The difference between magic and modern science is a difference in consciousness: subjective and objective, participant and observer, voluntary and accidental. From the Neanderthal man to Francis Bacon human perception of nature and the natural universe has gone through a profound transformation.

In terms of consciousness, the scientific mind disassociates itself from all other things in order to analyze them objectively. It distinguishes intellect from emotion and is based on abstractions. Instead of being an interactive contributor to the universe, the scientific mind is a detached observer. This mentality isolates itself emotionally and mentally from nature in order to view nature as a machine.

In stark contrast to the mechanization of nature by the scientific mind, is the primitive magical mind that sees itself not as an observer of nature, but as an active participant in it. Pre-modern humans believed their consciousness was not independent or individual in relation to nature, but a part of it and that every experience was unified with nature itself: “I thus see myself as an island, whereas my medieval or ancient predecessor saw himself more like an embryo.” Therefore they gave personification to nature as a way to relate to it. They saw the earth as a body and rivers as veins in a form of macrocosm and microcosm. They believed the world was sympathetic just as they were sympathetic to nature in return, experiencing archetypes and symbols where the scientific mind saw only abstractions in accidental occurrences.

These are the main points that I really am feeling right now. Especially the last paragraph. I wrote this as a paper in one of my classes, which ended up being a really neat class, basically on the history of science. It’s amazing how much modern concepts are influenced by ancient history. For instance, did you know Isaac Newton was a Gnostic, and basically believed his knowledge was tantamount to magic?

If you want to know more check out my sources:

The Disenchantment of the World

A History of Magic

The Death of Nature

Original Participation.

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There are a lot with the repurposed belts as closures, and a few new type of metal closures. Stop on by and check them out! MiCA is a really amazing store that sells a lot of local artisans work and the owners are so nice. There is plenty of parking right outside the store on the street.

Our class must produce a senior thesis to present at the end of the year. Students that are in the Product Development Tract of Fashion Design at my school produce trend research, marketing plan, and a final product line. Basically we go through the whole process of developing a product and planning a marketing strategy. Since we don’t necessarily have to create a physical product at the end of all this, we are given a lot of leeway to conceptualize our ideas and forecast far out into the future.

Right now I have two ideas running around in my head. I will have to explain these more fully when I have time.

1. Mysticism

This is a concept I have been researching for some time now. But most likely won’t be my senior thesis. It’s hard to translate something so conceptual and that deals with spirituality into a product, and honestly I don’t believe products should be made that take advantage of this.

But that is not going to stop me from researching this stuff. It all started with me following the tracks of the Folk Art trend that is currently set to be in full swing this Fall, but has actually been gaining momentum ever since the economic hardships started to trickle into the American people’s lives. But this isn’t the only sign of our country trying to find enlightenment. I also wonder if our current fascination with vampires could be anything here.

Now where Mysticism comes in: I am wondering why all these things are happening: the Folk movement, Localvore, vampire fascinations. A good portion of humanity right now has become disillusioned with the progress of technology and our ability to contain the negative effects of our overconsumption. We have distanced ourselves so much from nature in the last couple decades and it’s starting to have devastating affects. And I’m not just talking about ruining the environment. I wrote a paper on this subject and I will add it in here at a later date.

8-17-10 I have started listening to podcasts on metaphysics and paganism. I had no idea there were so many people that followed paganism, wicca, Druid, and metaphysical paths. These people go so under the radar, or else only the nut jobs are the ones that surface, but these podcasts are so informational, even if you would never identify yourself with these labels.

• The Infinite Beyond
• The Druidic Craft of the Wise

8-26-10 I’m currently reading The Doors of Perception by Adolphus Huxley. While it does have a lot of bias towards zen teachings and the use of mescaline, Huxley’s explanation of spirituality and it’s necessity in society has been useful.

10-31-10 I’ve posted some quotes from a paper I wrote for school about the differences between the Scientific Mind and the Magical Mind

2. Internet

Having wireless internet is on its way to becoming a national right. More on this later!

I’ve noticed their issues forecast the near future of art and design. Therefore, I want to try to break down some of their more recent issues and what they says about trends in our society. For fun.

Visionaire Issue #57 for 2010.

Click to view slideshow.This issue is the most recent. It is presented as an electronic daily calender that features a new work of art everyday for 365 days. The fact that it is displaying works of art not as a printed collection, but in a digital presentation says a lot (I think) on how technology has changed in the past year. Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Droid, iTunes, social media, Twitter, online marketing, Hulu, Youtube, Apps. It’s all online now. Well not all, but a surprising amount. I said in an earlier post that I’m kinda a luddite in the fact that I don’t trust most new technologies. That is still true, but I’m not too vain to realize that digital is the way American culture is going.

