::Global Woman Discussion::

Saw this in a my blog feed, thought I share this opportunity for the readers of CHICAS::IN::POWER;

Call for Bloggers: www.TheConversation.tv is  launching January 15^th 2012

The Conversation  Is a TV series premiering on Lifetime in Jan 2012  , a web site and  online platform that addresses the universal language of women and invites a global discussion about what it means to be a woman in today’s world.

And…here’s where you come in…We’re looking for bloggers — any interested writers — who want to be a part of the project. 

A glimpse of the editorial vision:

If writing about being a girl or being a woman in any form appeals to you, we’d love for you to become a regular blogger. You will get a terrific platform and an opportunity to help shape the site. There really is no limit to what you can blog about, as long as it relates in some way to things that ladies care about .

We are looking for honest, authentic voices to write about sex, wisdom, friendship, parenting , beauty and fashion , body image ( all sides of the story ) health ( mental and physical ) any anything I am missing that you think matters.

 Whatever it is please share from the heart as we are only interested in the real deal!!

If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming a blogger at The Conversation please contributions@theconversation.tv with a pitch. Please include what your particular slant is, what you want to write about, and how you expect to do it. Some sense of your writing (and life) experience would help too along with your social media platform, if you have one. But there are no particular requirements other than a good idea and brutal honesty and, hopefully, a sense of humor.

Answers to FAQs: a) unpaid b) 1-2x per month minimum commitment c) you can always link back to your own blog d) does not need to be unique content e) we will have final editorial say.

Thanks,

Amanda de Cadenet

 — The Conversation

::Kathryn Schulz: On being wrong::

Kathryn Schulz
Kathryn Schulz is the author of "Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error," and writes "The Wrong Stuff," a Slate series featuring interviews with high-profile people about how they think and… Full bio and more links

 

On Being Wrong 

::Minds Without Fear::

The Dewarists

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Imogen Heap teams up with prolific composer duo Vishal-Shekhar for a track inspired by the Tagore poem, ‘Where The Mind Is Without Fear’. This episode was filmed at the luxurious, 475-year-old Samode Palace on the outskirts of Jaipur in Rajasthan.

                                       —  http://thedewarists.com/about/

Minds without Fear (the music video alone)

::Submit/Ask/Message::

Here is a place for you to submit anything that you would like to share with the rest of the readers, maybe a poem maybe a photo, maybe a photo of your own painting, maybe you would like to share something about yourself, or maybe you just want to say hi.. whatever it may be do so and help us inspire more young, talented women to create and inspire. thank you for your submission.

Submit

Ask Us anything/Message Us

::Seven Deadly Sins that Prevent Creative Thinking::

The seven most common reasons why people are not creative thinkers.

SIN ONE. WE DO NOT BELIEVE WE ARE CREATIVE


People do not believe they are creative. We have been taught that we are the product of our genes, our parents, our family history, our personal history, our I.Q., and our education. Consequently, we have been conditioned to have a fixed mindset about creativity and believe only a select few are born creative and the rest not. Because we believe we are not creative, we spend our lives observing only those things in our experiences that confirm this belief. We spend our lives knowing and living within the limitations we believe we have. We listen to our "inner" voice that keeps telling us not to pretend to be something we're not.

SIN TWO. WE BELIEVE THE MYTHS ABOUT CREATIVITY


We believe many of the myths about creativity that have been promulgated over the years. We're told creativity is rare, mysterious, magical and comes from a universal unconsciousness, a sudden spark of "Aha!" or the divine. We believe we cannot learn how to be creative. We believe creative types are depressed, crazy, unbalanced, special, different, abnormal, blessed, and trouble makers. Normal educated people cannot be creative and should not embarrass themselves by trying. Anything that has not been done before, cannot be done.


We even believe that the right brain is the source of creativity. This is not even slightly true. The brain hemisphere distinction is based largely on clinical studies of about 40 "split-brain" patients--people whose brains were severed surgically in order to treat seizures or other neurological problems. The initial studies of such patients, conducted in the 1960s, seemed to show significant functional differences between the left and right cerebral hemispheres. In the 1980s, however, scientists began to reinterpret the data. The problem is split-brain patients all have abnormal brains to begin with. As a practical matter, the right-hemisphere myth is nonsense because virtually no one has a split brain. The two halves of our brain are connected by an immense structure called the corpus callosum, and the hemispheres also communicate through the sense organs.


Remember an atom is an atom and cannot be anything else, and neither can you. You cannot learn how to be a creative thinker any more than an atom can learn how to become a banana.


