ø Hawtin Arts ø

It is nothing new. Commercialism maybe somewhat more aggressive now than in Rembrandts day, but the studios of his era were just as equally skilled at producing the same painting many times over, than a digitally enhanced limited edition of today’s genre.

The question it raises is that as technology moves apace where is the line drawn between what could be described as an artists preparation and that which is computer generated origination More specifically does it matter?

One could argue that artists have always sought to enhance their work and utilizing today’s technology is no different to the past. The fact is that what can be achieved today is far greater than anyone could have possibly imagined even 20 years ago.

It really all comes down to how you define what is art and what constitutes an artists preparation.

Projection and scaling tripods through to Obscura cameras were commonly used in the works of many of the masters, so why should using photoshop be viewed any differently.

Photography and art are like two cousins, related disciplines. But that ignores the fact that painting was the photography of its day. Royal courts would send ambassadors with realistic miniature portraits for prospective suitors, in much the same way as a photographic portfolio captures the lines and cheekbones for a model agency.

People often forget where they have come from and this is also true of all types of art including abstract art and contemporary art. It was as much about advertising, marketing and politics as the beauty or skill of its creator.

To me the use of any technique or process by the artist must be seen as part of the work and methodology. Surely the point is this. It is not the technique or process that is important, it is how you use them. Indeed there is a whole separate area of creativity here.

A good artist will always try something new. They will embrace techniques and use them to create and whilst a purist may not agree, they do so out of ignorance to the past.

The Meaning of Art

When I refer to art here, I am referring specifically to visual art, and more specifically to painting because that’s what I do. But I’m sure it applies to other forms of art as well.

Art can have very concrete, literal meaning to it the more representational a work of art is, the easier it is to attribute a meaning to it. Everyone understands realistic representations of things from real life for example, paintings of trees when looking at one, you can say, It’s a painting of trees, and trees are lovely to look at that’s the obvious purpose of this art no mystery there.

This is why purely abstract art tends to appeal to a smaller audience. It is common to want to know what you are looking at so you can place a literal meaning on it. But art, even art that is fairly straightforward in its subject matter, has a larger and deeper meaning that goes beyond the literal.

This larger and deeper meaning is not intellectual in nature?it is emotional. All you need in order to get art is to look at it and become fascinated, motivated, influenced, impressed, inspired, or otherwise stimulated by it. All you need is to feel a connection to the art.

Most people do feel a connection when looking at art (not all art, of course, but the art that particularly appeals to them personally.) Putting this feeling into words can sometimes be difficult, but just because you can?t always explain it in concrete terms does not mean it?s not real or important, and it does not mean you are missing anything. If you look at a piece of art and feel nothing, all it means is that particular piece of art is not meant for you. If you look at enough art, you will learn what you like and what has the most meaning for you.

The artist has the job of living, feeling, and processing her unique experience and then finding a way to express that to others. The viewer may or may not get the same feelings that the artist meant to express?and that is okay. One of the fun things about art is how different people interpret it differently. Art is the physical manifestation of a mysterious human force: imagination. If it sparks your imagination or puts you in a certain mood, then you get it.

And that’s nice but how does all of this apply to real life? What is the point of art what is its use? Well here’s where choice comes in. Once you look at enough art to realize what you like, what you connect to, you get to make the choice to surround yourself with those things that inspire you and help you in your life.

The trick is to figure out what you really, really love when you find it you will know. If you realize that a certain shade of red makes you happy and energized, making the conscious choice to put something of that color in your living room so you see it every day will, in theory, make you a more happy and energized person. When your spirit feels heavy and sad, art can help lift you out of that. When you feel bogged down by apathy or lost in painful frustration, looking at art can bring you back to yourself and help you keep going. Deliberately creating a mood in your immediate surroundings can help you to create the life that you want, in a very tangible way.

This interpretation of art’s meaning is obviously the result of my optimistic, existential outlook on life. I try to apply my energy mental, emotional, physical and spiritual, towards personal transformation and growth.

But art has a myriad of uses: it is used as a tool for psychological healing, a symbol in spiritual rituals, an impetus for political or social change, an expression of inquiry, a form of entertainment, evidence of status or identity, a reminder of what’s important, and most commonly, a simple celebration of beauty.

You can decide what meaning art may have in your own life. It’s up to you! So, what does art mean to you? How will you choose to use it?

There are so many art exhibitions around that it is essential to make your exhibition stand out from the crowd. One way to achieve this is by having a drawcard to attract visitors. An interesting and successful idea is to create an interactive art installation at the venue to entice visitors into the exhibition and to engage them with participation.

