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MICHELE DEL CAMPOS EXHIBITION IN LONDON Italian artist Michele Del Campo’s new paintings in a second London solo show ‘Close Strangers’ at The Mark Jason Gallery in London opens July 28 and runs through October 27, 2010. Del Campo’s vibrant, uplifting, energetic, expressive paintings are pure observations of people and the world they live in [...]
Yago Hortal was born in Barcelona, 1983 and currently lives and works in Berlin. Here are some amazing works by Yago Hortal; paintings with glorious blobs of color. The combinations are seemingly endless. Visit Yago Hortal’s website to see more artworks.
Art News: Antony Gormley at White Cube, June Newton Photography & National Gallery ‘Fakes, Mistakes & Discoveries’ Exhibit
ANTONY GORMLEY AT WHITE CUBE LONDON An exhibition of new works by Antony Gormley is currently on view at the White Cube, Mason’s Yard in London. The artist has created a new-site specific installation and a new series of cast-iron block work sculptures. The works aim to depict how time engages with objects and how [...]
Tags: alice springs, antony gormley, breathing room, fakes mistakes and discoveries, june newton, national gallery exhibition, Photography, sit-specific installation, White Cube
Lucas Soriano Beltrán is a freelance artist/illustrator, who studied fine arts at the UPV college of Valencia. He states he is a compulsive comic-book reader and a dangerous movie maniac! You can tell by his work.
A daily dose of eye candy to highlight artworks we find for your viewing pleasure and inspiration. Today we are highlighting cool artworks depicting Zombies. Brains anyone? By Jon Bean Hastings
Self-taught painter and installation artist Jim Houser lives and works in Philadelphia, PA and has been added to the permanent collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. His last exhibition ‘The Tip of The Sword’ was in Milan, Italy at Galleria Patricia Armocida. Here is some of his work…
Kevin shares his thoughts on dealing with infertility and the holidays. As a guy, he finds solace in dealing with infertility through his work – whether that is intellectual or hands-on. Read more about the inspiration Kevin took from deer hunting this past year.
This November, I went deer hunting for the first time. While sitting in the woods, patiently waiting for a deer to walk past my blind, I began to read Einstein’s biography. The book discusses in detail Einstein’s two theories of relativity – general and special. His special theory of relativity is what challenged Newton’s long held traditional concept of absolute space and time. Through a series of mathematical equations and experiments, Einstein disproved Newton and instead demonstrated that space and time were relative to the observer – not an absolute concept. For example, someone moving inside of a train will have a different experience than someone standing on the side of the road watching the train go by.
Reading this in the woods, I couldn’t help but see how much of this theory also relates the experience of infertility. My wife and I have were diagnosed with infertility 5 years ago. That moment was life altering and brought upon itself a host of questions we never imagined we would have to think about. Today, we often have to remind ourselves that there is no absolute right interpretation or method of dealing with infertility. Just like Einstein’s theory: infertility is relative to the observer. Every year around the holidays, this topic comes up for us as a couple. Often we may be experiencing things differently, and we may have different ways or methods to make the holidays work in our minds. Let’s face it, this holiday is all about the birth of a child and it’s a tough one for the infertility community.
For me, and I would imagine many other men out there, talking explicitly about infertility is not really our way of coping and channeling our energy into something positive. Personally, over this year I have focused a lot on work and have been afforded some unique experiences to travel and live my passion of being a medical physicist. I have also poured myself into renovating our house that we bought as a symbol of our love and what we share together, even if we never have children of our own. This is extremely important to me.
I do not think we should despair over having different ways to make these holidays doable, but we should rejoice in that we share in this experience together. There is somewhat of a beauty in thinking about Einstein’s theory and that there is no absolute correct way to interpret and cope with infertility. However, it is comforting to know that a common thread is that the infertility community all shares this experience together. I hope everyone else out there can use this as a bit of consolation and uplift as we head move into a new year.
Posted in guest blog, holidays, Men's Health, Uncategorized	| Tagged infertility, infertility and the holidays, Men's Health	| Leave a reply
Embarking on the next couple of weeks of holiday celebrations, we offer you five tips that we find ourselves practicing as a method of surviving the celebration of a miraculous conception while dealing with infertility.