SIN THREE. WE FEAR FAILURE


The most important thing for many people is to never make a mistake or fail. The fixed mind-set regards failure as a personal insult, and when they fail they withdraw, lie and try to avoid future challenges or risks.

At one time in America people believed that all a person was entitled to was a natural birth. Everything else was up to the person, and a person's pride and passion came from overcoming the adversities in life. Failure was seen as an opportunity rather than insult. Once Thomas Edison's assistant asked him why he didn't give up on the light bulb. After all, he failed 5,000 times. Edison's responded by saying he didn't know what his assistant meant by the word "failed," because Edison believed he discovered 5000 things that don't work. This was the era when creative thinking flourished in America. People like Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse did not know they could not think unconventionally and so they did.


After World War II, "Inevitability theories" flourished about how everyone's life was shaped by genetic or environmental factors that were beyond their control. There began a promiscuity of the teaching of helplessness that has dimmed the human spirit and has created a "culture of helplessness." It is this culture of helplessness that has cultivated the mindset that fears failure.

This fixed mindset of fear is grounded in the belief that talent is genetic-you're born an artist, writer, or entrepreneur. Consequently, many of us never try anything we haven't tried before. We attempt only those things where we have the past experience and knowledge and know we can succeed. Our culture of helplessness encourages us to believe that there are reasons why some things have never been done.


SIN FOUR. WE FAIL TO ACT


We believe we are not creative, we believe the myths about creativity and because we fear failure we do not act. We avoid taking action. If we don't act, we can't fail. If we are forced to take action, we do not do anything until we have a perfect plan which will take into account any and everything that can happen. We make sure the plan details all the human and material resources you need. We will seek the guidance and direction of every expert and authority we are able to approach. If any authority figure or expert expresses even the slightest doubt, we will not take the risk of failure and abandon the plan.

All art is a reaction to the first line drawn. If no line is drawn there will be no art. Similarly, if you don't take action when you need new ideas in your personal and business lives and do nothing, nothing bad can happen and nothing is the result. In our culture of helplessness, nothing is better than even the slightest chance of failure, because failure means we are worthless.


SIN FIVE. WE FAIL TO PRODUCE IDEAS


We are taught to be critical, judgmental, negative and reproductive thinkers. In our "culture of helplessness," we take pride in dissecting ideas and thoughts of others and demonstrating their flaws. The more negative we can be, the more intelligent we appear to others. In meetings, the person who is master of destroying ideas becomes the most dominant one. The first thought we have when confronted with a new idea is "Okay, now what's wrong with it?"


When forced to come up with ideas, we come up with a few. These are the ideas we always come up with because these are the old ideas that are closest to our consciousness. Then we spend our time looking for what's wrong and for reasons why the ideas can't work? Our judgmental mind will censor anything that is new, ambiguous or novel. We respond to new ideas the way our immune system responds to a deadly virus. Our inner voice will advise us to "Not look stupid," "Give up. You don't have the background or expertise," "it's not relevant," "If it was any good, it would already have been done before" "This will never be approved," "where's the proof? "This is not logical," "Don't be silly," and so on. Anything that is not verifiable by our past experiences and beliefs is not possible.


Remember, to always get the ideas you have always got, keep doing what you have always done over and over. Never look for different ways of thinking.


SIN SIX. WE FAIL TO LOOK AT THINGS IN DIFFERENT WAYS


One of the many ways in which people attempt to make thinking easier is to solve the first impression of the problem that they encounter. This enables them to approach the problem with predetermined concepts and they end up seeing what they expect to see based on their past experiences. Once you accept the initial perspective, you close off all other lines of thought. Certain kinds of ideas will occur to you, but only those kind and no others. Settling with the first perspective helps us avoid ambiguity. People believe they are thinking logically when they simplify thinking by avoiding ambiguity. Aristolean logic teaches it is either A or not-A, it cannot be both. The sky is either blue or not blue. It cannot be a billion different shades of blue. You are either right or wrong. You cannot be both right and wrong. There are no gray areas or in-betweens. The world is black or white.


People who are taught to follow a certain thinking process such as the scientific method must never entertain different ways of looking at the problem or different ways of thinking about it. Keep doing what you are doing. The more times you think the same way, the better you become at producing orderly and predictable ideas. Always avoid trying anything new.


SIN SEVEN. FAILURE TO ACCEPT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY


It is not our fault we are not creative. It's the teachers who are responsible and our parents, the churches, our genetics, the government, lack of time, lack of resources, lack of an inspiring environment, lack of suitable technology, lack of
encouragement, too much sugar, lack of financial rewards, the organization, the bosses, lack of entitlements, lack of knowledge about creative thinking strategies, lack of any guarantee of success, and, after all, most of us are left-brained in this culture. You can't expect people to be something they're not. In our "culture of helplessness," we have learned that we cannot change our attitude, behavior, or the way we think.

