personal preference art : DCAD Campus Information

Residential students are free to make their own choices about housing arrangements and there are many moderately priced housing options in the immediate vicinity of DCAD. However, the college has a working relationship with the management of a number of conveniently located apartment buildings. 824 West Street, a short walk along the Market Street Mall provides housing exclusively for students. Please contact the Director of Student Services for more information.
The following student budget is an estimate of the cost of attending DCAD for nine months during the school year. Other than the tuition charge, expenses may vary depending on personal preference or spending habits.
Art materials, books and other supplies

Students should expect to purchase most of the supplies needed for class work. This expense, while highly variable depending on personal preference, is estimated to be at least $1850 per year per student. Required materials lists will be distributed by faculty at the beginning of each semester.

Student Services
Student life at DCAD is closely linked to the life of Wilmington and the many cultural and professional resources of the region. An Office of Student Services is staffed by the Student Services Director who oversees the general welfare and discipline of the students. The office conducts activities such as student orientation, problem intervention and program exit interviews, and provides services such as preliminary personal/professional counseling, further counseling referral, testing referral, health / safety education, housing referral and career services.In addition, the office sponsors a variety of educational, social and cultural activities throughout the year to strengthen the knowledge, experience and life of the DCAD community. A Student Council facilitates participation and input from the student body.

Information Resource Center

The Information Resource Center is a state-of-the-art library containing books, periodicals, images, audio visual materials, and electronic resources including Internet access. In support of the curriculum, the collection focuses primarily on fine arts, illustration, graphics, and photography, as well as art history. Other subject areas supply information directly related to coursework.In addition, DCAD students also have access to nearby collections at the Wilmington Public Library, Delaware Technical Community College library, the Delaware Art Museum library, and the University of Delaware library Inter-library loans of materials are available from Pratt and the Corcoran, as well as other art libraries.

http://www.pratt.edu/dcad/campus.html

personal preference art : The New Original Trilogy DVD Cover Art

I know there is a lot of conversation going on about the new DVDs, but nobody has mentioned anything about the cover art! The first DVD set released in 2004 had a pretty weak set of covers. They looked rushed, just like the DVDs were. The new DVDs are no better. Besides for looking like quick Photoshop jobs, they are very poorly laid out. Let us examine them, shall we?
Let me start off by saying this is the weakest cover. I noticed several flaws with it, though. The most obvious one is the picture of Tarkin. Why is he blue? Is he a force ghost now? And then there's Han. Why would they use a picture of Han with a haircut that looks nothing like what he had in the film? I know it's petty, but it still bugs me!

Now lets get to some of the less obvious problems. Chewbacca. That picture doesn't fit because it's a still from ESB. You can tell by his hairstyle (yes, Chewie did have different hair styles!). C-3PO also looks like it was taken from some photography from one of the other films, but the image is too small to be sure.

One last thing that bothers me is the blue aura around everything. If Vader's lightsaber is featured on the cover, the aura should be red. That's just personal preference though, but I'm sure many will agree.
There are only two things I dislike about the cover, and again, it's the incorrect character images.

That Han Solo image would have been perfect on the ANH. For one, IT'S FROM ANH! Another reason it because that's Han Solo as he appeared in the film. Plus it's a great action pose.

The second mistake is Vader. This is a HUGE mistake, in my opinion. The image they used is one from Revenge of the Sith. It's noticeable to most fans that the suits used in the different films are different. Apparently it wasn't to the folk who made this cover, though! The image is so out of place on this cover and it screams ROTS.
The final one, ROTJ, is just boring. The character choices just make very little sense to me. I know they were trying to reflect the original poster, but I don't like it. Everything looks out of place. And the scale issue is ridiculous.

The other problem is Luke. The body and hands look like an illustration. I'm not sure what happened with that. I guess we're lucky that it's an image from the movie, though.


In the end I know the covers don't mean much and it's what's inside that counts (from what I hear, what's inside isn't too spetacular either!). I just hope I got through to a few people. Maybe someone from Lucasfilm is reading? Or maybe not.

© Lucasfilm 2006. All rights reserved.

personal preference art : A Collective's Perspective

An art collection usually starts innocently with one print, a watercolor or a drawing – then another, and another. At some point in the collecting, the fever strikes, buying accelerates and all is lost. It’s the point at which a casual art buyer becomes a serious art collector. Before long there is no more room on the walls, on the floor or in the closets.

And then comes the inevitable question, “Where did all this stuff come from?” Which is followed by, “I must stop buying!” It’s a resolution rarely kept, for the addicted collector can always justify the purchase of one more piece that is essential to the collection.

You might ask what drives these people to collect so much art? It’s a disease, really - one that can be contracted by a single person or a couple. In the case of a couple, it does help that both parties are driven by this madness. Some critics call this condition obsessive-compulsive behavior. Art lovers are fond of calling it passion.

As one might presume, most people buy art because it is enjoyable to look at. Art frequently defines the ambiance of their homes and offices. For serious collectors, art can quickly begin to define their lives. The visual enjoyment factor is soon coupled with the challenge of finding more and more of their favorite art. What they set out to find is another matter.


DEFINING THE SEARCH

Some art treasure hunters confine their search to a small segment of a genre or even to a single artist. Some stay within a broad category, such as Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Surrealism or Art brut. Or Impressionism - if one has an extremely large bank account. And a few are very specific, going as far as restricting their choices to one medium within a genre, such as German Expressionist fine prints.

Other collectors have more eclectic tastes, preferring to have a house full of art representing many styles of art. Yet a skillful connoisseur can mix dissimilar artworks and fashion them into a cohesive collection. What makes it all come together is the collector’s taste and preference. If the collector truly loves all the artwork, and has not succumbed to pressure from other people, then the collection will most likely be a fairly accurate reflection of the collector’s personality.

