mattysmind19

[mattysmind19]

Your friendly Lisztomaniac

Hi, my name is Matty, and I am a lisztomaniac. This may sound scary but before you run off all it means is I listen to music all the time. Yes, all the time. I fall asleep to music, I listen to it during my morning routine, on the way to work, walking into work, sometimes while working at least when not helping people, while I work out, while I make dinner. When I say all the time it really is all the time! This title is one I am proud of, and I can think of so many friend ships and relationships that are stronger because of the overlapping passion and need to listen to music all the time. I have loved music since as long as I can remember. I partly blame my parents for this love/ addiction, growing up my mom played the piano and we listed to a lot of music from the 80’s and my dad played mainly Motown and oldies. I didn’t realize this back then, but this would form my love for music and shape my ear and create my baseline for finding music on my own. As I grew through the years, I found Rap/ Hip Hop to be my personal favorite, but I always found my way back to music from the 80’ and Motown. One of my favorite connections is how one of my favorite rappers is Mac Miller and his music is very jazz influenced similar sounds to a lot of the music my dad played. I was finding music that was brand new to me but as I learned more it made perfect sense as to while I gravitated to it in the first place.

When you read through all my post there are a specific few that connect to my love for music and they are my second post titled “My Old Man”, “Module 7 Plotting”, and finally “Your Musical theme.”

Starting with “My Old Man” this post is probably my favorite one that I have every written and one that makes me quite emotional to think about. This post highlights a very special relationship I have with my dad and how we have mutual love for music. Like I shared earlier I really believe that because of him playing all the music he did growing up and how he’d play it morning, noon, and night makes us two peas in a pod and this song by Mac Demarco really embodies that to me. I’m not sure how’d he taking being called this but we both are lisztomaniacs.

Second is “Module 7 Plotting” in this post I mention the need to find the right playlist to listen to while I do chores around the house, a task I spend too much time on before doing the actual chore. But for me it helps me enjoy the activity that much more. I also find music can help me concentrate and really get into the zone. There are multiple moments at my work when it is okay to really focus and listen to music and these are some of my favorite moments. It makes me happy but also, I am incredibly productive. Even with this class I did the same thing every time I’d do homework or study. I would open my laptop and pull up everything for class and on my iPad, I would pull up the “Lo-fi Girl” on YouTube. If you know about it, you understand why I do this if you don’t, please do yourself a favor and check it out its perfect.

Lastly, “Your Musical Theme” what a dream of an assignment to do for me. You’d think for someone like me this assignment was a breeze, but it was a little challenging because there were so many songs and to narrow it down to 5 was hard for me. However, I enjoyed this assignment so much because I could share some music that I love with someone that maybe hasn’t heard these songs. Music has always blown me away in that way I don’t think I could ever get to a point where I have listened to it all, but it is just the best when a friend says “hey canI show you this song” and then it’s all you want to listen to for a week and then you associate that song with that friendship. To me there is nothing better.

In conclusion, I hope you now understand me and my condition one that I appreciate and am proud of because all the joy it has brought to my life. My name is Matty, and I am a lisztomaniac.

[mattysmind19]

Module 14 Assignment: Ekphrasis 

The piece “Freedom from Want” by: Norman Rockwell

For my Ekphrasis I attempted to do a Haiku, a form of poetry I have only written a few times. But one I have always appreciated for its simplicity. My haiku is below and reads,

The food is prepared

Gather round its time to eat

Happy Thanksgiving

To further analyze the piece by Rockwell, first I learned it is known by a few different names. I found it in the textbook under the name “Freedom from Want” but after a quick google search I learned it is also known as “Thanksgiving Picture” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Considering it shows an American family during World War II I would say Freedom from Want is the best title for it. However, if we weren’t away of the timing of this piece the other two names are also quite appropriate.

