Art Deco Scrap Art Expo

[Rory]

"Zelda, John, Richie."

Rory nodded to each with a soft smile, both acknowledging their introductions as well as associating their names and faces. As the conversation continued, he fell into a silent but interested observation.

The group clearly, and understandably revolved around Faye and it seemed he and Zelda were the outsiders. It didn't bother him and was more by habit to pick up the small cues and nuances than looking for any personal affront. He'd never been the sort to be at the center, or seek it, but had often found it useful to learn from those that did. The way the beautiful woman took time to speak to each person, capturing and keeping them in her circle of attention, was enthralling.

He wanted to ask Constance if she were Israeli, by her features and biblical name, but clearly the conversation had turned away from religion and he wasn't one to foist it upon the uninterested. It was only natural it turned to Zelda, an artist, and art.

"Is your work abstract? Like this? Or some particular style?"

Mostly, he was just content to listen to the others. The question? Just enough to stay in the conversation lest he be shuffled out and moved past.

[Fisher]

Fisher found so many of the topics around her interesting and had a hard time deciding which way to go with it. The religion issue was interesting, but one didn't typically talk about religion when light conversation was wanted because few could divorce themselves from their feelings to be impartial. She wanted to think she could rise above that, but she wasn't certain.

"Well I do agree that competition is something that is unavoidable. It is ingrained in us with our drive for survival and to thrive. It is hard to let it go," Fisher said in response to Rory's statement. She figured it was rather neutral and the others were not interested in the topic which was disappointing.

"I know right?" she said agreeing with Rory. "Some of the stuff does seem a little lazy. What's up with that?"

"Well history and religion aren't for everyone," Fisher said with a nod to Faye. "I'm only just starting to expand my understanding there to widen my horizons a bit. Some places can be a little backward, but then you just move on and find one that isn't. There are plenty of friendly or accepting places. Colorado's pretty open to the whole new age thing for example."

Fisher wasn't sure what a Johnny-Five was, but from the topic it must have been a type of robot of some kind.

"Well task oriented robots are ok, but what's really cool is when they are built for competition like those Robot Wars. Those are far more socially acceptable than what companion or assistants will likely end up devolving into," she finished implying the obvious. "Why interact with others with risk when you can craft your own companion, make it everything you want and with no risk of a normal relationship? Escapism is progressively becoming more a real and threat."

When Zelda labeled herself an artist and a painter, Fisher was interested herself and found herself of the same mind as Rory wanting to know her style.

"I sketch and paint too," Fisher said with a smile toward Zelda. "Small world I suppose. I'd be interested to know as well if you have a preferred style."

[Wayland]

All the talk of art styles had his mind glazing over with disinterest. He was a simple kinda guy and just made stuff. Is that a style? Don't know, don't care.

He had his own views on Religion, but they had to do with how he viewed religion as humanity's continued base need to accept powers beyond reason and logic, a Sleeper's built in acceptance of magic or miracles. His view was that their Enemy established codified Religions with enough Mystery to attract the Sleeping masses to their message, then force them into a system of control through domga and ritual, to eventually make people question those beliefs. Wayland also had the belief that ultimate goal of their Enemy was to push people away from religion into Atheism, effectively closing their minds and souls to higher Supernal Truths. Of couse, Richie couldn't have such views, at least not in public.

'Constance's' views on robot wars were not surprising, but make him feel a little unnerved. "Yo I don't know about robot wars hey. Like, whats the point in makin' somethin' just to have it get destroyed." Building robots to fight other robots? Not his bag, but building robots to fight people? Hell's yeah. That he can do.

[Yumyumcrow]

ZELDA

"Allagorical perhaps. Never abstract. I prefer my work to have a little more... sensual or what you say? Visceral?" Zelda's face dissolved into an emotionless mask as the artist considered her work. She inclined her head toward Fisher with a coy smile working its way onto her lips. "My preference is still life. But... I have no style in particular. Uh it depends on the work and sometimes on the types of materials I am using. Lately I've been experimenting with the techniques of the impressionists but earlier this year I completed a commission in the style of the pre-raphaelite brotherhood."

