Inspiration for artists

In many occasions we wonder how does artists get those results, what’s their inspiration or if there’s a special formula for achieving those master pieces.

Well actually there’s not a particular step or formula for creating. Every person works in a different way, but there are some things which are shared by all the ones who create. All persons need an inspiration or something which motivates them to start creating.

Then a process of development, innovating and creating begins. The ideas come from their imagination turning into material things.

Activities done in class

Some of the activities done during this partial were the development of an artistic piece of art. It could be a painting or a sculpture. The other task was about creating a Mexican design related to robotic, fashion, music and drafts.
In the first task the team decided to make an abstract piece which combined painting with sculpture. It was titled “humanos se escriben con eses”. Were we made paper figurines, and we paste them into a wood piece which was painted with different colors.

In the second task we decided to make a hand fan. We made it of a special type of clothe. Over the cloth, we painted the typical symbol of death in México: La Catrina. You can see a video from the importance and humor of Mexican people for this symbol in a video clip called: Hasta los huesos.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM6sP61zNx4

Words related to Creativity…

Creativity is a simple world compound of many elements or ideas that can be related to this Word. Some of examples of words are:

• Innovate
• Create
• Keep trying
• See things in a different manner
• Construct
• Solve
• Imagination
• Ingenious
• Original
• artistic

A Mexican author

Mexico is a country full of creativity. An example of this have been all the inventors, writers and scientist that had give something to he humanity. Angeles Mastretta for example is an important Mexican Author.

In my personal opinion I consider Angeles Mastretta as an important Mexican character. She is important for her writing. I had read some of her books and I like the way she describes the feelings and situations where characters develops. I also think it is a matter of proud that she is a Mexican women. Considering that in many occasions women doesn't receives the same prizes as men.


Ángeles Mastretta biography

Ángeles Mastretta was born on born October 9, of 1949, in Puebla, Mexico. She is an important Mexican author and journalist. She is well known for creating female characters which reflects de social and political realities of Mexico. Her father was one of her main influences for becoming a writer. She began writing for the magazine Siete and for the newspaper Ovaciones. She received a scholarship for going to the Mexican Writer’s center where she met Juan Rulfo, Salvador Elizondo and Francisco Monterde. Where she published a collection of poetry entitled “The colorful Bird”. In 1985 she published Tear this Heart Out which was an immediately success and earned her the Mazatlan prize for Literature for the best book of the year. In 2008 the novel was transformed for the big screens. In 1996 she won the Rómulo Gallegos Prize for her novel Lovesick. Later on she wrote the collection of several stories from women naming her new novel: Women with big eyes.



Other works from her are:
• Free port (1993)
• Lovesick (1996)
• The Illuminated World (1998)
• No Eternity Like Mine (1999)
• Maridos (2007)

Whisper of the angel

It is a sculpture of an angel whispering to the ear of a bay. According to the Irish tradition, when a baby smiles while he or she is sleeping means that it is talking with its angel. It was made by Benjamin Spence in 1857.

I think it is a very creative peace because it mixes the material perception with spiritual. Both elements are related to kindness and good. The way he made them is very soft and delicate.

Mexico... a creative town (:

Mexicans are a very creative town. Since the beginning of history we had developed different ways for overcoming problems. From our work, effort and creativity we had built amazing pyramids, roads, buildings and castles.

We are known for our excellent and colorful drafts. Mexico has been the home of important painters such as Frida Kahlo, Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera. As well as writers like Juan Rulfo, Octavio Paz and Angeles Mastretta. Mexico has been the witness of new technologies and inventions such as the color television by Camarena.


We are a creative town for our capacity to overcome the wildness and worse situations. We can find the good things and laugh from things that can be considered negative. Our complex and spiritual costumes can reflect our creativity. When we really want something we ca achieve it. Mexico is a real proof of a creative town.

Proud of being Mexican!

United Mexican States commonly known as Mexico is one of the countries which conforms America. It’s the home of a wide variety of cultures, costumes, animals and plants. Mexico is divided in 32 states, each state special for its richness’s and beauties.

Since the hot and big desserts of Chihuahua and Coahuila, its beautiful beaches in Yucatan and Jalisco, its amazing vegetation in Chiapas and Oaxaca which are only some examples of the potential of this country.

The wonders of this country also include its costumes and people. Since the magnificent pre Hispanic cultures: Mayans, Olmecs and Aztecs. Their strong costumes as their: dance, food, celebrations and music remains and stays alive in the heart of each Mexican.

Mexico is a land of opportunities. A country which is waiting its people to wake him up. Since its history Mexicans had shown that they are a warrior town… fighting for their rights and beliefs. Never giving up and putting their hearts in their traditions. Full of colors and knowledge’s, we: Mexicans must be proud of our nationality and blood. Mexico is our identity and our labor to bring out the meaning.

