Plaster mold Beach Project



Over the weekend we decided that Sunday would be a great beach day. I was also able to do the plaster cast molding project while we were there. My oldest daughter, Isabella, was very excited about the project. She's a crafty kid and loves art projects, especially if they are messy.

It was a difficult trip since the baby is only five months old and cries unless she's being held. She definately did not like putting her feet in the sand. I thought it would be cute to do a mold of her little feet, but she wasn't having any part of it. My older daughter kept going further and further into the water making me nervous since the rip current was really strong that day.

It was a fun little trip and we had a good time taking advantage of such a pretty day. I think we will try doing this again but leave the fussy baby at home with daddy.

Avery excited Isabella getting ready to start plaster cast molds at the beach



Pressing her hand into the freshly fluffed sand

We poured the plaster of paris in the imprints left in the sand



Isabella's hand print



The plaster is starting to set

Seeing if it's all the way dry yet



Digging up the mold



Digging up the rest of the molds we made



It worked!



My mold is missing a finger, it broke off    :(

A fun family day at the beach

Survival of the Fittest and Beauty $$$

Beauty is equated with health and good genetics and has been the way species attract mates in the animal kingdom. Those who possess youth and beauty most likely are healthy and have the genes to pass on to ensure the species to continue on.  This is seen in brightly colored birds as well as human beings. But what about those animals that are so hideaous and frightening looking that they are able to survive and reproduce BECAUSE they are in fact so ugly that no predator is brave enough to attack it? Is that animal purposely ugly to others as a defense mechanism against predators?

The mockumentary about the trials and angst experienced by those who were considered to be The Beautiful People talked about the down side of being so beautiful. Would they have an easier time in life if they were to make themselves a little bit ugly? They might, but I can't imagine anyone doing that because it is so ingrained in our society and hardwired as a species to be the most beautiful possible that is almost unthinkable to make oneself ugly in order to fit in and be seen for what's inside.

The prettiest woman in the universe is named "Miss Universe" and is considered the most beautiful woman on the planet for that year. What does that title earn her? Money? Fame? Does it ensure that her genetics will continue on for generations to come? Of course it does. She will marry a billionare and have financial security and have beautiful little children who will also be financially secure with good looks as well.  But what if Miss Universe married a poor, unattractive artist or became a lesbian? Than her finacial security and procreation of pretty and finacially stable kids would most likely never be a reality.



Donald Trump Jr and his wife and  new baby

 So trying to be the prettiest, richest and strongest in today's world is just our species way of ensuring the survival of our species and to encourage procreation. The ugly, fat, unattractive, unhealthy, hairy and short millionaire will marry and lovely, healthy, young, leggy, blonde to ensure his genes will continue to proliferate. And they have a 50/50 chance of being beautiful as well. If they turn out to be unattractive adults, atleast they have their daddy's business sense and money, right?


Donald Trump and his wife and baby



Food art, more than just a cruise ship buffet decor?

These adorable and entertaining food sculptures are very inticate and detailed, showcasing the artists talents

A typical food sculpture/ carving

Renaissance artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo was perhaps the first artist to use food in creating images. He used paint rather than actual veggies, obviously since this painting was created far earlier than photography.

Knitting project

I liked the suggestion  of making hats for one of our art project that was made in class a couple weeks ago. Actually, I liked it so much that I decided to try teaching myself how to knit a hat for my baby girl. It didn't go so well, though.
I started out looking at the craft store, Michael's, with my 40% off coupon in hand. Searching through isles of yarn and books trying to figure out where to start was pretty ridiculous. I have never knitted or crocheted in my entire life and I have only seen my grandmother crochet blankets a few time and regretably never really payed much attention to how she did it.
Finally, I found a cheap and easy kit for kids that seemed pretty doable. It was a loom kit with four different sized round circular looms with a hook and plastic finishing needle. I was excited to try it and bought some cheap and soft yarn.
Well, the instructions were very vague and the black and white pictures did not do much to help in figuring out how to knitt the little hat. After a few days and couple of tries, I did actually complete something that resembled a hat.

