Arts and the Economy

In good economic times or bad, we look to God's art.

All we have to do is step outside the door and there it is.

Masterpieces all about.

Sometimes, we even bring a bit of it inside.

Matter of fact, there are some blooms here beside us now.

And we spotted some buds that should be blooms by morning.

So we may bring some of those inside too.

Or maybe we'll just leave them where they are.

So those who happen to pass by can enjoy God's art too.

Another special Dad's Day story:

Watching a baseball game.

One of the announcers told of a conversation he had with one of the major league baseball players before the game.

The player said his Dad was at the game to watch him play.

Any special Dad's Day plans?

Yes, as a matter of fact, the baseball player said.

After the game he and his dad would play some catch.

Just as they did when he was a kid.

Morning All...

I don't have anything really to add about the arts article, but I wanted to wish all the fathers a Happy Father's Day!

I also wanted to clarify on my vanilla extract...  It was a "kit" and you use the vanilla beans and premium vodka, let it sit for 6 months and then you have a vanilla extract to use instead of what you can buy at the store.  I used it Friday in a recipe that called for vanilla and it worked WONDERFULLY!!!   I highly recommend it!

Rats, I was certain that Peterman's topic of the day would be Watergate. This happens to be the 40th anniversary, after all, and we ALREADY waxed winsome regarding Father's Day. Oh well, the arts deserve attention too, especially in severe recessionary times, and no matter who wins November's election the financial crisis will remain with us. I really love the proposal towards the very end of today's article that the direction of the arts shift to lifting up people & places in distress. Trying to think of ways to view hardship as opportunity, first gotta get past more selfish thoughts like "remember NOT to vacation in Greece anytime soon, there may be no economy left to support adventures"..... lol

No matter what you do, everyday, you can be an artist or master craftsman.
lotlot is a gardner & decorator & storyteller. mbailey is a master chef.
If everyone would see the worth in themselves of all we do no matter how tedious or mundane I'm sure society would Capitalize!!
P.S. I didn't read the article!
Dropped in to say Hi! Hi! Hi! And sing my favorite song for all the Fathers.
La la la la la!!!

Simply yes. Withough Capitol, the world stops.

Mbaily....sounds great.

Happy Father's Day to all those wonderful dads

Attendance declined....hmmm, there's a surprise. It does seem an elitist program when the fee for attendance is high and usually black tie.

However seeing great art on computers or in books cannot be compared to the "goose bump" awe of seeing the real thing. I'd like to see it supported; I'd like to see children want to go to a museum instead of iPad.... I'd like to be tall and thin and young. I'm afraid in these days of economic strife, so many things will fall by the wayside in favor of, well, rent, food and clothes. Not realizing that art too is food for the soul.

The Arts and funding from the Great and the Good have always been bedfellows in every sense of the word. Now, whether they like it or not, the taxpayer subsidises the ballet, the opera, the theatre, orchestras -  no matter if they can't afford to attend a performance.
Once in a while, we peasants out in the sticks get treated to something nice . I remember taking my extremely reluctant son to see and hear an orchestra in our community centre. The scowl turned to rapt attention and we left with son desperate to learn to play the violin. Several of his school fellows were similarly inspired and this led to the founding of what was fondly known as the School Roarchestra.

Happy Father's Day to a the Dad's here at the EYE.

Art? We are so feeble! What artist,pallette in hand can duplicate the clouds....the sunset over water...the lush greenery of late Spring.....the color,composition,texture of Autum.....and here,we,wordsmiths, even try......

Just reread mine. That should read "all the Dad's".

Happy Fathers' Day!

I am feeling strangely pleased that my son-in-law (who is not my biggest fan)has requested my Fish Cakes for his Fathers' Day dinner.

