Category Archives: children and the arts

The Beat Goes On

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“Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.” ~ William Faulkner

Being a blogger, I am always on the beat looking for inspiration around which to write the next story. Saturday night, I did not have to stray far! Just a quick drive to the United Methodist Church in downtown Steamboat Springs, CO. A beautiful example of cultural harmony through the Arts, was waiting to be found.

The Macedonian Mission for Humanity brought together two artists, one from an ancient civilization and one from a much newer world order, to provide a night of amazing musical entertainment. Keri Rusthoi, and soprano soloist living in Steamboat Springs, CO and award winning, international concert pianist from Macedonia, Kalina Mrmevska, could not have better displayed a great example of two countries working toward the good for the other through the Arts. The proceeds for this concert will go toward getting medical supplies to Macedonian Children’s Hospitals, where they are so badly needed.

If you missed this concert, the two artists will be repeating  the performance at the Colorado Community Church on Saturday, May 21st at 7pm. The church is located in Englewood, Colorado at 3651 So. Colorado Blvd.

As I sat and enjoyed this outstanding concert, I couldn’t help but think what it would be like to hear these two diverse artists perform in an ancient church, in an ancient city, in a place like Ohrid, Macedonia. The Macedonian Mission for Humanity (A Colorado based 501(3)C, non-profit organization) is so very grateful to the United Methodist Church in Steamboat Springs, CO for making this concert possible, right in our own backyard. Don’t count me as ungrateful – the acoustics there were certainly more than good enough, for my untrained musical ear!

 

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Seeking the Unknown

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“My task which I am trying to achieve is by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel–it is, before all, to make you see.”     ~ Joseph Conrad 1897

Living life with clarity can be as difficult to achieve as writing with clarity. From time to time, we live with absolute clarity knowing where we want to go and what we want to achieve. At other times throughout our lives, we are in a state of disarray, not knowing exactly where we are headed or how we are going to get there. Writing with clarity sometimes alludes us. At other times, there is no fuzz, we are lucid and free of ambiguity. For those who think in abstract terms, clarity in writing is more difficult to achieve.

When you write without organization, your message is unfocused, the reader has to do too much work to grasp and interpret the message, and the reader often looses interest. In business writing, in essays and in non-fiction writing, abstract writing is infrequently used and clarity is needed most.

Sometimes, however, it is good to live our lives spontaneously! When every detail of our life is not planned, we become engaged in experiences that are exciting, unexpected and delightful. Such is the case with creative writing! Letting our thoughts swirl and soar can result in writing with novelty and artistry.

I have a plan in mind! I have made a promise to myself that I intend to keep. As soon as I can, I am going to take a creative writing course. It is a little bit scary, a lot exciting! It will be like letting the dog off the leash, not knowing where she is going to roam!

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Shutterbug Surprise!

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“Our dreams are made of real things, like a shoebox full of photographs.” ~ Jack Johnson

Go ahead – have a crack at it! Jump on the Shutterfly sensation, and publish a print-on-demand, hardcover family photo album! The other day, I received one that my sister had compiled for a Mother’s Day gift. It chronicles, through family photographs, our family tree. The gift was originally meant for our Mom, but she decided to have extra copies printed, one for me and one for each of my brothers and our families. That is the beauty of print-on-demand. Print as few or as many as you wish!

Although the work in putting together a Shutterfly photo album can not be compared with a full scale independent publishing production of text writing, it is still a worthy project for those who are not inclined to write, but love to be creative with photography and scrapbooking. Shutterfly provides the perfect opportunity to combine both! You incorporate your favorite digital images and design with creativity, the empty spaces around the photos, much like you would a scrapbook, as extensively or basically as your skills allow. What a nice surprise gift for family or friends and to commemorate a significant event. For more information, please go to www.shutterfly.com/photo-books

While we are on the subject of surprises – Cornerstone Fulfillment Service, LLC will have a number of surprise events coming up this summer! We will reveal the details to all of you when the final plans are put into place. Stay tuned, and thanks as always, for  your interest in this blogsite and in our company. The industry that we serve is ever changing, improving and evolving – keeping us on our toes and knee deep, in serving the needs of independent publishers!

 

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Embracing Love

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“Because I am a mother, I hold God’s greatest prize. And he expects great things of me -with a task of such size.” ~ Grace Atkins

I am one of the blessed ones! My Mom was the best example of a mother a child could ever have. She always had her priorities straight in life. She passed along to all of us – her four kids and now her eight grandchildren, the importance of a close family, by always being there for us – no matter what! And although we didn’t always like it, she enforced rules that gave us boundaries and feelings of safety and security that every child needs.