For those preferring a specific movement or genre, there is the question of which artists to include. This is an important matter, for it is the essence of a collection. If the collection is to be an all inclusive, encyclopedic grouping of a movement, then the most important artists, at least from an art historical standpoint, should be included. If, on the other hand, the collection is to be based solely on the assembler’s personal preferences, then it doesn’t matter which artists are included. The latter method can come under some critical fire: but a confident collector really doesn’t worry about critics.

http://www.petulloartcollection.com/collectors.asp

personal preference art : Preparing for a Print Run

Determine the Images to be Reproduced. By using a Colson Art Printing grid sheet (provided in our free art information kit) you can determine the space available for sizing your prints and planning your print run. Generally, your largest and most prominent piece(s) will take priority on the sheet, and other items will fill the remaining space. Please do not hesitate to fax us your grid sheet for a preliminary quote. We'll be happy to work with you to achieve the most effective layout.

Sizing the Original Art or Color Transparency. Sizing (reducing or enlarging) is often thought of as being difficult and hard to execute. The key is to understand the process and know the formula. The following is a guide to sizing your art.

SIZE DESIRED
divided by
SIZE OF ORIGINAL OR TRANSPARENCY
equals
PERCENT OF REDUCTION OR ENLARGEMENT

Filling the Sheet
At Colson Art Printing, gang runs are the norm. We do not gang your work with other artists because we encourage you to 'fill the sheet' with your own work! Gang runs are usually more cost effective compared to single order printing. The reasons for this are simple. First, our standard sheet size is 26 x 40 (25 x 39.5 usable or printable area) or half of that sheet, 20 x 26 (19 x 25.5 usable or printable area). Anything less than these sizes results in wasted paper which could be your sellable prints or promotional items. Secondly, press time is valuable. Obviously, printing two different prints on the same sheet is cheaper than printing the two prints separately.

Type and Paper Selection
Colson Art Printing has a wide range of type styles and paper choices to meet the needs of artists and publishers. You may have your own personal preference for type, or allow our art consultants to suggest a tasteful style for your art prints, notecards, brochures and other printed material.

© 2002 Your Name and/or Gallery Name

personal preference art : The Art of Selling Visual Ideas

One of the most frustrating aspects of being a designer is having a good design — one that you know is really good — and you can't get the client to buy into it. When this happens, designers blame the client for their stupidity and poor taste. Instead, designers should examine the technique of how the design was sold.

Whether it's a full-scale redesign of a major web site or some brochure-ware for the local workout club, selling a visual idea (a.k.a. "the pitch") is one of the most difficult hurdles for a designer to overcome. This is largely because designers typically place a higher value on aesthetics instead of reason. But when a design is pitched in purely aesthetic terms, it's too vulnerable to uninformed criticism and personal preference. If the client says "I don't like it," you could be sunk.

To successfully sell a visual concept to a client, a designer must use a strategy that turns a subjective argument into an objective one. We've found that the following objective arguments will greatly increase your chances of getting a client to say "yes":

Define the concept.
Prepare for your pitch by writing a design statement — a clear, understandable definition of how your design helps to solve business goals and how it provides a rewarding experience for the customer. Then write an outline of how key design decisions support this statement. Doing this will not only make your pitch more objective, but it also helps you understand the client's perspective. It also presents the design as "a solution to the problem," rather than one of personal taste.

Be ready to answer "Why?"
Before the pitch, prepare an explanation for every aesthetic choice of the design — typeface, color, grid, photograph, illustration, etc. — in rational, not emotional, terms. For example, if you are using the font Verdana in a design, you have to give reasons other than "I just like it." If you use this kind of rationale, then you open the door for a client to use this as well, "I don't like it."

However, it would be hard to argue against Verdana with this type of explanation: "This font was designed by renowned type designer Matthew Carter for Microsoft specifically for optimum screen readability. It has extra space between characters so they don't touch. The bolds are strong enough so that you can always tell the difference between bold and roman, yet the bold characters never fill-in..." You may not need to provide this depth of reasoning for every choice, but if the question arises during a pitch, you will have this as ammunition.

Providing smart supporting information for a design will increase your credibility and authority in the client's eye. It also educates the client, who might otherwise evaluate the design from a purely surface perspective.

Use smart comparisons.
Few designs are entirely original. Before your design pitch, identify successful design solutions similar to yours. Use them to help give your decisions and methods credibility. You might consider choosing examples that the client particularly admires. This will reinforce to the client that their taste has approval, and likewise reflect a positive light on your design.

Try, try again.
If your client doesn't "get it" after the first meeting, don't give up. Listen to the client's criticism of the design, and ask for an opportunity to present a revision. Build a track record of compelling ideas that are substantiated with objective arguments. A history of good thinking can only build a client's confidence and trust in you.

Shayne Bowman and Chris Willis of Hypergene.net, specialize in media product development and presentation design. They write and speak frequently on information & graphic design, creative development and the design process.
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• A Design Method
Having a documented process lets your clients know that you've actually given thought to how you go about making what they've entrusted you to create.
• Clients from Hell
CNet's guide to dealing with devilish personalities. Also see the quick tips section.
• A Field Guide to Clients
A humorous look at the design business.

by Shayne Bowman and Chris Willis

personal preference art : Being an Assertive Learner

One of the most useful skills you can develop is your ability to concentrate -- to pay attention and absorb the significant elements of a given situation, whether it's a lecture, class discussion, or textbook assignment. With your powers of concentration working at peak efficiency, you can devote more of your study and homework time to exploring subjects in greater depth. Paying attention in class willnot only help raise your grades; it will also give you more free time for pursuing other interests. Learning to concentrate on your college studies fosters a skill that will carry over happily into every aspect of your learning and working life.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks to concentration is anxiety, but there are a few simple things you can do to overcome that barrier. You can avoid a lot of anxiety by being well organized and coming to class prepared. If you do the required work as it's assigned, study and review your notes regularly, you don't have to worry about being called on in class because you can respond with confidence. More important, you can devote your full attention to the material being covered in class that day.
Being an Assertive Learner
The best way to maintain concentration is to be an assertive, active learner.

