Class presentation of work. Afterthoughts.

I think things went well tonight. Although afraid of boring people out of their minds, I think maybe only Trogdor! may have done that.

Some things that I didn't touch on that I think are important in looking at other people's work is their influences. Now, for the most part, when asked to look at your influences when presenting your work as an artist, I get the feeling that people want to know whose work have you looked at or used or taken some grain of insight from in the creation of your (my) work.
For some odd reason, it has been a consistantcy in my mind that the people you use as influences should be of the same medium of yours as well. The problem wih this to me is that the people I would claim as influences to my work, who use the same medium as I (Ansel Adams, Andre Serrano, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Don G. Anton) for the most part, do not have art that resembles mine in many ways.

The goals and meaning of their art does have resemblences, but it is in the ways that the goals are met, rather than the physical embodiment or aestheticness of the object.

There are a number of resources as well outside of photography that I draw upon, and in fact , I would have to say that more of my influences come in the forms outside of photography rather than from within the medium.
ie.
This Man, whose mind played so couragiously in the evolution of the art world as we know it.

This director and his films are probably the closet I will venture to photography in this list. He has a well deserved name in his business.

Amazingly enough, I find inspiration in music. I actualy think this is a form of art that has become so ingrained witthin our culture, that we start to fail to see it as such, much like advertising. Check out These guys or This Bunch and even The boys to get a hint of what helps to drive my work.
( Or you can go Here and see what I really listen to.)

Writers such as Paulo Coellho, Cervantes, Alexandr, Bradbury, Bach, and this man with whom I will end this abbreviated list.

I would even have to say that the ability of this man is so fantastic in the sense that he has captured an overwhelming majority of the nations attention in regards to art. Some may say it is anything but. Alas, it still stands as probably the most recognized name in contemporary art today in the nation. ***WARNING: Clicking This Link May Cause Brain Hemorrhages*** (And yes, i would say his work too has been an influence)

And some humor if you will, can be found Here. I didn't want to leave you with the hemorrhage link. Now, this site, has some great and some not so great "toons". But be warned, they certainly have commentary to provide to certain sects of society. Choose well.