Filmmaking in a Different Era

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Posted on July 19, 2013

If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.”
― Rudyard Kipling, The Collected Works

What do movie mogul George Lucas and Norman Rockwell have in common? They are both visual storytellers, Lucas through film and Rockwell through iconic illustrations of of American people.

Lucas, producer and creator of the “Star Wars” empire, has sold his company, Lucasfilms, to Disney for a reported four billion dollars. As a top art collector, his retirement interests include opening a museum in San Francisco, to share with the public his vast private collection of Rockwell art, N.C. Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish paintings, comic art, along with comic art and children’s book illustrations. http://yhoo.it/1baeepf. Lucas is also interested in highlighting fashion, the cinematic arts, and digital art in the museum exhibitions to inspire young people and to appeal to a broad spectrum of people in multiple generations.

Steven Spielberg, another huge collector of Rockwell art, also has interests in Lucas’ museum plans. A book, Telling Stories, was published in connection with a 2010 SmithsonianAmericanArt Museum exhibit comprising Spielberg and Lucas’ private collections of Norman Rockwell art. The connection of Norman Rockwell’s depictions of American life and the movies is evident in this book.

Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg is available through Amazon.com. Order this book, and enjoy seeing visual images of the American filmmaking way before the digital age.

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Artist Spotlight: Driftwood Art

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Posted on July 18, 2013

If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us.” ~Daisaku Ikeda

One evening at the Second Saturday Artwalk in Cambridge, Maryland I had the priviledge of meeting Lynn Cegelski, an artist who makes driftwood art. Living so close to the shore of the Chesapeake, the material she needs to create her green art is readily available. She recycles a natural resource, wood that has been cast into the ocean, tumbled by the waters then discarded onto beaches. The wood is her canvas, and the shape provides inspiration for what she is going to create.

At her exhibit last week at the DorchesterCenter for the Arts http://www.dorchesterarts.org/ , paintings on driftwood of a bald eagle, an angelfish, and owls in a tree could not have been better suited for their subjects. No carving of wood was needed. Sometimes, Lynn says “her vision for the piece of wood is immediately evident” and other times, she brings the wood home not knowing what she is going to do with it, but with time, a vision for the piece shines through after studying the nuances in the wood. “Half the fun of her art,” Lynn says “is walking the beaches and along shorelines in search of her treasures.” It is a way of winding down from the stresses of life.

I enjoyed meeting this artist, from Denton, Maryland. She was warm, friendly and her passion for her art was evident. I wish her well in her endeavors as an artist. Her exhibit at the DorchesterCenter for the Arts was her first.

For more information on Lynn’s business, Fiddlesticks Driftwood Art, please visit www.facebook.com/fiddlesticksdriftwoodart or contact Lynn by email at FiddlesticksArt@gmail.com. A company website is forthcoming.

Pleasure to meet you, Lynn!

Return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling for another artist spotlight from the Chesapeake region. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: Comeback of an Era

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Posted on July 12, 2013

“Any good comeback needs true believers.” ~ Unknown

Do you remember going to the drive-in movies? I love looking back at those nostalgic times of going to the movies with my parents in my pajamas, car packed with snacks, and watching the big screen outdoors, with excitement, till I finally fell asleep in the back seat of the station wagon.

Most drive-in theatres have been demolished. There are only 355 left nationwide according to Las Vegas-based Drive-ins.com, which tracks the industry. In the State of Michigan there has been a resurgence of drive-in theatres. Think about it – with jumbotron screens, like those you see in sports arenas, at concerts, and in Times Square, reviving outdoor movie viewing may make sense in more ways in one!

Reliving a bygone era makes for a fun bonding experience with family and friends. Using land that has been sitting vacant, for drive-in theatres, must be cheaper than building behemoth buildings to house cinemas. Downside is the short season for outdoor movie viewing in some climates.

Imagine watching Dr. Zhivago with snow falling all around you (the real thing) as you watch the movie!

Interested in rewatching an old classic, Dr. Zhivago? Click for info & ordering

That would be a unique experience. Perhaps there is an untapped niche of people, like the “polar bear club” who would find going to drive-in movies year round fulfilling. Social networking groups, enthusiasts who appreciate the art of the drive-in movie experience, in all conditions, might be the next big thing to spring up. You never know in this creative and interesting economy, perhaps we shouldn’t put drive-in movies in the museum of dying giants yet! http://bit.ly/12GKFTK .

When was the last time you went to a drive-in movie? In Michigan there are people who might answer that question, “very recently.” To read about the comeback of drive-in theatres in Michigan, visit this link. http://on.lsj.com/13QDldB.

Come back on Monday to All Things Fulfilling, the space for independent thoughts, words and views from CFS (www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com). For information on author Sue Batton Leonard, Click for info on her memoir

America through Images

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Posted on July 4, 2013

I think at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Happy Birthday, America!

Today’s blog is all about independence, patriotism, and all things fulfilling and nostalgic through American art posters.

Each of these works of art have been created by independent artists and can be purchased, and shipped world-wide through e-commerce (through the web or on-line). Please go to www.AllPosters.com .

