key words

This Is Your Brain On Words (Quotes To Inspire Creativity)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

This might seem like a bit of surprise, but I have not always enjoyed the writing process.

fresh-prince-of-bel-air-will

And I don’t think I’m alone in this attitude. Much like any “seemingly” basic skill, writing takes some time to learn, and a lifetime to master. Because of that hard truth about writing, from a young age I always felt pressured into the writing process and moreover, that I didn’t have the characteristics to make my ideas and literary voice heard. So I did what I would do with social situations, I would borrow ideas and quotes from other established works.

This of course changed after I got accepted into university and had the opportunity to expand my library of literary options.

It got more difficult!

I thought that maybe I wasn’t mature yet or life experiences hadn’t happened enough for me so I didn’t have a way of articulating detailed stories proper. But as I explored my own identity I began to realize that creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and for me, I enjoyed pulling from different sources to build an idea out. Also hard won personal experiences with writing under pressure over and over again helped relieve some of the stress.

Which is a pretty cool thing, if you were to ask me. But I guess you are asking me, seeing as how you are at timotheories right now, reading about my ideas. Fortunately I do have a formal education in the arts so it’s not like I’m Joe Blow from Timbuktu writing about my snail collection.

I’m an expert in the arts and on this journey with you.

Which is why I decided that today I want to share some word wisdom with you, and in anticipation of a little old project I am about to undertake(read: new project. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll share that project with you on a later date. For now, let’s start with that sweet sweet wisdom dear readers.

I’ve written about the power of reading at least once before, but have I discussed the power of words themselves? No I didn’t think so either. Sometimes we get so caught up in our routines (which are helpful) that we forget to spend time enjoying life and *gasp*, procrastinating simply to be immersed in culture.

Matt-LeBlanc-Gasp

But seriously… Sound familiar? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

Personally I’ve found that reading exercises my brain and that taking quotes from literature can help cement new ideas or creative directions I want to take – So today I’m going to share with you, in no particular order, some of my favourite quotes from film and literature, as infographics. And after you’ve gone through the list, I want you to think about how you feel. But for now, let’s take a scroll.

 

 

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4630fa22ebc4f95d679fde53cf60648db44c5d59f7c75f94f683a47c3a6c812f811a8c296c57ce68cec0bd1764b3e6cd8dfe92ffc40727f6d88387da258fd0a64be5f546399c33d7f8e8bf10d1b011d304-Herbert555195_1286482321349_full5798-but-it-aint-about-how-hard-ya-hit-its-about-how-hard13m5wfQuotefancy-4091-3840x2160

life-moves-pretty-fast ebb2b831a7a7e336c100e911805e2b2c 977e468b997cdd6a412e4c1ab36bb05af1b13934db5ab5ce4008e2a6a2e498325dedf2031071319794c468c9f5674d39e1f27c0ad7f943596b2323e68a4bdb44463c7dae129e9d9c6fc9bd162807e513c1de8dfeee0bdfdbe0b84edc55e7f3f29e208a258510cac84ca520cf222cb8c5

 

Bet you are feeling pretty good right now? And some of those quotations are tied into your own experiences. You see, dear readers, I have this theory that word association has the incredible power to motivate, but only to motivate. It doesn’t provide discipline, like at all. But that is not what it was meant for.

You need to balance short term pains (emotions) against long term gains (skill). It’s just how it is. So why not spend some time building a Pinterest board or vision board or whatever to give yourself some instant emotional gratification? And most of those quotes are useful advice anyway, and there have been studies done that indicate human beings can only learn a few new things at a time.

So put your ideas up somewhere digital or real; bathroom and bedroom walls can do the trick. And revisit those quotes regularly, that way you can slowly absorb the knowledge you need, to increase your knowledge, skill, and discipline to create.

While, I’m out of theories and wisdom for the day friends, so I’ll see you tomorrow with something timely!

Tim!

I Am Artist, Hear Me Roar! (Artist Statements)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

It’s stimulating sunday, and in order to get this post started right, we’ll do a few quick word associations to see what happens in your mind. I promise it will be quick, painless, and you just might learn something from the process.

Ready? Okay, let’s go.

I’ve got the eye of the tiger, baby I’m bulletproof, because I’m happy, it’s the final countdown, test your might, everything is awesome, etc.

Mortal-Kombat-Movie-Goro-700x350

At least one of those phrases called up something didn’t it? You hear those songs and you just get jacked the f*ck up, don’t you? I think it has something to do with the associations between the audio and the visuals. Especially if it’s a song directly tied in with a movie, TV show or video game.

We recognize the importance of audio in making a proper multi-media presentation, whether we are conscious of it or not. Take for instance this article which goes over the value of music in producing emotions.

Which is why I wanted to write about the importance of tying in ideas with the visuals of the arts and how the written word is so incredibly important in creating richer experiences; if you were to ask any of my friends and colleagues who work in the arts, they would probably all tell you that the worst thing about being an artist is the struggle to find meaning in their work through words.

Unless they are a writer, of course. Then the biggest challenge they face is visually showing what their work represents.

How quaint.

But let’s not lose focus. So, I have this theory that the reason why many artists struggle with the written language versus the visual one is that they’re most interested in articulating ideas which simply cannot be written down, and to try to do so can be an incredible disservice to the work. At least initially. Which is why I wanted to spend some time going over the importance of artist statements for those who are not visual thinkers.