— Michael Michalko

::No Limitations::

Caroline Casey: Looking past limits

Maya Beiser(s) and her cello(s)

Maya Beiser(s) and her cello(s)

::Art Made of Storms::

TED talks-

Nathalie Miebach: Art made of storms

::Béatrice Coron: Stories Cut From Paper::

Béatrice Coron: Stories cut from paper

On the creative process and narrating stories out of cut paper.

::BeLoose Graphic Workshop::

Here is an incredible site for those that need more guidance in drawing:

BeLoose Graphic Workshop

"BeLoose is a workshop where the experience will definitely change people's lives and increase their confidence beyond their expectation."

Join today for excellent tips on how to help develop your already existing skills in drawing, learn new techniques, and if possible sign up for an upcoming workshop coming to a place near you. 

Shakira to work on Obama education board

Shakira to work on Obama education board

::The Fallen Woman::

Revile women never fall!

Nobody knows how much weight the overwhelmed,
and endured many struggles in life,
Until they finally fell!

Who has not seen women out of breath
zealously cling to virtue
and withstand the harsh wind of vice
with a calm attitude?

Drop of water hanging from a branch
the wind stirs and shakes;
Pearl the calyx of the flower sheds,
and that is mud to fall!

But you can still drop pilgrim
regain its lost purity,
and emerge from the dust, crystalline,
and before the light shine.

Let love women fall
let the dust of their vital heat,
because all regained new life
with light and love.

 

— Victor Hugo 

*(translated) 

::La Mujer Caida::

¡Nunca insultéis a la mujer caída!
Nadie sabe qué peso la agobió,
ni cuántas luchas soportó en la vida,
¡hasta que al fin cayó!

¿Quién no ha visto mujeres sin aliento
asirse con afán a la virtud,
y resistir del vicio el duro viento
con serena actitud?

Gota de agua pendiente de una rama
que el viento agita y hace estremecer;
¡perla que el cáliz de la flor derrama,
y que es lodo al caer!

Pero aún puede la gota peregrina
su perdida pureza recobrar,
y resurgir del polvo, cristalina,
y ante la luz brillar.

Dejad amar a la mujer caída,
dejad al polvo su vital calor,
porque todo recobra nueva vida
con la luz y el amor.

     
— Victor Hugo

Manual Photography Cheat Sheet

livinginthestills.tumblr.com →
 © Miguel Yatco Photography

Notes:

Exposure

- The light meter is different from the exposure setting.

- Keeping your light meter at “0” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the perfect setting. Just don’t stray too far from the “0”. Adjust to your liking.

- Positive numbers on your exposure setting will make your photos brighter.

- Negative numbers make your photos darker. 

Aperture

- Small numbers (like f/1.4) have larger openings, which let in more light.

- Big numbers (like f/16) have smaller openings, which let in less light.

Shutter Speed

- Seeing 100, 250, 320, etc. on your viewfinder means “1/(number seen)”, like “1/100”.

- Try not to use 1/60 or less when handheld, that’s when you use a tripod or look for something steady.

- Using longer exposure (slow shutter speed) will let in more light.

- Using shorter exposure (fast shutter speed) will let in less light.

ISO

- ISO is the sensitivity of your camera to light

- Lower numbers are less sensitive to light, which give smoother photos.

- Higher numbers are very sensitive to light, which give very grainy and noisy photos.

::Obstacles for Creativity::

“I think the biggest obstacle for people with their creativity is that they feel they have to sit down and create this finished, polished product. Especially nowadays, it’s so easy to have a library of two thousand CDs, books and records. So many things. We’re used to having all of these finished works of art in our life that seem to arise out of nothing. I think that so much of the creative process is a fragmentary one, and then it’s about just allowing your intuition to put it together for you. It’s funny how you create something and you think you’re going in a million different directions, and then the thing you end up with is the thing that you wanted to create your whole life, but you’re just as surprised by it as anybody else.”

—	Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel

Tips for Juicing Up Your Creativity

Summarized from an article with quotes from Erin Lee Gafill

1. Take a risk.
Being prepared to take a risk is a big part of doing something creative. Painting a blank canvas red is one way. No drawing skills required. No expectation. No stress. It will serve, later, as the underpainting of your “real” painting.

2. Give yourself an assignment.
Settling in to do the assignment is a way of tricking yourself into working on getting to work without actually realizing you are now, actually, working.

