Voz Visual de Puerto Viejo : Visual Voice of Puerto Viejo

Fruits Trees.

Art professor grows trees that can bear 40 types of fruit (CNN) — The first time Sam Van Aken saw tree branches being grafted and grown onto other trees, he likened it to Frankenstein. Yet, when the process became a full-time fascination, the Syracuse University art professor did not seek to create a monster but a piece of art.The "Tree of 40 Fruit" is Van Aken's creation, a single tree that can produce 40 different stone fruits, or fruit with pits, including peaches, apricots, plums, cherries and nectarines."I look at the Tree of 40 Fruit as an artwork, a research project and a form of conservation," Van Aken said in a 2014 TEDxManhattan talk.He uses chip grafting to create the trees, which involves cutting the buds off a fruit tree and having them heal to the lateral branches of a rootstock tree. Branches from the different fruit trees grow off of the rootstock, which is typically a tree variety natural to the area's climate and soil. This allows fruit to be grown in areas that might not otherwise support that type of tree.Van Aken has planted 16 trees in seven states across the country."Each space is unique," Van Aken told CNN about the various art museums, university campuses and private land where the trees are grown.The newest tree is expected to be planted this fall at the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose. It will be the centerpiece of the museum's new garden expansion. Autumn Young, marketing manager for the museum, said the tree will be part of the organization's environmental education program."It's a wonderful opportunity for children to interact with an art piece that also produces fruit," Young said. "It's a teaching opportunity."The San Jose tree will feature stone fruit varieties historically from the area, allowing visitors to learn local history.Van Aken's project uses more than 250 varieties of stone fruit. Each tree has a different combination of heirloom varieties. It has become a conservation project, too, since commercial markets have reduced the diversity of available stone fruits.Planting the trees in various locations can increase the area's fruit diversity, as well as fulfill another important part of Van Aken's vision: art.Years of diagramming and planning allow him to sculpt the trees so they are continually blossoming for more than a month. After a spring of brilliant pink, white and crimson blossoms, the branches produce their own distinct fruit.Van Aken wants people to stumble upon them and ask questions about what they are seeing, since the combination of colors and fruits …

Good tips.

9 tips and tricks to get the most out of your iPhone's email app Managing your email can be a daunting task, especially if you're constantly sending messages from your phone.Luckily, there are a few features in iOS that make it easy to save drafts, type emails faster, and see your newest emails on your lock screen right away.Here are a few pointers that can help you get the most out of the Mail app on your iPhone.(Note: These tips work on iPhones running iOS 8, Apple's latest iPhone software version).

Fun!

Bodyscapes: Artist uses UV paint on naked models to produce landscape pictures Shared via Flipboard

I love my Pencil! Guess I'm not the only one....

Review: Pencil Stylus for iPad I’ve had about four months to use the Pencil Stylus from FiftyThree, and I think it’s now safe enough to call this purchase a success. I was initially worried by reviews I’ve seen on Amazon that suggest that the Pencil can’t hold up for very long before breaking, but I’ve been taking the stylus around everywhere with me for a few months now, and it’s handling everyday wear and tear just fine. The rubber tip and eraser require a bit of a wipe down every few days, but that has been the extent of the upkeep.I bought the Pencil because I wanted a solid stylus to help me draw more accurately within the Paper app. Pencil nails that with its great build quality and interesting material choices. I like that this stylus is made out of wood, yet still feels right at home alongside my aluminum iPad.I also really wanted to try out the Pencil’s extra features that tie into the Paper app, like the way you can turn the whole stylus around and then use it as an eraser. That simple action is so ingrained in me from years of practice in elementary school that it felt instantly familiar, even though it was a completely new feature in the context of my iPad. I can now attest that this isn’t just a cool skeuomorphic gimmick, but a genuinely useful feature. Having the eraser always available without having to switch brushes within Paper makes the whole drawing process feel more fluid. One less panel to pull up, and a few extra taps saved each time.Surface PressureI can’t say I’ve taken as much advantage of the Surface Pressure feature, which mimics the concept of pressure sensitivity in the stylus without actually implementing it at a hardware level within the stylus. Surface Pressure does work, but it’s harder to control than with a real brush or pencil. I feel as though adding pressure widens the strokes very suddenly, instead of gradually, which doesn’t really translate into a useful extra level of control over the Paper app. Sometimes it’s just easier to make thicker strokes out of many smaller ones, or by dragging the stylus very quickly across the screen (another way to simulate more pressure within the Paper app).Battery Life and ChargeThe Pencil usually lasts a few weeks for me in terms of battery life, but that’s because I don’t tend to use it for very prolonged session. I tend to sit down for a 15-20 minutes at a time to sketch out a new design idea, and then leave it for a few days.Charging the Pencil is easy, and I love how everything I need is encapsulated in the …

good interview by a great film maker!