Don't simply listen. Take notes and ask questions.
Most students find that sitting near the front of the class and maintaining eye contact with the instructor is helpful in concentration, but that is a matter of personal preference. Find out early in your college career what works best for you. Don't shy away from the more active parts of the classroom. The more difficult you find the class, the more you want to engage yourself in the learning that is going on in that class.
Speak up and ask for clarification if something isn't clear.
Jot down comments and questions to yourself if the lecture prompts some train of thought you want to pursue independently (or some idea you want to approach the instructor with after class). Jot down such ideas quickly, however, and stay focused on the subject under discussion.
It's definitely to your advantage to work on overcoming whatever shyness you have about speaking up in class and asking questions. You can't be well prepared in a subject you don't understand. Remember that the only stupid question is one that isn't asked and you'll soon discover that other students had the same question and they'll appreciate you for asking it! Furthermore, it never hurts when your instructor notices that you are actively engaged in listening and trying to learn the material.

http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/faculty/~simonds/memory.htm

personal preference art : State Education and the Decline in Morality

Introduction
Developing the personal moral character of children is an essential prerequisite for the continuation of civilization. Further, education is an important component of that process since moral behavior requires empathy for others. Regrettably, state schools are wholly unsuited to this task. This can be seen when the nature of state education and the participants in the process are considered. The participants of any educational process include parents, children, teachers, and organizers of educational programs. The ultimate responsibility of educating children must rest with the parents. The parents are responsible for bringing a child into the world and are therefore responsible for nurturing that child to maturity. This relationship is fundamental. If the state usurps the responsibility for educating children, it will invariably subvert that education for its own expedient ends. In other words, if the state takes responsibility for education it will attempt to indoctrinate children according to some accepted statist point of view. Furthermore, to the extent that an error serves some particular purpose of state authorities, it will inevitably be promoted and taught as if it were acurate. This becomes especially problematic when children are taught to behave immorally simply because such behavior serves to further some governmental goal.

In addition to this, it should be noted that moral education cannot be divorced from education in general. It is not possible for the state to teach the supposed positive facts of the reality while leaving the teaching of normative values to parents. The reason this is so is because normative values always serve as a framework within which the facts of life are given meaning. Without values, facts become irrelevant pieces of information. The individual brought up in such a system sees no underlying principles of action other than some immediate personal preference. Of course, in the state system, state educators attempt to impose their own preferences. Lamentably, the person whose sole view of the world is that of personal preference and power politics, lacks character and cannot be trusted. As the noted theologian, Charles Hodge, stated so clearly, "A man without character is a man without principles, i.e., in whom there is nothing which gives security as to what his acts will be."{1}

By examining the way in which governments use education for pragmatic purposes, and by demonstrating how the nature of state education subverts traditional moral values, it will be evident that state schooling undermines moral character development and is, therefore, detrimental to civilization.

by Paul A. Cleveland

Personal Preference art - original art and home decor

Welcome to Personal Preference's beautiful Art Gallery! They offer a unique combination of quality art, outstanding prices and an easy and convenient way to buy art. Most of their artwork is on canvas and they have a wide array of styles and subject matter. The price quoted under the artwork always includes the frame. You can view thousands of paintings and change the frames to complement your décor and match your budget. Decorating with art has never been easier or more convenient!

© 1999-2006 DentalPlans.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

personal preference art : Oh, what a lovely cabinet

One cannot keep from bursting into song at the vision of the cabinet that is being formed before our very eyes. All those new, fresh, promising faces, each one heralding so much. The people wanted a change, and their expectations are being fulfilled.

So, who do we have? Abraham Hirchson and Meir Sheetrit, Shimon Peres and Shaul Mofaz, Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and Eli Yishai, Shalom Simhon and Haim Ramon. And, apparently, Avigdor Lieberman, too. All of them familiar, experienced, certified men of vision and action. A feast for the eyes. The (relatively) young ones, Isaac Herzog and Ophir Pines-Paz, have been pushed to the sidelines. Maybe they will get cabinet posts and maybe not: The lion's share goes to incumbents and the friends of the leader but there is not necessarily a relationship between these factors and the candidates' job suitability.

The elections were held under clouds of incense spread about by the headquarters of the two main parties, ushering in a new age. That is the message embodied by the very establishment of Kadima, as well as by the election of Amir Peretz as Labor Party chairman and the addition of a few personalities from outside the political establishment on the list of Knesset candidates. Now all that turns out to have been just for show. Kadima is not giving cabinet posts to anyone with any new ideas, and it has even agreed to let go of Prof. Uriel Reichman. Ehud Olmert is left with the well-used list from the pre-Kadima Likud, and he must also battle against giving deputy minister positions to those great public figures, Ruhama Avraham, Eli Aflalo and Majali Wahabi. Peretz, for his part, is pushing Ami Ayalon and Avishay Braverman aside and returning to the old pool of Labor veterans for his pick of ministerial candidates.

Seniority is not necessarily a bad thing, and the desire for new faces does not necessarily attest to realistic expectations, or to an objective need. One can easily argue that the good of the country requires cabinet members who are experienced in the ways of government. One can also argue that it is unfair to ignore the few innovations in the list of probable ministers (Yuli Tamir in the Education Ministry, Tzipi Livni as foreign minister, Amir Peretz in the Defense Ministry), but is that the child the voters prayed for?

