Art is everywhere, it is the music we listen to, the drawings we draw, the dances we dance and even the movies we watch. But what makes art good or bad? It is a hard question to answer and in my opinion I think that one can judge art on if it accomplishes what the intended purpose was but mainly people judge art based on their personal perception.
Any art form has some sort of guideline or rules. For writing you have to make sure your grammar is correct, if the piece has a theme you need to stick with it and try not to deviate. For example if your told to write something happy or bright and your story ends up dark and depressing, it does not accomplish what the intended theme was. So when looking at it as a happy piece it fails to be good. In music you have notes, in order to play good music you need to learn to use those notes effectively to play a certain song or create your own. Even with dance, different types of dance have different moves, and if you effectively execute the choreography your dance will be good. Of course all art forms need emotion and passion to make it truly good. If you can feel the emotion a writer puts into his or her book, or the passion of a dancer your more likely to find it good. But to truly appreciate the work of art one must posses some knowledge of its technicalities. It’s not that someone who has for example no experience painting cannot appreciate a good painting, it’s just that they won’t be able to comprehend the effort that when to paint it when compared to someone who paints at that level themselves.
Your personal perception and what you’ve experienced though life also plays a role in judging whether art is good or bad. Everyone has his or her own personality, for example, some one that’s very cheerful may not enjoy a darker piece of work and so my label it as bad. It also depends on what you like, if a work of art is based on a topic you enjoy you are more likely to say it’s good. An example would be someone who likes horses would find a story about horses good, compared to someone who hates horses, though the story maybe well written.
To me judging art is very personal, there can never be a universal standard by which one can judge art, as it’s a work of expression. There maybe be guidelines but a lot of the subject matter is left to the artist’s discretion. One person may like something the other won’t because they both have different perceptions of the piece.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Forever Mine
Mariko pushed her dark glasses higher up her nose, her gloved hand reaching out for her cup to take a sip of black coffee. All the while her eyes remained fixated on the male sitting at the other end of the café. Brown eyes followed the movement of his hand through his spiky sandy brown hair, down to his light green eyes crinkled with laughter, and traced the elegant bridge of his nose, till they landed on his lips, those lips that could drive her wild. She watched his right hand reach out to caress the face of the woman he was with, a move that was painfully familiar, because he had done the same thing to her on countless occasions. She held her breath as she watched him lean over, slowly as if he was purposely trying to torment her, to touch his lips gently to woman’s pink ones. Mariko felt her heart give a painful shudder in her chest.
She’d known what to expect when she had followed her boyfriend to this quaint little café, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of life in a big city. Yet seeing it really brought the out of focus picture into clarity. Jason was cheating on her. After the initial realization hit, she strangely felt devoid of any emotion, even as she watched him stand up with the woman, wrap his arm around her slim waist and lead her towards the door. Maybe it was the fact that she’d lived through this before that prevented her from feeling the anger or even the sadness that came with such a betrayal. All she felt as she sat there was cold and empty, no tears filled her eyes. She had seen the backs of too many walk out the door, never to return. Her father left when she was 13, her mother died soon after, leaving her alone to fend for herself, even her past lovers had all left her, one for another guy. And it wasn’t enough to just leave, they had to take all she had to give them, and then leave her used and broken on the floor, to clean up the mess they left behind, like a shattered glass and spilt water. She’d always pick herself up eventually, but the scars never completely heal. Yet after all that, she kept putting herself out there, and she was finally tired of it.
Jason was not going anywhere; she loved him too much to let him walk out on her. She would make him see, he wouldn’t be able to leave her even if he tried.
xxxx
The violent storm raged on outside as Mariko let Jason in, a smile playing on her lips. After locking the front door, she spun around and walked up to him, hips swaying in a seductive motion, a devious glint in her eyes. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “I missed you today” he whispered against her lips, his hands snaking around her waist, bringing her closer to him. “Really now, were you thinking about me the whole day?” she quizzed, shaking out her long black locks. “Of course” he grinned.
