Fine Art Fotos Blog

www.SICTV.org

2012-01-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

A dragon is a legendary creature. All legendary stories about Chinese dragons are from the sky, which means heaven in China. The image of dragon is blurred, misty, mystic, occulted, noble and untouchable. For China, it is the symbol of power from heaven. The Chinese emperor was considered the son of heaven. An emperor has the authority to send command to Dragons. One Chinese story mentioned an emperor killed a dragon in his dream. After 581 AD, Chinese emperors began to wear imperial robes with dragon symbols. During the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), the dragon can be seen everywhere on the roofs, doors, pillars, bridges, utensils in the forbidden city. The most powerful dragon is the five-clawed dragon. It appears only on the yellow imperial robe. Because of this, Dragon is one of most auspicious animals in China.
They say that Dragon has nine sons. People didn't know too much about the Nine Dragons until Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). However, there is more than one version of the Nine Dragons story. One story is the following.
The Dragon sent its nine sons to help the first emperor of Ming Dynasty to conquer China. After completing the mission, nine dragons were preparing their journey to return to heaven. But the emperor wanted them to continue to help the Ming Dynasty. The nine dragons wouldn't stay and the emperor couldn't stop them. However, the emperor decided to play a trick on the most powerful dragon, the 6th son. He tricked the sixth dragon son to carry a magic stele with a carved inscription, which could suppress any ghost, spirit or evil creature. The 6th dragon couldn't move under the magic stele, and all of his other brothers wouldn't leave without him. However, they wouldn't work for the emperor anymore. They decided to no longer show their dragon identities and turned themselves into evil creatures. Since then, the nine dragons have stayed in China.

The Year of the Dragon holds special importance for the Chinese as it is considered to be the luckiest of Chinese years which brings happiness and success.

According to Chinese culture, the dragon is the most auspicious and powerful animal in the Chinese zodiac which is also associated with prosperity.

And since this lunar year is the year of water dragon - occurring only in 60 years - it is considered even more auspicious to the Chinese.
The dragon year will possibly bring a slight boom to the housing market in China. Many people who subscribe to the Chinese zodiac are expected to wed this year and purchase a house.

Tens of thousands of couples are preparing to marry under what is considered an auspicious sign. To win over a bride in a country undersupplied with women, it helps a lot if the aspiring groom first proves his worth by buying a home.

www.ExposeYourBusiness.com, www.ElPatronMexicanGrill.net, www.AjaxUnion.com

2012-01-18T14:33:00.000-08:00

By going outside your own community or comfort zone, you can dramatically increase your visibility and get your company's name into the hands of the decision makers you need to reach. The most successful companies have realized the huge opportunities available in the markets of other cultures and have diversified their customer base. Studies show that businesses that overlook this strategy often do so because they lack the time and resources to make these connections in person which is still the most effective way to generate sales.

The NY Multicultural Business Expo will create these opportunities in one place at one time. Businesses looking to broaden their customer base will exhibit their products and services to a variety of businesses they may never have a chance to encounter.

I was invited to a business mixer at El Patron Mexican Grill‎ 194-01 Northern Boulevard

Flushing, NY 11358-3032

(718) 819-2121

ElPatronMexicanGrill.net‎ last night and I found it to be not just a little more than I expected.

Not your usual mixer where you shake hands with dozens of new acquaintances and swap business cards and elevator speeches, this one actually had content.

Mark Neuwirt, Founder and President of Expos Your Business
Mark is a trade show veteran having produced several highly successful B2B events to date. He is a member of the Queens, Brooklyn & Melville Chambers of Commerce as well as an active member of more than 10 prominent networking groups from Staten Island to Suffolk. He has formed strategic relationships with regional and local media companies who have committed to supporting the first annual NY Multicultural Business Expo. He recently entered into a reciprocal co-marketing arrangement with Event Management, the producer of the NY XPO for Business held at the Jacob Javits Center. Mark is a hands-on professional who designed Expos Your Business to be a state of the art marketing company focusing on face to face as well as virtual interaction between businesses and customers resulting in significant revenue growth.

