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I can't believe it was the last day of our ARTAPRE class today. It was indeed short-lived but I'd be lying if I said I didn't pick up at thing or two from this class. It's changed a lot in me especially about the way I view the world, along with certain other things.
For one thing, I've started staying behind to see the credits in movies. I realized that the people working behind the scenes deserve an audience too.
I've started drawing again. I took Art classes as a child and just didn't do very well sketching and all. But I enjoy drawing abstract designs. My friends come up to me sometimes asking me to decorate their stuff, the way I do with most of mine. I've pretty much learned to appreciate the kind of art that I am able to come up with.
I can say that I am able to look at paintings with a different eye after this class. I used to visit museums with my friends and my mom without too much enthusiasm. Now I feel like I've been given new eyes to see beyond the paintings before me. After finals, I plan to do just that. I am eager to put these new eyes to use.
Lastly, I'd like to say that I feel like the most important thing I have learned from this class, to me, is that anyone can become an artist. I wrote that on my light bulb sheet... I guess sometimes it takes a little more effort to find the artist in one's self-or in anyone. Maybe it just takes a little push, or an Art Appreciation class to really get in touch with it.
This class has changed a lot more about the way I see things now but it would take too much time to put these all up; but all the same, I am very thankful for having been a part of it.
10:59 AM
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Who would have thought that this morning's attendance check would get me thinking the rest of the day?
Sometimes, I feel like my parents don't really take me seriously anymore when I tell them I want to learn how to do a certain thing.
Through the years, I've wanted to do lots of things..
Here's a "brief" list of what I wish I'd done in past and haven't gotten around to doing just yet:
I wish I had taken my piano lessons seriously.
I wish I never let my parents stop me from learning how to play the drums (according to them, it's because I'm a girl... My brother was allowed to learn).
I wish I'd started playing guitar and taking it seriously at an earlier age (I started playing when I was 10 or 11... I'm still not as good as I have always wanted to be).
I wish I'd started learning French when I was younger.
I wish I'd never let my dad stop me from taking Hockey lessons.
I wish I'd never stopped playing football.
I wish I'd never told my mom that I bought a skateboard.
I wish I'd gotten good at skateboarding before telling my mom.
I wish I'd (with my bandmates) jumped at every invitation to jam at parties or wherever.
The list goes on... and on... and on.
It just got me thinking a lot about who I am and the things I've wanted to do but never got around to doing. Learning a new instrument requires patience, determination and perseverance; which I might not be able to give. It was motivating though, when Miss Castro talked about what we all wish we'd done in the past...
I think there always IS a way... Sometimes it's not so visible and takes a little effort to look around. I've decided that I'm not going to let school become an impediment to the things and hobbies that I am passionate about.
I started practicing the piano again today.:) I'm quite proud, with the help of some Youtube vids and a background in note-reading, I'm on my way!
I'm not saying I'll be pushing my guitar playing aside... I could never do that. It's become too much a part of me and it will stay that way. However, it's nice to be able to express oneself in various ways.
I'm not even halfway done with "Blackbird" (by the Beatles) but this process is also teaching me about patience... It's just nice to be reminded that it's never too late.:)
9:19 PM
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The discussion we had about the malls has really been interesting so far. It sort of helped me get into a more reflective mood about how I view life and everyone around me.
I used to be really active in social work but it's bee a while since I last ventured out into the world and done something really worthwhile.
In a way, I'm just like most of the what the upper class has become. I have "Disneyfied" my own life and forced myself to ignore what the rest of the world is experiencing. I have to admit, although some things are being done to help make the world a better place, it's just not enough. I really do believe there will always be room for somebody who wants to do his or her share.
It really just got me thinking about how even architecture can contribute to the way society is shaped and formed. The "disneyfication" we are experiencing can cause a lot of negativity because a greater differentiation is formed between those who can afford and those who cannot afford at all. In this way, the marginalized end up even more marginalized. It shuts them out of society completely.
This was a sort of awakening for me, in a way. I realized that I've been living in my own "micro-city" for a while now. I actually do have the potential to make a difference and with everyone else pitching in, bigger changes can be made. I think people just have to realize how much power they have to change lives.
