Modeling is hard work, and a lot of fun. But there is much more to it that that. After working in the business a while you will come away with a few new skills that can be applied to the rest of your life. Over time, working as a model will help develop your expertise in several areas that are more useful than you may realize.

1. You'll take better photos. During a photo shoot, literally hundreds of photos are taken. Usually only one will get used. A lot of them will look funny or weird. Some will be spectacular. The more photos you take, the more you really get to look at how you act in front of the camera. Certain angles will make you look awkward, and some will make you look long and lean. After a while you learn which poses are the best for you. You learn which angles suit your facial features and figure the best. When your friends are taking your photo on the beach or your posing with your loved one, you'll know how to hold yourself so you look both beautiful and natural.

2. Your style will improve. As a model you will work with all different kinds of designers and clothing stores. You will get to wear endless amounts of different shoes, dresses, jewelry etc. You will learn which styles flatter your body the best. Which colors and combinations really make you shine. You'll become more confident in choosing your everyday wear because you will be more familiar with a wider array of clothing styles. The most stylish clothing won't seem so risky because you've been there and done that. You can wear anything with confidence. You will also be able to walk in heels with confidence. Practice on the runway will be great for when you show up to party in those stilettos.

3. You'll learn creative collaboration. Working with creative types like photographers, designers, hair and make-up artists is inspiring. Everyone is there to get great photos and everyone plays a very important part in the process. You become part of a creative team with a common goal. You learn to understand what the photographer is trying to accomplish and can work to fulfill that vision. After you've worked as model for a while, you learn how to become the character to fill the part the client is looking for. It's challenging to everyone to create the perfect mood and scenario for the shoot. In the end coming out with perfect photos is very rewarding for everyone involved. Learning how to work with others in this type of atmosphere is important day to day. You will develop patience, and your communication skills will improve.

These are just a few of the things you will learn working in this exciting and creative industry. It's a lifestyle and a very beneficial one if you let it be. Enjoy all the experiences. You'll notice how it enhances your everyday life.

Angela Daun has appeared in Maxim, Cosmo, Ugly Betty & more. She's been the face of major cosmetics campaigns, appeared in hit movies & TV shows, and travelled the world walking the runway.

Sign up for her FREE newsletter to receive an information packed expose' on how to become a model PLUS a FREE video course 'How To Get An Agent'. Click the following link now to get your FREE reports: http://www.howtomodelcoaching.com/

© Copyright - Daun Creations LLC, 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


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Traditionally, gymnasts, acrobats, circus performers and dancers wear the unitard. It is a one-piece garment that is basically a combination between a leotard and tights. The unitard covers all of a person's body, but does not restrict movement in anyway. Lycra is blended with either cotton or polyester to create a stretchable fabric. Now we know what unitards are, lets take a look at some famous pop culture icons that have worn them.

The Super Hero Unitard

The superhero is always seen fighting crime whilst wearing a unitard. Spiderman, Superman, Batman: they have all sported the tight fitting outfit. If you watch the re-runs of the 60's Batman episodes, you will notice that both hero and villain are wearing the tight-fitting costume.

The man responsible for superheroes dressing like this was Lee Falk, who created "The Phantom". This superhero first appeared in a newspaper cartoon in 1936 and in its prime was read by over a million readers ever day. Falk got his inspiration for the superhero unitard from the images of Robin Hood and thus, the superhero outfit was born.

The Rock Star Unitard

Freddy Mercury was the first of a new breed of rock star to sport the garment. He paved the way for other flamboyant musicians to express themselves on stage. The 1980's saw an influx of hair-sprayed rock stars scissor kicking their way across the stage wearing these outfits. Popular pop stars of today have shot promotional music videos wearing them as well. From the iconic Britney Spears videos to the new singles being released by Lady Gaga. Every pop siren knows the effect a stylish unitard can have on their fan base.

The Cinematic Unitard

The garment can be used for more than fashion or performance. The unitard has been used to make motion capture possible. The character Gollum in the Lord of The Rings films made possible by a unitard. The actor playing the part wore the tight fitting garment that had motion detectors attached to it. These sensors would be picked up by a special camera and then painstakingly digitally transformed into an animated character. The same process was used in the hit movie, Avatar.

As you can see, this garment has cemented its place into popular culture. Whether you are a contortionist, a theater performer or a professional dancer, the chances are that you have worn one and taken advantage of the unrestricted freedom of movement it gives you.

Jennifer R. Scott has been writing for over ten years on a broad range of topics. She has a background that includes such diverse areas as environmentalism, cooking, animal care, and technology. If you would like more information on adult unitards, please visit this site.


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One of the major decisions an aspiring model must make is whether to freelance or sign with a management agency. Typically, signing with an agency is the best way to go for models. Management agencies will navigate through calls, jobs and pay, which can be an invaluable service to someone new to the industry.

There are typically two ways to sign with an agency. The first is the dry call; a model sends their comp card to agencies in hopes of sparking interest. The second is to attend an open call held by an agency. This is when aspiring models can come to the agency and get a chance to be seen by agents and find out if the agency is interested in signing them.

For a dry call, you need a comp card to send to the agency, which will act as a business card. This is an essential marketing tool for models. A comp card features the most up-to-date and best pictures that are in a models portfolio. A model can either talk to a photographer or create a comp card on their own using a graphic software program. There are a growing number of companies on the internet that you can send images to in order for printing. The price for this service can vary greatly based on both photo and card stock quality.

Some of the benefits of signing with an agency are that they will help in getting comp cards put together, booking test shoots, training, and layout portfolios. Agencies also have booking departments that handle cold calls, advertising, and finding jobs. They also manage confirming dates with clients and collecting pay on behalf of the model.

A new model should watch out for the many scams that are out there. One scam occurs when an agency leads the hopeful model to believe that they have work ready for her to book in order to sell classes and photo shoots. New models can be susceptible to many other scams as well, such as agencies trying to pressure them into signing long-term contracts and high commission percentages. A reliable agency usually earns between 10 and 20% of the pay for a booking, anything more than this and a model should be on the lookout for other red flags.

There are many opportunities in the modeling industry for everyday people. Commercial modeling agencies book and represent models from all walks of life, be it men or women of any height, size, age or appearance. They can find work in catalogues, ad campaigns and commercials - anywhere a company wants to hire models that represent the average consumer.

So, whether a model is just starting out or has been freelancing, there are many things he or she needs to be aware of when looking for and signing on with a model management agency. One of the best things a new model can do is be on the lookout for an open call with an agency, which will often be in on the agency website or a local newspaper. All models should also keep a positive attitude, as it can be hard work finding the right management. A positive attitude is what will make or break you when pursuing anything in life!

Angela Daun has appeared in Maxim, Cosmo, Ugly Betty & more. She's been the face of major cosmetics campaigns, appeared in hit movies & TV shows, and travelled the world walking the runway.

Sign up for her FREE newsletter to receive an information packed expose' on how to become a model PLUS a FREE video course 'How To Get An Agent'. Click the following link now to get your FREE reports: http://www.howtomodelcoaching.com/

© Copyright - Daun Creations LLC, 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


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The highest paid celebrities list for the year 2010 was recently released by Forbes. Though male celebrities mostly dominated the list but there were quite a few female celebrities too. The top 5 female celebrities as per the Forbes list are:

1. Oprah Winfrey: American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey is the highest paid female celebrity yet again. She was the highest paid celebrity including both male and female with a massive pay of $290M as per Forbes. However, the 57 year old Oprah lost her top spot in the "Powerful Celebrities List" to pop sensation Lady Gaga. Oprah's net worth as of March 2011 is assumed to be 2.7 billion and she is ranked 420 on the world's richest list and 135th richest in the United States. Oprah Winfrey is best known for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011. Her rise from abject poverty to the richest African American has touched the hearts of millions of Americans and people around the world. She was not only a celebrity but a way of life according to many and it was not a surprised that Barack Obama, by one estimate, is said to have received over a million votes in the close 2008 Democratic primary race due to Oprah's support. However, the series finale of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" aired on May 25, 2011 and Americans are still struggling to come to terms with the end of an era.

2. Lady Gaga: Lady Gaga is second highest paid female celebrity with a pay of $90 M in 2010. Though she ranks behind Oprah in Money rank and TV/Radio rank but she tops the celebrity list in new age media ranks such as web rank and social rank. Lady Gaga also ranked no.2 in press rank and she has replaced talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey as the most powerful celebrity in this year's Forbes list. The 25 year old was also involved in a lot of controversies in the last year too which seems to have worked in her favor and increased her popularity even further.

3. Bethenny Frankel: The third female celebrity in the highest paid list is the American natural foods chef, television personality and author Bethenny Frankel. She makes her entry into the list this year with a bang as she is ranked as the 3rd richest female celebrity as per Forbes with a pay of $55 M in the last year. She might not as big as Oprah or Lady Gaga or even Gisele in terms of overall popularity but nonetheless she has manages her money rank is comparable to many top celebrities. She is on the rise both in terms of popularity as well as earning and in April 2011, Frankel sold her Skinnygirl cocktail line to Fortune Brands' Beam Global for an estimated $120 million. On June 10, 2010, her series "Bethenny Ever After..." became the highest rated series premiere in the Bravo network's history.

4. Gisele Bündchen: Gisele Bündchen is the fourth highest paid female celebrity and it is not at all surprising as she has been the highest-paid model in the world since 2004. According to Forbes, the 30 year old Brazilian supermodel earned $45 million in the last year though modeling and product endorsements.Her earnings climbed $20 million over the previous year and according to an April 2011 report Proctor & Gamble's Pantene shampoo sales exploded 40% in Latin America after Bündchen started endorsing it.

