Svetlana Kondakova

Art Appreciation

I came across a painting by Russian-born artist Svetlana Kondakova of a woman lying in the grass motionless with a skull next to her. This painting which is titled Ophelia more than likely is in reference to William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

As explained on her website, many of her works are introspective. Her educational background in Scotland, Greece, and Bolivia have provided inspiration for her paintings.

You can see more of her beautiful works HERE.

Ophelia via artodyssey1

Self-Portrait via svetlanakondakova

Swan via artodyssey1

Sources:

http://www.svetlanakondakova.com/
https://www.virtualgallery.com/galleries/svetlana_kondakova_a1577875
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2013/11/svetlana-kondakova.html
http://svetlanakondakova.blogspot.com/

Spice World

Film Appreciation

When I was a sophomore in college, it seems as if the Spice Girls were everywhere.

Soon after the release of their debut studio album, Spice, the Spice Girls (Baby Spice, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm and Victoria Addams) starred in the lighthearted musical comedy, Spice World.

Considered a ripoff of The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night (1964), the 1997 film depicts fictional events the Spice Girls encounter leading up to a major concert. Some iconic actors appear in the film such as Roger Moore, Meat Loaf, Bob Hoskins, and Elvis Costello, which makes watching the film entertaining.

Despite negative reviews, the film was a box office success.


via ramixbucks

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_World_(film)
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/spice-world-1998

D.W. Griffith

Film Appreciation

He is considered the "Inventor of Hollywood." David Llewelyn Wark "D.W." Griffith is best known for directing Birth of a Nation, an adaptation of Thomas Dixon Jr.'s The Clansmen. The 1915 feature film is a story during the Civil War and Reconstruction era where the speaker of the house is portrayed to punish the Southern whites and empowering former slaves. In the film, the Ku Klux Klan is shown to protect the White Southerners.

Born on January 22,1875, Griffith is credited for being innovative in his film-making techniques and co-founding United Artists.

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/dw-griffith-9321016#synopsis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._W._Griffith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clansman:_An_Historical_Romance_of_the_Ku_Klux_Klan

The Integrity of Journalism and Blogging

PARDON THE INTERRUPTION 

There is a huge difference between journalism and blogging.

As defined by the AP, journalism is the activity of gathering (researching), assessing (investigating/evaluating), creating (writing), and presenting news and information. I'd add further that before a piece is printed, there is a form of review by editors.

Blogging, as defined by Webster, is a web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where many obtain news from unsubstantiated sources, such as social media and blogs. Many of these blogs have questioned the integrity of journalism--a source of substantiated information (see definition above).

What's worse is when news organizations take blogs (a source of personal opinion) as credible information and report it as "factual."

When blogging, I try to practice my journalistic education, but at the same time offer my opinion and perspective. The main purpose of many of my entries are more to share what I learn and what I experience. However, in no way do I feel that readers should take my entries, although many well researched, as factual.

Cosplay... Is An Art: ExpoComic 2015

  via Samuel H

blink-182 - All The Small Things

Music Appreciation

Selected by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs," Blink-182's "All the Small Things" was released on January 18, 2000. The song was written by Tom DeLong as an ode to his wife and his favorite band, the Ramones.

The music video, which won an MTV Video Music Award, featured the band doing parodies of pop boy bands and Britney Spears and Christina Aguilar.

One of the most memorable thing I remember is the album cover for Enema of the State, which featured famous porn star Janine Lindemulder.




via Blink182VEVO


Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Small_Things

Eric Bowman

Art Appreciation

I came across the art work by Californian artist Eric Bowman, while surfing one of my favorite art blogs, Art Odyssey.

What caught my attention from this self-taught and award winning painter is the use of light to emphasize the detail of the subject and emotion he wishes the viewer to feel. For example, you can feel the singer in the painting titled Burgundy Blue.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Burgundy Blue via via artodyssey1

No Privacy Backstage via artodyssey1

Take Five via artodyssey1

Sources:

http://ericbowman.com/
https://www.facebook.com/eric.bowman.5076
http://ericbowmanartist.blogspot.com/
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2014/07/eric-bowman.html
http://wikipainting.blogspot.com/2015/10/eric-bowman.html