Rod, reel, line, fly. Theres simplicity to fly-fishing on the surface, but its complexities run deep.

Fly Fishing: The Art of Deception, a new exhibit at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, explores the artistry, history, biology, industry and technology of fly-fishing. The exhibit runs through April 15.

I hope that what people take away is that there is a lot more to it than just going out and catching fish, said Julia Cronin, curator of collections and exhibits at

Turtle Bay.

The Fly Shop, a business with a low-key local presence but an extensive customer base and an international reach, is the exhibits major sponsor.

What is remarkable is how little people know about the role that our region has played in terms of fly-fishing throughout the world, said Mike Michalak, owner of The Fly Shop.

The exhibit shares the history of how the rainbow trout of McCloud River were used to stock some of the major fisheries of the world. It highlights north state rod-makers and notes that some of the first fishing clubs were in Northern California. It also calls attention to the premiere fishing to be found on the

Sacramento, Klamath, Trinity, Pit and McCloud rivers.

Fly-fishing has economic ripples, Michalak noted. Those who come to Northern California to fish spend money on hotels, restaurants and fishing guides.

Thats good green money, he said. The only tracks those people leave are generally from their credit card imprint.

Cronin said offering a fly-fishing exhibit was a natural for Turtle Bay because it ties in with the museums conservation focus and its location on the Sacramento River, where fishermen wade in daily to try their luck. But when staff looked for a traveling fly-fishing exhibit to bring to Redding, there wasnt one to be found.

We decided to make our own show, Cronin said.

The Fly Shop stepped in as sponsor and has provided much expertise and materials, she said. Key support also came from Shasta Trinity Fly Fishers, which includes Shasta Mayflies.

Cronin said many of the display items — old fishing licenses, wicker creels, bamboo rods, flies, vests, waders and more — are on loan from the organizations members. Members are giving fly-tying demonstrations every weekend at Turtle Bay.

Dick Johnson of Redding, who was tying flies last weekend in the exhibit hall, said hes been fly-fishing off and on for 20 years. You get outdoors and you get to see beautiful water and beautiful areas. The bonus is when you catch a fish.

He hopes the exhibit sparks more interest in fly-fishing and makes locals aware of what a wonderful river weve got here.

The Federation of Fly Fishers Museum in Livingston, Mont., also donated items for the exhibit. Cronin said Phillip Greenlee, chairman of its board, lives in Redding.

The exhibit was designed to appeal to fly-fishing enthusiasts and those who have never picked up a fly rod. It shows the progression of fly-fishing (the artificial fly was mentioned in Roman antiquity) and covers conservation and fish biology. There are videos and an area to try casting. Children can fish for magnetic fish, and then use a chart to identify what they land.

Fly-fishing is a fun activity for families, Cronin said.

Its a great way to get your family outside. Kids love fish. They also love bugs. Its a great learning tool. Its a great way to teach conservation, she said.

If you go

What: “Fly Fishing: The Art of Deception”

Where: Turtle Bay Exploration Park, 840 Sundial Bridge Drive in Redding

When: 9 am to 4 pm Wednesdays through Saturdays; 10 am to 4 pm Sundays. Runs through April 15.

Special features: Tying demonstrations noon to 3 pm every Saturday and Sunday. Shasta Trinity Fly Fishers Fly Tying Expo 10 am to 12:30 pm and 1 to 3:30 pm Feb. 18-19. Includes hands-on lessons on tying flies and casting.

Tags : Artistry

Tattoo Artist Stuart McNish Moves Sic Ink to the BullyJuice Tattoo Studio in Riverview, Florida
Tattoo Artist Stuart McNish has moved his Sic Ink tattoo artistry to the BullyJuice Tattoo Studio in Riverview Florida

Tags : Artistry

(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything thats happening with country music artists behind the scenes and
out of the spotlight.)

LeAnn Rimes will sing about her divorce.
Thats what she told Chelsea Handler on a recent episode of Chelsea
Lately. Rimes said the album shes working on now will be more about her troubled love life than her previous music.

Im
working on another CD that I just finished writing, Rimes told Handler. Ive been pretty much quiet in the press about my
divorce so Im definitely gonna let it all out in my artistry on the next record.

That, I cannot wait to hear. But
the two celebs didnt just talk about that divorce. They also touched on the incessant bikini pictures of Rimes in the tabloids.
I am on the beach, for Gods sake, Rimes says in her defense.

She also defends her slim figure by explaining that
the world got to know her when she was only 13, when she still had some baby fat on her body. And as for all the claims that
Rimes is anorexic, Handler herself shoots those down because she says she saw Rimes eating chocolate in the dressing room.

