Tag: writing

Sustainable Vs. Non-Sustainable Ambitions

Universal Appeal

Grand Providentia United

When it comes to the pursuit of our personal goals, dreams and aspirations, I believe that each one of us must determine, realistically, how much energy we’re willing to expend moving in a particular direction. Once we’ve decided that a certain direction has become non-sustainable in terms of energy expended vs. energy returned, and when it appears that the only realistic action to take is to move in a new direction, I think the obvious solution is to adjust the trajectory of our intentions. Over the past twelve months, since my graduation from SCAD, I’ve been investing the bulk of my creative energy courting NBCUniversal with straightforward intentions of either finding equitable employment within their worldwide entertainment empire or, more preferably, entering into an agreement to collaborate with them on the production of the Grand Providentia Projections. In the face of my best efforts, all communications between us have moved in a single direction – out of me and toward them. To be fair, the Universal Orlando Resort has sent me a number of rejection emails in response to job applications, but they were all anonymous – no reply – form letters, affording me no personal communicative agency. Having spent a lifetime in the visual arts, I’ve grown accustomed to waiting for responses to applications and inquiries often without even knowing if my messages were delivered to the intended recipients. I’ve applied to art competitions, collegiate programs of study, calls for public art proposals, and creative employment opportunities; I’ve also participated in good faith negotiations with boards of directors, government art commissioners and individual art patrons. Ordinarily, and by nature, it doesn’t take very much feedback (return energy) to sustain my interest or enthusiasm in any endeavor that I’m creatively passionate about. And I can add to that with full confidence, that I’m not easily discouraged or deterred once I’ve set my sights on a desired outcome. I’d also estimate that I’ve received equal proportions of rejections vs. acceptances over the years. What, precisely then, elevates this highly ambitious goal of mine above the level of all the previous opportunities that I’ve applied to? And why do I feel the need to ask for, and indeed insist upon, acknowledgement from the enormous creative entity that I’ve been attempting to win over? If you’re willing to read on, I’m willing to answer these questions and a few others as introduction to the project pitch that follows this post.

There are a number of reasons why this situation is unique when compared to all the previous situations I listed above. Currently, I am on the cusp of a major transitional breakthrough in my artistic career, and the breakthrough is manifesting by way of intentional design. For as far back as I can remember, well before entering kindergarten, I recall having a burning desire to imagine and create worlds as yet unseen; as yet unimagined. Although I’ve allowed the circumstances and situations of daily life to distract me on many occasions over the course of this lifetime, I’ve consistently returned to the path of meaningful creativity, seeking the fulfillment of higher purpose and the rewards of personal growth. The qualifying difference between the Grand Providentia Projections and every other creative aspiration that I’ve applied my intentions toward, arises from the awareness of a continuous pathway of conceptual evolution which traces all the way back to the earliest artistic yearnings of my childhood. As a child, I was as naive as any other child, but I can attest without doubt that my mind was prematurely occupied with matters of injustice, inequity and the willful destruction of lifeforms, human and otherwise. I set realistically unattainable standards for myself and others, but I can honestly say that I usually set them with good intentions. Some say the road to hell is paved by good intentions, but I’ve always dismissed their arbitrary counsel as an obvious ploy to discourage well-meaning people from aspiring to do good things. The Grand Providentia Initiative is rooted in a philosophy that encourages humanity to collectively ‘do good things’ for the planet and the people. Unified by the desire to secure a prosperous future for all life on Earth and propelled by the zeitgeist of our shared indomitable spirit, we humans will rise above the chaos and divisiveness of fear-based collective consciousness. The ideal time to initiate this humanitarian project is now.