#5 Send a holiday card. Really! Tired of getting pictures of new babies and growing families in the mail? Send your own card! Remind others that you are a family! Maria does this frequently sending cards featuring herself, husband, and two puppies. For her, this is a form of infertility advocacy.
#4 Treat Yo Self! Take time out and pamper yourself. Get a massage. Get your nails done. Make yourself feel good!
#3 Talk with your partner and ask, “What are we going to do to make the holiday special for us?” Maria recommends this especially as much of the holidays revolve around the excitement of nieces and nephews waiting for Santa to come. Maria tries to go out for a Christmas Eve brunch with her husband to block out a set time for just the two of them.
#2 Remember it’s okay to just say “no”. Not everything is going to be something that you are going to want to attend. Just like baby a baby shower, remember you don’t need to attend every holiday party or every family event. Sometimes you just need to say no. And that’s okay! Elizabeth said no to her extended family Christmas party this year and spent time with child free friends instead.
#1 Try to step back and enjoy the simple things. To say infertility is complicated is an understatement. Balancing infertility with the holidays can sometimes increase anxieties. We suggest taking a night and escaping. Make a fire, turn on some holiday tree lights (or don’t if you’re on a decorating strike like Elizabeth), cozy-up with a cup of tea, blanket, and a good book to escape. Sometimes taking a moment to remove yourself from it all allows you to better process and handle the ups and downs that will no doubt come with your infertility diagnosis.
We hope some of the suggestions we have implemented over the years will help you navigate the holidays and new year. Most of all, we want you to know that you are not alone.
Posted in Emotional Effects of Infertility, holidays, infertility and the holidays, Self Care	| Tagged a family of two, ART of Infertility, Christmas and infertility, holiday card, holiday self care, holidays, infertility, making the holidays special, self care	| 2 Replies
This short reflection is a few years old. I wrote it after being recently diagnosed. The holiday season was fast approaching at this time, creating a lot of anxiety. Re-reading this reflection, I am quickly transported to a place of deep pain. The reflection seems like a distant memory, yet, also hauntingly familiar. Many of the feelings and thoughts are still there. The only difference is that they appear less frequently and not in the same velocity as they did when I first wrote this reflection. Today, I wonder, when did I stop fighting my infertility and begin to embrace it? And why did I choose surviving infertility over fighting for a family? – Maria
The holidays have always been special to my husband and I. This is when we first met. When we first started dating. When we got engaged. When we told our families we were getting married. When we bought our first house. When we got our first puppy.
An image of our first puppy, Stella. We picked her up from the shelter on New Year’s Eve in 2010. She was symbolic of a new year, new life.
Lately though, we’ve been needing to rely on those memories in order to escape feeling the holiday blues. Now, as we find ourselves in this new place, this new understanding of what it means to be a married childless couple, we have needed to question what this means.
This year we decided to volunteer for Thanksgiving. To visit with the elderly. We thought this to be a great idea as it avoids feeling the constant reminder of this childless lack. And by volunteering we felt a great bond with Bob, Mary, and Ethel. All three did not have a family to visit them. They were very much on their own. Feeling many of the same emotions we felt. Not sadness, not loneliness. Just acceptance of this is how life was to be. Finding meaning and special joy in little things. Little things like having the café at the nursing home open and simply visiting with those who silently felt the same acceptance towards life.
But Christmas and Thanksgiving are two very different holidays. Thanksgiving is reflective and about the food and blessings that you have. Christmas is projective. It is very much about “another year.” And more often than not it is about children. Baby Jesus and manger scenes. Promoting a redemptive and celebratory message about the power of the baby.
It is also about kids and the “magical joy” of Christmas. Kids waking up Christmas morning and running to the tree. Screaming at the excitement at finding an Xbox or Easy Bake Oven – but more often simply screaming because Santa arrived and provided.
This has become clear to us over the years that we’ve been married. Each year, it seems harder for us to embrace the spirit of the holidays. We know this and often comment on it. “What are we going to do to make the holiday’s special for us?” we ask each other.
