Marsha Ambrosius- Singer/Song Writer

Marshas Ambrosius, born April 8th, 1977 in England a talented singer songwriter and producer, once a part of the duo Floetry brought her fame to the states, writing hits for some of the best artist in the game, she is now establishing her career as solo artist. Her R&B yet uniques music style is what gives her so much attention. Some of her inspiration include Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Prince. She continues to challenge her listeners, with her amazing vocal range and strength. Marsha is a truly talented artist and whom I believe in years to come will conquer the R&B charts and well be truly recongnized as the fine aritst she is.

Links
http://www.marshaambrosiusmusic.com

Her page, shares her biography, a great site that shows latest events and news in Marsha's life. The site also shows upcoming performances and new music by Marsha Ambrosius. There is also her twitter page so you can stay connected with the artist.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ_sZMZd7lY

A breath taking performance by Marsha Ambrosius and 3 other African American artist, on the BET special Black Women Rock. This performance explained african american women's strength and beauty. Marsha's soothing voice stole the performance,her along wtih each of the artist had solos each playing a character. Marsha whose second in the performance, uses her vocal pitch and soothing range to portray her part.one of her best live performances if you ask me. Check it out on the youtube link above.

www.youtube.com/wathc?v=Q0qd3qeC3Ms&featu

This link shares one of Marsha's latest songs yet titled "I Hope She Cheats On You" an up beat song. Expressing the female struggle in relationships hence the title. The song is filled with a variety of instruments, the dynamics change from high to low. A catchy hit, that you can listen to anywhere you go. This along with many of her new hits you can find on her solo album Late Nights & Early Mornings coming out March 1st, 2011.

Kevin Carter (1960-1994)

Wanting a Meal, Kevin Carter, 1993

Though I have only seen a single photo from Kevin Carter’s collection, his name and that work will stay with me forever. The picture above depicts an emaciated Sudanese toddler trying to make her way to a feeding table; as she rested, a vulture landed and seemingly waited for her to die. The photo was first published by the New York Times in 1993 and won the 1994 Pulitzer Prize. Shortly after receiving the prize, Kevin Carter committed suicide by carbon-monoxide poisoning in his car stating reasons related to depression caused by the horrific and expansive cases of war, death and famine he had witnessed in his career.

In today’s media, famine is a common subject – so common that it can be hard to remember that the people depicted do indeed exist and are fighting everyday simply to survive. This piece of Carter’s collection was so moving to me, that I felt almost snapped out of that numb mindset. I chose to post it today with a hope that it may do the same for others.

For more information on Kevin Carter’s story and career, please see:

http://www.fotoflock.com/index.php/learn-photography/history-of-photography/54-history/3406-kevin-carter-a-retrospective - An interesting collection of peer reviews and questions for a reader to consider while viewing Carter’s work.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981431,00.html – a well respected resource for a published article outlining career highlights and lowlights, and the death of Kevin Carter.

http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/odds_and_oddities/ultimate_in_unfair.htm - A more extensive and personal biography of Kevin Carter.

http://www.kevincarterfilm.com/ - the official website for a documentary inspired by Kevin Carter’s suicide.

Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman

I'm sure many know who Danny Elfman is and everyone at least knows some of his work, even if you don't recognize the name. Danny Elfman is an American composer best known for his work in movies and television. Since I graduated high school I have become very interested in music and movies and really enjoy listening and comparing the different scores. I first became acquainted with Elfman's work in the movie Wanted, released in 2007. After that movie I started researching his work and discovered that he has wrote the music score for many of my favorite movies such as Good Will Hunting, Chicago, and many of the Tim Burton films. I was also surprised to find that he was a singer in the 1980's band Oingo Boingo. Danny Elfman has been composing for over thirty years and has one numerous awards for his work, needless to say he is a very talented composer and I encourage anyone to look into his work.

Here are a few websites to visit:

Elfman Film Music

This link will take you to Danny Elfman's film music website. This website will give you an entire filmography as well as samples of some movie scores. It also contains articles that you can read about Danny Elfman and his work.