This piece spoke to me because it reminds me of the simpler moments in life and how amazing they can be. For example, the setting of this painting is around a dining table with a large turkey being presented to a family of all ages. At first our eye is drawn to the older lady and gentleman from this we can assume it is in their home, and they are surrounded by probably a few generations of the family. First with their children and then grandchildren and possibly some friends too! Because that’s the beautiful thing about holidays and meals it brings people together and you can truly just enjoy each other’s company. Again, given the time period around World War II I’m sure there were countless things to be worried about but this painting to me represents piece and for the duration of dinner the family could really enjoy each other’s company as shown with multiple people smiling in the painting. I also love the touch of the gentleman in the bottom right corner kind of peeking into frame. I imagine this is that fun uncle that will do just about anything to get a laugh out of his loved ones.

With my haiku I attempted to highlight the moments during holidays. The line “the food is prepared” is inspired by the lady maybe the grandma wearing a kind of apron. Followed by “gather round it’s time to eat” this is represented by the table being set, everyone gathered around, the turkey coming to the table, and the gentleman standing up to help his wife and then carve the turkey for the family. Finally closing with “Happy Thanksgiving” a closing statement allowing everyone to sit back and finally enjoy the meal and time together, whether they helped cook and prepare the meal or not.

[mattysmind19]



Module 13 Assignment: Not Seen on TV

All of the videos were interesting in their own ways. The one that captured my attention the most was “Ascension Bill Viola.” At the surface the video was simple. However, I quickly had many thoughts from watching this piece. The video is 1 minute and 50 seconds long. Someone appears to jump into the water in a “T pose” meaning the persons arms are straight out and legs are side by side. Bubbles form all around who I am assuming is Bill Viola. The video seems to be in slow motion. Our character sinks down as far as someone of his size will go then slowing heads back towards the surface. The only sounds we hear are the initial splash, then kind of an eerie silence, exactly like what you would hear when being under water. As Bill almost gets back to the surface the video ends. This sequence of events made me ask so many questions. What does the guy jumping into the water symbolize? Life or death? Or maybe a new beginning? Why does the video end before the guy gets back to the surface? Did he not achieve the goal? Does he die? Is he stuck in life, and this is a way to represent that? So many questions from a “simple video.” Although all these questions aren’t answered, I still find that I can relate to this piece and I’m sure others can too.

How I related to this piece, is in a few ways. One I take the message of the guy jumping into the water as a message of sometimes you just have to try no matter what the outcome is. I think the guy failed at whatever he was trying for and that’s okay because at least he tried. I also see it as when trying something knew remember to stay calm. Like how the video was almost silent and the guy wasn’t moving around a lot it represents a high level of calmness. I appreciate how this show simple video made me think and it’s one I’ll keep in mind in those knew moments life throws at me. I encourage you to watch it too, here’s the link below.

[mattysmind19]

Module 11 Assignment: Anatomy of a Scene

The two films I watched are “The Black Klansman” and “Casablanca.”

*Spoiler Alert* You’ve been warned :)

The first film I watched was “Casablanca” a film from 1942 and is considered a romance/ drama. The film opens with a map of Africa then it zooms into the northern part of Morocco where Casablanca is located. I was impressed with the quality of this film. The audio is clear, the cuts from scene to scene are smooth. I also found the acting to be good! Also, there are many locations both inside and outside and all the way through it is really well done.

Secondly with “The Black Klansman” this film is from 1966 and takes place in the United States. A few states are shown, for example the film opens in Los Angeles and then in Alabama. The title of this film is unique, but as the film goes on it becomes very clear how this film got its title. The film also does a great job with using music to help amplify scenes, to build the hype of what’s about to happen but also help the watcher connect their emotions with the film itself. The cuts used were not as smooth and polished compared to “Casablanca” also the lighting wasn’t on par with the other film that I watched that was also from 20 years prior to this one. This film shows a lot of things from not only human history but also American history. As hard as some of the scenes can be to watch it’s important to understand and respect history and learn from it so the horrible things are not repeated. 