We come up with different ideas to make it special. Often times it is simply going for a drive to see the lights and reliving the memories of us doing this when we were younger, before we were married – when we looked to the future of family with hope and excitement.
While we still find it difficult to celebrate the holidays, we make sure to send out a holiday card each year. This card is from this year. We make a point to stress that while we may not have children, we are a family.
In fact, the puppy that we got around the holidays is no longer with us. Five years have past since I last wrote this reflection. Her passing reminds us of how we could have our own 5-year-old at this point in our life. Our own child eagerly waiting to find presents under the tree. Instead though we are still trying to make sense of it all. Still trying to find joy in the little, non-traditional family we made.
When I hear “Blue Christmas” by Elvis on the radio, I am transported to the moment I wrote this reflection. Sometimes it is nice to be reminded that while the holidays can be a time of joy, they can also heighten personal pains.
Posted in holidays, Posts by Maria, writing	| Tagged holidays, infertility and the holidays, Infertility poetry	| Leave a reply
Need a Holiday Survival Guide? Our guest blogger, Angela Bergmann, has one for you! Maria and I first met Angela at Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. this year. Thanks, Angela, for sharing your tips for dealing with Infertility during the holidays!
The holidays are trying at the best of times. Add in being infertile, and the holidays can be a true test of will. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be! Well, at the very least, we can take steps to make it through in one piece.
This Christmas marks the ninth year since I started trying to conceive that there won’t be a baby in my Christmas photos. Last year, for the first time ever, I had some small hope as I completed my first IVF retrieval and subsequent transfers around Thanksgiving and Christmas. After those failed, I was so sure I would cycle again and be pregnant before this holiday season. Alas, it was not meant to be.
Knowing how hard the past several holidays have been for me, and feeling like this one may be the worst yet, I tried to proactively prepare myself for this holiday season. I found a counselor that works for me, and I have actively tried to practice self-care. I also put together a “Holiday Survival Guide” for my RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association peer-led support group. Knowing how hard the holidays can be, I wanted to share some of the tips from that guide- lessons I’ve learned over the years that can help ease the pain of being infertile for the holidays:
Practice self-care. Having a tough time? Stressed out? Treat yourself to a manicure, or a couple hours snuggled on the couch with a blanket and Netflix or a book. Whatever it is that makes you feel good, do it.
Ask for help. A lot of the time people don’t realize we’re suffering because our disease isn’t visible. Communicate with those around you so that they know what you need (My husband says he would like to see this tip bolded and underlined).
Say no. Remember, it’s okay to say no to things. The only way we can protect ourselves is by being our own advocate.
Have an exit strategy. If you want or need to go to something, have an exit strategy. Conversation getting hard for you? Have a password to let your spouse know you need some air or that you want to go home. It’s also a good idea to have a way to tell them if you’re having a good time!
Grieve. What we’re dealing with is sad, and is a grieving process. Those around us may not recognize that. Allow yourself the space to grieve what you are going through. If you’re comfortable, explain it to those around you.
It can be difficult, but try to remember that our family and friends aren’t trying stress us out… They just don’t understand what we are going through, and often just want to be helpful. They don’t realize that what they are saying is not helpful to us, as we are suffering from a disease.
The majority of the time they have our best interest at heart. If you are open in your struggle, educate them on the best ways to help you. Remind them that you are suffering from a disease, and that it’s a process. If that doesn’t work, excuse yourself and don’t feel bad for doing so. As someone once said, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” You have to take care of your own well-being if you hope to have any good cheer to spread!
Posted in guest blog, holidays, infertility and the holidays	| Tagged Angela Bergmann, financial infertility, surviving the holidays with infertility	| 2 Replies
Aaah, the holidays. If you’re like me, this time of year has definitely been made more challenging by your infertility diagnosis. Years ago, before I had any idea that I’d one day be traveling around the country with an infertility art exhibit, collecting oral histories, and running art and writing workshops, I compiled this list of tips for coping with infertility during the holidays.