Danny Elfman imdb page

This page will show every movie and television show he has worked with, including the Simpson's. It also gives his background information, including his family life. This website also gives information on his current or upcoming projects.

Oingo Boingo

This is a fan based page that was created by a fan and is not affiliated with the band Oingo Boingo. However, there is a lot of information you can find out about the band here including their history and music. You can even hear certain tracks of their music on this website.

Here is a video of the main song from the 2008 movie Wanted. This song is called The Little Things by Danny Elfman

The Little Things

Jackson Pollock (1912-1956)

Jackson Pollock was an American painter who lived from 1912-1956. He began studying art under regionalist painter Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League in 1929. Many classify him as an abstract expressionist. He is well known for his unique style of dripping and splashing enamel paints on the canvas without a definite subject matter but this style did not emerge until 1947. Prior to using the all-over style that he is best known for he painted in a style similar to regionalists but was also influenced by Mexican and Native American art throughout his career.

I do not have a lot of background in the arts and am more comfortable dealing with mathematical equations and Excel (spreadsheets) but abstract art has always intrigued more than other form of painting. In particular, Pollock’s works interested me because of his technique. If you look at one of his paintings you could certainly equate it to chaos and many have but when you take into account the overall size of his paintings and the consistency throughout the paintings, chaos as a description of his works quickly disappears. You can certainly try to interpret what emotion Pollock was trying to display in his works (he was a believer in Jungian Theory) but to me his paintings are just beautiful and calming for some reason.

Websites:

National Gallery of Art- Gives a more in depth history and biography of Pollock's work as well as quotes from other people about his art.

WebMuseum- Gives a brief biography and also shows some of his earlier paintings.

JacksonPollock.com- More information on Jackson Pollock and his art. This is also a great site to lead you to other resources that can give more information about Pollock.

Bonus Site:

jacksonpollock.org- At this site you can create computer generated drip and splatter painting similar to Pollocks.

Jungian Theory- Pollock was a believer in Jungian Theory. This is the Wikipedia page on the Carl Jung and his theory of the unconscious.

Pollock on Youtube- A quick video where you can hear Pollock talking about his methods and see him working on a painting (there are many other videos on Pollock if this one peaks your interest).

Heather Angel

• Heather Angel
• Born in 1941
• Heather Angel  is at the forefront of wildlife photography in Britain and her work has been recognized by many awards all over the world including an honorary doctorate from Bath University, a special professorship from Nottingham University and a top award from the USA BioCommunications Association.
•  Heather Angel was President of the Royal Photographic Society from 1984-1986. She communicates her enthusiasm for photographing the natural world via her prodigious writing, her workshops and lectures. 
• Websites: http://www.heatherangel.co.uk/ 
• This is Heather Angels official website with information of current and upcoming exhibits that she will be doing and where you can buy official merchandise from her. 
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Angel_(photographer)
• The wikipedia page for Heather Angel doesn't have much information about her more current work but gives a lot of insight into her schooling and the awards that she has won.
• http://www.uklandscape.net/interviews/HAngel.htm
• This is a link to an interview that Angel did talking about her passion for photography and what she likes most about it. It goes more in depth with who she is and how she began her photography career.
• I Am very passionate about photography and that is where I find my artistic eye drifting to most. In my opinion Heather Angel is one of the best photographers not only in Wildlife photos but in photography in general. She has a natural eye for animals and nature without manipulation of the environment. She has traveled all over the world and won many awards for her natural talent. Heather Angel is inspiring for Natural worldly photography that I admire greatly. 

Steve McCurry- Photographer

Steve McCurry is a famous for many different pieces, but this photograph of an Afghan girl taken in 1984, got his name out into the photography world.

http://www.stevemccurry.com/main.php

This site, essentially, allows you to look at everything Steve McCurry. This contains his photographs from all around the world, his upcoming events, and gives connections to his blog, biography, workshops and many other things related to McCurry.