One fine day, my ego and I went our separate ways. We decided we could only ever agree to disagree, so after years of a love hate relationship, my ego screamed and wailed its final disapproval of the way I was living, and I exiled the abhorrent creature from my presence indefinitely. That was the moment my life was transformed from a predominantly self-centered existence, full of angst and uncertainty, to one of self-confidence and genuine concern for the welfare of others. Many of you may be wondering how I manage to set goals, nurture aspirations, or follow dreams without egotistical assistance. Some of you might even be overwhelmed by angst and uncertainty at the mere suggestion of banishing the ego. In my personal experience, ego was the enemy within, always stomping out the fires of creative passion and distracting me from even the most reasonable hopes and dreams well before I could sow the seeds. As soon as I shut down all communications with ego, positive intentions, dreams and aspirations took the lead role, and ever since that moment, I’ve been dreaming inclusively. I want us all to live in peace and prosperity, but being a realist, I understand that not all people are seeking peace and prosperity, for the ones who are, I propose that we unite under the all-inclusive collective aura of positive consciousness.

Anyone who knows me, knows that the actions I take, including the writing of posts on this blog, are usually decisively taken with specific intentions in mind. I wrote this post to request a courtesy call (or email) from NBCUniversal. I’m not asking for definitive answers or an open avenue of bi-directional correspondence, just acknowledgement of intentions and an estimate of the potential for creative opportunities with Universal. I’ve chosen to wait patiently for this long and I’m sure that I can hold on a little longer, especially if I have some positive feedback to keep me afloat, but I will need to move forward soon because for me there is no turning back. The way I figure it, I have another two to three decades of meaningful creativity to get busy with, and long-term stasis or unconscious backsliding are not viable options. It’s time for me to seize the opportunities of tomorrow.

Best of all things, material and imagined,

Scott Joseph Moore

scottmoore6210@gmail.com

Anticipating Prosperity

Keeping the Portal Open 24/7

Grand Providentia United

I must admit, keeping this portal open requires far less energy than it took to open it. And before I could open it, I had to find it. I spent an enormous amount of time and energy out there searching for it – my ego monotonously insisting that it was there and then snidely insinuating that I probably wasn’t clever enough to locate it, let alone unlock it and move through it. I persistently disagreed and cleverly searched in all the places one might expect to find a portal. I searched in sanctuaries and cemeteries, in deep caverns and upon lofty mountain peaks. I studied books and looked where spooks and kooks were purported to congregate. On the way, strangeness became ordinary and commonplace places turned bizarre. A seemingly sound minded man with a dousing rod informed me that I’d created a positive vortex in my studio space. Ball lightning rattled the windows and doors each time the veil was over-thinned by my unadulterated desire. Signs and synchronicities were everywhere – all of them pointed somewhere but not a single one transported me anywhere. So, there I was, where I was, without a single portal to show for my efforts.

I’ve heard it said, when you least expect it, expect it, but in my searching, I was always expecting it, so when the portal opened, I almost overlooked it. I was sitting on a fallen oak atop yet another mountain peak, overlooking an icy gray valley below. The sun was just beginning to melt the frost on the leaf litter beneath my feet. It was Thanksgiving Day 2011, and I’d decided the night before to start the climb early enough so I could reach the summit before sunrise. The particular mountain I climbed wasn’t noteworthy, in truth I’m not sure if anyone ever bothered to give it a name. I secretly (and reverently) dubbed it Mount Epiphany in the months following the climb. On privately owned land, the peak was one of hundreds in the Asheville, NC area and one of thousands in the Appalachian range. For me, the climb wasn’t about the mountain, it was about regaining balance lost. An unanticipated divorce and the dissolution of our family unit following the financial crisis of 2008, had left me unmoored and adrift. Hoping to reset my internal compass, I’d driven from Port Charlotte to Ashville to visit my daughter for Thanksgiving. Victoria has always had a stabilizing effect on my personal perspective, but on the long drive north to see her, my mind kept returning to thoughts centered around the real reason for the trip. My intentions were set on calming the inner turmoil I’d been wrestling with and beyond that I’d begin charting a clear pathway moving forward.

