This is a frequently updated list of the names and sites that are reported as being used for phishing on Twitter. We believe that the people who actually own these identities are innocent and have fallen prey to the phishing scheme. We know most of them as being fully innocent of any wrong-doing.

This list was last updated at 5: 45 PM EST 01/05/09. Please continue to sent info and names to http://twitter.com/judyrey

NEW!! Phishers are now sending DM/Emails that are “Get Out Of Debt”.  Prior emials used are for free (or won) iphone, asking you to see a blog, see your photo used in a blog, and to see a funny mention of yourself in a blog.

If your name is one of these immediately change your Twitter password. Then DM http://twitter.com/judyrey for instructions to get off this list and be verified as OK again.

If you have additional names or sites to add send them through the regular Twitter stream to @judyrey and include #phising in the Tweet message. For example: @judyrey Just received a phishing DM from @abcdefgxyz #phishing Please RT”

This listing is compiled as a service with the assistance of @Paw Luxury http://www.pawlux.com/ on 01/04/09 and @judyrey http://ungravenimage.com and http://theartofseeingthedivine.com continuing for our followers and friends on Twitter.

PHISHING MESSAGES NOW IN TWITTER SRTREAM. Never follow any link that begins http://bloggertwi…

FROM TWITTER: “Warning! http://bloggertwi Don’t sign in to fake Twitter.com from a DM. Read more on our blog.”

http://blog.twitter.com/2009/01/gone-phishing.html

New Scam DM/Email variation. “hey! i want u to see my blog! http://blogtwitter” links to fa..

web site at twitterblogs.access-logins.com has been reported as a web forgery

Do NOT follow this link: http://twitpic.com/zo4b

More info is at http://status.twitter.com/

Art is officially running to become a recognized main category in Twitter’s Shorty Awards. I’m the campaign manager and instigator of the category.

Currently there are 24 major award categories, which include music, entertainment, finance, sports, tech travel, social media, photography and design (which includes, graphics, web design, fashion and crafts) —but no art. No art?!

We can remedy this. Shorty Award rules state that if many votes or nominations occur the new category will be listed as a major category.

A month ago I became active on Twitter ( http://twitter.com ), which is the social media site that anyone can join for free to send 140 character messages to people. On Twitter people are followed and also follow other people’s messages by choice. It is a wonderful and dynamic away to keep up with the people in your life and meet new friends. For me, it is the ideal chat room I never found anywhere else.

On Twitter I follow (and am followed) by artists, museums, galleries, collectors and lots of people who have no real connection to art.

As an artist, I see Twitter as a new form of the neighborhood café or tavern, where artists have congregated since they existed. Much like artists of the past, we socialize at the end, even during the day to discuss and show our art.

Art is a topic that appears in links to blogs sites from people not professionally associated with the art world. It is a fairly popular topic for social media gurus. In the past week, @chrisbrogan gave a guest spot on his well known blog to Amrita Chandra @tinkugallery; who wrote What Artists Can Teach Everyone About Social Media and @ariherzog blogged on How the Museum of Modern Art is Online .

About two weeks ago I began to notice messages that were sent to the people I follow that were much like this randomly selected one from last night:

@shortyawards @leavingrichmond , you were nominated by @Daniellelander (and 3 others) for a #music Shorty Award http://bit.ly/1Yg3

Since I had been active for less than a month and assumed these are yearly awards, I was content to watch from the sidelines. Although in that time I had staged Twitter’s first Post Conceptual Performance Art Event , blogged about it, received some press on it, plus blogged about Twitter with considerable participation both in the blog and later in commented from fellow Twitterers, I felt I was still a newbie.

Art However, when no one was nominated for art, I followed the link to awards to discover why. What immediately followed that was my Tweet: “@shortyawards there needs to be an #art category. Design is not fine art. You have music, entertainment– where’s art?”

While there was no response from the awards, @Reverse_Vampyr immediately nominated me for a Shorty Award for #art.

That’s when I learned that the Shorty Awards allow anyone on Twitter to nominate anyone else for any category. I was delighted that a category for #art was now established, no realizing that it still would not be included as a regular suggested category.

However, I felt that there were better candidates to nominate as major museums, art critics, galleries and artists are members of Twitter. Surely I was too new on Twitter. Yet I wanted more recognition for art, which meant more nominations.

I sent out re following Twitter message:” Please vote for me or nominate someone to the Shorty #art award. Free e book to all who do either! (DM me for link) Art is important!!”