Contact: mark@exposyourbusiness.com or 718-813-8173 or 516-813-6155

Those who attended got to meet new people, munch on some good food, hear great features of the NY Multicultural Business Expo and hear an amazingly information packed presentation on how to present your event through social media. Thanks again to Kalli Meisler, who is a fountain of information and energy, and to Ajax Union for providing her services.

www.TheStaaten.com

2012-01-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

Aor is from Thailand and is so thrilled and happy to be marrying Paul that she is always busting at the seams with joy and that kind of love is contagious!

They picked a lovely day in January and had the ceremony at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Brooklyn and the party was at Li Greci's Staaten.

Continuing in a tradition of elegance, exquisite cuisine, and exemplary service, The Staaten provides the perfect setting for this once-in-a-lifetime event.

For nearly 50 years, the LiGreci family has dedicated themselves to making each affair at The Staaten a treasured experience. From intimate gatherings to lavish celebrations, they have the expertise to help you create an affair that reflects your personal style, taste and budget. The Staaten’s long-standing reputation of excellence reflects this experience and commitment.

The LiGreci family takes pride in making your special occasion an extraordinary and memorable event. As a family owned and operated business, there will always be a family member available to fulfill any individual need and ensure your special day is given the attention and dedication it deserves. When planning your affair, visit www.TheStaaten.com then call

Jack & Gary LiGreci and Family

at (718) 448-6000 to experience their brand of unbeatable service.

www.RelaxOnCloud9.com

2012-01-10T08:51:00.000-08:00

Want the best massage in Staten Island? Look no further than Relax on Cloud 9 -- Staten Islands premier massage, spa, and yoga studio. 694 Clove Road Staten Island, NY 10310-2707

(718) 448-3412

1 Google review

Relax On Cloud Nine was founded in 1995 when opening Staten Islands first dollar a minute massage store at the Staten Island Mall. In 1998 it opened the first Day Spa on Staten Island offering massage therapy, facials, vichy shower, sauna/steam, mud/seaweed wraps and hydrotherapy mineral bath treatments. It has been highlighted in "Time Out NY" as "homey, peaceful and unlike anything you can experience in Manhattan." "I felt as if I was in a Berkshires bedroom. The massage itself was expert. The therapist paid careful attention to my concerns and used a good deal of pressure."

The Next Wellness Event

The Next Wellness Event is Friday, January 13th, 7-9pm

RSVP: doreen@relaxoncloud9.com

718-448-3412

The owner Doreen is one of the officers of the BUCKS BUSINESS NETWORK (www.BucksBlog.net)

I see her weekly at the breakfast meetings and recommend her wholeheartedly.

My videographer Mike (www.MjVideoProductions.com)

was just there on Saturday Relaxing, Rejuvenating and Restoring

and my chief photographer Sara (AliceAusten.org)

has plans to go there soon.

www.WeddingsByFlint.com

2011-12-30T07:41:00.000-08:00

www.Shadowbrook.com

2011-12-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

“The Knot” best of weddings winner
Brides choice awards winner – WeddingWire.com
“Top 100 independent restaurants” – Restaurant Hospitality Magazine
“America’s top 100 restaurants” – Restaurants and Institutions Magazine
“Best of the best” place to get married – Asbury Park Press Readers’ choice awards
“A “long driveway” takes you into a “world of magic” at this Shrewsbury traditional American set in a “beautiful” Georgian Mansion on a “sprawling” estate; the “utterly elegant”, “fairy-tale” location and “old-world” ambiance make it an “experience to remember” and a natural site for “weddings” – Zagat Survey

My last wedding of the year was for Brandice and Matt at the beautiful Shadowbrook on Route 35 in Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 just south of Red Bank. Call them at 732 747 0200.

