This boy's wonders.

Found this guy on flickr. His user name is Boy Wonder. He's not a boy on the outside, but on the inside, he's still the little kid that everybody wished they could be forever. Everybody wants to stay young. Nobody wants to grow up and face the harsh reality. His artworks brings out the kid in everyone who sees it - well, at least for me. :)

These are just few among hundreds of his works. Although I do not know this artist personally, but through his pictures, I find his character adorably interesting. Few artists actually involve themselves in the artwork, but most of his artworks have his face in it! Not only does his photos look realistic even though they're manipulations, the spirit that the artworks carry are cheerful and light. They're like thoughts that you would find if you dive into a kid's mind. Things that are impossible to find in the real world.

Dealing with the real world can really drain out the innocence and imagination of us. So when there's free time, there's nothing more that we'd long for than escape from it. Everyone has their own little 'oasis'. I feel like I've found mine when viewing his artworks. The mischief and freedom that I can hardly express out socially. His artworks certainly made me realized that the world can try to change you, but you can always choose not to let it win. Be true to yourself and root to what you really love. Creativity really goes as deep as your wonders. Keep wondering, people!

Photos taken from http://www.flickr.com/people/joel_r/ at 28 June 2012.

Shadow magic.

This artist called Kumi Yamashita has used the nature of light to produce her artworks on walls. Now, we all know that light travels in a straight line. When it hits any object that is in its way, the light is blocked and tada! It creates a shadow. Yamashita creatively used this principle to make these following artworks. Take a look!

Looks like just a bunch of post-it notes stuck on a wall. Nothing special there. But I was so wrong.

And if looked closer to each of the papers and its shadow, not one face is the same.

The alphabets are scattered, but their shadows are joined beautifully!

Light from a different angle. Shadow of a different story.

 A different angle again.

My personal favourite among her works. Isn't is just so eerily beautiful?

Not only must the papers cut out be exact, but the light source must be right too. The two important parts completing each other so perfectly to portray the shadow the artist wanted. And the artist had to get them just right. 

Shadows are something so connected to us, but yet intangible. It can never depict any facial emotions, it can never be felt in any form. So then why does these artworks gives off a feel of real human being present in them, when there aren't any? 

I believe it is simply because the shadows are shadows of common people. They're not especially dramatic. Some maybe are even what happened in our lives before. Close to our hearts in a way :) The artworks are just so simple and straightforward, serves to inspire very directly as well. It also implies that everything in life is pretty simple, open up your eyes, look with a different perspective, and there can be so much beauty in it.

Photos taken from http://www.kumiyamashita.com/ on 28 June 2012

Green-ified!

Cut leaf artwork wonderfully created by Legas Delaney for Plant for the Planet campaign.

Once again, I'm gonna share about art that is incorporated with other concepts to bring out a certain message :D 

First off, i'm truly inspired by the fine craft-manship over here. Every detail perfectly cut out. From having the idea in the head to bringing it into life, is always the hardest part for me. Truly, I admire the way the artist took the time to carve these silhouettes. I wonder how many leaves he had to practice on to make it perfect.. The leaves that are turning golden yellow created that beautiful gradient of colours at the edges. As it starts to wilt with the pace of time, these artworks won't have much time left to live. Such short-lived crafts make it all the more unique to appreciate and admire. Even if they can't be kept or preserved, at least in their lifetime they made the smallest impact to the world.

As I continue to look into these pieces of art, I'm beginning to see the meaning unravel. Those parts that are cut out are shaped into buildings, cars, and smoke. The small small elements that contribute to the slow killing of the creations around us. Each new development of our technological world is taking away one little part of the trees. The trees that supply the air we need to live. And as this goes on, soon, the very existence of trees will be consumed and destroyed. We might think it's just one small step we're taking, no harm done. But the truth is, our every action counts. Every piece taken away from this leaf can never be undone. To view it that way, I believe I'll think twice for every time I leave the engine on, or keep the lights on when i'm not around. 

This is simply my own interpretation on this artwork -- how it inspired me to think creatively and raise awareness to people at the same time. To being a green artist! *cheers!*

Photos taken from http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/01/cut-leaf-illustrations-for-plant-for-the-planet/ on 19 June 2012

Bloom.

Few weeks ago I came across this very interesting article of an art project that took place in 2003 (yes, I know, such a decade ago). An installation of 28,000 potted flowers were exhibited at a soon-to-be-demolished mental hospital back then. 


Why flowers? Why at a mental hospital? 




(All quotes and images from this point onward are taken from this website) 

Above is the photograph that caught my attention to continue reading the article. Just look at that stretch of beautiful white mums filled up in that corridor. Now that's something you don't see everyday.


"In 2003 a building housing the Massachusetts Mental Health Center (MMHC) was slated for demolition to make way for updated facilities. The closure was a time for reflection and remembrance as the MMHC had been in operation for over 9 decades and had touched countless thousands of patients and employees alike, and the pending demolition presented a unique problem. How does one memorialize a building impossibly rich with a history of both hope and sadness, and do it in a way that reflects not only the past but also the future? And could this memorial be open to the public, not as a speech, or series of informational plaques, but as an experience worthy of they building’s unique story?" 


This beautiful exhibition was opened for visiting for an entire 4 days, countless of visitors (including past patients and employees in the hospital) came and were moved tremendously.


As a reader, I was deeply inspired by such a simple yet meaningful way to remember a place that was once filled with so much sorrow. Flowers symbolize something new and fresh, growth, hope, and a new life. From the first leaf that greeted the sun for the first time, until the many transitions of blooming in life, its growth was full of beauty that comes from within. The artist used this concept in hopes of igniting and bringing hope to the people that walked through the hallways of this building for the last time. There was no need for words or further elaborations, people naturally connected to these blooming creatures through the very sight and scent of it.

Nooks and crannies were decorated with so much life that was never there before. If i could have been there to see it for myself, I cannot imagine how my spirit wouldn't be lifted up. Through this, art was used to touch lives and encourage weary hearts to keep going. Where sadness was replaced with new hopes, closing of one door to open another. Conceptual and colourful, such a beautiful sight for every eye to behold. I admire this project and am truly inspired by the message this piece of art brought about. There was no duplicity, just plainly a sincere and heartfelt art presented in the most beautiful form. 

Dancing jelly beans.

I have a very big appreciation for stop motion productions. Regardless if it's big or small, I personally think they are all masterpieces. From the age of 12, I've been watching the infamous Bob The Builder stop motion cartoon and had fallen deeply in love with it. 


Stop motion (also known as stop frame) is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence. 

                             -Definition by Wikipedia

And just recently I came across a music video that was made in stop motion... with JELLY BEANS. I've seen drawings and clay figures and furniture used in these kind of productions, but not food. They're tiny and come in so many colours. All 288,000 of them.

This is the video of the making of the amazing jelly beans in stop motion

This project was finished after 2 years of hardcore effort and patience. Everyone who was involved in it - from the mapping of story line, scrip writing, storyboard drawing, converting from plain animation to the real thing, jelly bean by jelly bean, frame by frame - are credited less than they deserve. 

The praises given should be more than just to their skills. When you look behind the impressive outcome that is presented which is the only thing most people see, you will see something that impresses and inspires you more. The pure love for art. These people dream for art. They do what they do simply because they enjoy it. When people dream together, great things happen. Joined passions and inspiration fuel the process. I completely admire the perseverance they had till the very last frame. When it is able to bring a smile to whoever sees it, or just inspires them for that one day, to beautify lives, I believe they have achieved their goal. :)