Wednesday, January 30, 2013

.Sketchbook Wednesday.

Back! Because I finally got a new sketchbook to replace my sketchbook that went on a personal WalkAbout to who knows where. It's probably in the same place as my keys. And the left socks.



Tonight I'm driving to Springfield (again) to play a part in the Club Bellydance show that is happening there tonight. Fortunately it looks like the snow will have stopped by the time I have to make the 2.5 hour drive; and hopefully I'll finally be able to get a decent video of my sword piece with my shiny brand new camera.

Friday, January 25, 2013

.in case you hadn't heard already.

It's looking very much like Saroyan is going out of business forever. If you haven't got a pair of these zills in your bag already and have been postponing ordering them I highly suggest you snatch some up from some of the vendors who still have them in stock.
As of yesterday (when I ordered my own back-up-pair) missbellydance.com had several selections still available. I didn't look beyond that.
Good luck.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

.you can't do everything.

In my day to day life, I do alot.

I dance, I paint, I make jewelry and perfume, I do graphic design and illustration, and I run Raqs Bohéme. On top of all that I attempt to maintain my personal relationships - my husband, family, and close friends; which is not so easy as I'm a bit of a hermit and tend to leave little enough time for it. I'm also a bit of a workaholic and have an extremely difficult time relaxing in a non-productive kind of way - even while I'm watching a movie at home with my husband my fingers are itching to do something, a habit that absolutely drives him mad.

In the meantime there are a lot of things I'd like to do that I simply do not have time for - rock climbing, aerial dance, and writing to name a few. It's not that I can't do those things - it's just that there's no time; and certainly no time to devote to become accomplished in any of them.

And that's the thing - I do believe that everyone is capable of anything. I also believe that people have different natural talents and gifts which will make some activities easier than others. Personally, I can neither bake nor knit. Something about those particular activities is extremely difficult for me. I could probably get better if I spent a massive amount of time working on it - but I'd rather spend that time occupied in more natural and less frustrating activities for myself.

You can be and do whatever you want to - so long as you're willing to put the adequate amount of time and effort into becoming good at that thing, and those challenges are different for everyone.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Photography and your Rights

There are lots of sites on the internet that explain photogrpahers rights for th photographer, but fewer that explain it for the performer being photographed. Having been to art school I had a passing knowledge of image and copyright laws - but once I started performing I began researching photography laws specifically so that I could protect myself.
Here are the basics as I understand them (please note that I am not a lawyer, or trained in law, and if you need legal advice you should absolutely get in touch with a professional):

If someone takes a picture of you, that image is their property, not yours. Even though it's you in the picture - you need to get the permission of the photographer to use that image for promotional purposes. Quite often that will involve an exchange of cash; sometimes it won't but you had better ask before you use it.
A photographer can do what they like with their property, within limits. They can sell prints of it, post it on the internet, etc... This will vary from state to state with the exception of using your image to endorse a product you don't endorse (Right of Publicity). It's a good idea to check state laws in any case though, because they can vary widely. This is a good example.
If you're in public (think state fair) you're fair game as a subject. If you're in a privately owned establishment (think nightclub) you're fair game unless there are clearly marked signs denoting otherwise. If you're in private (your own home) you're off limits, even if they've taken a picture of you through your window from the street.
In Missouri for example:
"There are some basic limitations on the subject matter of photographs. A photographer will be liable in a civil action if he takes a photograph that violates the right of privacy of another. A photographer may be civilly and criminally liable in trespass if he or she enters on private property without the permission of the owner in order to take a photograph. A photographer will be civilly liable if he takes and uses a photograph in such a way that it violates the copyrights, trademark rights, trade dress rights, or publicity rights of another. To avoid any of these situations the photographer must understand the basic principles of the right of privacy, the right of publicity, copyright, and trespass. - www.pcblawfirm.comhttp://www.pcblawfirm.com/Articles/Legal-Issues-for-Photographers.shtml
What does this mean?
If a photographer violates your Right to Privacy, you can sue them. People can't be on your property (or any private property) taking pictures without the owners permission - but private property that is open to the public is generally fair game unless clearly marked otherwise. If someone is taking pictures of you, you can ask them to stop, but you can't take their film or camera away.
It's on photographers and their subjects to understand these laws though.