The scene I would like to analyze from the film happens at about the 15-minute mark. A black gentleman is taken out to a field by 3 Klansman that are dressed in the big white gowns and white hoods. The black man is thrown out of the car and shot multiple times in the chest by the guys in the KKK outfits. The only dialogue during this scene is “run for your life” said by the KKK member to the black man then after he is shot who seems to be the leader of the three says “get the clothes off.” The scene then transitions to a church where a group of black people are at church and are singing church songs. This is interpreted by a lot of noise happening outside the church, you can see on the people’s faces that they hear the disturbance but try their best to block it out. This is until a little girl has had enough and decides to go outside and see what’s happening. Unfortunately, this is the worst possible timing, as we discover the disturbance is the KKK members and they throw what seems to be a Molotov cocktail. A malicious thing used to set something on fire. Sadly, this hits the little girl as she ran outside, and she burns to death. Who we assume is her family members run out and try their best to put out the flames, but it is too late, and she passes away. This scene is incredibly cruel and dark and not much is said dialogue wise, but it is performed so well that nothing needs to be said and as the watcher we know exactly what’s going on. The actors do a perfect job of portraying so much emotion simply with their facial expressions. As the watcher I could tell they were disturbed and angered by all the noise coming from outside showing us that this is the first time we see it in the film however it probably happens often. As the little girl runs outside, I interrupted it as not only was she curious but also had enough of these people’s actions and wanted to stand up and try to stop the KKK members actions so her and they others in the church could just go back to what they wanted to do. Everyone in the church knew they weren’t disturbing the peace. This sequence of three scenes was very powerful and clear even though the characters aren’t directly telling us what’s going on. As the film goes on, we find this is a bit of foreshadowing and it is revealed that that daughter’s father was dating a white woman and now is rushing to correct what was wrong and avenge his daughter.

Some similarities of both films include they are both in black in white considering the time period they were made in this was still an amazing achievement. Both also use music and sounds quite well. For example, gunshots are in both films, and they are timed correctly, and the character reacts accordingly. Again, quite impressive for the time. It is clear to me how films like this really influenced the industry and helped mold the future of cinema. Both are worth the watch and even those these are quite before my time I can appreciate these true works of art.

[mattysmind19]

Hamlet Analysis

Module 12: Tragedy Scripted and Staged

For this assignment I will be analyzing Act IV Scene IV from “Hamlet”

There is a lot that happens in the play “Hamlet” in act IV scene IV Hamlet is trying to make his way from Denmark to board a ship heading for England. Along this journey Hamlet is accompanied by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern while traveling on their horses they run into Fortinbras and his army. They exchange words briefly thanking Fortinbras for letting them pass. After the exchange Hamlet takes moment to think about all that’s going on. He begins to think about his father and how he couldn’t revenge his murdered father. Compared to Fortinbras who has done far more for his family. Both Fortinbras and Hamlet lost their fathers and Hamlet starts to feel he needs to do more to avenge his father.

After this exchange Hamlet makes up his mind and his now main goal is to avenge his father’s death! It is because of this conversation that Hamlet is now feeling inspired to go through with his mission and will stop at nothing to accomplish his goal.

From the audience’s perspective this is a big moment in the play because it leads right into some big action and foreshadowing conflict that leaves us on the edge of our seat until we find out the resolution our character finds.

Please check out the link below that will take you to a great summary/ analysis presented by “Course Hero” they also have a nice animation of this scene to follow along to.

[mattysmind19]

Module 9 Assignment: Photographer's Eye 

I have never claimed to be a photographer however, I have always loved photography. With today’s smartphones I can take out my phone and capture a moment within seconds. A quick action in my day that can allow me to save a memory for life. I also love how when looking back at these photos/memories how it can seem to take you back in time and you can relive the feelings you had in that moment, the smells you smelled, and the sights before your eyes.

I would like to highlight a small collection of photos that I have taken in the past couple of years. All the photos were either taken in Utah or Colorado, two places I had the pleasure of traveling to and seeing for the first time. To begin, Utah. What an incredible place I was in Salt Lake City, a city surrounded by mountains. This brought two things together that was very different from home life in Florida. I think that is part of why I am obsessed with the mountains it’s that old saying of “you always want what you can’t have” and in Florida there is nothing close to mountains. Another reason why this trip was so special was I got to go snowboarding for the first time, an activity I have always dreamed out trying! I also got to meet up with two of my very best friends in the world. Two individuals that I don’t see as often as I would like but are two of my favorite people on the planet. This was the perfect combination for me for the perfect trip. My phone was almost always on the camera app snapping all the moments I could. I still joke with my friends that I’m thankful they drove allowing me to take in all the sights and taking so many photos!