Third generation of restaurateurs & hoteliers

Owners Robert and Ronnie both grew up in Lakewood, NJ, where they went through the Lakewood school system. Robert attended the renowned Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, graduating with honors and being a member of Ye Hosts Honorary Society. Ronnie spent her college years on the East Hill of Ithaca at Ithaca College. Robert began working at an early age in his parents hotels in both Lakewood and Bradley Beach, while playing on Lakewood State Championship Basketball Teams. Robert worked at every position both front and back of the house.
Robert and Ronnie started working together managing a famous seashore restaurant and club during their summer breaks from college. Robert and Ronnie married in 1971 and later that year purchased Shadowbrook with Robert’s dad and brother. They have developed Shadowbrook into the landmark that it is today, acquiring sole possession in 1985. Robert and Ronnie support and contribute their time and resources to many local, state and national charities and organizations. They are willing to help anyone in need and through Shadowbrook, assist scores of charities each year. They have been honored by many organizations for their community work. Each year they donate meals to over 1,000 children with cancer for the Francis Foundation.
Robert and Ronnie would like to thank their dedicated family of employees at Shadowbrook for their support. They have employees that have been with them since 1971. There are over a dozen employees with over 20 years of service and over a dozen with over 10 years of service. Because of their employees, they have been able to obtain the time and resources to help others!
Robert and Ronnie live in Holmdel, NJ and have two daughters, Ali and Daryl, both Cornell University Hotel School graduates. The family shares interests in sports and vintage sports and racing cars. The Zweben’s travel extensively and attend food events all over the world. They incorporate new ideas in décor, cuisine and service that are culled from their experiences. The Zweben Family’s goal is to provide a menu, a service and an ambiance that are unsurpassed for you special occasions. Their dedication to excellence is evident in every aspect of Shadowbrook.

www.StatenIslandBid.com

2011-12-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

Having a studio in the North Shore Business District has been very good to me. Often times I am working up to 11:30 pm - 12 am. This past Halloween I was heading home and I saw a mob of bloody ZOMBIES heading the other way and I regret not stopping to take photos. Last night I heard a ruckus and looked out the window to see a long line of SANTA CLAUSES parading in the middle of the street so I grabbed my point and shoot and ran 5 blocks to catch up with them. Some guys really know how to have fun...

www.Apple.com, www.Store.Apple.com

2011-12-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

Another Indian Engagement ceremony and reception. Personally I enjoy photographing in one's home the best, while I love being at Catering Halls, the freedom I am allowed at someone's house is just like being part of the family.

More and more I am seeing modern uses of technology, not only does everyone have cameras but electronic devises such as Ipads and Iphones make it very easy for someone in another country (in this case India) to take part in the ceremony and rituals in a major way!

I do try to travel overseas when ever possible but at least my line of work permits me to experience
firsthand different cultures and religions. The more I know about the people I photograph the better I can do my job and the more I will be in demand... And I do feel privileged to be trusted, with such respect comes great responsibility.

www.MilanBanquet.com

2011-12-23T12:04:00.000-08:00

The traditional Indian wedding is about two families being brought together socially, with as much emphasis placed on the families concerned coming closer as is the Bride and Groom becoming one.

South Asian weddings are very bright events, filled with ritual and celebration, that continue for several days. They are generally not small affairs, with anywhere between 100 to 10,000 people attending. Often, it is possible that many of the attendees are unknown to the bride and groom themselves. Though most Indian marriages are arranged, some couples in urban areas have what are known as "love marriages", in which the partners decide to marry each other without family involvement or assistance. The traditional Indian wedding is about two families being brought together socially, with as much emphasis placed on the families concerned coming closer as the individuals involved.

Many of the wedding customs are common among Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and even Muslims. They are a combination of local, religious, and family traditions.The period of Hindu marriage ceremonies dates from the presenting tilak, and is called lagan/[shaadi].

South Asian weddings are a mainstay in the social calendar of the whole community. Many wedding traditions which have originated in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have carried over to second and third generation immigrant populations in western countries such as the UK and United States. Increasingly, younger Asian couples are starting to incorporate Western features into their weddings, such as speeches, the first dance, as well as the traditional wedding cake.