3. Start a ritual.
I light a candle as a way of stating that now I am working on this (painting) and not that (you name it). Carving out this period of time doesn’t  always mean I put paint on canvas or that if I do it adds up to much of anything; but it does mean that I have set aside the the time and don’t allow myself the other usual distractions. Sometimes it is only at the end of this self-appointed time that the idea begins to gel.

::Discount Just for You::

Here is a code for a digital scrapbooking software

My Memories Suite v.2 *( STMMMS47860 )

copy and paste this code for your software and product discount when you are ready to purchase *(code provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the My Memories.com store - $20 value)

::Software Giveaway Contest::

• Visit this website, MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Software
• Choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout.
• Comment below and name your favorite one
• Tell me why you would like to receive your own MyMemories Suite.  

 

* I will post examples of the different uses that MyMemories Suite can have, from the creative forms this digital scrap-booking software has, to the many ways you can go on into creating a new project, having fun and being creative*

::How to Feel Miserable as An Artist::

::She Believed::

::Woman —John Lennon::

" 'Woman' came about because, one sunny afternoon in bermuda, it suddenly hit me what women do for us. Not just what my Yoko does for me, although I was thinking in those personal terms... but any truth is universal. What dawned on me was everything I was taking for granted. Women really are the other half of the sky, as I whisper at the beginning of the song. It's a 'we' or it ain't anything."
—John Lennon

::How To Be Creative::

http://www.slideshare.net/anuradhay_2004/605how-to-be-creative

 

View more presentations from Anuradha Y

::Creativity and Inspiration::

1. Creativity is an exploration, and inspiration is the discoveries we make through it.

2. The moment we really need courage is when it is the tough and discreet option  
     while cowardice is the easy and visible one.

3. There are no failures, only the wrong reactions to missed outputs.

4. Giving up is easy at first and increasingly difficult to live with, persistence is hard
    at first and increasingly easy to live by.

5. Persistence is effort made habit.

6. Take the time to bring out the best in everything so all you have to lose
     can only be worse.

7. Inspiration is the effort to look further, lack of it is the habit not to.

8. Leadership is living inspiration, art is living and spreading it, to be an artist
    one must be a leader.

9. Inspiration is simply looking at stars the way they deserve it.

10. Inspiration can happen night and day, at times looking with our eyes closed,
      at times it is dreaming with our eyes opened.

11. Without courage, there is no inspiration, inspiration is the courage to cross the  
      ocean to see the next shore.

12. Inspiration is the voice that starts speaking to our heart when we have the   
      courage to only do what is right.

13. Inspiration is falling in love with ideas.

14. You can only inspire others to do the things you truly aspire for.

15. Giving your smile to someone who needs it: this is where giving inspiration starts.

16. Doing the impossible can either be seen as an absurdity or as an inspiration.

17. Don’t regret your experiences, because they are everything we lived and they
      are the alternative to nothing else.

18. Success is a gift to the open mind.

19. The lessons to our success are the journey to our destination.

20. Embracing everyone truly is believing in serendipity, which is their reason
      for being there.

21. Inspiration is not what triggers action, commitment is and inspiration
      is their reward.

22. Intuition is a combination of the thousand paths we dreamt of.

23. Love as if you’ll leave tomorrow, commit as if you’ll be there forever.

24. Inspiration comes little by little, but if we believe every step, it can take us far
      beyond where we thought we could go.

 
From Olivier Bassil

::The Uncomfortable Truth::

 

Nneka - The Uncomfortable Truth

.::CHANGE::.

CHANGE
Joy Denalane feat Lupe Fiasco

Step by step day by day
Said it won't be long, it won't be long
Step by step come what may
I feel it coming on strong
Step by step day by day
We gonna overcome
Step by step come what may
As long as we are one

.::10 Rules for Brilliant Women::.

1. Make a pact. No one else is going to build the life you want for you. No one else will even be able to completely understand it. The most amazing souls will show up to cheer you on along the way, but this is your game. Make a pact to be in it with yourself for the long haul, as your own supportive friend at every step along the way.

2. Imagine it. What does a knock-the-ball-out-of-the-park life look like for you? What is the career that seems so incredible you think it’s almost criminal to have it? What is the dream you don’t allow yourself to even consider because it seems too unrealistic, frivolous, or insane? Start envisioning it. That’s the beginning of having it.

3. Gasp. Start doing things that make you gasp and get the adrenalin flowing. Ask yourself, “What’s the gasp-level action here?” Your fears and a tough inner critic will chatter in your head. That’s normal, and just fine. When you hear that repetitive, irrational, mean inner critic, name it for what it is, and remember, it’s just a fearful liar, trying to protect you from any real or seeming risks. Go for the gasps and learn how false your inner critic’s narrative really is, and how conquerable your fears.

