Expression of cultural mirrors in the production of art is a strong emotive force in the decisions artists make in what to assign their energy to. Creative people like to keep busy, and they want to feel that their art is adding to something of value in society and so activism will clearly be a landmark on the map of intent for many people who make art.


The theatre group “BP or not BP” which is based in London, are running like-minded artistic protests in order to shine a floodlight on the problems caused by the oil industry. The Financial Times has reported that art museums who perhaps gain large corporate funding from big oil giants are having to deal with mounting pressure to say no to this greasy money.


The question, and the challenge, is maybe not in the cultural gains provided by the oil business, but the fact they have the money to support at all. I feel that the public display of art and culture, be it in a museum, gallery, or library anywhere in the world is worth funding. Taking money away from an industry with inherent ethical concerns and investing it into something that is a valuable experience for everybody, regardless of career, cannot be shunned as completely bad. It can be seen as just one way of actively reducing their corporate gains, filtering off the profits of greed and putting them where they need to be.


I'm not here to talk about how bad the oil industry is, there's plenty about that elsewhere, but the issue I made earlier is that the problem lays in the ground, not in the fruits. The reason oil can pay for these museums is because people like you and me use it and therefore pay for it in many aspects of our lives. If we use a car or a bus then we are paying for oil, if we use a plastic bottle for our milk or water then we're paying for oil. It is everywhere, and the best way to shift the power balance is to make a conscious decision to use alternatives. Good old glass and refillable hard wearing plastic bottles can be better, electric or other eco-fuelled vehicles are also excellent incentives for environmental change.


Maybe the arts can do more for environmental awareness, and the work we do as creative individuals could take this challenge on some more, like BP or not BP, who seem to be doing a great job by getting their name mentioned in the main press.  

It's some time since we were limited to 8 track recorders for making copies of the music we create. The 1990s saw the beginning of the home computer studio, and since then everything just gets tighter and more like the professional touch than last time. Of course those clever sonic scientists always make the highest of hi-tech only available to those who can fork out for it, but these days, the differences generally lay with the experts who use them. The stuff that makes the recording, and allows us to make a really good one, is as good as it was for so many artist prior to now in the studio that what we get at home may as well be the best. Let's not count sprinkles here. 

Smart phones and tablets are the new home computer, although many of us still own and enjoy larger devices, the truth of the data shows that each new generation of digital pioneers are choosing to work on their palm-held screen. maybe a fad, maybe a trend, possibly a  progression into future reality of bye bye desktop but we will just have to wait and see.

IK Multimedia are a forerunner in the world of smartphone studio software, and rather than trying to copy out their words, I've linked to their RSS below. Their ever reaching scope has pretty much any music recording artist's needs covered. They just keep making more stuff, I have noticed. 

Another thing worth noting for musicians is that Shaw Academy are still giving out limited free courses with their expert tutors, and music is well and truly part of their curriculum. It is really worth popping over and signing up to take a short few lessons over a couple of months. They only ask for an hour and a bit two nights a week at most, and once you're done, you will know a lot more about music (or what ever you choose) than you did before. Certificates are available for a small cost. But we don't all need one of those. 

Some of us like to just read, so please do help yourself to the community links in the menu, Amazon and AmazonUK are in there, of course, plus a few more. Or, you might like this....

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 Metal artist and sculptor Valay Shende has recently unveiled his latest creative exploration in the medium of stainless steel. Using various sized shiny metal balls, Valay has created stunning replicas of various life objects and situations, often sprinkled with a dose of human fantasy.


Steel makes an excellent artistic material, as it is not only incredibly versatile and malleable, but it comes in many grades of which all have varying qualities to the eye and to the structural ability. For it to be used as individual units to create something much bigger, like in the work of Valay Shende, the glittering and reflective expression of this marvellous molecule really comes into a world of its own.


The recent truck sculpture shows an almost identical replica of a real vehicle capable of carrying up to twenty passengers. The sheer volume of material required to make a life sized model of this proportion must have been staggering for the sculptor, who has endeavoured to create yet another stunning exhibit.


When producing life like sculpture, the imaginative quality is perhaps limited to smaller areas, as we must create something that matches the reality. In the placing of people within the truck, Valay Shende has been able to utilize his own creative elements by having the task of styling and placing each character according to his own artistic vision.


Take a look at the recent work in close up, followed by other examples of this artist's work.  

Pretty impressive? I like them a lot. There's a lot more to see on Valay's own website.