Twitterers know that DM means direct message, a private way to send personal information. I could privately send a link a download site for my life transforming e book, The Art of Seeing The Divine, Book 1—What Do You See? It is brand new, and the giveaway supports my purposes of achieving recognition for art, while encouraging people discover the book.

I began to send out messages much like the one above. The Shorty Awards people saw one and decided that I was nominating myself, which was never my intent. I protested, but it stuck. I was hoping that another artist, arts writer, gallery or museum would pick up the banner and run. No one did.

What to do? Should I accept that once again fine art has been passed over as an important cultural force—which it absolutely is— or take action?

I have the credentials as an artist earn nominations. I am founding a radical new theory of art, Post Conceptual UnGraven Image, maintain an extensive web site for it, which includes artwork, articles (many reviews of shows and fairs, art theory, tips for collectors) and a free download of the manifesto booklet. Although I am still considered to be an emerging artist, my work is now with recognized dealers; has appeared in group and a solo show, plus, I have written for artnet.com and have received some press.

If I don’t take action, who will? If not now, when?

I am stepping up and tossing my beret into the ring for #art. I am asking to be nominated for #art and promise to stand up for art, artists and those who love or support them. If I win I fully intend to represent the artists, galleries, art writers, not for profit groups and great art museums that are on Twitter. It’s not about me – it’s about art and us. And, I have a plan on how to do this.

If I win a Shorty award for #art and am invited to the awards ceremony in NYC (I live within commuting range) I will attend. According to the rules, each winner will be allowed to make a 140 character acceptance speech. That’s where being an artist will allow me to represent my fellow artists and art people on Twitter: that 140 character acceptance speech moment.

One picture is worth a whole lot of 140 word speeches, but can be shown in the same amount of time as just one sound. So I intend to hold up, high enough so the cameras can film it, a Post Conceptual artwork that uses the logos, signatures, or faces of all of the artists, galleries, museums, non for profits and art writers who are on Twitter and send one (email) to me (with permission as this is all copyrighted material). Thus, visually we will all be represented. I intend to make this well known as it is free advertising for all fine art related Twitterers.

The Shorty Awards states that the ceremony will be filmed and played on the web. If I win I will also write a blog prior to the awards naming each person or group on the Post Conceptual “collage” fine art digital print that I hold up. Each person or group mentioned in that blog will also have a link back to their web site and their @name on Twitter mentioned in the blog.

I make and selling investment quality, limited edition fine art prints using a professional Epson in my own studio. Thus I have the equipment and software necessary to accomplish this. I am not sure what charity, but I think that the artwork could be auctioned or sold to benefit an arts charity, which could include one of the art not for profits on Twitter. I am open to suggestions for that after I win.

The nominations for the Shorty Awards closes midnight December 31 st . Please nominate me for #art.

If you are on Twitter, simply cut and paste this @shortyawards I nominate @judyrey in category #art because art is important.

Comments are welcome. Please ReTWeet and/or send the link to this post to others!

While ownership is clearly defined for most property, when it comes to fine art there are aspects of ownership that are unique, and even shared by people who lack any title to a work of art.

One aspect of this can quickly and easily be seen when it comes to artworks that are antiquities. While a person might purchase a work, removing that piece from its country of origin may not be permitted, or may be deemed socially unacceptable. It is said that the artwork belongs to the people of that country even though they do not own the title (meaning as in deeded right) to the work.

Then there is copyright ownership. While a collector may own the original work, the artist retains the copyright and can sell the right to make prints, use the image for advertising, on goods, or anyway else it can be franchised. The artist does not need to confer with the collector who owns the original. Yet the collector of the original may not legally even send photos of the work to friends and clients as a holiday card, without the artist’s agreement.

Even in a recession great and recognized art retains much of its prior value, making it a good investment. A van Gogh remains a van Gogh—and the same can be said for many of the masters. Yet, great art is always inevitably also free to all viewers.

Most gallery shows are free. Museums are often on a donation basis so those who cannot afford much can come in, or special times when admission is free. While images of great art are not the same as seeing a work up front and personally, there are wonderful art books for art lovers. Many of these books are readily available to see, or to take on loan from public libraries.

Money, buying power does not matter when it comes to viewing art. The viewing experience of a wealthy collector is as valid as a poor student’s. Each owns and takes away his own experience.

No one but the artist can actually ever own a work of art. A work can only be validly changed by the artist who created it. Clearly this is widely considered to be true since if anyone or anything else changes it, the work is said to be in need of restoration.

