Artisan Productions Draw Crowds and Commerce to Coronado Pier

A bazaar of artistic furry was on display at the Coronado Art Walk between September 13^th and 14^th. The event was hosted by the Coronado Historical Association that supports community creativity and encourages a healthy respect for the arts as a whole. The Coronado Ferry Landing and San Diego Bay provided a perfect backdrop for the exhibition of artistic expressions.  Paintings, stone work, sculptors, weaving, glass blowing, and other handcrafted products were available for ponder or purchase. 

Visitors strolled through the corridor, by the fountain, beyond the stage and all the way over to the landing to see the creations of local talent. Individual booths lined both sides of the walkway along the landing’s business community. Visitors flocked to the area with transit hurriedly dropping off families, visitors, and students in droves. The event was a success despite the record breaking heat.  

Fine art is an expressive activity that fits snuggly within the historic Coronado community and helps support the value and charm of the island. Fine art was formally defined in the 18^th Century and has a distinctive place in supporting capitalistic societies (Clowney, 2011). The definition of art is traditionally associated with poetry, music, sculptures, painting and theater. 

Art is not always restricted by traditional boundaries. As automation and mass production took hold small artisan craftsman closed their businesses because they failed to compete with larger producers. In today’s world, hand crafted artistic works in clocks, tile design, and jewelry are developing their own lucrative niches and customers where large produces can’t compete. 

Events like the Coronado Art Walk offer and opportunity for these artists to show and sell their talent in a commercial way. Local businesses reap the spill over benefits of increased visitors and Coronado neighborhoods maintain their charm with family oriented events within walking distance. 

Contrary to popular belief small artists are not the first to suffer from a poor economy and are regularly overlooked for their economic contributions. A case example in Brattleboro Vermont showed that the artist community was barely impacted by the recession and maintained the equivalent of 200 full time jobs while other industries declined (Burke, 2010). 

Artists are part expressive and part capitalists in the sense that they seek to find a healthy balance between creating new forms and works that are uniquely theirs while supporting themselves through their work. Encouraging the arts is about exposing the artists to a community that helps each other find ways to create a viable industry. The Coronado Art Walk is one example of that community in action.

http://www.coronadoartwalk.org/

Burke, M. (2010). The creative economy, public policy, and development community. Communities & Banking, 21 (4). 

Clowney, D. (2011). Definitions of art and fine art’s historical origins. Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism, 69 (3). 

Marketing and Economic Efficiency Create Societal Improvement

Artwork: Dr. Murad Abel

The bridge between economic growth and government efficiency is not an easy one to find. There are many factors that go into the process of building stronger economies, better societies, and more accountable government. Research by Sirgy, et. al. (2012) helps to show how marketing activities improvement of economic, social, health, and subjective health of a country is mediated by economic efficiency. As marketing activity increases and government oversight becomes more efficient the economy grows for the benefit of all societal members.

Marketing Activity:  The totality of marketing expenditures throughout society that increase awareness of products and services that speed up economic activity (Wilkie and Moore, 2007). This can be measured as dollar amount of advertising expenditures per GDP.  It is tightly woven retailers that fulfill the needs of customer’s life domains that enhance their quality of life. It improves upon information flow, consumption opportunities and improves job opportunities.  

Economic Efficiency:  When a country has lower levels of corruption, more liquidity in movement of money, the informal market is small, and additional employment opportunities it is said to be efficient (Matel et. al., 2010). The overhead transactional costs related to corruption is low while the political structure of the country allows money to move to those who have the abilities to earn it. This translates into efficient opportunities, government oversight, and skill based earning without a significance presence of the shadow market. 

When marketing activity is high, information is readily available, and people can make proper choices the economic activity increases. This economic activity raises the lives of people and revenue throughout an area. To maximize the benefits, government needs to be transparent, build trust, and gain revenue off of transactions.  Low government efficiency can damage economic prospects for business by strengthening the shadow market that seeks to avoid regulation/taxes. 

Measurements for marketing activity include advertising expenditure as a % of GNP and number of retail outlets per capita. Economic efficiency can be measured from the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Economic Freedom Index (EFI), and shadow economy in % of GDP. Indicators of economic well-being are seen through the measures of inflation, Consumer Price Index (CPI), and GNI as international dollars using Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Social well-being is measured in adult literacy rates and net enrollment ratio in secondary rules. Health Well-Being is measured in under-5 mortality rates, maternal mortality ratio, life expectancy, and public expenditure on health.  Subjective Well-Being is the subjective satisfaction of society-the happiness factor. 

Through reviewing data of 133 nations the authors found that economic efficiency has a significant impact on societal well –being. Government efficiency is a mediator of this relationship. Societal Well-being is defined as economic, social, health and subjective factors. As economic efficiency increases so does the opportunities and choices of societal members. Trust with the economy and government rises and this encourages greater economic activity that benefits a whole range of societal members across a broad spectrum. 

