March 21, 2014
February 5, 2014
September 7, 2012
Beauty...In Case You Weren't Sure What It Was
Okay, so normally I would never post a paper I have written for a class on my blog, but it was quite thought provoking as I had to think about beauty and what it is to me as compared to early philosophers. Just thought I would share? I don't know. Maybe that's weird, but alas, I'm posting it. The first paragraph is super boring, but it helps the second make sense. It's not highly profound, just a series of requirements. Maybe this teacher won't tell me that I need to dumb my papers down and say "In this paper I will write...", because yes, my last professor took off points for me writing a thesis statement... sorry I don't write like a first grader. Small rant, my apologies.
According
to early philosophers, such as Thomas Aquinas, all beauty in art forms is
relative or subjective. Our minds cannot
fully grasp the fact that any one thing is beautiful or not beautiful. Aquinas believed that any form of art must
encompass four things to be deemed beautiful.
The first component something lovely must possess is integrity. If something is lacking a part of its’ whole,
it is incomplete to the eyes and the mind.
For example, a butterfly that is missing a wing might be curious to the
viewer, but it is not beautiful because it is not whole—it lacks integrity. The second factor of beauty is called due
proportion. Something that is beautiful
has a sort of flow that makes the onlooker feel a sense of harmony. There is no chaos or disarray within the work
of art, there is only what Aquinas calls aesthetic unity. When art is viewed there is no conflict of
the mind as to how they should feel about the piece, because all the parts
should relate if it is to be worthy of beauty. The third standard of beauty is simple
enough: clarity. Clarity results from
having both integrity and due proportion in one work of art. If these are both achieved, clarity may also
be attained. Under the umbrella of
clarity are luminosity, intelligibility, intrinsic meaningfulness, and
sensibility. Luminosity allows people to
feel coherent about the art form, while intelligibility provides an
understanding of the piece as well as intellectual pleasure. Intrinsic meaningfulness provokes an
emotional response from the onlooker, as sensibility conjures the mind to be
aware of the surroundings that help create the piece of art. Lastly, order must occur in a work of art for
it to receive the title of beautiful.
Order does not necessarily mean organized like a desk drawer, but
instead means that it reflects the order that is involved in the universe
itself. These are the wonders that are
established by God. If something lacks order it is unpleasant to look at, or
ugly. It invites chaos and change. On the other hand, something with order is
kosmos. Kosmos is the definition of
beauty and orderly arrangement. Anything
that is beautiful is said to have a peaceful, calming, or pacifying
effect. Beauty to Aquinas and the early
philosophers was only thought of in works of art and must involve these four
standards of beauty, or was otherwise deemed ugly and disturbing.
My
definition of beauty is highly different from Thomas Aquinas. When I look at a piece of artwork, I am not
looking at it to feel a harmonious aura, but instead what the painting or
drawing speaks directly to me. The
experiences I have had in life highly shape what I believe is beautiful. Beauty to me is the things that happen in
one’s journey that make your soul flourish with wonder; that stop you in your
tracks because you are in such awe of the things you have seen but, yet, cannot
utter the words to explain what it is about a piece that draws you to it. A prime example of this is when the summer
turns to autumn and all the leaves begin to fall. As the wind swirls the leaves right in front
of my eyes, I feel a sense of peace and my spirits are immediately lifted, but
inexplicably so. I guess I could agree
with Aquinas in the fact that this type of beauty does possess order, even
though it is not a work of art, it has a pacifying effect on me for a moment. Another example of such beauty can be found
in the movie American Beauty, ironically, when a character’s favorite video he
has recorded is the humble plastic bag, being tossed around by the wind. That simplicity is beautiful to him.
On
the other hand, music is an integral part of my life and I often find certain
compositions incredibly beautiful, but they are not necessarily calming and
peaceful. Instead, they are loud,
misunderstood, and chaotic. The sounds
that might disturb another speak volumes to me and I find it most beautiful. Certain melodies are incomplete, and are
often are sung with imperfections, but those blemishes are where I find the
beauty—in the limitations and the flaws of humans. Artworks that are different and provoke a
defining feeling or emotion that draws me out of my comfort zone are often
beautiful to me. I do not feel as though
a piece must be complete and whole, retaining integrity to accomplish
beauty. Some of the most misunderstood,
unclear, and unintelligible pieces are the most incredible to me, because it
rouses my mind to thinking about what it is that draws me in and captivates me
about its’ unpretentious beauty.
August 23, 2012
A Lovely Quote
Everyone who knows me knows that I love to sleep in. I think this just says it all. And now that I'm back in school... I feel this even more strongly.
August 14, 2012
Farewell Summer Tunes
Summertime is coming to an end. I realize I just posted one playlist for you, but this was my more upbeat, fun summer playlist. See if anything fascinates you. To quote some Dashboard, "So long sweet summer, I stumbled upon you and gracefully basked in your rays. I fell into you, now you're gracefully falling away."
August 8, 2012
Darling Dolls: Oversize Me
I love tiny girls in oversized clothing. It is super comfortable and you can make the outfit go in a lot of different directions.
