Entry #2- Aesthetics

What are aesthetics? That's not a question that I usually ask my self. Or not consciously. But I think that we all have moments when we wish that we could capture what we are seeing and have it forever. And I think in those moments we define what aesthetic is to us. Something that, even subconsciously, gives us pleasure to look at.
There are four domains of creativity:
1. Fluency- When you're coming up with different ideas, fluency is the ability to come up with many different ideas
2. Flexibility- Flexibility is the ability to move quickly from one idea to another, from different perspectives
3. Originality- The ability to think of something "first," that nobody else has thought of
4. Elaboration- The ability to add to ideas to improve them
I had a practical experience that turned into an aesthetic experience a few weekends ago. I was riding in the car, which is a mundane experience usually. I was at the military base where my fiance is stationed, and I was riding in the back of his truck out in the country. It was a really beautiful evening because it was cool and not too humid, even though it had been raining on and off all day long. When I glanced up I saw a rainbow, which was absolutely breathtaking. The way that it was such a simple thing that was so beautiful none the less was an incredible experience. Not only was I able to see the rainbow, I could also see the reflection of the rainbow as well. The colors of the rainbow were so pure and so clear, that even when I'd taken several pictures, I wasn't happy with they way they looked. The pictures did not do justice to the beauty of the rainbow in anyway.

Entry #1- Introduction to Art

I've always considered myself a pretty artsy person. I was always much more acclimated to the arts than I was to math or science. I took several drawing classes in high school, as well as a photography class. I enjoyed the drawing classes, but I really loved the photography class. I haven't ever really been very good at sculpture but I enjoyed making mosaics, and working with water colors.
Its been a while since I was actually in an art gallery, I used to go on weekends with my parents when I was younger. I did actually get the opportunity to be the subject of an artist recently though. We had some artists come into our dance studio and sketch us while we were learning a contemporary piece, and that was an incredible opportunity because I got to see how exactly they build their work, and it was an opportunity for them to see how we work as well.
I've been to several plays, and performed in several musicals as a dancer. Musical theater is something that I've always enjoyed and my father is a musician, and I've had the privilege of watching him as musical director of several musicals.
I guess I learn best under visual conditions. I guess that is part of dancing, having to watch and replicate certain movements exactly. I'm taking Arte 360 part of my Education Cognate which I feel is really important because I want to teach Dance in public schools, but I really believe that all of the arts tie in together and if I can get ideas on how to incorporate the visual arts into my dance classes then I will feel like I've taken something very valuable from this class.
Dance is the one art that I have always taken very seriously. While I have enjoyed the other art forms, dance is the one art that has really moved me in every way. So many things inspire me when I dance, but usually the strongest influence on my dancing is how I'm feeling emotionally. I've noticed that so many times how my dancing looks is connected to how I'm feeling, and so I learned quickly to turn that into something I can use to further my art. I believe that art is anything that can communicate feelings, or a political issue, or something that is important to the artist without the use of words. No matter what the artist's medium of choice, as long as they are conveying something that is important to them I believe that it is art. I believe that "good" art is something that is widely accepted or appreciated by many people.
I think that an "Art Film" is a film that is a film that was created, not to be entertaining, but to educate people or to let people become aware of an issue or something that would not be entertaining to the general populous.
Right now, I have the music to a contemporary dance piece in my cd player. I like listening to it and reviewing the movement in my head. It makes it easier when I'm practicing to remember what the movements are supposed to be.