Poor Baby Macy, she doesn't seem to like the ugly little hat either! It served it's purpose of keeping her head warm while driving big sister to school, though :)

Luxury of Questioning Reality

I beleive it is a luxury to be able to question your own reality. Centuries ago, most people were just trying to stay alive  and feed their families. They woke with sun, farmed worked and did what they needed until sun down just to start again the day. I highly doubt they questioned whether or not what the true meaning of their lives were. In the days of small pox and the plaque, people were just trying not to die and keep their children alive as well. The "Dark Ages" as these were called did not allow people time or the luxury of questioning their lives and the meaning of it.
After the Dark Ages and the into the rennisance, there became a much different attitude about life. Since suffering and struggling were no longer the norm. People were able to consider art, celebrations and have enough leisure time to think about things. With freedom of religion and availability of educatio, they were also able to spark thoughts about a higher power, the after life and the meaning of their present lives.
In the modern day, most of us do have spare time to consider a great many thoughts, good and bad. One of the common themes is what the meaning of life and the realities we have created. If we have a lot of free time to stew and think about these things we can become obsessed with the notion that there is more to what we see and how we live.  Many books and philospers have commented on the subject about our own reality and how we make them into what we want them to be. It's all very person and we choose our own reality and meaning of our lives as we feel comfortable to do. That is, if we are considered to be in complete mental health. Those who are mentally ill....well that's whole different topic.

Iconic Album Covers

Iconic album covers from Rock N Roll over the past decades can send someone back in time with a wave of nostalgia from the era in which the albumn was so popular.

The above albumn covers are very recognizable to most of us who are rock fans and even some of those who aren't. These were very popular albums by the Def Leopard and Pink Floyd, both with a large fan base and cult following. Did these artists and the record companies know these albums would be so popular and did this knowledge infulence the choice of art work? How does a piece of artwork become a contender for an album cover?
A band like Pink Floyd were notorious for political views inbedded in their music and the artwork on the covers of their albums reflect this.

Two of the Beatles album covers. Most of all their albums have their faces on them and little artwork as apposed to Pink Floyd who had a ton of artwork on all their albums and very rarely had photos of the band members. Maybe because the Beatles had that heart throb status and their pictures helped to sell albums?


U2 is a band who is also was origionally known for politcally charged lyrics and later on love songs. Most of their covers have band photos as well. Many consider U2 members to be "heart throbs" as well.

 While these metal band covers are very "Metal" they do not really reflect any type of polital message. These are pure advertisement for the music and the band. They are considered creepy-cool, which is the goal to attract a certain audience, mostly young men looking to be tough. These albums and bands were and still are very successful, proving that this artwork worked it's magic in sales.

This Is Not a Blog

This is not a blog.
This is not an art class assignment.
This is not an excercise in free speech.
This is not an expression of artistic opinion.

Interpret however you'd like according to your own reality.

Cool for some, freaky for others

This artist has created false eyelashed using the legs of flys. Gross? Cool? Edgy? I personally would not like to have insect parts anywhere near me, let alone my eyes!
The image makes an impact for sure. Long, lushious eye lashed are a global standard for beauty. Using insect legs, which are incredibly ugly and creepy to create the image of beautiful lashes is very interesting. What message is the artist sending by doing this?
The same artist has created images in a collection called
Mouth Eyes.   The eyes are the window to the soul and when we look at someone, their eyes are the main focus. By using mouths instead of eyes, the artist may be saying that the words they speak are over shadowing their eyes, covering the true essecense of that figure.  All kinds of weird and crazy things can be done using photoshop.


These are false eyelashes made from feathers with cool looking eye makeup to match.

 Makeup artistry along with photoshop can create a great number of disturbing and cool looking images. Sometimes it may be easier to just photoshop things, but it doesn't make as big of a statement or impact if the image is true to it's form.

Nail Art

The latest and greatest craze these days is nail art. I have seen girls and even some guys with really interesting manicures and pedicures that go beyond the basic buff and polish. It seems you can get any kind of logo or art work you wish on tiny toe and finger tips.


Extreme Nail Art

 The above nail art is incredibly impractical for everyday wear, but I can see how this would be a cool accessory for a celebratory occasion or fashion show. Maybe they only dress up the non-dominant hand and leave their dominant hand basic so one can still perform tasks such as going to the bathroom and writing?



Maybe you can get your manicure sponsered by local businesses and earn an advertising stipe end?



A variety of different designs, some painted free hand others using airbrush and stensiling techniques

Many of the more extreme nail art designs are done on acrylic nails using a large array of different techniques and products such as polymeres and glues. Not all of these products are completely safe to use on human skin and can actually cause burns or damage and permanent injury to nail beds It is recomended that all nail art is done by a professional nail technition who is schooled the appropriate sanitizing and safety rules for nail artistry.
For those of us who would like to participate in the trend, there are many inexpensive do it yourself kits like the one above. It's fun and the cost is less than 10$. Plus, with these kinds of kits you can still type.