The traveling Father's Day road show found itself in Milwaukee yesterday for lunch with two of our daughters and grandchildren.
Having lived there, it was easy to get from a far westside stop to the East side through old attractive and well maintained neighborhoods one of which was where the old Children's Hospital had been.
We spent a lot of time there, my little brother and I. I came home from school one day and he was alone (our mom had died a few months before) sick in bed and having a reaction to penicillin.
I called his doctor who called and ambulance and was at the house before it got there.
It was a close call (he would not, they said, have survived the night) and for weeks I went to the hospital from school, hung out there, left when he and the kids in his ward ate and came back to read them highly paraphrased stories or ones that I had made up that day on the bus ride.
I'm sure our dad had some reason why he wasn't at home with his sick son and why he was unable to get to the hospital but I can't remember… he was long on authority, self-pity and short on service. He got a little better and my brother survived to be a good guy.
There was a lesson there.
There were a lot of opportunities for free concerts and stage presentations in Milwaukee in those days and one of our favorite places was and remains the War Memorial Center designed by the Saarinens:
http://www.mam.org/info/details/warMemorial.php

It was worth a visit just to for the mosaic adorning its front forget the four floors of art and Lake Michigan as a backyard and as if that were not enough, they added:
http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/milwaukeeart/index.htm

An embarrassment of riches.

A walker stopped by to say that a fellow down the street thought that when I passed with the dog, that I didn't wave because he was out early on a Sunday morning running a loud power leaf blower.
Can you imagine that?

He was right.

Happy Father's Day to my P.E. Dads - even if I'm older than you, and whether or not you have children. One of those rare, accurate examples of "It takes a Village".

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there and to the Mothers who were,  of necessity, both!

That the direction of the arts in these bad economic times shift to "lifting up people and places in distress" and to view "hardship as an opportunity."  (from bert's 8:42)... That's so much a bunch of air filled words, especially the hardship as opportunity.  After a while people cave in, bert.  It sounds good on paper, sort of like the Euro looked, but it gets old and exhausted, like the Euro, and just too hard after a while, and that's when the Obama.s of the world take the opportunity to step in and take over everything. Arts can't flourish without freedom of the soul and intellect, and Obama's vision of his world with us in it, won't allow for that...and Bert, anybody can do a better job of managing the finances of this country than that liberal bunch of Windmills currently occupying the people's house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  

That the direction of the arts in these bad economic times shift to "lifting up people and places in distress" and to view "hardship as an opportunity."  (from bert's 8:42)... That's so much a bunch of air filled words, especially the hardship as opportunity.  After a while people cave in, bert.  It sounds good on paper, sort of like the Euro looked, but it gets old and exhausted, like the Euro, and just too hard after a while, and that's when the Obama.s of the world take the opportunity to step in and take over everything. Arts can't flourish without freedom of the soul and intellect, and Obama's vision of his world with us in it, won't allow for that...and Bert, anybody can do a better job of managing the finances of this country than that liberal bunch of Windmills currently occupying the people's house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  

And as to the direction of the arts going to "lifting up people in distress" or whatever, isn't that what the Arts do, in good times and in Obama times?  I say yes, that's what the arts do, that's one of the yearnings that Art or art satisfies - any time, not just in Obama time.    Still and all, offer a guy an all you can eat dinner or a canvas and some watercolors, ask him to choose one, and he'll quick like a bunny pick dinner -the heck with Art.   Maybe this is how Art dies off-people are forced to choose between survival of the body, or survival of the spirit, and the body will out everytime.  ...  

Stoney:  that was my husband.  Our kids are coming over, are already over - the patio needed powering off.  We apologize.   Happy Father's Day, Sir - I know you're a good one.  And PeterLake, wherefore art thou, PL?  Happy Dad's Day to you too...and George Hall, you raised a good son who told enough about you that I feel like I do know you, and a Happy Father's Day from me to you too - and to all you other Peterman Dads, you're the best of the best, and may you have a best of the best kind of Fathers Day, too -   ......It's hot and humid here, I think Wisconsin slipped below the Mason Dixon while I was sleeping, but it's a pool and lake and a slip-and-slide kind of day, the sky is blue and the sun is smiling...and there's watermelon on ice...life is good, as cuukoo would say.  Hope it's all good for you, as well.

