Category Archives: Music composition

Clearing the Way

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“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” ~ Pablo Picasso

Are you person who has always had an artistic calling, yet you have never pursued your passion in earnest? You are not alone. There are many people, for various reasons, who have had to travel down other career paths feeling they have not fulfilled their God-given talents.

Matt Tommey book1The book Unlocking the Heart of the Artist: Practical Guide to Fulfilling Your Creative Call as an Artist in the Kingdom speaks to this issue for the new generation of people who seek personal fulfillment as a priority in their lives. He invites others to live fully, doing what makes them happy, and to become “unstuck” by expressing themselves creatively.

The author, Matt Tommey, is a successful basket maker and art consultant from Asheville, North Carolina. His sensible messages to other artists, through his publications, helps clear the way of self-doubt by providing hope and insight to individuals who wish to thrive and become fulltime artists. His book Crafting your Brand: Simple Strategies for Cultivating a Successful Creative Career, is also a good resource for anyone who wants to pursue their calling.

A well-rounded artist, Matt Tommey,  makes a living in a combination of ways, also offering workshops on the craft of basketry. To learn more about his workshops,  how to order these publications and to see his website,  http://bit.ly/1bpQhI9 .

Do return tomorrow for Film Friday, we will be featuring a film that is soon to be released that plays well into our recent topics of writing on All Things Fulfilling. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Energy of Artists and Athletes

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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.

Kirk Nowlin1jpgThis 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.

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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.

Film Friday: Time Travel Movies

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Once confined to fantasy and science fiction, time travel is now simply an engineering problem. ~ Kaku Michio, Wired Magazine, Aug. 2003

time-machinePeople who have lived 100 years or more have seen vast changes in culture over the course of their life times. I have witnessed, in merely a half  century, so many developments in technology. Over the course of about 125 years, moviemaking has gone through huge transformations from the silent movie era to a time when many visual effects are less often created by man-made stunts.

And imagine it, audio sounds are even created digitally through the use of computer technology. This has allowed for unbelievable creativity; providing the ability to pull things off visually that would be too unsafe, too expensive or not logistically possible otherwise.

Sometimes I feel as if I am living in a world that is alien. Because my livelihood depends upon it, I attempt as best as I can to keep up with new advancements in digital technology. Time travel movies help me realize that although sometimes this world seems to change at too rapid a pace and it is strangely different from the times of my youth, we have yet to go through truly apocalyptic times. That ‘s reassuring.

Feel like taking a trip this weekend to a different time and place? www.totalfilm.com has featured 50 of the best time travel movies on their website. http://bit.ly/12G7DKw .

Take in one of these movies. I’m warning you. Nostalgic feelings may set in when you read the titles of some of the films and you will probably see difference in the way visual effects are produced in this day and age, also. Remember Planet of the Apes from 1968? http://bit.ly/ViZw6F. To rewatch this old movie Click here for info and ordering

For more information on Michio Kaku, mentioned in the Wired Magazine quote, Click for info on his publications

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

The Song of Hope

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twitter-bird-winkingThe other day when I was participating in World Book Night, I read the full list of books that were being distributed as part the event. Most were previous years best sellers. Some I had read, but not too many. My nose is usually between the covers of one my clients independently published books, where there’s plenty of fulfilling reading. There are not enough hours in the day to hit all the NY Times best sellers.

Reading the list led me to wonder how many books do you have to sell to be considered a best selling author? Research tells me 5,000 copies or more.  Clearly, most authors write because they love the process of creating a satisfying story.

But, for every writer out there, there is an element of hope among us. Hope that our books will do much better than we ever anticipated. Some of us allow ourselves to dream beyond our wildest imaginations.

dickinson on hope

Don’t we all dream of better tomorrows? That’s what inspires writers to get up every morning.

I hope you’ll return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling. A  LIVELY Friday is planned. We will be sharing independent thoughts, words and views that are all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Lift Up Friends

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 “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~ Marcel Proust 

Friday’s blog on All Things Fulfilling was a tribute to friendship and the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. 

I’ve had have further thoughts about the value of friends  since that blog writing. Coming together in friendship is the result of finding community with like-minded people – individuals who have joint interests, passions and beliefs in life.  In recent years I’ve made friends in service, through Kiwanis, and by volunteering once a week at an interfaith, community-run thrift store called “Lift-Up.” Being involved with arts organizations such as We Write Steamboat(a meet-up group for independent publishers), the Steamboat Writers Group , the Colorado Independent Publishers Association and  Strings Music Festival has brought me pleasure. Community involvement, with the Yampa Valley University Women has also been part of my life here in Routt County, Colorado.