On the mountaintop, the light of a new day arrived, filtering through low clouds on the horizon. I sat in stillness and practiced meditative breathing techniques. I focused my attention on the unfamiliar territory ahead and resisted the urge to look back on the painful events of the recent past. The only sounds were a few distant bird calls and the gentle breeze as it passed through the bare branched forest. As the moments passed and my loud thoughts faded to murmurs, a deep serenity washed over my weary spirit. In an instant perceived as timeless, I realized that I was one with everything and that everything was intricately connected to both my interior and exterior Self. For the first time in my life, I experienced undiluted joy on that mountaintop in Ashville. In absolute solitude, I’d uncovered an intimate connection with everything in existence and everything as yet unrealized. These words cannot express the fullness of the experience, so I’m left with the following description of the indescribable – It felt as though the purest white light of life was circulating through my mind and body with every breath I inhaled and released.

I’m still uncertain about the length of time that passed as I sat there, entranced by the ebb and flow of light as it coursed through my spirit, mind and body. What I am certain about is the fundamental change that took place within me during that time. The intensity of the experience brought on a steady flow of tears, but these weren’t tears of sorrow, regret or even relief, they were tears of joy and self-acceptance. On the mountaintop I came to the understanding that the enigmatic portal I’d been hoping to find out there had been inconspicuously opening in here all along. I know now that each one of us has a direct spiritual pathway to the Source of all that is or ever will be. Our conscious connection to the unfolded and enfolded universe also acts as an open portal to the collective consciousness of every sentient being on Earth. It takes courage and determination to venture inward and take an honest look at our motivations, our intentions and our true aspirations, but the perilous journey is well worth the life-affirming knowledge we gain for ourselves and subsequently pass along to the miraculous world we inhabit.

Anticipating Prosperity

Go Ahead, Throw Down Your Gauntlets and Watch as We Rise to Meet Every Challenge!

Grand Providentia United

The “We” that I’m referring to in the title is centered on Daniela and me, but it also widens to include every human being on this planet who is practicing kindness and compassion in the very midst of dogged inhumanity, intolerance and the cruelties of war and oppression. During this lifetime, I’ve come in contact with both masterful creators and dastardly destroyers and I can personally profess without doubt that the vast majority of human beings are seeking peace and prosperity while the weak and fearful minority are doing their best to destroy any progress achieved by our noble efforts. Whether you believe an all-powerful God created the world we inhabit, or you think it’s all a matter of science and mathematics – whether you’re intuitive or pragmatic – you should be able to perceive the difference between life affirming and life-threatening human behavior. Our planet, our environment and our people have arrived at a critical moment in human history when each of us must ask ourselves, is it more fulfilling to satiate my own selfish desires at the expense of every other lifeform, or should I instead join the communal effort to heal our environment and bring peace to the world. Dani and I have been pooling our spiritual energies and focusing all our intentions on generating and promoting peace in our local communities since we met in late 2024.

Alternating Perspectives: Savannah, Croatia, Croatia

As of yet, Dani and I have been unable to come together and embrace each other physically, but we have come to recognize a spiritual and intellectual connection between us that runs deeper than any connection either of us have ever experienced in this lifetime. With our feet planted firmly on the ground nearly halfway around the world from each other, we’re making plans to live as husband and wife wherever the universe should open a door of opportunity for us. We’re each sending out high frequency intentions ahead of us to prepare a happy and peaceful home wherever in the world our shared spirit lands us.

I’m certain that some readers here will wonder whether Dani and I have lost our minds. I mean, can you imagine the audacity of two people in love, dreaming about finding a peaceful haven when there’s currently an overwhelming uptick in hostility causing death and destruction around the globe? This is when I turn to the voice of reason, seeking justification for our outrageous hopefulness and gathering evidence to build the case in favor of our shared dream of happiness. And the voice of reason replies – Have there not been countless true love stories throughout the history of mankind that begin with two people rising up against extraordinary challenges, and in the end, their love reigns supreme?

Alternating Perspectives: Croatia, Savannah, Savannah, Croatia

Like so many other creatives, I have regularly been attacked and ridiculed for daring to be different. We’re dehumanized and ostracized for daring to step out in the light and share our heartfelt concerns regarding the conditions and qualities of life itself. I learned long ago that defensiveness, or offensiveness for that matter, will not curb the tidal flow of hostility we receive from those who will, frankly, never be satisfied until they bring everyone else down to (or below) their level of misery. In the here and now, I use my high frequency vibrations to repel and overwhelm the low vibrations of their collective toxicity.