MISS PARK4:   Well Put, Indeed !!!

Our little college town village of Waleska, GA has a community garden, and in the city of Atlanta there are several vacant lots transformed in inner city neighborhoods into family garden plots, the Nature Conservancey oversees some of them. People are growing their own tomatoes, squash, greens,cucumbers, and those other veggies that are easy to grow. We also have village "farmers' markets" on Wed. or Thurs. or Sat. when those who have more than they can use come together and sell the overabundance. That is a good idea for those of us have rampant deer and can't grow in our yards, although I do have 5 large tubs on my deck with cherry tomatoes, peppers, and herbs thriving away from the four footed eating machines.   At the moment I am in Palm Coast with friends, enjoying the sun and sights. It is good to have friends, especially ones with pools who live near the coast, and who invite you to come visit for a week!! Home is under protection of my significant other and the cat. This is a "girls" Fla. visit. Again, a Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! It is a beautiful day here in Florida!

Our little college town village of Waleska, GA has a community garden, and in the city of Atlanta there are several vacant lots transformed in inner city neighborhoods into family garden plots, the Nature Conservancey oversees some of them. People are growing their own tomatoes, squash, greens,cucumbers, and those other veggies that are easy to grow. We also have village "farmers' markets" on Wed. or Thurs. or Sat. when those who have more than they can use come together and sell the overabundance. That is a good idea for those of us have rampant deer and can't grow in our yards, although I do have 5 large tubs on my deck with cherry tomatoes, peppers, and herbs thriving away from the four footed eating machines.   At the moment I am in Palm Coast with friends, enjoying the sun and sights. It is good to have friends, especially ones with pools who live near the coast, and who invite you to come visit for a week!! Home is under protection of my significant other and the cat. This is a "girls" Fla. visit. Again, a Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! It is a beautiful day here in Florida! 

OK I am on a friend's PC in IE, and therefore the Send button does not respond when clicked.... So, human nature tells you to hit it again....and thus we get....multiple copies! This time, I am not clicking but once, and just waiting.......for IE to SEND....w.aiting....waiting.... (usually at home I am on my GoogleChrome and do not have this repeat, repeat problem....Sorry, folks!) 

Park4 -- I am with you on your 12:37 post!!

Seems like a good day for Berting! Me, it's the page saying "Never heard of you" so I have to log in and remember my password and all that performance. Very annoying. O yeah ~ one click is enough to 'send' bring your knitting, sometimes it takes ages. Not the most sophisticated page on the Web, but we love it, don't we?

You'd think that someone from the department of redundancy department would look in from time to time to time and delete repeats.

Well said Park.

Art survives and flourishes on its own. It always has ans always will......even in places where it has been condemned and forbidden.....it cannot be denied and a committed artist will create.

People, however cannot flourish without the ability to work and put food on the table. From what I remember of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs..... Happy talk is nowhere near the top.

When it comes to taxpayer's mobey in hard economic times, there are greater needs that must come first.

If you want to elevate the nation via art....contribute your money, not the money of those trying to by food and healthcare for their families.

Park4 ~
Those gummint tentacles work their way into everything.
A Barackoli surrogate was on today and in answer to the assertion that the top earners already pay 90% of all net federal income taxes, he smugly stated: "Everybody pays payroll tax."
Funny nobody called him on that.

I seem to remember songs,for sure a form of art,were sung by slaves,in the most intolerable of circumstances. Potlatch,anyone?

I found that if you quickly go to another site and back, the message sends itself.

The first time I contemplated the question I have was in Amsterdam When I met the Minister of Culture who explained to me how any artist. , even unDutch, could qualify for government subsidies. Why don't we have a Cabinet position in charge of Art and Culture? Thats what I wondered then and I still am.

Yes, RY~ and the most heart-rending pictures were drawn by WW2 Jewish prisoners, using any paper they could scrounge. I believe it is a needful thing for people to draw, paint, sing, dance, play a musical instrument, maybe sew a patchwork quilt.