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&l1=0&pid=2K7O3R13O2CM&nm=Steve%20McCurry

This website is that of a group of highly regarded photographers, in which Steve McCurry is a part of. This website shows more of his photos and his biography. The site is a great resource to find his books, exhibits and etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/photoblog/2010/07/steve_mccurry_retrospective.html

This website shows just a couple of Steve McCurry's photos. Steve goes on to talk a little about these specific photos and how he took them, what he was thinking when he took them and so on. This is a cool little insight to the thinking behind the photos, which is a story we don't always get when looking at photographs.

Steve McCurry is a very talented photographer who has been in the game for a few decades now. I felt he has that 'something special' because he has the ability to capture the feeling of people and situations in a single moment; in a single photograph for all to see. He has a way with his camera that makes you feel like you are there in that moment; a way that allows you to feel, try to feel, (even if for only a moment) the way that the people in the photo feel. In his National Geographic Biography he says, "If you wait, people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up into view." His thinking is to wait, be patient and in a way the photo will come to you. He likes to revisit places multiple times in a short period of time so he gets the feeling of the area, so he can understand it and get the best photograph that grasps the feeling of the certain area. I am most intrigued with McCurry's portraits. The emotion captured in a single photo is just amazing to me. Along with his portraits, his other photos show how he pays extreme detail to the situation, the background, everything; which effects the photograph in every way.

Eminem (Marshall Bruce Mathers III)

Marshall Bruce Mathers III (Eminem) has been very influential to the hip hop industry. Over the past years, I have seen, heard, and enjoyed the progression of his music. It has been enjoyable to hear a artist that separates himself from other rappers who typically sing about money, women, and fame. He has gotten a lot of attention because of his skin color, which is only a small portion of his success. The majority of his success truly is due to an incredible talent, within the music industry filling the roles of a rapper, record producer, and actor at the same time. Eminem is one of the rare rappers to show up on stage with great simplicity in his clothing. He doesn't flaunt big chains, or big diamond rings on stage. There is nothing external to seduce his audience but himself. His songs tell his story and express an explosion of true feelings. Many people find him to be an inspiration. Eminem grew up within hip hop culture and breaks intolerance, racism, and the notion that people from different ethnicities can't work together. Since the beginning of his career, Eminem has contributed to the enrichment of hip hop culture. His sophisticated rhyming style makes for a brilliant form of art through music. Over the years he has become a respected artist with numerous awards and a unique talent to entertain.

External Links

Eminem's Offical Website: This official site has a lot of references to links including news, ablums, videos, events, community, and an online store http://www.eminem.com/

YouTube: There are numerous videos on YouTube featuring Eminem in concert, flims, and music videos http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=eminem&aq=f

Wikipedia.org Eminem: A in depth site including information about his, musical career, ventures, artistry, early life, discography, and flimography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem

Eiichiro Oda

http://onepiece.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

A wikipedia website of Oda’s most famous manga One Piece. This site gives a full description of the storyline of One piece in addition to each characters biography. This also includes new updates on the manga.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=4639

A basic biography of the manga artist Oda Eiichiro listing his favorite activities and his hobby. Also lists all the manga Oda has written thus far and all the movies that he has casted in as well.

http://www.inpforums.com/general-talk/612-eiichiro-oda-interview-i-found%5E%5E.html

The legendary interview with Oda Eiichiro that fans have been dying to read. This interview includes all the information of Oda Eiichiro and what influenced him to become the manga artist he is now.

Oda Eiichiro is arguable the best manga artist of our generation. Manga is a form of art that has been great part of the Japanese culture that even adults read daily. Oda Eiichiro is currently writing a manga called One Piece which is a story about a boy who obtained the power to be a rubber man and his goal in life is to become the world’s greatest pirate. The manga One Piece is currently Japan and the world’s number one selling manga and has been for the past ten years. Some people even argue that One Piece is the greatest manga that has ever been drawn. Oda Eiichiro has influenced numbers of famous manga artist to become what they are today.

Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein b. 25 August 1918 d. 14 October 1990

When you ask the musical world for their opinion of who their top conductors all time would be, almost anyone who answered would mention prominent composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein. He is one of my personal favorite composers as well as someone I watch frequently to learn more about how I can improve my conducting. He conducted many famous orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and a myriad of other top tier orchestras as well. As a composer, his works are mostly cheery, having almost a bouncy feel to them. There is so much emotion in his works that listening to each one is like sitting down for a three course meal as opposed to other pieces by other composers exhibiting less emotion, more like a trip to Wendy's. One of my favorite pieces to play by Bernstein is his Chichester Psalms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCOBWxUZ

bmA

In this recording of the second movement, Bernstein is conducting the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1989. The piece already has so much emotion, but just watching Bernstein conduct it is powerful. It is an example of him really pulling the emotion out of the musicians. Some of his other works include Westside Story, Overture to Candide, Waltz of the Flowers, and España to name a few. I highly recommend listening to his works, they fill me with joy as I listen and always have that ability to put a swing in your step. As a conductor, he is brilliant. He has a way of communicating with the orchestra that is rivaled by very few. It is always clear what he wants to be expressed and has a way of pulling the emotions out of the players. Most recordings of symphonies that are conducted by him are absolutely incredible.

He was really a jack of all trades. This is shown by another Youtube video of him conducting Rhapsody in Blue... While playing the piano part at the

same time. The man was a musical genius.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxb7yNG0DGc

The reason I chose Bernstein was because he is almost a hero to me. His contributions to the musical world as a composer, educator, conductor, and a person are on top as one of the most influential ever. He was not supported musically early on by his father and had to really fight and work hard to support his own musical growth. To watch someone as brilliant as Bernstein achieve his dreams on his own without much support amazes and inspires me. Not only did he overcome the lack of support and furnish his own success as a musician, but he became one of the most notable musicians in the world. His story really is proof that if you can dream it, you can do it.

http://www.leonardbernstein.com/

This website gives an in depth look at Bernstein from a couple perspectives: person, educator, composer, and conductor. It also has news and a shop to buy his compositions and recordings. It is basically an all-around everything Bernstein site.

http://www.classicalnotes.net/features/bernstein.html

This website gives a look into his biography as well as his achievements. It places him above everyone else in the conducting world as the greatest conductor.

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Be-Br/Bernstein-Leonard.html

This is another biography of Bernstein. Provides a few more details about his life not found on some of the other sites. Provides links to more sites with more information

Youtube.com

This site shows Bernstein's Genius in action as well as recordings of his compositions and other various performances.

Celine Dion

• Celine Dion is one of the best vocalists of all time, in my opinion. Although she is from Quebec and French is her first language, I am sure most of you have heard of Celine Dion because of her songs sung in English (the "Titanic" song, for example).

• Youtube is a great place to start if you want to hear more. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdjt0mWWH_M The song on this link leads to one of her most famous French songs and whether or not you speak French you know what she is singing about. This is called Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore.

• I just love the way her voice gets to my emotions. Her songs evoke so much empathy in me so that even if I haven't experienced a certain situation, I feel the emotions of someone who has. Her songs are usually love songs and that is one of the most intense emotions and most complex. The songs never get old because you can reinterpret them over and over. Plus, I really love to sing along! It makes me feel so full of life!

• To learn more about her personally, I suggest going to wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celine_Dion Wikipedia will also give you a little background about her career and history.

• However, I will give you some essential information that the wiki doesn't. She hired a manager when she was 12, who later became her husband, Rene Angelil. The age difference is 26 years. She dropped out of school when she was in 8th grade to pursue her career. She was hit by a car and almost killed when she was 4. Her father opened a pub and it became Celine's first stage. The pub burned down when she was twelve and she thought she lost her dream, but her mother got her an agent, saying that "maybe it's time for Celine's dream". That was really meaningful, seeing that she was one of 14 children in a very poor family and, since she was the youngest, her siblings often said she was a mistake and a burden to the family.