An interactive art installation is usually a large sculptural piece specifically created for the event which the audience can use, play with, interact with, influence, solve and/or manipulate in some way. Their participation allows them to experience a result of some kind. This adds an additional dimension to their exhibition experience and is particularly successful if your installation is unique, fun, challenging or enlightening in some way.

When designing your art installation consider the overall theme of your exhibition, your intended target market, and the available facilities at the exhibition venue.

Exhibition Theme

It is important to make your art installation and art exhibition theme cohesive. If your audience cannot see a logical connection between them your drawcard may not be as successful. Therefore give plenty of consideration to this aspect of your idea. For example, if your exhibition theme is ?Urban Landscape?, choose an industrial type installation using inorganic materials, hard shapes and modern fittings.

Other questions to ask yourself when designing your art installation are the possible results of audience participation. Do you want them to have a unique experience, or a pre-determined answer? Are you trying to make a statement, tell a message relating to your theme, or do you want your audience to come up with their own conclusions? These questions will help you to refine your idea and create a installation that best suits your exhibition.

Target Market

Tailor-make your art installation to your target market for maximum success. This is important in all areas of business marketing and your art exhibition should be no exception. A target market is usually defined as demographics such as age, gender, geography and socio-economic group.

If your audience is predominantly young middle class college students, your installation should be young, fresh, innovative and modern. On the other hand, if your target market is mainly elderly, upper class art investors you would approach both the exhibition and your art installation in a totally different way. Ask the venue what their customer demographics are in order to give yourself the best start.

Exhibition Venue

When creating your art installation it is very important to consider the venue in every aspect of the design. Visit the exhibition space and plan out the shape and size of the area available to you. Take lots of photographs, capturing every angle. Use a long retractable tape measure to take measurements of the room, noting the dimensions of the walls, including ceiling to floor height. Measure and record the size and locations of all doorways, windows, pillars, permanent light fixtures and electrical sockets. Take particular note of the main entrance way and how the audience will move around the installation.

Finally, ask the venue what resources they have on site, such as ladders, plinths, partitions and portable lighting. These will come in handy for your installation, and may cut down construction or display costs. Whether you are using props and equipment belong to the venue, supplying your own, or hiring them, ensure they are safe to use. This is particularly important if using electrical appliances such as portable lighting. Your audience safety and well-being is paramount.

An interactive art installation can become a value asset to your next art exhibition by making it stand out from the crowd. With just a few important design considerations you can maximise its promotional potential and make your exhibition a huge success.

ARTIST ? ART BUYER’S NETWORK BY CONNECTING EACH OTHER?.

A discussion recently about conducting successful workshops led me to believe that very few people have the answers. It is ironic that the very people who are supposed to have all the answers, people conducting workshops, don?t really know how to capture and captivate an audience. It?s a shame that most people are being attracted to the more alluring and energetic voice, one that may not necessarily have the correct answer.

We?ve seen them on television and businesses hire them as motivational speakers, because that?s really all they do. They transfer their high energy to you and make you want to jump out of your seat and go get something done. But what it is that you want to do, you don?t even know yet. You don?t have the answer to that one. You?re just a ball of energy ready to explode and make things happen, but you don?t have a cause.

We?ve seen the other too. We?ve seen the guy who knows what you need to do and how to do it. He?s the hired training officer for your company who reads through all of the directives and puts them into a language that you and your fellow workers can understand. He?s the guy who can help you get further ahead in life and really succeed at what you do, but you fall asleep in his training sessions because he never learned how to deliver his information with as much as enthusiasm as the expert public speaker who comes at a high price.

Workshops don?t need to be dog and pony shows where you literally have to do a somersault to keep your audience interested in what you are saying. But, you do need to lighten up a bit and care about your delivery. It?s not difficult at all and you don?t need a few years in college or even a college course to improve your public speaking skills. All you need are a few tips to remember. I?ve written several other articles about conducting successful workshops. And I?ll continue into the future because I feel there is a real need here.

Let?s begin with the fact that most people don?t feel comfortable speaking to a group no matter how small it might be. This leads to a level of anxiety. It?s understandable so acknowledge that you are going to be nervous and then, work toward getting over it. Tip #1 then is to take as much thinking as you can out of conducting your workshop.

The more that is in place beforehand, the more you have rehearsed and prepared, the less you have to think while conducting your workshop. Have a list of key points that you want to deliver. Have them readily available while you are conducting your workshop, so that you can refer to them any time you need them. For each key point, know what you want to say about it. Go over those explanations several times until you almost know them like the back of your hand. Now, as you move through your workshop point by point, you only need to refer to your notes for the key points. But, you?ll be able to talk in an informal language that is more inviting to the listener.

Eliminate repetitious wording. Important concepts should be repeated purposefully. The rule of thumb is that anything important enough for an audience member to remember should be repeated three times. Three times and three times only. Make it a consistent practice throughout your workshop so that your audience can get into a rhythm with it. But, saying a certain word over and over out of nervousness can be eliminated easily by knowing exactly what you mean to say before you say it. Successful public speaking is the transfer of important information in deliberate terms. Deliberately say and deliberately mean what you say. It builds the audience?s confidence in you that you know what you?re talking about. You are the voice of authority!

Allow questions to drive your workshop. If any question asked by a member of your audience is covered later in your workshop, simply say so and let your audience know that you will cover that in a few short moments. But if it is time that you hit on that point being questioned, it is a good gauge for your audience?s interest. Keeping the workshop interactive keeps it alive and helps you stay on cue. Answer a question, explain it in deliberate terms, take your time and think through everything you mean to say. Learn the art of beginning, explaining and wrapping up a point patiently, but efficiently.

If you follow these points and others that I already have and will continue to write about, you will be able to conduct a great workshop. My art workshop students learning to become art workshop teachers of their own practice these and several other skills. I?m literally proud of my students when I see them using the skills I have taught them. But the more important thing is watching the attendants react. When you see them interested and you see them captivated throughout the entire workshop, that?s when your workshop gives life back to you!

For any art enthusiast, picking the right painting to invest in is a very detailed and rigorous event. If you are spending thousands of dollars for a work of art you want to pick that perfect piece that fits into your home and inspires you. When you invest in Fine Art you are not only investing in the moment but into the future as well. Not only do you want the painting you buy to be appealing in the present but down the road when you are looking to sell your painting to the next lucky buyer. So how do you make a decision as big as this without any guidance? If you follow the tips below you will be sure to pick just the right painting for you that will have value for years to come.

Tip #1: Buy a painting you like. The first tip that I offer you is to buy a painting you like. Do not simply look for a painting that will bring you the most profit in the future but buy something that you will be able to look at day after day and feel a connection to. Philip Guston, an American expressionist artist once said, ?Look at any inspired painting. It?s like a gong sounding; it puts you in a state of reverberation.? This is the feeling you want to search for when finding the painting to mount on your wall. There will be no greater disappointment then if you wake up one day to find that the attraction to your painting has disappeared.

Tip #2: Look for good quality and subject matter. Just because a painting is by a particular artist, don?t assume it will be easy to turn over when the time comes to sell it. Make sure the painting is of good quality and subject matter. This assures you that, in the long run, you will be able to sell the painting to another art seeker and get a great return.

Tip #3: Ask the right questions. Make sure you ask the right questions ? Who is the artist? How important is the art? What is its provenance, history, and documentation? Or more simply, where has the art been and who has owned it? This is the most important thing you need to know. An art work?s provenance provides information about the origin of the work and its previous owners. Provenance serves as the key evidence of a work’s authenticity and its rightful ownership.

Tip #4: Make sure the asking price is fair. You want to make sure that the asking price is fair. Compare and contrast your art to records of public and private sales of related works of art that have already sold. You can obtain price information on works of recognized artists from the art departments of most major institutional and public libraries, art reference bookstores, the internet, certain art galleries, and auction sales records (the most important auction records for this purpose are works of art that are similar in size, subject matter, medium, date executed, and other specifics to the one you are interested in buying). You also want to research who you are buying from. Whether it is from an art gallery, art dealer or auction, make sure they are reputable and have a knowledgeable staff to help you out. Ask to see recent sales results for art by the artist you’re interested in. Make sure that the artist has a good track record of selling works of art similar to the piece you are looking to buy for a comparable amount to what you’re being asked to pay.

Tip #5: Insure your art. After you make your big purchase, make sure to insure your art for its full replacement value. Remember to insure for casualty loss (fire, flood, etc.) as well as for theft. Continually have your work of art revalued by a certified appraiser to be sure you will be able to recover its full value upon its loss.

I wish you the best of luck on your exciting journey ahead.

Is Aikido a Martial Art?

Sensei Henry Ellis – 2001

Co-author of Positive Aikido.

PART 1

At first sight of the above title I am sure that a lot of Aikidoist’s will be angry, they will assume that this is yet another attack on the credibility of Aikido by other martial artist’s.

On this occasion they are totally wrong, I have been a student of Aikido since 1957, In those early days I first started Judo in 1956 at the Kenshiro Abbe School of Budo, I studied Karate with Harada Sensei and Kendo with Tomio O’Tani Sensei, so with my background I feel that I have something to offer to this debate.

First Impressions

The Aikido that I first saw being demonstrated by Abbe Sensei in 1956 was without doubt a positive martial art.

I was immediately impressed by its positive techniques and power, and in those days my fellow martial artists and I were in no doubt that we were witnessing a devastating new form of self-defence as demonstrated by Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.

Abbe Sensei had begun his martial arts career at the age of five and became a legend in his own lifetime. At eighteen he was the youngest ever all Japan Judo champion and also the youngest ever 5th Dan at the world renowned Kodokan. He later became the oldest ever all Japan Judo champion at the age of thirty three.

When Abbe Sensei arrived in the UK in 1955 he was 8th Dan Judo, 6th Dan Karate, 6th Dan Kendo, 6th Dan Kyudo, 6th Dan Aikido,

the question must be asked; would this Budo master have studied Aikido if he did not believe it to be a martial art?

It is my opinion that Abbe Sensei would not have studied Aikido as it is today.

Please break my finger

As a direct student of Abbe Sensei I asked one day whilst we were traveling to a seminar

“Sensei, how did you first become a student of O’Sensei and Aikido”?

He smiled as he reminisced for a few moments; then told me the following story:

He said that he was a young man at the time and the Judo champion of all Japan and traveling on a crowded train across Japan to yet another Judo competion.

Sitting opposite him in the same carriage was an old man who was trying to make some conversation with him, Abbe had his eyes closed as he tried to sleep.

The old man said to him ” I know who you are” Abbe Sensei replied rather modestly ” everyone knows who I am, I am Kenshiro Abbe champion of all Japan” he politely asked the old man who he was, the old man replied

“I am Morihei Ueshiba founder of Aikido” Abbe Sensei nodded politely and suggested that they now try to get some sleep, the old man suddenly stuck his hand forward and offered the smallest digit to this powerfully built young man, Abbe was stunned as the old man said “

please break my finger” Abbe thought I will break his neck if he doesn’t go to sleep, he was now becoming irritated by this old man, he immediately grasped the old mans finger in an attempt to shut him up, he freely admitted that in his frustration it was his intention to break the offending digit. To his total amazement he was suddenly slammed onto the carriage floor. As he lay prostrate and unable to move he knew he had to study with this master. He asked O’Sensei if he could study with him, O’Sensei agreed and Abbe stayed with O’Sensei for ten years.

O’Sensei had spent many years studying various martial arts, I believe that the art of Daito-ryu and Ju-jitsu had more influence on the development of Aikido than anything else he had studied, and we know he went to Mongolia to fight and this would be the perfect opportunity to test his many skills in a real situation, so we can be in no doubt that this incredible man was a true warrior and modern Samurai.

A knife for my enemy

It was this early positive style of Aikido that Abbe Sensei brought to the UK in 1955, at this time there was also the first Japanese master to Europe, this was Tadashi Abe Sensei 6th Dan who was based in France, he was a small man even by Japanese standards, but to my mind he was the hardest man I have ever met.

He was very similar to Kazuo Chiba Sensei who I met with in London’s West End last week, When he traveled he always carried a knife with him, this was not for his own protection but to hand to his shocked opponent, he would say “please, this is for you”.

He said that an opponent with his bare fists was no challenge, but a man with a knife was “very interesting”.

I think we can safely assume that as these teachers were so hard and positive then this must have been the style of Aikido that was being taught at the Hombu dojo in Japan, this was the Aikido of O’Sensei as a young man, the Aikido being taught today is that of O’Sensei as an old man, there is no doubt that as people get older they lose the spirit of their youth and become more philosophical in their approach to life.

My father who was once regarded as the toughest man in town later in life found his peace taking his dog for long walks. I believe that we now have two aikido’s, traditional aikido which if truly traditional (this word is much abused) is the martial side of Aikido, the soft fantasy and dancing style of Aikido should simply be categorized as an “Art”.

Those who are true traditional Aikidoists will take no offence at this article, yet the dancers will probably be offended and I care little for their feelings as I honestly believe that this soft Aikido has no more right to call itself a martial art than has synchronized swimming has a right to be in the Olympics.

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PART 2

In my previous article, I attempted to establish the hard style of Aikido that was first introduced to the West in the 1950’s. I would like to emphasize the fact that I get no satisfaction from publicly criticizing Aikido and I get a great deal less satisfaction when I see Aikido being brought into ridicule.

To continue from part one…..

Hard training

The training in and exercises in those early days were very hard and physical, with karate style kicking and punching a very integral part of our warm up, followed by 200 press ups on the backs of the wrists, with fingers pointing both inwards and outwards, very often while you were in the raised position Abbe Sensei would instruct another student to sit on your back, as we were the only group of five Dan grades in the UK and all in the same dojo then this was the training in all the Aikido dojos in the UK and today we are the only organization in Aikido still doing these press ups.

The purists say “these press ups are bad for you” what they really mean is they can’t do them, this is all part of the watering down of traditional Aikido.

Choreography

Aikidoists are often accused of practicing ” Choreographed Aikido” and to be honest I must admit that these claims are very often justified, with Uke (attacker) preparing to break fall long before he makes his attack, and most of them attack off balance , therefore making any multiples of techniques possible with the minimum of effort and of course this makes Tori (defender) look “fantastic”.

What is really sad is that these people believe that this is good Aikido.

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei would always say to us that “two” students are training at the same time, one is Uke who is learning and improving his attacking techniques and his

opponent Tori is also learning and improving his defensive techniques, whilst we were training with Abbe Sensei if Uke’s foot or heel came off the mat as he attacked Abbe Sensei would give the offending leg a good whack with a shinai (bamboo sword) he would then say ” My English is very bad but my shinai speaks fluently!”.

If Uke attacks on balance then it is obvious that Tori’s technique must be good and strong to throw him, and as Abbe Sensei said so many times ” two students are training” .

Mark Eastman a strong young Dan grade with me went on a seminar recently where there was a 6th Dan. The 6th Dan refused to use him as Uke stating ” I can not use you as you do not harmonize with me”, he was not being awkward or difficult just attacking on balance.

Diluted training

Today all of these traditional exercises and training methods have now changed to a simple warm up routine with jumping up and down on the spot and lots of deep spiritual discussion.

Hard exercise is now considered to be aggressive and not in harmony with the true spirit of Aikido.

Abbe Sensei said that hard training developed the spirit, he also referred to Ki during those early days as he demonstrated the power of his technique, when asked to explain the meaning of Ki, he said not to worry about Ki as that would be a part of our training and development.

He then said “Only when you reach first Dan will you be able to understand the true concept of Ki as a further extension of your Aikido.”

I still believe that line of thought, and the instructors in our dojo’s very rarely speak of Ki although it is taught as a important and integral part of our training and study.

Ki Aikido

Although Ki is generally recognized as the spirit and breathing during the application of technique, every teacher and student will offer a very wide and varied and sometimes bizarre interpretation of the meaning of this much abused word.

The main problems arise and are created by the teachers themselves, who very often mislead their students to the extent that they almost believe that Ki is a form of magic. The following is one prime example from a very prominent Aikido magazines letters section.

Title: The Spirit of Protection

I am a carpenter and 2nd kyu in Aikido. I was working in a large new home doing repair work, I had finished my job and was heading for a long staircase when I noticed the owners two year old son was heading for the same stairs from the opposite direction.

As he approached the top of the stair he was watching me and not where he was going. I was too far away to grab him, so I shot to him (irimi) and stuck my arm straight out to him, my “Ki” went through the little boys’ face and out the back of his head, he fell backwards and started crying.

His mother heard the crying and came up the stairs, when I told her what had happened, she thanked me,

I said “Don’t thank me, Thank Aikido”.

That poor child may well now be as disturbed as the writer.

Harry Potter Ryu

There are many such misguided examples which I will refer to in future articles, it is this kind of nonsense that brings Aikidos credibility into doubt I am fully aware that every martial art has its own version of ” Harry Potter” in their ranks, what I fail to understand is that there are more of them in Aikido than all the other martial arts combined.

The reason that I am so critical and vociferous about Aikido is that every day I see these people watering down this great martial art that I have spent most of my life studying, teaching and promoting for the past 46 years. I am often asked “Sensei, which do you think is the best and worst martial art”.

I always make the same reply ” All the martial arts are good, if there is a problem with any martial art, then it can only be the people who represent that particular art who misrepresent their art

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PART 3

The Converted

In articles parts one and two I have covered the introduction of Aikido to the West, and the impact on other Martial Artists, Aikido progressed and developed in the UK by visiting existing dojos of all the various Martial Arts and offering to demonstrate and teach for free in the hope of starting a small class in the more receptive dojos, as one can imagine this was no easy task as more often than not our efforts were not an open invitation to most dojos.

In the end the positive style of the early Aikido won through, and this is a very important point to make in the early development of Western Aikido was that most of the new students of Aikido were from other Martial Arts. I do not believe that we could have converted other Martial Artists to Aikido had it not been so strong and effective.

Bad breath!

I have referred to the many changes in Aikido over the past 46 years from its history to training and choreography and Ki Aikido and also the many Harry Potters of the Aikido world, as a direct result of these articles I was contacted by a Aikido student in the UK to tell me that she had now stopped training in Aikido because her teacher stated that he was now going to teach the students “To breath through their toes”.

Lets Dance

The most important of all the changes that have taken place in the past 46 years have to be the changes in technique and its application, the early style of Aikido was very compact and powerful. From the day of its introduction to the UK, Aikido was always taught as a circular moving Martial Art with Tori at the centre of all movement.

As Uke (the attacker) made his attack, Tori would turn within his own circle making it possible to carry out the technique in a very small area of maybe four square feet. Today the fantasy aikidoist need a football pitch.

I have seen some so called “masters” twirling Uke around on the end of one finger and pirouetting several times before being thrown the full length of the mat.

Harmonising

Kenshiro Abbe Sensei always taught that Uke would only “go” if the technique was effective. I often hear and have seen some of these people who say they can throw an opponent without touching them, sometimes by breathing and projecting their “Ki”. I have also had the misfortune to see very high grades with several “*attackers*” making a breakfalling attack at them, amusing? not really, as most of them really believe that the projectile uki is a serious attack.

You cannot do that if someone is attacking on balance, I have never seen anyone do that to a student of mine. Of course if you do attack on balance you will then be accused of “Not harmonizing”.

Aikido for real

I have read various accounts of the first Americans to practice Aikido in the early 60’s. There were Americans practicing Aikido in the UK in the late 1950’s at “The Hut” The Abbe School of Budo.

The Americans were members of the USAF stationed in the UK. they were always questioning ” How would that work in the street?” and we would often finish up in the car park of The Hut after class and engage in some real Aikido.

Afterwards everyone would be in good spirits and have a few beers.

Sunday mornings were always the best practice sessions with the dojo doors being locked to all but the Dan grades. It was then that the Dan grades would fight each other for real. This was the only way to truly evaluate your technique.

On one occasion I was fighting with Sensei Ken Williams (The British National Coach) he hit me hard and I went down clutching my chest and moaning loudly in agony.

It was known that I didn’t go down and I never made a fuss, so now everyone was concerned for me and as Sensei Williams leaned over me asking “Harry, are you OK” I lashed out with my fist at his head, just making a glancing contact, he then stepped back and kicked me in the head putting an end to my cunning.

The smallest of all the Dan grades was Eric Dollimore, he was only about 5ft-6in in height and around 130 lbs.

I always felt that Eric was avoiding me on these Sunday morning sessions, as he was about to leave the mat I said to him “Eric, would you like to try against me” he just turned and said “Sorry Harry, I have to be at my girlfriends home for lunch”. As he left the mat I smiled to myself and thought “That’s what I expected” the smugness did not last long as I heard a voice behind me say

“OK then Harry, can we make it quick as I must get away”.

It was Eric; for a moment I was surprised then I thought to myself if you want it quick I will accommodate you.

I moved in to take him out with the one punch and the next thing I knew I had gone through the dojo office partition wall and I was still lying stunned the office floor when I heard Eric’s voice call out

“See you Monday Harry, gotta go”.

That was a very important lesson to me, I have never underestimated anyone since the little guy taught me a lesson.

The Grading Lottery

If in the 1950’s and 60’s you saw a 5th or 6th Dan you would be in awe of him. I now see so many multi grades and to be honest they would not be graded first Dan in the old days. They make these claims knowing that if they are ever challenged and prove their mettle they know they can claim that this is against the principals of Aikido.

Another favourite of these people is to juggle around with their grades and come up with multiples of matching grades, for a prime example of this abuse check out the article British Aikido-The Controversy.

Mitsusuke Harada Sensei “5th Dan”

Harada Sensei was my Karate teacher in the 1960’s, he was then and still is a 5th Dan at the Shotokan dojo in Tokyo. he was graded by the founder of modern day Karate Gichin Funakoshi Sensei.

He taught Karate to the USAF at the Kodokan dojo after the second world war. He was graded 5th Dan by Funakoshi Sensei in 1957 and is still 5th Dan after 45 years, stating that “Any grade above 5th Dan is totally pointless”.

This is exactly the feeling of Sensei Derek Eastman and myself, although we are two of the only remaining four of the original group left of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei’s group from the 1950’s, we both agreed that there were too many “Harry Potter” grades around, we then decided that like Harada Sensei we would make 5th Dan the highest level in our organization.

Serious study

I will take a break now that these articles are complete and do some serious “Toe breathing”.

This will be my last article for CyberKwoon for a while, I would like to thank Master Fabien Sena for allowing me to air my views on a subject most would try to avoid.

I do not know what direction the Martial Arts will take when all the “Old Timers ” are gone.

As one of the comments (to the Cyberkwoon site forum) said “We can still make a difference”.

To the one who asked after my father, he was not a martial artist, just a hard man who started working at the age of 13 years two miles underground in the South Yorkshire coal mines.

Sensei Henry Ellis. 5th dan Traditional Aikido.

http://www.EllisAikido.org

http://www.british-aikido.com
http://aikidoellisvideo.magnify.net

As we all know that no one is born a talented artist. Even many of the famous artists have acquired their skills with the brush and perfected it for so many years to reach the peak of success. If anyone get inspire to create a beautiful painting on a white canvas, it means its an addictive hobby, and then suddenly that inspiration start getting converted into shape, figure, emotion, expression in numerous colors.

To know more about art one needs to understand ART first. What is art? In simple words art is the use of skill and imagination for the works of art. Art can be a basic form of communication. Just as a dancer sways to a rhythm or beat, an artist picks his brush to color an unfruitful white canvas to make it fruitful.

We all know that we have a budding artist within us. We never try to explore it; we hide our skills, never give chance to give it a platform. Art is really so simple that it does not require any specific qualification, any fixed age or any

privilege skill to start with.

All what we need is the time and our own ability to nurture it. One can start learning art at any time. Art can be a good exercise to relax our selves. Art is the way from which we expressed our feelings, ideas, skills, imaginations, and oncepts on a peace of canvas.

Art have so many forms like drawing, sketching, painting, scribbling etc. Many talented people take their art form to another aspect and create unique paintings.

Now learning about Art is extremely easy. Slowly developed it as a hobby, art can easily become a profession. By reading this you may arise with a question??Question is …….

Can Anyone Become An Artist?

Yes, according to me anyone can become an artist. What we need is the proper medium which can help us to create works of art, the right use of pencil, pastels, watercolors, charcoals, oil paints and acrylics. Select the subject, any subject that give pleasure to your eye is just right for your painting. It could be a nature, scenery, photograph, animal, any other painting, just about anything, which pleases your creativity in first attempt.

This is your chance to explore yourself, make a space in the world of art, and bring out your true spirits for art.

How to start with?

1. You can join any art classes, any short term courses in university near by you or join any painting workshop.

2. Chose a subject that inspires you to create a beautiful painting.

3. Don’t get disappointed even if you are not able to do the painting as per the subject, but try to make it.

4. See the subject from all the angles, Just don’t sketch out everything that has to be painted.

5. For the first attempt you may feel little bit bore, but slowly you will get into it and you will gain interest.

6. while drawing keep your mind open, will help to learn so many new things

7. In painting you can use your imaginative colors. For example grass is green but it could be red or yellow too. Sky is blue but it could be orange, grey, or any other color.

8. Painting will give you the excitement but it is not always possible that you will complete the work within a day.

9. May be you would jump on another subject, simultaneously in the meanwhile.

10. Keep good focused on the painting, anytime you may feel that your interest is fading at that moment leave it for sometime.

11. As such there is no deadline to finish a painting. It is not a job which should get completed in between nine to five.

12. Use eyes and hands to draw. Do not go by the mental image that forms in the mind. You will never get it exactly the finish.

13. Try to be keep teacher around you to help in areas where you are likely to be stuck.

14. It is not necessary that everything will go right at the first time. Sometimes you may waste time and some art material but then you will learn more and generate more good art pieces.

15. Painting is always learnt through trail and error

16. So don’t give up yet if it has not worked out. There is always a new subject to work on.

So you have checked out all the karate videos and would like to advance.

Has the martial arts bug been bothering you for some time now?

If you wish to study karate in depth, your primary objective is to join your local karate course so that you can master the basics correctly.

Without some previous form of karate or karate experience, you will find it very challenging to master the advanced karate steps and techniques that will allow you to grow and develop as a martial arts student.

Whether your rationale in learning martial arts is for self-defense or to compete in tournaments, joining a respected karate course is a vital first step. The most difficult part of this process is choosing the right karate academy as this will determine the result of your martial arts training. It would be a waste to spend hours of training without even mastering the basics.

Here are some tips and general guidelines that should be considered when choosing a good karate school.

One. Proximity. Choose a karate school that is relatively close to your home if possible. If you drive, try to keep this within a half hour. If your shosen course is close, it will be a lot easier to maintain a long-term training program. However this is not a rule. Feel free to choose any course that meets the criteria. You should never sacrifice the quality of your karate training for the convenience of having class within walking distance.

Two. When selecting a martial arts classes, ensure that the program is congruent with your goals. As an example, if your objective is competition and tournaments, it makes very little sense to get involved with a self-defense specialist. Although any karate training will be of great help to your overall development, targeting your goals directly is certainly one of the fastest way to achieve them.

Three. Make sure that your chosen karate school has been in operation for some time and that your intructor has enough background in teaching martial arts. Do some research about the lessons before making a final decision. There are plenty of karate schools in New York, a lot of them close down after the first couple years of operation. If you wish to master the art of martial arts, than select your instructor carefully.

Four. Don’t sweat the small stuff. It is no big deal if you do if you don’t have all of your martial arts gear ready for your first day of training. This acutally works out because ideally, you want to collect your gear little by little as this will allow you to get used to it a gradual pace. Also, it is easier to make adjustments as you are just beginning.

Five. Get all your questions answered. One of the smartest things you can do before joining a martial arts course in New York is to prepare a list of questions specific to the training you would like to have. This can be as small mental note or basic outline. Remember, this is about your martial arts training. It is not a time to be timid as you will be paying for this education, And not just with money.

Take your research to the Internet to make sure that you have covered all the bases. Stay focused and consistent and you are well on your way to mastering the art of Karate.

Remember when you first started training? For some, it was just a few days or weeks ago, for others, years have gone by since we took our first step on the Path of Warrior Mastery. But, can you remember?

Even more importantly, can you remember what brought you to the program? What was going on in your life at the time. How long had you been thinking about taking martial arts classes and why then, at that moment, did you decide to take action?

Remember what you told us you wanted to get from the program? Remember the personal interview during your first visit as-well-as the chats since then? What is it that the martial arts gives you or helps you with that keeps you coming to class?
What?

And, more importantly than “why” you began training is “how do you know it’s working in your life? How have you been tracking your results? Aside from new belts and tips and all the trappings’ that say you’ve done a lot, how has your training been helping with those areas of your life you said you wanted to fix?
You see, it’s one thing to say that you want to learn martial arts or to become a warrior and it’s quite another matter to be doing what is necessary to become the new you in your dreams. As one of my teachers says…

…”everybody wants to progress

…everyone is into personal development, but…

…very few are willing to look in the mirror to see where he or she is, right now. Very few are willing to ask the really hard questions like “why do I do things the way I do,” or, “what habits do I have that are getting in my way?”

“Unfortunately, on the road to anywhere…

…you can’t get there from not-here.”

One of the best signs that your teachers have to see who is, and who is not fully engaged in the program is that questing, seeking attitude. The students and members (yes, parents are learning too) who ask the most questions, or more specifically the right questions, are the ones who are both 1) progressing faster than average and 2) less likely to see that progress because their eyes are constantly on the road in front of them. For these students, the questions are not, “when do I test for my next belt or get my next tip,” but, “how does this ABC relate to XYZ part of my life?

Everyone of us has the capacity to engage in what we are doing at the 100% level. No one can give 110% and giving less is under achievement. But, many students, both academic and within the martial arts, shoot themselves in the foot without even knowing it. It’s almost as, without consciously knowing the damage they are causing, set themselves up for failure before ever taking the first step towards achieving their goal.

One way this is done is in not being able to clearly see or focus on what’s important as discussed above. The other is in being willing to accept less than best at the outset.

While we may be Okay with getting less because we know we gave it our all, many have the habit of setting a goal like, “I want to lose 20 pounds,” and then, in the very next breath, expressing, “but I’d be Okay with losing 5.”

How destructive our speech can be to our own subconscious focus – don’t you think?

So, as we enter the next quarter of this year, let’s focus on the original goals, with any modifications since beginning. And, with an eye on results, lets be here (or anywhere you find yourself for that matter), fully engaged 100%. Let’s ask the questions that will allow growth to be almost automatic and, if we find something that isn’t serving us – if we cannot fully engage – recognize it as a distraction and let it go.

The goal of the Warrior Mastery & Leadership Program is to produce, what in Japanese is called, the Tatsujin – the human being developed to his or her fullest potential.

Not a karate master.

Not a good martial artist.

Not a Black Belt.

The goal is to become a Tatsujin…

…a master of life!