4. Get a thick skin. If you take risks, sometimes you’ll get a standing ovation, and sometimes, people will throw tomatoes. Can you think of any leader or innovator whom you admire who doesn’t have enthusiastic fans and harsh critics? Get used to wins and losses, praise and pans, getting a call back and being ignored. Work on letting go of needing to be liked and needing to be universally known as “a nice person.”

5. Be an arrogant idiot. Of course I know you won’t, because you never could. But please, just be a little more of an arrogant idiot. You know those guys around the office who share their opinions without thinking, who rally everyone around their big, (often unformed) ideas? Be more like them. Even if just a bit. You can afford to move a few inches in that direction.

6. Question the voice that says “I’m not ready yet.” I know, I know. Because you are so brilliant and have such high standards, you see every way that you could be more qualified. You notice every part of your idea that is not perfected yet. While you are waiting to be ready, gathering more experience, sitting on your ideas, our friends referenced in rule five are being anointed industry visionaries, getting raises, and seeing their ideas come to life in the world. They are no more ready than you, and perhaps less. Jump in the sandbox now, and start playing full out. Find out just how ready you are.

7. Don’t wait for your Oscar. Don’t wait to be praised, anointed, or validated. Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to lead. Don’t wait for someone to invite you to share your voice. No one is going to discover you. (Well, actually, they will, but paradoxically, only after you’ve started boldly and consistently stepping into leadership, sharing your voice, and doing things that scare the hell out of you.)

8. Filter advice. Most brilliant women are humble and open to guidance. We want to gather feedback and advice. Fine, but recognize that some people won’t understand what you are up to (often because you are saying something new and ahead of your time). Some people will find you to be not their cup of tea. Some will feel threatened. Some people will want to do with your idea only what is interesting or helpful to them. So interpret feedback carefully. Test advice and evaluate the results, rather than following it wholesale.

9. Recover and restore. If you start doing the things that make you gasp, doing what you don’t quite feel ready to do, and being more of an arrogant idiot, you are going to be stretching out of our comfort zone–a lot. Regularly do things that feel safe, cozy, and restorative. Vent to friends when you need to. Acknowledge the steps you’ve taken. Watch your tank to see how much risk-taking juice you have available to you. When it’s running low, stop, recover and restore.

10. Let other women know they are brilliant. Let them know what kind of brilliance you see, and why it’s so special. Call them into greater leadership and action. Let them know that they are ready. Watch out for that subtle, probably unconscious thought, “because I had to struggle and suffer on my way up…they should have to too.” Watch out for thinking this will “take” too much time – when the truth is it always has huge, often unexpected returns.

Clear a path by walking it, boldly.

7 Questions to Finding Your True Passion

7 Questions to finding Your True Passion

What puts a smile on your face? - Name something that you do - or used to do - that brings total peace to you when you do it.

What do you find easy? - It’s very hard to hate something that is very easy for you. Easy equals fun, equals happiness, equals passion, equals: a possible career.

What sparks your creativity? - Think about those moments in your life where you seem to expand your horizon, always coming up with new, fun, and exciting ideas relating to that subject.

What would you do for free? - What would you just love to do, even if you were not getting paid? Something that you look forward to and wish you could do all the time. 

What do you like to talk about? - A very good way to figure this out, is to ask your friends what you talk about most; what makes your eyes brighten up.

What makes you unafraid of failure? - Think of something that you just do or want to do, no matter what. Something that you do not have second thoughts about.

What would you regret not having tried? - If you were at the end of your life, what would you regret not having pursued?


I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and would love for you to think about these questions yourself and answer them. Keep them to yourself if you want to, share them with a friend, or feel free to share them online. On your own blog, or over here. I’m happy to put your ideas and thoughts about your True Passion on this blog.

.::WOMANTHOLOGY::.

Womanthology

.::A Harlem Love Story::.

Music of Alicia Keys; behind the music and into the inspiration of it all.

.::Imagine a Woman::.

Imagine a Woman

Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good she is a woman.
A woman who honors her experience and tells her stories.
Who refuses to carry the sins of others within her body and life.

Imagine a woman who trusts and respects herself.
A woman who listens to her needs and desires.
Who meets them with tenderness and grace.

Imagine a woman who acknowledges the past’s influence on the present.
A woman who has walked through her past.
Who has healed into the present.

Imagine a woman who authors her own life.
A woman who exerts, initiates, and moves on her own behalf.
Who refuses to surrender except to her truest self and wisest voice.