So what is an artist statement?

An artist statement should be an introduction to your work in general, a series, or an individual piece. It should always start by explaining the basic ideas of the work, a shorter paragraph with maybe a few sentences in length. Then you go into more detail about how the ideas are being presented in the work with a second paragraph. You can conclude the statement with highlights of the most important points, but it should strive to be no more than 10-12 sentences in length. After all the words are there to enhance the work, not overtake it.

When writing a longer statement you can include more detail. For instance, your expectations for the work and how the audience should react to it. How your work fits in relation to your previous efforts and where it fits in the larger oeuvre of contemporary art. You can also consider including sources which have contributed to the work, including other artists that influence you.

And of course there are some things that you should not do in an artist statement, unless you want to alienate your audience. Avoid talking about your role in the world and making cliched statements about your work. Long dissertations and personal anecdotes should be avoided too, unless it is directly related to what you are creating. And lastly, if you inject technical terms, be very careful to limit their use and explain them as best you can without carrying on.

The major reason why you should write an artist statement is that it can be an excellent way to clarify what your work is about and make a stronger connection for the audience, administrators you interact with, and of course in submitting the work for any kind of applications process (exhibitions, funding, school, paid positions).

Much like how a good soundtrack can help elevate the experience of watching a movie or playing game, when you can connect your ideas with your artwork, people will have a much stronger appreciation for what your contributions mean in the marketplace.

I know that this is kind of a teaser, because there is a lot more to say about how to write these statements, when to use them, where to use them, etc. And so I promise to go revisit this topic in a future post about how to construct one of these statements in detail.

But for now I’m out of theories friends! I hope you have an excellent Sunday evening, and I’ll catch you tomorrow with a music review! Comment! Subscribe! Share!

Tim!

The Darkest Timeline (Black Friday)

Posted on by Tim Kuefler

Have I mentioned how much I like Black Friday shopping to you guys and gals yet? I don’t think I have, but that’s what today’s post is all about. A way for you to prepare yourself in anticipation of one of the most wonderful days of the retail year.

How timely of me, you say? Why thank you, dear readers!

First I’m going to start off with all the essential information YOU need about the biggest shopping day one of the biggest shopping days of the year, what day it is this year, and maybe I’ll share some resources you can use to get the best prices and survive the ordeal.

So what is Black Friday exactly? Well, it’s a 24 hour sales period which takes place the day after the [American] Thanksgiving holiday, which is the 4th Thursday of the November. This year Thanksgiving is November 26th, so Black Friday is November 27th.

It’s starting to gain steam internationally, but is especially popular in North America. And gained it’s name for two reasons

  1. It is a heavily disruptive day for both foot and car traffic, and over 50 years ago Philadelphia police
  2. Retailers typically have their “Superbowl of Retail” in the final quarter of the year, with the month of December being the highlight of the books being in the black

The reason why it is acknowledged as a 24 hour sales period is because some retailers start their sales day at midnight in anticipation of online sales or to get people into their brick and mortar stores ahead of the competition. Of course, you will also see “Black Friday starts early” sales, but for the most part, everyone sticks to the actual day when it comes to their best product offerings.

But that doesn’t mean the best online deals are available on the 27th.

Nope.

If you haven’t heard of Cyber Monday before, do a little reading and educate yourself.

And you really need to have a strategy for this shopping event. Which is why I’ve given you a short list of key words below to prepare you for the day.

  1. Decide – You need to decide what you need and go out with the intention of sticking to your list. And have a budget too. For example, if you are like me and are planning on acquiring more blu-rays for your collection or picking up some bath and body products, then set your spending limit before you go out.
  2. Research – You need to be careful. Because the reality is that some stores are going to advertise their weekly 2 for $20 or 3 for $15 deal, or worse, raise the prices on their inventory for a few weeks ahead of the event, and then drop the prices back down as if they are doing you a favour. If there is something you want, make sure you know how much it is worth before you go shopping.
  3. Efficiency – Don’t spend hours in one store. Have a route mapped out, get in, and then get out as quickly as you can. Sure, you might find a surprise deal at a store, but if you’ve hit your route properly you’ll be better prepared for it and you won’t waste time in line or lost in the crowds.
  4. Adapt – If you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, and you know that the item(s) are rare, then accept a compromise if you can. Unless you know you can wait for the product and find it at another store.
  5. Cool – Keep your cool. This can be an incredibly stressful exercise, but you have the ability to step back or to walk away. You won’t make good decisions if you are irritated and you’ll regret an outburst. Seriously, it won’t be worth it to lose your temper.
  6. Think – It can be a lot of fun to bargain hunt and find a deal, but remember stores have sales all the time, and a lot of the time it’s to clear out old inventory. So the hunt might not be worth it after all. It could be one of those activities that isn’t for you, in that case, stay away.

 

Why did I decide to share this guide with you dear readers?

As you know, timotheories now provides weekly film and album reviews, and while I have been buying these items at full price to share new releases, I am a bigger fan of buying items on sale. My rationale for this is that I get to experience more movies and more music by paying less for the items. My collections are fairly sizeable at this stage as a result, and whenever I want to reference something, I own the copy and have a bit more liberty in using it to make art. I also like to use these items for my social content – who does n’t like movies or music, right?

And those are my theories on Black Friday. But what do you think dear readers? Are you going to be Black Friday shopping? What are your plans for the day?

Tim!