Next was Colorado, like my trip to Utah it was a place high on my list to visit for the longest time. The timing on this trip didn’t allow for any snowboarding but you could still find me in the mountains. Taking all the photos and videos I could while attempting to day hike. But being a kid from Florida elevation and the thin air was a little tough. But I pushed through! There were too many things to see to hold me back. This time when meeting up with friends it was with ones that lived out in Colorado, and again friends that are more considered family so all the moments shared with them made the trip even more special. These are the moments that I cherish the most. Being in places I have always dreamt of seeing with the people I love the most made capturing these moments an absolute must.

As mentioned above, these are places I got to see for the first time in the last couple of years and truly places and memories I’ll never forget. Going out west and into the mountains has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. So being able to go on these trips with the people I love the most made it even more special. I couldn’t help but snap as many photos as I could at all different points in my trip and I’m glad I did not only for my own sake but to give a visual to others as I share the stories from these travels.

Please enjoy my photos!

[mattysmind19]

Your Musical Theme

Music is a huge passion of mine. I love how music can take you back to time or place and you associate those feelings or experiences with certain music. I personally love all genres of music and am always open to listening to something I haven’t heard before.

When creating this playlist, I tried to stay in the overall theme of that warm climate place you maybe live in or travel to from time to time. For me it’s my home in Florida this is where I grew up, so I am no stranger to a beach playlist. I tried to compile songs that relate to that overall theme, but I tried to pull from multiple different genres. I chose 6 songs from the rock, hip-hop/rap, country, and electronic genres.

Starting with the rock songs, I have two. First is the song “In the summertime” by Mungo Jerry. This one might be a little obvious why I chose it for my theme of that warm climate destination. But to elaborate this song personally reminds me of that scene in movies when the characters all come together and just enjoy the time at the lake or at a pool and nothing matters, you’re just purely enjoying each other’s company and the summertime. To further paint the picture of summertime the opening lyric of the song is “In the summertime when the weather is high you can stretch right up and touch the sky” this makes me imagine a perfect summer day not a cloud in the sky. The song is also just fun it’s a fun instrumental and the lyrics are so catchy anyone can sing along. The song is also from 1970 a time I was not around for, but I can still appreciate this great tune!

The second rock song I chose is “Island In The Sun” by Weezer. This song came out in 2001 and has a strong guitar presence in the beat but again the lyrics are super catchy! If you put this song on the next time you go to the beach or the pool, I bet anyone close enough to hear it will sing along! The band sings “when you’re on a holiday you can’t find the words to say all the things that come to you, and I want to feel it too on an island in the sun” this snippet is the first verse and then the first line of the second verse. This about sums up most people’s tropical vacation traveling to that warm destination just enjoying being in the sun!

Song number 3 is none other than “Summertime” by Will Smith. If this summer classic isn’t on your beach playlist, I would highly recommend it. It is considered a rap song and yes Will is rapping but it is laid back and the beat is dare I say groovy. This song takes me back to the moments on the beach with loved ones while the sun is setting, and the day is coming to an end. This song to me just perfectly matches that vibe and setting.

Taking us to song number 4 which is “Summertime Magic” by Childish Gambino. Has the theme become clear yet? Like the Will Smith song this is song screams sunsets in the summer at the beach with your friends. The song with grab your attention right from the start with those steel drums that stay in the beat for the duration of the song. The childish Gambino comes in with his vocals again so catchy and groovy. With this song you can’t help but dance. Coming from someone who can barely clap on beat I can’t help but dance to this song I seem to lose control of my shoulders and hips once this song comes on.

For song number 5, I chose “As She’s Walking Away” by Zac Brown Band. This is my country pick for this little playlist. Now country has never been my favorite genre but there are a small group of songs that you’ll find in my library that are considered country. This being one of them I think this is great and fun song that all of us can relate to. The lyrics are about someone falling in love and contemplating what to say and what to do as they pursue the love interest. The summertime is a great time to meet someone or travel with your significant other. My favorite line is “Don’t be fallin’ in love as she’s walking away” this is kind of hard to avoid because sometimes we are paralyzed by love but it’s more important to share your feelings with that special someone.

