America And It's Many Creations Of Art

So I have been spending time on my journey soaking in the atmosphere and looking around with eyes that find the uniqueness in everything that I see. A fresh pair of eyes for inspiration and creation of life from raw materials. 

I see art wherever I turn.

And as I stumble across a lot of art on my journey, my first question is... what is art?

I don't have an answer for that specifically. 

Modern art doesn't have an answer for that specifically. 

I will try and be non-specific then...

Art, in a non-specific way, is the essence of who we are and what we do. You are a piece of modern art, with your poetic word choices or the way you put your dinner on the canvas plate to make it visually appealing to appreciate it and eat. It is all art.

I take my art to the stage but there is not much distance between the stage and a business presentation where you present yourself to make an impression and effect an audience with a different perspective of subjective words, facts and figures. Public speaking. Confidence. Visual prompts. A smile. All art.

Or you can choose to express yourself in a place where all the suits come off, on the street. These artists are risk takers putting themselves 'out there' for the world to get inspiration. Whilst the world is walking down the street with their clothes as a canvas as inspirational food for the street art makers in a cycle of cause and effect.

Pick up a piece of curved wood and nylon and pluck it. Or if you lived before 1900, you'd have plucked the gut of a sheep or a goat to make melodic rules from sounds that float. Then creatively express that through symbols and lines so others can read and appreciate your art without your physical body to guide them. Sharing art through rules. Breaking artistic rules.

Or maybe one day someone created a pinhole through which the laws of physics determined would invert the image of an object unto a surface that would allow that image to be drawn. From this room size camera which would fit one or more people inside, to a hand size computer whose photographic memory is so powerful it can also tells us when to eat our lunch, orders it and then allows us to instantaneously upload that lunch to Instagram in a just few buttons.

What is art? It is science, it is engineering, it is choices, it is actions it is the silence in between, it is passion and expression to another person, or secretly for another person. 

It is patience, it is boldness, it is an investment and risk. It takes belief and faith; it is spiritual. 

It is your firstborn child. It is your love. 

Take centre stage, the audience is in silent anticipation.

But please when you walk daily towards some destination that you may not even be sure of, be sure that art is everywhere and can be expressed in anyway you choose, and interpreted in as many ways as words in our dictionary. The only certainty is the uncertainty of the journey, and the expression of self in the process.

 `

Live life and create art.

 I am in awe of artists, hence, I am in awe of you.

(Next post I will be discussing the role of art in domestic violence survivors...)

Does Independence Mean Independent Of Men?

So this is a bit of a vent.

Yes right now I am pretty angry and right now I need to man bash a little. (sorry all the men who haven't upset me)

Basically why is it so hard to be a man sometimes? Why are there many little boys in the world and so few grown men?

I mean this is my list of qualities of a man, be it your father, brother, friend or your man should have, I really do not think it is too much to ask:

Care for the women in their lives. Being the stronger sex physically comes with some responsibility. That power should be used for good and not evil, not to intimidate women around you into doing what you say. Not to let a woman carry the shopping around on her own and watching her struggle. And never let a woman walk at night to the bus stop without accompanying her (at the very least).

Character in a man is hard to find. It is like it is too much hard word for the young boys these days on road. Takes too long to build. Better to go the easier route and pretend like you have character and to get the girl.

I mean you would think fathers these days would be the one to show character to their sons but some are too busy denying the responsibility of the child being theirs. No wonder a boy can't walk a lady to the bus stop these days, in the same way denying all responsibility of her getting home safely.

Where are the men who wore trousers and had grown into them?

Serious on New Years Eve, I was at a party at a friends house in London that went on till the early hours. One of my friends needed to get home and although the lights were up outside, she did not know how to get to the tube station. I suggested to one of the guys there that he would walk her as he knew the way.

His face was a bit startled, and he said, "...but it's light outside now."

I said, "but she does't know where she is going... couldn't you escort a lady to the bus stop?"

He did but grudgingly. He was a nice enough guy but it is almost like it would never cross his mind to even offer. But yet we have moved so much further in society, apparently.

And this is in the light... and I must say I have seen worse responses from boys when it is dark outside. It makes me think, is it selfishness? Do people only really care about themselves? Where were the days when man generally cared about the safety of a woman. Does independence mean that we need to be independent of men now?

I have met men who feel like if something is not in it for them, they would do nothing nice for you. I think this is very heart breaking from the days when men would be nice to women on the street just because they are women. Help her carry her shopping and maybe even tip their hat to her with a, "good morning ma'am."

Yes, equality didn't exist back then fine. But personally I think equality is over-rated as I don't want to be equal to a man, I want to be equal to a woman. I want to be a female and I want a man to open a jam jar for me and kill spiders in my room when I am scared. I want to be a woman with a voice who can speak and be heard by a man and respected. I want that type of equality only.

It is almost like there is a negative consequence to equality in this world and taking away our femininity and giving permission to men to act quite uncaring towards us as females....

Like if we can have a high paying job then we can open the jam jar ourselves.