The test is not the seniority, or lack thereof, of the ministerial candidates, but rather their abilities and their actions. Is this the best team the political establishment, under the current balance of powers, can field to tackle the challenges faced by the state?
Politics is, of course, the art of the possible, but the boundaries of ability are to a large extent determined by the individuals involved. Olmert may be following a wise strategy in building his coalition; he was less convincing when it came to building the list of Kadima Knesset candidates, and now in his selection of ministers.

It is his endurance, rather than his personal preferences, that are being tested: three months ago he gave in to pressure from Ariel Sharon's sons not to include Dan Meridor on the party's list, and now he is avoiding confronting the personal wishes of some of the party's leaders (is it really a party?), and handing out portfolios not in accordance with their abilities and certainly not in a manner that suits the public interest (Ramon in Justice, Mofaz in Trade and Industry, Hirchson in the Finance Ministry).

Peretz is behaving in a similar manner. He is giving preference to internal party considerations over the good of the state and turning his back on the message of renewal he transmitted to the public only a month ago.
These concerns can be resolved through the (correct) perception that this is the way of politics since time immemorial. Anyone who is satisfied with this explanation should not be surprised by the continuing decline in voter turnout. The hope for a change in the behavior of the political system, which is dashed again and again, leads to disappointment.

By Uzi Benziman

personal preference art : PGA TOUR

HEAVY PUTTER

Launched just last year with six original models, Boccieri Golf is introducing two new Heavy Putter styles for this season.

Noted for their extremely heavy weight, the new Matte series consists of the A3-M blade and B3-M mallet models.

Both putters have heads finished in a dark gray along with a satin-finished shaft.

On the pro circuit, the Heavy Putter was used successfully by Troy Matteson last year to lead the Nationwide Tour and gain a PGA TOUR card for this season. Last month, TOUR pro Mark Lye also joined the playing the staff.

The Heavy Putter is noted for heads that weigh 475 grams, grip weight of 250 grams and overall weight ranging up to 900 grams, almost or more than twice the weight of many standard putters. Additionally, there is a weight kit with four additional plugs that lets golfers tailor the bias and specific weight based on personal preference.
“The 250-gram weight in the grip section raises the balance point 75 percent higher than conventional putters,” said Steve Boccieri, inventor and president/CEO.

Without the added grip weight, the heavy head would be hard to control. But, in testing among players assembled by GolfWeb, the Heavy Putter was surprisingly easy to control through the swing and impact, and was rated very, very stable.

Both A3-M and B3-M models feature diamond cut, patterned faces for a soft feel and Surround Sight semicircular alignment aids. Available in a choice of standard lengths, plus Mid and Long versions, suggested retail price is $229.

By Chuck Stogel

personal preference art :Human Form in Art

The human figure has always been a common subject of visual art. The earliest known representations of the human body come from Europe and date to between 25,000 and 12,000 years ago. Carved from stone and ivory, these ‘Venus’ figures represent the female form and may have been associated with fertility. Humans feature in other prehistoric art including the cave paintings of early Europe and in the rock paintings of southern Africa. Although there is no way of telling for certain, the production and meaning of art amongst these cultures was probably spiritual, the figures perhaps representing deities or ritually important people. By Ancient Egypt 5000 years ago it was becoming common for non-spiritual persons to be depicted and for the human form to feature in more secular contexts. However, figures and faces have also continued to be incorporated into ritual art, such as the Death’s Head sculptures of Aztec Mexico (top left). In almost all cultures around the world the human figure remains central to both spiritual and decorative art to the present day.

Classifying Human Figurative Art
Several cases in the Pitt Rivers Museum contain objects that are classified as ‘Human Form in Art’. When these displays were originally conceived in the late nineteenth century, the two main cabinets were entitled ‘Human Form in Savage and Tribal Art’ and ‘Human Form in Barbaric and Civilized Art’, the latter containing any examples of the art of Classical and Christian Europe. During this period non-European artefacts would have been considered inferior in taste, style, skill, and meaning to those created by Europeans. As depictions of the human form were generally physically and stylistically representative of the peoples who made them, the grouping of objects from particular parts of the world would have reinforced social and racial stereotypes that were prevalent at the time.

Current attitudes recognize the beauty and artistry in these objects and make the initial categories of classification obsolete. The objects are now all grouped together as ‘Human Form in Art’. They display enormous diversity in materials, techniques, function, beliefs, and notions of beauty. While people of a century or more ago would have viewed such figures and forms in a divisive way, they may now be seen to highlight the shared humanity of the cultures represented.

Material, Manufacture and Style
Many cultures represent human figures in object form, giving rise to objects that have been made using a huge variety of materials and manufacturing techniques. The earliest examples of figurative art were either carved from natural materials or produced on rock faces by painting using natural pigments such as red ochre and charcoal. These materials were most likely chosen because they were available locally. In later figurative art materials may have been chosen for many reasons including what best represented the attributes of the human body, the social rank of those creating the objects, or the importance of the person or deity being represented.
personal preference art


Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Road Oxford.

personal preference art :your gateway to beautiful, elegant art.

Decorating your home or office with art has never been more convenient or easy. From this Web site, you can: View thousands of paintings in a variety of price ranges.

"Try on" various frames to find the one that best complements the painting and your décor.

"Paint" the virtual display wall by changing the color behind the painting so that it matches your wall.


