It is amazing all of the available options in connecting with individuals and companies these days. I was just recently invited to attend a luncheon for business professionals through LinkedIn. This group of people focus on lasting connections with one another through networking what they do and promoting others abilities to complete specialty tasks that are needed by other community members. I really love the vision each possess by sharing valuable resources with one another to grow business for one another. I pushed myself to live outside of my box, to get to know the members of this group, and to hopefully create a lasting partnership.
Raising Funds for the Arts
The White Elephant Sale, the largest rummage sale in northern California, features a vast array of household goods including used men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, furniture, books, jewelry, kitchenware, tools, holiday decor, electronics, music and movies, and accessories. This event is organized by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board every year and made possible by donations from the public. The sale benefits the Oakland Museum of California’s acquisitions, exhibitions, educational programs, and capital improvements.
This was such a fun fundraiser to attend this year and I look forward to attending it every year to see what’s new and to help benefit the OMCA. There are some pretty great finds and the last day is half off everything except items marked as firm.
White Elephant Sale Warehouse.
Art App-etizers
There are many great apps, that are generally free or have a small fee, that are excellent for all things art and graphics related. I’ve been playing with VSCO and Snapseed for photography, Boomerang and Pixaloop for movement and short videos, and Canva for a quick way to make social media graphics using type and imagery. All of these apps are useful for creating a consistent social media presence, but there are many more worth trying that I haven’t discovered yet.
I tend to shoot photography slightly darker, probably because I’m not using the right lighting. I wouldn’t call myself a professional photographer, but I do love to snap pictures. VSCO helps me pull the brightness and whites out of my photo. It also offers so many different filters to get the effect you want from a photo. A photo tells a story, what story is it that you want to share?
Snapseed is a great free option for photography. It has only a few filters, but a great quick option to adjust a photo’s smoothness/roughness/texture, color pop, or desaturation.
Boomerang is just plain fun. I’ve grouped it into short video movement, but what it really is, is a burst of photos that are stitched together into a high quality mini video that plays forward and backward.
Pixaloop allows you to animate your photos. A photo element is brought to life whether it’s clouds in the sky, a waterfall, strands of hair, etc. It allows you precise animation control so you can pull what you want the focus to be on in your animated photo.
Lastly, Canva is a graphic designer’s and marketer’s best tool. It allows you the flexibility of piecing together simple social media images through font, photography, and other graphic elements. You can create graphics on the go from any apple device to share on any of your social media platforms, creating the best visual marketing.
Continue to play with different apps to see what best suits your needs and is the app-etizer to your social media meal.
My VSCO account is jaybirdlove. Connect with me through photography.
Source: https://vsco.co/
Speaking Out About Art
When asked to be apart of a panel of leaders who are passionate about art, I thought it was a great opportunity for me to present art to the community and to also discuss non-profits as well as my part in Arts Visalia. Only four art leaders were asked to attend the Insight Interview with Mark Oppenheim and Valley PBS. Enlightening the community about what non-profit art organizations do was such an honor. Look for programming on Valley PBS and m/OppenheimTV to see what we discussed. Official video here: Central Valley Art Leaders
Always Think Creatively
My day always starts off with a cup of coffee. A new day brings a fresh start and new opportunities. The morning is my favorite time to sit on the front porch, sip my coffee, and be in aw of the world I’m surrounded by. I look for the small details, the colors swaying, the lines in the trees, and birds singing. I start to hum a tune. These are when ideas flow, photographs are taken, and I’m in my happy place. But don’t forget the night. My eyes are tired. The day has ended. Sometimes I jot ideas down before bed to clear my mind of all the clutter the day brings. And then my journey starts again. A new day.
Why Art is Beneficial in Education
Art programs, for years, have been the first to go with school budget cuts. Art is important in education because it can heal, art works on concentration skills and critical thinking skills, and it promotes listening skills and encourages discipline. Art connects to all forms of education as it benefits mental health, improves quality of life, and relieves stress. So for those who say they aren't artists, we are all masters of something and that is our form of art. Life is art.
Creating a Social Presence with Art and Culture
I recently visited the Museum of Ice Cream San Francisco (MOIC). All of its locations have been wildly popular: Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami. What is it about this organization that makes it so successful? The population now focus on a media aspect of socializing. MOIC gives them an opportunity to visit the culture of ice cream and its significance in each city a new location pops up. Plus, all of the walls inside each location have a vast array of textures and colors connecting to ice cream, which makes it a perfect picture spot to instantly upload on your social media. I can't lie and say I had a horrible time because when you are surrounded by so many visually appealing objects you can't help but feel like a kid again. I only wish I had thought of the idea first. ;)
Visit: MOIC for ticket information and locations.
Turning 33
New year new me, is what I tell myself year after year. My birthday falls not far from the new year. Many set unreasonable goals for themselves each year in correspondence to the “new year”. My birthday is like a reset button each year. A chance to start the year fresh with new ideas, hopes and aspirations. My main goal is to find a new part of myself I haven’t yet discovered setting reasonable goals for myself. I think each year that we grow older we should set life goals for that number. So my mission this year is to set 33 life goals for myself in relation to my career, family and friendships. I hope this inspires each of you to do the same. Just remember, trying and failing is better than not trying at all. I hope each of you live in the moment and enjoy this journey called life.
Beginning with 8 out of 33 goals for myself:
1. Balancing today: My 20s were spent doing as much as possible, staying up late, and cramming as much into my schedule as I could. My 30s will be spent enjoying more of my life and not sweating the small stuff. Slow down the pace and soak it up.
2. Be selfish: Lessons I’ve learned are being more selfish with my time, selfish about spending time with my family, and selfish about my dreams.
3. Focus on my wellness: I am the only one that lives in my shoes so I should take the time to take care of myself.
4. Be bold: Re-evaluate my life goals and make decisions based off of what I want the end result to be as the year progresses.
5. Make memories: Enjoy all the moments.
6. Save for the future: Focus on experiences, not on things. You can’t take them with you.
7. Be open to new experiences and hobbies
8. Be social: Meet new people.
Art is Emotional
Art brings out of us the things we have a hard time talking about. It is meant for self expression without really having to say any words. This is what draws me most to what I do. Art is passion, frigidity, love, hate, desire, despise, strength, weakness, power, struggle, happiness and sadness. It is a safe way of expressing what we feel without harming anyone physically. Picasso brought out political views, Rembrandt brought spirituality, and Da Vinci brought inventiveness and mathematical theology in relation to art. The untouched masters in art's history have lived within my heart and I wish to carry on their mission of expression in all I do even when others may not be open to it.
Appreciating Art Around Town
Do you ever look at something and say, when did that get there? I've never seen that before (laugh out loud). My grandmother has always said that I would notice the one purple flower on the hillside and yet I find myself constantly noticing new things I've never seen before. I am very appreciative of our little community in Visalia, especially downtown and I just wanted to show you a few things I've noticed when around town. Some are projects produced by kids and others from other art organizations and historical building structures, but I love the passion put into each one. This is why art and culture is so important to me. It means something different for everyone.
Confetti from photoshoot in the alley of Arts Visalia.
Painted fire hydrants in downtown Visalia brought to you by the local Fire Department, Arts Visalia, the Arts Consortium, the City of Visalia, and the Breakfast Lions Club.
Jack & Charlie's phone booth outside of the old jail.
Kids mural project on the side wall of Arts Visalia.
Masonic Temple. Art Deco architecture of the Roaring 20s Gatsby.
Old Lumber Yard murals at the Arts Consortium.
Outside of Velouria Records.
The Blend Room inside wall.
The Urbanist's Collective murals around town.