5. Ellen DeGeneres: American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress Ellen DeGeneres is the fourth highest paid female celebrity as per Forbes. The 53 year old talk show host is best known for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and has also earned $45 million in the last year as per Forbes. She has also hosted both the Academy Awards and the Primetime Emmys and was a judge on American Idol for one year too.

It might be a big surprising that none of the top Hollywood actresses make it to the top 5 highest paid female celebrity list. It is quite notable that most of female celebrities in the above list have built a sort of brand around themselves resulting in more earnings and popularity compared to Hollywood actresses who are lagging behind in that field.

The author is an expert on topics such as Celebrity Wallpapers and Bollywood Wallpapers.


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Searching for attractive tattoo suggestions? Listed here are the top suggestions for attractive tats these days. These will be for both women and men. Individuals appear to have various ideas on what are the greatest attractive tats.

For some people it's the style, for some individuals it's where the body art is situated. What we will highlight here are the very best sexy tattoo suggestions these days for both men and women.

Probably the most controversial skin image these days and considered by most as the most sexy for ladies may be the back tattoo. It's frequently been known as a tramp stamp plus some individuals really feel this kind of body art is actually trashy. But many individuals notice that because of the way the rear of a ladies figure is, it makes an extremely sensuous and attractive spot for the art work to be carried out.

Well-liked styles for back tats consist of: tribe artwork, blossoms, butterflies and just about anything appealing found in nature.

For males among the sexiest locations for tats is the armband skin image. This kind of body artwork appears to improve the pumped up bicep. It is necessary that the guy exercise and be strong for this to work. When the arm becomes loose and flabby it'll enhance the loose and flabby bicep and that's not so attractive.

Well-liked art work for armband art consist of: tribe styles, Celtic art, vines and barbed wire.

For both women and men, tats which are hidden are usually regarded as extremely attractive. The tattoo that's only exposed to another individual in an intimate scenario can be quite attractive. Places for physique artwork like this in many cases are positioned on the chest, crotch, lower belly and even genital area. Tats in these areas in many cases are small and discrete.

Ladies will frequently wear tats like these along with designs of trailing stars, cupid, hearts, or even devilish figures. Males appear to prefer designs, even in these types of concealed locations, which are more of the tribe artwork symbolizing their powerful and hard nature.

Wherever you choose to have your tattoo carried out in your body or what the design it is important you put it on with perspective. Particularly if it's hidden, whenever that tattoo is exposed to that particular special person, having an attractive and assured attitude will even make the tattoo even sexier.

The main thing to consider would be that the tattoo is going to be long term. It's because of this numerous tattoo designers don't suggest having a skin image done with your significant others title. In case the connection breaks up at some stage in the near future that is probably a good idea.

If you're unsure the way you may feel about an attractive tattoo think about henna artwork. That's a skin image that will wear away after a couple of days. If you decide you like it you can always get it done permanently.

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If you're not one of them, take advantage of our Free 17 Sexiest Tattoos, Professionally Designed (no hidden costs, no annoying offers) - CLICK HERE

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E cards are getting popular and popular nowadays. Have you tried sending one? It is so much more efficient and fun that the traditional & conventional ones, right? Surely you are more comfortable using the e-cards.

You're torn, however: you don't want to go out of the comfort of your home and go on all the trouble of driving to a bookstore, and yet, you want the greeting card to be like conventional ones. You want the cards can be touched and be kept for future re-opening. The idea of an e-card being thrown in the computer's recycle bin does not satisfy you. You think you like the features and the advantages of the e cards, really, but they are not romantic like the conventional ones. You want the conventional ones, but they're so troublesome and tiring! What's the solution? Go both ways. Go traditional and go unconventional.

So when you combine the traditional greeting cards with the new-era cards you get... Printable greeting cards!

This is how printable electronic cards work. The user is allowed by the website to customize a personal message with a theme. The many websites have as many kinds to offer, with matching beautiful envelopes to go along with it. The user may also choose to have the preformatted themes, and the user just has to write his or her own messages. Although some websites offer beautiful envelopes to go along with the printable greeting cards, and some won't. Some would offer to give instructions on how to create matching envelopes for the greeting or any seasonal cards.

A bit of a reminder, though: keep in mind the printer that will do the task. Some are not made for heavy printing. Therefore, you need to consider the function of your printer as you choose different kinds of printable electronic cards.

Creating these printable cards is not only efficient, they have your character since you are the one who made it, unlike the pre-made ones that you could buy on the local book store. The pre-made ones are products of someone else's creativity and character. The recipient will definitely feel your sincerity because of your creativity in making your own greeting cards.

Although some websites allow free access to their greeting cards services, some websites will allow you unlimited access to their service, but with a fee. These websites offer designs, templates, and ideas to help you make your own greeting cards, be it for birthdays, weddings, Easter, Mother's Day and more.

Printable greeting cards are becoming a trend. If you don't know where to find one, you may visit http://www.365greetings.com/


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Any DJ will say that a compressor is his or her key to success as a musician. Synth sample packs work to make music livelier, dynamic, and exciting. Imagine walking into the hottest nightclub in town and hearing the beats all night long. The DJ at this nightclub is likely using a compressor to make pop music sound just a bit different. A compressor works to change an instrument's level and the vocals in a song.

Using a compressor for the purpose of gain riding is common. Gain riding is a technique that involves setting the levels of particular sounds in a song or mix. One problem many home DJ's face is avoiding an image shift in the sound stage. If the right and left channels are not compressed the same, an image shift will be created. The compressor will not work effectively if there is an image shift in the sound stage.

A compressor should not be used to process everything in a song. One is not trying to achieve a full-on effect with a compressor but rather the processing of specific parts of a song. Compressing everything within a song will make the song sound flat and boring. A compressor works best when it is used on sounds that are not constant in level. Unique sounds like a bass, vocals, guitar, or drums are examples of sounds that can and should be used with a compressor.

The ducking effect is a popular effect achieved by DJ's with a compressor. When a DJ begins talking on the radio, then the ducking effect occurs as the music drops. This effect is used when the bass clashes with the kick drum sound. Also, when a DJ wants to achieve a pumping sound in the music, then he will use the ducking effect.

Any DJ should remember a few basic principles about using a compressor. First, the more a DJ compresses a signal, then the higher the average energy level will be. Background noise will always be increased as a DJ uses a high gain reduction.

One of the greatest effects to achieve with vocals is the reverse compression. "New York compression," as it is commonly referred to, happens when a DJ mixes an uncompressed signal with a compressed signal. Many compressors have a special knob that allows a DJ to complete a "New York compression."

Basically, a DJ should remember not to use synth sample packs too much in mixing a song. Rather, a compressor should be used to illuminate, expand upon, and emphasize unique parts of a song.

Mike is a business consultant and has worked for several companies. In his spare time he enjoys experimenting with music and in particular synth sample packs. For more details on any issues raised in the article visit Dance Midi Samples.


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No other artists in the history of art have been so closely identified with each other as Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh. Their often volatile relationship has been dramatized in numerous books and movies, focusing particularly on their nine-week stay together in Arles in southern France during the final months of 1888. An experience that began positively, signaling the start of an artistic colony, the Studio of the South, but ended in tragedy in an incident universally known, whatever your background in art. For just a few days before Christmas, Van Gogh cut off his ear (actually his ear lobe) and started his long descent into mental illness.

We know the details from Gauguin, because he was there. According to his account, he was the original target of Van Gogh's frenzy, caused by the latter's realization that his friend Paul was leaving him. However, Van Gogh turned his anger upon himself. "Vincent had returned home after my departure," Gauguin related shortly afterward, "and cut his ear clean through. Then he put a big beret over his head and went to a brothel to take the ear to a wretched girl...."

Gauguin and Van Gogh never did see each other again. Vincent would commit suicide over a year and a half later, leaving to posterity some two thousand works of art.

Yet, there is a sequel to this story. Because Gauguin and Van Gogh continued their friendship at a distance, exchanging letters up to Vincent's death. Their mutual love and passion for art bonding the two, even during Vincent's sojourn in a mental institution, where he was allowed to keep painting, creating such masterpieces as Starry Night, often considered a symbol of our times.

A different subject, though, connected Gauguin to Van Gogh: the sunflowers, another icon of Vincent's vision of life. For Vincent painted them expressively for his friend Gauguin, back in August, 1888, in anticipation of Paul moving into the house that the two would share in Arles. "Now that I hope to live with Gauguin in a studio of our own, I want to make a decoration for our studio," Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo, "Nothing but big sunflowers."

Soon after, Vincent decided to decorate Gauguin's bedroom instead with the paintings of the sunflowers. And the beauty of that room haunted Gauguin during the thirteen years that he survived Vincent. Paul would write of the unforgettable sunflowers with purple eyes that shone golden in the sunlight passing through the curtains of his bedroom. "They bathe their stems in a yellow pot on a yellow table. In the corner of the painting, the signature of the painter: Vincent," Gauguin would remember long after, as if he could still see Van Gogh's extraordinary creations before him.

Even when Gauguin moved to the exotic world of Tahiti where he lived for most of the last decade of his life, he could not escape the memory of Vincent and the sunflowers. Sick, alone, and far from his native country of France, Gauguin probably spent his days dwelling on the past, especially his time with Vincent. For in October, 1898, close to ten years after first viewing the sunflower paintings that had filled the walls of his bedroom in Arles, Gauguin wrote to a friend asking him to send some sunflower seeds.