1:27 PM
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It never actually occurred to me before that the structures of various malls can actually say a lot about the crowd that it targets. This was amazing for me because up to this time, I never gave the idea much thought.
I particularly found the comparison of SM malls to Ayala Malls interesting because of the fact that it's close to home, something I can really relate to and because I know that I myself have seen the very same concepts at work in my daily life, or at least when I go to a mall.
Since it was mentioned, I've started to pay attention to the kinds of people in the malls that I go to.
I went to SM to buy a few things from National bookstore last week and decided to look around... True enough, there were people loitering or "making tambay" all over the place. People would look down at the people in the skating rink, none of the nearby benches were empty because there were always people sitting on them, a great majority just staring out into space. People really were coming here just to hang out since not everyone could afford and maybe the major motive for most was to window-shop.
On the other hand, I spent the day with a few friends over the weekend and we decided to have lunch in Greenbelt 3. Again, I decided to look around and "crowd-watch". Although the stores in Greenbelt 3 are actually more expensive than the ones in SM malls, you'll find people inside buying anyway. The benches in the middle of the mall are hardly ever full, which shows that people who to Greenbelt 3 are there to shop and not loiter. If ever they do plan to hang out, of course, they go to the restaurants and coffee shops and this requires money as well.
All in all, it was a fun experience for me even if I mostly did the processing in my mind and I wasn't really able to discuss my thoughts with my friends since they were busy discussing various other things. It was fun to see topics discussed in class come to life as I went about doing something very usual.
Since then, I have not really looked at malls the same way again.
10:03 PM
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I decided to watch "Girl With A Pearl Earring" today and as soon as the movie ended, I went over to my computer to do some research on Johannes Vermeer and his masterpiece. I learned that this painting of Vermeer raises some questions of it's own as well, much similar to the Mona Lisa, which we have taken up in class. I read that very little is actually know about Vermeer. There are no confirmed images of the artist and there are only 35 of his paintings known to exist. This was because he only painted about two or three a year.
Moving on, after watching the movie, I felt a sense of longing inside, as if I really HAD to learn more about this painting of Vermeer's since the movie of course, is fictional. It was from a book by Tracy Chevalier.
It was interesting how the author, Tracy Chevalier came up with the idea of writing a book inspired by the painting of Vermeer. I suppose not so many attempt to answer the mysteries of the universe through such means. Technology does not have all the answers to life's questions after all.
I think the author did a pretty good job with the novel. I haven't read it yet, but she was able to make the painting more real and meaningful to hundreds of other people; myself included. Before seeing the movie, I knew nothing about this painting of Vermeer. Just the fact that it was a painting.
But after seeing the movie, I was moved. Moved enough to do my own research, to really delve deep into the mysteries surrounding it as well as the painter.
This got me thinking: maybe life's mysteries are better left unsolved. In this way, we can make up our own answers, answers that hold more meaning for us, that have more significance. I know it sounds silly, but maybe the real story behind the painting is dull and void of any emotion. The artist may have just decided to paint one day and so, was able to come with a beautiful painting. I'm not saying the painting is dull and void of all emotion, but the story is different from the painting itself and the painting is beautiful.
Let's say the story behind it is dull. Quite frankly, I would rather not have the real answers to the questions of this painting. I would rather have a thousand wonderful theories that propose all sorts of answers from the crazy to just plain unreal. I think that painting is given more life that way.
Just like the Mona Lisa, it really is the mysteries that make Vermeer's 'Girl With A Pearl Earring' the masterpiece that it is today.
Sources:
http://www.tchevalier.com/gwape/vermeer/index.html
http://girl-with-a-pearl-earring.20m.com/
http://homepages.tesco.net/ian.cox99/Vermeer%20-%20Girl%20with%20a%20Pearl%20Earring%20(1665).jpg
1:05 PM
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Yellow Submarine and Guitars
"We all live in a Yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine..."