Also - read your Model Release Form before you sign it.
 _______________________________________
 [04/10/13 EDIT]
MEANWHILE...
Just because someone takes a picture you're in and owns that photo, it doesn't mean they have the right to sell it. Seriously - check your states laws, they vary widely. Also maybe consult a lawyer.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

.happenings.

I desperatly need to update the calender on my website, but in the meantime:

• This Saturday (January 12th) I'm dancing in Villans & Vixens at the Manhattan Arts Center in Manhattan Kansas. The headliner is the one and only Princess Farhana - if you're in the area you should totally check it out.

• Friday January 18th is Raqs Bohéme and I'm really excited about the lineup.

• Friday February 1st is an exciting Salon evening at Bella Studio hosted by Miss Amy Jo.

• Friday February 15th - Raqs Bohéme.

• Saturday February 16th - Mudd Slide hosted by Siham Ali.

• Friday February 22nd is a benefit how for a local school - more info there when I have it.

• Friday thru Sunday, March 8th-10th, St. Louis - Angels and Absinthe hosted by Ami Amoré. This is seriously going to be an awesome weekend.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

.don't blink.

The Angels have the phone box.

This scent has taken a little over a month to get right - finding the right balance of earth and sweet and ozone was not easy. The ozone and florals wanted to overpower everything, and it took a little ginger and amber to even out the forest and musk base notes.

In the end I'm very happy with how it turned out. The scent reminds me of the deep forest and grave flowers - quite perfect for the Weeping Angels.

Monday, January 7, 2013

.copycat.

Mimicry, the imitation and recycling of previous aesthetic styles, appropriating someone else's work as one's own, simulation, camouflage and counterfeiting are all means of deliberately thwarting the development of one's own work so that it no longer functions in sync with the proper historical development of art, as we have come to understand it... These actions directly violate our notions about creativity, particularly according to the modernist canon, as being based in innovation, authenticity and originality." -Suzi Gablick, The Reenchantment of Art
 
One of the major disadvantages that we have as bellydancers is that most of us start studying well into adulthood.  Unlike nearly every other style of art, we don't begin training until much later in life and yet we are burdened with the same expectations people place on art forms people begin studying when they are very young.

Aside from the years of formative training before entering a professional world, one of the key things we lose is that juvenile experimental period of copying.  For most artists, spending a large amount of time copying the work of Masters is a necessary part of the stylistic development process - finding things that appeal to you, dabbling in them and seeing what works for you and what doesn't. Most of this work takes place while the student is still in school and is never seen on a professional platform. Ample time is given to figure out that painting just like VanGogh is great, but not an expression of oneself and ones own work. But when you look at the later work of that same student, you may see elements of VanGogh's influence that the artist has made uniquely their own through exploration, study and deep reflection.

As adult bellydancers we're expected to know better intuitively; to develop our own style automatically without that period of experimentation and exploration. I've personally seen so many rants and ravings about the masses of Rachel Brice clones populating the fusion bellydance scene to which I can only say this: They Are Young. Maybe not in age, but certainly in experience. I went through this period myself - we all do - copying what other dancers were doing in order to figure out what worked for me. Unfortunately in the Tribal and Fusion genres of the dance, all of our "Masters" are very young as well - we don't have a vast history of experimentation (of that particular style) to look upon and so we take what we can and do what we can. It's all a part of the learning process - and it is vital to the development of young dancers.

However, this is not an endorsement of taking that exploration to a professional platform. As teachers it is important to guide our students and help them to understand the difference between taking influence from another dancer and copying them outright. Copying during the learning period is fine. Copying another dancers work and presenting it as ones own unique ideas is something else entirely.




*Most of what has become my dance philosophy over the last few years came directly from my experiences in art school - and transmuting them into something applicable to dance has in turn made them make so much more sense in relation to fine/commercial art.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

.hermitting but not dead.

I spent the last few weeks recovering from a crazed schedule and getting back in touch with my inner maker. I made many things - which are slowly trickling onto the etsy site because once again, I need to get them out of my house.