She paused for a moment, then: "And what of you? Do you have a preferred style or school that speaks to you?" The question was directed at Connie Fisher but applied equally to anyone else in their little group.

She nodded with her eyes, supporting the view expressed by Wayland Richie.

"Ah oui. Terribly gauche and so... low brow. No better than those primitive entertainments like bear baiting, no. People can do so much better."

This is a Shade. Allocating 3 dots to PRES 4 and Academics 2.

[Strix]

Hearing his name and seeing Rory nod at him, Strix smiled back and returned with a, "Rory," and polite nod of acknowledgement himself. When talking commenced, he turned his attention back to the person speaking at the moment but remained otherwise quiet to not interrupt anyone.

"Well, history can be...interesting," he agreed when Fisher brought it up again. He nodded his head slowly from side to side with a drawn out 'eh' sound, adding, "as long as it remains just philosophical and no one's trying to shove down beliefs anyone's throat..I guess religion can be, as well." He shrugged. "Not that I can talk much about it all. Beyond being told that 'this' or 'that' will pave my way to Hell, it wasn't very important. My family was more aligned to the Church of the Star-Spangled Banner."

Saluting to it, bleeding, dying for it and the American way of life of picked fences and apple pies, he mused to himself. Sure, religion was part of the Lie — but try telling that to someone who didn't know, whom you couldn't show proof of it. Best not waste his breath trying with Unawakened.

While he listened to Zelda's explanation about what art she did, Strix mostly stayed quiet and looked like he was listening — since she kind of lost him partway through. Sure, he had heard the word 'impressionism' before, but what it actually meant in way of art, he couldn't tell, just like he actually had no idea what pre-raphaelite brotherhood was meant to tell him.

Raphael was an angel, but he couldn't picture Zelda drawing paintings of saints and the like...

"Well, for me...I'm more into...looking at art, than actually making any myself." His idea of true work of art was a more along the lines of a nice car. No need to out himself as artistically blind just yet. Instead, he offered up, "From an engineer's perspective, I guess people enjoy the knowledge that their robot is able to crush opposition and come out the winner, while the others rage about their pile of scrap metal. Who doesn't like seeing something they made garner approval...or, in this case, see it win," as explanation about Robot Wars.

That said, however, Strix knew better things with his time to do than watch such fights.

[Aurora]

Richie? Interesting name choice, though he didn’t strike her as a Richie.

Laughing, “Now you’re getting it! Always fun to freak people out.” She adds with a mischievous grin. There were times she did it with her contortion. Didn’t mention she was a contortionist, and did something freaky. The reactions made it a ton of fun for her.

“Oh I wouldn’t say a rival, I could hardly pull of that awesome shade of blue. But maybe an ally in the fun hair color department.” She preferred purples, reds and orange to look like flames.

“Certainly. There is no denying that small town charm. And yeah, that is a delicate balance that unfortunately not many can master.” She then ponders Zelda’s words, “I love the vibe of larger cities, the inner pulse of life that everyone gives off.” The Enchantress lived for the energy others gave off.

Shaking her head, “Oh, it’s not that it isn’t for me, it’s just I never had a reason to really look into it. I love learning about new things, especially things I no knowledge about. And the history surrounding religion sounds like it is quite fascinating.” Information she would prob never need, but you never know.

A finger presses against her lips as Fisher talked about Robots, “So you’re saying I could get one built to help around the house? Cause that’s just awesome.” She says with a laugh.

"As for me, I'm a performer." it was kinda an art form?

[Rory]

"I'm with John," Rory agreed, nodding towards the dark-haired man with an affable smile.

"I think some people find the... artistry? To be found in knowing they've created something with a purpose. I wouldn't say one is better than the other -- isn't that the old debate of Form Versus Function, but that someone's intent might be the artistry in function and the pursuit of that perfection. Much like the," a hand gestured to Strix, "Engineers he mentioned."

Rory glanced at each person as he spoke, gently including each with his soft brogue. His hands slipped behind his back, fingers running over his boxing calluses.

"It's not destruction for the sake of destruction, but proof of concept, or even a discipline of sorts. For example, Tai-Chi or Shaolin Monks or any martial discipline can be artistry of sorts, yeah? But the ultimate expression of that art is proving it's effectiveness."