So in the midst of the tropical flowers of Tahiti, Gauguin tended his garden of imported sunflowers until 1901, when was he was ready to recreate them with his brush. Not one, but four canvases would result, as if Gauguin could not stop until he had fulfilled his own vision of the sunflowers. Two of them, both titled, Still Life with Sunflowers on an Armchair, are darker, more naturalistic in appearance, while Still Life with Sunflowers and Mangoes blooms with the dream-like colors of Gauguin's imagination. Sunflowers with Puvis de Chavannes's Hope overflows its wooden Tahitian vessel with the bounty of fertility and growth.

Soon after their completion, Gauguin would leave Tahiti for the Marquesas Islands, a remote island chain located 750 miles away. He would die a few years later, in 1903, ultimately becoming like his friend Vincent, one of the legends of art.

To view the sunflower paintings of both Gauguin and Van Gogh, go to http://www.artseverydayliving.com, click on its blog and see the article Van Gogh's Sunflowers: the Haunting of Gauguin.

Excerpt from a letter of Vincent Van Gogh is from The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh edited by Mark Roskill, while the quotes from Gauguin's writings are from The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Provence by Martin Gayford and Van Gogh and Gauguin: The Studio of the South by Douglas W. Druick.

Joan Hart is executive director of Museum One, Inc., a non-profit outreach service in Washington, D.C., bringing the arts into the local community. She is author of Through an Artist's Eyes: Learning to Live Creatively, a how-to-book that enables readers to develop their own inner creativity and apply it to the personal cycle of everyday living. For more information, visit http://www.artseverydayliving.com/.


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The video camera can be quite the valuable ally for a magician. One way that a video camera is invaluable to a magician is that it will allow you to record your magic tricks and put them online for the world to see. Through this means, you can get excellent audience feedback. However, there is another way that you can benefit from having a video camera as well. By taking the time to record your own practice sessions, you will be opening up a new world of opportunities.

It's tough to get a good idea of what you look like when you are performing a task, and magic is no different. Recording yourself practicing magic tricks can be done in stages and in different ways. However, regardless of your approach, you should usually find this technique to be helpful.

Recording Your Tricks Alone

Knowing what the audience will see is very important for a magician. After all, you want to be certain that you are not giving away any secrets. One good way to make sure that your secrets are safe is to videotape the actual performance of your magic tricks. You may want to record your magic trick performances from various angles as well to ensure that you have your act down.

Record Your Tricks as a Whole

There are good reasons to record yourself practicing not just your tricks, but also your persona as well. In fact, you might even want to consider videotaping your persona without doing your tricks, so that you can strictly focus on how you are approaching your audience. Of course, seeing both the trick being performed and your "act" or approach to the audience should yield major rewards. Videotaping your performance will allow you to reflect on what you do and don't like and also to reflect on how you can improve.

Videotape Your Live Performances in Front of Audiences

Videotaping yourself in front of live audiences is the next step of the process. It is one thing to see your performance in a completely controlled and relaxed environment and quite another to see that same performance in front of a crowd. You may find that there are major differences; regardless, you will want to see your magic in action.

Taking the time to evaluate your performance is a step that all performers should periodically do. There is nothing quite like seeing yourself in action to help you learn and improve your act. While you might not always like everything you see, there is little doubt that such information will improve your overall performance.

Source is Dreamlandmagic which has Magic Tricks and Powerful Magic Card Tricks


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Xbox Spherex 51000 6-Piece 5.1 Surround Sound SystemDeveloped in conjunction with the Game Audio Network Guild (GANG)--which sets the "reference standard" for video game audio--the Spherex Xbox 5.1 surround sound system delivers a sophisticated 360-degree home theater experience whether you're playing Halo 2, watching Lord of the Rings, or listening to the latest U2 release. The system features five independent audio inputs (three digital, one analog, and one USB 1.1 port), so it connects easily to your game console, DVD player, CD player, portable audio device, or computer. Sound is distributed through the five satellite speakers, each with a 3-1/2-inch woofer and 3/4-inch metal dome tweeter, and the dual-vented subwoofer with its 8-inch matrix cone woofer. The system's audio enhancements include Omnipolar technology, which rations sound (30 percent direct to 70 percent reflected) in a 360-degree dispersion pattern, so listeners can position their satellite speakers in a variety of configurations, along with MaxxBass augmentation, which extends the lower end of the frequency response to deliver deeper, more natural bass tones from both the subwoofer and the satellites themselves.

The system comes with a powerful 300-watt DDX amplifier (50 watts x 3, 25 watts x 2, and 100-watt subwoofer), which eliminates signal distortion by maintaining a digital signal flow to each speaker. And thanks to the Aureus digital signal processor, listeners can enjoy rich surround sound regardless of the format, with decoding for Dolby Digital, DTS, and Pro Logic II. Additional features include an expansion slot for future compatibility and an infrared remote control with an IR receiver. The system also carries an impressive 10-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box
Five satellite speakers, subwoofer, 6-channel amplifier, remote control, IR receiver, digital fiber-optic cable, three 10-foot speaker cables, two 23-foot speaker cables, quick setup guide, user's manual.

Price: $499.95


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Yamaha TSS-1B 5.1 Computer Speakers (6-Speaker, Black)From desktop to bedroom, from 5.1 channels to stereo, Yamaha's versatile TSS-1 brings enveloping sound to any room where limited space is a concern. Even with 48 watts of total amplifier power, Dolby Digital as well as DTS surround-sound decoding, five tiny satellite speakers, and its own powered subwoofer, the TSS-1 is still conceivably portable enough to travel alongside your laptop--it would add drama and polish to any multimedia presentation.

Finished in standard PC beige or home theater black, the TSS-1's dictionary-sized main unit houses the digital processor and amplifier/preamplifier (volume controls, etc.). Yamaha even includes a small stand, which lets you mount the controller either horizontally or vertically (our preference is vertical, as the unit is laid out that way).

Four small buttons let you select the input (Digital, four-channel, and two-channel), surround mode (Dolby Digital 5.1, four-channel Pro Logic, and 5.1-channel DTS), generate a test tone (to level-match speaker output), or mute the sound. A bank of corresponding green LEDs indicate your selections. Below these are three level controls (center channel, surround channels, and subwoofer) and a master volume control. Completing the front panel are a 0.125-inch headphone jack, a green LED power indicator, and an on/off switch.

The back panel is straightforward as well: you get coaxial and optical digital-audio inputs, analog RCA jacks for all speaker connections, and two sets of 0.125-inch stereo analog inputs, which will accommodate anything from your PC's analog output to the output of an MP3 player or even a portable CD player (two cables are provided for such connections).

A speaker-mode selector switches between two-, four-, or five-channel playback (the subwoofer is always on). The simple design is a blessing, but depending on your needs, you may find the inputs limited. There is no video switching and no analog RCA inputs for stereo or multichannel sources (as from a component CD or DVD-audio player, for instance).

The satellite speakers are cute little things, with champagne-colored grilles and Yamaha's tiny periwinkle-blue logo. A small foot can be adjusted in three positions, letting the speakers fire either straight ahead, up, or down, depending on the height at which you set them. In addition, two slots on the back of the satellites provide easy and effective wall mounting, while the matching powered subwoofer is a small cube that you can tuck under a desk or otherwise out of sight.

And the sound? Hooking up the TSS-1 to our PC makes an immediately apparent and major improvement to the sound over standard PC speakers. Sampling a variety of favorite jazz and vocal CDs revealed the system's good overall tonal balance, clarity, and richness, while the powered sub adds a nice sense of heft, if not the ultimate in bass extension (still, very good for just a 5-inch driver). Plopping in a five-channel DVD is also lots of fun, and we found our small office space seeming to morph into a larger, multidimensional soundscape. The TSS-1 plays loud enough for us, but high-volume freaks may need a larger system (and couch potatoes may miss remote operation).

Yamaha's TSS-1 is a well-designed, integrated system that should make a sweet addition to any PC, laptop, CD player, or small AV system. And thanks to Yamaha's unusually clear user's manual, it's also easy to set up and a breeze to use. Good warranty, too! --Wayne Garcia

Pros:


  • Easy to set up and use
  • Clean, well-balanced sound
  • Good placement flexibility
  • Choice of coaxial or optical digital-audio inputs
  • Hookup cables included
  • 1-year warranty

Cons:


  • Limited input choices
  • No video switching
  • No remote control

Price: $249.99


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Yamaha YHT-150 600-Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater in a Box (Silver)YAMAHA YHT-150 -- Selecting components for a Home Theater System one by one can be as tedious and technical. And there's little reason to bother, with one-stop-shopping options like this! Package includes:
HTR-5730 Digital Home Theater Receiver 192kHz / 24-bit DACs A/V Connections - 6-Channel External Decoder Input; 4 Video Inputs, 1 Output; 2 Audio Inputs, 1 Output; 2 Optical, 1 Coaxial Digital Inputs; Subwoofer Output 40-Station AM/FM Tuner Presets NS-AP1500 5-Channel Speaker System Acoustic Suspension Design Magnetically Shielded Satellite & Center Components - Dual 2-1/2 Drivers Satellite Frequency Response - 100Hz-20kHz Center Frequency Response - 75Hz-20kHz Satellite Size - 6-11/16H x 3-5/8W x 4D Center Size - 3-5/8H x 11-3/8W x 4D YST-SW010 Subwoofer 100 Watt Amplifier Advanced YST Active Servo Frequency Response - 30Hz - 200Hz Size - 12-13/16H x 11W x 11-1/2D Includes All Required Cables DVD Player NOT included

Price: $299.99


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So, just what is a washi tape, anyway? It is a decorative tape made out of rice paper. It comes in a plethora of colors and many different designs. It is commonly used in art and craft projects, specifically paper crafts. It is a staple scrapbooking embellishment.