Collectors can only buy the right to decide where an artwork is located. Safe keeping of works is a position collectors pay to have. It is a position of deep, even sacred trust. Perhaps it is fitting that those people who have amassed wealth and property are entrusted with tending to the care of the artwork in their collection.

Cypresses , 1889

If the artwork becomes more valuable due to greater appreciation of the artist, the work and the economy then a collector may be rewarded by the work having increased in value. Selling a distinguished artwork means relinquishing a position of trust.

Each person “owns” their own experiences with art and specific artworks. My Experiences of van Gogh’s The Cypresses at The Metropolitan Museum are exceptionally meaningful to me. Experientially, I have a relationship to that painting that began when I was a girl. Yet I do not own the painting only my experiences of it. By the way, many of those experiences were given to me through the free admission I enjoyed as a student growing up in NYC.

Who can own art? Each person that is moved or inspired by art owns it in his or her own unique way.

On Twitter, which is it more important to follow others or be followed?

At the social networking site of Twitter, the question of whether it is more important to follow people or be followed is controversial. People try to look important by having a ratio of more followers that followers, just like the celebrities and Internet gurus on Twitter. But, does having more followers mean anything or predict success?

On Twitter messages known as Tweets are issued by members. Interesting or informative Tweets are forwarded. When someone with many followers RTs (Re Tweets) a comment, new people see it and a few decide the original person who made the comment is worth following. People also find others to follow through checking out who is following or being followed by others they know or would like to know, such as celebrities and the influencers.

Part of the conundrum is inherent in Twitters’ terminology of follow and followers. While this terminology is correct when understood in relationship to comments, it has an additional meaning in regards to leadership that does not necessarily pertain. Yet many, including Twitter’s own raking system, assume it does.

I used to write comedy professionally, and can be quick with a harmless quip. I have noticed that when I post something funny I pick up followers. Does this mean the people who enjoy my humor are actually ready to follow me into the real and new way of enhanced vision through Post Conceptual UnGraven Image Art or through my inspirational self help e book, The Art of Seeing The Divine–Book 1 I doubt it, although who clicks on which links in Twitter comments is impossible to track.

If leadership means that people are eager to read what one writes or hear what one says then every journalist, correspondent, newscaster and TV host ought to be in the congress and run or run for some office. While these people may influence others, there is a difference between leadership and influence.

On Twitter one of the recognized Internet influencers is Guy Kawasaki, founding partner at Garage and co-founder of Alltop , a news aggregation site, author of business books and blogger. Kawasaki has followers who send tweets that link to popular or interesting articles on Alltop. These followers receive a free copy Kawasaki ’s latest book, plus usually more flooders as their tweets are full of interesting links. Since Twitter limits the number of posts that one can make during the day, this scheme seems to work well.

Unlike many of the other Internet and business influencers, Guy Kawasaki follows many people. He is accessible to his followers through DMs (direct messages) while anyone else can reply to his frequent messages. He comments on other people’s Twits, rather than remaining aloof in his own celebrity guru niche. In a recent blog article, How to Use Twitter as a Twool advises Internet marketers to follow and relate to people other than the influencers like him. In my short experience on Twitter I have found Guy Kawasaki to actually be one of the most influential people on Twitter because he is busy interacting and listening.

Another Twitter influencer who seems to follow almost all of his followers is Wayne Sutton. I have witnessed him also interacting with his followers who tweet him. I recognized his name and began to follow him on what was probably my first day and to my surprise he immediately followed me back.

Historically great leaders are good listeners who have open lines of communication to as many of their “followers” as is possible. Leaders who have closed themselves off with their cronies and flatterers are toppled. They lack information about what is happening in their domain. The more information a person is privy too, especially when confirmed by many reliable sources, the wiser and proactive that person’s decisions and plans can be.

About two weeks ago, when I first joined Twitter, I signed on to follow everyone I could from influencers to “nobodies” who lacked a web site and Twittered within small family and friends groups. It was great fun finding someone who seemed especially interesting and then following many of the people that they followed. I made sure to follow English speaking people from around the world so that I would have a real purview of the news in the world outside of the media. Whether anyone would follow me was not half as interesting as what I could possibly learn. I also found as many artists and art related people as I could, including museums.

I kept selecting to follow people until Twitter stopped me at 2000. Twitter suspects that people who quickly sign on to follow many people are spammers. This seemed unfair and frustrating until I was followed by such a spammer. Eventually I will be allowed to follow more people after acquiring more followers and sending many messages. This indicates a level of participation that is unusual for spammers.