About the artwork: Personal Preference, Inc. (PPI) is America's premier provider of artwork on canvas - and has been for more than 25 years. Our mission at PPI is to provide the look of a $1,500 original oil painting for $250-$300. Most of our art is priced 30% below average retail price.
Because of our quality, value and exceptional pricing, PPI sells a painting every two minutes somewhere in the United States

personal preference art: Floramagic desktop

Girl with dog was a great success and people seemed to love it , so thanks for that :) Today something completely different, my new desktop art ;) In honor of Spring (which never seems to arrive here in Belgium) I bring you “Floramagic”.
When it comes to desktops my personal preference goes out to the less overloaded designed ones, so in essence they can't be too busy. I also prefer a darker background because it's easier on the eye, and from what I experienced in the past, I also keep them around longer. So my starting point was using a darker tone and playful colors to set a Spring kinda feeling.
I've also created an animation (in Flash) so that you can see how this drawing came to life

posted by Veerle

personal preference art: Sometimes your greatest decoration inspiration can be found right in your own home.

Are you in the market for framed art? Have you ever dreamt of hosting your own art party? Would you like to receive information on how you can receive free art and other valuable prizes buy providing your friends and relatives the change to purchase beautiful and affordable art?

Personal Preference, Inc. is the nation's leading provider of decorative art on canvas. We have been in business for 25 years. We sell over 250,000 paintings a year through the Internet, private and office consultations, group presentations and fundraisers. You will find our prices are usually 25% - 30% lower than the average retail price and our sales prove it. We sell a painting every 2 minutes somewhere in the United States! We have gallery-quality art... we have great prices... and we want to make your art decorating experience easy, enjoyable and convenient. You can shop online or let one of our consultants assist you by designing an art decorating plan for your home or workplace
When you buy wall art or office art from Personal Preference, you get quality, value and outstanding service. We have 1,200 Art Consultants located across the country - they would love to help you select your art. They are trained in art placement, painting coordination and frame selection and will be happy to share their expertise with you in a free home consultation as you select the wall art that will give your home that sophisticated, luxurious look.

Let a Personal Preference consultant come directly to your home or workplace and help you select art and frames that will coordinate with your décor. You will receive an art-decorating plan that gives you the flexibility to decorate a single room at a time or completely decorate your entire home or office. Our personalized, professional service includes:

A free consultation by a professional consultant in the comfort and privacy of your home or office. We will custom-design an art-decorating plan, coordinate your art and frames to complement your décor, meet your decorating schedule and budget. Our objective is to help you with every last detail and make decorating with art easy, convenient and affordable.

Make your art decorating experience enjoyable and rewarding by inviting friends, family, and coworkers to a group presentation. Ideal for large or small gatherings, our presentations are informative and educational and allow you and others to shop for art in a relaxing atmosphere in your home or office. Group presentations offer a number of unique benefits:

A fun way to shop with family, friends and coworkers
Learn new decorating tips and framing techniques
An excellent way to involve employees in selecting art for their work environment
Receive a discount for sponsoring or hosting an event

Sophistication...Class...Professionalism... it's an image that's communicated in less than 10 seconds. Let us help you add a touch of color, warmth, or simply that finishing touch.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=28376821

personal preference art: President helps consumers battle pump prices

It's been less than a week since gas prices were last raised, and recognizing that the pockets of consumers are taking a big hit from the oil market the President recently unveiled a plan to address the issue. As your gas tank nears empty, you have no choice but to refuel. And while deciding where you'll gas up depends on personal preference or the nearest gas station, you can't help but cringe when thinking about how much you'll have to pay.

There's no telling when America will get relief at the pump, but in the meantime George W. Bush is taking steps to ensure that at the very least you aren't getting duped.

Today the President unveiled his four-part plan to confront high gasoline prices, a strategy including making sure consumers and taxpayers are treated fairly, promoting greater fuel efficiency, boosting our oil and gasoline supplies and investing aggressively in alternatives to gasoline so we can diversify away from oil in the long run.

In light of Bush's efforts, local officials like Guam Attorney General Douglas Moylan say that two measures are currently being explored that would support the plan. The efforts include requesting the Guam Legislature pass a gas cap to wholesalers and distributors instead of consumers, or creating a group purchase rate for fuel similar to the way the government offers insurance rates to employees.

Moylan told KUAM News, "The principle could be applied to fuel purchases where you get all the employees together along with the government's purchase of fuel because the government does purchase a large amount of fuel to run its equipment and bid out for possibly a twelve-month period to only one bidder that would be accepted from off-island or on-island, and have them offer a certain price that we could lock in."

Moylan points out that this would allow for competitive market forces to drive the prices down instead of having to litigate the matter through antitrust action.

With utility agencies consuming vast amounts of oil, Guam Power Authority spokesman Art Perez explains that they too, are in the process of increasing efficiency levels through the recent public utilities commission approval of a new program. "With the fuel hedging program," he explained, "it allows us to control some of the chaos within the fuel market and buy within a certain range of what that price of oil is because if you've seen it I think it's gone as high as $60 to $70 per barrel."

And with the ability of our utilities agencies to pass the savings on to the consumer, let's cross our fingers that the President's initiatives will eventually have the same effect at the pump.

by Marissa Borja, KUAM News

personal preference art :‘I am a brand’

If you thought TM Krishna’s passion was reserved merely for his singing, you haven’t heard him get started about his schooling. The Carnatic vocalist is an alumnus of The School (Krishnamurti Foundation India), and he reveals, almost reverentially, “The KFI environment is very, very special. It contributed a lot to my taking up music as a profession. Even today, it’s helped me in terms of how I approach my career, because the first thing you learn there is to do something that you can do, and to do the best that you can.”

A lot of what we talk about snakes its way back to The School. Say, competition. “I believe it’s just a psychological phenomenon. It doesn’t actually exist. If my potential is going to be judged only with respect to what the next person is capable of, I could be mediocre all my life. That’s where KFI helped. Even when I was starting out, I never considered competing with anybody else. I just did what I needed to do, and I enjoyed doing it.” And criticism? “If there’s something valuable to be taken from what a critic says, I will. But the rest of it is just personal perception, so I don’t take either the compliments or the criticism too seriously. Ultimately the greatest conscience to your performance is yourself.”

