art
Artistic, musical, creative, and entertaining topics in Journal's workplace sphere.
One Square, No Cuts?
The only step where scissors are allowed when making true origami is also the most critical step: creating the perfect square. I fold my best pieces from handmade paper (in this case, made by my friends at Origamido Studio) which comes with rough, irregular edges which must be cut straight. The square must be perfectly straight-edged, perpendicular at the corners, and have equal sides. A small error in the beginning will manifest itself as a noticeable irregularity in the final fold. After that, folding creates the complex forms of the origami creatures, plants, and even human characters that I design.
By Brian Chan5 years ago in Journal
Joy Pops-Up
One can get so caught up in one’s life that you forget to take time for yourself. The grind and constant activity it seems to take, not just to succeed but to stay afloat at times. I was doing everything in service to my goals that I forgot about finding time for joy in my life. “Self-care” like “grind” is a buzz word with vivid pictures of what it should look like, and how they will serve you. But nothing is one size fits all and the needs of one may not fulfill another. This story is about how I found my joy.
By Kanova Johnson5 years ago in Journal
Cutting Into The Past Yields Truths About the Future
I stood looking at the shiny black jacquard dress, scissors in hand, considering where to make the first cut. The choir dress on my cutting table that had been worn by a generation of high school girls was recently replaced by a more stylish velvet and chiffon style. I was considering how to cut apart the old dress and transform it into something new and useful. In many ways, I was doing the same thing with my life.
By Shelly Ann Moon5 years ago in Journal
The Shape of a Brush
What is in the shape of a brush ? A masterpiece that’s what. You see I picked up a brush a few years ago to paint and I haven’t put it down since. I’m a forever painter, meaning I will be painting today, tomorrow, and the next lifetime. Painting is the process by which I express my creativity on canvas. It is something that I enjoy very much and it is the right medium for me due to the way I use color and paint. For my paintings I take inspiration from the creations that are around me. The average person may not notice them anymore but I do. These creations are the birds, grass, trees, hills, everything that has been created on this planet. But of course none of this can appear on my canvas until I create my most valuable tool, a brush.
By Thyatira Grant5 years ago in Journal
Dare to drape differently?
There were moments when I was younger where I'd open my mother's suitcases to find her old *sarees, I loved wrapping myself in the silky, earthen streams of nine yards of fabric. My mother would travel regularly in the Asia-Pacific region, so I found fabrics from India, Japan and Vietnam. My favourite was always the Tanchoi* saree made in Varanasi and Gujurat.
By Priyanka Kaul5 years ago in Journal
The Right Tool Makes All The Difference
My name is Pam Wagoner and I am an emerging mixed-media, creative reuse artist. I love taking items and materials that are often discarded or seen as trash and turning them into something new, useful and worthy of admiration. My goal is to inspire people to waste less, while being creative about it. I hope that the beauty and uniqueness of the art will draw attention to the fact that we all need to be more aware of the waste we generate, how we dispose of it and the impact those decisions make on our environment.
By Pam Wagoner5 years ago in Journal
Stitching Stories
When I first discovered embroidery at fifteen, I stitched on thin cotton with the friendship bracelet thread and safety scissors from my childhood. Then, as I grew in my abilities, my craft aged with me. When I picked up an embroidery hoop and clamped the thick, new, special fabric inside, my fingers began to push and pull the needle. I followed the threads, sometimes without looking or thinking, and created imagery with meaning. I never followed a pattern; the creations were of my own making. Embroidery is an act of repetition and precision, and sometimes, with the right intentions, it is elevated through symbolism. I soon realized that to engage in a traditionally domestic craft in a creative way is subversive to patriarchal norms and expectations of femininity and yet also honors the work of our foremothers. I thought about the ways craft is passed down through generations, and through hoops and scissors, too.
By Anastasia Kranz5 years ago in Journal
For the Love of Fiber Art
Like so many of us during the Spring of 2020, I had a lot of time on my hands during lock-down. I have always had a passion for creating, and because I was now working remotely, I decided to put my free time to good use. I had just created a new painting and it was by far my best one yet. However, creating my best painting required me to cut off canvas from other frames to use.
By Gabriela Navejas5 years ago in Journal