From drawings on cave walls to oversize paintings of a Cambells' Soup can, from the rythmatic beating of two sticks together to the music of a symphony orchestra, be it dime novel or pulitzer prize winner, and whether you did it or enjoyed it art allows the spirit and the soul to sing.  Humans will always support or create it no matter what the economy.

I'm in a good mood this afternoon, my daughter brought me a stained glass dolphin she made herself, and I'm just not going to rise to the bait and spoil a good mood with partisan political bantering. Watching the new copper steeple being installed over the restored wood base gave me a high degree of tolerence. That steeple has been there for 150+ years, and survived a lot of extremely difficult times. America will get through our current difficulties, and the wonderfulness of it all is that we each retain the freedom to craft our own belief system that we feel will best make tomorrow be better than today. Enjoy your afternoons, all!

A busy and distant father honored the request of his dying daughter, "Do something that would make me proud," by paying on or off  the student loans of many of her friends and classmates.
It would have been fewer of them receiving greater benefit but a surprising or, at least, disappointing number of them failed to send in the prepaid post card acknowledging the direct payment of twelve thousand dollars.
Not that much to ask but maybe they were used to money raining from the sky. It did benefit others.

Stoney-without knowing the rest of that story,I'm free to wonder....did the recips feel like something too good to be true,might not be? When the prettiest girl asked ME to dance, I looked around to see who was smirking....know what I mean?

Stoney: point well made as alway, and well taken, I trust by many...and Bert,  I wasn't throwing out bait, it would have been a waste of good bait. More than ever, you and I are sitting so far across the aisle - we're almost out either side of the building and onto the grassy knoll....And it wasn't political bantering either. Politcal bantering ends when the poop hits the fan and mister, take a look at that fan over there:  the motor's burned out and the blades have stopped turning from the sheer weight of the poop it's been flinging...  Before someone says, well, "it could be worse" - the grown ups will take over and set things right, once again.

Park4, some of us are comfortable with the concept that there is room in our virtual village for diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, values, and some are not. Sunday afternoon and here you go again, picking a fight with someone who feels no ill will in his heart for you. That's very sad..... heading out, my suggestion is that we all take a deep breath, and tomorrow will likely be a fresh start....with civility, dignity, & respect.

Cakes...bee-yuuuu-ti-ful cakes...works of art....

Bert, it's been a long time since I last decided to take issue with you.  And during that time I've endured here in our Virtual Oasis ever so much "diversity in background, beliefs, values" - quietly.  Today, I didn't feel like being quiet. But no blood was let; we will all of us live to see another day.  .....One thing though bert, that uber-diversified multi-valued you ought to realize is that it's mostly not personal.  It's simply, intensely, and vehemently - political.  Which come to think of it could be construed as personal, but no, I don't think so, I'm pretty sure I don't anyhow...  

RY ~
It explained what had been done in memory of the deceased.
Even the people who mentioned that they would have rather have had the cash stayed in the program.

Bert ~
When two sides are or pretend to be in complete agreement, one isn't needed.
I can be made to laugh out loud by the fact that BHO could question the experience and credentials of anybody.
When your goal is to spend a lot more money than we have, the ice beneath you is thin, the sun high and your concern for the poor and middle class, suspect.

Art being my middle name, a government subsidy will be most welcome.  That said, today of all days, can't we all just get along? 
Poor Rodney, dead and gone, left me here to sing his song, pretty little girl with the red dress on, no wait a minute, that was Otis. Never mind.

I didn't even Bert and I hit the SEND switch once too often.  OhBother. Here I go again.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY POPS!

Bert, you trot out your we-are- the-world-happy-talk as if you are the undisputed voice of reason who has been annointed as the spokesperson of the burning bush and then cry foul and whine when your announcements of the state of the nation are not embraced, or even worse, challenged by others here.