• Last but not least, you can go to http://www.celinedion.com/ to see the more superficial layer of the artist. I get the feeling that her website is done by professionals; many, many professionals. However, there is bound to be a plethora of information on her site. Most of the pictures on the website homepage seem to be of her Las Vegas gig, which is her current venue.

• Here is a list of some of my favorite Celine songs which I hope you will come to adore...

1. Sous le Vent
2. Because You Loved Me
3. It's All Coming Back to Me Now
4. Then You Look at Me
5. Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore

Lady GaGa

LADY GAGA

I recall seeing her for the first time on the hit TV show So You Think You Can Dance. There was something about her movements, and probably the heavily sequined leotard she was wearing that caught my eye. As a sixteen year old in love with musical theater, I was entranced. She had the whole package: a rockin' body, stellar vocals, and a killer wardrobe. To top if off, she could dance and had a truly unique sense of self. Right after that episode of SYTD, she became a sensation. Not only did she did she shock and appall audiences with her strange acts, but her music brought back the familiar techno sounds of pop.

Of course, the critics began to scrutinize her, saying her music was just overdone Britney Spears and similar to every other diva on the planet. However, I feel this is not the case. Similar to Madonna, Lady GaGa is constantly changing her image to suit her mood. She is inventive, creative, and ready to give it her all for hers fans. Consequently, that is something I admire and find to be very daring in the art world. It isn't often that people will put everything on the line to be themselves in front of crowds of people. As well as that, Lady GaGa was also classically trained in music as well as a little piano. You can hear those influences in her music, especially in her vocals. As a classically trained singer myself, I can tell when she's really using her mechanisms the way you're supposed to.

Furthermore, as I stated before, she's the whole package. She writes her own music, does her own dancing, designs her costumes, etc. She is the triple threat of the pop world and for that very reason, I find her fascinating and thrilling to watch as well as listen to.



http://www.ladygaga.com/bio/

This is a link to her biography which provides a lot of insight as to her personality and humble beginnings in rock and Burlesque.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ladygagaofficial?blend=1&ob=4#p/f/8/qrO4YZeyl0I

This link is to her ever so famous video Bad Romance. I felt it was appropriate to link to one of her videos because it provides a lot of insight to her movements, which are unique in nature and almost skeletal, as well as her fashion sense, which does differ from video to video. Bad Romance shows an eclectic mix of alternative glam rock and dark fantasy. Furthermore, this song is also a great example of her stunning vocals, particularly in the end during her riff of "Want Your Bad Romance."

http://dancemusic.about.com/od/artistshomepages/a/LadyGagaInt.htm

This is an interview with Lady GaGa where the interviewee asks her a lot of questions about what sorts of artists have inspired her work. The origin of her stage name, Lady GaGa, is also revealed. :)

Geeta Kapoor choreographer

Geeta Kapoor is a very famous Indian television choreographer. She is best known for her classical moves. Geeta was one of the judges of Dance India Dance, season one. She perfomed extremely well as a judge. After season one she returned as a judge for season two. At this moment she is back as a master of Dance India Dance Doubles. Geeta Kapoor has choreographed a very famous dance from the movie "Tees Mar Khan". The dance was performed by Katrina Kaif. The song was "sheila ki jawaani"which became one of the best dance of the year 2010.She has also choreographed lots of other dances in very hit movies like: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Heyy Baby, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, and more. Geeta Kapoor is one of the best choreographers in the Indian Television Industry.

Picture From: http://gallery.oneindia.in/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1325822&g2_serialNumber=3

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0438473/
In this cite, you can find information on the movies that she has choreographed.

http://www.gomolo.in/People/People.aspx?pplid=18259
Here you can find information about her life and watch a video of her performance in Dance India Dance season one grand finale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcKtDXUb6Cg&feature=relmfu
Here is a sample of Geeta Kapoor's choreography in the most famous song of the year 2010. The movie was "Tees Mar Khan". The song is "sheila ki jawaani".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG2pgnPyn-w
This scene is from Dance India Dance Doubles show. These two dances are in Geeta Kapoor's team and she choreographed this song.