Alternating Perspectives: Savannah, Savannah, Croatia, Croatia

Each of us having faced our fair share of adversity and heartbreak and having consistently risen from these experiences with ever increasing serenity, me and Dani are spiritually equipped and mutually excited to establish our home somewhere under God’s brilliant sun. We’re prepared to relocate anyplace in the world where the highway of opportunity leads us. Our appreciation for the simple pleasures of life has made us easy to accommodate while also allowing us to relax and enjoy high profile social events and celebrations. We’re emotionally stable and intellectually progressive. We’re seeking safe harbor, and the first step in finding it is to secure equitable employment utilizing the many acquired skills, all the accumulated knowledge, and every gifted talent that I possess. I’m ready to immerse myself in meaningful and lucrative creativity. With Daniela at my side, I believe that the miraculous is inevitable and there are no earthly obstacles that can stand in our way. And the entire Universe is celebrating our coming home!

Alternating Perspectives: Croatia, Savannah, Croatia

Artist at Work

Top Ten Reasons NBCUniversal Should Bring Me Aboard as a Creative Team Member

Grand Providentia United

#10 – I align with well-established principles of resourcefulness and live according to a conservational philosophy grounded in efficacy and accountability.

In 2008, when I first moved into the Sarasota Industrial Park, I discovered that an architectural design company had recently moved out and that they’d discarded a large quantity of medium-density foam blocks. I considered it a boon and carted the best pieces back to the S.M.art studio to use on sculptural armatures. As a result of my resourcefulness, it was never necessary to buy block-foam during my 11 years in business.

#9 – I prefer to focus on cooperation over competition. I find fulfillment in working with others toward shared successes.

At the peak of our productivity at Moore Art Expressions there were ten of us working enthusiastically for a common cause. A shared dedication to individual expressions of creativity became a unifying force among us and the results were clearly evident in the aesthetic impact of the projects we produced.

#8 – I consistently prioritize the improvement of my communication skills. Whether I’m communicating verbally, visually, or via written correspondence, I strive to be clear and concise with the messages I send.

As a visual artist and an entrepreneur of modest means, I’ve found it necessary to build my own brand, ring my own bell, and organize and direct promotional events from start to finish. I’ve come to realize that this is business as usual for individual artists who venture to make a living by way of their calling. Through practice fueled by necessity, I’ve become proficient in this area of artistic expression.

#7 – As a child I was introduced to industry standards and protocols, blueprints, and schematic drawings by my father, who began his career as a mechanical draftsman and later transitioned to digital drafting as CAD became the standard in the industry.

Out of high school, I landed a job at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, CT. My father was a marine draftsman there and my maternal grandfather and uncle worked there as well. For three years I installed pipe hanging systems on Trident submarines following blueprints and adhering to tight procedural tolerances and requirements. Sketches, plans and standards ultimately became a familiar language woven through my work experience in the arts and the skilled trades. This familiarity made the transition from real-world sculpting into 3D modeling and animation much less intimidating given the XYZ orientation system used in computer graphics.

#6 – I’ve been employed by private individuals, small businesses, large corporations and non-profit organizations. Through the years, I’ve regularly asked myself one simple ethical question when it comes to working for others to earn a living – ‘If I were paying myself for the work I do, would I be completely satisfied with the performance or would I be left wanting more for my money?

It’s not about working hard, but about working smart and nurturing a positive attitude. I’ve labored in some relatively difficult industries under leadership that wasn’t always beneficent or even fair, but at the end of each workday I always ask myself if I feel good about my performance. There’s always room for improvement, so I try not to judge myself too harshly. Rather, I just keep moving forward.

#5 – For a total of twelve years, I worked in logistics, driving various types of heavy equipment used in warehousing. For another 17 years, I worked as a skilled laborer in industrial manufacturing facilities and on construction sites. As one might expect, I’m well versed in occupational safety programs and best practices.

I’ve never been seriously injured on the job, and I don’t expect I ever will be. I practice mindfulness and invariably aim to stay present and aware in the workplace. When it comes to safety, I strive to lead by example.