We all have the right to express our opinions and even be so bold as to say we disagree with what someone has said....'cos we are not virtual beings who will fall into line just because you say so.

I must have been absent the day when Sundays were declared 'shut up and agree with Whatever Bert says days.

That may work in your village, but not in a forum populated by comperably intelligent, informed, and opinionated people. How dare you tell us to take 'a deep breath' to reconsider expressing our equally valuable opinions....

Perhaps you should take a deep breath before diminishing our words which are typically expressesed with dignity and respect.....although perhaps not as you define these terms.

Now go enjoy the rest of you Sunday and pretend that we all agreed with and hung on your every word as tomorrow!s fresh start and new topic begin.

If I sound a bit angry and probably over-the-edge, it's because I am and for some reason your posts occasionaly have that effect on me.....its probably my bad and most of the time i don't bother with responding. I'll work on that part from my end.

Fact is, we blame the President,or King,or Governor,for everything,short of the weather....and we've even been known to blame them for that-or the weatherman....now truth be told,it's just a leeeeeetle more complicated than that,right? We have 535+9 to share the blame,+all the corporations,banks,other countries,and yes, those darn flutterbys in Africa,one flap of their wings and all heck breaks loose here, in D.C. . Son back to the sandbox,Kids,and play nice...we here in the Village don't have the kind of monie$ to buy a new political acting troup. Sorry,Stoney, I guess there is way more to that story that I'll never know...

Oddly, my little brother after having spent time living with all three of his brother's families growing up, wound up along with his wife, overseeing Dad's late life care in Lexington, Ky. 
I told you he was the better boy.

paolos ~
Stay away from the pool and I'll make you a deal: tolerate the crabbing now and you can whine all you want at the Romney inauguration bash.

Tolerate the crabbing?  Y'all can crab all you want.  I said RODNEY not Romney, did you misplace those spectacles again?  By the way, where is that pool?

Good day dear villagers, dropping in to say Happy Father's Day to all the good gents here. I've read that art is that which makes our lives infinitely more rich, it engages our imagination, our creativity and stirs something within us. For some, it may be art, others music and some, like my son and many like him, that intense realistic graphics that accompany his video games.  Tolstoy in his essay "what is art" poo-poohed the numerious aesthetic theories that defined art in terms of goodness, truth and beauty, in fact he thought art in his time was corrupt and decadent and that artists had been misled.

It is a fact though that, in any society, until basic needs are met, formal arts and cultural activities tend take a back seat.  It was certainly so in Singapore when I was growing up. Jobs, education, housing, racial harmony, political tensions ...these were the concerns of our daily lives. It was only after we had fed our bodies that we could look towards enriching the rest of what constitutes a whole being. Interestingly, the best output is where arts work with science, or the right brain with the left, as in the case of Steve Jobs who was first inspired by calligraphy. For me, I have been cleaning up my the mess, emotional mostly, in my life for the last two years. Two weeks ago, I was driving and listening to some music. I felt sooooo ridiculously happy as I saw the notes jumping in joy in my head, and I thought to myself, life is good.

Government support of the arts, like government support of anything, means decisions about where the dollars go will be made with the support of a very narrow majority of citizens.
It is worth considering, if you are a big believer in eliminating tax breaks for the wealthy, that the bandshell in the park, the concert series, much of the art in your museum and the $12,000 to cover the costs of the children's parade might never have been supported by charitable donations were it not for the deductions that offset the costs a bit.
If you believe that charitable donations are made to cheat the system out of tax dollars, you might also believe that carrying a mortgage to make a killing with the mortgage interest tax deduction makes sense.

I think money is a bad metric for art. True art is done for self gratification. We sing when we are happy. People applaud and smile. Sponsership,stighpend,whatever,is/should be done graciouisly. Skimming ever so slight a bit from commerce,to add beauty to the place where the commerce occurs should never be questiond. Imagine dirty markets,or clean happy pretty ones... Government has no pockets;every penny taken in must be spent. When it is spent on artists,they pay taxes...