Archive for February, 2010

A Rough Idea of How to Make Cardboard Chairs



Imagine walking into an empty apartment and having a limited budget to decorate and furnish this apartment. How would you go about this problem? Well if you are enterprising you will have found your much needed furniture from your various family and friends. You could on the other hand use the materials on hand to make the furniture that you want. This is a temporary measure as you really can’t be sitting on cardboard chairs right?

Well before you start saying there is no way that cardboard chairs can be used on a permanent basis you may want to do some looking into this idea. This is because you will find a few companies today which manufacture cardboard chairs. These chairs are mainly made from varying pieces of corrugated cardboard. Some type of glue substance is used to seal the chair pieces together.

Beyond these items hardboard facing is used in the final finishing process. The idea of cardboard chairs was used commercially in 1969. The designer of these chairs was an individual named Gehry. Gehry used single sheets of cardboard to make his chair designs. In order to provide the strength that a chair needs for sitting down, the cardboard sheets were layered. As the layering continues the cardboard begins to gain a flexible strength.

To promote an interesting ripple effect Gehry would purposely misalign the various stacked cardboard pieces. This would produce the effect and look of undulating lines in the cardboard chairs. As his designs were successful there are other furniture lines that follow along these same lines.

These collections are ones like the Bent Wood Collection, Experimental Edges, Easy Edges and others. Now while the furniture from Gehry is an excellent example of how cardboard can be used to produce fantastic furniture there are other people who have come up with their own versions of these cardboard chairs.

For these people the cardboard boxes and packaging that is around their homes and in packing stores will do quite nicely for the construction of chairs, stools and table too. To construct various pieces of furniture from the cardboard boxes will take some time, imagination, marker pens, glue and scissors. You will need to see how you can make your cardboard chairs stay steady once they have been made.

For this purpose see how the various parts of the chair can be made with the least amount of cutting. You will need to fold the cardboard into the sizes that you want and glue them together if it is necessary. By experimenting you should end up with a rough idea of how to make cardboard chairs. All that will then be necessary is to tidy your new cardboard chairs so that they are ready for use.

Champions On Ice Tickets



Champions On Ice Tickets Information

Almost 1,000 years ago for Northern European ice-skating was a method of transportation over the frozen passages and waterways. But since skates transformed from animal bones tied to shoes to iron-bladed boots, skating emerged as a competitive sport. The world’s first speed skating race was organized in 1763 held in England. Champions on Ice is actually a touring ice show in the USA produced by Tom Collins Enterprises. This radiant show features a large cast of professional as well as Olympic-eligible figure skaters coupled with novelty acts like skating acrobats. These shows spotlight mostly on solo performances by the skaters rather than group work or acting out stories.

Champions on Ice show was intially named as “Tour of World Figure Skating Champions” in 1969. This show only offered top amateur skaters who performed under an arrangement with the International Skating Union (ISU). But when the ISU liberalized its amateur status rules in 1990, Collins started to add professional skaters to the tour and also active eligible competitors to add more spice to the show. The tour adopted its current name of “Champions on Ice” in 1998 which no doubt is an apt name for the fascinating performers.

With the passage of time ice-skating mounted to the pinnacle of professionalism and now this sport is known as one of the finest and most entertaining sports of today. These ice skating celebrities are amongst the top stars of the world. And what elegance they show in their performances, simple superb, spectacular! I’ll be giving you a chance to know few of these awesome superstars. The best in ice entertainment, Champions on ice include famous figure skaters such as Michelle Kwan, Timothy Goebel, Irina Slutskaya, and many more!