Taking us to number 6 the final song in the playlist I’m going with “Sun Models” by Odesza. This is an electronic song but there are lyrics, however they are kind of faint throughout the song I personally connect with and appreciate the beat more than anything. This is the song you listen to driving home windows down music turned up loud and the cool wind whipping past you, but you’re kept warm by that suntan you just got from your beach day. It is the perfect song to end a night on!

So, this my playlist, short and sweet with the overall theme of those summertime moments in the sun shared with the ones you love the most.

Please find the links to all of the songs mentioned above below. :)

[mattysmind19]

Module 7 Plotting

We all have that day in the week that we use to do our chores. A day to do laundry, clean the house and reset from the previous week. For me this day is Tuesdays. It was a normal Tuesday morning for me starting slow yet productive I made my bed, whipped up some breakfast and began to strategize how I would get all of my tasks done for the day and set myself up for success for the week. Before I knew it two hours have gone by and I have most things done the laundry is washed and hung up to dry. The kitchen is cleaned and restocked and my meals are planned out and organized. At a minimum these are the things that I like to complete so the next week can happen without having to worry about work clothes being cleaned and pressed or what I will have for dinner that night. 

So it is now around 11am I am feeling good and want to tackle more. I have had a mental list going for projects around the house for a while now so maybe thats what I will do with the rest of my day here. As I look around I notice all of the things I want to do some simple like cable managing that rats nest behind the entertainment piece, to more complex projects like pressure washing parts of my home, or even installing that video doorbell we got for Christmas of last year. I notice to really complete these projects fully I need some supplies so I take to amazon and start building my cart with zip ties for the cable managing, and those things that go under rugs so they don’t move or slip when you walk on them. After spending a good portion of my paycheck to amazon I go back to the things I can work on today while I wait for my supplies to come in. That leaves the pressure washing, not my favorite chore but one that has to get done! As I get everything together, I am about to step out side and I realize I forgot my headphones. The only way I will do this project is if I have my music with me! 

As I go through my music library to find that right album to listen to while I pressure wash my home. A text comes in, it’s my work. It reads “Some team-members called off and we could really use your help, do you want to come in it would really help us out and you can get some extra hours.” My plans are now interrupted but considering option one is pressure washing in 90 degree heat or option two is to work inside and make some extra money this pay period I chose going into work. So now my productive home day was still a success I did the minimum projects like my laundry and food prep but also helped my work get out of a tight spot! I guess those projects will have to be for another day maybe it will be when my amazon packages arrive and I can do them all the same day. Hopefully this time with no interruptions!

[mattysmind19]

February

BY MARGARET ATWOOD

Winter. Time to eat fat

and watch hockey. In the pewter mornings, the cat,

a black fur sausage with yellow

Houdini eyes, jumps up on the bed and tries

to get onto my head. It’s his

way of telling whether or not I’m dead.

If I’m not, he wants to be scratched; if I am

He’ll think of something. He settles

on my chest, breathing his breath

of burped-up meat and musty sofas,

purring like a washboard. Some other tomcat,

not yet a capon, has been spraying our front door,

declaring war. It’s all about sex and territory,

which are what will finish us off

in the long run. Some cat owners around here

should snip a few testicles. If we wise

hominids were sensible, we’d do that too,

or eat our young, like sharks.

But it’s love that does us in. Over and over

again, He shoots, he scores! and famine

crouches in the bedsheets, ambushing the pulsing

eiderdown, and the windchill factor hits

thirty below, and pollution pours

out of our chimneys to keep us warm.

February, month of despair,

with a skewered heart in the centre.

I think dire thoughts, and lust for French fries

with a splash of vinegar.

Cat, enough of your greedy whining

and your small pink bumhole.

Off my face! You’re the life principle,

more or less, so get going

on a little optimism around here.

Get rid of death. Celebrate increase. Make it be spring.