I have been a Beatles fan for a very long time. This week, my friend found a DVD of the film "Yellow Submarine" and so she decided to lend it to me. I can't even begin to describe how cool the movie is. The visual art is amazing, the drawings, the pictures, they all come alive almost magically. What was even better was the fact that I was able to sing along to almost every song. I had fun watching the movie even by myself.
During class, we discussed vision, visual arts and optical illusions. According to John Berger "The way we see things is affected by what we know and what we believe." I was reminded of this quote while watching the movie.
In the scene, the Beatles are coming together to help Young Fred (who is from Pepperland) after being terrorized by the "Blue Meanies" who are actually haters of music.
In this scene, George is driving a car that is red with yellow wheels. Ringo insists actually belongs to him. George goes, "What makes you say it's your car?" and Ringo replies; "Because my car is red with yellow wheels."
The car leaves the scene and comes back with a different color scheme, blue with orange wheels. Then George goes: "It's all in the mind."
And it's true, the way see things is indeed affected by what we know and believe. Our perception changes our view of what we see.
I remember talking to a friend about guitars. You must understand that this friend of mine has no interest whatsoever, in guitars. Apparently, it is a big part me and I could go on all week talking about it. I brought over a catalog from Fender, makers of awesome electric guitars. My enthusiasm started rolling as soon as I opened the first page. When I was done getting all technical, she just looked at me and laughed. Then she said: "I don't know anything about those but I can listen.."
Guitars just did not hold meaning for her at all. And it was alright, because I understand that she saw guitars as guitars, and nothing more because it's not part of her interests and she knows almost nothing about them.
On the other hand, I brought the very same catalog to a fellow guitar-lover and I showed him my "dream guitar". Soon, we found ourselves ecstatic about the simple catalog. He even asked if he could borrow it and return it the following week.
The catalog held much meaning for him because like me, he had the knowledge about the instrument. Enough knowledge to make him see the value in that catalog.
Source:
http://www.beatles.com/hub/gfx/albums/front/YS-A.jpg
12:42 AM
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It’s amazing how a single painting can provoke so much thought, gather so much attention and invoke so much analysis. This got me wondering about what Leonardo da Vinci must have been thinking when he painted the Mona Lisa.
Did he know that this painting of his would become world-famous, causing many to be captivated by the very smile which he himself painted?
Did he know that centuries after, his works would become recognized?
Was he aware that future generations would look up to him and patronize his works?
I find it funny thinking that maybe he did not even know he was destined for greatness. For all we know, he probably just had a passion for art and wanted to make a decent living out of it.
In this day and age, many years after his death, nobody seems to not know Leonardo da Vinci. His fame has spanned many generations and time seems to have made his paintings more famous because of the mysteries that hide behind them.
What is it with mysteries anyway? What makes the Mona Lisa a masterpiece?
…the questions. I think I heard someone answer that.
I was struck when these questions were asked in class. Sometimes, I think that if all my questions about life were answered, things would be better for me. Life would be less complicated too. But would I really want to sacrifice life’s beauty for some answers to my own questions?
It got me thinking…
I guess life really does become more beautiful with all the questions thrown in. Just like how if everyone became immortal, life itself, would lose its meaning. People wouldn’t struggle day by day to live life to its fullest. I’ve never welcomed the concept of so many questions in my life; but the discussion about the Mona Lisa has helped me change a few of my notions. Questions do bring beauty to life and it’s not really about having those questions answered, it’s just about letting those questions make life more meaningful for me.
Mysteries, in my opinion, have the ability to make people want to discover more. In the same way, I think that life, along with its questions, makes people search for deeper meaning in their own lives as well.
6:23 PM
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Thoughts From A Preface
This afternoon, I asked a friend to come with me to Serendra because I was craving for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Cupcakes by Sonja. She happily came along and before we both knew it, we found ourselves in the newly-opened branch of Fully Booked.
One thing about me being in a bookstore; I take FOREVER.
If I had all the money in the world, I would spend it on books... (Actually, I’d spend it on guitars and gear too, but I’m talking about books here.)
I went around for a long time until I finally decided that I was going to purchase a novel by Oscar Wilde called “The Picture of Dorian Gray.”
