, Alcohol & God: The Tony Mandarich Story

Tony Mandarich and Sharon Shaw Elrod

Modern History Press (2009)

ISBN: 9781932690781

Whether you are a football fan, someone concerned about addictions, or you just like a good success story, Tony Mandarich’s newly published memoir “My Dirty Little Secrets-Steroids, Alcohol & God” is a rewarding and eye-opening reading experience.

In 1989, after an incredible football career playing for Michigan State, Tony Mandarich was the number two draft pick for the NFL and chosen by the Green Bay Packers. Who could forget the picture of him on Sports Illustrated that spring, showing his incredible muscular build at 6′6″ and 315 pounds, and the declaration that he was “The Best Offensive Line Prospect Ever”? It looked like Tony might become the greatest NFL player ever. Tony was on top of the world!

But Tony had some dirty little secrets. For years he had been using steroids to increase his performance. He also had an addiction to alcohol and painkillers. He hid those secrets well, but in his memoir he now tells his complete story honestly, with all his mistakes and regrets laid bare for readers, not merely for sensation to sell books, but to show how he turned his life around and to give hope to others suffering from addictions.

While the media made insinuations about his steroid use during his career, and Tony admits to it, drugs and alcohol were what really caused his world to fall apart. His memoir depicts the extremes a person will take to hide and continue his addiction. Tony details how he cheated on drug tests so he could play in the Rose Bowl and other games, as well as how he tricked pharmacies and charmed doctors to write him out prescriptions for extra pills. At times, he even drove eight hundred miles round trip in a single day just to get pills so he could avoid withdrawal symptoms. Tony admits he was not sober a single day he played for the Green Bay Packers. The high expectations for his NFL career were more than he could handle. Then once his football career ended, he wasted the next three years doing nothing but living off his savings from his football days to feed his drug and alcohol addiction.

After watching his brother die, possibly from steroid use, and realizing how his addictions were destroying his family, Tony made a decision to turn his life around. He checked himself into a treatment center and never looked back, refusing to be in the majority of alcoholics who return to drinking. For years, Tony and his brother’s relationship had been strained. Even though he was with his brother when he died, Tony continued to feel guilt and shame about their relationship. One of the most tremendous moments in his memoir is the spiritual journey a friend led him upon, using a Native American tradition of meditation, where he was able to talk to his brother again; he realized his brother was his spiritual guide and would be there to help him everyday going forward. This heart-wrenching cathartic experience was a major turning point in Tony’s life and speaks to the importance of the addict healing emotional wounds along with becoming drug free.

The final section of the book reads like a celebration. Tony’s story would have been triumphant enough by simply describing how he overcame his addiction. But Tony went a step farther by returning to the NFL to play for the Indianapolis Colts. Without steroids, drugs, or alcohol, his performance was better than ever. He was the strongest player on the team, but he was also humble this time, looking to be a team player rather than a superstar. He stated at the time: “Benching 545 coming out of college didn’t help me pass-block…That’s the way I look at it. I just want to help this team.” Similarly, his memoir is not all about Tony Mandarich. It’s about how a person can right past wrongs and overcome addiction. It’s about one addict coming forward to tell his story, to raise awareness about addictions and how a 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous and trusting in God can turn a life around. It’s about Tony wanting to help others who have fallen to recover their lives and self-esteem. At the end of the book Tony states, “If this story has helped one of you to recognize that you need help, it was worth all the media controversy.” Tony Mandarich succeeded in his dreams of being an NFL player, but more importantly, “My Dirty Little Secrets” reveals that he has succeeded in being an incredible human being!

The Adaptation, Extension and Diffusion of the Prometheus Myth in English and American Literature

Filed under: Literature — Tags: , , , , , , — arts @ 3:21 am


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The more we delve into the ancient myths, the more we come to this conclusion that how much these stories resemble to our own lives. Prometheus’s deed exactly like whatever we do is two faceted. Prometheus is known to the readers of the myth as both a hero and a Byronic hero, for some believe in what he did, and some think it would have been better to be deprived of the improvement and modernization which undoubtedly was initiated from the capability of setting fire.