Washi Tape, or Japanese masking tape, first originated in Japan by the company Kamoi Kakoshi Co., Ltd. under the name MT masking tape. It all started in 2006 when puzzled Kamoi received an email from a small group of women who created a book using their industrial masking tape. The email stated that they would like to tour their facility before working on a second book using their masking tapes. Confused Kamoi did not initially respond to this curious email, and later received a package from the women; It contained colorful, beautifully designed pages all done in masking tape! Kamoi eventually agreed to let the women tour their facility, and their marvel and fascination at the tape making process filled Kamoi with great pride. Later, they received a second book filled with more beautiful pages from 17 different artists, all using their masking tape to create a thing of beauty! The women requested that Kamoi create more masking tape colors. Kamoi did not hesitate after a big art exhibition in Tokyo and lots of media coverage; they took the plunge and began to work on creating the perfect rolls to use for crafts and design! They not only created many more colors, but also designs that were cute and functional.

Did you know that creating the perfect hue of washi tape is a difficult process? Because of the consistency of the rice paper, creating the ideal color, especially light colors, is hard to produce because it's easy to get a dull hue. It was a long and arduous process, but eventually Kamoi created washi tapes in colors that resembled flowers in a field. They called it mt, because, well, that's what everyone in the company referred to it as! They decided to give the colors traditional, archaic Japanese names and chose packaging that would be aesthetically pleasing. Thus, washi tape was born! It is loved and cherished by many in the arts and crafts community as a staple in the creative paper craft process.

Today, there are even more manufacturers of this cute craft tape. Kamoi might have been the first, but they paved the way for companies like Classiky and MARK's who have helped in the development of the decorative tape revolution.

Kawaii Tape has a huge selection of washi tape, cute decorative tape, pretty packing tape, and mini deco sets. Check it out today and find your perfect roll!


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Do you remember the classic kids toy the Weeble Wobble? I can still hear the tv commercial jingle in my head, "Weebles wobble but the don't fall down!"

While you might not physically want to resemble a Weeble Wobble, they are a great example of the mental fortitude artists need to succeed in art licensing. You will get more NO's than YES's when you submit art to manufacturers. If you are easily discouraged, you might never get to your yes.

Art licensing is art for commercial purposes. Manufacturers are looking for art that they feel will help them sell more products. So a coffee mug company that sells to stores with a country or folk art feel, won't want to license trendy colored patterns because that isn't what their clients are looking for. However a coffee mug company that sells to boutiques looking for modern and trendy products, could be a good fit.

The key to dealing with the many, many NO's you will encounter is to learn how to not to take them personally. You are looking for a company that creates a product that sells to stores and consumers who want your style of art. It is better to be told no by a company that isn't a good fit than to get a yes and have poor sales.

Here are three tips to build your "Weeble Wobble Bounce Back" skills:

Don't be afraid of rejection. Rejection is inevitable and without showing your work to manufacturers who license art, you will never be accepted. Get in the frame of mind to expect more people saying "no thank you" then yes, we want to use your art.
Listen to feedback. Sometimes you won't be told why your art wasn't chosen but there are times when you have the opportunity to ask questions. If you can, ask why they chose the art that they did and if they have any suggestions for how you can make your art more desirable for them in the future. If you can accept the no and learn from feedback, your chances of getting a yes the next time greatly improve.
Don't take rejection personally. No artist can create art that will work for every company out there so don't take rejection as a sign that they don't like you personally or that your art isn't good. I like this mindset instead: No just means my art isn't a fit for their products at this time.

Artists in licensing need to balance creating art that is unique and authentic to them and that is a fit in the marketplace. Finding where your art fits will come with its share of rejection so learn to bounce back so you get to your yes's.

Get a jump start on licensing your art by claiming the first chapter of the eBook "How to Get Started in Art Licensing" FOR FREE when you visit http://www.artlicensinginfo.com/freebie.html

From Tara Reed, a licensed artist who is doing what she is teaching and creator of http://www.artlicensinginfo.com/ the place for artists to learn how to earn an income licensing their art, from experts in the industry.

Make art. Make plans. Make money.?


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Millinery, like any category of creative activity, is the art of making, designing or selling hats especially for women. And although men wearing cowboy hats could be traced back to four hundred years earlier, women had caught up with the trend and started to wear hats that were very much in fashion until the 1960's.

When teased and bouffant hair styles became popular, women went hatless. Hats were worn only on the coldest days for warmth or on the hottest days for protection against the sun. With the jeans generation returning to dresses and skirts in the 1980's, hats became a fashion accessory and often used as headpieces for weddings and were also designed for historical shows or theatrical costumes.

Today, the use of hats is back. Although no longer the old gaudy and dressy style as they used to be, men and women who love outdoors prefer to wear country western outfits or cowboy hats for fun and fashion. Influenced by country singers, celebrities and rodeo players, cowboy hats are likely to be among the favorite fashion accessory in today's generation. With the return of hats to the fashion scene, designers have created custom millinery of cowboy hats that are hot items in retail trade and in the broad realm of ecommerce.

As a craft, millinery specializes in all types of head coverings. Milliners would use different fabrics, materials, shapes and styles. People may regard it as a lost art or a dying industry, but making and designing hats not just for women but also for men is making it alive today. It is a lingering art. The demand for cowboy hats is especially significant with their unique design and usefulness which are considered contemporary that evolved out of past styles.

Head coverings, as a source of inspired millinery design includes the following:

• A Bonnet. A bonnet is a head covering that has a crown or the top part of a hat and a brim which is a projecting rim or edge. The brim is usually curving around the face and is held by ribbons tied under the chin.

• A Cap. A cap is a close fitting head covering having a low crown and very little brim. The brim is usually in the form of a visor.

• A Hood. A hood is a soft head covering that fits closely around the face and neck. A hood can be worn separately or as part of the robe or cloak. It is also a term for an unblocked, cone-shaped form of fur fiber or straw that is used in making hats.

• A Hat. A hat is a head covering that has a crown and a brim.

Generally made from leather, felt, wool, palm or straw, cowboy hats are apt to be the people's choice when it comes to shopping for an all-time head wear or fashion accessory for fun and convenience.

Visit this great site for your choice of great cowboy hats:
http://www.cowboyhatspecial.com/


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I have often been asked: "Why do you deal in cardboard crafts?"

I must confess that it is cool. Imagine, having the ability to create, through your own efforts - easily and cheaply, any furniture you fancy. Whether it exists already, or comes from your own imagination. Whether it is something you need and can't find on the market -you can plan, design, and create it in a few days. Doesn't it sound like a dream? There is nothing like sitting back on an armchair and enjoying, it being your own creation.

I have discovered cardboard furniture several years ago, and on the same night - I created my first furniture.

Ok, I agree that not everyone can create furniture just by looking at it on the Internet. But for that very purpose, I am here - I undertake courses where I teach the whole Torah of cardboard crafts, and I deliver detailed designs for people to create and get similar satisfaction as I have. I supply schemas, videos and written description so every one can build their own cardboard furniture.

What is exceedingly charming is that anybody can design and create his own furniture. You just need to render your imagination it. The soft and light material (Cardboard) makes it an ideal craft for parents and kids to do at home. There is no need of heavy machinery to process it.

I have immense satisfaction to see the thousands of people that create their own furniture by themselves.

What do you need to start? Tools and materials value under 50$. The main raw material is cardboard which we can get freely from any cardboard recycle center. The rest are glue and some finishing material (like paint).

The benefits of using cardboard are:

a. Cardboard furniture is ecological furniture. Mainly because, cardboard is perishable raw material and also recyclable.

b. The furniture we create is ecological as we use reused cardboard. Instead of recycling it we use it as it is and use it in our furniture. Less paper waste, less cutting trees, less methane gas and many other benefits

c. Cheap raw material - Cardboard can be obtained freely most of the time. The furniture cost is determined by the finishing product we use.

d. Cardboard furniture is light-weight. Making it easily movable when doing house hold work.

e. Fed up with furniture look? Want to upgrade? Very easy, in a small amount of time you can paint, change, add or remove elements from existing furniture to get a whole new masterpiece!

f. Your imagination is the limit - you can do almost anything using cardboard: From simple frames to sofas, from bookcases to baby beds and desks.

g. The furniture created is rigid and loaded with heavy load, because of the cardboard structure and the processing technique.

h. The cardboard is soft and easy to process. This makes it very suitable to women who want to practice a "do it yourself" hand craft. This also eliminates the need to use heavy electrical machinery, make it a perfect craft to do at homes, and with the kids.

i. The cardboard is very forgiving to building mistakes. Mistakes can most often be covered by adhesive paper and painted.

Michael is an Internet entrepreneur. He discovered the Cardboard Art and became fascinated. He established a web site to promote this craft and allows families to have quality time creating things in the living room, and have some fun moments together.


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Nowadays, it is not impossible to almost do everything in the internet. We can order things online, we can chat to someone online, we can watch movies online, and we can even work online. Also, there's sending birthday e-cards to greet someone without moving so much muscles. It is the new way of sending your best wishes for someone's birthday.

Sending an e card is somewhat interesting and is beginning to be popular to people. Why would you go on the trouble of driving to your local bookstore to buy a card, and drive back to the nearest post office to have your greeting card sent, when you can do it online?

Another reason why e-card is being popular is because some internet websites offer free birthday e-card. Why should you go on the trouble of spending money, when you can have it for free? If you are busy, you can have the e-cards on your advantage. Unlike the conventional greeting cards, the recipient will definitely receive the birthday card within a matter of seconds. The conventional greeting cards may take even days to be received by the person celebrating the birthday. With the birthday e-cards, you will save time, money, and effort.