Tags : Artistry

DUBLIN, Calif., Feb. 8, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Standard Pacific Homes, one of the nations leaders in homebuilding quality, today announced plans to unveil two brand new communities in Dublin, Calif. Standard Pacific Homes Castello and Piazza at Sorrento feature all-new home designs which blend timeless architecture with casual luxury. Tour eight stunning model homes on February 11 from 11 am to 3 pm at Standard Pacific Homes Grand Opening celebration.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120208/LA50130)#xA0;

Dubbed The Artistry of Home(SM), the architectural concepts offer spacious floor plans that create an enhanced sense of flow from room to room and provide an indoor to outdoor connectivity that fills the home with natural lighting. Prospective homeowners will find that more square footage is dedicated to the areas where people spend the majority of their time. Comfortable, casual living spaces replace traditional formal rooms and an oversized kitchen that flows into the Great Room serves as the true gathering and entertaining hub of the home.

With flexible living spaces and open floor plans, Castello and Piazza at Sorrento are designed for todays families, said Tom Burrill, Bay Area President for Standard Pacific Homes. Were thrilled to bring Standard Pacific Homes quality construction and ingenious design to the Tri-Valleys most sought after master-planned community.

Castello at SorrentoPriced from the high $600,000s, Castello at Sorrento offers six spacious home designs ranging from 2,019 to 2,706 square feet. The community features three distinctive exterior designs rooted in classic Italian architecture. Castello at Sorrento offers up to four bedrooms, three and one-half baths and an optional third floor retreat.

Piazza at SorrentoPriced from the mid $600,000s, Piazza at Sorrento offers eight unique home designs ranging from 1,966 to 2,737 square feet. Each floor plan offers a downstairs bedroom and bath. Homes include up to six bedrooms, four baths and many flexible room options including a loft, bonus room or office space.

All of the homes within Castello and Piazza at Sorrento are ENERGY STAR#xAE; qualified, which means that homebuyers may save up to 30% on energy costs as compared to a typical older resale home.

Located in the rolling hills of Dublin, the master-planned community of Sorrento is reminiscent of a picturesque Italian village complete with resort-style amenities. Construction will commence in summer 2012 on a community swimming pool, park, private clubhouse and fitness center. Providing easy access for commuters, Sorrento is conveniently situated near the I-580, I-680, BART and ACE Train. Residents will also enjoy close proximity to upscale retail options at Stoneridge Mall and local recreation such as state parks, prestigious golf courses and vineyards. The communitys children may have the opportunity to attend the renowned Dublin schools, including the brand new Kolb Elementary School.

To be among the first to experience The Artistry of Home(SM), attend the Grand Opening of Castello and Piazza at Sorrento on February 11 from 11 am to 3 pm Festivities will include exclusive model home tours, refreshments and an opportunity to enter to win a trip for two to Europe. The sales center is located near the intersection of Gleason and Grafton at 3427 Vitorria Loop, Dublin, CA., 94568. For additional details and directions to Castello and Piazza at Sorrento, visit www.standardpacifichomes.com.

About Standard Pacific Homes

Standard Pacific Homes, one of the nations largest homebuilders, has built homes for more than 115,000 families during its 46-year history. The Company constructs homes within a wide range of price and size targeting a broad range of homebuyers. Standard Pacific Homes operates in many of the largest housing markets in the country with operations in major metropolitan areas in California, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Colorado and Nevada. For more information about the Company and its new home developments, please visit our website at: www.standardpacifichomes.com.#xA0;

Contact: Danielle ToccoDirector of CommunicationsStandard Pacific Homes949.789.1633dtocco@stanpac.com

SOURCE Standard Pacific Homes

Tags : Artistry

“An artist’s creative intelligence can truly express itself only when prompted by his intellect and when he is in a state of inspired rapture; it is then that he abundantly demonstrates his God-given powers and sublime ideas.” -Georgio Vasari

Every artist seeks those precious moments that have the power to transform simple activity and busyness into an exhilarating experience in which the heart, head, and hands are unified in action. This is flow, the holy grail of creativity. Flow gives us the ultimate artistic edge – time flies, focus intensifies, and distraction disappears.

To find and maintain it, we have to pit our deepening strengths against ever-greater challenges, taking intelligent risks that test our perceived boundaries and carry us into uncertain territory. If we don’t, if we forever indulge in our fear of failure, we will never experience the highest levels of our creativity.

Intelligent risk-taking is action that falls within the realm of our strength, but which may test our abilities beyond their proven limit. Most of our limitations are self-imposed; we generally don’t know how far we can go until we put our capacity on trial. Laura Wilkenson risked her broken foot to win the high-dive gold medal the 2000 Sydney Olympics. We often surprise ourselves with enormous achievements when we take the chance to step outside our comfort zone, engage our talents fully, and rise to a new challenge.