In both aspects this myth has been used as a reference unwillingly or deliberately in writing down so many of the literary works. Starting from the ones which do not believe in Prometheus we have to mention Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” or “The Modern Prometheus”. With no doubt, piercing deep into all literary works orbiting around a “savoir coming” theme of each kind, a hero saving others, a hero trying to save the people, or trying to step for the good of the society but it turns out to be a disaster, is rooted in this story.

The heroism or Byronic heroism stories never seems tiresome to the readers and even the writers themselves, for if we delve the matter psychologically and discuss it based on the findings of the great psychologist Carl Gustav Yung we understand that myths have become parts of our being because we have inherited them. We never get tired of ourselves, do we? (Of course some exceptions may exist). There fore, we are never bored of these stories. We write them down on and on, read them on and on, and enjoy them on and on, as we have in different eras and different genres.

A simple discussion manifests that the usage of this myth in the literary works is not limited to any era and genre at all. “Every Man”, the best example of the kind of medieval drama is an allegory of what will happen by the coming resurrection to man, the creature influenced by Adam’s deeds, the first promethean action which lead to his expel from heaven, and now every man is doing his best to recapture what he could have had with no trial.

Shakespeare as the most important and famous dramatist and sonneteer of the English literature has always used heroism in both forms, negative and positive, in his dramas. He has vividly portrayed Promethean heroism in dramas like Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, and others. In fact, we can name all his tragedies as Promethean heroic. Their tragic essence of course, not only has no paradox with the heroism used in it, but also it accomplishes it and some how is a kind of confirmation to that. After all, Prometheus myth is a perfect tragedy itself.

Of course “Paradise Lost” as a masterpiece of the seventeenth century in English literature can be regarded as another version of Prometheus, and it truly is. Eating the apple was exactly what caused Adam and Eve to be expelled from God’s Heaven. Man’s disobedience, and the loss of paradise for eating the apple of knowledge is the same as losing the gods’ mercy after they were bestowed fire by Prometheus. In other words, Prometheus’s deed is like what Satan did to Adam and Eve, and that is why Milton has written this poem in Epic form, and also that is why we believe that Satan has been regarded as a hero in the story. We even feel sympathy with him and have admiration for his heroic energy. “Paradise Lost” is the best example of the usage of this myth in poetry, and although it is rare in comparison to the other genres, Milton has made if not the best, one of the best of this kind.

The eighteenth century was the time of Dryden’s heroic plays. His “Absalom and Achitophel” is an example of that. His rich literary form used has always been admired by every one and he put the very theme, heroism, in beautiful words. His “Alexander’s Feast” is a beautiful poem which has so many references to “Paradise Lost”. This era’s literature also owes a great deal to Jonathan Swift and “Gulliver’s Travels”. His super power and uniqueness in the empire of Lilliput is mostly misused by the society for brutality and bloodshed, what we think exactly of fire, comfort bringer and at the same time fight maker, the modernity cause which has brought upon so many difficulties and bloodsheds in the world of man. Wasn’t it better to be weak creatures in the hands of gods? We have Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” or “The Modern Prometheus” in the next century and the Romantic period. It is Lord Byron who introduces the Byronic hero in its true sense and in the best way.

The Victorian age is the initial time of Novel writing. Dickens starts writing about the facts of life but looking deep again this internalized myth has not been forgotten. His “Great Expectations” is the best sample, conveying both Promethean heroes and Byronic heroes. The other novelists and men of letter from this time onwards have continued this usage deliberately or else.

The American literature has not been an exception in using this myth, but the difference is that the American writers have been trapped in the wheels of modernization from the first steps. There fore, we find the traces of the negative aspects of Promethean deals more and more and mostly it is tangible in its drama. O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh” is an example of that.

The more we get drowned in the modernity and its disasters, the more we feel bad towards the fire bringer, and see him as a mere intruder in the gods’ decisions and a simple thief. So, the Byronic heroes come up and are more of interest than the one day heroes of the past times which people can only dream of when they sleep at nights. The worst we feel that even if a real hero and a savoir comes to us and the society, we would nullify and reject him. We may even call him “An enemy of the people”.

February 27, 2010

Peter Rubens – The Baroque Artist the Sensual Way!