Another thing why you should choose instead the free birthday e-card over the conventional birthday greeting cards is that you can edit them personally. Unlike the conventional birthday cards which are already pre-made, the e-cards can be customized exactly how you want it to be. You can even add images, text, animation, audio, or even video to your e-card. You can't do this on your usual greeting cards, can you?

Sending a free birthday e-card is definitely the best way to send your best wishes to someone who is going to have his or her birthday. You don't have to go out of the comfort of your home to be able to greet someone. It can even be better than the usual greeting we give to someone, because it's more creative and fun. E-cards are the better alternatives as they are efficient. They will save time, money, and effort for you.

In addition, since the e-card was made by you, the recipient will know that the message is sincere and true. All the words written in the card were made by you, unlike the conventional cards which were made by somebody else, and you just add up your own words.

Remember that a lot of websites offer free birthday e-cards. But the best ones come from http://www.365greetings.com/. Be sure to check it out!


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Pop Filters are generally available in two types. Nylon or the lesser known and used steel mesh type. Either style has benefits depending on your point of view.

As an example some believe a metallic mesh filter will have a greater impact on the filtered sound you are recording while a nylon filter will have less of an influence. (It should be mentioned this relies purely on opinion and that both are effective in reducing plosive noise considerably).

Some believe that there is not any obvious difference between the two, whilst some make the point that each will deaden the sound to some extent, it really is just a question of which does the most damage to your recording.

We have a tendency to agree with this point of view but at the same time understand that almost nothing sounds more second-rate on an audio sound recording than an excessive microphone pop, so with this in mind a pop filter should almost always be use when recording the human voice.

There is undoubtedly some change to the audio when using a pop screen should you have a very good ear but this is considered a relatively small price to pay in nearly all instances, the rewards of using one very much provide more benefits than with-out.

The Aluminum design and style of a model such as the MXL P003 is easier to clean and will naturally stand the test of time better but is by and large much more expensive to buy whilst the nylon model can certainly degrade a touch quicker although this will likely come down to the quantity of work it needs to do and ways in which it is treated.

The primary aspect of difference amid providers is usually the attachment clamp and versatile arm and this is surely an area which is suitable of much more analysis. A strong model for example, the Pro Screen XL is quite economical and features a superb clamp and it has a really accommodating arm that allows for precise movement.

On occasion you may notice a dual screen being used in a recording environment, this is less typical in comparison to the normal Pop Filter. Basically this just increases the filtering of audio and is only used once absolutely necessary.

Usually an expert performer or voice talent with a little experience will not call for this sort of filtering however, if you are noticing a problem with plosive sound on your track even after having an individual pop filter invariably you could use a couple of pop filters as an alternative to a double pop filter.

For more news and information regarding Pop Filters please visit us at Pop Filter We have several useful resources for vocal recording and the correct use of a Pop Filter to reduce plosive noise


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Subliminal means below the threshold associated with consciousness. Stimuli that slide below this threshold regarding consciousness are stimuli that will, while not consciously identified, may influence judgement, frame of mind, and behavior on the unconscious level. Subliminal influences have a similar purpose as hypnosis because they attempt to reach the subconscious that will effect desired change when utilised in a positive manner. Hypnosis is a more direct method by using active participation while subliminal messages or methods attempt to effect change without conscience contribution. The methods are similar but different however the power of hypnosis is known but subliminal methods are usually still developing and offer you tremendous potential.

Subconscious messages are just about all over nowadays. And you'll be very surprised to discover out that these subliminal messages are in places such as your favorite TV shows, commercials and more. and even though this messages are surrounding us on a daily basis, the average individual does not pick up on them. And those that actually pick up on these hidden messages come across it to be quite witty as well. And you can even discover these subliminal messages in your favorite music album, movies and your favorite TV shows. So there are pretty much everywhere. Oddly enough, these types of messages are often not really subliminal to all people in every scenario. Specific persons find and pick up what is supposed to be subliminal to the rest of us. Not necessarily in all instances and each time, nevertheless more than enough to be aware and frequently entertained with the basic design of these communications.

Even though we are surrounded by these messages, the crafty hints can come to good use. These messages can help you laugh, can be used to put you in a trance like state and also help you achieve goals that you normally will not be able to achieve without the use of hidden hints.

And when it comes to trying to lose weight, discontinue smoking or make better some sort of personal part of your life, these messages can come in handy.

And they come in the form of MP3s so they can listen to them while doing your day-to-day activities. And a lot of people in your shoes has benefited from using these hidden hints to lose weight, personal self-help issues and also quitting smoking.

And the major benefit that people like about this system of self-help is that they can apply it using MP3s while doing their everyday daily activities.

So no matter the reason you want to make use of these subconscious messages, you can achieve your goals by using this form of self hypnosis without having to resort to addictive tablets that most people are often prescribed in our time.

Come across out more about this beneficial form of self hypnosis here subliminals


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There's a move happening in the world of arts and entertainment, particularly in the realm of the book industry. I might be partial in picking the "particular" part, given that I am a novelist and a poet with a passion for literature, but I believe my point can ring true in the world of arts in general.

Stay with me.

I hear tell that the book industry is in a state of emergency, and has been for years. Apparently, people aren't reading as much as they used to. E-book sales are climbing, but as digital books are usually cheaper to purchase than printed books, some publishers feel that books are not being sold for what they are truly worth. Physical bookstores are struggling to stay in business while more readers are opting for the convenience and lower cost of e-books. Borders filed for bankruptcy; Barnes & Noble is up for sale. Publishers are laying off employees and aren't willing to take as many chances on new authors, making it more difficult for authors to get their work out there. As a result, there's an "indie revolution" happening, as independent authors who have been rejected by traditional publishers are taking it upon themselves to find other means of publication, like subsidy and self-publishing.

I'm an indie author myself (wow-I guess I am, technically) and I've picked up on the disgruntled and determined tone floating through the corner of the indie universe that I've tapped into. "Traditional publishers are the uppity enemy and we don't need 'em! They can go under if they want to! We have a voice, and we're finding our own ways to get things done." Yet, in all of the buzz and words of doom circulating throughout the industry, there's something valuable that is in danger of being lost, if publishers and authors are not careful.

You see, what bothers me the most is the notion that people aren't "reading" anymore, as if there is no longer a desire to read within society. I believe that authors must take into account that while there may be increasing methods for people to acquire the information that they want and need, people are still going to go after the information, ultimately. There was a time when no one had the option of listening to the radio, turning on the television, going to the movies, or browsing the Internet, as that kind of technology wasn't around yet, before books. So, yes, someone today may choose the option of taking a few hours of his time to watch a documentary instead of using those hours to read a book on the same subject, but the detail to be seen here is that the hunger for information is still there, regardless of the form that the information comes in. Humankind searches for knowledge; humankind searches for entertainment. That's what humans do. But when humans turn on their televisions or click on their e-readers, what kind of content are they being provided with?

Of course publishers and booksellers must take a look at how they do business and the methods that they use as the tide in the industry changes, but in the midst of all that, they should pause to ask themselves, "Wait, what are we really trying to do here? What are we looking to produce?" They have to think about their consumers, as the people who are buying books don't mean to merely buy them. They mean to read them. Consumers are after the content contained in what they are purchasing. If publishers get into the habit of putting out loads of flashy or fad-driven but poor quality product, with the meager intent of making quick sales, then their plans will backfire. It's not that people no longer desire to read, but they do desire literature that is, in fact, worth reading. Though it may sometimes take a while for consumers to catch on, they eventually realize when they are being presented with product that wasn't thoughtfully produced, and they will consequently stop buying so much of it.

Now, I am not against fads or what may be highly popular to audiences at a given time. We are human beings, and every so often, we need something fresh, catchy, and exciting to spark our interest. Keeping up with fads is all fine and dandy, but when fads fizzle out, as they inevitably do, people are still going to long for what is timeless. Matters that remain true to the human condition throughout generations will never get old. When it comes to literature, humankind will always long for a well-told love story, as love never goes out of style. Humankind will always long for accounts about conquering fears or triumphing over enemies; about the sorrow resulting from death and the joy resulting from birth; about degeneracy and righteousness, peril and pain, purpose and hope. Someone needs to provide humankind with these accounts, attentively and intelligently.

The world of arts and entertainment is in danger of losing the vital core in the essence of art if artists fail to view themselves as servants.

Yes, an artist creates because creativity is in his blood, and even if he has no audience but himself, the artist will create anyway, because something internal tells him that he has to. Yes, an artist creates for himself and naturally learns how to cater to himself, enjoying his art as an artist should, but when his art is published or otherwise produced for more people to see, the artist's motives cannot remain self-serving. That artist has now brought his work out before humanity, and if that artist has any true character, he will consider the needs of the people he is presenting his work to.

Publishers, booksellers, businesses overall, and artists would do well to see themselves as servants of the people they, well, serve-not only figuring out how to get people to buy, buy, buy, but seriously asking themselves, "How can we be of help to society, to humankind?" Indeed, people often need a good laugh to brighten up their lives, and filmmakers who want to be excellent servants won't carelessly subject their audiences to haphazard film editing in order to just push on ahead to the movie's punch lines. Otherwise, the art of filmmaking is lost. People often need stirring novels to remind them of the incalculable value of life, so publishers and writers who want to be excellent servants won't indifferently subject their readers to uninspired filler-content in order to get to the book's "good parts." Otherwise, the art in literature is lost.

Artists needn't be so busy scrambling to produce what they think will sell that they fail to respect the actual human beings who will be affected by the products. Audiences are more than screaming fans or faceless wallets; they are hearts, minds, and lives. Those hearts, minds, and lives will, in due course, recognize it when what they are being served is nonsense, something with no significant value to humanity. I would even encourage us indie writers and artists not to get so caught up trying to put the uppity "powers that be" to shame or to get so lost in the hype of fads that we lose the essence of our art, dishonoring our audiences as well as the truth of our own genius because we are not thoughtful about the quality and benefit of what we create.