I could lose the heels, but I really do like this shirt.
This is cute by itself or with a belt.
I enjoy a large top tucked into shorts or skinny jeans.
Love this top and her jeans or leggings.
This summer I'm really liking longer shirts with shorts. I wish I could wear shorts to work.
Happy Wednesday :)
July 30, 2012
Jams For A Summer's Night
So I've always made it apparent that I love music, and each summer I make a new playlist of songs that I've been jamming to in the car, with friends, at coffee shops, or wherever. This is a list of my more chill summer tunes that I find are nice for an evening drive, chilling under the stars, or having good conversation with a friend. All the songs are really different, so have a listen if you wish.
July 19, 2012
July 12, 2012
The Dancers In My Head
Obviously God has placed a deep passion in me for music and lately the dancers in my head have been going crazy! Music is a bit of everything: a comfort, a release, a healing calm, a joyous chant, a dance, a contemplative thought. I often wish I could burst out into a dance in the middle of the street. And why not? What am I afraid of? Showing happiness? Concern for what people will think? God created that longing to move in my heart, so why do I bottle it up like someone trying to conceal a nervous tick? It may not turn out beautiful, but it's how I feel. Choreography and movements are the emotions I cannot speak or lack in words. I hear a chord strike and my head jolts, my body craves, shakes, and contorts. I can't sit still. My feet tap, my hair wants to flow, my shoulders contract, fingers make small gestures full of meaning. It is all kinds of music to, not just one or another that warrants a worthy amount of dance. I will resolve to dance: to allow myself to truly live and feel intricately.
July 6, 2012
Hey Look What I Made: Stars & Stripes Shorts
A few months back my little and I decided to head to the Salvation army to get some old mom jeans to turn into some rad Fourth of July shorts. Needless to say, the trip to the dressing room was quite laughable as most of these jeans looked straight out of the 80s and 90s. I settled for some high waisted, light wash denim for a mere $6.00. Then we went to Hobby Lobby to get star stickers and Tulip fabric spray paint in red, white and blue.
First, we folded the jeans in half and cut them to the desired length for shorts. We left a little room so the edges could fray. Next, we taped off all the edges of the shorts that we didn't want to get color on. We painted both sides of the shorts completely white. Then on one side we laid painter's tape down for the stripes and proceeded to use the red spray paint to fill in the gaps. After that dried, we removed the painter's tape and voila! Stripes! On the other side, we laid down star stickers wherever we desired. Then blue was sprayed all over this side. Once it was dried we removed the stickers. After the paint had dried a little, we took sandpaper sheets to the top to rough it up, give it a vintage look, and make it less stiff. We also washed it after it dried completely.
I will say, our first mishap was trying to wash the shorts after we had done the first layer of white. Needless to say, somehow one side came completely off (I'm not sure we let it dry enough), and the other side was still perfectly white. Trial and error, I suppose.
Many of my friends asked me how to do this after we posted pictures from our adventure in stars and stripes. Some of their photos turned out pretty cute as well. Everyone's looked pretty different depending on their style of shorts, the paint they used, and which way they chose to put the stars and stripes. If you're feeling crafty for a patriotic event, I recommend these. They were easy to do and I got lots of compliments on them! :) Hope you all had a happy fourth!
June 30, 2012
Darling Dolls: Men's Edition
Oh the hat and colours.
Good hair. Nice choice in pattern. Skinny jeans. Shoes. Jacket. Love.
Cuffed jeans, boots, and a button down. (Not to mention the water behind him.)
I have no problem with men wearing scarves. And that is one nice coat. Beanies are always welcome, and some guys just know how to pick jeans that look good on them.
Okay, I could do without the cat and the haircut, but the tattoo is awesome, and I like it (sometimes) when guys wear v-necks that show their ink.
I love cuffed jeans on guys and these kinds of shoes.
June 28, 2012
Sunshine & Carousels: Summer
Last week I met with Miss Erin Wilson to take some more pictures for her summer line of headbands and hair accessories. Thought I'd share a few of those photos with you. Go check out her shop! She started a new children's line too, and her daughter Penelope modeled all the pieces. The pictures are to die for!
June 25, 2012
A Lovely Quote
We've been talking a lot in a Bible study I'm in about being content in the place that you are in life right now, and embracing every situation or opportunity that comes your way. Sometimes, it's just what you need to hear.
June 23, 2012
Hey Look What I Made: Macrame & Clutches
This summer I have started on quite a few projects that I've either found on Pinterest or come up with on my own. I figured I'd share some of them as I go along. I made these macrame bracelets. They took almost no time at all. I think the blue ones remind me of bolts.
These are some little clutches that I made out of magazine pages. I laminated the sheets after cutting them into perfect squares. Folded the edges in and then sewed a button onto the center for closure. They're a bit fragile, but good for carrying just a couple of items, or even to put papers in.
Come craft with me! :)
June 22, 2012
Things I Love At Work: June
These are a couple of things I get to walk by everyday at work and wish would jump into my closet.
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