Comment: The report helps us to understand there are multiple factors in building a strong economy and society. Marketing gets out the “voice” on products and services and provides opportunities for people to understand these products and where they can be obtained. Government oversight can either damage economic growth or encourage it. When officials are in doubt about when to increase or decrease regulation it is beneficial see this through the lens of how this impacts economic growth, societal development and the basic factors of trust that underlines it all. 

Matei, et. al. (2010). Public integrity, economic freedom and government performance: a comparative study for the EU member states and acceding countries. Theoretical and Applied Economics, 18 (11)

Sirgy, M. (2010). Does marketing activity contribute to a society’s well-being? The role of economic efficiency. Journal of Business Ethics, 107 (91). 

Wilkie, W. & Moore, E. (2007). What does the definition of marketing tell us about ourselves? Journal of Public Policy and marketing, 26 (2).

The Rape of the Lock: Canto V by Alexander Pope

The Rape of the Lock: Canto V by Alexander Pope is a poem that addresses conflict as well as larger social issues. Women are seen as angels even they may or may not hold values accordingly. Women have and internal side as well as an external side. Society spends a great amount of time focusing on the outside instead of the inside. 

Likewise, there is gentle critique of the aristocracy of the time. The idle wealthy are seen as gods compared to mere mortality of average folk. Their time in leisure is spent in drama, romance, and chasing of gossip. The lives of the wealthy are still people who have the same feelings, passions, and desires as everyone else. 

The game is one of love and fantasy. Pursuers seek to consummate a relationship with a young lady. The males chase and play a “battle” on each other to have and hold the women they love. The emotions are high and game heart wrenching as each chases a course against the others. Women are fighting against men in the game of love. The lock is only a symbol for beauty and the chasing of immortality.

To lovers it is the smile or the frown that can raise one to new heights or crash them into an emotional oblivion. The two play a game of chase and riposte to have and hold each other. The end game is the muting of emotion into indifference where the two are joined into the same routines and life. In this case the game was more important than the win. The lock became a symbol of something that fades away with age.


SHE said: the pitying Audience melt in Tears,
But Fate and Jove had stopp'd the Baron's Ears.
In vain Thalestris with Reproach assails,
For who can move when fair Belinda fails?
Not half to fixt the Trojan cou'd remain,
While Anna begg'd and Dido rag'd in vain.
Then grave Clarissa graceful wav'd her Fan;
Silence ensu'd, and thus the Nymph began.

Say, why are Beauties prais'd and honour'd most,
The wise Man's Passion, and the vain Man's Toast?
Why deck'd with all that Land and Sea afford,
Why Angels call'd, and Angel-like ador'd?
Why round our Coaches crowd the white-glov'd Beaus,
Why bows the Side-box from its inmost Rows?
How vain are all these Glories, all our Pains,
Unless good Sense preserve what Beauty gains:
That Men may say, when we the Front-box grace,
Behold the first in Virtue, as in Face!

Oh! if to dance all Night, and dress all Day,
Charm'd the Small-pox, or chas'd old Age away;
Who would not scorn what Huswife's Cares produce,
Or who would learn one earthly Thing of Use?
To patch, nay ogle, might become a Saint,
Nor could it sure be such a Sin to paint.
But since, alas! frail Beauty must decay,
Curl'd or uncurl'd, since Locks will turn to grey,
Since paint'd, or not paint'd, all shall fade,
And she who scorns a Man, must die a Maid;
What then remains, but well our Pow'r to use,
And keep good Humour still whate'er we lose?
And trust me, Dear! good Humour can prevail,
When Airs, and Flights, and Screams, and Scolding fail.
Beauties in vain their pretty Eyes may roll;
Charms strike the Sight, but Merit wins the Soul.

So spake the Dame, but no Applause ensu'd;
Belinda frown'd, Thalestris call'd her Prude.
To Arms, to Arms! the fierce Virago cries,
And swift as Lightning to the Combate flies.
All side in Parties, and begin th' Attack;
Fans clap, Silks russle, and tough Whalebones crack;
Heroes and Heroins Shouts confus'dly rise,
And base, and treble Voices strike the Skies.
No common Weapons in their Hands are found,
Like Gods they fight, nor dread a mortal Wound.

So when bold Homer makes the Gods engage,
And heav'nly Breasts with human Passions rage;
'Gainst Pallas, Mars; Latona, Hermes arms;
And all Olympus rings with loud Alarms.
Jove's Thunder roars, Heav'n trembles all around;
Blue Neptune storms, the bellowing Deeps resound;
Earth shakes her nodding Tow'rs, the Ground gives way;
And the pale Ghosts start at the Flash of Day!