The soft kisses turned heated as he backed her up against the kitchen counter, his hand trailing a path of warmth up her arm to cup the back of her neck in order to deepen the kiss. She felt him push himself against her molding her smaller form to his. They fit so perfectly; how could he be so blind to that fact. Mariko pulled away from the kiss breathless, as Jason’s lips moved lower to place butterfly kisses on her collarbone. “Jason?” she whispered his name as her hands found their way into his hair. “Hmm” he hummed against her skin. “Do you really love me?” she questioned pulling his face up so she could look him in the eye. “You know I do Ko” was his reply as he bent down to nibble on her bottom lip “You shouldn’t have to ask” “So this is forever?” she persisted, pushing him away, her eyes searching his for the truth, “Forever Koko.”
She let him claim her lips once more in a bruising kiss. She knew he was lying, she could tell by the way his eyes never totally met hers, rather they flicked down constantly to her red lips. She could see almost the lust clouding his eyes as he spoke the words, which would make her bend to his will. But she would make those words true soon enough. She untangled her right hand from his hair and reached behind her for the handcuffs hidden under a newspaper on the kitchen counter.
xxxx
The sound of the phone ringing was the only thing that shattered the early morning silence. Mariko took her time making her way to the phone, hoping the caller would just give up.
“Hello?” She answered.
“Hey Mari? It’s Lonnie” It took her a second to recall the gruff voice of Jason’s best friend.
“Oh hey! How’s it going, I haven’t seen you in a while” she kept her voice cheerful but her fingers drummed on the table in front of her with impatience.
“I’m good. You don’t happen to know where Jason is, do you? We were supposed to meet up for drinks, but it seems like he stood me up”
Her eyes narrowed at his words, yet her voice remained cheerful as she responded.
“Oh yaa Jason’s over here at my place. I suppose he forgot to call a head to tell you he took sometime off to spend with me. I’d go get him for you, but he’s a little tied up at the moment. I’ll tell him to call you later k?” Mariko smirked at her choice of words,
“Ohh okay fine I’ll…” A loud thumping interrupted the conversation, wiping the smirk off her face “Mari you okay? What’s that noise?”
Mariko shot a quick glance at her bedroom door before replying, “It’s nothing to worry about, something must have fallen that’s all. Listen I’ll talk to you later okay? Goodbye now”
With out waiting for a reply she hung up, moving quickly to grab the silver knife sitting on the coffee table. She made her way toward the sound of the thumping, dragging the blade along the wall, revelling in the scratching sound it emitted. The thumping ceased as she drew closer to the door, pushing it out of her way. With a flick of the light switch the darkness dispersed, revelling the chaotic mess her bedroom was in. Red smears decorated the walls, her possessions were scattered around the room. Mariko’s eyes fell upon the bed, where Jason lay, striped down to his black Calvin Klein, a mixture of blood, sweat and tears drew their patterns down his face, Mariko’s own handy work with the knife decorated his skin. He turned his wide eyes toward her, and struggled against his bonds, incoherent noises fought their way out from his gagged mouth.
“Hey baby” Mariko called out, a seductive tone to her voice as she made her way towards the bed. Her fingers found his bare skin, causing Jason to wince as they trailed over the cuts that marred his body.
“You know Jason, I really love you,” she said, now trailing the blade up his chest, coming to a halt over his heart “Yet it seems that I’ve lost your heart. Where is it Jason? Who took it from me?” she looked him in the eyes before pressing the knife deeper against his flesh drawing blood. His eyes closed in pain as he struggled to escape.
“You really should stop squirming honey, you won’t last very long if you don’t” she muttered in to his ear before planting a kiss on his blooded cheek. She grabbed the blood-drenched blanket and tossed it off the bed before scooting closer to Jason. “All I wanted was for us to be together forever. Is that such an unreasonable request?” she asked, as she watched his eyes flutter, the last of his strength fading. She clutched the knife closer, placing the tip against her forearm.