An American Composer

Aaron Copland


Take a few minutes and list a few American composers. There aren't many the world recognizes as part of that ever elusive list of "Great Composers Everyone Should Know" - with one exception - Aaron Copland. His music has made classical music more known and accessible to the average American and beyond. Some of his most famous works ("Fanfare for the Common Man," "Appalachian Spring" and "Rodeo") are wellknown and part of standard repertoire for ensembles everywhere. His music reflects the American spirit and transports his audience to a different time.



















Wikipedia's page on Aaron Copland is long and requires a dedicated reader; however, PBS in six short paragraphs here, examines where his purpose would take music and how he left his mark.







http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/aaron-copland/about-the-composer/475/





The Library of Congress catalogued all things Copland: from letters to essays written by Copland himself. Besides letters being a gateway into his more personal life, the essays he wrote for various publications sheds light on what drove him as a composer. Unfortunately, his handwriting is illegible.




http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/copland/acbirth5.html







The Copland House is dedicated to continuing his legacy, first by keeping his music alive by playing throughout the United States, and secondly, by encouraging American composers through the Aaron Copland Awards.







http://www.coplandhouse.org/info.asp?pb=55&pg=1

Tracey Moffatt

Tracey Moffatt is an Australian artist who follows her passion. She is, by self-proclamation, “obsessed with art.” She isn’t concerned with what art is, or what it’s supposed to be, or even what’s normal. She is solely concerned with what’s inside of her, and what she wants to create. She represents the Australian spirit. She doesn’t limit herself to one medium and she approaches each medium in an unconventional way. She composes a photograph as one would plan a painting; placing certain items here or there, trying this, trying that. I am a firm believer in candid photos. I will never put someone in a pose, or place an object in my plane. Some part of me feels that this art of a photograph is in the capturing of the moment, and that composing the moment is cheating. But here, Moffatt approaches photography in the completely opposite way. She plans photos out in extreme detail and they become about the construction of the set, and the conveying of emotions. One of her most stirring series is the Scarred for Life series. She has taken a photograph and created a deep emotional plea with her audience. And is this not an integral goal of art? She attaches lines of text to each piece in this series which really enhances the meaning. She creates really conceptual pieces, which I really admire. You can tell there is meaning, concept and emotion attached to each one. The way she manipulates each medium showed me that there are many different ways to approach art, and that you can always push the boundary; there are always places to take your art.

http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/26/Tracey_Moffatt/profile/

This site has a comprehensive list of Tracey Moffatt’s work, complete with high-quality photos of all her work, from throughout the years. There is also a time line of her work, and a biography.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/atoday/stories/s229128.htm

Australian Broadcasting Corporation has a posted a transcript of their radio interview with the artist. Provides great insight to the stories and meaning behind her films and photographs.

http://www.stevenkasher.com/html/ArtistBio.asp?artnum=200

This gallery website has an extensive resume and list of Tracey Moffatt’s work in conjuction with many photos of some of her series. There is also a biography.

http://qag.qld.gov.au/collection/contemporary_australian_art/tracey_moffatt

This link to the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art shows one of Tracey Moffatts more controversial yet popular pieces. Attached to the photo of the work is a description of it’s significance to the artist.

Marcel Duchamp

His name is Marcel Duchamp, and he is a French artist. He wondered if it is possible to make a work of art that is not a work of art, and his ideas give a big revolutionary notion to later generations of artists.





Here is a webpage: www.marcelduchamp.net/Bicycle_wheel.php.

The first sight you see is a bicycle wheel picture; you might wonder why this is famous. It is just a bicycle wheel, which is not beautiful like an art should be, and you can see bicycle wheels in your daily life. However, he became really famous.

This: www.understandingduchamp.com/.

This site shows his works with the time during his life. He avoided any alliances because he had been refused to put his art in a gallery by someone, but he told the person that he thought Cubism was free.

And this one: www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/duchamp/index.html.