Imagine a woman who names her own gods.
A woman who imagines the divine in her image and likeness.
Who designs a personal spirituality to inform her daily life.

Imagine a woman in love with her own body.
A woman who believes her body is enough, just as it is.
Who celebrates its rhythms and cycles as an exquisite resource.

Imagine a woman who honors the body of the Goddess in her changing body.
A woman who celebrates the accumulation of her years and her wisdom.
Who refuses to use her life-energy disguising the changes in her body and life.

Imagine a woman who values the women in her life.
A woman who sits in circles of women.
Who is reminded of the truth about herself when she forgets.

Imagine yourself as this woman.

By: Patricia Lynn Reilly

“Imagine a Woman” © Patricia Lynn Reilly, 1995
www.imagineAwoman.com

.::Reflection Of Songs as An Artist::.

My songs are the reflection of how I think and how I feel in that moment.
But I'm conscious of the fact that the artist have a responsibility before the masses and they have to take care of their words.

—Shakira

::Live Boldly::

Live Boldly

Laugh Boldy 

Love Truly

Play as often as you can

Work as smart as you are able

Share your heart as deeply as you can reach

Choose ways that support your dreams

Honor your actions

(perceived as sucess or failure) as your teachers

As you are awaken may your dreams greet you by name 

and may you answer "Yes!"

As you walk may angels gather at your shoulder

and may you know they stand with you as you rest.

May all your endeavors be rooted in contentment and peace.

LIVE BOLDLY

—MARY ANNE

::Dream::

Dream to accomplish the thing that scares you,

to act in accord with your true and illuminated self

::Courage::

Courage doesn't always roar,

sometimes courage is the quiet voice

at the end of the day saying

I will try again tomorrow

::Success::

Success is the ability to go from failure without losing your enthusiasm

::Beauty::

“Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes.
It is not something physical.”
       —Sophia Loren

 

::Take Risks::

Taking risk of failing, without risk you might just wonder "what if?"

::Be Bold::

Be brave do what your heart tells you, find your invitation to be bold

::Nurtuting Life::

Your lifeness, even for a little while, should fit around your love. Try in the spirit of nurturing..

::Live and Love::

I want to love first and live incidentally
                          — Zelda Fitzgerald

::Inspiring Women::

"I’m constantly inspired by women and what they achieve for others through sheer passion, warmth and persistence. They deserve to be celebrated for the divine people they are."

Colin Firth

:: The Art of Saving the World ::

Can we say any longer that the state of the world has no important bearing on the works of art that artist create, or that the several selves of an artist—or indeed of anyone—can be kept separate any more?

Art may never save the world, but saving is not the same as saying the phenomenon "world" itself, which is something art can do; art can help us recollect our belonging-ness to something precious and worthy of protection.

                                                                                                                       — Gablik, Suzi

What do you think is important in trying to find a happy balance in your life? :)

To find a happy balance in your life... good question. I don't think I have come to a full happy balance in my own life. So this is difficult for me to answer. But if I did focus more on trying to achieve this happy balance in my life, I would start making changes in my life. Checking my priorities and really focusing on doing what I love to do. To quote from Eat Pray Love as I think she points out a very good advice, better than I... "To find the balance you want, this is what you must become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs instead of two. That way, you can stay in the world. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead." more on living a balance life is, "To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced life" I think being able to find that happy balance in life, one must make sacrifices and take risk, take on any chance given and appreciate it to the fullest. Whatever that must be made should be done with passion and not much of a necessity to complete a task because it is a must, but because you also appreciate it and love what you work toward to achieve that goal.

::Beyonce a Liar??::

What are your thoughts??

::Courtney Martin: Reinventing Feminism::

Feministing.com

::No Boundaries::

No Boundaries..

.::Consuelo Jimenez Underwood::.

"Weaver Consuelo Jimenez Underwood constructs histories of indigenous
and non-indigenous conflict through her work. 

Original air date: June 2003. For more information, go to:

http://www.kqed.org/arts/programs/spark/profile.jsp?essid=4302 

.::Kathy Aoki— Of Teddy Bears Lip Gloss and Pretty Colors::.

See how visual artist Kathy Aoki uses teddy bears and lip gloss in her feminist works.
 Original air date: May 2007. For more information, go to:

http://www.kqed.org/arts/programs/spark/profile.jsp?essid=16671

.::!WOMEN.ART.REVOLUTION::.

.::!Women.Art.Revolution::.

About the Film Visit:

http://www.womenartrevolution.com/about_film.php

" For over forty years, Director Lynn Hershman Leeson has collected hundreds of hours of interviews with visionary artists, historians, curators and critics who shaped the beliefs and values of the Feminist Art Movement and reveal previously undocumented strategies used to politicize female artists and integrate women into art structures.