But there are other times that Krishna doesn’t appear a product of The School so much as a law school. He holds very, very strong opinions about everything, and he will argue his case with an attorney’s zeal for persuading a jury until you, either convinced or exhausted, come around to his point of view. One of the cases he presents most eloquently the afternoon we meet is about musical tradition. Krishna is considered a traditionalist, but his concerts are often structured in ways that aren’t exactly traditional – for instance, he’s sung a varnam as the main piece (instead of the usual kriti). And he points out, “People believe that tradition is what they have listened to. If you ask a 70-year-old what musical tradition is, he’ll go back to Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. I’m proud to say I am a traditionalist, but I don’t believe that certain things that have come into practice over the years are necessarily part of tradition.

“Singing a varnam at the beginning of a concert was something Ariyakudi established. Now, let’s analyse this rationally. He’s a classic example of a traditionalist who was also a non-conformist — because he changed the face of Carnatic music performance.” Krishna is referring, of course, to the old master’s reconfiguration of the concert format — earlier, a performance would consist of fewer, elaborately-rendered numbers; Ramanuja Iyengar pioneered the shift to a mix with greater compositional variety — which is followed to this day. “For him, a varnam was very convenient. It helped him warm up his voice, get into the mood... So is that part of tradition or is that just an individual’s personal preference that’s become ‘tradition’ over a period of time?”

Listening to how Krishna analyses, deconstructs and rationalises every utterance of his, you can see why he first thought he’d make a career out of left-brain subjects like Management and Economics — despite starting to learn music from when he was about five-and-a-half. (The first guru was Seetharama Sharma, who was already teaching Krishna’s mother. Later, Krishna also learnt from Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.) Then in 1988, when he was 12, came his first official concert — at Chennai’s Music Academy, as part of their Spirit of Youth programme, which gave opportunities to talented youngsters.

But even then, says Krishna, “I didn’t think music was going to be my profession. I thought it was something I’d dabble in while working in some other field. I was always interested in Management and Economics.” (That explains his BA in Economics.) It was only around 1995-96, when he was in the third year at college, that he decided music would be his career. “What sparked that was probably a professional ascendance to a certain extent. I was getting good notices, and I got the confidence that this is something I could do.”

“Even so,” he adds, “at that point, I don’t know if I had the passion for music that I have now. But I loved singing, and when I realised I could make it a productive profession, I decided to go ahead. It was a rational decision.” Looking back, it was also the right decision. There was a time Krishna’s mother would give him auto fare so he could go and attend concerts of the biggest, brightest stars on the Carnatic music firmament. Today, he’s one of them — “a brand,” as he labels himself, borrowing a term from his college education.

Of course, Krishna didn’t just say that. He’d talked earlier about how the leisurely-paced padam is a lost art in concerts today and that it needed to be revived, and I’d asked him if audiences these days have the patience to sit through padams and javalis. That’s when he whipped himself into corporate mode. “The first time you come to a TM Krishna concert, you just listen. The second time, you expect something based on the previous experience. And so on for the third and fourth times. Now who decided those expectations? I did. I fed you with the data every time you came to my concert, and that data formed the basis of your expectations. Put in business terms, I am a brand.’’

‘‘The qualities of a brand are decided by the manufacturer, which is me. You buy the product once. If you like it, you buy it again. So if I think I can create an audience that can listen to a padam or a javali, it’s up to me to try and do it. I don’t agree with artistes who say that they do things because their audience wanted those things. That’s the biggest lie. Nobody wants anything from you except honesty.”

by Baradwaj Rangan

personal preference art: Da Vinci Code

This week's film recommendation couldn't be anything other than the much hyped Da Vinci Code (O Código Da Vinci in Portuguese). It stars Tom Hanks as Richard Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology at Harvard University, drafted in by the French police to help them solve the murder of a curator at the Louvre. The murder has strange religious overtones which is why Langdon is called in to help. Langdon is assisted by Sophie Neveu, a French government cryptographer, played by Audrey Tautou. The clues from the curator's murder lead the characters to other puzzles, in what transpires to be a world-wide adventure. The film has so far been reasonably well received, although is expectedly a retelling of the book without any great
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Personal preference art; Supply and Demand

揑抦 not really into art, but my wife likes ethnic art,?Arthur Peace says to the fine-art dealer. 揗yself, I like outdoor sports.?A few of the other art patrons around him laugh.

Leslie Hyman confesses an affinity for roses in art, but also admits, 揑 don抰 like people on my wall I don抰 know.?After a pregnant pause of mild shock, everyone laughs again.

Peace, a 58-year-old retiree from the International Steel Group (formerly Bethlehem Steel), and Hyman, a 57-year-old federal government worker, aren抰 the typical gallery-going art buyers. And that抯 precisely why they抳e come to this private exhibition in an upscale Owings Mills home to look at art. Sitting on antique white sofas adorned with pink and white pin-tuck pillows, Peace, Hyman, and 10 of their Dunbar High School class of 1965 classmates pore over a collection of African-American works, ranging from still-life paintings to mixed-media works. The prices don抰 soar into the thousands; the average price this evening is around $100. And part of the final sale price is siphoned into a nonprofit pot to raise money for their 40th high-school reunion.

These purchases go unnoticed and under the radar of mainstream art markets but are becoming more and more popular in the African-American communities in Baltimore and other cities across the country. This one is conducted by Personal Preference Inc., one of two national companies that cater to this clientele. These shows bring the gallery to the potential clients and enable people to consider purchasing one-of-a-kind works and limited-edition series at a fraction of traditional gallery prices. And Personal Preference frames the work for free.