We don't want to lose our worth, the worth found in our brilliance and in the significance of what we produce for the world, and in order for us to be truly great artists, we must be servants of all.

Nadine C. Keels, the founder of Prismatic Prospects, is a novelist, poet, spoken word artist, and editor. To find out more about her books, The Song of Nadine: Spoken Word, and to read her blog, visit: http://www.prismaticprospects.wordpress.com/


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War Dogs: America's Forgotten Heroes [VHS]Andrei Konchalovsky's expansive television mini-series production of Homer's epic poem gets off to clumsy start as he tries to squeeze the Trojan War into a mere half hour, but once the arrogant but honorable Odysseus (strikingly played by Armand Assante) and his loyal crew begin their doomed voyage home, this film turns into a fantastical adventure. Integrating often-stunning special effects with inventive art design, Konchalovsky achieves a beautiful look on a limited budget as he follows the 10-year ordeal of Odysseus from his battles with the Cyclops and the magical Circe (Bernadette Peters) to his secret homecoming and his confrontation with the treacherous Eurymachus (Eric Roberts). Isabella Rossellini appears as his spiritual guide, the goddess Athena, with Greta Scacchi as Odysseus's faithful wife and Vanessa Williams as the seductive Calypso. The rest of the cast includes Geraldine Chaplin, Jeroen Krabbé, Christopher Lee, and Irene Papas. The production was shot on location in and around the Mediterranean, making for a lush, lovely visual experience. --Sean Axmaker

Price: $14.95


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Monet: Shadow & Light [VHS]Monet: Shadow and Light presents a rich portrayal of the trials of a struggling but stubborn Claude Monet and how a boy with budding talent shows him the importance of family. Set in 1869, five years before the Impressionist movement was recognized, 29 year-old Monet paints his view of the world while trying to support his young family with his art. Settling on the Seine near Paris, Monet discovers landscapes and people that inspire his art. Unfortunately, he also has to deal with a lack of understanding from his father, his creditors, and especially from harsh critics whose narrow-minded attitudes thwart acceptance by the art world.

Created and produced by David Devine and Richard Mozer from a screenplay by Susin Nielsen (Degrassi Junior High), Monet: Shadow and Light was shot entirely in and around Montreal. Scenes depicting the village of Saint-Michel were shot at some original 17th century houses in Montreal^Rs Cap St-Jacques. La Grenouillhre was scrupulously rebuilt in Parc Angrignon, where the narrow lake stood in for the Seine and the surrounding woods for Fontainbleu. Even Monet^Rs famous studio-boat was recreated with exact accuracy using fishermen^Rs dorys. The film follows HBO's presentations last year of Degas and the Dancer and Mary Cassatt: American Impressionist, the first two productions in THE ARTISTS' SPECIALS series. Degas and the Dancer was recently awarded the prestigious Humanitas Prize in the Children's Writing category. Future programs in the series will feature Rembrandt, Goya and Winslow Homer.

Claude Monet was nineteen years old when he left home for Paris. He was quickly disillusioned by the rigid principles of the art establishment, preferring the relaxed art classes given by Charles Gleyre, where he met Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley. They formed an immediate attachment through their intense dedication to their new art.

Between 1869 (the year the film is set) and 1874, when the first Impressionist show was received poorly by the critics, Monet, Renoir, Sisley and the other members of the Impressionist movement painted every aspect of rural and urban life. Monet's favourite locales included the Fountainbleu forest, La Grenouillhre, on the Seine and the unusual studio boat. Monet was poor and completely unaware that within these five years the Impressionist movement would evolve to its peak. Even in this "starving artist" period, Monet's paintings never became sombre. Monet finally achieved financial independence in 1890. He is best known for showing the world the fleeting effects of light and shadow. Monet is arguably the greatest of the Impressionist painters.

Price: $19.95


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What can you expect on a cruise to South America? Penguins, perhaps? You can indeed enjoy the charming sight of penguins on a visit to the Falkland Islands. And then there is the enchantment of lush rain forest in Brazil, the majesty of the snow-capped Andes range in Chile, the festivity of the tango-crazed city of Buenos Aires, also home to the wondrous old churches whose spires still tower over the streets. All this and more can be seen and experienced on Royal Caribbean Cruises to South America.

Your cruise will take you to Uruguay, the second-smallest independent country in South America. Although it is not yet a familiar name, Uruguay holds many attractions to travelers. Its coast can boast of incredibly beautiful beaches, perhaps the loveliest you will see on your journey, where you can enjoy such leisure activities as parasailing and horseback riding.

A visit to Brazil will acquaint you with the lushness and splendor of the largest country in South America, which also happens to be the fifth largest country in the world. Among the main attractions of Brazil that you will certainly want to see is the famed statue of Christ the Redeemer. Standing 125 feet tall above the skyline of Rio de Janeiro skyline, the statue is a marvel of art, engineering, and religious devotion. Brazil is also a land of delightful beaches, where partygoers from all over the world converge to have fun in the warm sun and enjoy the local food and entertainment.

Other stops on the cruise include Argentina, a country known to world over due to the musical and movie "Evita." It is a place you would not want to miss. Argentina is home to Mendoza, one of the eight wine capitals of the world. And then there is Chile, a long wedge-shaped country that hugs the border of Argentina. Chile offers the experience of seeing the grand spectacle of the Andes Mountains and the excitement of sailing around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of the South American continent.

Journey to South America with Royal Caribbean Cruises and you will have the travel adventure of a lifetime. You will visit a land of majestic landscapes, extraordinary beaches, wonderful architecture, and inspiring culture when you sign on with Royal Caribbean Cruises to South America.








Did you find my info on on a cruise vacation [http://www.thecruisetravelguide.info] to South America helpful? You can get more answers to your questions about vacation travel at [http://www.thecruisetravelguide.info]


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London nightlife is vibrant and full of activities for young and old. London has an enormous variety of night entertainment to please everyone.

London's theatres in the West End and on the South Bank are world famous. There is a healthy, innovative fringe theatre scene too, plus world-class ballet and opera in venues such as Sadler's Wells, the Royal Opera House and the Coliseum.

London offers a wide range of theatrical entertainment including musical, drama, thriller and comedy.

In London you will be able to hear the best music, ranging from classical, jazz and rock to rhythm and blues. There are excellent indoor arenas like the O2 Arena and the Royal Albert Hall to stage top-class concerts. Concerts in London are well organised and attract top international artists.

London nightlife for the dedicated movie buffs means there are hundreds of different films, both in large, multi-screen complexes and excellent small independent cinemas.

London Pubs and Bars play an important role in London nightlife. Apart from serving good food and drinks, pubs also provide excellent entertainment. Some pubs have live music, like modern jazz at the Bull's Head in Barnes, and the Golden Eagle in Marylebone is a central London piano pub with nostalgic singalongs a few times a week.

Sports bars are popular as well. The Sports Cafe at 80 Haymarket, Piccadilly, has four bars over two floors, a dance stage and 120 television sets showing global sporting events.

Nightclubs and cabarets are hot again. These are scattered from Soho to Shoreditch and most of them have restaurants serving great food. They also cater for stag nights and hen parties. Notable nightclubs include Egg Nightclub in Kings Cross, Cargo Nightclub in Shoreditch and Pacha located in Victoria.

You can also go on a London nightlife bus tour of the West End night clubs. They also cater for comedy nights at one of London's infamous comedy bars.

Renowned as the world's dining capital, London thrives on an extraordinary culinary diversity. With lots of Chinese, Indian, Italian and French restaurants, eating out in London restaurants enable you try out different cuisines from around the world.

The broadest choice of restaurants are scattered around Covent Garden, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Soho and Mayfair. There are also plenty of great restaurants in Bayswater, Notting Hill Gate and Kensington.

Many people are taking up dancing in London, both to keep fit as well as for fun. From jazz to hip hop, ballet to ballroom, pole dancing to tap, you can do it all in London.

Dance Attic Studios in Fulham host dance classes including hip hop, ballet, jazz, salsa and Bollywood. Danceworks in Mayfair offer an array of classes including Broadway tap, flamenco and burlesque. Marylebone Dance Studio in Marylebone has classes in ballet, belly dance, swing and folk as well as general fitness and martial arts.








Chow Siew is a retired management accountant. He now enjoys travelling and is the webmaster of http://www.my-london-breaks.com. This site provides event news and activities in London including hotel accommodation, theatre and concert tickets and London Passes.


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Entertainment news publications and online editions have sections written by critics. These could be movie reviews for a film that has released at a theater near you. It could also be the music reviews for an album that is slowly climbing up the charts. Critics have been panned by artists for centuries. Many artists relegate critics to the sidelines with the strong belief that they have taken up criticism only because they have not been able to create art themselves. But that opinion is not free from fallacy. Critics do their job and that job has a purpose.

The primary job of the critic is to inculcate good taste among audiences and viewers. Entertainment news portals are their media. Because a large chunk of the people read these entertainment news sites, the critics can reach out to more people with their views and opinion about things. The movie reviews that they write tell the audience what they can expect from the movie. They tell you if the movie ticket is worth your money or not. I'm not saying that you accept their opinion as gospel truth, but when learned critics say something, they must have some reason for doing so.

In the field of music, critics have a special to play as well. Music reviews inform and educate listeners about the trends of modern music. Being a connoisseur in music and performing arts, the critic manages to pack in his knowledge about music when he writes music reviews. The opinion of the critic is important for music reviews because the critic is well-aware of the different genres of music, be it Eastern, Western, jazz, blues or reggae. The critic pours out his knowledge on the entertainment news pages. Readers of these columns can only benefit from the learned wisdom of the critic.

