Is Traver Dodorye the next Basquiat?

Young, ambitious and consistent is what they are calling Traver Dodorye in Miami, but is he the next Jean Michel Basquiat. This young Haitian artist is so inspired by Jean Michel that people are saying that he is heading up his valley. Traver does not smoke or drink but he sure enough paints and he is a one of a kind artist. Growing up in South Florida has influenced him a lot. He says that when he paints he thinks of life and what he has been through. "Art is a simple form of expression, today any and everything is considered art and the difference between now and then in the 70s-80s is the age of politics. I have noticed how much this art world is full of politics." Traver shows a unique form of expression in his work. He works out of a 12x30 studio space in Margate, Florida and sauys that the difference between failure and success is taking advantage of opportunities given. "People who sleep more then they work most likely won't be successful."  Traver is working on some new projects about society, religion and secrets in the government. Some of his work can be view on www.traverdodoryestudios.com he plans to start exhibits late January early February.

When you see art, you see life!

Rise Above Fear: (7) Steps to Achieve Greatness!

Fear! Ugh. Such a small, but highly debilitating word. The dictionary describes ‘fear’ in these ways:

- a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined
- the feeling or condition of being afraid
- concern or anxiety
- something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension

When one reflects on the definitions above of what fear means/is, only one thing comes to mind: it is highly debilitating to our-self and our-life. The problem with having ‘fears’ or in being ‘fearful’ is thatit makes us WEAK. And when we are weak, it debilitates us in a multitude of ways.

Consider these examples:

* The sales representative who fails in his role because he is ‘fearful’ of rejection
* The employee who does not exert forceful leadership because he is ‘fearful’ of losing his job
* The child who does not stand up for himself because he is ‘fearful’ of getting into a fight
* The aspiring entrepreneur who does not ‘set out on his own’ because he is ‘fearful’ of failure

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Fear, in all its forms and manifestations, is debilitating. We must not live in fear. We must not let fear debilitate our-selves or our life. To be fearful about such things above (rejection or losing one’s job or of getting into a fight or of failure) is to live in weakness; to operate (i.e., ‘live’) in a weakened state. I do not need to tell you that this is no way to live. The question is: ‘how do we eliminate fear from self and life?’ The answer lies within YOU.

You see, ‘fear’ is an emotion – and a very WEAK one at that (as opposed to being in Love or being Angry or being Inspired – which are all STRONG emotions). Our challenge is that only we can change our emotion. No amount of reading self-help books, sitting with a shrink, or commiserating with friends will help us overcome fear. Fear is an individual weakness and, therefore, can only be overcome by individual strength. The good news is, there is a process to overcome fear.

Listed below are (7) steps you can take TODAY to overcome any fear that may be debilitating your-self and your-life:

1. Isolate what it is you are fearful of (e.g., losing your job, rejection, failure, etc.)
2. Get angry (fear is holding you back from greatness; it is destroying YOUR life)
3. Dismiss the fear from your mind (remember: most fears are not real, they are imagined so…dismiss it, quickly and determinedly)
4. Develop a plan to squash fear (e.g., if you are a sales rep and are fearful of not meeting your quota or of meeting rejection, develop a detailed sales plan that will give you high confidence in meeting your sales goals. When we have a PLAN to squash fear, fear has no chance of survival)
5. Take action immediately (do not let FEAR consume you for another minute – take action today, NOW, by implementing your fear-squashing plan
6. Write the following on an index card and say it loudly 10x/day - (“Fear is a WEAK emotion. I will not let a weak emotion debilitate me or my life any longer. I am above fear. “)
7. In Moments of Weakness (i.e., when FEAR is creeping its ugly head back into your mind),dismiss it IMMEDIATELY, read your index card statement (#6), and visit your plan in #4.

Fear is a ‘virus’ of the mind. Do not let the virus take hold. Do not let the virus infect you. By following the steps above, you can eliminate fear from your mind. And when you do this, you will now operate from a position of STRENGTH and CONFIDENCE. Your mental state will improve. Your physical state will improve. And, suddenly, all aspects of YOUR LIFE will improve. Feeling better? Now, get to work…

All Now Rests With You!

Paying Homage to Japanese Designer Goro Takahashi of goro’s

Paying Homage to Japanese Designer Goro Takahashi of goro’s

17 hours ago  /  Style  /  3900 Views

The Japanese fashion scene mourns the loss of Goro Takahashi, the legendary leather and silver craftsman who brought Native American jewelry to the Japanese accessory world and an icon in that regard. He passed away on November 25 and his funeral was held on December 9, leaving the fate of his business and craft to his children.

His designs, inspired by years of living with the Navajo (who aptly named him “Yellow Eagle”), eventually earned him a loyal following among fans as the Harajuku boom began and well after up until his death. goro’s, his atelier and the only place where his goods could be purchased was famed for the long lines it produced and the commitment of those waiting; it only stocked what he had made for the day and prospective buyers, limited to 5 at a time, would have to bank on his daily offerings catching their fancy. And even then, staff would still have a final say on a sale depending on if the piece’s personality matched with the buyer.

Takahashi’s journey began in high school when he was taught leather carving by U.S. troops in Occupied Japan. After that, he was self-taught until he opened his first shop in Aoyama when he was 27. He then made his way across to the States where he learned silver engraving from Native Americans. As the story goes, it was a Sioux medicine man who gave him the name “Yellow Eagle,” perhaps the first Japanese person to receive an Indian name.

Upon returning in 1966, he moved his Aoyama shop over to Harajuku where his Native American-inspired designs established his name in the silver accessories industry. They became popular with many of Japan’s stars including rock band SMAP’s Kimura Takuya. So renowned is his craftsmanship that his works appreciate in value over time and admirers regard them as art and collectors as an investment. While not many will recognize his name outside those truly involved in the Japanese fashion and street scenes, his legacy and respect is unanimous among his fellow peers across Japan.

Though he will certainly be missed by those who respected both the man and his craft, his words about the enduring nature of his trademark medium couldn’t ring truer:

“A silver work could last and existed over thousands years, I am very proud to have my work stay in the world even if I had passed away.”

Street Art of Life