!Women Art Revolution elaborates the relationship of the Feminist Art Movement to the 1960s anti-war and civil rights movements and explains how historical events, such as the all-male protest exhibition against the invasion of Cambodia, sparked the first of many feminist actions against major cultural institutions. The film details major developments in women’s art of the 1970s, including the first feminist art education programs, political organizations and protests, alternative art spaces such as the A.I.R. Gallery and Franklin Furnace in New York and the Los Angeles Women’s Building, publications such as Chrysalis and Heresies, and landmark exhibitions, performances, and installations of public art that changed the entire direction of art.

New ways of thinking about the complexities of gender, race, class, and sexuality evolved. The Guerrilla Girls emerged as the conscience of the art world and held academic institutions, galleries, and museums accountable for discrimination practices. Over time, the tenacity and courage of these pioneering women artists resulted in what many historians now feel is the most significant art movement of the late 20th century.

Carrie Brownstein composed an original score to accompany the film. Laurie Anderson, Janis Joplin, Sleater-Kinney, The Gossip, Erase Errata and Tribe 8 are some of the gifted musicians who contributed to our soundtrack. "

Showing locations and Times for !WomenArtRevolution

.::Sketch Book Project::.

Via: 

                    

Sketch Book Project

The Sketchbook Project World Tour 2012

The Sketchbook Project is a traveling exhibition of sketchbooks created by artists like you.

Anyone – from anywhere in the world – can be a part of the Project. To participate and receive a blank sketchbook that will join our 2012 tour, start by choosing a theme.

visit the their website: Sketch Book Project

.::Call for Entries San Francisco Latino Festival::.

Share with someone that might be interested in submitting entry:

via: Cine+Mas SF

Call for Entries Sf Latino Festival

The San Francisco Latino Film Festival is now accepting film entries.

Films made by, about or with Latinos from the U.S. and abroad are encouraged to enter.

To qualify films must be made between 2008 and now. Short and feature films are welcome to enter and the deadline to submit is June 3, 2011.

 If you have questions, email info@sflatinofilmfestival.com.

Follow SF Latino film happenings on Twitter and like the SF Latino Film Festival on Facebook to join the conversation.

Good luck!

.::30 Day Photography Challenge::.

.::Print—Save Image—Share—Stay Creative::.

Take on this fun challenge to tell a little story about yourself.

.::33 Ways to Stay Creative::.

.::Print—Save Image—Share—Stay Creative::.

::The Ahn Trio::

A modern take on piano, violin, cello

CHICASinPOWER extended

Here will be a Tumblr friendly extended version.

Check it out in a few days, right now I'm working on some post to add there and if you like you can submit post, ask me anything, or leave a message..

CHICASinPOWER extended

::Elizabeth GIlbert on Nurturing Creativity::

::TEDx Seattle - Martha González ::

Fandango Without Borders:
On Fandango, convivencia (convening), building communities, connecting with each other. Convivencia is special and needed in our society. Dancing community, personal identity, and building connections within a Son and dance. Take on music and participate in it don't just listen to it be part of it and free yourself and let tell your own story. Letting your creativity come out can help you grow as a person and can let you be aware of others stories.
         
       

::Someday::

::Far Away::

Image via WikipediaFar away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.
-Louisa May Alcott

::Business/Professional Women of California::

via:

WOMEN SOLIDARITY USA

Business and Professional Women of California reports that the new McKinsey report on women says in order for women to advance in the workplace and close the gender wage and opportunity gap - they need 3 things:

1) Mentors and Role Models
2) Access to Informal Networks
3) Sponsors who personally advocate for the women and their ideas

::LUANN's MOM LOVE::

 

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::MOM LOVE::

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::The Simpler Things::

 

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(all rights go to Cantu and Castellanos)

::Cup of Coffee::

::Miss Representation::

"Today’s female teenagers consume more media than anyone ever. Each week, they devour more than 31 hours of television and 17 hours of music: programming pervaded by the message that their value lies more in their fleeting physical attraction than in lasting intellectual or leadership capacities. Miss Representation measures the magnitude of that phenomenon, including the way objectification gets internalized—in a symbolic devaluing of self-worth—inhibiting girls and women from realizing their full potential. Actress, filmmaker and former first lady of San Francisco, Jennifer Siebel Newsom marshals astonishing facts and statistics, supported by provocative stories from teenage girls as well as candid interviews with actors, politicians, journalists, academics and activists (a roll call that includes Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Margaret Cho, Condoleeza Rice, Nancy Pelosi and Gloria Steinem). Siebel Newsom critically examines recent and stark episodes of sexism and prejudice in the public sphere, including the media’s unbalanced treatment of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin and Hollywood’s ongoing exploitation of actresses and women directors. The accumulation of startling details will leave viewers shaken but armed with a new perspective. A personal narrative woven throughout, reflecting on the recent birth of her daughter Montana, affirms Siebel Newsom’s genuine desire to ignite national enthusiasm for helping to advance the next generation. This is powerful advocacy on behalf of a more balanced portrayal of women and girls across the full spectrum of media we and they so voraciously consume."