[Wayland]

He listened to Rory with interest. His views and knowledge on religion was something that he had an interest in, not so much the actual beliefs in their God's but in the history and culture of a people. Such things said volumes about the state of Humanity's change in acceptance of the Lie over the centuries from place to place, culture to culture. As eye-socket-poppin' boring as talking about religion was to Wayland, the fight against the Lie was the ultimate conflict, and any insight would be valuable, but now wasn't the time to be talking about sure things. First, it was time to talk shop. Booyeah!

"Yeah I hear ya, but like, isn't a proof of concept just the first step? Like, prove it works yeah, but then make it better. I guess i'm more of a Function over Form guy, or is it Function before Form? Better to make a heap of crap that works than some cherry lookin' polished silver bot that's all talk, ya know?"

"As for those Shaolin dudes? I've seen some wicked awesome stuff on YouTube, but then we had this guy in our area, some self-proclaimed energy warrior, reckon he could knock people out just by waiving his hands at them." He was well aware that magic could perform some wonderous things, but he'd personally gone to see this dude to see if he was the real deal. Sadly, he was not. "Dude starts challenging anyone to try and beat him. Local MMA fighter says ok, jumps in the ring with him and beats the living snot outta him. And like, all his students are standing round totally confused. Biggest let down yo, and I mean, I'm all for the 'art' " arms raised for the finger quotes, "in martial arts, but function comes first."

[Strix]

Strix surely never expected himself to end up being part of a discussion between a religious history teacher and Wayland, of all people, that was slowly descending into philosophical terrain while visiting an art expo about scrap in a park. He wondered just what it said about himself that he considered this one of the stranger things that happened to him since his Awakening.

Before he could end up staring oddly at either men, Strix thought it better to add his own two cent to the current topic. "Form versus Functionality is one of those things you could probably talk about for hours and not get anywhere. I mean, I can look at a car and see it as a work of art, especially when it is an old timer in top conditions like what my neighbor used to have, no major repairs ever having been nec—" he stopped for a moment, catching himself and continued with, "pretty sure you don't care about that, where I was going with is that I can appreciate it as art...the majority will think of a car as nothing more than something to get them from point A to point B."

Strix didn't blame them, of course, they didn't know any better. It took a real connoisseur to appreciate the fine curves of a car. If Atlantis was really a thing, it probably failed because its inhabitants didn't know to appreciate their equivalent of a car. I should mention that theory to one of the pentacle mages.

"As for martial arts...it's one of those middle ground things for me: Martial arts do look nice when done well, fluid movements, executed with precision and care. Yet, I agree with Richie...kind of pointless when it looks great, and you end up with a knife in your chest because you believed yourself in a kung fu movie where your impressive display of martial arts will impress your opponent enough."

[Fisher]

"Yeah abstract are all the rage with some, but I have a difficult time with it. I've always been a little strait forward myself I guess," Fisher said with a shrug. "I like the pre-raphaelite brotherhood as well, some very powerful pieces there."

"Let me think," she murmured thoughtfully as she stared at a piece of art. "I like scenic art and there is some great stuff in 19th century Romanticism. I've always enjoyed the natural world and portraying man in nature can be impressive the way they do it. There is so much ugliness in the world that I guess I enjoy looking at and being reminded of the fact that there is beauty out there too. I'm a little sappy at heart I guess. But juxtaposing the power and beauty of nature versus man makes one think and explore their place in the world." She said with a grin. "I also have been exploring Native American Visual Art, my people, the Haida, have some pretty impressive stuff and I kind of want to carry on that tradition a little too I suppose."

The topic seemed to be flowing to a form versus function and that fit well with art for people not interested in art as a subject. She liked discussing more philosophical subjects like this to.

"People seem to separate the two form and function, but they are intricately tied together, one comes as a result of the other. The martial arts for example, many Japanese styles I know of are all about precise form and no wasted movement. You move only far enough to perform the move and don't move past that point or you have wasted energy. The proper kata are the form that have been refined for the maximum function I suppose you could say."

Fisher hoped that her idea was conveyed properly and that it made sense. Martial arts were also subject that she enjoyed after all.