Critics hold a lot of sway over the business aspect of the entertainment industry. Viewers go to the theaters mainly on what the opinion of the movie reviews is. They generally tend to head to the theaters with a pre-conceived idea formed by the reading of the critic's opinion. The same happens in case of music reviews. Sales of albums feel the effect of a critic's analysis, and if the critic happens to be someone of repute or from a respected publication, the impact is deeper. Music reviews are also important links in understanding the flow and direction modern music is taking.

Having said all these, I'm not saying that the critic is always right in his assessment. There are numerous examples of movies trashed by critics in the movie reviews but they have gone on to become blockbusters. Some, which the critics hailed as cinematic masterpieces, didn't find an audience. The viewer or the listener, in case of music reviews, is the ultimate judge. Critics writing for entertainment news publications can only claim to be guides. They point out certain aspects and the viewer has to decide if he agrees with the sensibilities of the critic in those aspects.








Jeebas Entertainment Blog has everything that you might want to read about celebrity gossip or Hollywood rumors. Jeebas redefines what you took to be celeb gossip and entertainment news. The paparazzi scoops on this blog are as close to real time as possible.


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Knowing what is digital art first depends on how you define the term. When people think of the term, they generally think of pictures, most likely of a beautiful landscape being looked over by people in a gallery.

Digital art is mainly an umbrella term for anyone and anything that uses a computer in its creation. This covers a wide variety of media for interesting ideas that you may not expect to see. While it does cover pictures and photography, it also covers video games, movie special effects and so forth.

People may find the concept of a video game being a work of art a strange idea to get their head around. The movie critic Roger Ebert argued that the goal orientated nature of the video game meant it could never truly be on the level of a great feature film or piece of music.

This however is not necessarily the case. The world of film is relatively new in terms of art at just over a century old. When the first films came out, they were regarded as a novelty. There was no attempt at narrative, the most famous example being people diving away from a steam engine.

In recent years, artists have used video game programming to subvert the very goal orientated medium that Roger Ebert refers to. A recent example began like a typical problem solving puzzle game, asking the gamer to guide people onto a train, ensuring they can get in, prising open doors and so forth. It is only at the end of the game that it is revealed that these people are being taken to a concentration camp. This then provokes a reaction in the gamer, a stark and disturbing reminder of the power of instruction.

The advent of cheaper computers and art programs has also led to creative users to change the very medium that the games are a part of. These are known as machinima and these are effectively a kind of cross between computer animation and digital puppetry. Again, these videos often subvert the genre of the game. One famous example consists of the heroes of a shooting game taking part in a chat show in between gun fights!

This kind of manipulation also extends to other areas. Digital imaging software now allows people to create new images from photography. In some cases, their use has been quite controversial. In fashion photography, the process known as airbrushing removes perceived imperfections on a model, creating a false representation of their looks. Many groups are concerned that the presence of these images can have a negative effect on body perception.

As well as the images themselves, the means of producing works has become more sophisticated. In recent times, the imprecise nature of using a mouse to create artwork on a computer has been replaced in favour of graphics tablets, that work more in the style of an old fashioned drawing pad.

If you want to know more about digital art, you can find the website of your local art school where you can see examples from local artists.








Tarintino had to start somewhere. Film school can open the door to a lucrative and enjoyable career. The industry requires hard work and long hours so get started at film schools in Canada.


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Movies have been a popular past time in the United States and in other countries around the world since the invention of the motion picture camera. Even before sound was incorporated, movies have drawn flocks of people to theaters for a couple hours away from the real world. There are movies available to suite everyone's taste too. Action movies, mystery movies, thrillers, science fiction, and animation are just a few examples of the choices available today. Among the myriad of movie types, Karate Movies have generated a cult like following and have made famous many actors who specialize in movies about Martial Arts.

Even if you are not fond of Karate Movies, chances are you have heard of many of them. Who has never heard of Enter the Dragon? Or how about Karate Kid? These movies and many other's that featured karate have become icons and are watched over and over again by people who both enjoy and appreciate the genre.

Even if you have never seen a Bruce Lee movie, there can be no doubt you recognize the name. He was born in San Francisco, which many are surprised to learn, but grew up in Hong Kong before returning to the United States as a teenager. His father was an actor, so it is no surprise that Lee ended up on television and in the movies. Still, no one could have imagined his success with movies such as Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon, and the previously mentioned Enter the Dragon. He died early at age 32 which may have been a contributing factor in his cult following, but he remains an icon to this day, primarily for his work in Martial Arts movies.

Chuck Norris is another actor who, while starring in a variety of movies through a storied career, and perhaps being better known by the younger generations for his work advertising home gyms, made a name for himself as a featured performer in Karate Movies. Chuck was born in Ryan, Oklahoma and served in the United States Air Force before appearing in his first movie in 1969 and getting his first starring role in 1977. Films such as An Eye for An Eye and The Way of the Dragon, in which he performed as Bruce Lee's nemesis, along with other roles, each featuring his abilities in Martial Arts, made Chuck Norris a name recognized around the world.

Although he is not a new comer, having been in the movies in America since the 1970's, Jackie Chan is another actor who has made his mark with his acrobatic style of karate as well as his comedic timing. Jackie's major breakthrough movie called Snake in the Eagles Shadow, was released in 1978 and is widely considered to be the movie that established the comedic kung fu style.

Each of these world famous actors might have been otherwise unknown had it not been for the amazing success and popularity of Karate Movies, however each in his own way is in part responsible for the creation of the genre and bringing it into mainstream movie theaters both in American and around the world.

Other movies and television shows, while not necessarily considered to be Karate Movies, feature martial arts in a prominent way, and as a result deserve mention. The Matrix movies are a prime example and would have been far less successful without the heavy use of martial arts.

And so it is that Karate movies have become a mainstay for the movie going culture and promise to continue to provide moviegoers with entertainment for decades to come.








Looking for some action packed karate movies? Then go and view one of the largest movie databases around, where you have a wide selection of karate movies and martial arts movies to choose from.


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Louisville's vibrant and diverse arts community includes lively and active theatrical activities provided by the talented effort of Actors Theatre of Louisville, a Tony-Award-winning repertory theatre housed in a 1837 bank building now designated as a national historic landmark.and whose stone columned portion is one of the oldest buildings in Main Street and one of the finest examples of small scale Greek revival architecture in the U.S. As the centerpiece of the city's urban cultural district, Actors Theatre has made significant economic impact on a vital downtown life and won high acclaim for its artistic programming and business acumen in sponsoring the annual Humana festival of plays which have gone on to New York and London and other ingenious stage productions. The Broadway Series hosts touring productions of Broadway's best. It also presents approximately six hundred performances of about thirty productions during its year-round season, composed of a diverse array of contemporary and classical fare attracting one of the largest per capita subscription audiences in the country with an annual attendance of over 200,000.

Shakespeare's plays are continually being staged at the Central Park at South Fourth Street thus transforming Louisville into the Bardstown in summer. But sadly we missed Shakespeare when we trouped down there from our Kurtz Hall residence just up the road one evening and waited in vain for him and the players. We were to see either As You Like it or Romeo and Juliet.

Walden Theatre, the leading theatre conservatory for young people in the U.S, one of the few annual theatre festivals celebrating William Shakespeare in the annual Young American Shakespeare Festival, which are often presented at the Kentucky Center the three stages of which are always alive with entertainment from Broadway to Bach and featuring bagpipes to bluegrass. Five major arts groups delight the senses with music, dance theater, drama and more while its mirrored exterior reflecting the surrounding city. Opened in 1983 the center has multiple performance venues for the internationally renowned Louisville orchestra famous for its recordings of contemporary works, the Louisville ballet and Kentucky Opera which is the twelfth oldest opera in the U.S., the Broadway Series, Stage One, The Louisville Children's Theatre and extraordinary local, national, and international talents.

Images Friedonas Gallery features Julius Friedman's posters as well as works by many other nationally and internationally respected artists. This 10,000 square feet gallery in the Louisville Design Center, located in the downtown hotel and entertainment district, features a variety of plays and concerts.

The Louisville Palace, the official venue for the Louisville Orchestra, is an elegant, ornate theatre in downtown Louisville's so-called theatre district. In addition to orchestra performances, the theatre also features an array of popular movies, old and new, as well as concerts by popular artists. Located nearby is the Kentucky Theater, which was built in 1921 and operated for 60 years as a movie house, but was closed and almost demolished in 1986. Ultimately it was saved by local arts advocates, and the newly renovated Kentucky Theater opened its doors in 2000 and has become a vibrant community arts center and art film house.

The Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation Gallery serves as a spectacular retail outlet for some of Kentucky's finest craftworks and sponsors regular traveling exhibits and workshops.

The Fund for the Arts the first and oldest in the U.S. has the bust of its founder former Mayor Charles Farmsley sitting proudly as if still alive in front of its headquarters.

Louisville is distinguished, like many American cities, with a multitude of museums of art, science and sports as well as monuments and historic sites and homes preserved for posterity amongst which is The Speed Art Museum which I happened to have visited in June 2006. Though described as the state's first art museum holding collections spanning 6000 years with works by Rembrandt, Picasso, Monet, Rubens and Moore, modern American, African, ancient and Native American artists being exhibited here our visit was focused on the highly eclectic and post-modernist work of the African-American alumni of University of Louisville, Sam Gilliam whose works have traveled far and wide in America up to the Corcoran Gallery. His works are an adventurous and experimental combination of techniques and materials: pastiche, cloth-dyeing, candle work, wood, formica, mat-marking and pottery used to amazing effects especially in his daring display and combination of colors and use of space and the suggestion of patterned folds and ties hanging loose from the ceiling. An art learning center, a café Bristol and a Museum Shop exhibiting and hawking artifacts, curios and dresses from all over the world adds to Speed Arts Museum's compulsion.