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Peter Paul Rubens or Peter Rubens is perhaps the most famous name associated with the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century Flemish Baroque Art. The painter was born on June 28, 1577, in Siegen, Westphalia. In 1578, his family came to Cologne. In 1589, post his father’s death, Rubens and his mother came to Antwerp. Here he learnt humanist courses in Latin and classical literature. After the age of 14, the painter studied art under the Mannerists Adam van Noort and Otto van Veen. In 1598, he joined the Guild of St. Luke as a master.

Peter travelled to Venice at the turn of the seventeenth century and the beaming colors & the majestic forms of Titian deeply influenced him. Rubens served as the Court Painter to the Duke of Mantua for eight years where he was exposed to the works of the other Italian Renaissance masters. The painter’s work also took him to Rome in 1601, where he painted altarpieces for the churches of Santa Croce di Gerusalemme and Chiesa Nuova. These were his first extensively recognized works of geniuses. Rubens also learnt Greek and Roman art here. Until 1608, the painter kept hopping between Mantua, Genoa, and Rome in Italy. The death of his mother in 1608 brought him back to Antwerp. Here he soon became a leading artistic figure and was appointed the Court Painter. In October 1609, the artist married Isabella Brant.

Rubens was brought up as a devoted Roman Catholic and his religious influence was quite evident across his various paintings. These staunch religious beliefs, gave his work a conformist look; but he made up for this conservative touch by adding vibrant colors and movement to his paintings. A typical example of Rubens’ Baroque Art is “The Raising of the Cross (1610).” His paintings in general, exuded brilliance and glimmer. A beautiful example of such work is titled “The Descent from the Cross (1611-14),” which is adorned with radiant colors and movement.

In 1620s, the Baroque painter set up a workshop where he painted and supervised qualified artists to produce glorious works such as the 21 paintings series that depicted the life of Marie de Medicis. Anthony Van Dyck, Frank Synders, and Jacob Jordaeans were some of the artists who worked at his studio and later went about their own wars, carving a niche for themselves. Rubens was in Madrid in 1628-29 where he made friends with the painter Diego Velazquez. In 1630, the artist came to London via Antwerp. Rubens painted “Allegory of Peace and War (1629) during the travel.” After his first wife’s death in 1630, the painter married 16-year-old Hélène Fourment. She was the inspiration behind the voluptuous figures in his paintings such as “The Feast of Venus (1635),” “The Three Graces (1636-38),” and “The Judgment of Paris (1638-39).” The painter is therefore considered the inspiration behind the coining of the terms ‘Rubensian’ or ‘Rubenesque.’ The terms refer to the full-figured women for whom the painter carried a soft corner in most of his paintings. Rubens executed an enormous body of works that spanned to almost all the corners of the painting arena.

In the later phase of his life, Rubens settled outside Antwerp where he spent much of his time painting landscapes. The famous paintings titled “Chateau de Steen with Hunter (1635-38)” and “Farmers Returning from the Fields (1635)” are some of his most magnificent works. Besides being a prodigal Baroque painter, he was a well-educated person with a very refined taste in art as well as literature. He received an honorary degree of the Masters of Arts from Cambridge University in 1629. He was a fine diplomat, knighted by both, Philip IV, the King of Spain (1624), and Charles I, the king of England (1630), a feat not many diplomats could achieve, let alone painters.

Owing to Gout, Rubens passed away on May 30, 1640 at the age of 63 in Antwerp. He was survived by his wife and eight children. Though not around anymore, his paintings however, still have the same grandeur and distinction as they had hundreds of years ago.

What to Do When They Say They Haven’t Read The Literature

Filed under: Literature — Tags: , — arts @ 3:20 pm


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Every day sales reps miss sales opportunities when they participate in this scenario at the beginning of a follow-up call:

Prospect: “I have your information right here but I haven’t taken a look at it yet.”

Caller: “Oh, OK, I’ll give you a call back in a few days.”

STOP! What’s wrong here? Let’s analyze the prospect’s words, and see what kind of clue we see:

Prospect: “I have your information right here but I haven’t taken a look at it yet.”

This is your opportunity to say,

“Ok, well as long as you have it there, why don’t you grab it, and let’s go through it together.”

This works beautifully for several reasons. First, you’re not allowing your literature to stand alone to do your job: the selling. That’s what happens when literature is sent with the instruction, “Take a look at it and I’ll give you a call to see what you think.”