“Now we can, right Jay?” in a quick motion she drew the knife down, watching as it drew a deep red line down her arm, contrasting against her pale skin. She looked up at Jason whose eyes were closed “That’s right baby, just go to sleep.” She untied his hands and removed the gag then rested her head against his still chest, feeling drowsy.
She wrapped her arm around his torso pulling him close to her. “Nothing can take you from me now” she whispered placing a light kiss on his lifeless lips. “Forever mine” she whispered before closing her eyes and letting the promise of sleep and an eternal darkness envelop her.
She’d known what to expect when she had followed her boyfriend to this quaint little café, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of life in a big city. Yet seeing it really brought the out of focus picture into clarity. Jason was cheating on her. After the initial realization hit, she strangely felt devoid of any emotion, even as she watched him stand up with the woman, wrap his arm around her slim waist and lead her towards the door. Maybe it was the fact that she’d lived through this before that prevented her from feeling the anger or even the sadness that came with such a betrayal. All she felt as she sat there was cold and empty, no tears filled her eyes. She had seen the backs of too many walk out the door, never to return. Her father left when she was 13, her mother died soon after, leaving her alone to fend for herself, even her past lovers had all left her, one for another guy. And it wasn’t enough to just leave, they had to take all she had to give them, and then leave her used and broken on the floor, to clean up the mess they left behind, like a shattered glass and spilt water. She’d always pick herself up eventually, but the scars never completely heal. Yet after all that, she kept putting herself out there, and she was finally tired of it.
Jason was not going anywhere; she loved him too much to let him walk out on her. She would make him see, he wouldn’t be able to leave her even if he tried.
xxxx
The violent storm raged on outside as Mariko let Jason in, a smile playing on her lips. After locking the front door, she spun around and walked up to him, hips swaying in a seductive motion, a devious glint in her eyes. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “I missed you today” he whispered against her lips, his hands snaking around her waist, bringing her closer to him. “Really now, were you thinking about me the whole day?” she quizzed, shaking out her long black locks. “Of course” he grinned.
The soft kisses turned heated as he backed her up against the kitchen counter, his hand trailing a path of warmth up her arm to cup the back of her neck in order to deepen the kiss. She felt him push himself against her molding her smaller form to his. They fit so perfectly; how could he be so blind to that fact. Mariko pulled away from the kiss breathless, as Jason’s lips moved lower to place butterfly kisses on her collarbone. “Jason?” she whispered his name as her hands found their way into his hair. “Hmm” he hummed against her skin. “Do you really love me?” she questioned pulling his face up so she could look him in the eye. “You know I do Ko” was his reply as he bent down to nibble on her bottom lip “You shouldn’t have to ask” “So this is forever?” she persisted, pushing him away, her eyes searching his for the truth, “Forever Koko.”
She let him claim her lips once more in a bruising kiss. She knew he was lying, she could tell by the way his eyes never totally met hers, rather they flicked down constantly to her red lips. She could see almost the lust clouding his eyes as he spoke the words, which would make her bend to his will. But she would make those words true soon enough. She untangled her right hand from his hair and reached behind her for the handcuffs hidden under a newspaper on the kitchen counter.
xxxx
The sound of the phone ringing was the only thing that shattered the early morning silence. Mariko took her time making her way to the phone, hoping the caller would just give up.
“Hello?” She answered.
“Hey Mari? It’s Lonnie” It took her a second to recall the gruff voice of Jason’s best friend.
“Oh hey! How’s it going, I haven’t seen you in a while” she kept her voice cheerful but her fingers drummed on the table in front of her with impatience.
“I’m good. You don’t happen to know where Jason is, do you? We were supposed to meet up for drinks, but it seems like he stood me up”
Her eyes narrowed at his words, yet her voice remained cheerful as she responded.