This not as daunting as it seems. When we’re working from our strengths, stretching them comes rather naturally. It’s when we stretch that we have a chance at excellence. It’s when we stretch that we experience the greatest growth and development in our creative talent.

Can limits be of any benefit? Absolutely. When the limit is one of finite resources. Constraints of time, money, material and space all drive creativity. The editor knows the value of a deadline. The child with but a single toy will demonstrate far more imaginative play with it than a child with a hundred others. The solo voice can be every bit as powerful as a full orchestration. A single quote can be more powerful than an entire epic novel.

Self-imposed limits of energy and effort, though, are the death knell of true artistry. Do not step away from the edge. Seek it out. Lean into discomfort.

imagecredit:intellokids

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Matthew E. May is the author of IN PURSUIT OF ELEGANCE: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing. He is constantly searching for creative ideas and innovative solutions that are elegant a unique and elusive combination of unusual simplicity and surprising power.

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Tags : Artistry

Click to listen to Curren$ys Soundbombin

Rapper Curren$y will release The Muscle Car Chronicles, which is a double album and will serve as a soundtrack to a film of the same name, on February 14th. Damon Dash, who helped produce the album and will release it on his DD 172 / BluRoc label, says they recorded with live instruments to emphasize Curren$ys music and artistry.

This is one of the cooler things Ive ever done. We recorded Muscle Car Chronicles in Brooklyn before Curren$y hit on a commercial level. Our producer Sean OConnell loves Curren$y as an artist and was able to put him in an unfamiliar, live-instrument studio environment, Dash tells Rolling Stone. It showed Curren$y was the deal.

Random Notes

Dash considers the album to be uncompromised art, which is why it will lend itself well to soundtrack a film. It wasnt made for radio. There are no expectations on it. It wasnt made for anything aside from the love of music that was being made, he says.

Curren$ys Soundbombin is exclusively streaming on RollingStone.com

Tags : Artistry

Elizabeth Gessner, art historian and Spanish translator, will chart a vivid course of St. Augustine history through the art of map-making during a lecture from 7 to 9 pm Feb. 23 at the St. Augustine Art Association.

The talk, entitled “St. Augustine Maps: A City with a Plan,” will explore 16th century New World Spanish settlements, along with early mapping techniques and the artistic value of cartography.

Admission is free; however, reservations are required due to limited seating. The St. Augustine Art Association is at 22 Marine St. Call 824-2310 for information or to reserve a seat.

Downtown parking on the street is free after 5 pm

The program is the second installment of the “Artistic Heritage Lecture Series” sponsored in part through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council.

Tags : Artistry

3-D or not 3-D: That is the question. Or at least its one question ricocheting through the dance community in the aftermath of Pina, Wim Wenders recent 3-D film tribute to the late innovative German choreographer and Tanztheater Wuppertal company leader Pina Bausch.

In one sense, its a nonissue: Every classic dance film ever made would have infinitely more power with real dimensional space around, behind, above and in front of the dancers. Think about Fred Astaire gunning down the corps in Top Hat or the fantastic colors and shapes in The Red Shoes ballet or Baryshnikov defining male classicism for the whole century in The Turning Point or Patrick Swayze having the time of his life in Dirty Dancing or the Merce Cunningham company making modernism irresistibly seductive in Points in Space. (Add your own favorites to the list.)

But right now 3-D is arguably just a novelty act, existing in so many formats and processes that its premature to embrace it as the future of film and video dance. For starters, the stats on Pina say it exists in Digital 3-D and Real 3-D (thats a corporate name, not a value judgment), as well as 2-D. And current 3-D eyewear ranges from those red-and-green plastic glasses you need for most YouTube 3-D on through so-called passive movie specs to expensive electric goggles required for 3-D TV. Most of them darken the image or desaturate color and some impose a flicker or shimmer.

Whats more, Pina is a special case, a valedictory compendium of excerpts, not a dance film per se. Indeed, Wenders arguably misrepresents Bauschs achievements by emphasizing early and pure-dance pieces, never revealing that some of the exquisitely eccentric passages on view are embedded in multidisciplinary three- to four-hour panoramic epics. Bauschs sense of time in the theater and her use of audience-confrontation tactics are ignored. What remains is eine kleine Pina: her Tanztheater with only the Tanz.