The impressionism in arts

Impressionism

Impressionism is a movement in French painting. It is also called Optical Realism, because of the interest of actual visual experience, light and movement. It impact was lasting and huge. At the beginning this movement was questioned by the conservative critics. It sunrises by Claude Monet.

Impressionist transcribe their feelings for nature, with the depiction of objects in front of them.

Some important painters from this movement are:


France: Eduard Manet, Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Berthe Morisot, etc.



Russia: Constantin coravin, Nathan Altman, Valentin Serov, etc.



American: Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, Albert Henry krehbiel, etc.



Auguste Renoir

Auguste Renoir was one of the co founders of impressionism. He was born in 1841 and died in 1919 in Limoges France. Later on he moved with his family to Paris. He joined the Classical painting school of Swiss in Paris. he liked painting people in the outside and having a good time. Their paintings are vivid and spontaneous. He used only five colors in his palette. his impressionist period lasted 13 years.

La Grenouillere

This piece of art was made in 1869 by Renoir. It shows the scene of people going into the boat. As it can be seen in the following painting.

Personal opinion: I think this art piece is creative because it seems like a "picture". The content which he represented in his painting is very spontaneous. It looks kind of classic because of the clothes of the people. It combines natural aspects. The environment looks relaxing and romantic. The effects which he obtained for making the water is very good.

The T's Chart

It's all about decisions!

All the time we have to take decisions but sometimes the are so many options and it is difficult to know which one is the better one.

Benjamin Franklin is well known for using and applying the T's chart.

How to decide between two or more possibilities?




Every decision has and advantage and disadvantage. For this it is important to make 6 columns.

1. In the first column you will write the variables you take in consideration for choosing between the options. Example: I will like to go to the cinema with my friends but in the other hand I will also like to go to the park the same day with my friends. In my first columns I will write variables like: price, time, type of friends, food, activities for being done, etc.


2. In the second column you will give a numeric value from 1 to 10 according to the importance of the variable. Example: Time was one of my variables; time is very important for me so I'll give this variable a value of 10.


3. In the third column you will write the tittle of one of your options and will start giving numerical values of how near it is to your variable value. Example: Time has an importance value of 10, but going to the park will take more. So it is a disadvantage, the value which I decide will be 7.


4. In the fourth column you'll multiply the value of the variable and the value of the option. Example 10 points from time value x7 points of time spending in the park =70 points


5. In the fifth and sixth column you will make the same but with the other option. Example: in this case I will write the cinema option.


6. After you've done this you make a sum of each column of the results from the multiplications. The column with more points is the better option! problem solve!

This method might result very effective as well as it has it disadvantages.

Advantages:

The results should go in accordance to the thing you must like

Includes many variables

An organize way to analyse the situation

Shows specifically information about both decissions

disadvantages:

It might not be neutral

The decision taken migh seem as the better option for your interest but might be bad for you in the future

Creativity!!

CREATIVITY!

Creativity can be found anywhere... at home, at work as science or as an art. It can appear suddenly or emerge slowly, but what is exactly creativity?

Well, creativity is everything!! it is the type of thinking that leads into new insight. We can see it everywhere: in music, art, dance, poetry, inventions, etc. Creativity is seeing the world in an imaginative and different way.

If we could look inner in this complex action which we make at every moment of our life's we would see that it includes a group of tasks:


It is an ability: The ability to imagine or invent something new and to create out of nothing.

It is an attitude: attitude for playing and accepting new ideas, possibilities. Have the flexibility of outlook, enjoying good things and looking for the way to improve them.




It is a process: the process where there's always room for improvement


Many times we are the reason of "not having creativity" as we said before everyone has creativity but it might be expressed in different ways.


Some attitudes which stops this process are: I can't do it, it is already done, that's crazy, that can't be done in that way.

Many thing which we use nowadays where considered as crazy or strange in a moment. For example cellphones nobody thought it could be possible to communicate and have all the tools they have in a tiny instrument.

SO START EXPERIMENTING!! CREATE!

Rules and principles

Problem three: Establish and explain which would be the principles and rules you will follow during your trip.

When you travel to a foreign country it is important to follow and respect their lifestyle, rules and culture taking in consideration you own principles and values. The question is How do you find the perfect balance for enjoying your trip while you follow the rules?

First of all it is important to establish that when you go to a foreign country you turn into a type of ambassador from your nationality. So act as you would like to be remind and taking in account the reputation of your country.

Following this simple values and principles might help enjoying more your trip and avoiding future problems.



Reminding your values: Always remind your values! Here are some examples...

• honesty


• Kindness


• Polite


• awareness


• attitude


• prudence


• austerity


• altruism

Bringing out the best of you: From all the values you know and have take out the principles for examples.