“Oh yaa Jason’s over here at my place. I suppose he forgot to call a head to tell you he took sometime off to spend with me. I’d go get him for you, but he’s a little tied up at the moment. I’ll tell him to call you later k?” Mariko smirked at her choice of words,
“Ohh okay fine I’ll…” A loud thumping interrupted the conversation, wiping the smirk off her face “Mari you okay? What’s that noise?”
Mariko shot a quick glance at her bedroom door before replying, “It’s nothing to worry about, something must have fallen that’s all. Listen I’ll talk to you later okay? Goodbye now”
With out waiting for a reply she hung up, moving quickly to grab the silver knife sitting on the coffee table. She made her way toward the sound of the thumping, dragging the blade along the wall, revelling in the scratching sound it emitted. The thumping ceased as she drew closer to the door, pushing it out of her way. With a flick of the light switch the darkness dispersed, revelling the chaotic mess her bedroom was in. Red smears decorated the walls, her possessions were scattered around the room. Mariko’s eyes fell upon the bed, where Jason lay, striped down to his black Calvin Klein, a mixture of blood, sweat and tears drew their patterns down his face, Mariko’s own handy work with the knife decorated his skin. He turned his wide eyes toward her, and struggled against his bonds, incoherent noises fought their way out from his gagged mouth.
“Hey baby” Mariko called out, a seductive tone to her voice as she made her way towards the bed. Her fingers found his bare skin, causing Jason to wince as they trailed over the cuts that marred his body.
“You know Jason, I really love you,” she said, now trailing the blade up his chest, coming to a halt over his heart “Yet it seems that I’ve lost your heart. Where is it Jason? Who took it from me?” she looked him in the eyes before pressing the knife deeper against his flesh drawing blood. His eyes closed in pain as he struggled to escape.
“You really should stop squirming honey, you won’t last very long if you don’t” she muttered in to his ear before planting a kiss on his blooded cheek. She grabbed the blood-drenched blanket and tossed it off the bed before scooting closer to Jason. “All I wanted was for us to be together forever. Is that such an unreasonable request?” she asked, as she watched his eyes flutter, the last of his strength fading. She clutched the knife closer, placing the tip against her forearm.
“Now we can, right Jay?” in a quick motion she drew the knife down, watching as it drew a deep red line down her arm, contrasting against her pale skin. She looked up at Jason whose eyes were closed “That’s right baby, just go to sleep.” She untied his hands and removed the gag then rested her head against his still chest, feeling drowsy.
She wrapped her arm around his torso pulling him close to her. “Nothing can take you from me now” she whispered placing a light kiss on his lifeless lips. “Forever mine” she whispered before closing her eyes and letting the promise of sleep and an eternal darkness envelop her.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Reminder
The strip of black lay snugly against her white porcelain skin,
The little silver heart dangling at the end was cold against her flesh.
It served as a constant reminder of what was and
Of what could never be again
The sapphire stone embedded in the silver heart
Twinkled like his eyes would, whenever he smiled his crooked smile
The soft velvet material felt like his gentle lips, caressing her skin
The memories flickered through her mind
And silent tears streaked down her face
The engraved vines around the cold metal heart
Felt like they were crushing her own broken one
The black velvet seemed to tighten around her thin neck
The choker staying true to its name, choked her
The velvet turned coarse, the sapphire stone dull
She clawed the cursed thing off.
She didn’t need reminding.
The little silver heart dangling at the end was cold against her flesh.
It served as a constant reminder of what was and
Of what could never be again
The sapphire stone embedded in the silver heart
Twinkled like his eyes would, whenever he smiled his crooked smile
The soft velvet material felt like his gentle lips, caressing her skin
The memories flickered through her mind
And silent tears streaked down her face
The engraved vines around the cold metal heart
Felt like they were crushing her own broken one
The black velvet seemed to tighten around her thin neck
The choker staying true to its name, choked her
The velvet turned coarse, the sapphire stone dull
She clawed the cursed thing off.
She didn’t need reminding.
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