It can be said that art is a form of expression, which records various emotions that people feel; David Ellis takes this concept one step further. Ellis expresses emotions and moods through his larger than life paintings, which take mold on to entire floors, buses, and buildings. Ellis tries to write with his paintings, one of his exhibitions records the concept of music and put it into art form. Ellis is a gifted artist who repeatedly paints areas and shows his art developing from different stages; much can be admired about this artist whether it is his skill or dedication.

One of the most typically American pastimes is enjoying a game of football. Despite being an avid fan, I had  never attended a football game of any level before Sunday night. Lucky for me, my first experience was at the MetLife Stadium, which is the future home of the 2014 Superbowl. The experience was unforgettable, and not just because of the Jets vs. Patriots rivalry I was witnessing. By wearing my lucky #24 Revis jersey, the Jets fans in section 315 knew I was a friend. Because of this, they treated me as family, offering me their food (and drink) as well as acting as if I were a lifelong friend. Attending the game proved to be much than just witnessing a amazing game unfold, but also an experience that has now turned into an extremely happy memory.

The “Art in Renaissance Venice” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art takes a close look at Venetian art from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries. The art showcased in the exhibit describes a culture that is similar yet different to the rest of Renaissance Italy, but it is still considered an important part of Renaissance history. After viewing the exhibit, it is clear that Venetian art is very sensuous and emotionally appealing. The cultural significance and uniqueness of the artwork can be appealing to any person. One must visit the exhibit to capture an exclusive glimpse into the culture and history of Renaissance Venice.

In the midst of all the New York chaos, as seemingly millions of people rushed in and out of the subway station, stood a man in a painted mask. Dressed up in black, his grey painted face contrasted starkly with the rest of his appearance. His blank eyes, visible through the holes of the mask, seem to betray no traces of emotion. He stood on top of a small platform, his body changing positions every two minutes, as he imitated the movements and expressions similar to the manikins from shopping malls. He held positions without moving, his stillness evoking a sense of peace within the audience. As the rest of the world moved rapidly around him, at the moment, he seemed to have the supernatural ability to transcend time itself.

Huge faces smile, grimace, and glare at you as you walk by St. Mark’s place. Plastered on anywhere from wooden blue scaffolding to barren concrete walls around the East Village, these magnified portraits serve to intrigue and perplex the viewer. These are not the recognizable visages of celebrities and political figures, but the faces of “average” men and women. The photos are all part of the growing Inside Out Project, “a large-scale participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work” (insideoutproject.net). People from all around the world are encouraged to upload their personal portraits on the project’s website. They would then receive a poster of their image, and have the choice of posting it wherever they want for the world to see and admire. From what I saw in St. Marks and from the online gallery, none of the photos are particularly provocative, as modern art is often stereotyped to be, but more evocative and mysterious. Who are these people really, and what can we learn from their smiles, grimaces, and glares?

Source: http://www.insideoutproject.net/

Those who know the sport best will tell you hockey has a certain rhythm to it. Every shift, every game, every season is inevitably packed with ups and downs. The very best clubs then must be not just talented, but resilient; not just hungry, but focused. Their sport demands it. The New York Rangers are currently on a six game winning streak, making them the hottest team in the NHL. On November 6^th2011, the Rangers faced off against the struggling Winnipeg Jets at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden. Yet, go to the Garden for a Ranger’s home game, and the last thing you’ll see is an empty arena. Hockey fans from all over flood the Garden, dressed in Rangers garb, and cheer for their True Blue. As you walk up the Garden steps, you’re surrounded by the familiar red, white, and royal blue. There is no feeling like walking through the tunnel and the arena opens up in front of you. People everywhere, just like you, are hoping to perhaps catch a puck, get a broken stick, or somehow manage to high-five one of their favorite players. Camera flashes abound as fans snap pictures of the team and send those pictures to their friends to make them jealous (at least that’s what I do). The game starts and the mood quickly changes. All in attendance gaze upon the frozen pond with undivided attention. Sticks clash, bodies bump, pucks fly, and skates dig into the ice. Every time the puck nears the opposing net, the crowd sighs in unison. Every time the referee calls a penalty on the home team, the proverbial “BOO!” reverberates throughout the building. The Rangers beat Winnipeg goaltender Ondrej Pavelec three times, winning the game 3-0, and earning a shut-out for back-up Rangers goalie, Martin Biron.

Hockey won’t hold still to give you a better look. It’s the action that makes the possibilities endless. The next practice, the next city, and the next game await.