When searching for a poem I started with reading ones around the theme of “bears” since they are my favorite animal however I didn’t love any of the ones I read. So, I switched it up and tried searching for my favorite sport, hockey! This lead me to the poem ”February” By Margaret Atwood. Even though hockey is only really referenced twice in the poem once at the beginning with the line “Time to eat fat and watch hockey.” And another time just after the halfway point with the line ”He shoots, he scores!” I found I connected with the entire poem. The poem mentions some of my favorite things, from winter time, to hockey, to pets, and then eventually to spring time. As the author creates this image of a setting of being at home during the winter time probably on a very cold morning our protagonist is having a slow morning one that is being woken up by the house cat checking on its owner. The author continues on about how the time of year and the weather are gloomy and weighing on the protagonists’ overall mental health. Towards the end of the poem the author mentions “You’re the life principle, more or less, so get going

on a little optimism around here.” This is a great way of saying life is what we make it and how our thoughts can really affect our present and our future so if your gonna reflect and dream about your future they should be positive thoughts! The final line of the poem “Get rid of death. Celebrate increase. Make it be spring.” Is a brilliant metaphor for clearing the bad things and our thoughts from our life, celebrate the wins in life no matter how small and finally make it happen. Of course we can’t literally make it turn spring time but we can control our thoughts and our actions so if you want bright and happy days you need to make them happen no matter what mother nature throws your way. 

[mattysmind19]

Architectural Interiors

My home has been the only space I have ever known. I come from a family of four and once my parents knew I was on the way they felt it was time to move out of the apartment and into a home to grow a family in. This home was built in the mid to late 90’s and once I was cleared to come home from the hospital I moved in to this home and to this day live here. The interior space is wide and very inviting. Upon entering the home it is not deep but is quite wide. The way it was designed allows for a flow that is very natural as you go about your day but it is also segmented in a way that allow for individual space to happen but not feel secluded from any other part of the home or any person in the home. The way the home is divided makes perfect sense for the family of four that we were. When entering the home the parents space is to the right side as far over to the right as it can be. While the left most part of the home is occupied by the children. The center of the home is all of the communal space including the kitchen, family room, living room, and dining room. These are places we gather together and share family time. Then when it was time to go to bed we all had our respective space. The colors throughout the home are calming and warm allowing the space to really be the place to relax and recharge from the day. Over time we have made updates to the space, these projects usually consisted of painting or updates to the things we use daily in the kitchen or family room. The constant variable through all of these things was the layout and flow of or space which has allowed us to really appreciate the design and helped this house be our home. 

Another space I find myself in multiple days a week is my work. I work at a retail store and it has many different functions/departments and they all coexist as one space. The lay out is also perfectly symmetrical, the tables are perfectly alined with one another and they even line up to the window sills. The space is also very accommodating to all who enter it which is a lot on any given day. The design of the store had everyone in mind. For example, the spacing and the height of the tables is on purpose to allow for any person to the same experience for example someone bound to a wheel chair or someone that is taller than average and everyone in between can have the same  experience. The interior of the space is actually quite similar to my home. It is inviting and calming the eggshell walls and uses of the color brown and wood throughout the space just like in my home. Both spaces are also shallow and wide again an interior design that is so familiar. I’ve never really made that connection until right now but it makes sense why I appreciate it and am happy to spend time in both spaces it is because they are so similar. The only outlier would be I wish my home had the symmetry that my retail store has because it truly is beautiful. 

[mattysmind19]

Homage to the Square: Soft Spoken By: Josef Albers

To begin I’d like to share why I chose this piece, I chose this particular piece simply for the color. Blue and Green are my favorite colors they always have been and always will be. Blue and green are neighbors on the color wheel and some say are refreshing when paired together. When researching the meanings of the colors I found they refer to harmony and prosperity. Which is now all the more reason for me to love these two colors more than I already do!

As I analyzed the piece further I see it as a representation of life and growth. The piece seems to begin with a dark blue square in the middle of the painting this then turns into a larger square now in a dark green, then again it evolves into larger square in a light green color, then finally one more square this time the largest of them all and in a blue color. I feel as the change in size and also color represents life and how we grow as individuals and how over the years we change and evolve but still staying true to who we are deep down. I find that to be the parallel here how the colors change but never leave the umbrella of blue and green origin.

As scary as change and growth can be as we find ourselves with more responsibilities it is important to stay true to who we are but it is okay to grow and change too. This is all apart of life and I feel that Albers was able to portray this in a pure visual of colors and shapes.

