Blog #6

I have always had an appreciation for art. Although it was not until I took this class I understood its past and development at all. Like all things, knowing how art got to where it is today helps understand it further. What I am interested in is what will people read about when our time passes (if we make it over this summer :P). What will be considered "great?" Will there be an artist of our time that no one knows of, but gets discovered in 30 years, whos work is seen as the pinnacle of 20th/21st century art? Will the books simply skip over this century, as it does so often with others. Seeing the art being created so long ago is very humbling. It really has all been done before. Seeing the church commissions inspire abstract art decades later was probably the most interesting part for me. The way each previous century influences the next, building a pyramid of art that slowly morphs into modern day works.

Blog #3

Art today is used as propaganda in every extreme. In countries with corrupt governments, extreme propaganda is very prominent. Although you don't need a socialist government to have propaganda. In the recent presidential election, the famous image created by Frank Fairey was very prominent. Aside from the notable relation in style with those old Russian Socialist posters, (not saying Obama is) it also simply says, "Hope," showing a very direct message. Propaganda does not always have a negative connotation, as I feel most people make it out to be. It can reinforce a positive message, instead of a person with a bad one. Propaganda can be especially influential, mostly when it is the only thing someone has heard about a person or cause.

Blog #2

The term "genius" is thrown around often, and in the art world, and most people hand it out to those who they consider the best. However no one can be labeled the best in anything, especially art. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to try and dictate a general frame for something as complex as beauty is fruitless. There are individuals who do go above and beyond others and are not only skilled in their craft, but are highly innovative. For example, in the guitar world, you have many different branches in playing. There are hot-shot, fast-as-hell, music-theory bookworm guitarists, who to many, are "genius." (Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, etc.) However there are men going back to the 1920's, who with nothing but an acoustic guitar and three chords, created an entire wave of new music. (Robert Johnson, Blind Boy Fuller, etc.) Which one was more of a "Genius," the more technically talented one, or the innovator? Genius is such a vague word, and in the end, an individual can only be considered a "genius" in opinion.

Blog #1

Is art and religion relevant today?

Absolutely. I feel as long as one exists, it will be relevant. The main reason being that they have already had such an incomprehensible impact on our world. Religion is and always has been a prominent force in human existence. Even if you are not religious, you undoubtedly know someone who is. It affects so much of the population, and finds its way into everything it seems: Politics, music, fashion, television, and most other popular culture themes. In the popular childrens show "Veggie Tales," the seemingly innocent talking vegetables sing songs of sharing, exercise, and god watching over all of us. So long as religious people practice, it will be relevant.

While there are many ties with religion and art, both can stand independently. With the internet and digital editing programs, art has evolved to a whole new level. It is accessible to almost everyone, and the possibility for creation is greater than it has ever been. I would say art is more relevant today than it was in the past century. The amount of photographers, musicians, painters, and graphic designers is higher than it has ever been. While there are not as many gems it would seem, our generation has chosen quantity over quality. However, we are all striving to purify our expression, just as those who moved art forward in the past did. Art today is just as alive as it was yesterday, and every day before that.

The beach today, expression, and one other thing

Today i went to the beach..it was probably the most relaxing thing ive done in a longgggggggggggggg time.. traffic was a little rough getting there, but once we were there, i just sat back, put a towel over my face to shield the sun, and played sum geetar for like, 2 hours. To me, that is the most relaxing, mind clearing, zen set of activities out there.

Something about the beach manages to clear my mind of anything thats on it, whether its good or bad. its as if the waves wash away the thoughts in my head..and if you combine that with a nice sun/breeze and guitar, its quite possibly the most relaxing thing i could imagine.


A few days ago i went to the county honor band performance at gunn highschool..I dont know what it is, but when i see live orchestral/band music i just become enthralled with the conductor..when i see his/her passion something just lights up inside me and i can't help but smile..he was just spilling his emotions into the room through his conducting..that was really inspiring for me to see a person do that..and when he began to talk about music being part of the human experience i thought it couldnt get any better..he hit the nail on the head in my book..he seemed to have such a love for all the music in the world..some people say he was boring or cheesy, but i loved hearing him tell us about the peices and music to him..truly inspiring..

recently i've found my taste in music/art is fairly unchanging..however, i feel as if i can appreciate all types of music, in any form, so long as it was made with honest emotion..if the creater believes in what theyre creating as an extention of thier feelings, theres no way i can not like it a little bit..granted i might not love to listen to something, but thats simply my taste..i can certainly appreciate anything thats made with an honest heart. the person could be clinically insane, but if they created a mad piece of artwork with all thier insanity thrown across the canvas or something, i would still have an admiration for it, because its so pure.


one other thing..listen to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKaLqATmm3g

The Greatest Blog EVAH (imo)

I recently stumbled upon a blog by the musician John Frusciante..Heres something from the blog

When we make music we are acting into numbers, which are unchanging. In music various series of numbers are occurring simultaneously, finding a certain amount of coordinate points. When we hear a band in the middle of a song, one girl is on her 100th note and another girl is on her 76th note and another girl is on her 50th note, we nevertheless hear these people as all being at the same point together. In this way music exemplifies the reconciliation of differences. Though the numbers themselves may be different we hear them as being the same. Though we perceive each and every number as being different, in the end all numbers as a whole are a single thing as they are dependant upon one another and do not exist without one another.