It pains me when I hear a child or teen say that they “Hate their Mother.” When I was raising  my son, I would often ask him not to be flinging that “H” word around lightly. I would explain that some very strong emotions and actions are attached to the “H” word.

Sure, my Mom and I have had some differing opinions throughout life, but I can never remember feeling the “H” word towards her, never – not even as a teen. It’s funny, as an adult, I can only remember one time, in all the years of growing up, that I was absolutely, completely and totally furious with her!

It was the day after Easter, and I was 11 or 12. My twin sister and I asked our Mom if we could walk to “Pettit’s Store.” She asked “what for?”  We said “we want to go buy some candy with the coins we had found throughout the house.” She said “No, you can’t go! Yesterday was Easter and you each have an Easter basket filled with candy. You don’t need anymore!”

Right then and there, we decided we would take our Easter baskets and run away! We were livid! We went down into the woods behind our house. There was a stream and a huge, huge, fallen tree. The tree had a cavity just large enough for the two of us to curl up in it together and hide. (Our house almost still within sight, mind you). We felt free as the birds! We were exercising our independence and we would show our mother who was boss! We were a united front! My twin sister and I!

The long and short of the story was that we ran away from home just long enough to gorge ourselves on all the candy in the Easter baskets and return home with tummy aches, and new attitudes, to boot! Perhaps our mom knew best!

Returning to the real point of the story, how can  you feel anything but love for a person who always has your best interests at heart? How can you feel anything but love for a person who sustained you in your littlest, weakest days? How can you feel anything but love for a person who has been there for you through good times and in bad?

Mom, I could go on at great lengths about the extraordinary Mom you are. But I would like to end this blog by saying “I hope I can be there for you, when you need me the most. Happy Mother’s Day!”

 

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Struggle No More!

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“The pleasantest things in the world are pleasant thoughts; and the great art of  life is to have as many of them as possible.” ~ Montaigne

Yesterday, this blogsite addressed the issue of artists finding fulfillment in the creative work they do. Finding satisfaction in the work we do and the lives we live is not unique to artists, it applies to people in all walks of life.

I have found employment throughout the years in many different industries. In each job, I have found satisfaction, even in the most menial. I look back at my first “real job” as a cashier/clerk in a drugstore, when I was in high school. There were skills that I learned that prepared me for subsequent jobs. It was then that I learned to run a cash register, be accurate in handling money, and give change. My customer service skills were put to the test by helping shoppers find what they were looking for in the store.

Very early on in my working years, I decided that my attitude towards each job, could either make or break me. My own attitudes toward work (and life) and my success or failure was entirely up to me. My conclusions about life and and work, were this:

  • I decided to be accountable to myself in doing the best I can, each and every day.
  • Working is necessary, so, I may as well find happiness in it.
  • Taking the glass half full, not empty approach made sense, no matter what.
  • I decided I would learn something from each job I have held.
  • Putting my best foot forward felt much better than having a “who cares attitude.”
  • I could at least be proud of myself, even if no one else noticed.

When it comes down to it, our attitudes in life, often account for our happiness or lack thereof. They affect our health, our stress levels, our experience with others and with life, in general. For information on how  happiness affects health, please visit http://bit.ly/al0Qll.

Count the blessings instead of the shortcomings in your life. Challenge yourself to wake up each day with a positive thought and to end the day with a positive thought. It can make a huge difference – life is meant to be lived with joy, not struggle!

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Artists, Is it all about fulfillment?

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“Your work is to discover your world, and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” ~ Buddha

Artists are inspired in all different ways and by all different things. The imagination, everyday life, seeing works of other artists and art in other forms such as books, films or music might inspire an artist to create. Something as simple as a color or shape might set in motion, the creativity of an artist.

Most artists are led by their hearts and emotions rather than being led  by  market trends,  but market research never hurts. Looking at the practical side of things, the goal of most artists is to sell their work.  Even placing art work in galleries appropriate to the genre of art that an artist offers, can mean the difference between selling the work or not.

Artists – what do you think? Is it worth giving up personal fulfillment to paint only what the art market wants ?Or do you paint only what inspires and delights you? We would like to hear what leads you to your subject?

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Cultural Understanding

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“Things go wrong because people build walls instead of bridges”   ~Unknown

For those who do not work in the arts industry, understanding the value of a creative industry is difficult to understand. When you understand the scope of how many are employed in creative industry, how the Arts help to build the fabric of community life, how arts education touches the lives of children and how Art provides for cultural exchange between countries, supporting Americans for the Arts Action Fund www.artsactionfund.org is not a hard pill to swallow.