揚eople are going to buy art anyway,?says 57-year-old art consultant and Dunbar alumna Annie Richardson, presenting the works this evening. 揑t might as well be [through] Personal Preference.?/P>

The Illinois-based company was founded 25 years ago by its chief executive officer, Jan Madori, but in the early ?0s, when its customer base was primarily white, Madori says she saw an underserved art community that changed the direction of her business.

揑 realized that there was a pent-up demand for African-American art on canvas,?Madori says. 揟here were framed prints with glass, but there were few oil paintings [with African-American images or interest] out there.?/P>

Madori started procuring works to target this market. And as she bought more African-American art, the demand for it increased. Now, she says about 94 percent of her sales are to African-American customers, and a majority of that in the Baltimore-Washington area. 揑f we抮e selling 20 to 25 thousand paintings a year, about 10 to 15 thousand would come from the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area,?she says.

That抯 roughly half of the company抯 national sales. And though Personal Preference sells art through commercial channels, at fundraisers, and over the internet, most sales take place at intimate private shows like the one Richardson conducts. The detail-oriented taskmaster recently lost her voice to laryngitis, but in spite of her malady, she proceeds through her normal pitch in a whisper: having everyone introduce themselves even though they know each other already, presenting the works while discussing the artists. A seven-year Personal Preference veteran, Richardson conducts shows for anyone and everyone who offers their home and invite list. Today, she focuses on one goal: for every $100 sold, Personal Preference contributes $20 to a charity of a group抯 choice梚n this case, the Dunbar reunion. Her sales pitch is so strong she breaks into a sweat in the cool room.

In the nearly three-hour presentation, none of the guests tap their feet impatiently or twirl their hair. They lean forward as Richardson presents the artworks梬hich range from African-American themes to still-life paintings, sacred works to abstractions, urban street scenes to landscapes. R. Woodrum抯 揚assing Down the Faith?is a straightforward, sentimental depiction of three sets of brown, faith-filled hands passing a gold cross between them.

揟his one speaks to me,?Jacquline Buise says of the lithograph painting. 揑t抯 about passing down religion from generation to generation. So when I see that, I think of my grandmother抯 hands passing it down to my mother抯 hands and then passing it down to me.?/P>

揙oh, look at that,?the boisterous, 57-year-old Paula Blue says about J.C. Bakari抯 romantic 揝ensuous Whisper?print of a couple clasped in a passionate embrace. 揌e looks young,?Blue and the other ladies enjoy a raucous laugh as they gaze at the hunk.

Even sports fan Peace is engaged as Richardson shows about 40 pieces of varying color schemes, detail, and complexity levels. A painting by Jorge Arrieta, a Tennessee-based father of five who sells his work exclusively through Personal Preference, captures everyone抯 eyes. For 揈arthly Vessels,?Arrieta renders a pair of dusty brown urns that look so old that they feel excavated from a prehistoric cave.

Richardson puts a complementary gold frame on the piece, and the group responds with warm appreciation. Such minor personal touches are what make both clients and artists feel well cared for. 揑 had done shows in Michigan and Washington, D.C., before I became an exclusive artist with Personal Preference,?Arrieta says over the phone from his studio. 揃ack then, some of my pieces sold for $5,000 to $6,000,?he says, but he has sold his work through Personal Preference for 25 years?0 years exclusively梑ecause it consistently moves his pieces.

揟hey keep me very busy,?he says. 揟hey buy everything I paint. There抯 no need to go anywhere else.?

Arrieta isn抰 the only artist who feels this way; Richardson reports that a few other artists are represented exclusively by Personal Preference, whose artist roster now numbers about 1,000. Elaine Dungill, Richardson explains, began painting in the mid-?0s when she was in her late 70s. The prospective patrons raise admiring eyebrows at one of Dungill抯 smaller pieces, 揂frican Maiden at Prayer,?a profile painting of a praying young woman wearing a turban and peach-colored robe. Richardson then shows a few mixed-media paintings from June Marie, including 揋lamour Girls,?in which real feathers and rhinestones decorated the subjects?wide-brimmed hats. 揟his is a Personal Preference exclusive,?Richardson says as she winds down her presentation.

Frank Morrison抯 paintings especially attract this group. Morrison is known for his elongated images of black bodies, and his work catches the eye of the picky Hyman. She purchases 揊ive on the Side,?a heavily textured Morrison painting. In this piece, three men play a spirited game of pool. And even though it falls into her category of not wanting to hang people she doesn抰 know on her walls, Morrison captures the figures in rear profile, and they could be anybody.

揌ow can I know if I know them or not if I can抰 see their faces??Hyman laughs.

By Christina Royster-Hemby

Personal preference art: Chinese Seals Business and Art

A chop is a chop, is a chop, is a chop." Or is it? This parody on the words of Gertrude Stein points out the unusual character and position of one of the oldest, most used, and yet smallest of Chinese artifacts, the name chop or seal. Both artistic and pragmatic, the Chinese chop has been around since the Shang dynasty (1766-1122 B.C.). It gained prominence during the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.) and has occupied a unique role in Chinese culture ever since.

For business purposes, the chop serves as a person's signature and when stamped in red ink is legally binding in all business matters. This practice surprises Westerners who are used to a personal signature. A person may also have different chops for different business transactions. "Every Chinese has a minimum of at least three chops," explains Peter Wang, president of Jano Enterprises Inc. "I have one for my bank, one for legal matters, and another for anything else such as greeting cards or book collections. A person need not be present to sign a business deal as long as his or her chop is there."