The Speed Art Museum was founded in 1925 by Hattie Bishop Speed as a memorial to her husband, James Breckinridge Speed, a prominent Louisville businessman and philanthropist. Designed by Louisville architect Arthur Loomis, the museum opened its doors on January 15, 1927, with an exhibition sponsored by the Louisville Art Association.

In 1934, the museum received Its first major donation, a valuable collection of North American Indian artifacts given by Dr. Frederick Weygold in 1934 was followed in 1941 by, Dr. Preston Pope Satterwhite making a significant gift - his collection of 15th century and 16th century French and Italian Decorative Arts including tapestries and furniture.and in 1944, he donated the English renaissance room, which was moved in its entirety from Devonshire, England necessitating an enlargement of the museum. The addition bearing his name was completed in 1954, as the first of three additions to the original building.

The Speed Art Museum Kentucky's oldest and largest art museum with over 12,000 pieces in its permanent collection boasts of an extensive and historic collection ranging from ancient Egyptian to contemporary art featuring distinguished collections of 17th century Dutch and Flemish painting, 18th century French art, Renaissance and Baroque tapestries, and significant holdings of contemporary American painting and sculpture. African and Native American works are a growing segment of the museum's collection. On its upper level, small cabinet galleries provide an intimate atmosphere for the museum's collection of European paintings and sculpture.

During the tenure of Paul S. Harris the first professional director from 1946, acquisitions to the collection were made mostly in the areas of decorative arts and furniture. In 1962, he was succeeded by Addison Franklin Page, curator of contemporary art at the Detroit Institute of Arts. who further enriched and expanded the museum collection. After another major addition to the building in 1973, the Speed celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1977 with the acquisition of Rembrandt's magnificent Portrait of a Woman. Mr. Page and the Board of Governors led the campaign to raise the $1.5 million necessary to purchase the work, one of the museum's most significant acquisitions.

Mr. Page retired as Director in 1984 and was followed in 1986 by Peter Morrin, who was formerly curator of 20th century art at the High Museum in Atlanta who in continuing the enrichment of the collection, initiated an outreach program to involve the communities the museum serves. While the museum was closed for a dramatic renovation project in 1996, the museum received a life-changing gift, a bequest of more than $50 million from Alice Speed Stoll, granddaughter of James Breckinridge Speed. The bequest one of the largest given to any art museum significantly increased the Speed's endowment, ranking it among the top 25 in the United States. Mrs. Stoll's bequest secured the museum's future and has allowed for several significant acquisitions including Jacob van Ruisdael'si, (1653), and Paul Cezanne's Post-Impressionist masterpiece, Two Apples on a Table (about 1895-1900).

Since reopening in November 1997, the Speed Museum has dazzled the region with exciting traveling exhibitions,and new acquisitions to the permanent collection. It has also benefited greatly by a bequest from the estate of long-time Board of Governors member General Dillman A. Rash who left the museum works by Marc Chagall, Jean Dubuffet, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Maurice Utrillo.

The museum supported entirely by donations, endowments, grants, ticket sales, and memberships focuses its collection on Western art, from antiquity to the present day. Holdings of paintings from the Netherlands, French and Italian works, and contemporary art are particularly strong, with Sculpture prominent throughout. Representative artists include Rembrandt van Rijn, Peter Paul Rubens, Giovanni Tiepolo, Henry Moore, Thomas Gainsborough, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and contemporary artists Frank Stella, Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Francis, Petah Coyne, Sam Gilliam, Vito Acconci, and Juan Munoz.

The Speed Art museum has come a long way since Mrs. Speed first opened the doors to the original museum nearly 80 years ago with its magnificent building and impressive collection of over 13,000 pieces serving more than 180,000 visitors each year, making it a nationally recognized institution.

The Speed Art Museum's original 1927 limestone building was designed by Louisville architect Arthur Loomis. Loomis chose the Greek Revival style for the exterior and employed large skylights in the roof to bathe the galleries in natural light. There have been three major additions and one extensive renovation to the original 1927 building.

The Preston Pope Satterwhite Wing was added in 1954 to honor Dr. Satterwhite, a prominent benefactor of the museum. The Satterwhite Wing contains much of his own collection of medieval and renaissance works including tapestries and other decorative arts. A focal point in the wing is a 17th century carved period room from England.

The North addition, designed by Brenner, Danforth, and Rockwell of Chicago, opened in 1973. This addition showcases the museum's 20th century art and features an auditorium and café.

The South addition, the museum's most recent wing, designed by Robert Geddes of Princeton, New Jersey, opened in 1983. On its upper level, small cabinet galleries provide an intimate atmosphere for the museum's collection of European paintings and sculpture. Also included in the addition are special galleries for temporary exhibitions.

Today, the Speed Art Museum has over 150,000 square feet of gallery, exhibition, and administrative space, making it the largest collection of art paintings, sculpture, furniture, and decorative arts by Kentucky artists. Since completing a major $12 million renovation and expansion in 1997, the Speed has brought major exhibitions of photography, painting, design, and sculpture to the region to help fulfill its ambitious mission: bringing great art and people together

The Speed Art Museum is housed in the University campus whilst the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, is located in Louville's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown. It is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 to continue the art and craft heritage of Kentucky through the support and education of craft artists and education of the public. It supports regional as well; as national artists thus illustrating Kentucky's long heritage of fine functional and decorative wood-working. The museum is supported in part by the Fund for the Arts and Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency of the Commerce Cabinet. Founded in 1981 by Phyllis George Brown, then First Lady of Kentucky and former Miss America, the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft (formerly Art and Craft Foundation) was started as a dream to build interest in Kentucky's rich craft and art resources. With the help of Mary Shands, the seeds were quickly sown for the Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation to continue to develop and eventually have a physical presence in Louisville. In 1984 the organization moved into the lower level of 609 West Main Street for retail and exhibition space and in spite of West Main Street being very deserted, the importance and popularity of the organization exploded.

The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft was established to promote the rich art and craft heritage of Kentucky through three main areas of programming: exhibition, education, and support of artists through a retail Gallery Shop. Since 1984 the organization has presented over 175 exhibitions, reaching approximately 65,000 viewers annually thus becoming a leader on the national forefront in preserving and advancing the art and craft heritage of Kentucky. by 1991. As part of the national "Year of the American Craft" the organization was recognized for its exemplary and unprecedented contributions to the documentation and interpretation of the cultural history of the commonwealth.

The organization has seen artists progress from novices to masters and Main Street transform from an almost a deserted noncommercial street to a thriving business and cultural district. By bringing the work of nationally recognized artists to Kentucky and by bringing the work of Kentucky artists to the national scene, KMAC has been able to preserve art and craft heritage and advance it.

Over ten years ago the organization started educational programming as part of their mission. In January of 2001 the organization purchased two adjacent buildings at 715 and 717 West Main Street in the heart of Louisville's West Main Street Historic District. Built in the 1880s the building is a four-story cast iron structure with a beautiful pastel facade and giant windows. After renovation, the facility provides the organization with 28,500 square feet of interior space in which to operate, spread over four floors and a lower level.The new facility increased the size and visibility of the Gallery Shop, with frontage on Main Street, and houses three exhibition galleries: the Steve Wilson Gallery, the Mary & Al Shands Gallery, and the Lindy & Bill Street Gallery. The Lindy & Bill Street Gallery, on the second floor overlooking Main Street, is rented for meetings and entertaining. The third floor houses the Education Center and the fourth floor is used for administrative offices.

Just across the street we saw the Frazier International History Museum holding as ever a collection of arms, armor and related historical artifacts dating from 1,000 years back.

West Main Street at the center of Old Louisville downtown is at the heart of the cultural district featuring the second largest collection of cast-iron facades in the U.S, which in itself is a collection of the rarest arts in the world as well as a reservoir of individual art pieces as well as artistic activities..

Iroquois Park is the home of the renovated Iroquois Amphitheater which hosts the productions of Music Theatre Louisville as well as a variety of musical concerts in a partially covered outdoor setting.

Louisville is home to a thriving music scene with bands such as the widely known Flaw, Musica Silentis Doloris (MSD), False, Incursion 502 and Evil Engine 9. It is also home to the former members of the once post-grunge band Days of the New.

On Fourth Street in downtown is the brand new Fourth Street Live! outdoor entertainment complex, which features a wide variety of restaurants, stores and nightclubs. The complex sponsors many free concerts, as does the popular Waterfront Park.

The large performing arts community played a role in the relocation of ZFX Inc, the second largest theatrical flying special effects company in the world, from Las Vegas to Louisville in 2006.

FURTHER READING ON ART IN LOUISVILLE:

http://www.art-sanctuary.org/about.php

http://www.louisville.com/








Arthur Smith was born, grew up and was schooled in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He has taught English since 1977 at Prince of Wales School and, Milton Margai College of Education. He is now a Senior Lecturer at Fourah Bay College where he has been lecturing English, Literature, as well as Creative Writing for the past seven years.

Mr Smith is widely published with his writings appearing in local newspapers as well as in West Africa Magazine, Index on Censorship, Focus on Library and Information Work amongst others.

He was one of 17 international visitors who participated in a seminar on contemporary American Literature sponsored by the U.S.State Department in 2006. His growing thoughts and reflections on this trip which took him to various US sights and sounds could be read at http://www.lisnews.org

His other publications include: Folktales from Freetown, Langston Hughes: Life and Works Celebrating Black Dignity, and 'The Struggle of the Book'


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