Shizuka Arakawa

Shizuka is the first Japanese woman from Russia to win figure skating gold medal in 2006. Shizuka Arakawa undisputedly engraved her name in sporting history. So far Arakawa is the only skater in Japan who has received three consecutive junior national titles. She grounded her first triple jumps when she was still in her elementary school. She is the third woman from Japan to be a World Champion after Midori Ito who won in 1989 and Yuka Sato in 1994. She also stood 13th when competed in the 1998 Olympic games. Shizuka Arakawa for sure stamped her name in sporting history. She is the first Japanese to win a figure skating title, relegating twice world champion Slutskaya to third. Shizuka won the gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Ladies Singles in Turin, Italy on February 23, 2006 also the 2004 World Figure Skating Championship. She is also the first Asian woman who won the Olympic gold medal in figure skating. Shizuka is the second oldest woman to win the Olympic figure skating gold. 5 feet 6 inches Shizuka one of the tallest ladies’ skaters is recognized for her spins and jumping ability, mainly her difficult triple-triple combinations. In 2004, she introduced a Biellmann spin to her catalog. Biellmann requires incomparable back flexibility. Arakawa took about five months to learn this move.

Kimmie Meissner

We’ll start with Kimmie Meissner, America’s newest teenage skating fascination who earned a World title on her first trip to the World Figure Skaing. Wow! What a sensation she is? Meissner, only 16, presented America a golden look at its skating future. Meissner went to Calgary after finishing sixth in the Winter Olympics in Torino just wishing for a spot on medal podium. Instead, she landed seven triple jumps including two triple-triple combinations to stand right on top position of the podium. She was so excited her self; her expression truly reflected her state of exhilaration at that time, “I was very, very, very, happy”. “The crowd screamed, and I couldn’t hear the rest of my music, the very last bits of it. I was so happy with myself that it was an awesome feeling.” Newest attraction of America crowned world figure skating champion Kimmie Meissner, is paralleled with other legendry stars Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Johnny Weir, Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto, Irina Slutskaya and other international favorites in the 2006 whom they use to idealize.

Evgeni Plushenko

Evgeni Plushenko now the Current Olympic Champion, Evgeni is Three-time World Champion, Five-time European Champion. Evgeni is 22years of age is one of the finest ice skaters. Unfortunately, he was forced to withdraw from last season’s World Championships, which was held in Moscow due to abductor muscle inflammation syndrome, a groin injury in the lower abdomen, alike to that which shortened the careers of Elvis Stojko and Alexei Urmanov. Though he underwent surgery on both sides of the groin, after that he spent quite a few weeks in physical therapy. Plushenko’s withdrawal of 2005 World Championships resulted in his not being included in the 2006 Grand Prix Series. But he definitely plans to return to the competition later this year with the decisive ambition of going for Olympic gold in Turino, Italy. His fans are having their fingers crossed for him.

Lucinda Ruh

Unluckily Lucinda never skated at the Olympics and could not be placed higher than 13th at the ISU World Championships of Figure Skating’. But figure skater Lucinda Ruh has earned a name and a special place for herself in the sport ice-skating. 2003 was the year marked by Lucinda’s performance when she skated to the world record for most revolutions in a spin by doing 115 rotations. This young lady skates like a fairy on the skating ring, her elegant performance adds to her daunting beauty.

Michelle Kwan

Michelle Kwan perhaps the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, winning five World titles, nine national titles, and numerous international/world medals. She also has two Olympic medals, silver in 1998 and a bronze in 2002 on her credit. (A recent decision by the USFSA will provide her another chance for an Olympic gold medal in Torino). Michelle won the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award bestowed to the top amateur athlete in the nation in 2001. She proudly embraces the record for the most perfect marks (6.0) at 50, and the American record for her 35 perfect marks at the U.S. Nationals. Michelle, one of the most consistent skaters of our time, Kwan is also distinguished for her musical expression as well as a graceful and swanlike skating style. She’ll go a long way to captivate audiences with her brilliant interpretive programs.

Marina Anissina & Gwendal Peizerat

Marina Anissina & Gwendal Peizerat a unique couple in performance as well as in real life. This Russian-French partnership started with a letter that was sent by two-time junior dance champion Anissina to some prospective partners as her previous partnership abruptly broken. How lucky Marina was when to reach Peizerat who was also recently available, answered. Mutually this sizzling Russian redhead with impressive flamboyance and the cool, elegant Frenchman with flawless musical style twisted one of the most lyrical and innovative dance teams. They won a World title in 2000, and two Olympic medals, a bronze in 1998 and the gold in 2002. They are very famous for their novel and ingenious dance lifts, specifically a role-reversal lift the duo popularized in which she lifts him.