Still, the sight of massed dancers hurling themselves at the camera at us in The Rite of Spring proves spectacular. And when they kick dust, throw water and blow leaves in your face elsewhere in the film, the footage recalls the retro lion-in-your-lap thrills of Bwana Devil, Hollywoods first color 3-D feature back in 1952.

If such moments exploit 3-D technology in the most obvious manner, the dance photography as a whole nullifies it magnificently. Look at the trailer online in ordinary 2-D and youll find dimensional qualities strongly evident in the placement of the cameras, the dancers, the foreground and background objects the whole look of the shots. You dont miss anything.

Then watch Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their glorious Never Gonna Dance duet near the end of George Stevens Swing Time from 1936. Its the same: a perfect dimensional illusion created by the depth and design of the set (including the painted floor), the sustained camera movement, the dancers interaction. 3-D can be an enhancement to such collaborative artistry, but it cant rescue a mediocre director, choreographer or director of photography. With all its limitations, Pina is three-for-three on that score, and its easy to understand why it received an Oscar nomination for best documentary.

For dance-makers eager to experiment with 3-D, relatively inexpensive camcorders are now available, and some even provide a choice of exhibition formats. (Without a 3-D TV or computer, youll need to learn the word anaglyph and buy some of those red-and-green glasses.) But just about everyone in the field considers 3-D-with-glasses a clumsy, transitional technology, soon to be as pass as VHS. Yes, 3-D content from Avatar to Pina and beyond will be reproduced in every new mode. But rather than investing in a doomed format, it might be better to wait and watch conversion technology develop.

Its no secret that some movies released in 3-D werent shot that way theyre digital conversions. And as the sale of 3-D TVs and 3-D Blu-Ray players increase, vault treasures also will be converted for the home-video market. Did you really think that your Blu-Ray Gone With the Wind with all those special features was the ultimate collectors edition? Not a chance. Get ready for Scarlett and Rhett in 3-D. And maybe, eventually, The Red Shoes and some of the other dance classics listed above.

Down the line, you can also hope that Adobe Photoshop/Premiere or Final Cut Pro X or some other state-of-the-art home-editing system will create a consumer program that will allow you to convert your home movies to 3-D and your own dance films as well. So shoot now as if its 3-D and wait for the tech wars to deliver formats and processes that wont get in your way or quickly become obsolete.

The marketplace rules, but the tech-savvy consumer has more prominence than ever in the media world. TV news, for instance, now depends on citizen-videographers being on the scene of major events aka. personal coverage. And sooner or later, citizen-choreographers working in 3-D, holography or whatever comes after that will transform film and video dance through personal artistry. It wont matter if the images come from a lowly camcorder rather than fancy studio equipment because itll be the essential bedrock experience: dancing with true depth. But first weve got to get rid of those glasses.

calendar@latimes.com

Formerly The Times dance critic, Segal is a freelance arts writer. Hes been shooting in various 3-D formats (prints, slides and now video) since 1983.

Tags : Artistry

Betty Moon moved from Toronto to Los Angeles less than two years ago, but her sound seems bred perfectly for LA clubs–dark, heavy guitar with bold and slithering vocals, all marked by the artist herself, a woman in fishnets, strong makeup, and tattoos.

Her new album (her fifth) Rollin Revolution, begun in Toronto and finished at Sage and Sound Studio in Hollywood, explores the contradictory realm of artistic life–the confidence, honest righteousness, the excess, the loss, the starting over.

Despite calling to mind the tailored screeches of Janis Joplin and Patti Smith, and incorporating Black Sabbath-like bass with Iommi-influenced heavy guitar-driven choruses, Moon’s record transcends the obviousness of such a lineage. The album’s a blend of crunching and liquescence, a neon look into the dive bar soul of a sensitive but strong-boot-heel female artist.

The lead track, “Captain Hi-Top,” frazzles the nerves with the right kind of soaring power chords and personal manifesto lyrics that, if it wanted to, could be the coolest song on any modern rock radio station in the nation.

To balance the heavy black-tongued songs like “Captain Hi-Top,” “Trouble Loves Me,” and “Rollin Revolution” she does a couple slower, jazzy laments. “Drink Your Fears Away” reminds of the opening to Rollins Band’s “Liar,” and “Elegy” carries a rainy sound that lays the foundation for Moon’s searching lyrics and vocals.

She ends the record with its thesis, a cover of the Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love” done the way it deserves to be tried: made boozier, more amphetamine than peyote. The first nine songs are originals, all carrying variations in tone or content on the theme of: “When the truth is found to be lies / And all the joy within you dies / Don’t you want somebody to love / Don’t you need somebody to love / Wouldn’t you love somebody to love / You better find somebody to love.”