There is spirituality –connection– in each personal one on one tweet, no matter how seemingly trivial. That people assume or hope that someone cares that they are having lunch, home from running errand, listening to a favorite song, coming down with a cold or feeling happy or sad is disarmingly trusting and genuine. On the other hand, I have learned much from links I followed, had tastes of life around the world and had first hand updates fro people in Mumbai during the terrorist attack.

In the past two weeks I have commiserated with two people with headaches, one who had indigestion, another non-spammer who has also been barred from following more people until she has more followers, been cheered on by new friends, had questions answered and answered some, found interesting blogs, posted at some, been featured in blogs about my work creating Twitter’s first Post Conceptual Performance Art, been inspired to create a new painting and best of all made new friends.

On the day this article was written I sent out a tweet that asked if it is better to follow or be followed on Twitter. Why. I let it be known that I would use the best replies and include the IDs of those selected. In the Twitter community having one’s ID broadcast and promoted means one gets more followers and friends.

The answers are diverse. I decided to use them all as having the freedom to express and see many thoughts and opinions are what makes Twitter unique, vital and splendid.

Twitter allows 140 spaces each update, which means many are written with texting abbreviations or code. They are basically just cut and pasted in the order they were received.

“If we all follow, then we are all followed!– thehotiron

“Following but not being followed is like unrequited love or stalking, depending. Best case is to follow and be followed.”– edgizmo

“Depends. Personally, I’d rather follow the funny/insightful/interesting posts of others. My updates are pretty bland sometimes.”– missmarsh

“Depends on if you want to put on or follow the show…” — GRAIN4YOURBRAIN

“Better to be even steven… otherwise you get complaints… got some real stick n the muds here” — FiveDecades

“ For me depends on what yr lking for. Ppl with stuff to sell will want lots of followers for marketing push. I follow fewer than follow me b/c I value conversation…”– robynmcintyre

“It is better to be followed - so your voice is heard.”– ConchRaider

“Got to follow & be followed IMO. Twitter is a conversation and talking to yourself is the 1st sign of madness :)”– CanDoCanBe

“I have always been a big fan of Lead rather than be led :D”– artbyskym

“It is better to follow, listen, learn from others, and reply when relevant. Result: Ntwrk growth (followers) happen automatically”– jenuinejen

“Its better for my ego when I get followed. But I tweet A LOT so I get followed a lot. When I see someone interesting I follow first”– ImSleepDeprived

“Re Twitter: Better to follow or be followed? Sounds like The Tao of Twitter : )”– realtortweet

“I think both - of course depends upon your use of Twitter; if business, follow and be followed”– LindaCSmith

“You follow and be followed -this is about building relationships - every person comes in ur life for a season, a reason or lifetime… there are of course exceptions to every rule - bottomline is you follow someone if your heart and gut says its the right thing”– scenic_drive

“Neither. Both. Depends on what you are trying to get out of Twitter”.– purplepopple

This week in my email was a notification that Jack Canfield, of bestselling author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and The Secret, is following me. Wow! Jack Canfield is one of my spiritual contemporary heroes. I logged into Twitter where many tweets indicated that he had just become a member. Since I actually do have an inspirational and unique way to visually transform lives, which compliments Mr. Canfield’s work it would make sense for us to follow each other. Except, I am really just emerging, how he or a staff member found and selected me to follow delights and amazes me.

I immediately followed Jack Canfield right back. I follow all of my followers. I joke that I seem to be following me, since everywhere I go I find me. Thus I have something in common with anyone else who follows me.

The thing about Jack Canfield is that he immediately followed his entire initial allotment of 2000 people. I suspect he would have followed everyone on Twitter if it was allowed. He left one post, and now, I believe he is wisely watching, listening and learning.

It has been asked, “Who is wise?”

The answer, which was part of the Jewish oral tradition known to Jesus and the disciples is, “The person who can learn from anyone is wise.”

Please add your comments and leave your Twitter ID at the bottom if you want.

Will the different plans of President Elect Obama and Mayor Bloomberg’s to raise taxes for people above the middle class result some galleries, artists and collectors moving to other countries? Will there be repercussions of Obama’s election on the art market, especially in America? Can the USA and NYC retain its place at the center of the art world?

While many artists were outspokenly for Barack Obama, his plan to tax the rich will certainly affect the incomes and spending of the rich, and this certainly includes many if not most prominent art collectors. Since it is unlikely that the poor who will be lifted into better economic conditions will rush out to buy original art, even in local tent fairs during the warmer months, all artists will feel the consequences.