It’s interesting, in a time when the news is reporting  church membership is declining, there seems to be very active participation in churches, in this town. Perhaps the remote location and natural beauty of the region make spiritual exploration important to folks. Yesterday, Reverend Tim at the UnitedMethodistChurch in Steamboat, elevated our spirits through his lenten season storytelling. Our new Director of Youth Ministry and independent musician, Taylor Anderson charmed us with  his musical skills playing the modern remix of  “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on his ukulele. Very uplifting for a day of Irish celebration. A song appropriate for so many who are grateful they can be here to retire, run location-neutral businesses or for recreational reasons.

After the service, our appetites were fulfilled with  tasty goodies baked by women with whom I volunteer at the thrift store donation center. Thank you, Jeanette, Shirley and Louise and to all the other generous people who bring in provisions for fellowship moments after the service each week. The special St. Patty’s Day confections were decorated artistically. The women poured heart and soul into their efforts, it was evident.  It is a pleasure to volunteer with these women at the donation center for the thrift store.

St Pattys Day UMCSt Pattys Day UMC3

Jeanette, Louise, Shirley and Sue (top image). We are only a few the 100+ volunteers that make Lift-Up so successful in this community.

Songs, Taylor Made

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“Music is what feelings sound like.” ~ Bo Bennett 

taylor MMA official picI have found a new independent recording artist that I love. He has just released his first “ep” (extended play CD), Big Medicine. His voice and his lyrics are  beautifully matched. 

A little about the artist. Taylor Batton is a self-taught musician who writes his own tunes, plays the guitar and harmonica. He is a senior at MaineMaritimeAcademy in Castine, Maine. http://www.mainemaritime.edu/ Because he is a sailor, one might think he belts out rollicking seafaring tunes (perhaps with salty language) – far from it. His music is tender; musical narratives that seem to come from a deep spot in his soul. The timbre of his voice makes for easy listening. You’ll see what I mean when you hear my personal favorite songs on Taylor’s Big Medicine EP -The King and Queen,and Lies and Darkness, songs two and three. http://bit.ly/Uj5wx5.

Taylor has traveled many nautical miles over his short lifetime on wide open seas, experiencing the worst weather conditions imaginable as well as glorious days of ocean travel. The art of steering tugboats and other vessels, laden with heavy loads, safely to shore he has learned as a maritime student. He also understands how to crew on a team, all working together, to bring success.

When asked what sailing does for his songwriting, this is what Taylor  had to say  “You get a really strong sense of loneliness. At the same time, you feel a really strong and strange power. All of that kind of ties into how I go about writing the music. I just try and capture that feeling. ” Taylor racing

I look forward to hearing more independently produced music from this artist. Taylor Batton, may you always  weather the storms of life through your ability to communicate with music. Keep on riding the high and low tides with your face directed to the light.  Happy Valentines Day.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: The Great Courses

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Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ~
John Dewey

great-courses

 Are you a person who has an insatiable thirst for knowledge? A type of brain food is currently on sale until February 15, 2013. The Great Courses ww.ordergreatcourses.com  offers educational DVDs and CDs from top college professors. Available on a full range of subjects, from the arts and humanities to history, religion, math, health and science. At very reasonable costs, you can learn and be inspired in the comfort of your home, office or while you are stuck in traffic. Some of the topics contain as many as 24 half hour lectures, most ranging in price from $19.99 to $69.99, far less than enrolling in classes at a top university or college.

Here is a small sampling of The Great Courses Offered:

  • A History of European Art
  • How to Listen to and Understand Great Music
  • Nutrition Made Clear
  • The New and Old Testaments
  • Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writers Craft
  • The Everyday Guide to Wine
  • Our Night Sky
  • Optimizing Brain Fitness
  • Practicing Mindfulness
  • The Science of Natural Healing
  • What are the Chances: Probability Made Clear
  • Secrets of Mental Math

This is just a small list of courses offered by professors from colleges such as:  University of Iowa, Johns Hopkins University, University of Virginia, GeorgetownUniversity, Northwestern, Colgate, Scripps Center for Integrative Healing, Vanderbilt UniversityDivinitySchool, Yale School of Medicine, The Peabody Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

It is important, at every age, to continue to grow for a fulfilling life. Seek new knowledge; become a life-long learner.  Baby boomers will enjoy keeping their minds active through the topics offered.  Search for brain food that suits your individual taste. Click for DVDs of The Great Courses

Visit us on Monday, on All Things Fulfilling,  where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Vision, Art, Science Leads to New Technologies

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“The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” ~ Edwin H Land 

creativity-and-innovation-concept-related-words-in-tag-cloud-on-whiteThe rise of independently published books, film and music has made great strides, thanks to the development of technology. Tools of the trade that were only available to major publishing houses, movie studios and music/sound production companies, now can be mastered by anyone with the right education, artistic talent and a “head” for all things technology. 