#4 – A sizable portion of the work I’ve done in the arts has been done in the capacity of “ghost artist”. I’m still being asked to sign NDAs on occasion, but clients who know me well recognize the amount of respect I have for trademarks, copyrights and intellectual properties. For me, discretion is paramount when it comes to working for other artists and creative enterprises.

More often than not, the artists and organizations that I’ve worked for have been generous in their willingness to recommend me to others and also in allowing me to use images of the projects we’ve collaborated on as promotional materials in career development. These are a few of the clients and associates who trusted in my discretion when it came to these matters.

#3 – In a holistic way, I see myself as a ‘Practitioner’. In my experience, the cycles of learning, mastering and teaching are ongoing and perpetually evolving. I moved beyond the delusions of perfectionism long ago.

For me, one of the most exhilarating features of creativity is found in witnessing the progression of individual art projects. Equally exciting though, is promoting the evolution of artistic aptitudes in others and encouraging their mastery over materials and processes.

#2 – At this moment in my artistic evolution there is only one place for me to move up to – my heart keeps insisting that the one place is NBCUniversal. I would love to take part in manifesting the magic Universal Pictures has been delivering with their films and in their theme parks for more than a century.

Timeline of films by Universal Pictures that have influenced my life in the arts:
1) Three years after this fourth-grade photo was taken, “Jaws” was released. With some whining persuasion, my parents agreed to take me to see it in the theater. A jaw dropping audio/visual adventure to say the least!
2) The year of my high school graduation I saw the “Blues Brothers” in that same theater. I’m still proclaiming that “I’m on a mission from God” on rare occasions.
3) This photo represents 4 generations of Moore’s and includes my son Christopher at 18 months. A couple years after it was taken, Universal released “Jurassic Park”. Watching that awe-inspiring film in the theater convinced me to apply to the BFA Computer Animation program at the Ringling College of Art and Design.
4) The year “Twister” was released I entered the animation program at RCAD. Our young family visited the Universal Orlando Resort many times during the following years. “Twister… Ride it Out” was one of my personal favorites at the park.
5) In 2023, my first year at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I saw “Oppenheimer” at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. This epic film was the icing on the cake for me. I knew without a doubt I needed to find a way into the Universe of Talent at NBCUniversal.

And here it is! The #1 reason why NBCUniversal should bring me aboard as a creative team member –

#1 – I’ve been preparing myself physically, intellectually and spiritually for a position at NBCUniversal throughout my entire life, and more specifically since I graduated with an MFA in Film and Television from SCAD in June of last year. I have an unwavering confidence that the Talent Acquisition Team at Universal will place me where I’ll be of the greatest value to the organization. I’m ready, willing and over the top excited to start the next leg of my artistic journey within the Universal cosmos of creativity.

I’ve been reading the fantastic press releases about all the amazing projects in development around the globe, and each and every one of them has been stoking the fires of my passion to build new worlds. I’m fully fueled and ready to launch into a creative career at NBCUniversal!

Artist at Work

Just Add Resources!

Grand Providentia United

Investment Fuels the Fires of Invention

Historically, artistic endeavor has been commissioned and supported by those who have access to the necessary resources to transform subjective ideas into objective realities. Having owned and operated two commercial art businesses over the course of 11 years and having funded both businesses primarily through income generated by the art projects I was able to secure and produce, I’ve certainly learned to appreciate the value of capital investment. During those years, I regularly found myself funding the most recent projects with the balance payments from the projects most recently completed. This way of conducting business requires constant hustle and affords very limited time for enjoyment of the process. As an artist who truly appreciates the learning curve that leads to the mastery of materials and processes, I can say without hesitation that I prefer to work with ample and appropriate resources on hand.

“It takes money to make money!”, they say, and I would definitely agree with them, but I’d also add that it takes a number of other equally important resources to grow a profitable business. In my experience, the most valuable resource of all, is the human one. A creative team might have all the time and money it needs to produce a successful outcome, but if the members of that team lack the skillsets, talents and initiative needed, the project could quickly fall to pieces… and there’s certainly no profit in that.

