Art Inspired by Panama!

Copyrights belong to Jesse Brown, the author of this blog. If interested in this or any other images, please write Jesse Brown at brownartworks@gmail.com

 

 

We are currently finishing our trip to Panama, where I have focused on photography for my art medium at the moment. This medium affords me the ability to be fast and efficient with recording my ideas as I visit places and see new things. I do not have the time to sit and draw and paint with the schedule that we have been keeping. One of the things that artists have to learn is how to adapt and work within their range and experience so that they can convey their ideas. I will elaborate on my ideas from here that I have initially recorded through the use of photography, but a flow of ideas does not stop with simply one type of expression. It is merely the beginning of a process that takes as long as it needs to express itself.

 

 

 

Panama has allowed me to explore a variety of ideas. The image above is one of many taken from Panama Viejo. I have seen this place before, but not with the eye of trying to record it with an artistic point of view. With this particular experience, I was able to record many perspectives. I have not done a great deal of journal writing yet, but I will be focusing on that as I work with this experience. Cezanne did a lot of work with respect to his experience in Fiji. Hemingway let his experience in Spain influence him. Every artist is influenced by their environment. So it goes with me and my travels.

 

 

 

One of the first things that I do is try to line up my composition in such a way that it becomes visually interesting for the viewer. I also choose subjects that usually draw a viewer in. I focused a great deal on windows, doors, openings, and light and dark in this particular area in Panama Viejo. The  ruins lend themselves to that type of subject. Why so? Well, let's just look at windows and doors for a moment. Windows and doors represent points of view, opportunities, and reminders of the past, present, and future. Combine that with composition and lighting, as well as the context of 500 year old ruins, and you have some images that truly bring the viewer to contemplate a variety of ideas.

 

 

 

Please take a moment to reflect and enjoy the image above. More will follow soon. Thanks for reading!!

 

Jesse 

Interview with Don Carter, Gallery Owner Coos Bay, OR: Art for the People

 

 

Don Carter is a gallery owner and artist who operates out of Coos Bay, OR. I recently have had the pleasure of meeting Don and working with him in setting up art work in his gallery. Immediately, I am able to confirm what I felt through all of our phone conversations; he (and his family) are there for the people. Whether they are customers or artists, he works to help them find what they are looking for in his gallery.

 

As we were setting up our display in his new store, Don was keenly aware of each individual in the store and trying to help all of them in turn as we were setting up. He is a people person and takes great pride in what he is creating in Coos Bay with The Fellowship. Following is an interview with him to help give background to this unique creation that features a Grand Opening on Saturday, March 23rd.

 

 

 



Jesse Brown: What got you started in the gallery business originally?

 

Don Carter: We have wanted an art gallery in our store for years, Recently we've had several miraculous events that have brought this about


 

 Jesse Brown: You have a unique format with a gallery, bookstore, and a coffee shop. What is your final vision for your place? Where did it come from?

 

Don Carter: The business just naturally grew out of what we like. Who wouldn't want to read a good book while drinking your favorite coffee surrounded by beautiful art?


 

 

Jesse Brown: I understand you are an artist as well. How is it working with a group of artists in comparison to just trying to produce art yourself? How does it compare with owning your own business?

 

Don Carter: Most artists understand the business of art and know that gallery's are necessary for the survival of the art community


 

Jesse Brown: How important are the views of the customers in the whole art equation? For example, do you feel the view/customer should influence the art? Can the market drive the content of an artist's subject?

 

Don Carter: Really good original art influences public opinion the customers respond to what is presented, For the most part artists create what they love and try to influence public opinion. The market follows closely behind this.


 

   

Jesse Brown: How hard is it to satisfy such a diverse group of artists? What's the key?

 

Don Carter: Sharing our store is the main thing, We're not just trying to make a living we are trying to help each artist with their business.


 

 

Jesse Brown: Are you able to pick a favorite piece in your gallery so far? If so, which one? If not, why so?

 

Don Carter: That would be impossible, We have way too much to have a favorite.


 

 

Jesse Brown: What are you looking forward to the most with this new gallery?

 

 

Don Carter: Having time to paint and teach art to kids


 

Jesse Brown: I read a recent piece on an art blog about how art is about life. How does your gallery reflect that? Do you think your artists represent that in any specific way?

 

Don Carter: Art is a momentary slice of your life, a small picture of a moment, Art can only reflect the images that reside in our hearts. Each artist strives to touch your heart with their work. We want to display the best art that we can find to accomplish this.


 

Jesse Brown: Do you have anything you want to add that you hope readers will take away from this interview?