On the other hand, if the person is present but has forgotten the chop, business cannot be conducted. This practice is due to the fact that Chinese characters are often written by set strokes in block style (unlike Western cursive writing) and easier to copy in written form. But names carved in wood or stone reflect the unique methods and tools of the carver, and are more difficult to imitate.

Each chop also has its norms and suggested guidelines for usage. For instance one never keeps his or her chop and bank book in the same place. If you lose one or the other you are protected. But if a thief were to get hold of both, you'd be out of money. And, in a business where two chops are used to issue a check, the company president allows the checkbook to be held by the controller who uses the chop first. The president reserves the right for the final chop at his own time and discretion.
Personal preference art


By J.F. Keating Photos by Sung Chih-hsiung

Personal preference art; Would your business benefit from office wall art

Wall art can help you present the professional image you desire. Wall art can make your working environment more pleasant, improve employee morale and result in increased efficiency and peak productivity. With these benefits, can you afford not to invest in office wall art?

For the best selection in wall art for your home or office, contact Personal Preference. Established in 1979 Personal Preference is America's premier dealer of beautiful, affordable, framed wall art for the office or home. We are a $30 million company selling more than 250,000 paintings a year - that's a lot of wall art! It means we sell a painting every two minutes somewhere across the country. You can find Personal Preference wall art in a variety of settings, from private offices and businesses, to restaurants, medical offices, hospitals, retirement homes and retail establishments. Our wall art comes in a variety of styles, colors, subject matter and sizes - choose from more than 800 images for your office!

When you buy wall art or office art from Personal Preference, you get quality, value and outstanding service. We have 1,200 Art Consultants located across the country - they would love to help you select your wall art. They are trained in art placement, painting coordination and frame selection and will be happy to share their expertise with you in a free office consultation as you select the wall art that will give your office that professional, successful look.


http://www.officewallart.com/

personal preference art: Kingdomality

Many years ago there was a period of time that is often casually called "Medieval." It was a time, so the story tellers tell us, of tiny kingdoms, brave knights and ferocious dragons. Transportation and travel were both crude and difficult, usually necessitating that each kingdom be as self sufficient and self reliant as possible. Therefore it was very important that within each kingdom all the major crafts and professions of the day were ably represented to insure the survival of the kingdom. In the English language we still see remnants of some occupations in the familiar surnames such as Smith (as in the village smithy), Carpenter, Miller, and Baker to name just a few. Interestingly enough, beyond the specific title the vocation also took on its own greater personality. This personality preference can also give a broader understanding of the basic complementary style and types necessary to the kingdom's survival, or perhaps any organization's success. Although the specific vocation influenced the name, it was no accident that certain personality types and styles gravitated to certain occupations. The personality of these jobs suited the inclinations of the job holders, and the predecessor to modern day job descriptions was born. The successful matching of a job-holder's personality to the personality and unique requirements of the job was necessary to the kingdom's survival, or perhaps any organization's success. The successful kingdoms were able to blend the differences into a powerful and formidable entity.
With today's diverse workforce, the corporate kingdom that acknowledges and nurtures these personality preferences could become an organization as successful as Camelot of old.
Even though we now appear to have the freedom to explore many different career alternatives, each of us still has a medieval vocational personality within us. This personality, properly identified and understood, can motivate our success but, if ignored, may set the stage for our ultimate failure.

From the publisher of Fish! and the best selling author of Gung Ho! and Raving Fans

personal preference art:Fundraiser Co-Partnering Program

Is your nonprofit organization looking for an innovative fundraising idea to increase your income? Whatever your goals, Personal Preference offers a co-partnering program that can help your organization generate thousands of dollars a year. Depending upon the size of your organization and methods of advertising, you can create a steady monthly revenue stream. Harness the power of the Internet with this Web-based art fundraising idea.

Why Have an Art Fundraiser


The product and concept are unique.
We create a free personalized Web page for your organization, using our award-winning Web site.
Your organization does not purchase any product, complete any paperwork, collect any money or make any deliveries. No volunteers are needed.
Our gallery-quality art is usually priced 30% below average retail.
Most of our artwork ranges from $50 to $400 completely framed.
Your donors and supporters view paintings and place their orders online or through catalogs. They can even credit a specific person or program within your organization.
You receive 20% -- $50 to $100 on a typical purchase.
Each month, you receive a check on all sales, along with a detailed report listing each person's purchase and contact information, including e-mail address.

Making Your Art Fundraiser Successful

Our program is simple and easy to implement. We combine our art network, a $6 million painting inventory, a designated Web site for your organization, and a creative marketing campaign. We have been successfully selling art for 25 years and our Fundraiser Representative and marketing team will custom-design a program just for you.

A Personal Preference Fundraiser Representative will create a quarterly marketing plan for your organization.
Our creative staff will create fliers, newsletter articles, e-mail communication and other marketing materials for you.
We will display art at special events and other functions to show the product, set goals and create excitement and sales.
Our service is free. Your only expense is promoting and advertising your Web site.
We work with your donors and supporters and answer all their questions.
We assist in every way we can to increase your sales. Professional consultants are available to provide free decorating assistance for corporate and residential clients.

Copyright (c) 2002 Personal Preference, Inc.

personal preference art:"To Beautify the World, one home at a time"

Welcome to Personal Preference's beautiful Art Gallery! We offer a unique combination of quality art, outstanding prices and an easy and convenient way to buy art. Most of our artwork is on canvas and we have a wide array of styles and subject matter. The price quoted under the artwork always includes the frame. You can view thousands of paintings and change the frames to complement your décor and match your budget. Decorating with art has never been easier or more convenient! To view our art gallery, select a specific category from the list on the lower left. If you lean toward a traditional or contemporary décor, select "All Traditional" or "All Contemporary" to see a large variety of art that complements that style of décor.

Copyright (c) 2002 Personal Preference, Inc.

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