Mayer Michael Nutter recently testified about  the importance of the Arts in his city of Philadelphia. His testimony and arguments for the importance of the Arts, could be echoed by cities, big and small, across America. To listen to Mayor Nutter’s testimony, please go to http://bit.ly/bZetCV.

Even in small cities, like Steamboat Springs, Colorado (population 9600), the Arts are very important. The Macedonian Mission for Humanity (Colorado based non-profit organization 5013(C) is focused on humanitarian assistance and cultural exchange between Macedonian and U.S. artists.

On May 15, the non-profit will be hosting a Concert, at the United Methodist Church in Steamboat, between an international award winning concert pianist, Kalina Mrmevska from Macedonia, and soprano soloist, Keri Rusthoi from the U.S. It is bound to be a beautiful evening of entertainment between two artists who come from very different backgrounds.

All proceeds from the concert will go toward the expense of shipping no longer needed medical supplies from the U.S. to Macedonian children’s hospitals. For more information on this non-profit, please visit http://bit.ly/askllQ.

The Macedonian Mission for Humanity is building bridges between culture and humanitarian needs. What vision this represents!

 

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Weekend Indie Publisher News

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It is a big day for all the participants of the Young Authors League of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA). Today they will be premiering their new publication “Making the World a Better Place.”  The group premieres it’s book at Southlands Mall Barnes and Noble in Aurora, Colorado from 4 – 8pm today! Head on in, and support a new generation of young authors! www.cipabooks.com

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Guess what has gone viral? Painters Workshops! Join classes without having to leave the comfort of your studio.  For more information, please visit Workshop Magazine, a great magazine resource for Oil and Acrylic Painters. Workshop, a magazine published by American Artist Magazine will take you into the classes of top oil and acrylic instructors. Learn from them and from their critiques of students work. For more information, please visit www.artistdaily/workshop.com

The Light of a Soul

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“From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things, and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all.”                                   ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Have you ever seen a painting that so exquisitely reflects light, that you feel as if you are seeing a reflection first hand, rather than through a painted medium? I have! Those rare artists that can so exquisitely paint reflections of light, in my opinion, are painting from the depths of their soul. Only a person with great sensitivity and talent can duplicate light that looks so real on a canvas.

How could you fully describe, in words, what the artist of this scene saw with his own eyes when he came across it? Perhaps he felt he could better communicate what he was feeling, experiencing and seeing by painting it rather than describing it through words.

As a human being with a range of emotions, when you stumble upon a splendorous landscape that takes your breathe away, a beautiful relationship between husband and wife, the gift of friendship and love, stop and turn your thoughts to what meaning you can draw from it.  There is meaning in every occurrence and relationship we encounter in life, take the time to discover it.

It was the wish of this artist, Timothy Thies, to share this magnificent  scene with not just the owner of the original painting, but with all who care to purchase a lithograph of this image, which displays the reflection of his soul. To order this image, please visit www.WestWindFineArt.com.

I am grateful for beauty and light that Tim has shared with me through this image and his other beautiful paintings. His paintings have stirred and intensified my love for representational art.

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Oh, the Angst it Caused

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“Worry gives a small thing, a big shadow.” ~ Swedish proverb

The other day, I was thinking about the progress I have made in no longer worrying about things that probably will never happen. I am very proud of myself and a lot of what I used to worry about was related to raising a child. When God gives us a child, he also gives us tremendous responsibility. Responsibility that I took very seriously.  All I knew was that I was given a gift, and I had only one chance to do it right – to raise our child in the best way I possibly could.

A few weeks ago I watched as young authors, 4th and 5th graders, received acknowledgement that their written work had been published in a book called “Making the World a Better Place.” I thought back to the days when my son was in grade school. I reflected on my needless worry as he was learning to write. You see, he kept writing everything backwards. At the end of every week, all his school papers would come home signed CRAM instead of  MARC!! (Note: the C and the R also faced  in the wrong direction, however, I can not reproduce it on the computer).  Oh, how I would worry! Oh, how I would toss and turn! The teacher assured me, that given time, Marc’s backward writing would most likely straighten out. And straighten out, it did!

Now that I have done a little research, I have learned that  “right brain/visual kids often will write backwards. The image is recognizable to them at any angle. It is their gift.” Now this makes sense! My son, who will be graduating from college next month, is all about visuals! He, in fact, is a visual effects artist! His career will be  devoted to  filmmaking.  I am so proud that he will be using his gift to create a form of artistry that will educate, inform, entertain and inspire!

All along he probably knew just what he was doing – adding one extra dimension to the worries  of parenthood!

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