 

Don Carter: Simply that we are just average people that love art and we want nothing more than to share it with you. If your an artist who needs more exposure please contact us, If you can't even draw a stick figure we need you too, please come in and help support the artists.

Thank you.


 

 

 

Please stay tuned for more on The Fellowship and the art that I (and my family) have set up there, along with many other events and artists that reside there! 

Art Work for the Ocean

This is another work by my mother, and I would have to say that this is my favorite piece that she has done in this style. One of the things that she has concentrated on is doing themes that would sell well along the ocean. One of our favorite vacation spots for our family is the ocean at Fort Bragg, CA. So, sea life is a common theme for her work. I love the colors of this image on the stark, black background. The finishing coat she used was a matte finish, but even then it is quite glossy. This particular rock is a sizable one and can easily be used as a paper weight on a desk, or a show-piece on a shelf. This does not fall into the category of Meditation Rock because it is too big to easily be held and is a little unwieldly. Meditation rocks are intimate and small and can be maneuvered easily with the fingers.

This rock is on sale for $40 at The Fellowship. It was part of that massive 192-piece shipment we took to Oregon last weekend. There will be a grand opening for the Gallery in about 3 weeks. If anyone is going to be in that area, please check it out!

Please stay tuned for more pieces that I will blog about. Give comments and feedback if you have time. I will be posting some photos of the gallery soon. I wanted to talk about some of the great new art first, before I got to the gallery. This weekend I will have an interview with the gallery owner and I will post that interview here. Thanks for all of your support!

Jesse

 

Esther Brown and Ada Lee team up to bring a new artistic series!!

ESTHER BROWN AND ADA LEE TEAM UP TO BRING A NEW ARTISTIC SERIES.

So, this is a sample of some of the new types of pieces that went to Coos Bay. Actually, if I remember correctly, this particular one got bought before it could even get shipped off to Coos Bay, Oregon. My mother, Esther, and Ada, Esther's soon-to-be daughter-in-law, teamed up to create a very unique series. This is a variation on their Meditation Rock Series. Some have one, others have two, per bag. Ada designed a small bag that is meant to carry the rock. Esther paints images on smoothly shaped and rounded rocks that are meant to inspire peaceful and tranquil thoughts. A person might hold it in their hand while they listen to soothing music, sit quietly on a beach or among trees in a park, and let it inspire them to think of peaceful thoughts.

Part of the inspiration for this comes from Baoding Balls used to help heal the hand and relieve stress. Baoding Balls are meant to be rotated in the palm of the hand. The variation on this comes in with the art work. My mother lays down a black gesso base to create a dark background on which the image and intense colors can jump forward to the viewer. She also uses images that will connect with different types of people. If anyone has ever been to a Koi pond and seen the water lilies floating in the water as the fish swim silently underneath in a tranquil garden setting, it is incredibly peaceful and energizing. In this particular example, there is only one rock, but many have two to allow the option of moving both around in the hand similar to Baoding Balls. For me, personally, I really love the images that my mother creates on these rocks. I would not risk moving them around and possibly chipping the paint. (They are heavily layered with a spray finish that should prevent this, and should be resistant to any type of chipping, but that is just me).

My mother and Ada have created many, many combinations for this series. Many of the items in this series will be posted soon. If you are interested in buying any of them, write us, or go by The Fellowship in Coos Bay, Oregon. The  Fellowship carries our work now and has an extensive inventory of these pieces as of this date.

Another use for these pieces is to simply sit on your desk or dresser or night stand and let the image transport you to a pleasant thought of memory. I think back through the history of art and how images have been used to inspire thoughts, feelings, emotions, and more throughout the ages. This variation is simply a more intimate source of inspiration. The idea of hold art in your hand makes you take more ownership of the piece. It brings you closer to it. If you want a message, it would be one of trying to get the viewer to identify with their emotions and subconscious because her work operates on an emotional level. Ada's bag that was created simply brings the utility and intimacy of the art object closer to home because the bag makes it more functional and personal. I really enjoy this series a lot and I look forward to sharing it more with everyone.

Stay tuned for more work to be posted!

Coos Bay, Oregon - the gallery that we show in!

COOS BAY, OREGON - GALLERY NOW CARRYING BROWN FAMILY ART WORK!