As you take a tour, remember those who have fought to defend our country’s liberties, this day and every day. Enjoy the American story, told through images.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

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Do return tomorrow to www.allthingsfulfilling.com .

Rockwell Models Gather

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Posted on July 2, 2013

“I am the oldest antique in town.” ~ Norman Rockwell

I love the images of Norman Rockwell. To me they are symbolic of the innate goodness of people and the average hardworking American. The paintings also remind me of a time when children were not rushed through childhood and were able to retain their innocence and naïveté for much longer. Things like patriotism, creativity, family and fellowship among people are depicted in so many of Rockwell’s paintings.

On July 6th, the NormanRockwellMuseum will be having a reunion of the models who posed for the artist who are still living. This event is being held in honor the 20th anniversary of the new museum building in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Panel discussions and the opportunity to hear Melinda Pelham (the daughter of the Arlington, Vermont Rockwell assistant), talk about her recent Rockwell discovery and her appearance on PBS-TV’s “Antiques Roadshow.” To read more about the Norman Rockwell Museum and this event, please follow this link to the website. http://bit.ly/16z8gcm .Click for info & ordering on Norman Rockwell Publications

Sounds like a fulfilling event! Put this on your “to do list” if you are in the area. While you are there, check out the many antique shops, farmers markets,historic architecture and the spectacular Berkshire countryside. The Sterling and Francine Clark Museum in Williamstown, Massachusetts http://www.clarkart.edu/museum/ is just a hop, skip and a jump away and worthwhile seeing!

Have a fulfilling 4th of July week, everybody. Cheers to independence and all things made in America!

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Honoring Nature and Roots in Photography

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Posted on June 12, 2013

Good art is art that allows you to enter it from a variety of angles and to emerge with a variety of views. ~ Mary Schmich

The exhibit, Creatures in Motion, is like looking out at the world through the eyes of a true nature lover. The photography of Linda Roy Walls is featured at the DorchesterCenter for the Arts during the month of June 2013. Images of living things (bovine, beast and avian) in their natural environment, is the focus of the exhibit.

It is evident by the images Walls captures, the artist believes in “living in the moment.” Scenes of her environment, wildlife, and all other things that catches her eye, through the lens of the camera, provides an even more extensive photographic collection on her website.

Walls has honored what is important to her in her life through the three photo books she has published. One book, “Ode to Ed” is dedicated to her father, a war veteran, who succumbed to leukemia due to Agent Orange poisoning after three tours of duty in Vietnam. Her other photo books “Riding Waves and Herding Cats” and “The Content Canines” call attention to more of what she has found fulfilling in living on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Her travels to Ireland will be the focus of an upcoming publication.

Linda Roy Walls is also a writer for the column “Ponderings” in the Dorchester Banner and a contributing writer for other regional newspapers and magazines. Ever the artist, she is also involved in a portrait study of humble Eastern shore waterman and other locals who add flavor to the region in which her roots have been planted.

Stop by the DorchesterCenter for the Arts to see the photography of Linda Roy Walls, it is a limited but delightful sampling of her photographs. To see more of her images, read her artist bio and to learn more about her art, photography and writing, please visit her website http://www.lindaroywalls.com/.

We look forward to sharing more independent thoughts, words and views with you tomorrow on www.AllThingsFulfilling.com. This blog brought to you by www.cornerstonefulfillmentservice.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

Energy of Artists and Athletes

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Posted on June 11, 2013

Paint interacts with humans, with the canvas, with the walls around the paint.~Brenda Johima

Words like perseverance, determination, action and commitment tell the story of the art that Kirk Nowlin creates. The traits depicted in the bold images are many of the same qualities that both an artist and athlete must have to reach success.

This month, at the DorchesterCenter for the Arts in Cambridge, Maryland, the work of artist Kirk Nowlin is featured. He works in a multitude of mediums, but his intense use of color and sports related subjects prevail throughout his work. His large scale paintings bring an appropriate energy to the athletes he portrays on canvas. Serena Williams, Lance Armstrong, Darryl Green and Michael Jordan are just a few of the sports figures Kirk Nowlin has featured in his work.

NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, CEO Tom Giannopolis (CEO of an international IT company) are among his collectors who appreciate the qualities of talent, triumph and character that are shown in the strokes of the artist’s creations.

The exhibit of the artist, Kirk Nowlin, who was trained at the MarylandInstituteCollege, will run until Saturday, June 29th at the Dorchester Center for the Arts in Cambridge, Maryland. Stop by the 321 High Street location and be inspired by the energy of motion that Kirk Nowlin shares through his art.

Do return again tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling. We will be highlighting the work of an artist who captures creatures in motion through her photography. This artist has published numerousbooks with her images. This blog brought to you by http://www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Cambridge, MD: Creating an Art Community

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Posted on June 10, 2013

“Whenever we witness art in a building, we are award of an energy contained in it.” ~Arthur Erickson

Checking out the local art scene is something I find interesting to do when I am traveling. Last Friday, I stopped into the Dorchester Center for the Arts in Cambridge, Maryland.