Some of the ideas are mine, some are of those of people I’ve met along the way, some are from online blogs, or resources like RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. I wish now that I had kept track of where I’d found them so I could give credit where credit is due. However, it’s been too helpful to me, and those in my infertility support groups, over the years to keep it to myself. So, I’m sharing it with all of you this week. I’m particularly fond of #s 12, 17, 42, 52, 68, and 69. What are your favorites? Do you have any you’d like to add?
Be sure to incorporate the usual events that are meaningful and joyful for you into your plans. Don’t let infertility rob you of your joys.
Instead of attending an entire event, go to only the portion of the event that you find enjoyable or tolerable.
Be interesting! Adjust the focus from your inability to have a baby to something positive about you.
Have an emergency to-do list of enjoyable activities. Write it when you’re having a good day and then pick an item from the list when you’re having a bad one.
Write an uplifting note to yourself on a good day. Keep it in your purse or a pocket to read when you are feeling down.
Avoid talking about Infertility at holiday parties. If someone brings it up, say you’d rather enjoy the holidays instead.
Posted in holidays, tips	| Tagged coping with the holidays, Marissa McClure Sweeny, RESOLVE, stress of infertility, surviving infertility	| Leave a reply
Unfinished Basement Ideas – There are lots of residences which have a built-in basement. Nonetheless, few owners in fact appreciate making use of the space in an effective way.
Some of the property owners could merely see the cellar as the storage area for keeping the old scrap boxes or anything that is not utilized commonly. Then there are some of us who don’t even understand exactly what to do with space.
Don’t stress there are a lot of suggestions regarding just what to do with that said unused as well as incomplete cellar underneath your residence. Plus it will certainly update your way of living as well as makes it easier.
You have a gold possibility if your residence has an additional unused and also unfinished room. The incomplete cellar doesn’t only have to serve for the purpose of saving the utilities or storage space boxes. Utilizing creative suggestions plus little initiative you could turn that area right into a wonderful addition to your residence.
Prior to you start getting in touch with specialists and also approximating for a remodel, make your decision relating to the big picture. There will certainly be some Benefits and drawbacks together with it. So here are several of the incomplete ideas you could utilize.
The very first idea for transforming the unfinished basement is the man cave for the most of the moment. Your dad or other half will certaineate a space for all his lots of items.
All job and no play will certainly make your kid dull. For a child’s total development, playtime is vital. Nevertheless, play usually is a mix of loud sounds and playthings messing the area. The remedy is to turn your incomplete basement right into the supreme playroom for your kid.
When it comes to art and also craft, things could really messy. Your progress can even come to a stop when you can no longer tolerate the mess as well as you want to cleanse it up just for the sake of decreasing the mess.
If you produce a space for your craft jobs you will not should clear the dinner table or clean the living-room’s floor. So transform your incomplete basement right into your very own crafting place.
Yes, you could have obtained a great TV in your family room upstairs, yet maybe you like to see films in a perfect setting like seeing on a big screen or with the house cinema stereo.
Transforming your unfinished basement right into a residence movie theater is a great idea. Plus area will certainly be fantastic for your children if they intend to a pajama party and you could also enjoy your precious sports.
No kids are enabled. You have every right to unwind just on your own when you feel like it. Feeling tired after a lengthy work day?
Unwind your body and mind at bench simply listed below your house. It will be the perfect location for organizing the wine or cheese celebration you could have constantly been considering.
When you subscribed to that gym your good friend referred, you would have never ever seen the reasons featuring it. Skip today or otherwise? Get rid of all the reasons by remodeling your unfinished basement right into a home exercise health club.
Whether you want to run, or do yoga exercise, or execute cross fit your brand-new addition will aid you to obtain solid and lean. You do not need to go anywhere crowded and also obtain sidetracked.
Having your own home does not make you old. You will not have to stop playing games or delight in things. I think everyone’s a kid someplace deep inside.
Take advantage of the incomplete area as well as construct it into a game room which you have constantly desired. Line the basement walls with your favored arcade video games or established tables for texas hold’em or pool. Regardless of your idea of playing games, you will definitely blow off steam in your new recreation room.