It tells his background and story. He paints one same side with different position while others painters paint one same object or person with different sides. You can see where a motion is from in Duchamp paintings such as Nude Descending a Staircase.

I chose him because he breaks the line and rules of what art looks like, and he believed what he believes even though at that time nobody likes his works, but he never changed his mind. If everyone just follows what already exists, there would not have today technology and many inventions that help people's lives a lot. The way of people's thinking is easily blocked by themselves. Sometimes, I feel so surprises by those new things because I am such curious how come someone can have the idea and really can make it out in real life. Thoughts are virtual, but they make them come true.

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918)

The Kiss, 1907-08

Light background:
Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt's work in the early 1900's exemplifies the transformation of popular art style between the old art of the nineteenth century and the new art of the twentieth with a strong theme of 'sexuality in art'. Klimt's early career in the late 1800's was based mainly on commissions; however, this stage came to an end when he presented the commissioned, Philosophy to the Ministry of Culture and Education, whose congress deemed Klimt guilty of pornography and excessive perversion. Despite this controversy, Klimt's work grew to be highly appreciated by the general public and Klimt was soon considered a favorite portraitist by women of the time. Interestingly, Klimt approached a new work by first painting women naked, before adding their clothes over the top - this is thought to be a rebellious step against the hypocritical Victorian repression of the age.
For further information on the life of Gustav Klimt, please see the links below.

The Three Ages of Woman, 1905

I first began delving into the works of Gustav Klimt when I came across a set of old, matted postcard-sized prints in a basement sale in Seattle. The kaleidoscope auras he uses to surround the subjects were fascinating to me: I could almost sense the opinion Klimt held for each subject by the colors and shapes he chose to surround them with. These features, paired with the awkward positions of the people he portrays forces me to spend minutes just looking at the paintings, unwinding the details before I can begin to think about their meaning. Though most of the meanings of Klimt's works are beyond my comprehension, I cannot help but love his blending of reality and fantasy.


Links:

http://www.iklimt.com/ - Gustav Klimt: His Life and Work
A simple site with (ignoring the occasional typo and grammatical error) interesting highlights of Klimt's personal and professional career displayed in an interesting, interactive form.

http://www.expo-klimt.com/1_4.cfm - Klimt Online Museum
A long list of many of Klimt's work with information for each including the titles in original languages, dates and media used.

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/klimt/ - WebMuseum: Klimt, Gustav
A summary of Klimt's professional career including information on some of his most famous works.

Anne Geddes

Anne Geddes' life work is based on the protection and celebration of babies. She is admirable because she is self-taught and is known for her given to many charities. She has donated pieces from her clothing line to children affected by Hurricane Katrina. One of the reasons I appreciate Geddes as an artist is the attention she draws to the vulnerability and beauty of children. It is an effective way to bring attention to the fact that children should be valued, protected, and they need a caring society.

http://www.annegeddes.com/images/09/anne/pressroom/Anne_Geddes_CityLife_April09.pdf

In this short article by Simona Panetta for the magazine, City Life, Anne Geddes is reported as stressing the importance of caring and nurturing the physical environment much like the infants she photographs need to be protected and cherised. Geddes' passion for babies and new life goes beyond the art she creates. She believe in helping to create a future for them as well. From using organic baby skin-care to natural fibers in her Pure collection of clothing for babies as well as through various charities aimed at relief efforts and the protection of children.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39692688?GT1=43001

The first time I heard of Anne Geddes was on this slideshow featured on msn's Today photo features. In this gallery are stunning photgraphs of babies and their mothers and babies in nature. The first picture, however, constrasts the beauty of aging against the beauty of new life with an elderly woman holding a baby wrapped up in cocoon-like cloths. Beginnings is Anne Geddes most recent book and it's focus is on nature and it's constantly changing seasons.

http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/anne-geddes/special-baby.html

In this article, Anne Geddes explains the background behind on of her smallest subjects, Maneesha, a premature baby. Geddes photographed her in the large hands of a man named Jack in the hospital that was taking care of her. The fragility conveyed in the photograph is breathtaking.