July Drawing Course

To register, or for inquiries, contact Tim.Mansen@gmail.com Students will enjoy appreciating, and drawing from works of the old masters--perfect to perceive the building blocks of the visual world, such as Line, Shape, Volume, Tone, Light and Shadow. This class is suitable for all skill levels. Tone of class will be challenging yet enjoyable. Weekly homework projects assigned. Drawing Fundamentals 5-week course Wednesdays, 12pm-1:30pm Location: Urban Grace (902 Market St Tacoma, WA 98402) $325 fee Taught by Tim Mansen contact Tim.Mansen@gmail.com

School of Athens

I love the painting ‘School of Athens’, by Raphael*. To me the painting represents a flourishing society, and its origins in a healthy / productive dialog. At the center of this painting is a dialog between 2 individuals expressing contrasting view points. Yet the discussion moves forward, and society with it. The result of this generative dialog is a flourishing society, and a beautiful painting. What does dialog look like today? What kind of society is it producing? What kind of art? Think of the way that you dialog. Is it a bridge or a barrier to harmonious relationships? Could a beautiful painting emerge out of the environment you are creating? My painting sometimes might look chaotic and abstract, but hopefully someday...beautiful. :)

'Friendship', the movie

The newly released film, 'Friendship', is being billed as a "cringe-worthy bro-mance comedy", and while it is that--overall goofy, and at times disastrously awkward--it also is a film worthy of reflection--touching on some profound aspects of the human experience. This movie is about men and how they relate to each other. With this relationship comes an invitation, out of the predictable monotony of our current digitized society, and back into the wild. This journey into the wilderness is where we find our true humanity, and masculinity. From this place we can then lead others into their own freedom. So although this absurd film has overlaps with meaningful films like Fight Club and the Matrix, it does so with plenty of laughs--and discomfort. Could it be that this film will join these others in becoming a modern classic? Only time will tell.

'Friendship', the reality...taken at the premier of the film at a Bellevue cinema, by a nice Indian man