• Honesty: be honest about your true nationality, don't abuse from people help, announce any abuse, do not stole, etc.


• Kindness: answering in a good manner, help people, respect the other cultures, etc.


• Polite: Do not insult, do not throw the trash on the floor, do not destroy patrimony, use a proper language, etc.


• Awareness: remember you are not the only person expecting to enjoy the trip there are many other tourist and native people just hanging around.


• Attitude: Be positive! Be open to new experiences


• Prudence: be careful about how you express about the other cultures


• Austerity: Do not try to show out about superficial thing with the others


• Altruism: look for the other wealth without expecting something in exchange

NOTE: It is also important to consider which customs does the country you are visiting have so you will show them more respect and it would make more pleasant your trip.

Deciding which places /:

Problem number two:
deciding which place to visit

Define according to your preferences the places that you would visit in Europe based on the five most important variables that you consider. Using any deciding tool.

Brief information: Europe is one of the seventh continents of the world. It is one of the continents with most tourism. Full of life and with a lot of places for discovering Europe is waiting for YOU...



So which are the best places for visiting?
As we said before Europe is a wonderful place for loosing your time in trying to figuring out which places are the best option to visit.

Europe have a big variety of options for you. There are many activities you can make depending in your preferences: since visiting the peaceful beaches from Greece, proving the fine food from France, to having a horse ride in one of the provinces from Germany; but don't worry!! here is an easy way to decide where to go.

STEP ONE: Decide which are the activities you would like to perform during your trip and the things you love. Example.

1. Riding horses


2. Surf


3. Eating or making picnic
   
4. visiting museums


5. Love nature


6. Relaxing places


7. Practice Ski

STEP TWO: Once you have done a list of the things you like you need to consider the variables that dose activities might include. Example.

Price

Distance

1. Location


2. Security
   
3. Time
   
4. Climate

STEP THREE: After finishing analysing the variables that each activity will have you can start looking for the places in Europe which betters feeds your "Ideal Trip". Example.

• Netherlands


• Norway


• Switzerland


• Germany


• France


• Greece


• Poland


• Spain

STEP FOUR: Once you have chosen the places where you can find and make the activities you like you only have to choose five places from the list according to the variables and their importance. Example.

1. Netherlands= relaxing, museums, nature


2. Germany= nature, horse riding


3. France= food, beach, nature, museums, horse riding


4. Greece= beach, relaxing


5. Switzerland= relaxing, ski

Note: All the five places have in the same places the activities you like, they are close to each other and offer a whole variety of thing for doing.

STEP FIVE: ENJOY YOUR TRIP!!!

Problem in Europe

Problem one

Imagine that you go to Europe with your friends. Denmark is your last stop and you are almost out of money. Some people in your group get very ill. You have to take a decision wetter to stay or get back in Aguascalientes. Consider that University has already started and you are broke. Decide what to do.




Variable

• quantity of money


• time for taking a decision


• illness level of your friend


• security


• university program


• opportunities to get the money

Consequences

• getting worth the condition of your friend


• getting out of money


• ending the friendship with your friend


• not being on time for University program

Consider possibilities

• Return to Mexico and leave your friend


• Stay with your friend hoping he gets better soon


• Ask for help to their friends or parents


• Ask for a type of help for foreign people in the foreign country

Consider Priorities

1. Quantity of money which I have
2. Your friend wealth
3. Time
4. University program

Consider points of view

• Sick friend: The sick friend might feel bad for being sick and watching his/her friend struggling with the money and it health. He/ her might feel guilty for the situation. Might want to be with company all the time but at the same time the better options for his/her friend.


• Own point of view: Most of the decisions and obligations are in your hands. Your friend is sick and it's no allow to get in the airplane. As it is your friend you'll feel the obligation of staying with him/her till it gets better. The problem is that you are going out of money and things might get worse if you get broken.

Planning

1. As you are going out of money you can look for a place where your friend can stay till he/her gets better. After looking for a place you can return to Aguascalientes. When you are at Aguascalientes you can find the way to get money for sending it to your friend in Europe, or localize his/her family. You can start going to the university.


2. You can stay with your friend for a while in a Hostel, trying to use the less quantity of money you can. Leave a quantity in case of emergency for returning to Mexico in case things goes worse. Hope that your friends gets better for getting into the plane.


3. Stay in the country where you are using the less quantity of money. Make a telephone call to her/his and your parents for telling them the situation you are facing. Try to ask them for money till your friend gets better so both of you can return to Mexico at the same time. If the parents doesn't accept or can't afford for more money, get back or try to choose and option from plan one or two.

Decision

My decision will be the plan number one. I will wait a little hoping for the improvement of my friend, but if he/ she doesn't recovers I will get back to Aguascalientes. I will try to look the way for helping him/her from Mexico.

bienvenidos