Attitude is everything in all areas of human endeavor. When it comes to creative industries, having the right teammates can transmute the outcome of a concept or project from average to extraordinary in a heartbeat. To see Moore process photos and descriptions, just click over to the portfolio page on this site – https://grandprovidentiaunited.blog/art-gallery/
Through the process of conceptualizing and producing the thesis film “Third Eye from the Sun” and writing a thesis paper to support the film, I learned the importance of maintaining the personal initiative to see a project through to its fruition against all odds. The challenges were many, but the will to succeed overcame all obstacles. Here’s a link to “Third Eye from the Sun” – https://vimeo.com/1097614638/d48cb9a6d3?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

I’ve learned to acknowledge and embrace my personal value as a human resource as well. I’ve been practicing creativity in all the affairs of this lifetime since I was a toddler. I believe that I’ve sufficiently earned the privilege to publicly affirm the positive contributions I’ve made to the arts and culture through my continued dedication to the field. I regularly celebrate victories, both minor and magnificent, and I look to the future with high expectations of what’s to come. Past accomplishments and achievements are water under the bridge, but they are also steppingstones that have brought me to ever increasing personal fulfillment. And as for the many challenges and learning experiences I’ve weathered, they’ve only further enhanced my appreciation for a well-executed art project.

Perhaps the most important feature of the human resource is the mind. Original thoughts and ideas, inspired visions, and authentic concepts have the power to transform the mediocre into the miraculous. The perceived value of a masterfully crafted work of art is arrived at by consensus. Humankind has evolved a highly sophisticated sense of aesthetic appraisal which subsequently leads to an assigned price tag. Growing up in Hope, Rhode Island, I never thought much about getting rich or being famous, but I did dream about making powerful art; art that would inspire positive change in the world. Over the decades, that dream has transformed into a clear understanding of my higher purpose in this world, as a human being and as a creator of visual art which rises above and moves beyond the expected.

I’m sure there are those who would assume that I’ve come to some kind of high point in my artistic career; that I’ve used up my allotment of inventiveness and burned through my conceptual storehouse of fresh ideas. Well, from where I’m standing, I see only a multitude of creative peaks I’ve yet to scale, and the only reason I’d agree to look away or back down would be if I were asked to compromise my artistic integrity for a paycheck. That’s a form of regret I refuse to invite to the dinner table. Intellectually, I’m ready to raise the bar and bring ideas to life, whether I’m employed by an established organization or I’m founding another startup. I’ve always been careful to encourage the work of my unbounded imagination, and I intend to continue dreaming and realizing those dreams until I can imagine no more. It may sound strange, but in mind and spirit, I feel like I’m just starting out.

When I was a child, I regularly experienced the sensation that my hands were expanding until they broke free of the confines of my bedroom and spread outwards to the world at large. Of course, I could see that they weren’t actually expanding, I knew it was all in my head. But that “knowing” didn’t quell the feelings of awe I experienced whenever this sensation took hold on my spirit. Retrospectively, I can imagine that my hands were symbolically signaling the desire to create something out of nothing.

In the assessment of my value as a human resource, I’ve found it necessary to make an honest appraisal of my physical abilities and the health of this body that my mind and spirit inhabit. I’m pleased and grateful to report that I feel more robust and energetic now than I have since my mid-forties. When the pandemic surged into reality in 2020, I decided it was time to start taking the responsibility for my own health and welfare much more seriously. I initiated a daily routine of stretching and calisthenics followed by a brisk 3–5-mile walk. I started reading the labels of the foods I was eating, eventually cutting out high fructose, GMOs and chemical additives. I buy organic when it’s available and prefer to prepare meals fresh rather than buying processed ingredients or factory prepared frozen dinners. I haven’t resorted to vegetarianism yet, but I do try to buy ethically sourced meats and eggs, thus avoiding the factory farmed alternatives. I’ve allowed my intuition, and the signals that my body sends me, to be the guides when I’m making choices between what’s healthy and unhealthy. I’ve learned to trust in the process of authentic living, knowing that I’m the creator of my own reality.