—Kim Bender

 http://fest11.sffs.org/films/film_details.php?id=63

 

http://www.missrepresentation.org/welcome.html

::She is Beautiful::

:: Papergirl: The Sister's Lament::

::Papergirl: I Love you::

::Getting Ahead::

 

Click for better resolution

 (All rights to Cantu and Castellanos)

::Audrey Hepburn::

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

—	Audrey Hepburn

::Self-Doubt::

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

—	Sylvia Plath

::WELCOME TO TODAY::

::Colorful Music::

::Painting with Body and Soul::

                              

::AMAZED::

 

(all rights to *unknown artist)

::The Voice Within::

Christina Aguilera - The Voice Within lyrics

Young girl don’t cry
I’ll be right here when your world starts to fall
Young girl it’s alright
Your tears will dry, you’ll soon be free to fly

When you’re safe inside your room you tend to dream
Of a place where nothing’s harder than it seems
No one ever wants or bothers to explain
Of the heartache life can bring and what it means

Chorus:
When there’s no one else, look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just trust the voice within
Then you’ll find the strength that will guide your way
You’ll learn to begin to trust the voice within

Young girl don’t hide
You’ll never change if you just run away
Young girl just hold tight
Soon you’re gonna see your brighter day

Now in a world where innocence is quickly claimed
It’s so hard to stand your ground when you’re so afraid
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold
When you look outside look inside to your soul

Chorus

Life is a journey
It can take you anywhere you choose to go
As long as you’re learning
You’ll find all you’ll ever need to know
(be strong)
You’ll break it
(hold on)
You’ll make it
Just don’t forsake it because
No one can tell you what you can’t do
No one can stop you, you know that I’m talking to you

Chorus

Young girl don’t cry I’ll be right here when your world starts to fall

::I CAN'T WAIT (PROSE)::

“Two years ago, I was afraid of wanting anything. I figured wanting would lead to trying and trying would lead to failure. But now I find I can’t stop wanting. I want to fly somewhere on first class. I want to travel to Europe on a business trip. I want to get invited to the White House. I want to learn about the world. I want to surprise myself. I want to be important. I want to be the best person I can be. I want to define myself instead of having others define me. I want to win and have people be happy for me. I want to lose and get over it. I want to not be afraid of the unknown. I want to grow up and be generous and big hearted, the way people have been with me. I want an interesting and surprising life. It’s not that I think I’m going to get all these things, I just want the possibility of getting them. College represents possibility. The possibility that things are going to change. I can’t wait.”

—	Tyra Collette, Friday Night Lights

::When She Smiles::

::Never Have I Seen::

"Never have I seen a woman standing so valiantly. Mesmerized by her ever-present moment. She is beautiful, she is keen, and soft to the touch, but ever so sweet to the heart. She fears, only what eyes cannot see. She fears pain and hurt that can be present in her life. If ever that to happen she might just feel lost and out of touch with the world. I try to tell her to stand strong like she knows to be. I tell her don’t you fear that you will find a way out near and not very far from here. But most importantly I tell her not to give up on what she feels, what she knows to be real. That her mind is as powerful as a shooting beam going across the darkest of places to be. A woman like you can be as strong, as beautiful and with the sweetest and most powerful words to ever hear." -

::Absolutely::

::Finish Line::

“You don’t get to the finish line and stop; that’s when you give it even more than you started with!”                                           — Jillian Michaels

::Persistance::

“When I thought I couldn’t go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck.”

— Estee Lauder

::Intuition & Feminity::

“God gave women intuition and femininity. Used properly, the combination easily jumbles the brain of any man I’ve ever met. ♥”

—Farrah Fawcett

::Pulp Fashion: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave ::

Pulp Fashion

February 5, 2011 - June 5, 2011

"Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave is a painter by training, but textile and costume are her muses. Working in collaboration with leading costume historians and young fashion designers, de Borchgrave crafts a world of splendor from the simplest rag paper."

http://legionofhonor.famsf.org/legion/exhibitions/pulp-fashion-art-isabelle-de-borchgrave