When playing music it is not necessary to count ones notes but it is desirable to make the most of expressing difference and at the same time having points of connection. A bass player who is accustomed to just playing whatever is the lowest note in his guitarists chord is probably not making the most of his ability to express himself. If he plays different notes and different rhythms on the bass while the guitarist does his thing, and if those two things seem to emotionally connect, then the music is expressing those two peoples differences and joining them simultaneously. It is the same in life in the way that although our senses and intelligence endow us with the ability to see each and every thing as different from everything else, we are also blessed by being able to see the relationship of those things to one another and the fact that these relationships exist shows that they all exist together as a single thing.

Its also good to remember that our differences as people can be points of connection, and we don’t have to dress like our friend’s, or have the same opinion as them to strengthen that connection. That is what the exercise says: My right hand is seeing things one way, my left hand is seeing them another, but they join together and their union creates a third thing. Like two people of opposite sexes having sex and a baby resulting. Or gaining a wider view by conversing with someone whose beliefs differs from yours.

So true..If everyone was the same, nothing would move forward or change.

That's something i think should be on everyone's list of "dreams:" to always be changing...they say your brain stops growing at the age 25, that's when you stop "growing" mentally..(physically is 18 i think) Fortunatly, there are infinite ways to bend your thoughts in ways to move yourself forward...think about music, almost all popular western music is in 4/4, and is just a simple 3 or 4 chord melody...but do you think we're ever going to exhaust the possibilities of those things? i dont think so.

My personal thoughts (hayooo) about the brain thing revolve around some more spiritual stuff..Yes, our brain stops growing at 25, but in my opinion, our thoughts exist in a higher plain of existence if you will..the space that occupies our mind physically may be some nasty organ, but where our thoughts travel to and from is a place that cannot be in any physical form..you could call it the fourth dimension..(props to john frusciante for next line)

The fourth dimension is reality in its purest form, it is pure emotion and thought that occupies it..all pure real energy and vibrations..this world is pretty cruel compared to it..

Coming back to music..along with everything other thought that flows through our minds, music flows through you from the fourth dimension. We are merely mediums in which the fourth dimension expesses itself through..When you play a really powerful, moving song, that emotion and rush you get from it is the fourth dimension speaking through you..trying to speak to everyone it can before it has to find another way to enter the real world..

Thats what im trying to express as the fourth dimension..its that amazing feeling you get when you hear a song that "takes you away." I think thats enough of that.

First blog entry: My life this last year, and how music affects me

So with all the recent blogs ive been introduced to this last month, i decided to start my own. Now dont expect perfect grammar (see don't), i really dont think it'll take away from the intended feeling of what im writing.

Around this time last year, i found out what it means to be "high on life." I enjoyed the deep colors of the sky, i marveled at the juicy green leaves in my backyard, i had endless optimism and nothing could hurt me. As far as i cared to think, i was bulletproof. I had just started taking lots of photos, and finally found some direction in my life...something where i thought "i could do this for the rest of my life." And on top of that, this new found love of photography led me to meet some really important people in my life, and brought me closer to the ones i already knew. I had a new found confidence in everything i did, which included all school work..which in the past hadnt been my strongest point.
Early in the depths of junior year, i had an eye opening realization. You know when people say "it doesnt matter what other say?" I finally found the truth in that phrase. To know that it TRULY does NOT matter what other people think, or whatever someones perspective is on you. Who cares if some shithead makes fun of you? why should it matter? What significance does his opinion hold in your reality? And this is completely ignoring the fact that, in a few years, you will never see this persons face again. But you shouldnt need that last part, because the truth of it is, no one knows you better than yourself, and there are gonna be assholes who say things about you, but why should they be the final judgement on who you are. Most of the time they dont even know you anyway, so why worry about it?

Kind of a tangent there..But anyway i had that realization around junior year, and from then until the end of senior year, i was, for lack of a better phrase, walking on air. (walking on air:2. So happy as to be almost delirious; in a pleasant daze.) Urban dictionary, or whoever wrote that, hit the nail on the head. It really was quite a daze. I phased out people who i knew didnt appreciate who i was as a person, or failed to at least try to get to know me before doing so. And i never felt better about myself. It didnt matter that i didnt get asked to sadies or whatever, i honest to god, deep down in my soul, did not have a care in the world. Now obviously the occasional shitty grade in math or something brought me down for a moment. But i knew that grades are not everything, and that ultimatly, this probably wont affect the direction of my life.

Shortly after this "awakening," as with any hippy-ish epiphony, i began to think about life a lot. I began to construct my own philosiphy on every little thing. Whether the subject be grades, girls, too much tv/computer, school in general, i always went very deep into it to find what I thought was best. Ask me, and even if its something i hadnt thought something up for yet, i will have an answer. It was aroudn this time i really did a lot of soul searching. To find out whats REALLY important in life.