Higher taxes for the rich at a time when the country is falling into a recession could result in many changes in the art world.

Some changes are already being felt thanks to the lay-offs on Wall Street, where collecting art is popular. Recent auctions and fairs in the USA and abroad have revealed a decline in collector’s dollars and buying power.

Everyone who lives or does business in NYC is sure to feel the squeeze of the recent announcement by Mayor Bloomberg of higher taxes and the cuts in services. A good part of the problem for the city stems from the tax base being lower due to the recession and changes on Wall Street and in the financial markets. When Obama’s plan to tax the rich goes into effect, what will be the result for this city?

The art community has become an international one. Artists have always moved about fairly freely, while dealers and gallerists tend to congregate in hubs that are city and then community based. For instance, NYC is considered to be the center of the art world while the neighborhood hubs have shifted from Soho to Chelsea and now apparently there is a move towards the Bowery.

Successful artists, those making incomes beyond Obama’s do-not-get-taxed-more ceiling can live anywhere and produce art. If taxes are increased, cost of living increases while services go down, will artists remain in New York City or move elsewhere, even out of the country?

Many of the most successful galleries have branches in other international cities. If a gallery’s London branch can sell the work of a represented artist for the same price but be taxed less, wouldn’t it make business sense to handle the sale that way? Of course, this kind of dealing would take tax revenues away from NYC and the USA. Yet it is legal.

Will galleries remain? With art fairs and new galleries opening in cities throughout the world, why remain in NYC or the USA if it costs more to do business there? Why place artworks at auction in NYC when the same International collector who will buy the work will do so wherever it is auctioned, since he is bidding over the phone?

The news from Miami is that there are fewer parties and events scheduled for the periods surrounding Art Basel Miami and the satellite fairs. Plus, the patties and events scheduled are less costly than in previous years. Clearly when restaurants, hotels, part planners, caterers, florists, local luxury transportation, etc. make less money it affects the local economy. It will also affect the collectors who come to the fairs to see and buy art but also to meet and greet and party. Is the cut back in Miami something that will be experienced during the NYC fairs? If so, will less lavish partying result in fewer collectors attending from out of town?

Art remains one of the best investments around if—and it is a big IF – the collector invests in an artist whose work will rise in value. Even during difficult times artists will be discovered and their works will become more valuable. After the last recession collectors who owned works by the new art stars became far richer, as did the galleries that represented these artists.

However, what is to prevent a collector from moving their art out of the country to where the taxes will be lighter when a piece is sold or auctioned?

Perhaps President elect Obama and Mayor Bloomberg will devise ways to encourage and support fine art, galleries and collecting that will help the USA retain its current status as the center of the art world and market. Aside from the obvious wisdom of encouraging our culture, the art market in the USA helps create jobs, tourism and promotes the cultural leadership of the USA.

On a non-partisan basis, I urge you to contact (write) the office of President Elect Barack Obama, Mayor Bloomberg, your representatives in local, state and national government and suggest that a plan be devised in relation to taxing fine art sold on the USA that will help preserve the position of the USA as the international center of art and its market.  Email or send your friends this article, post it at social sites, write articles like this too your own blogs — in short take action now!

Judy Rey Wassernman has begun a new and second blog .

[Note: See the blog that follows this one: "New Art of Seeing The Divine Blog Update" as a few days after this posr the blog moved to WordPress at URL: http://www.artofseeingthedivine.com/blog/ ]

The new blog is more relevant for the just available e book, The Art of Seeing The Divine - Book 1 and the web site that has more information about the book, The Art of Seeing The Divine (artofseeingthedivine.com)

Back in the spring of ‘08, while researching web hosts and new blogging software for Post Conceptual UnGraven Image’s site, a blog was tested through what is now Google’s software.  Eventually the decision was made to create Post Conceptual UnGraven Image’s new blog through Word Press software that is self hosted through ungravenimage.com.

However, the other software and site hung around over at Google. So for now, as an experiment, another blog, The Art of Seeing The Divine (http://artofseeingthedivine.blogspot.com) is there. The new second blog deals with spirituality, how we see the world, inspiration, empowerment, religion and enlightenment, etc.

This blog, Art and Inspiration through the Post Conceptual UnGraven Image web site deals more with fine art, art shows and fairs, art news, collecting tips and of course, artistic inspiration.

Many people who are interested or find meaning at this Art and Inspiration blog will also appreciate the other one, too.

