4 Telltale Signs That You Are an Artist
Deciding whether or not to refer to yourself as an artist is a personal decision. To help you make your decision, here are four clear signs that you are an artist. 
Exclusive Interview with Master Violinmaker Eric Benning, Rising Star In the “Golden Age of Modern American Violinmaking”
Eric Benning’s instruments speak for themselves. (Head over to his shop located on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles if you want to discover this firsthand.) Today, the man himself speaks out about his experience as a master violinmaker: the highs and lows of it, his passions surrounding it, and his deep commitment to his craft. You will find Segmation’s exclusive interview with Master Violinmaker Eric Benning, Rising Star In the “Golden Age of Modern American Violinmaking”.
Make Your Own Pressed Flower Jewelry Box
A pressed flowers jewelry boxes are perfect Springtime craft and a thoughtful gift.
Paper Quilling – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Paper Quilling: is it a craft project? Is it an art form? Is it enjoyed by adults or children? Is it any surprise that paper quilling, a favorite craft for artsy people of all ages, has been around for hundreds of years? Seoul-based artist Ilhwa Kim seems to have modernized paper quilling.
The Visionary Work of Gustave Moreau
Symbolist art was birthed from the expression of emotion and ideas. Emerging at the time of the French Literary movement, symbolist paintings became popular in the late 1800s. Paving a path for this adventurous style was Gustave Moreau.
Moreau was known for portraying historic, religious, mythological, legendary and fanciful characters with techniques that combine exotic romanticism, symbolism and imagination. His many paintings shimmer with gem-like qualities, which he used to cast visual scenes that could only be described as other worldly.
Coral Reefs: Rainforests of the Sea
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. These are tiny animals called polyps which have hard bodies which support and protect their bodies Coral Reefs are sometimes referred to as the “rainforests of the sea”, because they contain the most diverse ecosystems on Earth.
Jules Tavernier: Talent Erupted
Jules Tavernier was a talented artist and a gifted person. His aptitude for art went far beyond his paintbrush. He had an ability to unite people who shared an affinity towards art. Unfortunately, these relationships would later implode from his alcoholism and rampant debt. The “master of volcano paintings,” as some liked to call him, would erupt just like the natural phenomenon he sought to illustrate. But even in his state of decay, people gathered around him to reflect the truth of his being: he was supremely talented and equally tragic.
Thanksgiving Scenes Influences Art
Each year on the fourth Thursday of November, a very special North American holiday takes place, and that holiday is Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving season is known throughout the country as a time to delight in the presence of loved ones and enjoy a plethora of delicious food. A favorite holiday of many Americans, Thanksgiving inspires décor, recipes, movies, and even art.
How is your Halloween Spirit?
As fallen leaves carpet the ground with brilliant shades of brown, yellow, red and orange, a variety of strange and spooky images start to appear creating Halloween Spirit. Ghosts and ghouls hang from trees, carved pumpkins and gnarled broomsticks appear on doorsteps, spiders weave webs across windows and gravestones turn up on front lawns.
Halloween art sets the stage for the scariest and fun holiday of the year.
Katsushika Hokusai – Creative Japanese Artist
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was a Japanese artist of the Edo period. He is best known for the woodblock print series, thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji which includes his most recognizable work, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. He was first trained with ukiyo-e, a style of wood block prints and paintings. Later Hokusai explored other styles of art, including European styles he was exposed to through French and Dutch copper engravings. He mastered Surimono, an experimental genre of Japanese woodblock print. At the high of his career, he created the Hokusai Manga a collection of sketches of various subjects including landscapes, flora, and fauna as well as the thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji set, his most defining set. In his later years, he produced One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji which was another significant landscape series.
Ideas for Creating Halloween Spirit
Every October, as fallen leaves carpet the ground with brilliant shades of brown, yellow, red and orange, a variety of strange and spooky images start to appear creating Halloween Spirit. Ghosts and ghouls hang from trees, carved pumpkins and gnarled broomsticks appear on doorsteps, spiders weave webs across windows and gravestones turn up on front lawns.
Halloween art sets the stage for the scariest holiday of the year. Well before October 31 rolls around, you’ll want to get busy creating the seasonal decorations that will set the tone for the entire month.
School art programs fall victim to tight budgets. For years, it has been evident that art classes and extracurricular activities suffer because of budget shortages in the education system. Schools strive to meet state and national standards and, as a result, art programs get left behind.
Vehicle Safety and Car Color
Did you know Volvo was the first car to incorporate seat belts? Advanced safety features come standard in many cars now. Some are even required by law. One way to make a car safer is to choose its exterior color wisely. 
Thomas Moran – American Landscape Painter
The interesting life of Thomas Moran started with humble beginnings and ended in the Whitehouse. Moran was no politician though; he was an artist who raised the bar for American painters and illustrators. More so, Thomas Moran was responsible for making America what is it today. 
Joseph Mallord William Turner – Great Painter of Light
Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775 – 1851) was a controversial English landscape painter. His eccentric style matched his subjects – shipwrecks, fires, natural catastrophes, as well as natural phenomena such as sunlight, storms, rain, and fog. The significance of light to Turner resembled God’s spirit. In his later paintings he concentrated on the play of light on water and the radiances of skies and fires, almost to an Impressionistic style. Segmation’s collection of Joseph Mallord William Turner patterns includes many examples of his style including The Fighting Temeraire, The Shipwreck of the Minotaur, Snow Storm, The Grand Canal, Peace – Burial at Sea, and Rain, Steam and Speed.