This particular episode of scrubs called "My Old Lady" really reached me. This old woman who decided she wouldnt take meds and was going to die, had led an amazing life full of adventure and..awesomeness..And so JD (the main character) is asking her why does she want to die, and reads her a checklist he made of things people should do before they die. Things like go to the eifel tower, or swim with a dolphin..And she had it all..And she asks him eventually,

"How many of those things on your list have you done? In fact, how many times have you sat in a field and done nothing? you need to start making time for yourself, young man."

That really made me think, I need to take more time for myself. To me, that brings up the idea of self respect. I take that term literally, you need to RESPECT yourSELF. I think of it as if im talking to myself. And if im working myself to death over some trivial thing, or a project you can do later, have some respect for yourself, and take a break..itll probably help anyway.

Not to sound selfish, but i really made a lot of what i do about me. I still helped people, and wasnt too different around my friends, but when it came to speaking my mind, and debating if i geniunly think something can be done better, then i spoke up. Im really going on quite the tangent here i think..ill skip ahead..

SO senior year rolls around, i feel on top of the world..Im a senior at school, im finally connecting with all my friends how i want to, i had a new passion for music and photography, and i finally have some direction. As the year went on things only got better. I kept meeting new people, and i had finally met someone who understood me so perfectly it was like talking to a mirror image of myself. Life could not have been better. I felt bulletproof. Like a god among men. (this didnt make me look down on others mind you)

i just felt like i had this level of security and tranquility few acheive in thier life.

But of course all good things come to an end. One or two big things in my life didnt work out how i had planned, and slowly, but surely, my illusion of peace began to crumble in my hands. At first glance, it seemed like a small bump in the road, but these few events seemed to set off a chain of realizations that in fact, the world is not as clear as i thought it to be. I realized that even if you give something your all, you may not get what you want. And that while sometimes you think you are being a good guy, you might be hurting someone in the process of that. Or that being honest, does not always pay off. Thats the cold hard truth. Yes, in my eyes, these traits DO wield some form of reward, it might not be what you want, but you get the sense of mind that you did the right thing. But again, this is life. You will fail at some things. But its like that saying goes: "it doesnt matter if you fall, it just matters if you get back up." or something like that..

But the one thing about all these experience and heart break i went through, it made me feel human. I felt like i had a taste of each side. I had experienced the highest highs ive ever had, and i knew the lowest feeling i had felt in my entire life.

Now all of this made me feel extremely sad, but i was without a doubt, able to take truckloads from this little experience over hte last two years or so. Many things carried over. I STILL am very optimistic about the future, and i beleive that if i try hard at something, i WILL acheive what i want. I feel more earthly now that ive been through the phase where i enjoy sitting in a field and doing nothing. Because i still enjoy that. I like telling my friend about how clear the mountains are, or just smiling at the sound of a song that really speaks to me. I feel like i have a far better understanding, although still not much in the real world, of whats really important in life. and for now, thats enough for me.

long post huh..well anyway read at your own pace..this next part is about music
====MUSIC=====

Now i know a lot of you who know me fairly well, know that i cant get enough music in my life. Im always listening to something. Or thinking of a song that i was listening to because i cant listen at the moment. Music has become my life, and i am loving it. I picked up guitar around junior year, and got taught by my dad. only around the middle of the year i figured out the song "Under the Bridge," and the rest is history. I practiced hours upon hours every day, but it was hardly practice to me. I was desperatly in love with playing guitar, and learning how to play it well. I didnt want to be just another guitar guy who plays "Time of your Life" by Green Day for some chick. Thats so stupid and if you do that, im not gonna tell you to stop playing guitar, but ill say i think your playing for the wrong reasons. Now this is just my humble opinion about it, but i dont see guitar as a showboating tool. I see it as an instrument you use in which to channel emotion and should be played for yourself. Not for others. Now im not gonna lie, i enjoy it when something im playing attracts some people over to listen, isnt that what makes people similar? If im playing something and i dig how it sounds, and someone else does, thats great! it means were both feeling whats coming out of the guitar. And thats what its all about people, not just guitar, all instruments...its about FEELING...I cant stand hearing about anyone who doesnt feel things when they hear music..Like that violin peice Jennifer Wey played at the year end concert last year with that other guy..omg that just sends such emotions through you.... Let me see it in your face! Let your body free and show me how your feeling! Nothing makes a live show for me like seeing the people playing the instrument just totally loving what they hear. Thats why i love this guy John Frusciante so much. (RHCP guitarist) ill put a link and you may laugh at him, but man does that make me smile. Just watch the pure emotion flowing out of his body. To me, if you play music, and dont feel anything, then why do you bother playing it? Or at least the grand product of the music, feel SOMETHING...

thats a big pet peeve of mine though, from earlier, the "guitar guy" who like, plays for people and sings some stupid song by plain white Ts or some shit. and the girls all swoon for him, and he plays it off like its nothing. Good for you, but your really kind of crapping it up for the rest of us..oh well..what can you do right?

that was kind of a waste of space, oh well, ill write more later..