There aren’t enough trees in New York City. Maybe you’re lucky enough to live next to the somewhat crowded, tourist filled Central Park (don’t get me wrong the place is magical). But you probably still crave that pristine nature many New Yorkers grew up with and are now deprived of. The New York Botanical Gardens is a diverse body made up of living, breathing, and aesthetically pure foliage. The myriad of gardens, greenhouses, and plain ol’ trees provide a heaping amount of fresh air for us oxygen deprived city folk. The fifty-acre plot of terrain is one to remember, one to be breathed in and out…and not just once.

Within a short walk from Central Park, is the uniquely designed Guggenheim museum. I was in awe the moment I stepped into the museum. Hanging from the ceiling are various sculptures ranging from a life size cow to the sculpture of a young boy playing the drums. The statues are held in place by a thick white cloth; they are aligned so that some are closer to the ceiling than others. Architecturally speaking, the museum is designed to have a seamless ramp rather than stairs so that the further the museumgoers walk, the more sculptures they are able to see. The museum integrates both traditional and modern art perfectly. On each floor there is an arts exhibit showcasing various artwork from French, German and American artists. On the third floor you can find French inspired art by well-esteemed artists such as Paul Cezanne, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso; the art consists of broad strokes and nature themes. On the fourth and fifth floors you can find the art by Kandinsky, which is more abstract but precise. Lastly, on the sixth floor is the pop art gallery with American art from post world war two.

If you find yourself lacking in creativity, needing a boost of spontaneous inspiration, there may be a solution on 123 East 24^th street, just a stones throw from Baruch College. Part bar, part coffee joint, part breakfast eat-in, and part community ideation, the PIT or Peoples Improv Theater is just the cranial pick-me-up you’ll need to carry you through the week.

Be it a gratis drop in class or month long workshop, the PIT’s environment will have you crawling back for some psychologically organic, gut busting skits. This incredibly diverse house of skill, talent, and dignity is scary to enter and (for fear of the very real world out there) scarier to leave.

Our universe is a complex being in itself, replete with distinct peculiarities and phenomena still outside the bounds of mankind’s intellectual grasp. Dr. Martin Rees attempts to broaden the laymen’s knowledge of this physical construct into comprehensible form, by addressing six numerical constants that without which life in our universe could not possibly exist. Dr. Rees is an esteemed cosmologists and astrophysicist, often cited as one of the preeminent leaders of these respective fields. He has also contributed extensively to the study of abnormal cosmological phenomena. In his book “Just Six Numbers,” Dr. Rees does more than just ramble on about some seemingly arbitrary and exaggeratedly intriguing numbers (most have decimal points and exponents). He uses these as the focal point to explore the intricacies and nuances of what makes our physical existence tick. In doing this, he presents a full and comprehensive vantage point of an interesting universe, which can be understand in full by self-professed ignorants of science, myself included.

Marni Kotak’s exhibition called “The Birth of Baby X” takes art into a different realm. She brings the concept of art back to home while simultaneously stretching its meaning into abstraction. In her works as a whole Kotak looks to share her experiences with her audience is real time. They literally get to see her life in action, played out before them unedited and unscripted. This concept is epitomized in her newest work “The Birth of Baby X” on exhibition at the Microscope Gallery in Brooklyn where she converted the space into a birthing room- the show room for her baby’s birth. The exhibit also includes sculptures and other works but gives way for the main event: “The Birth of Baby X”.

The Angels and Demons by Dan Brown is pulse racing thriller that presents a unique joy ride through the halls of Vatican City. Robert Langdon is up and about trying to figure out his latest dilemma which includes the disappearance of four cardinals. Langdon discovers that the Illuminati have captured the Cardinals; however the question arises where the Illuminati have come from since they have been disbanded for years.

Langdon is being pursued by an assassin who has made it his top priority to stop Langdon from discovering the identity of the Illuminati. Brown writes a very well written novel that is a page turner.

There’s a collection of art in Long Island City, Queens that too many people don’t know about. 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center has one on site staff, free admission and no advertising campaign. It’s a head turning mecca of graffiti, a public space rented to the world’s best in the fresh style of art, still seen as more juvenile than breathtaking.

You can usually spot one or two paint can connoisseurs offering a bridge between the process and the product. The demand for space is astronomical so each piece only lives for a short period. On top of that, this living, morphing collection has plans for demolition. It’s set to be developed for condos later this winter. See it soon, while it’s still changing.