It does debase the music to suggest that Betty Moon’s Rollin Revolution merely collages hard rock, punk, jazz and the tradition of bold female frontwomen.

The album does something very difficult, which is reinventing sounds that are entirely familiar in an unfamiliar way.

She’ll make you search your mind for a precedent that doesn’t exist; her style fits a space that feels so natural it’s probably existed in the modern listener’s subconscious for a decade or two, and Moon is the one to make it manifest, as an artist does, bringing forth shapes and colors of the soul.

Moon’s songs have been getting significant airplay on the radio, including on Rodney Bingenheimer’s Rodney on the ROQ on KROQ, and she’s sold out several shows at LA clubs like the Viper Room.

She and her band will play another sold-out show at the Key Club in Hollywood on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 8 pm

Reach Michael Juliani here.Follow him on Twitter here.

Tags : Artistry

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FOR its second year, Hennessy Artistry Manila pulled out all the stops. Take the countryâ??s number one man behind the decks, add in three gorgeous model/DJs, blend with two soulful sirens, and then stir in two international turntable superstars. Top it all off with overflowing Hennessy VSOP long drinks and you have a recipe for the yearâ??s grandest party.

An invitation only event, the beautiful people arrived dressed to kill and expecting the kind of night that only Hennessy can deliver. And Hennessy delivered. The event opened in the Resorts World Manila Plaza where guests were treated to divine Hennessy cocktails including Hennessy Berry, Hennessy Ginger, Hennessy Apple and Hennessy Citrus. Hennessy mixologist Julienne Defrance flew in to Manila especially to serve his signature Hennessy creations. On stage was featured Model/DJ trio, the Zombettes. They were more than just pretty faces. Sanya Smith, Ornussa Cadness and Mia Ayesa held their own, spinning an eclectic mix of edgy tunes for the enthusiastic crowd, getting everyone pumped for the long night of partying.

But that was just the beginning. Everything was taken a notch higher in Opus. When the doors finally opened, everyone saw that Hennessy truly outdid itself. It was a feast for the senses, overwhelming to the eyes, ears and of course tastes. Everywhere you looked, gorgeous people dancing to the sexy beat, Hennessy cocktail in hand. Just for the event, the long bar was transformed with the help of 3D mapping into a canvas for digital art. Of course it wouldnâ??t be a Hennessy Artistry party without the best music collaborations and plenty of genre mixing. Hosting the night were the fabulous VJ Cliff Ho of Channel V and Party Boy Extraordinaire Tim Yap. To kick off the night of music, Kat Agarrado of Sinosikat? with Tribu Manilaâ??s Macky Salcedo on drums brought down the house with a sensual and soulful performance. Next was ingÃnue Bea Tantoco with Chico Cristobal on the guitar. The pace was brought to a crescendo by fantastic local and international DJs Manolet Dario, Sky Nellor and Andy Caldwell, each playing their signature styles of house, Ramp;B, hip hop and everything in between. The Hennessy kept pouring till the wee hours fuelling everyoneâ??s appetite to dance.

Rarely does the Metro see a musical meeting of minds of this magnitude or diversity as only Hennessy Artistry can bring. The evening will go down in the books as a night of talented musicians from different worlds sharing the pleasure of performing together, just as Hennessy elaborates its cognacs, combining the best eaux-de-vie from its cellars.

The philosophy behind the Hennessy Artistry Halo is The Global Art of Mixing; the mixing of various genres of music and the blending of top talents and emerging artistes. Combining the acts with spectacular ambience and energy, an extraordinary experience is created. This showcases Hennessyâ??s art of blending in both cognac and music, by combining tradition with trendy innovation.

This multicultural and vibrant series had already left waves of sonic fusions across the largest continents and over 40 countries from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Taipei, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, to Germany, Poland. Moscow and South Africa; becoming the international trendsetter of music and style.

The charm of art lies in its perpetual stream of innovation and Hennessy Artistry Halo is always striving to bring brand new content, new experiences. Hennessy VSOP is the product of a gradual blend of over 60 eaux-de-vie taken from the four leading vineyards in the Cognac region, remarkably blended, just as the Hennessy Artistryâ??s Global Art of Mixing is constantly challenging the boundaries of imagination, making mixing the ultimate manifestation of music.

Like all Hennessy Artistry events across the world, invited guests will experience the universe of Hennessyâ??s mixed drinks based on four basic flavors that blend perfectly with Hennessy Cognac. Hennessy berry, citrus, ginger, and apple are the perfect additions to the worldâ??s best cognac.

Check out the Facebook fan page, Hennessy Artistry Manila and follow Hennessy Artistry on Twitter at HArtistryPH for up to the minute updates.

Tags : Artistry