As soon as I read the preface, I began to experience what a great writer Oscar Wilde actually is. He started off with something he wrote about art. It got me thinking, which is why I decided to post it here.
One line from the preface really struck me:
“It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.”
I found this line particularly interesting because it was rather different from my view of art. Because of this line, I’ve been pushed to rethink how I’ve always described art. I always used to relate it to literature, in terms of both being a reflection of life.
And then I realized that when a person comes face-to-face with a piece of art, they are the ones who decide how that piece of art is significant to them. (Much like our first activity.) When people see a painting, or a sculpture, maybe even hear a song, they interpret that piece of art based on what they are going through, their lives, and basically who they are. That’s why I think this quote by Wilde certainly holds true for me as well. I now realize that the way I see and make sense of the world is affected by the experiences I have had and my own personality. Everytime I look at a piece of art and think about what it means to me, I’m surprised by the new knowledge I gain about myself and about the way I relate with the rest of the world.
Same goes for watching movies. The person’s interpretation, as well as how a movie affects him/her, depends on the experiences that the person has been through. It does not simply convey one message for everyone… At least, that’s what I think.
I find it interesting how a piece of art is able to conform, somehow, to the life and the kind of person viewing it. It’s like being able to shape-shift into something that the spectator can relate to and after that, it leaves a little something with him/her. I suppose a certain positive change occurs; and I really do think a person learns a thing or two after reflecting on a piece of art and like I said, this modifies them somehow- whether it’s a small change or a big change.
I think that’s really cool.
6:20 PM
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Crikey!
I just finished watching a special on the discovery channel about the life of Steve Irwin. His accomplishments, work, family and many other aspects of his life were talked about by those close to him.
Yes, I was, and I still am, a big fan.
It was awe-inspiring for me to see how much effort and passion he actually put into wildlife conservation. His love for animals pushed him to soar to great heights and really change the outlook of many about wildlife conservation.
I remembered our discussion on film, after watching a movie about the brothers August and Louie Lumiere; it was mentioned that all art is a matter of choice. In the case of movies, it is choosing what to frame (something like that, at least).
Steve Irwin chose to frame wildlife. And through this he was able to make a significant difference in the world. In my opinion, he really was able to turn nature into art by using a camera to frame it and show everyone that conservation of wildlife is definitely needed to make the world an ever better place.
It seems he was able to accomplish many things while filming episodes for his show; he was able to express himself, at the same time bringing about some much-needed change by inspiring people to care for the environment and go after what they are passionate about.
I used to think only a few people could make such a tremendous difference in the world but Steve Irwin has taught me to think otherwise:
“Be passionate and enthusiastic in whatever you do in life and you’ll be a winner!”
--Steve Irwin
There may have only been one Steve Irwin in the world, but there’s (most likely) only one Bam Gueco, one Jam Collado, one Roman Tiamson and one (Miss) Jewel Castro in the whole planet.
These are all “small” people, living in a big world but with passion and enthusiasm, they become fully capable of causing a HUGE transformation.
Just like ONE Steve Irwin was able to do.
Source:
11:43 PM
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I wasn't able to help myself...
It was shameful and yet, there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Towards the end of the movie, the tears just started to trickle down my cheeks.
I'll admit it, I was indeed touched. I tried in vain to discreetly pull out sheets of tissue from my file case, but my friends apparently noticed.
Cinema Paradiso, in my opinion can be described in many words... Touching, remarkable, interesting, funnny; but to sum everything up, I would have to say that the movie was beautiful.
I was fascinated by the setting of the movie, being in Italy during the war period, the culture back then, the means of entertainment and the kind of technology available. I was captivated by the endearing characters of the film; and most of all, moved by the father-son relationship Toto shared with Alfredo.
I was really touched by the part where Toto went home in time for Alfredo's burial. I guess I was touched mainly because I could relate to the character in terms of losing a loved one. I lost my grandma last year and I would have to say that it was one of the most trying times in my life. Sometimes it still seems like my broken heart and spirit will never be mended.