Functioning from house could be challenging with many interruptions. You may have kids or animals or household chores can really distract you from your needed work. If you are feeding to these disturbances, turn your cellar room into an office. Basement can be surprisingly peaceful and also with you being without interruption work could be smooth.
Having visitors in your home is a privilege unless you do not have enough area to fit them. Make use of your incomplete cellar to turn it right into a comfortable guest space. This way you won’t have to sacrifice your convenience or make your visitor feel reluctant.
Usually, we store points in the basement that endures its hotness, humidness, temperature, as well as moisture. However, sensitive points such as your mother’s bridal gown or dad’s priceless keepsakes most likely will not survive the basement. Produce a best storage space atmosphere in your cellar and store your most treasured keepsakes.
The incomplete basement room is ideal for doing washing. So create an utility room in there with the efficient area to clean, dry and also fold your garments. Laundry will not be difficult once more.
Build an entertainment area where relative come for bonding and also loosening up function and also the unfinished basement room could be the best area for it.
Include two or more sofas, a lovely carpet and also a big TV– an excellent area for holding a family members night.
Drawing on academic research from across the Social Sciences at Loughborough, Making it up: this moment of June, investigates forms and relations of listening that (re)produce and are (re)produced by personal and public places, thinking through non-musical, musical and technological listening. Rebecca has brought together an ensemble of Loughborough musicians to explore ways to trace boundaries of music, place and registers of listening. The public are invited to a recording session, when a recording of a new performance score will be captured. The audio recorded during that session will then play again in online and public spaces on our Loughborough Campus and in the town over the summer period. The score developed for the project will be published in autumn 2018.
This event is part of (re)composition, a project commissioned by Radar, which explores how music makes place and places make music. The project draws on the research of Dr Allan Watson in Loughborough University’s Department of Geography.
This event is part of (re)composition, Radar's main commissioning strand for 2017/18, which explores how music makes place and places make music. The project draws on the research of Dr Allan Watson in Loughborough University's Department of Geography, and has expanded to engage with research across the Social Sciences. More information on (re)composition here.
Join us for the opening of Assunta Ruocco's 'Co-Working with Things' in the Martin Hall Exhibition Space on Wednesday 14th November, from 4-6pm. Wine and refreshments provided, and the artist and curator will be present to discuss the work.
An exhibition of artistic research conducted as part of the practice-based PhD project ‘Co-working with Things. How Furnished Spaces Contribute to the Emergence of Artworks’, supervised by Gillian Whiteley and­­­­ Eleanor Morgan, within Loughborough University School of the Arts, English and Drama. All prints were produced within SAED Printmaking Workshop with the help and advice of printmaking tutor Pete Dobson. Exhibition curated by David Bell, with support from Radar­.
In 1947, artist Anni Albers urged us to consider ‘materials as our co-workers’. In so doing she invited us to develop new relationships with machines, tools, materials and working spaces. This exhibition explores how the things with which artists work can be seen as co-workers. All the artworks presented are based on simple sets of rules derived from what was possible within a particular, contingent context: working at home or in the printmaking workshop. The works are ongoing, and insist on labour intensive relationships with materials, tools and machines arranged within particular furnished spaces.
The most important aspect common to the works is that they are not autonomous pieces produced by an autonomous artist: their dependence on situations, contexts, equipment, and the willingness of others to do some of the work is written within the ‘code’ that structures their ongoing development. The modular installation Vertical Studio is formless, until someone helps to make it by arranging the elements. Aquatint Etchings is a series of double-sided, multi-layered prints: exhibiting them always involves outsourcing the process of deciding which print is visible, and which is concealed. To make the Photo-Etchings, I asked friends to select from thousands of drawings. Those chosen were then turned into a multiple through the complex photo-etching process which produces uncontrollable variations.
The myth of artistic autonomy is challenged by artworks that depend on contingent contexts and can only emerge from specific arrangements of things. Focusing on the role of things within furnished spaces also reveals the importance of maintenance activities that are not usually seen as part of artistic labour. It is the work of setting up and looking after spaces such as homes, studios and workshops that makes the emergence of new artworks possible.