On the other hand, when you request that you examine it together, you’re walking them through the finer points; areas you know they have interest in.

Also, you get them physically involved. When your telephone partner does something in response to your request, he/she has moved from the passive state of simply talking on the phone, to proactively engaging their senses of sight and touch.

And, you save time by using this technique. If you meekly say you’ll call back, what are the chances you’ll reach them the very next time you phone? One in three, maybe? How much time do you spend on pre-call planning, and writing or typing notes each time you don’t reach a person? Five minutes at the least? This time adds up. Time that is gone forever. Time that could be invested in more productive opportunities. Time that doesn’t need to be lost if you seize the opportunity when it arises.

Here are steps to keep in mind as you prepare your follow-up call so you’re ready in case they “haven’t read the literature.”

Four Steps

1. Your preparation for the follow-up call actually takes place as you end your initial prospecting call. You need to be convinced that they indeed are a good prospect according to your criteria, and that they do have interest in what you’re offering. Be stingy with your time and literature. Don’t be of the mindset that the more literature you flood the marketplace with, the better. This results in disappointment. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “Pat, if I’m reading this conversation correctly, it seems that if you like what you see when I send the specifications, we have a great chance of working together. Is that right?”

2. Before your follow-up call, be certain you review your notes so you have their “primary hot button” in mind. If you can’t pinpoint a hot button, your first call wasn’t strong enough. You shouldn’t elect to place a follow-up call unless you know the person is interested in some aspect of your offer.

3. Have in front of you a copy of the material you sent. Be prepared to direct them to a page, a paragraph, or whatever is appropriate to get them talking.

4. Don’t be discouraged if you do indeed need to give them a call back, IF you have at least tried to engage them during this conversation.

Even if they haven’t looked at your literature, take advantage of the situation and get them involved!

Ranking the World’s Universities

Filed under: Literature — Tags: , , — arts @ 9:16 am


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A number of different systems exist around the world for identifying the world’s top universities. The most popular academic rankings systems used in Britain are the ‘Shanghai Jiao Tong University’ Academic Rankings of World Universities and the ‘Times Higher Education Supplement’ (THES) ‘Top Two Hundred Universities’.

The ‘Academic Ranking of World Universities’ is published by Shanghai Jiao University in China and ranks the world’s universities using a weighted system that includes research staff being highly cited in twenty-one wide ranging subject categories (20%), academic staff winning Nobel Prizes and Field Medals (20%), past graduates winning Nobel Prizes and Field Medals (10%), articles published in ‘Nature and Science’ (20%), the Social Sciences Citation Index, Science Citation Index and the Arts & Humanities Citation Index (20%) as well as the size of the university (10%). Because of its comparatively non-subjective method of analysis, the ‘Academic Ranking of World Universities’ have frequently been mentioned by The Economist magazine in grading the world’s Higher Education Institutions. The Shanghai rankings are however criticised for putting too much weight on the Nobel prizewinners instead of emphasising the broader impact of a university’s scientific and technological output. It is argued that this also results in skewing the rankings toward the scientific disciplines for which more Nobel Prizes are awarded. There are 3 Nobel prizes for the scientific disciplines (physics, chemistry and medicine), 1 for the social sciences (economics), 1 for the arts (literature) and the Peace Prize. Universities with faculty or past graduates who have won Fields medals for mathematics are also rewarded, but awards for similar accomplishments in the arts are not measured.

The THES World’s Top Universities are produced by the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The ranking system is weighed according to the following formula; peer review (40%), citations in academic journals per staff member for the previous five years (20%), academic staff to student ratio (20%), recruiter review (10%) and internationalisation of the university (10%).

The peer review involves selecting academics of equal numbers from Europe, Asia, North America and the remaining world who are also selected in equal proportions from engineering and IT, arts and humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and the life sciences. These academics are then asked to name the top thirty universities in their subject area. The peer review is formulated to find the most intellectually active universities.

The ‘recruiter review’ compiles questionnaire responses from 736 employers that have recruited from the world’s top universities.