Lars von Trier: ‘I’ve started drinking again, so I can work’ How was AA?I went to AA meetings every day for half a year. We supported each other to keep sober. These people kind of become your family. I used all my strength to get sober – now I start to drink a little again, so that I can work. When you shoot a film, it’s hard work, and you tend to drink more.So drinking is a short cut to your creativity?I’ve taken other drugs that helped me a lot – that was kind of the way I worked. But drinking is more to overcome some anxiety.Where does your anxiety come from?I’ve had it since I was a child. I believe that if you are an artist and you’re drunk (laughing), you’re more sensitive. I have this theory: scientists say that 80% of our mental work is to stop the senses. So we have filters to block useless information. But if you are sensitive, then it means these filters are a bit broken. At least that’s what I see at AA. Sensitivity gives you anxiety. Even when I’ve worked with anxiety in therapy for all my life, anxiety is something that you can handle sometimes, while other times it’s impossible.What is your method for handling it?It’s not to discharge it, but to go into it, to make peace with it. This theory is good, but very difficult. I meditate a lot as well. But when you shoot, you don’t have time to do something for yourself, and you tend to drink just to be able to get there in the morning. I remember doing this film (Dancer in the Dark) with Björk, and I was crying – almost kind of giving up. It was such a struggle, and she was so crazy that she always wanted to run away. Then I had to go get her and persuade her to come back. But she was one of the best actresses that I have worked with. When we worked, we had such an intense contact, but when we didn’t work, we were just fighting. It was ridiculous.Does psychiatric therapy help?I take a lot of medication. Right now it’s good. Sometimes my psychiatrist says I take too much medicine, and I’m not mentally up to my best.You’re obviously rebelling against something in each film you’ve made. What are you are rebelling against?Rebelling is part of my family. If you come to a family gathering, the family says something, you have to say something else. Then my family met my wife’s family, who said yes to everything, but my family often said no. If I see a form or a concept, I’d naturally challenge it, to see if there’s any possibility to gain more from it.People living in a society like Denmark don’t need to struggle against poverty or dictatorship?That’s it – I’m …

more good press.

Where to Go in June for Savings and Culture Travelers are a savvy bunch -- they know that it's better to visit certain destinations during certain months. But the prevailing question is: Where should I be booking trips right now? With that in mind, we've drummed up the smartest places you should be making plans for for June, whether you're looking for shoulder season savings, an explosion of culture, or outdoor entertainment.For Nature: Costa Rica Despite what many might think, June is one of the best times of the year to visit this tropical destination. As we pointed out last year, yes, June is the beginning of rainy season -- but that's exactly when the greenery springs back up after a dry winter, and the hour or two of rain each day are a perfect excuse for a mid-afternoon siesta. Airfare has always been very affordable from North America. For a long weekend in the first half of the month, we've seen prices under $400 from Dallas, around $400 from New York City, and around $500 from Los Angeles. And it's only getting easier to reach the destination. Southwest Airlines just started offering non-stop daily flights between Baltimore and San Jose earlier this month, with round-trip fares starting from around $450 in the same time frame. (It looks like rates nudge up in the second half of the month, likely in response to increased summer vacation travel, so the earlier you can get there, the better.) Once you get there, room rates are often slashed in half.The deal: The Cayuga Collection, a number of small and sustainable luxuries, is offering a ton of third or fourth night free deals for "green season." We especially love Finca Rosa Blanca, a resort situated on a 30-acre organic coffee plantation. Here, guests enjoy complimentary WiFi, full a la carte breakfast, afternoon coffee and cookies, and local and international calls from the room. Rates throughout the month start from $270 per night for a junior suite, but apply the third night free promo through June 19 and you're looking at $180 per night. Compare that to high season prices of $320-$390. You can also join the Marriott Rewards Member program and enjoy rates from just $144 at the San Jose property. That's 15 percent off already discounted season rates, plus free WiFi, daily breakfast, and $50 resort credit.For Culture: New Haven, CTLooking to travel the second half of the month instead? New Haven's International Festival of Arts & Ideas is back for the 20th year, with 15 days of music, theatre, discussions, and more from June 12 to 27. The …

Not good...

