Well, here I go. stoodio8 is officially up and running in a beta testing mode. It's exciting, energizing, nerve-racking and frustrating.
It's exciting because it's been a long time in the making and it's still just the beginning. Developing stoodio8 has evolved into the beginnings of a great opportunity for the entire arts community, of which I am a huge fan. My love of visual art, such as my own painting and photography started my quest to design a website that helps promote Canadian artists. Along the way I realized that the entire arts community is an integral part, not just enjoyable part of our everyday lives. Every day I am exposed to and privileged to be a recipient of various artistic forms.
I love to paint and take pictures and thoroughly enjoy looking at other artists' work. For example, when I went to New York for only a 4 day girls get away, I spent an entire day on my own at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) and left there feeling enriched by having had access to real historical masterpieces. That was a day I will always cherish.
I love music. I don't believe there are any genres I really don't like. Maybe some I only enjoy in small doses, but overall my collection of music is very eclectic, and whether at home doing housework, working, or driving, the tunes are on. I enjoy going to concerts, often with my kids who also appreciate their tunes. Music highlights for me include taking my kids to the Juno Awards in Edmonton when they started touring, buying CD's from groups singing on the subway trains, and listening to my daughter sing, who really does have a beautiful voice when she lets people hear her.
Then there's the performing and literary arts. Who doesn't love a great movie, play, or book? The evolution of Canadian movies and theatre has been astronomical and just keeps getting better. I have tried to expose my kids to musicals, ballets, plays, etc. in hopes they grow up with an appreciation for the various artistic forms available to them. As I write this I realize now that they are older and everyone is so busy we have not been to a play since the Lion King was in Edmonton. I will have to plan another family night out to the theatre soon.
The written word, wow how powerful. Every night I go to bed and read a few pages of someone's novel. Sometimes when I finish a great book I reflect back and wonder how one mind can come up with such an imaginative and creative piece? I use to work as a Government Relations Advisor and wrote all day long. Writing doesn't come naturally for me and I often struggled to find the right words, phrases and concepts. Fortunately, Sharon, a very talented co-worker, whom I always admired because she could take any topic and make it sound natural and easy to read, was often there to bounce ideas off of.
I included Industrial Design in stoodio8 as the diverse artistic talent in this field is truly amazing, and I feel underappreciated, and often misunderstood. I often find myself stopping to admire the design of something such as a chair, table, jewellery, or even a fork, or glass.
Maybe it's the Scorpio in me, but I truly appreciate ALL the art forms and am happy to bring to the table a way for everyone to share and celebrate them in a cohesive pool of talent. My objective is to make stoodio8 an affordable and easy way to do this. It's so exciting to think that every day now I will work around and enjoy being exposed to even more people, artists, and art forms. How cool is that?
I'll continue in my next blog with why this project has been energizing.
Maritta Renz
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