The internationalisation of the university is given half it’s weighting from numbers of international staff and the other half from numbers of international students. Internationalisation frequently creates the most contention as academicians contend that it should not come down to university size, and the smaller universities lose points due to not having as many international faculty members or students.

No ranking system comes without its criticism. The growth of education as a worldwide marketplace and the resulting competition has created demand for a university rating system. A lot of universities around the world acknowledge the THES World’s Top Universities rankings and actively strive to improve their own place within it.

Art of Painting Interior Walls

Filed under: Literature — Tags: , — arts @ 3:14 am


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Painting the interior of your house can be an overwhelming experience. But if it you are a novice and willing to learn, then it is advisable to run through a few tips on choosing the colour shades, faux pas painting, panel painting techniques and decorative art.

Compared to the other décor invested, painting is the cheapest and allows more modification. The furniture and artefacts have longer life, but painting allows you to incorporate more decorations in alluring designs. It is prudent to finish all the interior designing work done, choose the upholstery, allocate and label the rooms, design and install bath fittings, tiles work and then go on an elaborate search to choose the right colour for the walls of your home.

The range in white and off white colours is amazing. To accentuate or simplify the interior it is natural that most paints end up in whites. For a change, choose pale colours like peach, matte yellow or grey hinted blue. Going for a contrast colour on the window wall is another latest idea which is the ideal way to break the monotony. Blend it with a matching curtain and contrasting curtain holders to enhance the appeal.

The palette of colours is an unending list. The samples have fancy names but please carry samples of fabrics of your sofa cover, curtains, rugs and carpets. Children’s room can have thematic representations of cartoon characters or a fairy tale depiction. Disney land characters, like Minnie and Mickey are common. Whimsical walls with the depiction of Alice in Wonderland or creating a water effect on the wall like the story of the Mermaid are decorative ideas. Involve a Doll house representing such characters. Bed covers offer a range in children’s specials.

Learn the art of painting well. Mix the solution correctly. Get to know the different shades and the trick lies in invention. Start with a steady hand and confident brush strokes. Patience is the key and learn to soften the colour. For practice sessions, try painting the out house. Summer schools offer unique painting tutorials and literature on learning to paint is based on self study.

Grandeur effect is created by illusion painting, gold leaf painting and vinyl finishes. The techniques in faux pas painting relate to stamping, sponging, finishing, cloud patterns, water effects, striped painting, crackle and aging designs and colour washing to list a few. Combination of classic art and modern impressions allows fusion in painting.

Study rooms require serious tones and the living room needs to create a welcoming look. Bathroom interior walls need to be bright and unique. Choose autumn red and flaming oranges and a huge candle collection to set up with contrasting bath towel arrangements. There are special instructions for painting kitchen cabinets and panels.

February 26, 2010

Find Your Life Purpose In Under One Hour

Filed under: Literature — Tags: — arts @ 9:13 pm


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Some years ago I was suffering from fibromyalgia and general misery, when one day my back gave way and I was confined to the bed for three days. These three days turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as I was forced to take the time to rethink my life. I realized that I had been living off track for many years and SOMETHING HAD TO CHANGE. Lying in bed, dosed up on painkillers, I pondered on the meaning of life, the universe and everything. I remembered that the ultimate purpose of life is to feel joy (of the “my cup runneth over type”) and I wasn’t experiencing much of that. “Why not?”, I asked myself and came to the conclusion that it was because I wasn’t following my individual life purpose. The logic behind this is: If you follow your bliss, you will experience deep happiness and thus fulfill your divine purpose. Joy being the ultimate purpose of life as mystics of most religions point out .

My creative energy surged, as it usually does after a period of enforced inactivity and, tapping into the recesses of my brain, where a lot of self-help knowledge was stored from different sources (can’t remember all the wise people who contributed, but here’s a general thanks), I developed the following method of finding your life purpose in under one hour. The method involves identifying your mission and vision and forming it into a concise statement to live by. If you then live by this, happiness will be yours. I can testify to this. Halleluiah!

Identify your mission

Your mission is your raison d’etre, the “Why am I here?” A mission statement covers your personal life, your work life, your social life and your spiritual life. It is the “what and who am I” statement.