Tatiana Totmianina Maxim Marinin

Current Olympic Champions and two-time world champions Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin have battled the odds when it comes to winning championships. After a terrible fall at the 2004 Skate America, where her head hit the ice in a resounding thud in a fall from a lift, it seemed Tatiana’s career might come to an end. But despite severe bruises and a concussion, she was able to return to the ice to win the team’s third straight national title, fourth European title, and second World title. Partner Maxim was the nervous one, ever careful in the dangerous throws and lifts that make up the technical difficulty in pair routines.

Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto

>Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto are the finest ice dancing team that United States has ever produced. Belbin was born in Kingston, Ontario, before moving to Detroit in 1999 competed as a pair skater in Canada to team up with Agosto, who is from Chicago. It wasn’t long before when the couple won their first international competition that was a Junior Grand Prix in Montreal. This success was before they took part in a U.S. national championship. Tanith and Benjamin won two World Junior dance titles. The fantastic story of achievement doesn’t stop here. They bring home the gold medal at the US Nationals this was their third championship and also won a place on the US Olympic team.

Irina Slutskaya

Irina Slutskaya another name of ice skating. Great speed, intricate footwork, complex spins and natural jumping ability make her a alarming challenger in any skating competition. Irina was the first Russian woman to win the European title in 1997 and continuously winning it since then and won it four times in total. She is also crowned as the first Russian woman to win an Olympic silver medal in Salt Lake City 2002. She also has two more world championship titles to her resume. Irina invented the double Biellmann-spin with foot change and turned out to be the first woman to land the triple Lutz-triple loop combination in competition at the 2000 Grand Prix Final in Lyon, France, this is the reason is why Slutskaya is considered one of the sport’s most powerful women athletes.

Surya Bonaly

Surya a queen of ciy ground, In her entire career (13 years) with Champions on Ice she exhilarate audiences with her trademark back flip landed on one foot followed by a triple Salchow. This breathtaking feat has performed Surya alone. She was a already world champion gymnast and tumbler before starting her skating career at the age twelve in her native France. Surya’s unbeatable athleticism and flexibility proved instrumental in accelrating the technical side of the women’s skating to new loftiness. She wrote her undeniable career in sport’s history by winning nine French, five consecutive European titles and three World silver medals. Highly talented Surya often crafts her own choreography, designs her costumes, and appears in skating shows around the world. Surya wants to skate until spectators enjoy her performances.

Irina Grigorian

Irina Grigorian brought a special dimension to ice skating by mingling it with circus art on ice. Her expertise involves juggling and whirling mass of hula-hoops before an appreciative audience. Grigorian also designs costumes for competitive skaters and Las Vegas show performers. Irina remained an international competitor for more than 13 years. Finally she brought her unique skating to Ice Capades, where she toured for many years. Besides touring with Champions on Ice, Irina performs regularly in a Las Vegas ice show, where she lives now.

Elaine Zayak

A marvelous star of ice-skating, she skates like a swan. Elaine started skating at the age of three and is undoubtedly the finest spinner of the world currently. Elaine Zayak being 1982 World Championships was not less then a miracle. She began figure skating on doctor’s recommendation after losing part of her left foot in a lawnmower accident as a toddler. And now here she is performing the highest level of figure skating especially doing more triple jumps than has ever been witnessed in the women’s event. Some say: “Too many triples”. Her high profile performance led her to International Skating Union (ISU) to produce what has been known the “Zayak Rule.” The rule limits the number of times each type of triple jump (Axel, Lutz, Salchow, toe loop, loop, and flip) can be performed in a figure skater’s long program.

Out of six triple jumps Zayak executed en route to her figure skating world title, four were toe loops. Nowadays a top-level skater still is expected to perform many triple jumps in her long program, but she must demonstrate a greater degree of skillfulness because she is not only expected to depend only on her favorite jump. Nonetheless Zayak’s performances higher the playing field to a new intensity, necessitating new comers to improve their jumping abilities. What a contrast from only less than a century earlier when female skaters were not allowed to jump at all as it is was supposed to be unladylike behavior. With the passage of time ice-skating mounted to the pinnacle of professionalism and now this sport is known as one of the finest and most entertaining sports of today. These ice skating celebrities are amongst the top stars of the world. And what elegance they show in their performances, simple superb, spectacular! I’ll be giving you a chance to know few of these awesome superstars. The best in ice entertainment, Champions on ice include famous figure skaters such as Michelle Kwan, Timothy Goebel, Irina Slutskaya, and many more!

