I know that you’ve all heard of Gangnam Style by Psy, but this acoustic cover by RaOn takes it to a whole other stellar style! This is Gangnam with soul… a whole lot of SOUL. I could seriously listen to this cover all day. RaOn plays out of UC Berkley and is made up of Jaydee Min, Elle Kim, and Michael Jun (guitar). This group needs to be followed. Dang, I’m impressed!!
– thanks Reddit for this incredibly soulful share
Have you seen the work of GCMM on Cuded?!? This gorgeous image is part of the Legend of the Cryptids, a card-based fighting game distributed by Applibot, is just one in a series for this free app that can be played on the iOS or Android platforms. Go take a look at some more images on Cuded, because they are absolutely incredible in their details and, well, everything. Amazing work, GCMM!
– thanks Cuded for this incredible find
Overt political statements have always been part of the street art genre. It’s the message that is just as important as the view. And in this case, Liqen of Mexico has made a powerful message to those Big Oil corporations who don’t own up to their responsibility for keeping this planet beautiful and healthy for future generations. We all know the stories of the atrocities caused by careless actions of thoughtless entities in their pursuit of fiscal glory. But we all tend to forget that these disasters have repercussions that are swept under the rug because they impact parts of nature that are outside of our line of sight.
Thanks to amazing street artists like Liqen and Blu who remind us that we also have the ability to make public statements that will keep us all honest, and the world beautiful. Because sometimes, beauty requires more than superficiality.
– thanks as always to Arrested Motions for finding these masterpieces around the world
I am a fanatic for incredible cinematography, and it looks like the new movie by Ang Lee called Life of Pi is going to be in that category. While we only get a glimpse through the trailer, it’s a beautiful 2 minute experience. The lights, colors, atmosphere, and story line makes this a movie that I want to see. It’s got the same feeling as that Robin Williams movie, What Dreams May Come. Looking forward to this experience!
So, here’s Part 2 to the Thought(s) of the Day, and it’s a straightforward one: Life doesn’t follow a straight line. So, how do we know this? How about the fact that we have a tough time walking in a straight line. We’re constantly influenced by external forces that affect the attempt to be straightforward. There’s no such thing as perfection, though our society always tells us that we’re supposed to believe in the myth. Well, folks, it’s just a myth. It’s the imperfections that make life interesting, and keep us actively engaged.
That’s what we all need to be: actively engaged. It’s when you’re on autopilot that things can get dicey, because you’re too relaxed and not ready for the impossible. So, comparing our lives with anothers is pretty futile, because we’ve all got different experiences that built us into who we are today. We just need to appreciate the fact that this makes each and every one of us an important part of the total life experience. Pretty empowering, huh?
– And one more thanks to Umair for his engaging view of life and the world and everything
It’s been a little while since I shared an Umairism, but today seems to be a good day for a Thought(s) of the Day. Yup, it’s going to be a two-parter because he’s been slinging so many great ones.
It seems a little crazy that we need to be reminded of the necessity to fail. Nothing ever succeeds on a first try (unless you’re really lucky), so we should all be used to this most necessary of life experiences. You only know the good after you’ve experienced the bad. It’s part of that Yin-and-Yang view of life that is part of our reality.
So, what is the point to life? Who knows? Perhaps it’s to live to the fullest. Or perhaps it’s to learn all that there is to learn. Or perhaps its to simply learn by the repercussions of living to the fullest. You’ll make mistakes, lots of them, but you’ll also be a better person for those mistakes. Because you’ll learn that one critical action that so many of us forget…empathy. Seeing the world through another person’s eyes so that you can get a different perspective. Because there are a lot of perspectives out there, and they all work together to help us get the point of life.
As always, Umair shows us that there’s more than one right way. It’s the alternatives that provides us with the opportunities to increase our knowledge base. That’s a pretty important part of being human.
Paper lanterns are becoming a universal symbol of hope for the people. Now, there is a Sky Lantern Festival (part of Grand Rapids ArtPrize) in Michigan, and a bystander captured a most magical view of these celestial globes of light. Did you know that these sky lanterns were originally called the Kongming Lanterns and were quite popular in 3rd century China (but have probably been around a lot longer)? Though they aren’t always popular due to their use of lit candles and disturbances to surrounding air spaces, they’ve come a long way and are now biodegradable.
It’s amazing that we manage to keep traditions alive, and yet perfect them as we learn more about the world that we live in. But sometimes, the magic just captures you.
– thanks Reddit for this share
It’s the weekend to the rescue. Need we say more? Enjoy it!
p.s. I can’t remember where I found this image, but it was too irresistible. Adorable dog!
SFMOMA has a pretty interesting blog, and I was lucky enough to find it through this isn’t happiness. Is this what you’ve realized when you were stopped by a work of art? Viewing art is really all about experiencing art, and it’s a full-bodied experience that especially includes the mind and heart. Creativity comes in many forms, and they all require your full participation. Are you ready to join in?
And don’t forget to check out the rest of both of these amazing blogs. You’ll be glad that you did!
Whimsical imagery from fairy tales always captivate us. Somehow they help touch our souls with their magic, which can be just as powerful as the story itself. How does this image make you feel? Enraptured? Melancholic? Infatuated? Inspired? How about all of the above. This is an image from Norwegian Fairy Tales by Katherine Shtanko and she has many, many more that are just as mesmerizing. Take a look at her blog or check out her Facebook page, because she shares a lot of amazing inspiration that makes you want to go out and create yourself, or find more beautiful illustrations just like the one above.
Gorgeous, isn’t it? Somehow her art reminds me of a mix of Lewis Carroll with Jessie M King and a side of Maurice Sendak. Don’t you love fairy tales?
– thanks to Eye Candy and çizgili massalar