[mattysmind19]

It Happens Sculpture

“It Happens” is a sculpture by artist Jim Rennert and is located at park and 5th Ave here in Naples and was created in 2004. The main reason I chose this piece from my community is that I have walked by it many times and always take a moment to admire it.

Jim started a series known as “Suits” this was inspired by his background of working in business and how it can represent the competitiveness of business. The sculpture is looking down at its dress shoe, I would imagine after stepping in some gum that was left on the street. This is a great visual representation of the name of the piece being “It Happens”. The deeper meaning goes on to how these things happen in life and it is not something to worry or stress about. There are far more important things in life to attend to and there is no reason to get worked up over something as silly and as common as stepping on something and getting it on your shoe.

The size of this piece is life size as it represents a person, however it is a quite large individual easily towering over me and I stand at 5 foot 11. I have mixed feelings about the location of the piece on one hand being on 5th avenue there are a lot of restaurants and shops and even some businesses like real estate and investment companies. So for some this something they can walk past and relate too. The reason why I have I mixed feelings is how this area of Naples is full of many that are retired, but maybe that was on purpose to remind those that chose this location for retirement of a life they once lived. I wasn’t able to find clarification on the choice of the location but if it had anything to do with my ideas stated above then I really appreciate the location and the piece.

[mattysmind19]

My Old Man

Music is my favorite form of art. Music has always been a part of my life and quickly became something I cannot live without. As a young kid my dad would always play music whether we were in the car, at the beach, or just doing anything at the house. My dad’s taste in music is “Motown” or “Oldies” like The Temptations, Earth Wind and Fire, and Al Green just to name a few. It is this music that I grew up with that I have a big soft spot for because it reminds me of the moments shared with my dad. 

As I grew older and I was able to explore music on my own with the power of the internet I started to listen to all kinds of genres and artist. What I come to find is I really enjoyed Rap and Hip/Hop in addition to just about every other kind of music but Rap and Hip/Hop was my favorite. Over the years I started to build my music library with older Hip/Hop and todays releases. Then one day browsing on youtube I discovered sampling, this is when an artist will take a snip-it of a song and rework it and make it their own. For example, the song “Footsteps in the Dark” by The Isley Brothers which released in 1977 was sampled by Ice Cube for one of his biggest songs ever “It was a good day” which came out in 1992. I personally found the Ice Cube song first and loved it then once I discovered that he sampled the Isley Brothers I listened to that song and loved it right away and could also hear the similarities between the tracks. I had a feeling my dad would really love this song from 1977 as I played it for him within seconds of the beat playing my dad said “That’s the Isley Brothers I love the Isley Brothers” All of a sudden this circle became incredibly clear. The music that my dad played growing up was sampled and by some of my favorite Hip/Hop artist and the songs at their cores were not really different so it made sense why I gravitated towards it when finding music on my own. 

There is one song I would like to highlight now that you know the relationship I have with my father around our passion for music. The song is ”My Old Man” my Mac Demarco, Mac is known as an Indie Artist a genre I was brand new to then I discovered what soon to be of my favorite songs. This song means a lot to me for a few reasons. One the instrumental is beautiful the acoustic guitar just immediately makes me feel at peace. Then Mac begins to sing and the lyrics to me just make me think about my dad and how similar we are not only by looks but personality and how we both have this love and passion for music. This song encompasses my passion for music and the relationship I have with my dad and how fortunate I am for all of it. This song is 3 minutes and 42 seconds and for that couple of minutes I am flooded with amazing feelings and memories of my old man. 

[mattysmind19]

Hi everyone and welcome to my blog!

A little about me: I’m currently taking classes at FSW with the goal of joining the nursing program. Along side these classes I also work in retail. Outside of work and class I really enjoy traveling and getting outside and seeing new areas!

I also have a strong connection to the arts specifically live theater. I’m curious to see what else I’ll learn/ be exposed to while in this class. I’m also a huge fan of movies so I hope to find some parallels from historical art and art from todays times!

I’m looking forward to the rest of this semester and the learns that will come with it!

Thank you for checking out my blog and please check out my future post!