Well, we made our trip to Oregon to deliver our art work. It has been an extremely fast trip. The drive   from Chico was 7 hours each way. The gallery has 192 pieces of inventory for our art. The piece shown here is one of the pieces of inventory at The Fellowship (at 217 South Broadway, Coos Bay, OR). Don Carter has  a huge space for his new bookstore/gallery/cofffee shop. He is located on the main drag, which is  Broadway (and  also doubles as Highway 101). This gallery has a huge selection of books, art of all kinds, and a coffee shop soon to come. If anyone is familiar with Barnes and Noble and  the ambience they try to achieve with their set-up, then this would  be a good comparison. This is a gallery/shop that is trying to get its customers to come in, look around hangout, read, and stay awhile. I feel The  Fellowhip is well on its way to achieving enormous  potential. I may be slightly partial since my art and my family's art is set-up there, I believe I am selective enough that I am picking a qquality place that will give great customer service to the people. Our art is about reaching  the community. I believe that this place will reach the people because it is geared to reach the people. As with any place, we want to be able to reach the local community, as well as the tourists that visit there  as well.

As I type this blog I am in a moving  car going back to Chico, CA. What I can type here is  limited, but  I will give a full description and account of our experience once we reach  home. There are many   things to share and tell. Coos Bay has a strong resemblance to  another coastal artist community in California - Fort Bragg, CA. Fort Bragg, CA is a favorite vacation spot for my family and me. So,  we are even more pleased with  our opportunity to work with Don and his wife in opening this new gallery since it is like a place we love to visit and spend time.

With some perseverance, an art gallery and its artists can help resound as a voice in the community, as well as be part of that community. It is my personal goal to try to understand what the community and tourists would like to see and what ressonates  with them as we move forward at The Fellowship. Don tries hard to work with his artists, and I think artists should try to work wiith their gallery as long as they are able to stay within their own style.

Of course, this brings to mind the controversial conversation about the meaning and message of art. Honestly, is their such a thing as "high art" and "low art"? Do we really have to get into that rotating  discussion about what  the message is about? Look, I read the art critics in the art journals. I look to see what is being displayed in the major art centers around the US. I realize if you show  in NYC or LA at some major gallery, you can garner a lot of recognition. However, I do not need a high priced art afficionado's personal approval to validate my art. I would value their feedback the same as a customer who pays $10 to get one of the pictures in my Trading Card Series. Any good artist will combine general feedback with their method of  operation and creating work in order to move forward and improve. For  myself and  my family, we are a family of artists who have been doing this for generations. We learn from each other and shape our work  and  message based on how we work together and respond to our environment and opportunities. Art is about connecting with your audience. We all choose our own genre of influence and that is how it should be. This is a chance for us to connect with the people and tourists of the Coos Bay area of Oregon. It is a chance for us to share our point of view and art with them. To me, that is what makes art worthwhile, just sharing the vision and message of each artist.

Next Sunday, I will be interviewing Don Carter for my blog. He and I will have a discussion about his gallery, the community of Coos Bay, and and what it looks like to bring art to a community and make a business thrive. I hope to also capture his unique point of view on what he is trying to create for both community and artists.

Stay tuned.

What does it mean to belong to an organization in martial arts?

 

 

To want to belong to a group or organization, or even a community, is one of the basic human tendencies. As much as we want to train alone or do our own thing, there is always going to be a time or place we want to connect to another person or group to share our art with. So, the question comes up about how to choose our associations within our art and training.

 

On an immedate level, this would be our school. On a larger level, this would include attending seminars, competing in tournaments (if that is something that you like to do), and what umbrella organization you want to affiliate yourself with. In my case, I am removed from my home school by a 3.5 hour drive, and I do not want to start my training all over with any other school. The question comes up about how do I approach this? For me, I have chosen to train alone and take lessons, when I can, at my school of origin, as I have done for the last 20 years. What has been the result? Unfortunately, I have done a lot of spinning of my wheels in the last 10+ years.

 

Be that as it may, I will get back to it. I want to continue on with the main point here, which is how we choose our associations. The school is important. It becomes a reflection of you, and you become a reflection of it. What does it give to you? You have to determine what you will get out of it if you attend another school and is it worth the time and effort you are putting in at the school? Tournaments and umbrella organizations are the same way. What do they have to offer to you and are they an accurate reflection of you?

 

How did I come to this line of thinking today? Well, I was doing some research about Kenpo. I have been at a cross-roads as to what to do with my training. I want to have access to a school nearby, but I do not want to give up the time and comfort and bonds that I have created by training with my original school, even though it is 3.5 hours away. How do I come to terms with my situation? We all have to ask, "What can this school, teacher, or training do for me?" I ask the same question. It is a very important question because it is time and money you put into what you are doing. In today's economy, we do not have time to make choices lightly.