Better off Dead?

It seems that many artists make more money and gain more notoriety after they die. From painters to musicians, artists who have passed on continue to reach high billboard music stature and sell pieces for millions. Why is this?

The most obvious point and explaination for a deceased artist's increaed popularity is that they will no longer make a single piece of artwork again. The number of pieces are limited to what is currently in existance at the time of their death, making each of those works immediately increase in value. Simple theory of supply and demand.

I also think that our society seems to romanticize the idea of artists and musicains who have died. John Lennon is loved and admired by many, including those who were born many, many years after his passing. These younger fans are so dedicated to his ideals and music, yet they only know of his philosophies and music from books, old videos, records and stories. And of course no one is going to speak ill of such an icon, so it's no wonder he is so loved. (As a side note, I do like John Lennon, I'm just not part of the cult following).

Another reason for an increased value of an artist's work who has gone to the other side is that everything old is new again. Like fashion, art is cyclical and the fun, exciting and hippest thing from generations ago becomes the in thing for those in the know. Bell bottoms, Converse, Jelly shoes and even the famous Danzig hair cut is cool again today. To get an origional item from fifteen-thirty years ago would be the ultimate in coolness, but many hipsters will settle for a mass marketed replica. The same is for music and art. An origional painting or vinyl record will likely fetch a hefty sale price.

Terminal 5 Documentary

I enjoyed the documentary we watched in class last week, Terminal 5. It was very interesting to see how an art exhibit comes together and all the hard work that goes into it. This was a case of life immitating art and how the entire exhibit and the airport terminals connection with the art world caused it's own undoing.

In the begginning of the film the architect said that they were not even sure the Terminal would even stand up and hold it's own weight. They were actually concerned that the entire structure would colapse on top of them once the roof was standing on it's own. The architects and those involved in building it were actually suprised that it worked and held up. The terminal was built with doubt about it even working from the begginning of it's conception. How they were able to get this project financed and how they could put lives at risk building a structure they were unsure would be safe is beyond me. I can only imagine that the laws and regulations in the 1950's weren't as strict as they are today. But the terminal was built and it did stand on it's own, becoming a beautiful work of architecture that created an incredible flying experience. However, it's beauty and design was it's ultimate undoing.

The currator also went into creating the exibit without a plan that was 100% fail proof. Her plans were done on a whim, just as the terminal itself was. The idea of the terminal was great on paper and in the minds of the creators, but in execution, but Terminal 5 and the art exhibit were in the end ultimately failures. Terminal 5 was celebrated and marveled at, loved and admired by those in the art world in it's short lived life. Just like the terminal, the exhibit was amazing and enjoyed for only one short night.

The terminal was not built to accomodate the newest codes and regulations and the exhibit was created in a place that had too stringent of codes and laws to exist. Both the terminal and the exhibit were not able to proliferate and flourish because of the codes, laws, rules, regulations and their inablity to exist while in compliance with them.

So in the end, was it the regulations that caused the terminal and exhibit to fail? Or was the very nature of Terminal 5 and the art exhibit able to be created because they did not comply with regulatons?

Art and Food

I was watching the the Food Network and noticed that a lot the shows are fueled by creative and artistic chefs and home cooks. The show that sparked my interest the most was a program called Halloween Wars in which the contestants were to create a variety of Halloween themed food items in a timed contest. The contestants were using various artist techniques to create their masterpieces. They were using sculpting, lighting, and imaginative engineering techniques to create really cool Jack O Lanterns. They were also making cupcakes and cake items that were spooky themed. It was so interesting to see how these people were able to create such interesting things in such a short amount of time.

Other shows I watched on the Food Network consistently referenced to the fact that we eat with our eyes first. Many of the fancy cuisine items made did indeed look like works of edible art. It makes sense that something so pretty would also taste pretty too. For a chef to be able to create a meal or dish that is georgous to look at and taste wonderful as well is a true talent.

I noticed that the chefs were judged on plating their items which is purely visual and doesn't change the taste of the food.  But it actually, a messy plate may change the taste because by looking at it first, we develop an expectation of the food before tasting it and an unattractive plate of food can give us a sense of disappointment before it's even tasted.