The Champions on Ice skating extravaganza is one of the most dazzling and stunning athletic performances to allure the public. Ice-skating not only provides fun to viewers It’s much more than this. Public can experience the pure talent of the World Olympic Champion figure skaters plus high-lights exquisite costumes, music, lights, and special effects. Kings and queens of ice skating like gold medalist Michelle Kwan, bronze medalist Sasha Cohen, Olympic medalists Irina Slutskaya, Time Goebel, Elvis Stojko, and many others strike the ice in a manifestation of vigor, expertise, and elegance. The legends didn’t reach this place overnight. It took several years of tiring practice to achieve their specialties and expertise. Full abundance of body and mind that’s what it takes to be a spectacular vision on the icy platform.

For more information visit: http://www.ticketnest.com/concert-tickets/Champions-On-Ice/index.php

Important Artists in Black Art Painting



Since its conception, art in all of its various forms has been created for the sole purpose of the artist describing for the world his or her personal visions of a person, event, or place. As a result visual works of art leave the viewer with an impression of an extreme emotion. Whether that feeling is joy or the deepest pits of despair, the artist has done their job if something of their reality shows through their work. Painters of all races and ethnic backgrounds can surely relate to the “starving artist” theory. But for black artist the struggle has been a little more intense. Not only in the U.S. as the children of freed slaves, but unfortunately in their mother continent of Africa, Black American artists have faced discrimination and censorship. Fortunately both sets of unique, gifted artists are beginning to see some of the attention and praise they deserve. Black art painting is finally being seen for the huge contribution to history and the art world that it is.

Both sides of the world have produced amazingly gifted artists. In the Western hemisphere there are certain black men and women who paved the way for the African American artists of today. Horace Pippin is one of those men. After an injury in WWI, Pippin discovered his underlying talent for rich, historical painting. While he avoided the unpleasantness of life for a black man in the U.S. during that time period, he did produce black art paintings that spoke volumes to the viewer. His work was displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in 1938. A less known black artist that contributed to the black art movement in the United States is Walter Ellison. His most famous work is “Train Station” located in the Art Institute of Chicago. That painting is an honest look at the difficulties facing black families as they migrated north in the hope of a better future than the south could or would offer. These two exceptional black artists help give hope of recognition to the many gifted black artists that were to follow.

The scenario for artists from and living in Africa is different though. Despite the struggles with racial discrimination and inherent prejudice in the U.S., African artists are faced with even more difficult issues. Apartheid and censorship have long plagued this long suffering group of artists and painters. While expressing their views of the political unrest and unfair treatment, African artists have been subjected to severe punishment and censorship unheard of in the West. Thanks in part to the academic world’s growing interest in the work of the modern black artist, black art painting is receiving more attention and registering in the minds of museum curators and art galleries alike. Most of the credit belongs to the fortitude and artistic expression of the African artists themselves.

From its humble beginning in rock painting to its depictions of slavery, apartheid, and injustice, black fine art is an expression of the feelings and emotions of a diverse, racially unified community of artists. The rest of the world now has the opportunity to see and experience this unique form of painting.

Mr. Moyo Ogundipe has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Fine Art from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and a Master of Fine Art degree in Painting from The Hoffberger School of Painting, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, USA.

One of Africa’s most celebrated and renowned contemporary black American artists, Mr. Ogundipe has exhibited extensively in Africa, Europe and the USA. His paintings have been described as hypnotic, colorful and densely patterned.

In 1996, Mr. Ogundipe was awarded the Pollock-Krasner Fellowship. And in 2005 he was invited to become a member of Africobra, an organization founded in the 1960s and whose membership comprises of distinguished African-American artists.

Find and buy black art prints from Moyo Ogundipe at www.Maigida.com.