I am not Artistic

I appreciate art. I can look at a specific visual art form and generate my own preferences and opinions. Art from sculpture, to digital, to graphics, to photography and paintings, I appreciate. I can even see myself wandering around an art museum and attend art exhibits. I've done that a couple of times and I really had fun.

The problem is, I only APPRECIATE. I do not CREATE.

I've fully accepted the fact that I don't have the capability or desire to create art, at least as far as visual arts are concerned. Anything artistic that I need to do with my hands stresses me out. I don't have surgeon's hands.

My hands are very heavy and clumsy. Coloring inside the lines is a chore for me ever since I was a kid. Cutting something without the unnecessary edges is NOT something to expect from me. I don't have drawing skills, although I did elevate my skill one notch when I was into Anime in my high school years. I was obsessed and practically secluded myself one whole summer, listening to Japanese music while practicing on how to draw Kurama's gentle face. Now my drawing skill has become below average instead of pathetically poor. Dabbling in painting as they say is therapeutic, but I've never considered it. I'm poor with mixing colors, shadowing and graceful strokes. Same goes with photography. Photography is not all about concepts and themes. It's a mixture of vision, color coordination, lighting, geometry and the most painful technical aspect. Even food preparation, basic art stuff, gift wrapping and flower arrangement are burden. Tinkering with Photoshop is more convenient for me, but I doubt if my creations would blow anyone's mind away. I can seriously surround myself with artistically capable people, mastering their specific crafts, but it would take lot of unnatural efforts to influence me because I know, deep inside, I really truly suck at art.

Mind you I'm not being exaggerated here. Deep inside I would love to create art, but I just can't. Let's talk about my personality. I'm impatient with cutting, tying knots and wrapping. I know I could do it eventually after a million tries, but usually the output is pathetic. I'd rather ask someone to do it for me. My hands destroy art not create them. If I were to do an operation on someone, I'd end up being the murderer. Colors, geometry and spatial expertise are not really my strongest points. That's why when I was in school, I was a pain in the ass of my mom for letting her do my projects and sewing. I always end up being the marketer in school projects, which was fine for me especially if we wanted to pass. Art is one of my weakest subjects and my lowest grade in school. Technically I just passed art because of helpful friends and family who took pity.

Now, I just view art as a form of visual appreciation or therapy. I usually steer clear from making one. I know that if I want to have something organized or designed, I'll just hire someone. It's less painful. Currently that's what I'm doing now. Apparently my father is eager to get into the Christmas Decorating cheer and unfortunately he tasked me to oversee it. I nearly gagged. Clearly the man doesn't know what he's talking about. I can barely put up a Christmas tree, now I have to think of motifs, thingamajics that go with the motifs and not to mention the messy lights assembly that might set our house on fire. I simply cannot.

So I am doing the next best thing, the only thing that I know I can do efficiently. Go online, research and google for freelance Christmas Decorators. If not for my sister's busy schedule, I might even pay her to do it. Once I've got everything in order and all the assigned people in place, I would have to break it to my family gently that it's never too late to accept that I, unfortunately, am not artistic.

The Astra Zeneca Ad by DT, Ria Aquino and Mitch Bautista

Cheers to Mitch Bautista, DT Photographers and Ria Aquino (MUA) for pulling off a brilliant photo shoot.

Their Ad for Astra Zeneca is currently printed in Manila Bulletin's Classified Ads section today!

What can I say? I'm just exceedingly glad and proud for my babe! Great work, everyone!

We almost shot...

In lieu of the Cinemalaya season, I remember this particular conversation I had with Tim David last year about this entry I read in the book Elephant Vanishes written by H. Murakami. Upon telling Tim about this very interesting and funny story of the SECOND BAKERY ATTACK, we both appreciated it and found great potential of doing something great with it. We were instantly hooked. After an hour of discussing the possible concepts, we got an idea of making a short-indie film version of it. We only needed a reliable video cam. Three major actors who would play the old Baker, the complex husband and wife, and a couple of minor actors who work for McDonald's. The script and flow were easily discussed, but what made a problem in this set up was actually looking for an old fashioned Bakery and seeking McDonald's approval to shoot in one of their branches, the scene being, the husband and wife actors are going to rob it of Big Macs.

I'm more optimistic in getting an old local bakery to participate. Any publicity for them is nice. They really don't have any major corporate name to sift through legalities, but McDonald's imposed the bigger chunk of the challenge.

The hour turned into two hours and we just realized we simply couldn't do it without McDonald's.

Blast.

Instant artistic craving dissipated into thin air.

Looking at Portrait Photography

I was skimming through sites when I came upon this write up about Annie Leibovitz. Annie Leibovitz is a popular and famous photographer in the world of Portrait Photography. Usually behind the racy, vintage and powerful images of gloriously magnificent people, is the master of art that wields it. More than a photographer, this artist is already a brand so she probably could get away with anything. Tell anyone she photographed a racy picture and I'm sure an element of understanding and appreciation would escalate.

I haven't known her all my life. I've seen some of her pictures, but didn't care to know of how she did it or didn't pay much attention to her brand. But there's one thing. I may not be a photographer or a creative genius, yet I always tend to appreciate art. I am less critical since I am lacking in perspective in terms of technicality. But appreciate I have in abundance. My honesty though makes up my knowledge in the technical side. It doesn't also mean that I'm less moved by an art piece or lacking in imagination. I just appreciate and be honest with the art as it moves me, haunts me and plays around with my mind.

Since Mitch took up photography, I've been more exposed to it than ever. Aside from other photography genres, his interest and strength lie in Portrait Photography. And since net is a playground I work with, I am also exposed to write ups and updates of various creative disciplines, which introduced me to Annie Leibovitz, who happens to share Mitch's love for portaits. It's just surprising to know that some of the pictures that took my breath away were actually done by her. Never again, ignorant years! Her shots are not mere photography, it's life in art not the other way around. It really makes you stop and tugs emotions to heightened imagination and appreciation.














**I'm a sucker for Vanity Fair shoots I could stare at it for hours


I've expressed this to Mitch and I'll express it again. I love portraits when it isn't just about the brilliance of make-up, the poses and the models. Of course everything is crucial, but the real effectiveness is to take it beyond the purpose of existence. It doesn't matter if the models have distinct facial features not attractive to basic standards. It doesn't follow. It should always convey a story, an emotion and a plot. It should rear people to understand the complexities behind that grin, frown, smile or pout. It's kind of worthless to do it repeatedly and hope to achieve artistic change just by a difference in angle and costume. I love it when I tend to forget who they are and see the portrait as is. I also love it when it draws controversies, which signals whatever sentiments people kept apathetic about. It's good to know that people react and think. This is not magic. It takes a lot of work. Understanding and performing takes time as it takes bravery and emotional thinking. Some local artists are already masters to it. Some are on their way. But it's good to know that behind those portraits I've come to appreciate, are willing masters that stand up to the controversies and names.


Pic Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2008-07/41005792.jpg
http://teresawymore.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/paltrodannerbyannieleibowit.jpg
http://www.cherryflava.com/cherryflava/images/2008/03/06/keithrichards_1000x578.jpg