Over the weekend more work was done on The Art of Seeing The Divine web site. The home page tells the story of how and why my eyesight actually changed so that I can see more energy, which for  me and many others are the inspirational words of The Divine.  The site also tells how the and how the book came about, including the special Visual Exercise/Experiences that use art to help ap person chage the way the world is actually seen.

Plus now on both sites there is an email sign up for the free newsletter, which will include more art, inspiration and information of new print releases, shows, events, and discounts currently available.You are invited to come and see the blogs and sites for yourself. See more. Share the vision.

http://artofseeingthedivine.blogspot.com/

As of 10/30/08 now at URL: http://www.artofseeingthedivine.com/blog/

For the past few weeks I have done little but work at writing a book, which is the first is a series– and then building a web site for it, the prints and other items that will be available.

A tad over a year ago, I began to sort thorough the blog articles using some of them as first drafts of parts of chapters for a book. Last winter, when I stumbled into portraiture and what became the Essence series, I realized I had a series of books, each dealing with a different series.

The books were meant to be visual and inspirational, using images of my art, plus inspirational writing. When the web site host and blog software became impossible, about the time of the spring art fairs in NYC 2008, I began the tedious task of creating unique pages for each of the former blog articles, since the old software that was giving me so much trouble would not allow me to migrate the blogs into Word Press.

As I converted the blogs, I edited many (more need it!) and began earnestly working on a book. I also began to include visual experiences into the book, using my art and works by artists such as Monet and Picasso to illustrate ideas about how we see and how art can influence vision.

The task of rebuilding the programming and moving the web site and blog was completed, along with the revised manifesto just slightly before the weekend of ArtHamptons in July 2008..[I seem to tell time by art events.]

Also during the time of the spring fairs I was becoming increasingly more aware of a change in my eyesight, actually in how I saw the world. I am nearsighted, and discovered that whether I was looking at objects close of far away, with or without corrective lenses, I was definitely seeing more energy.

Tiny points of vibrant energy were everywhere, sort of like a Pointillist painting, but much smaller, vibrant and well, it is visually clear to me that the world is really energy! I see more, and am aware of more detail, plus for me seeing energy everywhere relates to the spiritual understanding and Abrahamic theology that the Words (letters) of the Creator are the essences, the building blocks of the universe. Apparently, what happened is as I painted with all the tiny, tiny Torah font letters which form into a narrative image my brain was forming visual memories. 90% of the perception of vision happens in the brain as it decodes the impressions of light sent by the eyes. My brain had learned to decode impressions of light that my eyes were receiving throughout my life, but my brain had no experiential way of decoding.

When I began painting I said I wanted to change the way we see the world, but I had no idea how truly I was going to do that! Of course, it had to begin with me.

Once I realized that I was actually seeing more energy, basic energy that is spiritually the Words of The Creator,  I set about to write an introductory book so that other people could learn to do this too.  The Art of Seeing the Divine — Book 1: Introduction is  a kind of inspirational visual seminar in the format of an illustrated book, which would help other people to also see what I am now seeing. The idea that energy, the Words of the Creator is everywhere is no longer theoretical for me, I see it – even now as I keyboard this message. It is everywhere I look and it is real. It has changed my life and my outlook.

Earlier this week I completed The Art Of Seeing The Divine – Book 1: Introduction. The rest of the week was spent finishing the artofseeingthedivine.com website, including setting up a shopping cart, coding and writing the information and creating buttons and images, etc. in Photoshop. As I write this I am still working on a good way to have people sign up for a newsletter. At the moment, my forms are simply coming up as email, which will work if a person sends it. However, I am going to have to get a better form of newsletter system before I really announce the book and site widely, early next week.

However, if you are one of the people who frequent this Art & Inspiration blog, you can have a sneak peek. The book is available (that all works). Send me an email to sign up for the newsletter – links are provided, just place write sign up in the subject and fire it off.

Any feedback is appreciated!

Can a woman be sexually attractive and be taken seriously as a leader or powerful person?

Is a painting defined as an image made with paint, or is there more to art?

Does calling something art make it art and news worthy? If the main focus of an artwork is to gain publicity for its maker, is it art?

Reportedly, two men have separately used paint to fashion images of Sarah Palin nude. Neither man has ever met Governor Palin or seen a photograph of her in the nude, so in actuality, although the images are entitled as Sarah Palin nude, these “portraits” are imaginary.

The titles however, mention her, because if they did not, the woman depicted could be another nude woman who has her current hairstyle and eyeglasses. It could even perhaps be Tina Fey, except I am not too sure what connection Tina Fey has to a moose. A moose and a rifle are props used in both images.

