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.