 

In my research, I found that there is A LOT of organizations out there that associate themselves with Kenpo. You might ask yourself, "What is the difference?" There are many, but you have to be willing to look at them, and look at them objectively, to see what they can and cannot offer. For me, I have come to a conclusion that it is time for me to start integrating myself into some kind of community more, and I need to figure how and where I want to do that. In my research, I found at least seven Kenpo umbrello organizations trying to convince Kenpoists, and others, out there that there is a benefit to joining the group they had put together. Through my years of taking lessons and instruction, I have learned there are a lot of politics that go on in martial arts. I try to not get caught up in it all and look at things objectively. It has made for an interesting process of figuring out what I want to do. As an informed martial artist who has studied for 20+ years, I have some background in how to make a decision about these things. But, if you are new to the scene, you might want to ask yourself a series of questions to get started.

 

1. What type of teacher do I want?

2. What type of classes do I want and what do I want to learn?

3. How many classes can I take each week?

4. How much time can I put into my training?

5. Why do I want to study martial arts?

 

These are some questions to get you started. I find myself asking similar questions about what I want to do and understanding what I want out of an organization. What can the offer me and what can I put into it so I can get something out of it? It is a process of self exploration.

 

Take some time to understand the choices you make by understanding yourself more first. I think this is true in whatever we do. We need to understand outselves as we make important choices, whether it be in martial arts or in life.

 



Understanding the uniqueness of your martial arts training

(This photo's copyright belongs to Jesse and Gina Brown)

 

Understanding the uniqueness of each person's martial arts training and experience is important. My instructor, Chuck Epperson, stresses that Kenpo Karate is made to fit each person's individual style and preference. That is not to say we make up our own rules as we go. That would be erroneous, to say the least. It is more approrpiate to say that Kenpo is flexible enough to fit each person's unique style and personality and philosophy while strong enough to maintain a strong system of learning and application for each practitioner.

 

I read in an article where Richard 'Huk' Planas was asked about Kenpo and he said something to the effect that Kenpo was best described as a set of rules and principles and a set of ideas to be learned. It was up to each person to make the art their own. As long as the rules and principles were followed, the Kenpo being practiced would be sound. Here is the big question, how often do we follow the rules and principles. It sounds easy to just follow the principles and everything will be good. It takes a lot of time to just understand what the basic principles are and practice them right!

 

All of us follow principles and guidelines for our day-to-day life, whether we realize it or not. If we use our principles to live by, we might make a lot more progress. I think a lot of people just move from moment to moment and obstacle -to-obstacle. Many people do not think things through or have a plan. Kenpo, and any other martial art for that matter, asks us to practice and make it a way of life. Why else would we engage in the practice of something.

 

Lee Wedlake pointed out in his book, Kenpo Karate 101, that many people do not stick with what they start, whehter it be the gym or martial arts. It is a sprint and they burn out. Something like martial arts is about the journey more than the goal. The most meaniful experience you will get out of your martial arts training will be if you take it as a journey and understand how it shapes you and your perspective. That perspective will also change over time. So, be prepared to see and understand Kenpo in different ways as you progress through your journey. This is also true for anything you do. It changes for you over time. I remember I stopped making art for a time after graduate school. When I started making art again, I realized I had a whole new understanding of art because so much time had passed. Lee Wedlake talks about this in Kenpo training and in other things.

 

When training in martial arts, you have to understand yourself and what you want. It is important to know what you want. Martial arts styles are like clothes, you have to try them and see if they fit you. Each style has a different fit and is meant for a certain type of personality and goal, depending on the person.

 

When training with my instructor, Chuck Epperson, he tells me a lot of things.  One thing he told me was to look at the self defense techniques and figure out how I would finish them. The techniques are just ideas teaching principles, but it may not represent the ideal move for you. If you follow the principles, then you can make a variation that respresents your own style better. He talked about adding and deleting moves to make something more direct for him, because he likes to be direct. I have to agree that being direct is the best policy, but even with that, there are different ways to be dircet. If you are a martial artist, what is your direct way of approaching a situation? I like to look at techniques and ask myself how will this work for me.

 

One last thing I like to do for my own personal training is I like to focus on basics and basic combinations. I also like to practice both sides of a technique, literally. I know their are opposites and reverses of everything and we have category completions everywhere that we are supposed to think about. Those are outstanding, for certain, and they are truly an academic challenge to apply and understand. However, I just like the literal nature of doing both sides, opposite sides, of the same technique. It is a challenge that suits me. Will I ever want to use my weak side? Not really, but you never know when you are boxed into a corner and only your weak side is available, or the weak side of a certain move might only be available. In addition to that, I just like to the physical challenge when working out of doing the weak side. It gives me that much more to practice, and I really enjoy the journey of practicing the art of Kenpo.

 

Find your unique style in whatever you do, understand it, and let it help guide you to what you like to do most and enhance your training at the same time.

 

Train hard.

 

Jesse