The Milan Banquets is housed in a 19th century building. Originally a seamstress's store, the building was extended and converted into a Banquet and a Restaurant in the 50's. The building was put through modernization in 2000 under the new management.

The Milan is very conveniently located within 2 minutes walk from the town center. The car parking is situated right across the restaurant.

Milan is the first Banquet facility in Garfield and has developed a renowned reputation for providing the finest quality service in the area. With a seating capacity of 100, 200, and 550 in a single room, It is large enough for any kind of private or business parties.

The exterior of the building is white washed and gives the Milan a distinctive stare, while the interior is exclusively decorated in light orange and pink that provides a very warm and lively atmosphere. An extraordinary collection of needlecrafts symbolizing the rural lifestyle in Italy are also on display inside the Rooms.

www.5ptz.com, www.tv.com/shows/americas-funniest-home-videos

2011-12-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

White guy writes his first rap song.

Graffiti Song

2011-12-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

www.12ozProphet.com

www.ArtCrimes.com

www.TheWynwoodWalls.com

2011-12-16T13:01:00.000-08:00

America's most important art show, Art Basel, hit Miami on December 2. And taking center stage is Wynwood Walls -- the city's open-air "art park" that showcases the most cutting-edge street art in the country.

The Wynwood Walls has brought the world's greatest artists working in the graffiti and street art genre to Miami.

The Artist known as T-KID.

The Pop Up Shop gallery.

Jay Edlin's Book GRAFFITI 365 on display.

Having fun at the Book Signing.

Geoff Hargadon aka CASH FOR YOUR WARHOL, DAZE, Martha Cooper, NOSM, RISK, TYKE/WITNES, FLINT... CERN, Jay Edlin (TERROR 161) and T.KID 170.

Martha Cooper and one of her fans (Subjects).

Martha has learned a thing or two since hanging with us...

It seems this American Art Form has taken over the world!

Lets keep on truckin'...

Art House Party. www.FountainHeadResidency.com

Ron English and company.

Over 50 galleries are in the area.

On the outside walls can be found the work of Aiko from Japan, Os Gemeos and Nunca from Brazil, Stelios Faitakis from Greece, and Jim Drain, Shepard Fairey, Futura, Barry McGee, Ara Peterson, Clare Rojas, Kenny Scharf and the team of Swoon, David Ellis and Ben Wolf from the United States. Also on hand is PHASE 2, CoCo 144 and How and NOSM.

read the YELP! reviews at http://www.yelp.com/biz/wynwood-walls-miami.

See all my images from Miami Florida 2011 at my gallery www.EventsByFlint.com

and visit www.Deitch.com
www.GoldmanProperites.com

www.At149St.com, www.SubwayOutlaws.com

2011-12-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

Martha Cooper is a photojournalist specializing in Art and Anthropology. She is among the handful of photographers who methodically documented subway graffiti during the 1970's and 1980's. Her body of work is the most extensive and significant of it's kind. Cooper's hand on approach to documenting the culture set her apart from other photographers. The majority of photographers focused specifically on documenting the paintings isolating them from their environment. Cooper's approach was to photograph the paintings within their full context. She spent several years photographing elevated subway lines from empty lots and rooftops of buildings in the crime ridden South Bronx. She captured New York City's state of urban decay; Providing a fuller understanding of the artwork of the times.

Born in the 1940s in Baltimore, Maryland where she picked up photography at the age of three. She graduated from high school at the age of 16, earned an art degree at age 19 from Grinnell College. She taught English as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, journeyed by motorcycle from Bangkok to London and received an ethnology diploma from Oxford. She worked as a staff photographer for the New York Post during the 1970s.