Visionaire Issue #56 Solar

Using new print technology, this issue features black and white photography that when exposed to direct sunlight transforms into color. Forcing the viewer to interact with nature in this way parallels our current relationship with the environment as a society. With global warming forcing us to treat the environment not as a machine, but as an entity needing care and support has profoundly changed the way humans see themselves as integral parts of this earth. This is what I believe anyway. So I think this book makes us even more aware of this change in how we all must perceive the environment by forcing us to directly interact with it. Perfectly going along with global warming, the green movement, and organic ideas.

Those are the only issues I feel like doing right now. Maybe I’ll add more to this later. Check out Visionaire here: http://www.visionaireworld.com

A label in England called 1205 just did what I basically have been working on for the past two months for my design project in school: a unisex line of clothing focussing on fabric and tailoring. The designer, Paula Gerbase, even uses some of the same color palette I was thinking of: greys/neutrals.

Obviously, I don’t think she copied off of me (lol), but I do think this shows that my designs are on trend. While I’m glad I’m not the only one responding to fashion in this way, I am disappointed I’m not going to be the first. Regardless, I’m going to continue with my sketches and make sure mine are distinct enough from her designs!

Edit 06/08/09*** I feel silly posting another article from the same source (Style Bubble) but these collections by the students at The London College of Fashion seem to have created a lot of pieces straight out of my wildest dreams. The use of textiles, ethnic inspirations, embellishments, and hints of nature are everything that I have been dying to see created. And they are just what my end collection is trying to achieve.

05/17/10 Update

I’ve been researching fabrics for this trend. I have decided to try to keep them natural and hopefully environmentally aware in order to stay true to the trend and concept. These are pictures of fabrics I am being inspired by. None of them are mine.

Wool

Felted slippers

Bamboo

This looks like a woven, but I was really thinking about creating t-shirts out of a knit jersey bamboo fabric. It would be sustainable and I’m hoping the look would be comparable to a silk blend. I’m hoping to get a jersey sample in the mail soon.

06/08/10

Finished book. These images are arranged in a spread format and meant to be presented as a book. I call the final trend: Doomsday Economy. This trend is the feeling of uncertainty and fear that parallels the economic recession. The question I tried to solve with this project is: How do you market a clothing line when the majority of you customer base have a reduced income and a fear of the stability of the American economy? My solution was to create a brand that reinforces the customer’s faith in our nation and provide a way to save money by buying unisex clothing options.

“Amanda Lenhart, a senior researcher at the Pew Internet and American Life Project, surveyed 800 pairs of teens and parents, and organized focus groups with children in four different cities. During the focus groups, she says she was amazed to discover the teens were secretly texting under the tables as they talked with researchers.

When researchers asked if teens ever turned their phones off, the majority looked at the interviewers in “horror,” says Lenhart. She says the kids said they might put their phone on silent or vibrate — but off? Highly unlikely.

“They would never actually want to cut themselves off from that network of communication that the phone represented,” says Lenhart, who adds that the teens even slept with their phones. Lenhart talked to 74 teenagers in nine different focus groups in four cities nationwide.

Many said they kept the phone under their pillow so it was quieter during the night. But others said they kept it under the pillow so they would hear or feel it, and be able to answer or text in the middle of the night.”

I’ve noticed this personally. When I first started attending college around ’05, ’06 it was taboo to have your cell phone even turned on in a college classroom, let alone visible on your desk. Teachers would call students out who were seen texting in class.

Now, in 2010, these same students keep their cell phone on the desk in front of them while the class is going on, and never turn it off. To me, it seems like they are using it as a mini computer. A lot of my peers have phones that have data access (internet and email) and use their phones to check their school email accounts periodically. This gives these students a great advantage in being the first to get updates on class scheduling changes and, more importantly in may school, knowledge about co-op opportunities.

I myself refuse to be like this. I keep my phone in my purse and only check it when class is over or in break. I also don’t have internet access on my phone. And checking the clock on it only makes time go by slower. I’m a bit of a luddite in this fashion. I’ve always been wary of new technology, because everything new is not always golden. The first example that comes to mind is when the iPhone was first released and everyone was clamoring for the device. Then after all these first-wave techno lusters bought the product, Apple reduced the price. Things like that make me realize that as a consumer I need to be wary of how I spend my limited funds when new technology seems to come out every week.

I see most technology (not all of it) as fads, not overarching trends. We know what is timeless: quality and simplicity. Most technology does not have simplicity and few are quality products that will last a lifetime. So why not spend your money on things that can be heirloom pieces?

The scarves are currently being knitted right now and will probably number about 6 or so when completed. I am planning on having most of them be the leather belt design because that seems to have been the most popular seller. If you want to keep updated on Manor products just subscribe to receive the latest news through email by entering your information on the right ==>

Thanks for visiting my site and hopefully soon I will be able to create even more varieties of products!

Style shown: Cambridge

Style shown: Cranford