Take ten minutes to chose three actions from the following list that are what you enjoy doing most. I know, it’s hard to pick only three, but it is possible.

accomplish, achieve, acquire, adopt, advance, affect, affirm, alleviate, amplify, appreciate, assist, associate, believe, brighten, build, call, cause, change, choose, claim, collect, combine, command, communicate, compel, compete, complete, compliment, compose, conceive, confirm, connect, consider, construct, continue, counsel, create, decide, defend, delight, deliver, demonstrate, design, devise, direct, discover, discuss, distribute, draft, dream, drive, educate, elect, embrace, encourage, endow, engage, enhance, enlighten, enlist, enliven, entertain, enthuse, evaluate, excite, expand, explore, express, extend, facilitate, finance, forgive, foster, further, gather, generate, give, grant, heal, hold, host, identify, illuminate, implement, improve, improvise, increase, influence, inspire, integrate, introduce, invent, involve, keep, know, labour, launch, lead, live, love, make, maintain, manifest, master, mature, maximise, measure, mediate, mold, motivate, move, navigate, negotiate, nurture, open, organize, originate, participate, perform, persuade, plan, play, possess, practice, praise, prepare, present, produce, progress, promote, provide, pursue, realise, receive, reclaim, reduce, refine, reflect, reform, relate, relax, release, rely, remember, renew, resonate, respect, restore, return, revise, sacrifice, safeguard, satisfy, save, sell, serve, share, speak, stand, summon, support, surrender, sustain, take, teach, touch, trade, transform, translate, travel, understand, unify, use, utilise, validate, value, venture, verbalise, volunteer, work, worship, write

Now take ten minutes to choose three values that are core to your being.

achievement, altruism, charity, cooperation, creativity, dignity, economic security, emotional well-being, equality, excellence, fame, faith, family, freedom, friendship, generosity, happiness, health, honesty, honour, hope, humility, independence, individuality, inner peace, integrity, joy, justice, kindness, knowledge, love, loyalty, nobility, pleasure, positive attitude, power, recognition, relationships, respect, safety, self-worth, service, simplicity, trust, truth, wealth, wholeness, wisdom

Take your three actions (and another ten minutes) and form them into sentences with your core values.

For example, my words are: communicate, inspire, create and joy, wisdom, transformation. The sentences I made are: I communicate wisdom. I inspire transformation. I create transformation. I inspire joy. I communicate about transformation. Or, all in one: I communicate, inspire and create joy, wisdom and transformation. Ultimately, I got to: My purpose is to creatively transform beings and objects and to inspire others to find joy and wisdom.

Play around with the sentences and see what feels right to you. You might need to consult a thesaurus to get the exact word you need for your statement. Ask yourself if this statement can be applied to every area of your life.

The sentence you feel most comfortable with and which resonates to the core of your being is your mission statement.

Identify your vision

Your vision statement is the unique way in which you accomplish your purpose. It states how and in what areas you carry out your mission.

Take ten minutes to choose three causes / fields from the following list that you care most about.

addiction, environment, family issues, education, health care, elderly, children, the poor, the homeless, immigration, energy, agriculture, the justice system, veterans, nutrition, law, politics, government, news, journalism, performing arts, visual arts, literature, crafts, gender issues, music, design, sports, food, computers, printing, publishing, religion, community, reproductive issues, science, women, gardening, media, youth, churches, spirituality, the disabled, public safety, consumer issues, human development, personal growth, infants, childcare, child safety, healthcare, tourism, defence, space exploration, animal rights, animal care, literacy, civil rights, counselling

I had to “cheat” by combining a couple of similar areas to get down to three.

There are many other issues in the world; if you find what you care about most is not listed, just add it to your list.

Take your mission statement (and yet another ten minutes) and combine it with your chosen fields and form it into a sentence.

For example, I chose publishing, arts and crafts, human development / spirituality and got to this statement. I accomplish my mission by communicating my ideas through writing, art and counselling others on their personal growth and spirituality.

Your mission and vision statements have to “ring right” to you. They must inspire and excite you. Play around until you get the wording exactly right for you and you alone. It is, after all, YOUR purpose and YOUR statement to “do or die” by.

As the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard wrote: “The thing is to understand myself, to see what God really wants me to do; the thing is to find a truth which is true for me, to find the idea for which I can live or die.”

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