These are dry times. Summer slips away faster than you can catch it – a dime down the drain. The sky hangs damp and icy today. Across the globe, powerful little men toy with the world’s future like it’s a game of chicken. Hurricanes have ravaged large parts of our earth. Families will suffer the effects for years to come. Terrorists won’t let London sleep.
This planet can get so ugly. So broken. So disordered. So many of our mirrors are shattered.
There is order in beauty. A divine order, I believe, but whatever your theology you can feel it. The affirmation of disparate parts falling into place.
Jennifer Berkenbosch’s Cultivar matters because the world needs beauty today. We need to be reminded that there is goodness. There is a solid bed beneath this wild river.
Over the past couple of months we’ve been building some great websites together. We’ve set up a structure, chosen a theme and started redecorating. But the rooms are empty. Remember, your website is all about one thing – your content.
Today we are going to fill in a lot of the blanks we have created for ourselves so far. We are going to add content to that fancy new website of yours.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
Today is going to be fun! You get to make some sweeping changes to the look and feel of your new website.
I’ll cover some basic design principles that will apply to everyone building a site, no matter the platform. I’ll also go over how to make specific changes to your site’s template through the Squarespace admin panel.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
10 seconds. That’s the amount of time it takes to spot a local celebrity at Commonwealth Community Rec Centre. Professional athletes, actors, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs and the like seem to flock to this power facility to fill their recreation quotas. Where else could you take a yoga class, hit the gym, swim a few laps, play a round of flag football (on synthetic turf) and challenge a climbing wall—all under one roof?
For me, what really puts Commonwealth over the top is its affordability compared to Edmonton’s private fitness centres. The monthly fee is on par with, if not cheaper, than most of the popular gym chains where you sign multi-year contracts. You can pay monthly, annually or simply buy a multi-pass that doesn’t expire (if your motivation to work out is as volatile as oil prices). Your dollar goes further too when you consider access to the swimming pool, free drop-in classes, and the ability to use your pass at virtually any other City-run fitness facility.
There are drawbacks of course. Parking is at a premium, and you can’t park at all on days when there are stadium events. When there are major international events, such as FIFA Women’s World Cup, the gym can close for six weeks at a time. Luckily, because your pass can be used at other city facilities, there is likely another gym not too far away. I guess the only other drawback is that early-morning risers and night owls may not find the hours totally accommodating; however, it is often open on holidays.
If you’re on the fence about working out, I can’t help you. If you’re on the fence about working out at Commonwealth Rec Centre, I can offer this advice: wait for Edmonton’s next free admission day, and see if it’s your thing. Maybe you’ll meet someone famous.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
I want you to ask me anything about building a website for your art. It can be related to working with Squarespace, the tool we are exploring throughout this series. It doesn't have to be. Really, anything that has to do with an artist website.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
Driving this afternoon I hit a moment of clarity head on. It dawns on me. Mastering the Art of living is hard, but simple. In fact, like all good formulas, it's a 3 step process on infinite repeat.
Live well. Pay attention. Share the good.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
Sometime last week, my wife and I were walking to Mandolin Books and we happened upon a new shop in the Highlands neighbourhood called Be-a-Bella. A sign read “120 different kinds of candy” or some such, and I said “let’s just have a quick look.” Being budget conscious, we both agreed we would take a peek inside, but would need to make purchases another day. We left, pockets stuffed with bonbons, and $20 dollars poorer.
Have you tried the World’s Greatest Gummy Bears? I have, and they’re delicious. When’s the last time you had Dr. Pepper chewing gum? How about that giant-sized, Neapolitan, old-fashioned, taffy rectangle you used to spend your allowance on? It’s all there.
Be-a-Bella is not just a candy shop. They have a selection of Canadian and international art pieces, and all kinds of other toys and knick-knacks curated for the curious.
Our quest for coffee became a quest for candy (we got coffee later), but isn’t that what adventures are all about? Little surprises around every corner.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
Today we’re going to get you hooked up. Or, more to the point, we’re going to get your website hooked up with your social media accounts.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
In our pretty-much—weekly feature, discover artsy things to sink your teeth into this weekend in #YEGarts scene.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
The homepage on your website will give visitors your Most Important Thing. That will be the first thing they see. Exactly what you hope will be the first thing they see. We’ll make it so, by design.
So with that Most Important Thing firmly in mind, let’s get our hands dirty, back in our website building tool of choice, Squarespace.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
I've been challenged by good friend Edward Van Vliet to join him in NaPoWriMo. We are writing a new poem every day for April - Poetry Month.
I took this one with great trepidation, but so far, I'm happy with the results. It's amazing what will speak when you give it voice.
I've written 7 poems so far, and you can find them all on my personal website at davevonbieker.com/blog
Part of the joy of posting things raw is the feedback I have received. It's making me a better writer. Taking comments into consideration on yesterday's poem, here is a rewrite, which I'm only posting here for now.
You have something to say–why not say it here? Email your blog post idea to dave@bleedingheartart.space and let's chat.