Turmoil in Yemen escalates as Saudi Arabia bombs rebels SANAA, Yemen (AP) — The turmoil in Yemen grew into a regional conflict Thursday, with Saudi Arabia and its allies bombing Shiite rebels allied with Iran, while Egyptian officials said a ground assault will follow the airstrikes.Iran denounced the Saudi-led air campaign, saying it "considers this action a dangerous step," and oil prices jumped in New York and London after the offensive.The military action turned impoverished and chaotic Yemen into a new front in the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran.Yemen's U.S.-backed President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who fled the country Wednesday as the rebels known as Houthis advanced on his stronghold in the southern port of Aden, reappeared Thursday. He arrived by plane in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh, Saudi state TV reported.Starting before dawn, Saudi warplanes pounded an air base, military bases and anti-aircraft positions in the capital of Sanaa and flattened a number of homes near the airport, killing at least 18 civilians, including six children. Another round followed in the evening, again rocking the city.Rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi angrily accused the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel of launching a "criminal, unjust, brutal and sinful" campaign aimed at invading and occupying Yemen."Yemenis won't accept such humiliation," he said in a televised speech Thursday night, calling the Saudis "stupid" and "evil."The Houthis, who have taken over much of the country, mobilized thousands of supporters to protest the airstrikes, with one speaker lashing out at the Saudi-led coalition and warning that Yemen "will be the tomb" of the aggressors.Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S. Adel al-Jubeir said at a news conference in Washington on Thursday that Iran has been a major backer of the Houthis, with Revolutionary Guard officers and operatives from the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah on the ground advising the rebels.White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters on Air Force One en route to Alabama that President Barack Obama had authorized logistical and intelligence support for the strikes, but that the U.S. is not joining with direct military action.In the air assault codenamed "Operation Decisive Storm," Saudi Arabia deployed some 100 fighter jets, 150,000 soldiers and other navy units, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported. Also involved were aircraft from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan and Egypt, though it was not clear which carried out …

Bang for the buck.

How Much Energy Does Your iPhone (And Other Devices) Really Use? Shared via Flipboard

Awesome Iranian Artist. Banksy of the Middle East.

Iran's best street artist comes to London Shared via Flipboard

Hello ALF?

Life Exists On 'Billions' Of Alien Planets Says Study Billions of stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, have between one and three planets which could potentially support life, according to scientists.Astronomers came to the conclusion after calculating the chances of planets orbiting in the "habitable zone" - the region just the right distance from a parent star to allow mild temperatures and watery oceans.Danish researcher Steffen Kjaer Jacobsen, from the University of Copenhagen, said: "According to the statistics and the indications we have, a good share of the planets in the habitable zone will be solid planets where there might be liquid water and where life could exist."The findings are based on data from the American space agency Nasa's Kepler space telescope, which has confirmed the existence of around 1,000 planets orbiting stars in the Milky Way and identified an estimated 3,000 other candidate worlds.Above: Niels Bohr Institute showing the habitable zone for different types of stars as billions of stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, have between one and three planets which could potentially support lifeMany of the stars have solar systems of two to six planets, but scientists believe there could be more that remain undiscovered by Kepler, which is best suited to finding large planets in relatively close orbits.To estimate the positions of the "hidden" planets, the researchers updated a 250-year-old mathematical concept called the Titius-Bode law, which correctly inferred the existence of Uranus before it was observed.The law says there is a certain ratio between the orbital periods of planets in a solar system. Because of this, if you know how long it takes some planets to circle a star, you can work out the time taken for other planets to orbit and thereby fix their positions in the planetary system. You can also calculate if a planet is missing in the sequence."We decided to use this method to calculate the potential planetary positions in 151 planetary systems, where the Kepler satellite had found between three and six planets," said Mr Jacobsen."In 124 of the planetary systems, the Titius-Bode law fit with the position of the planets. Using T-B's law we tried to predict where there could be more planets further out in the planetary systems. But we only made calculations for planets where there is a good chance that you can see them with the Kepler satellite."In this way, the scientists predicted a total of 228 planets in the 151 systems and concluded that each system should have an average of …

Tonight, 6pm at the Point!
Community Painting on a tablet!
Pure Fun!

Art in the Digital Age, the role of technology in fostering creativity and sharing ideas..

Come on out and learn how to paint on a tablet, bring your own or pass it around with the group.

Welcome to the 21st Century!...
See you at 6pm!

Plus... Yummy sushi with Tita...mmmmmmm...sushi.

Tonight at the Point! 6pm...
Art classes with Voz Visual de PV,
If you thought last week was challenging with one-point perspective, you're in for double trouble tonight.

2 point perspective tonight!
Plus....Sushi with Tita after...

Come one, come all, let's have some fun!

See the Our page for more details...

FUN!!!