Triumphant Umbriel on a Sconce's Height
Clapt his glad Wings, and sate to view the Fight,
Propt on their Bodkin Spears, the Sprights survey
The growing Combat, or assist the Fray.

While thro' the Press enrag'd Thalestries flies,
And scatters Deaths around from both her Eyes,
A Beau and Witling perish'd in the Throng,
One dy'd in Metaphor, and one in Song.
O cruel Nymph! a living Death I bear,
Cry'd Dapperwit, and sunk beside his Chair.
A mournful Glance Sir Fopling upwards cast,
Those Eyes are made so killing---was his last:
Thus on Meander's flow'ry Margin lies
Th' expiring Swan, and as he sings he dies.

When bold Sir Plume had drawn Clarissa down,
Chloe stept in, and kill'd him with a Frown;
She smil'd to see the doughty Hero slain,
But at her Smile, the Beau reviv'd again.

Now Jove suspends his golden Scales in Air,
Weighs the Mens Wits against the Lady's Hair;
The doubtful Beam long nods from side to side;
At length the Wits mount up, the Hairs subside.

See fierce Belinda on the Baron flies,
With more than usual Lightning in her Eyes;
Nor fear'd the Chief th' unequal Fight to try,
Who sought no more than on his Foe to die.
But this bold Lord, with manly Strength indu'd,
She with one Finger and a Thumb subdu'd,
Just where the Breath of Life his Nostrils drew,
A Charge of Snuff the wily Virgin threw;
The Gnomes direct, to ev'ry Atome just,
The pungent Grains of titillating Dust.
Sudden, with starting Tears each Eye o'erflows,
And the high Dome re-ecchoes to his Nose.

Now meet thy Fate, incens'd Belinda cry'd,
And drew a deadly Bodkin from her Side.
(The same, his ancient Personage to deck,
Her great great Grandsire wore about his Neck
In three Seal-Rings which after, melted down,
Form'd a vast Buckle for his Widow's Gown:
Her infant Grandame's Whistle next it grew,
The Bells she gingled, and the Whistle blew;
Then in a Bodkin grac'd her Mother's Hairs,
Which long she wore, and now Belinda wears.)

Boast not my Fall (he cry'd) insulting Foe!
Thou by some other shalt be laid as low.
Nor think, to die dejects my lofty Mind;
All that I dread, is leaving you behind!
Rather than so, ah let me still survive,
And burn in Cupid's Flames,---but burn alive.

Restore the Lock! she cries; and all around
Restore the Lock! the vaulted Roofs rebound.
Not fierce Othello in so loud a Strain
Roar'd for the Handkerchief that caus'd his Pain.
But see how oft Ambitious Aims are cross'd,
And Chiefs contend 'till all the Prize is lost!
The Lock, obtain'd with Guilt, and kept with Pain,
In ev'ry place is sought, but sought in vain:
With such a Prize no Mortal must be blest,
So Heav'n decrees! with Heav'n who can contest?

Some thought it mounted to the Lunar Sphere,
Since all things lost on Earth, are treasur'd there.
There Heroe's Wits are kept in pondrous Vases,
And Beau's in Snuff-boxes and Tweezer-Cases.
There broken Vows, and Death-bed Alms are found,
And Lovers Hearts with Ends of Riband bound;
The Courtiers Promises, and Sick Man's Pray'rs,
The Smiles of Harlots, and the Tears of Heirs,
Cages for Gnats, and Chains to Yoak a Flea;
Dry'd Butterflies, and Tomes of Casuistry.

But trust the Muse---she saw it upward rise,
Tho' mark'd by none but quick Poetic Eyes:
(So Rome's great Founder to the Heav'ns withdrew,
To Proculus alone confess'd in view.)
A sudden Star, it shot thro' liquid Air,
And drew behind a radiant Trail of Hair.
Not Berenice's Locks first rose so bright,
The heav'ns bespangling with dishevel'd light.
The Sylphs behold it kindling as it flies,
And pleas'd pursue its Progress thro' the Skies.

This the Beau-monde shall from the Mall survey,
And hail with Musick its propitious Ray.
This, the blest Lover shall for Venus take,
And send up Vows from Rosamonda's Lake.
This Partridge soon shall view in cloudless Skies,
When next he looks thro' Galilaeo's Eyes;
And hence th' Egregious Wizard shall foredoom
The Fate of Louis, and the Fall of Rome.

Then cease, bright Nymph! to mourn the ravish'd Hair
Which adds new Glory to the shining Sphere!
Not all the Tresses that fair Head can boast
Shall draw such Envy as the Lock you lost.
For, after all the Murders of your Eye,
When, after Millions slain, your self shall die;
When those fair Suns shall sett, as sett they must,
And all those Tresses shall be laid in Dust;
This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to Fame,
And mid'st the Stars inscribe Belinda's Name!