Conclusion

Here we are, ladies 'n' gents!

I have opened the filing cabinet of my brain for you all and categorized the humans of Windsor that have marked me the most. I do hope that my observations were equally as pleasant as they were awakening. Every day, we ignore dozens of stories that pass us by. Every day, people whose thoughts are entirely parallel to ours remain unacquainted. Is this any way to live?

The following video contests that the reason for our increasingly individualized lifestyles may be partially blamed on technology. I remember I also watched a Ted Talk on the subject called "Together, But Alone" or something of the sort. The moral was the same: We feel as though we are close to the people around us without needing to physically be close to them. Social media allows for people whom you never interact with to delve into your personal life, for you to upkeep relationships without putting in legitimate effort... Wait. I'm getting slightly off-topic here.

The point that I am trying to make is that humans are social creatures. Embrace it. That whole "don't talk to strangers" mantra is no longer applicable as we are old enough to have a proper sense of judgement in regards to our safety. A conversation with a stranger could change your life. Even to begin by merely observing the people around you, by practicing mindfulness, you will learn a lot about the human psyche. On the contrary, you'll learn nothing by reading what your contemporaries have Tweeted as of late nor by updating your profile picture on Facebook.

Now, it is your turn, dear reader. I want you to get up from your seat and to step out into the world with ready eyes and an open mind. "There will be so much the more air and sunshine in your thoughts," (Thoreau, 52)*. "Above all, we cannot afford not to live in the present. He is blessed over all mortals who loses no moment of the passing life in remembering the past," (Thoreau, 73)*. You've only got the world to gain when you remove yourself from your ego to let everything and everyone speak for themselves.

Why not end my blogging days with a photograph that I took of a heartfelt Windsor sunset?
More than humans to admire here, but that's a whole other blog topic!
À Dieu!

*Excerpts from "Civil Disobedience and Other Essays." "Walking" was the title of this particular one, in which Thoreau highlights the importance of taking walks.

Visual Artists

Welcome once again!

We have reached our final lot of people. Though this group is no less cherished than the others, this will likely be my most difficult post to write for the reason that I am often faced with art whose creator remains faceless. I have seen many works across town, however, and I know these people are among the average faces walking down the street. Despite my lack of specifics, I feel that by giving you the where and the what details about our local artists, perhaps you can contribute in giving them the recognition they deserve.

By: Denial

Photo from an Art in the Park past
I retrieved from Google.

I will begin with the familiar. There are several art exhibits Downtown such as Artcite which have a constant influx of local art, whether in the form of a video, a painting or a sculpture of sorts. Several of my friends who were in a specialized Walkerville Center for the Creative Arts (WCCA) art program had the chance to display and sell pieces of which they were proud in spring times passed at Artcite. If a piece strikes your interest, it is best to make a move quickly because art exhibits are fleeting and it is not as easy as it should be to sell such works. However, there are events which propagate the importance of local art. Recently, a silent auction and exhibition for various art displays around the city called the Smogfest made its end. There is also the annual Art in the Park in Willistead which takes place at the beginning of June each year, where WCCA students again get to let their art sell itself among other artists.

A ubiquitous form of visual art is that of graffiti. I find that the ideology behind graffiti is similar to that behind tattoos. Through such works, the artists get to express themselves and get to add character to otherwise average places. Probably the most renowned graffiti artist in Windsor is Denial, or Daniel Bombardier, with his in-your-face bashing of conventionality through 50's Pop-art style works. My friend traveled to British Columbia this past summer and was surprised to see that his works have dissipated all the way to the coasts. It just so happens that I became well-acquainted with someone who had been a part of Windsor's graffiti scene and who told me that it is very competitive. If your piece is in a popular painting zone and is not deemed worthy, it will quickly be covered with someone else's musings. Personally, I do not find graffiti unsightly unless it is dripping vulgarity; I have seen exceptional works.

Film photo taken by Summer Cazabon

Visual art is not limited to fabricating an image onto a blank canvas. Photography is another form which many

Calum Noade of Windsor won windsorite.ca's
Photo of the Day on February 15th

of my contemporaries have fallen in love with. Whether they are shooting with hefty Canon or Nikon digital cameras for high-quality shots or with ancient film cameras for that beautiful grainy effect, many of these people always have their cameras ready for action. Despite their being in school or not for the hobby, it is another outlet which proves to be very rewarding and recognition has not been seldom. In the same sector comes the lovers of film or cinematography. I have been requested many times to act in a video project of a pal's, whether for school or for a personal goal.

A form which I am the least familiar with is animation. I discovered recently that some people find that technology allows for those who are not comfortable with these other hands-on art making methods to express themselves. These range from anime to videos such as this (not an artist native to Windsor, though similar in style). As a romantic, this video helped me note that contemporary art is no less beautiful than that of the past.

Not one of these forms is inferior to the other, as they are all wonderful ways to express oneself. Even I have picked up the paintbrush although I completely lack technical knowledge. It is a very meditative past time once you have accepted the ancient mantra of there being no mistakes in art. Whether to express yourself for yourself or to hang out with a group of friends and make pictures, it is a wholesome and amusing activity.

À vous, reader! Best of luck on your artistic endeavors!