Since my last visit about ten years ago, The Dorchester Center for the Arts http://bit.ly/12APkwy has relocated. Its art programs are growing, and they are fulfilling their mission of “creating community through the Arts.” After a successful one million dollar capital campaign, the art center moved into a large old furniture store space, and they are renovating it, phase by phase, to accommodate for their plans for the future. Fully committed to providing a “vibrant performing and visual arts center,” the historic building is large enough to house a gift shop, exhibit space, several classrooms and administrative offices and more. There are plans to fill the substantial space on the second and third floors with a 250 person capacity reception area and 400 seat performance hall. The entire structure is dedicated to the arts in this town of 12,000 people.

The day I first stopped in, there was a knitting class and drawing class in progress. Each year visitors of all ages attend gallery shows, classes, workshops and special events at the DorchesterCenter for the Arts. The staff member who greeted me and took me on a tour could not have been more hospitable.

Here are some pictures from my visit. Please return tomorrow so I can share with you information about this month’ s two featured artists and their work.

Best of the Eastern Shore, Art Programs

Drawing Class with Model in progress

Gift shop with paintings, jewelry, pottery, prints, all kinds of artistic creations

including books of regional interest by local authors

Below: My favorite thing in the gift shop – artistic pins by As Time Goes By. Baubles, creatively styled incorporating time and puzzles.

Please return tomorrow to www.AllThingsFulfilling.com to learn something about the artists that were featured this month by the Dorchester Center for the Arts. This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected<a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=sue%20batton%20leonard&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Asue%20batton%20leonard&sprefix=sue%20batt%2Cstripbooks%2C305&tag=allthinfulf-20&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&linkId=7UVM27KUVJZ3M67Z”>Click for info on the memoir</a><img src=”https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=allthinfulf-20&l=ur2&o=1″ width=”1″ height=”1″ border=”0″ alt=”” style=”border:none !important; margin:0px !important;” /> and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers.

Wandering Walters Art Museum

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Posted on May 28, 2013

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. ~Aristotle

As a teen, the WaltersArtGallery (now known as the WaltersArt Museum) in BaltimoreCity was one of my favorite spots to visit on rainy afternoons. It was interesting to return, decades later, to the museum as an adult. As a young person, I was not fully aware of the breadth and depth of the collections, ranging from pre-dynastic Egyptian to medieval to baroque and Italian. Flemish and Dutch, and art from far Eastern parts of the world (Asian art) is also among the more than 35,000 artifacts, paintings, ceramics, sculpture on display at “the Walters.”

Many of the naturally illuminated galleries, exquisitely showcase the artwork from around the world in the best light. The architecture is as interesting, and inspiring as the art itself. To read more about the treasures within the WaltersArt Museum, please visit this link. http://thewalters.org/about/history/. Follow me as I explore the interior spaces through this photographic tour. I did seek permission before taking these photos inside the museum.

It was a memorable Memorial Day weekend, spent in Baltimore. Time spent with my twin sister is always fulfilling!

The exterior of the building is far different than the interior. Don’t let it fool you!

Dramatic and exquisite entry into the “Walters”

Above & Below: Baroque & Flemish paintings inside this gallery space

Above & Below Images: Architectural Embellishments

The Leo in me couldn’t resist the Lion on the doors to one of the galleries

Images Above & Below: Italian Art

Above Image: Exhibit about book binding

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Fulfilling Tour of Newport, RI

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Posted on May 24, 2013

“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.” ~ Frank Borman

My travelogue of Newport, Rhode Island continues today. I had the opportunity to tour the Marble House, one of the mansions. High up on the Cliff Walk, overlooking Rhode Island sound and the Atlantic Ocean, it was home to the Vanderbilts who made their fortune as venture capitalists in the NY Central Railroad and steamships. Their investments and other wealthy families foresight in our country’s future, brought more prosperity through expanding commerce.

The opulent stone palace, now a National Historic Landmark, was designed by Richard Morris Hunt and was constructed during the years 1888-1892. Once complete, it was a 39th birthday present to William K Vanderbilt’s wife, Alva. How do you wrap a present like that? In gold, of course, inside, rather than out. She loved to entertain and saw the Marble House as “her temple to the Arts in America.”

Husband and wife, had separate private reading rooms filled with books, on opposite sides of the mid-level landing of the enormous, two story marble stair case. It is where they went to get away, relax from all their social entertaining. They also built a Chinese teahouse on the property with a magnificent view where guests could go for peace and solitude away from the hustle and bustle of the Marble House activities.

Alva and William K Vanderbilt had three children. Their son, William K, Jr. was a pioneer in auto racing. Their son, Harold pursued his passion of yachting and sailed in the America’s Cup three times. Their daughter Consuelo became the 9th Duchess of Marlborough.

Photos are not allowed to be taken inside the mansion. To read more about the Marble House and to see a photo of the gold room in the Marble House, please visit this link. http://www.newportmansions.org/explore/marble-house.

It was a fulfilling weekend in New England, exploring art, history and architecture.

Return on Monday to www.AllThingsFulfilling.com where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.