CBrajkovich Ramblings

http://vimeo.com/52560308

As children, it was hard to fathom how one piece of paper could hold so much magic. And yet it did, and all it took was our imagination. So, when I was given a sheet of colorful paper after I first moved to Japan, I hardly knew that I could do more than just write or draw on it. Folding this flat surface into something three-dimensional was quite mind-blowing…especially when it turned into the example that I followed. And so the journey began with simple flowers, balloons, frogs, and cranes.

Now, we get to see just how imaginative Origami can be in this gorgeous short by ESMA Movies. The wide-open minds of Joanne Smithies, Eric De Melo Bueno, Michael Moreno, Hugo Bailly Desmarchelier, Camille Turon turned a single moment of frustration by a young boy into a battle of the imagination. Lessons passed from one generation to the next were more than a simple lesson in paper folding. It became a lesson in perseverance, which the boy mastered after a few tentative steps forward. And that’s the lesson that we continue to learn throughout our lives: nothing comes easy, but placing your heart into any effort can lead to extraordinary results.

Brilliant movie from an inspirational school. Check out ESMA at their site and on Vimeo. There’s lots of inspiration to be found!

I just heard about Nabana No Sato from My Modern Met and had to check out this magical light show that happens in Nagashima. It’s clear that this yearly event which is open now until March 31, 2013 is incredibly popular, though that’s not so hard to imagine since people will be seeing over 7 million lights creating a magical landscape to journey through. Though this place isn’t only known for its lights, as it is also popular for its incredible exhibits of rainbow-hued flowers. Take a look at the tranquil video above created by Otanippon. If you happen to be in the Mie prefecture and have some time, go check out this twinkling display of magic.

– thanks to My Modern Met for the great introduction to Nabana No Sato

The importance of art has been debated by people for eons, and yet art has remained an inherent part of our everyday lives. Take this portal done by Michael Rojkind of Rojkind Arquitectos for Nescafé. At first all you see are mundane (albeit colorful) coffee cups. We all love our coffee (or tea), so this little mug is always with us throughout the day. But when you put them together to form a rainbow tunnel of wonder, then you’ve just created art that speaks to the people who interact with it. And that’s what art is all about. That thing that moves us, and causes us to interact with it and with others around us who share in the experience. We gravitate towards art. It fills us with an energy that vibrates inside of each and every one of us. It gives us our much-needed emotions. And it creates the depth within us, so that we are indeed the three-dimensional people that we can be.

This image above that My Modern Met shared with us all shows us the ultimate truth that art binds us like few other mediums. The Portal of Awareness…what an appropriate title for a beautiful piece of architecture that awakens something dormant in our souls. These conversations on the importance of art are getting louder because so many people use art as a way to speak for their innermost thoughts and dreams. Let’s keep enriching these conversations with our own art in any form we choose to make. It’s an experience that we all need, whether we know it or not. And thanks to companies like Nescafé who sponsor campaigns like Despierta a la Vida (translated as Awaken To Life). We need more companies and people to understand that there is more to life than profit.

The one thing about Cuded is that there are days when you simply can’t leave their site. It looks like I found one of those days. Eve Ventrue paints mythologies as though they stood as models for her. Each illustration is so delicate and yet so bold, much like the myths that she captures. This one is entitled Witch born and it captures all of the natural magic inherent in the world of witchcraft. All of her images simply take your breath away at their sheer beauty. I can’t wait to see more of her work! Breathtaking!!!

– and once again…Cuded

As always, Cuded finds some amazing artists to tantalize our eyes with, and this one is no exception. Kyrie is a South Korean illustrator who has an amazing knack of capturing our attention with her eyes…or should I say her subject’s eyes. There is something incredible about these characters that she draws that really exudes emotions from every stroke of her digital pen.  Beauty is usually said to be skin deep, but Kyrie’s characters are just simply gorgeous as well as powerful. She definitely is someone to watch!

Enjoy another powerful image:

– thanks again to Cuded

The ghostly time is finely here…it’s Halloween (better known as All Hallows Eve or Samhain). As we’re all preparing for our tricks and our treats, here’s something to get you into the right mood:

And even The Doors tells us that People Are Strange:

http://youtu.be/Sq9oR9x171w

Happy Halloween, everyone. May your evening be full of the strange and the haunting.

p.s. I saw this adorable cookie made by Heather Baird and had to pass it along: Monster Doll Cookies

So, it’s the start of weakening of the veil that shrouds reality from the other side. But before we go into the night, we should get some relaxation in. Here’s Explosions In The Sky with this beautiful instrumental moment called A Song For Our Fathers. I haven’t heard these guys play before, but this filled my spirit in so many wonderful ways. There is something absolutely perfect about this particular song that resonates from mind to soul. So, before you trek into the mystical night, listen to this to prepare.

Wow, I feel so great after this one! Thanks Reddit!