Quality, desk top published books for print and electronic formats, visual effects in movies and synthetically produced audio sound, are all now made possible through computer technology. In the 2010 summer issue of Movie Maker Magazine, there is an article about the creation of stunning special effects for a multi-award winning movie, in a college dorm room, on a mediocre computer. http://bit.ly/VY8nbP. 

Steps to becoming a successful innovator of any kind, takes hard work, all-encompassing focus and drive, entrepreneurial spirit and gumption.  It is not for a person who is not highly self-motivated. 

But then, isn’t that how our forefathers made this country what it is today? Hard work, not handouts, ambition and vision drove pioneers in all kinds of industry – building railroads, the industrial revolution, mining, manufacturing, agriculture and much more.  

Children, through the use of technology, will become  innovators of the future. They’ll be the next generation to revolutionize library content, health care solutions, military capabilities and new creative ways of teaching.

Playaways are just one such example of  new technology that has been developed to distribute media. Does your library have the latest?  http://www.playaway.com/

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Individual Expression

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“Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.”
Emory Austin 

In the January/February issue of Art of the West Magazine, there is an article by artist, Logan Maxwell Hagege, called My Voice is Coming Through. Hagege’s interests in art began in animation, but they eventually turned to fine art. Yet, the influence and his previous experience with animation can be seen to a certain extent, in his paintings. Many of his paintings reflect a southwest environment, but there is also a collection of paintings depicting the northeastern part of the country that truly reflect everyday life on the water. To see Hagege’s website, follow this link. http://bit.ly/Rv5ukg. 

We pick up cultural and societal influences throughout our lives –  in our travels, and through our encounters with people.  Reading the title of Hagege’s article My Voice is Coming Through made me think of how our own voices are reflected in everything we create. Whether we are practicing the art of living through our relationships, writing, painting, making films, composing music, making jewelry or any other kind of art. In the end, our creations are a picture of our imaginations, thoughts and emotions. 

self-reflection-in-mirrorOur voices even come through in the children we raise, steer and mold. We hope some of our words of wisdom to our kids will be remembered and thought about. Sometimes our attitudes come echoing back to us through our offspring, and we regret some of the things we ever said! I don’t think there has ever been a parent who hasn’t experienced that. 

In this digital age, we create profiles of ourselves through the images and words we post on the internet. Be aware of that, and post appropriate content. Believe it or not, potential employers now look at the internet to see what they can find out about someone they might hire. 

Individual expression is one reason why people find using social media fulfilling, but make sure it truly reflects who you are and what you are all about. 

More independent thoughts, words and views from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com   tomorrow!

Spreading the Joy in Indie Publishing

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“Joy isn’t in things, money or positions. It is IN us. And we need to bring it with us and SHARE it!” ~ Unknown 

Day Two of 2013!  My resolution this year is to do something a little different each month, to promote our growing population of independent publishers here in Routt County, Colorado. 

snowboarding tricksWhy? Because I believe greatly in each one of our We Write Steamboat, independent publishers. They are a creative and well-educated group of people, male and female. Many of them are award-winning authors with award-winning books! Each of them is a healer of mind, body and spirit! They have career knowledge in all sorts of fields. Our members include teachers, physicians, life consultants,a chef, holistic health consultants, experts on our natural environment,  just to name a few. All with valuable experience in life to write about. Our group also includes young people and retirees who like to spin yarns just for the fun of it! (Of course, they don’t object to selling their books, also!) 

In my opinion, all writers are helpers and healers of mind, body and spirit! After all, we publish books to educate, inspire others, entertain,and inform readers. Could there be better reasons? I don’t think so. In fact, writing is as therapeutic for the author as well as the reader. It gives us a way to share our thoughts, emotions, experiences and our imaginations. http://bit.ly/ZSk0Yc.

A networking group of independent publishers, She Writes Steamboat, that I began almost two years ago, has grown, and as of January 1, 2013 we have changed our name to We Write Steamboat. From the very first meeting, we have had male writers attend, and we don’t want them to feel slighted! We’ve welcomed them and have been delighted to have them part of the group from our inception.

We, independent publishers here in Ski Town, USA and Routt County, Colorado, come together and meet monthly. In a nutshell, because producing independent books, films and music is a win-win for the artist creating the work as well as for the audience who so enjoys it! Our mission is to provide networking opportunity and to promote success of independent publishing. Our affiliation with the Colorado Independent Publishers Association www.cipabooks.com , also fosters our growth as award-winning writers and publishers.  

If you wish to learn more about starting up an independent publishing networking group in your area, contact me through this blog.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com, a company specializing in e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers!