This year, 23-year-old Laura Sumrall took the internet by storm in the 2015 Kentucky Reining Cup, which showcases the athleticism of ranch horses and their riders. The performance, inspired by Disney’s Frozen and set to the tune of “Let It Go,” earned Laura the title of the World Freestyle Reining champion.After she removes her mysterious purple cape to reveal the flowing, sparkling gown underneath, Laura and her incredible horse, Wimpys Top Model, left the audience stunned. Not only does she handle Wimpys with comfort and confidence, but together they display gorgeous harmony between horse and rider. Her mom came up with the Frozen-themed idea, which has become an online sensation around the world — especially with moms and their kids. One YouTube commenter says, “This has been watched a minimum of 3 times every day since we found it. It has actually replaced the cartoon version. All my 2-year old asks for is, ‘Elsa riding horse?’”“I’ve inspired a lot of little girls to really go out there and ride their ponies which makes me really happy,” Laura says. You are going to be amazed when you see it. Oh... and watch it all!
CREATIVE THINKING SKILL: PARTNERSHIPS Two or more determined individuals (or a horse) can create something that would be impossible alone.
FACE 2 - French artist Charles Pétillon used the help of twenty-five workers over five days to fill London's Covent Garden with 100,000 giant white balloons in an installation called “heartbeat.”
“The balloon invasions I create are metaphors (seeing how two things are alike),” Pétillon said. “Their goal is to change the way in which we see the things we live alongside each day without really noticing them.
With ‘heartbeat’ I want to represent the market building as the beating heart of this area – connecting its past with the present day to allow visitors to re-examine its role at the heart of London’s life.”
CREATIVE THINKING SKILL: LOOK FOR METAPHORS Look for similarities in things that aren't related...
FACE 3 - Shea Hembrey (from Arkansas) Click HERE for the Ted talk he did on his unusual art! Shea decided to have an art show of 100 different artists' work. But guess what? He made up all 100 artists, giving them all personalities and different art styles!
For today's video you will need to click the HERE link on the left!
How do you stage an international art show with work from 100 different artists? If you're Shea Hembrey, you invent all of the artists and artwork yourself — from large-scale outdoor installations to tiny paintings drawn with a single-haired brush. Shea Hembrey shows the explosion of creativity and diversity of skills a single artist is capable of. Hembreygrew up “real rural.” He was raised in the southern tradition, and from the age of five, chopping wood, or riding on his ATV around the county with his shotgun. It taught him to be good with his hands, to be pragmatic (that means a problem solver), and use what was around him. He made art from scraps of wood, grass, straw, and any natural materials that were around the Arkansas farm he grew up on. He learned to discover the world for himself. He ran free, and his imagination ran wild.
Each of his "invented" artists have a personality and background which Hembrey made up! You can read about his large group of made up artists and see their work --which is really his work --in the book "Seek-100."
He imagined what type of art each personality would create so that each piece of art he created for that made-up personality held together. That means each has a different and definite style.
Some of his invented artists paint pictures that look a little like Rembrandt's.
Some paint modern art like Picasso.
Many are sculptors, and many create art out of things found in nature. It is hard to believe that he did this 100 times for each of the 100 artists he imagined! Most --but not all --of the works of art are centered around nature. Want to buy the book to read about all the artists he imagined and see their work? You'll need $1000 to purchase one of the limited number being printed.
FACE 4 - Jake Weidmann Jake Weidmann would tell you that penmanship or how you write matters. As a boy, he paid special attention to the formation of letters and was fascinated with the "art" of handwriting.
Today, he is one of only a few master penmans, and is years younger than any of the others.
Here is what Jake say's about himself: "I am a professional artist and certified Master Penman who lives and works in Denver, Colorado. I received my Master Penman certificate through The International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH) in July of 2011. I work across numerous mediums in art and calligraphy and I am most well-known for my use of flourishing and hand lettering in the context of my art pieces."
It's hard to believe that everything you are seeing is done with pen and ink!
And remember this too --surely you can make your own handwriting better if Jake can do this!
Talent that practices almost always equals something special.
CREATIVE THINKING SKILL: HARD WORK Jake would be the first to tell you doing what he does requires hours and hours of dedicated practice.
FACE 5: HAL TAYLOR
Master craftsman Hal Taylor loves to read to his children, but when his third child, Rose, was born, he ran into a problem – his three children wouldn’t fit in his lap when he went to read to them on his rocking chair!
As luck would have it, Taylor just so happens to be one of the best rocking-chair craftsmen in the world, so he created a beautiful chair that could fit all of his kids!
Taylor calls his masterpiece the Storytime Rocking Chair.
SLIDE 4 - CREATIVE THINKING SKILL: NOTICING EVERY DAY PROBLEMS Notice small things that cause a problem and set out to fix it! Hal now has room for all three kids!