Why is a moose used? Does Sarah Palin have a pet moose? Aren’t they in Maine and other states? Even in Canada? What is with the moose?

The first artist reportedly used his daughter as the model for thfe naked body and then added what is assumed to be Governor Palin’s face portrait. The second artist used his own male body part to apply the paint. How far are these men willing to do to gain publicity?

The first “artist” apparently has his “masterpiece” up in a bar in Chicago. It is brining in customers who want to see Sarah Palin nude. Of course what they are seeing is a naive art representation of the artist’s daughter nude body wearing a Palin-like head.

The second image was sent to the blogger who is posting this stuff a few days later. He seems to have been influenced by the ideas of the first, but his rendition has Governor Palin shooting the rifle from her crotch, which is a disturbingly mixed metaphor.

Neither of these cartoonish paintings is meant to be a true artistic nude, rather each is sexist, salacious, and misogynistic.

These works are publicity stunts that play into the fear of people (perhaps men? then, what kind of men?) who are afraid (or to be politically correct: have concerns) about women who are both powerful and sexually attractive.

Since the blog that posted these images is usually a good one for news of the art world. I subscribe to their feed. Normally it is a blog I would plug here. If the idea is to report the news of the art world, are these images of Sarah Palin truly news, or just publicity stunts by basically obscure men who claim to be artists?

Neither image is even a good political cartoon. Certainly everyone of the four presidential candidates have provided much opportunity for political humor and cartoons, however these nudes are not humorous, just would-be sensationalism. If the titles did not mention Sarah Palin, but were of an anonymous woman, I wonder if the works would sell in a yard sale.

Although I strongly support the right to freedom of expression, includinng the right to paint whatever one wishes,  I have the right to question their motives, even their politics – although it seems this is not really about politics. If it were only about politics, then many, many Democrats and Republicans – all men – would have been previously pictured as naked male pin-ups.

Sarah Palin the only woman running on either ticket, only the second woman ever to be nominated for VP and she is also the only candidate that anyone is painting as a nude. I do not recall any candidate receiving that “honor” before this.

Clearly it is not about politics, but is just meant to demean Sarah Palin and dismiss her as attractive, plus gain publicity for the two male painters. If images had been painted that were racist of Barack Obama there would be a rightful amount of protest were they publicized. If age, race, religion and to some degree sex were mocked and dubbed art, there would be an outcry. I would outcry unless all parties were equally skewered (to bring up Tina Fey one more time – she and Saturday Night Live are equal satirists). However, female attractiveness seems to be the only fair game. Why is that?

A few words on a page is not automatically thought to be a poem or even if its author insists it is one, it is not newsworthy. A gesture is not a dance and newsworthy. A few musical notes are not counted as a song, nor considered newsworthy. In the fields of literature, performance and music a work needs more than a title to have it considered as art or newsworthy.

Yet paint applied to a canvas or board is readily considered as a painting and as art. Questioning whether it actually is art is usually taboo. That question is  thought to infringe on freedom of speech. It has nothing to do with freedom of speech!

So while I am grateful to live in a society where paint can be applied to canvas to create whatever, as an artist just because paint and canvas are used does not mean the result necessarily has anything to do with my profession or art. Real art not only gains public attention, it creates inspired controversy that provides insights and new understandings. Art is visual communication that is powerful and meaningful.

Art can change the way we see the world so that our life is richer and fuller through our enhanced enhanced vision. The effect that art has on a person’s life is personal, and can be dramatic, but most certainly is physical.

For human beings who are normally sighted (including through corrective lenses), 60% of the brain’s space is dedicated to the sorting, storing and retrieving of visual data. Only 10% of the sense of visual perception is related to the eyes receiving and sending impressions of light to the brain. 90% of vision is based on stored data that our brains apply to make sense of the light images perceived by the eyes.

The primary perceptual sense for the overwhelming majority of human beings is sight. Plus, more people are visual learners or secondary visual learners than are aural or kinetic learners.

Human brains are stimulated by what is challenging and new. Of course, everyone who is normally sighted visually perceives 100% of the time that their eyes are open. When we see new images that we need to decipher, we add more visual data recognition to our brain’s databases. Recently, through new imaging techniques and discoveries neuroscience has proven that the healthy human brain can and does continue to grow, adding more information and understandings throughout life. The more a healthy brain is “nurtured” with stimulating challenges and new data the more it grows. Essentially, the more one understands, the smarter one is.