She is perhaps best known for documenting the New York graffiti scene of the 1970s and '80s. Her most known personal work began while working at the New York Post. On her return home from the Post she began taking photos of children in her New York city neighborhood. One day she met a young kid named Edwin who helped expose her to some of the graffiti around her neighborhood. Edwin helped to explain to her that Graffiti is an art form and that each artist was actually writing his/her nickname. Edwin then proceeded to tell of the Graffiti King and asked if she would like to meet him. This is when Martha met Dondi, the first one who allowed her to accompany him; while Dondi was tagging she would take photos of his art. In the 1980s she put together a book of photos illustrating the Graffiti subculture called Subway Art. She has degrees in art and anthropology.

She was a photography intern at National Geographic Magazine in the 1960s, and worked as a staff photographer at the New York Post in the 1970s. Her photographs have appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian and Natural History magazines as well as several dozen books and journals. She is the Director of Photography at City Lore, the New York Center for Urban Folk Culture. Cooper lives in Manhattan but is working on a photo project in Sowebo, a Southwest Baltimore neighborhood.

In the 1980s Martha worked briefly in Belize photographing the people and archaeological remains of the Mayan culture.

It was with great pleasure that I photographed along side Martha during Art Basel Week and especially in Wynwood Miami. We were there and it was like a GRAFFITI WORLD! So funny that I started writing in the sixties and Martha started writing in her sixties! So much was happening and the paintings were all so beautiful, street art has really evolved.

Some of the 20 plus books that Martha has to her credit. Visit www.12ozprophet.com/index.php/martha_cooper/

www.StGeorgeTheatre.com, www.SINY.com

2011-12-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

I got a little taste of Harry Belafonte when I first photographed him at Jules Nasso's house in 2009.
Now at the St. George Theatre (www.StGeorgeTheatre.com) on opening night of the Staten island Film Festival (www.SINY.com) there he was and this time I got a feast!

Harry Belfonte with Luanne Sorrentino, who with her mother Mrs. Rosemary Cappozalo and her sister Doreen Cugno, began a not-for-profit organization in 2004 to save this historic theatre from being torn down. They saved this landmark and the magnificent St. George Theatre shines once again and serves Staten Island and all of New York.

The new film "SING YOUR SONG" by Susanne Rostock and produced by Jullius R. Nasso was great! Harry Belafonte was more than a handsome matinee idol and platinum-selling singer ( the first artist in history to sell more than 1 million LPs) he was an activist with a conscience that placed him at the forefront of the civil rights movement (he and his best friend Sidney Poitier were followed and threatened by the KKK in Mississippi during the Freedom Summer of 1964) This movie takes us from his impoverished beginnings in Harlem and Jamaica to his status as one of the world's most successful entertainers befriending the famous and infamous including Martin Luther King Jr., Marlon Brando,
Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro and both RFK and JFK. A lot of kids don't know who Bobby Kennedy was- A lot of kids don't know what Martin Luther King did. In the 1960's the whole world was experiencing a new conscious... it's like we all just said 'We're not going to take it anymore!!'

Hard to believe it was such a different world back then after all we are just talking about a few decades back...thank the lord there were good men fighting the good fight. MLK said it isn't how long you lived- it's how well you lived... It was the sixties and I wanted to be part of it!

When scenes of Las Vegas from the 60's flashed on the screen my mind immediately went back to my youth and 1966 when my Mom and Dad packed up their 3 children for a cross country camping trip across America. Being a kid in that decade meant many things to me and I was constantly amazed and astounded by the events in the news. Tired of feeling helpless but only able to witness the riots, marches, assassinations, hippies and Rock n Roll on TV. Didn't even have a camera of my own yet. I thought it out and brought a weapon of my choosing, a magic marker!

It was the Sixties and I wanted to be part of it- Writings on walls should be inspirational and the voice of the young just like the music we were listening to. Most of what was up was JOHN LOVES MARY and FOR A GOOD TIME CALL... It was time for a change, this quiet boy was taking a code name which became my secret identity and I was able to make my mark on society. It seems my Forth Grade Social Studies class lesson on WW 2 and KILROY WAS HERE served me well. The rest is history! Sheese! ...KIDS!?! What will we do next...?