Artist upcycles old thrift store paintings into nerdy masterpieces The tiniest changes can make old things new again.When Dave Pollot isn't writing software at his job in Rochester, New York, he loves to paint. When his fiancee, a frequent thrift store shopper, brought home a few old paintings, Pollot was inspired to combine his passion for painting with his love for nerdy pop culture."I grew up in the '80s and '90s, so I love the movies and video games from that time period," Pollot told Mashable. His paintings, which would otherwise would be heaped into corners gathering dust, find new life as he paints on characters and objects from TV shows and movies like Ghostbusters, Doctor Who and Star Wars.Pollot hopes that his creations are something that both nerds and art lovers can enjoy. "They provide a way for people to laugh a bit at something from one generation being painted into something from another...hopefully makes you appreciate both just a little more," he said.Pollot posts his paintings, including his works-in-progress, on Instagram. Finished works are also available for purchase on Etsy.

Awesome artwork...check this out!

Tehran's answer to Banksy: Medhi Ghadyanloo hits Britain Flying cars, magic portals, levitating giraffes … street artist Medhi Ghadyanloo’s eye-popping murals make Tehran smile – but his paintings also probe Iran’s turbulent pastThe toast of Tehran: Iran’s superstar street artist – in picturesOn a wall in east London, two giant crows loom over two young women who are swinging a rope. As a child jumps over the skipping rope, he approaches a hole in the ceiling above him. But if he finally jumps high enough to rise above the confines of the concrete ceiling, he will become prey for the waiting birds.This is a mural by Mehdi Ghadyanloo, an Iranian artist who is about to have his first exhibition in Britain. It is an unexpected addition to the walls of Shoreditch; the neighbourhood famous for its street art rarely sees anything as subtle as this. As if to make the point, a car park nearby is plastered with ugly, third-rate graffiti. Ghadyanloo, by contrast, makes use of trompe l’oeil, the technique invented in the Renaissance of using perspective to create eye-fooling illusions. It is eerily arresting and poetic.Ghadyanloo has more in common with the metaphysical painter Giorgio de Chirico than he does with Banksy. Yet in terms of success as a street artist, he is undoubtedly the Banksy of Tehran. Astonishingly, there are over 100 walls in Iran’s capital decorated by Ghadyanloo. His murals are so popular, he tells me, that there are even imitation Ghadyanloos: “Sometimes districts order my works to be painted by other people. There are many copies of my work in Tehran.”His paintings are not illegal. On the contrary, he was commissioned by the city government to paint them. Nine years ago – in 2006, or by the Iranian calendar, 1384 – “the municipality published a call for artists”. Fresh out of an art course at Tehran University, he applied.Tehran is a city of blank walls, he explains. “I heard Tehran still has 5,000 blank walls to be painted. They said: ‘You can find your wall and suggest your idea.’ The Beautification Organisation liked my works ...”No wonder. Ghadyanloo’s murals in Tehran open windows in the sky. He sees them as a utopian protest against the city’s pollution and smog. “Sometimes you have only grey skies. I wanted to paint clear skies. I would like Tehran to be like my works.”Using his mastery of trompe l’oeil, he paints huge walls with what he calls suggestive moments from unwritten short stories. His scenes are dream-like, ambiguous. Cars fly in space in a science-fiction city. Holes open to …

Come on out TONIGHT for Art Class and gain some Perspective!
6-8pm at The Point.

Tonight, interior perspectives

Plus...Sushi by Tita afterwards..

Come on out for class tonight! Tonight, Introduction to Color from 6-8pm at The Point.

It's never to late to join in the fun and have your voice be heard!

plus...guess which student with only 2 classes! did this portrait of your beloved Maestro during class last week!

See you tonight!

Some fun stuff I found today. Playing with scale and very clever. Take a look!

Come out tonight for class at the Point..

30 Incredible Pictures That Will Mess With Your Brain Canadian artist Robert Gonsalves has been drawing since he was a child. When he was a teenager, he began experimenting with paint. Influenced by Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, and Yves Tanguy, he …

Classes tonight? I'm a little hobbled right now, but I'll cab over to Monte Sol if anybody wants to come to the second session this week..

Please let me know, I'm happy to come out.

A little light art history to feed the soul.

The decision that changed art In 1878 Van Gogh was a struggling would-be preacher. At his lowest ebb, he began to draw. Alastair Sooke looks back at this pivotal moment in history.

6 hours until the start of your new journey in the arts! Come to the Point tonight for the first art class of the new year! All ages and levels welcome! Visit our page for more details! Hope to see you there!... This means you ;-)

Every Monday from 6-8:30 in English at The Point in Playa Negra..

Every Thursday from 6-8:30 in Spanish at Cabinas Monte Sol in Puerto Viejo Central.

Tonight!!! Come to the point from 6-8:30 if you're interested in drawing and painting classes!
All ages and levels!
Get your spot reserved now!
5k a week
Hone your skills and express yourself!
Message me directly if you are interested but can't attend.

Get your creative juices flowing early this year! Come out next Monday for the start of classes!
Exercise your imagination and pick up a new skill!

6pm at Monte Sol.