Thoughts on Truth & Justice (& Legal Icons)

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Leslie Sigal Javorek | 1 Comment

Posted by: Leslie Sigal Javorek • Date: Wed Sep 2, 2009 11:53 am

Truth and Justice. Such seemingly simple concepts that we expect every kindergartener to understand and abide by. So why are these traits so elusive in the adult world?

“I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an Honest Man.“ — George Washington (1st U.S. president (1789-1797), 1732-1799)

“Assertion is not argument; to contradict the statement of an opponent is not proof that you are correct.“– Samuel Johnson (English lexicographer, critic, and poet, 1709-1784)

“Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we resort to to hide them.“ – François de la Rochefoucauld (French writer, 1613-1680)

“I have a lantern. You steal my lantern. What, then, Is your honor worth no more to you than the price of my lantern?“ — Epicetus (Greek stoic philosopher, ca 55 – ca 135)

Free Clip-Art / Icons of the Day

The following images are either full or reduced size previews. Simply right-click (or control-click) on the preview to save the image(s) of your choice to your desktop. (Unless otherwise noted, downloads are 512px X 512px in .png format). As always, usage of any of the images offered in the “Free Clip-Art / Icons of the Day” section are free for your personal use, subject to the limitations of my Creative Commons Non-Commercial – Attribution – No Derivatives – Share Alike- 3.0 license. (See sidebar for Terms of Use) For commercial or any other use, please contact me for directly.

The Democratization of Art

Posted on August 24, 2009 by Leslie Sigal Javorek | Leave a comment

Posted by: Leslie Sigal Javorek • Date: Mon Aug 24, 5:15pm

While this may be no big revelation to trained art historians, as an untrained neophyte researcher, when I first began to look into Art Deco (beyond merely knowing I liked it) I had no idea it would lead me into such a vast array directions deep into the psycho-sociological history of humans, psychology of art, and factual history of 19th, 20th, and 21st Century politics, religion, science, industry, environment, aesthetics, war, peace, color theory, and more. It seems that the more I learn about Art Deco, the more I learn and understand about society itself and how we got to this point in time. Unlike any other art movement before it, the influences which form the genre exemplify diversity at its’ best as no single social class, religion, gender, political ideology, economy, geographical location, or culture seems to have been left out. All have contributed to it and all have been equally recognized by it. But also unlike any other art movement before it, Art Deco does not honor its’ influences in the manner of reverential exaltation but through whimsical parody, making and having fun with all we hold dear. It is perhaps because of this aspect that art snobs proclaimed Art Deco to be nothing more than a trivial fad that will quickly run its’ course, or in the words of Paul Greenhalgh, former-head of research for the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England,“Art Deco is a terribly easy movement to insult. It has maintained that most damning of all qualities — fun.” He further noted that, “The avant-garde has never really forgiven it for being successful.”

“Tropical Art Deco” is perhaps the most fun of all with its’ happy ice-cream colors, rounded “melting” edges, and playful, oversized forms. While certainly it has been heavily influenced by prominent, homosexual artists and associated in general with the Gay community, the glorification of the South Beach, Miami historic architectural district exemplified by the 1980’s television show “Miami Vice” and its’ overtly heterosexual star, Don Johnson’s fashionable, often pastel, wardrobe by designers Versace and Armani, Art Deco has transcended boundaries to be enjoyed by all.

Free Clip-Art / Icons of the Day

The following images are either full or reduced size previews. Simply right-click (or control-click) on the preview to save the image(s) of your choice to your desktop. (Unless otherwise noted, downloads are 512px X 512px in .png format). As always, usage of any of the images offered in the “Free Clip-Art / Icons of the Day” section are free for your personal use, subject to the limitations of my Creative Commons Non-Commercial – Attribution – No Derivatives – Share Alike- 3.0 license. (See sidebar for Terms of Use) For commercial or any other use, please contact me for directly.

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Wise Words to Whet the Visual Appetite

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Leslie Sigal Javorek | Leave a comment

Posted by: Leslie Sigal Javorek • Date: Tues. Aug. 4, 2009 10:35pm

The clever turn of a word that makes one smile to themself and think “I knew that!” or which causes a bit of a blank look upon their face as they mull over a simple statement that they recognize as a very profound observation, seems to stick in your mind and reappear (as if by magic!) when you need to hear or share it most. It’s like when you open a bible (or a book of poetry) to a random page which always seems – somehow – to be the exact page you needed to read at that moment. Below are some of my favorite quotes spoken or written by iconic figures who stood in the forefront of their fields during the height of the Art Deco period (1920’s through the 1930’s). Perhaps one of these gems will hit the spot for you.

“If only we’d stop trying to be happy, we could have a pretty good time.” – – Edith Wharton (author).

“One can never consent to creep, when one feels the impulse to soar.” – – Helen Keller (author, diplomat, inspirational speaker).

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – – Albert Einstein (scientist).

“”All men dream, but not equally – Those who dream at night, by the dusty recesses of their minds, awake to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of day are dangerous men, that they may act their dreams with open eyes to make them possible.” – – Thomas E. Lawrence (a.k.a. “Lawrence of Arabia”).

“Hell, there are no rules here — we’re trying to accomplish something.” – – Thomas A. Edison (inventor).

“Judge — A law student who marks his own examination-papers. Lawyer — One who protects us against robbers by taking away the temptation.” – and “Equality before the law is probably forever inattainable. It is a noble ideal, but it can never be realized, for what men value in this world is not rights but privileges.” – – H. L. Mencken (author).

“Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.” – – Bernard Mannes Baruch (author).

“We have art so that we shall not die of reality.” – – Freidrich Nietzsche (philospher, author).

“Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.” – – W. Somerset Maugham (author)

Free Icons of the Day

The following images are either full or reduced size previews. Simply right-click (or control-click) on the preview to save the image(s) of your choice to your desktop. (Unless otherwise noted, downloads are 512px X 512px in .png format). As always, usage of any of the images offered in the “Free Clip-Art / Icons of the Day” section are free for your personal use, subject to the limitations of my Creative Commons Non-Commercial – Attribution – No Derivatives – Share Alike- 3.0 license. (See sidebar for Terms of Use) For commercial or any other use, please contact me for directly.

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