Constantly running from task to task takes away our attention. We make to-do lists in the shower, look at our phone regularly if not all the time, and post photos of our dishes while we have dinner. Learning to take control of your attention through simple daily practical exercises by involving all your senses will … More Mastering the Art of Attention in a World of Distractions
Art doesn’t owe me (or anyone) any favors. It didn’t sell on becoming an artist like it was talking you into a time share. Art says, “You want to be an artist? Great. Best of luck,” and then it walks away, probably on its way to a gallery opening in the West Village, and leaves you to do the rest. … More Art: It’s Just Not That Into Me (Or Most of Us)
So my muse decided to take a holiday recently. He packed his bags and went to Hawaii or somewhere. And I know he’s been sitting in the sun drinking Pina Coladas the whole time. That smug bastard. Now, I should say I told him to take a break. The problem is, I’ve found it hard … More A Creative Leave of Absence
I believe that we all yearn to create. To nourish our unique gifts and bring something new and authentic into the world. This is how we affirm our identity and find meaning in the world. The role of the artist is to show us the way, and point towards the vast possibilities that are available … More The Artist
Last Saturday I went to visit the private art collection of Proximus, a Belgian digital service provider. In 25 years the company has collected about 600 artworks and last December they opened the doors to visitors. For the moment, only 200 paintings and photos are displayed. The exhibition is called Art with a View, because … More Art with a View
I would like to tell you a story about how good are artworks for your morale. It happened during the Second World War. The bombing by the Germans during the Second World War in the UK caused the closing of the doors of all museums. The director of the National Gallery of London, Kenneth Clark, … More Admiring Artworks
There is a direct relationship between ageing, physical, and mental activity. People who adopt a sedentary and passive lifestyle after retirement accelerate their ageing process. Lack of movement diminishes the body’s responsiveness and few social relationships inhibit intellectual abilities. We could also add loneliness to see the ageing process accelerates. Spending the day without stimuli … More Late Bloomers: Instructions For Use
Billy Osogo Writing is a beautiful and intriguing undertaking. Like most things in life, it makes certain demands of its practitioners. These include monk-like dedication, soldier-like loyalty and child-like curiosity. Ideas are the fuel on which this art runs on. They are as diverse as the billions of writers on this planet. In my experience, … More The Nothingness of Writing
Billy Osogo I love creating art as much I love consuming it. There’s something surreal about participating in the process of creation. To see the end product come from almost nothing. A blank page. A blank canvass. Plain clay. A blank sheet of music. Tabula rasa. Here are a few good words to help in … More ON LIVING AS A CREATIVE
Billy Osogo : Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles delivered one of the most beautiful pieces of art when they wrote Ikigai. Ikigai is a Japanese word that put simply translates to: “The happiness of always being busy.” The authors write on a broad spectrum of Japanese life. One of the things that’s stuck with me … More WHAT’S ART GOT TO DO WITH IT?
Hi. SnapDragon here. It’s been awhile. And who knows why, really. I mean, I do have a toddler. I tend to the house and home. I technically work full-time, although it’s more like a part-time, online gig at the moment. (No complaints. But it still takes up minutes of my day.) And by the time … More SnapDragon Speaks: On Thought-Jelly.
I’m sorry, yo. For a lot of little and not-so-little things. . . . I’m sorry for all the times I thought I knew better; I’m sorry for not realizing the limitations of my own world view. I’m sorry for making To-Do Lists while you gave instructions I later needed. I’m sorry for snapping when … More SnapDragon Speaks: On The Apology.
By Jack Canfora As I awoke this morning from uneasy dreams I found myself transformed in my bed into a gigantic insect. No. Nope. Wait. Sorry, that wasn’t me. It was Gregor Samsa. Not me. I’m constantly getting the two of us confused. It’s led to some pretty wacky situations, as you can well imagine. … More The Respites Against, And Advantages Of, Sadness
I think there is great beauty in the space between: The space between sleep. The space between our brown-bagged lunches. The space between radio commercials. Life. It clicks by: In the flashes of headlights. The clanking of spoons. The aching of hands and feet. And no matter how hard we try, there is never enough … More SnapDragon Speaks: On The Space Between.
If I could start all over again, I’d only focus on my body being strong. The hell with the numbers. If I could start all over again, I’d go into meetings with confidence. I have a right to be here. If I could start all over again, I’d make more time for reading. For crafting. … More SnapDragon Speaks: On Starting Over.
(sighs) Life. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. But there is beauty in the struggle, my friend. My greatest fear in life is to be misunderstood. I know, I know. Kiiind of wishful thinking on my part. Because really: who hasn’t been misunderstood at least once in her life? In fact, who hasn’t experienced … More SnapDragon Speaks: On Being Vulnerable.
Again, a situation and questions: Situation: You have a stable, well-paying job and in fact you will be promoted soon. However, the last few years have been hard for you because you realized that you are not happy in your job and you want to do art, your passion since childhood. This means you will … More Brain-Storming 2