Science’s new understandings of how we see also rectify the notion that human babies are born blind. Actually, their eyes can see light impressions. However, newborns have not learned how to focus their eyes, and more significantly lack any visual data, which only begins to accumulate when they first open their eyes. Thus by about two weeks of age the baby has enough visual data that it can begin to recognize the human image it sees the most, usually the mother. Learning and sorting visual data continues through childhood, as a child learns to distinguish other faces, shapes, objects, colors, and then letters and numbers, etc.

It is easy to see how visual art and science, especially the mathematically based sciences such as physics, have changed how we see the world. These two disciplines have inspired each other and interacted throughout mankind’s history. J.M.W. Turner’s energetic use of light and atmosphere inspires the Impressionists to paint the then new discovery of light waves. If one can focus one the light energy in a painting, then one can focus on emotional energy; thus van Gogh paints and Freud analyzes. As Freud and his colleagues analyze looking at this side and that (reality is subjective), chemists and physicists delve into new understandings of matter, energy, space and time, and artists develop Surrealism, Cubism and Abstract Expressionism. While Pop Art commented on what seemed then as a visual barrage of culture, it also presaged the larger visual wave that now comes through, PC’s, cell phones, iPods, etc. Like the chicken and the egg, which comes first the art or the science remains debatable.

When an artist offers a unique and new way of seeing physical reality, as the Impressionists, Cubists, Surrealists, Abstract Expressionists and Pop artists did (and do for people newly exposed to their work, for instance: children), the viewer has new and visually valuable data that can now be stored and used to decode other images. This data can be used when seeing other art and also when seeing anything. For instance, for many people moving through the soup aisle of a supermarket there is a subliminal, if not recognized visual reminder of Andy Warhol’s work.

Art that is credited for changing our perception of the world has iconic value, which makes it valuable, and more valuable if it is a one of a kind piece. Almost every major art museum touts its most famous pieces to draw visitors, especially tourists. Tourism always helps support a local economy and a thriving local economy helps support its art museum(s). People, including tourists are drawn to the iconic, life changing visions provided by great art, for example: van Gogh’s Starry Night and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Warhol’s Gold Marilyn at MoMa.

The brain associates memories, including those of images cross referenced for later use. Thus when one sees an image of Marilyn Monroe on a magazine cover, her face is recognized from the brain’s stored data (memories) of previously viewed images of Monroe, possibly including some created by Andy Warhol. Creating cross references is part of how the brain grows. It could also possibly account for the higher prices collectors are willing to pay for minor works of art my artists who created iconic and visual reality changing art, like van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol. When looking at an early and minor Warhol work our brains naturally reference and even compare it to the other works of his we have seen.

That art can visually inform innovative ways of seeing may also account for some of the skyrocketing prices recently for Contemporary Art. Our technological ability to rapidly share images keeps newer images in demand in our quest to see more and learn (brain expansion).

Return Ye Children
Genesis: Sunset- Sunrise series
24 ¼ x 36 ¼ inches, acrylic on Masonite
Texts used for strokes: Genesis 1-2:7, Deut. 6:4, Psalm 90 frame

Places where technological or scientific learning and experimentation are concentrated tend to also be places where new visual art, including theories are born or nurtured. For instance, Expressionism really came out the geological area that is predominantly comprised of Germany and Austria, as did much of early psychology and also what became modern physics. However, both the scientists and the artists basically moved to the Northeastern USA due to the growth of the Nazi party. Currently, as China and India burst with technological learning this is accompanied by an outpouring of inventive Contemporary Art. Historically, military might not spur on a society’s economic prosperity as much as it’s thriving concentration of scientific study and innovative visual art.

Seeing art, any art which is new to us, will increase a person’s visual data for future reference, thus expanding the brain – but so will seeing new sights and foreign cultures.

But, art is capable of more. Art can show us new and unique ways to see. Van Gogh’s expressive, energetically charged paintings show how places and people can be charged with feeling. Pop threw current culture back at people, challenging the viewer to make choices, and see the new visual media filled landscape. Word Art deals with how we bring extrinsic meaning, memories and imagery into our moments of now. The art of the great artists who originated these artistic theories and understandings present more than new visual images, they present new ways of visual understanding. That kind of data can enhance future visual perceptions, and so is personally life changing.

For information on Judy Rey Wasserman’s new theory of Post Conceptual Art, which uses symbols for every stroke, including the branch of UnGraven Image art, click on the title below to download the free PDF of “The Manifesto of Post Conceptual UnGraven Image Art Theory – A Painting’s Meaning is Inherent in its Strokes”.