On the other hand, I was heartened by what Alfredo said (although I failed to take note of it verbatim) about his blindness and being able to see more because of it. I realized that when life tosses certain "calamities" at me, I tend to wish for a better situation (quite frankly, who wouldn't?). But what I learned from Alfredo is that life throws storms at us that seem to shake us to no end, leaving us feeling weak and broken... But if we take it from Alfredo's way of dealing with life, we get to see that even in "blindness" there can be more sight. Beautiful things come out of even the worst situations.
After my grandma passed away, I began to really realize that "getting over" just doesn't seem possible; it's just that moving on is inevitable. It has to happen. And I really do think that once it does, then the person going through it emerges stronger than ever before, ready to take on more calamities and learn new lessons that help enrich one's life and make it more beautiful.
Photo sources:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/cinema-paradiso/title.jpghttp://blogs.hoycinema.com/myfiles/la-reina-del-mando/TotoAlfredohor.jpghttp://blogs.hoycinema.com/myfiles/la-reina-del-mando/TotoAlfredohor.jpg
4:43 PM
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I was viewing the blogs of both my friends (in this class) when I noticed that both of them had written about the first day of school as their first entries while I, on the other hand, had written about a movie that I watched during that weekend. Because of that, I decided to join the bandwagon... It's a tad bit late, but late is better than never, right? so here it goes...
An account of my first day in ARTAPRE class...
It was quite funny... On the first day of class, I remember not even being able to get up on time. I was quite late. And of course, i felt slightly awkward entering the classroom. I felt like I made a bad impression... On the first day! However, the class did prove to be fun and I'm hoping that for the rest of the term, it'll stay that way.
I haven't been disappointed so far. The lessons have been great and engaging. Because of that, I have a little bit more motivation to get up for class and be on time.
8:14 PM
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I watched a movie with my brother and a friend last night. Funny, we intended to go and watch Zodiac but since we were late, we ended up watching Mr. Bean. I wasn’t so eager to watch it since I was feeling disappointed about not being able to watch Zodiac. However, my feelings toward watching the movie changed by the time it was over. Who would have thought I’d be able to gain insights for my blog from a silly movie?
I beg for pardon from the reader, who may be intending to watch Mr. Bean on the big screen… I may spoil it for you. But I really did feel strongly about posting it here.
We were a bit late when it started. By that time, Mr. Bean was in a train station bound for Cannes, France. Of course, it’s already known that he does get himself as well as those around him, into a lot of trouble.
In a nutshell, Mr. Bean is basically trying to get to a beach in Cannes but on his way there, he caused some trouble for a father and his son by separating them (See, I’m trying utterly hard NOT to spoil EVERYTHING…;)). Now, Mr. Bean, along with the son of the man, both have to get to Cannes, where the boy‘s father is. Along the way of course (as is expected of any Mr. Bean film or episode), they encounter mishaps like losing money and other belongings. It was funny how even when times were hard, both the French boy and Mr. Bean worked together and made do with what they had while trying to find creative ways to get by.
They also met a bunch of cool people like an actress and a group of musicians. In the end, the actress, the French boy and Mr. Bean came together and traveled to Cannes because it turns out that actress was going to the Film Festival and the boy’s father was a director who was going to be part of that festival as well. They then worked together to bring the boy back to his father.
I hope I’m making absolute sense.
Anyways, bottom line is… I’ve always heard people say “Life is like a journey” or “When life throws you lemons, make lemonade” plus lots of others. What I’m trying to say is life, in my opinion, just like in the movie Mr. Bean, can throw lots of lemons. Sometimes, in my own life, okay, not sometimes… Oftentimes, I screw up and get into trouble a lot (like Mr. Bean). But it doesn’t make my life meaningless or whatever. It just makes the journey more interesting, or well, that’s how I’d like to think about it. Sometimes, it also seems to take forever to get where we wanna be, but the thing is, it’s not always about the destination, it’s mainly about the road we took and the kind of person we’ve become. Our decisions, screw up’s, people we’ve met and lots of other aspects all come together to paint a beautiful picture.
9:09 PM