Asia shares edge up, rate hopes face data test

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

Summary

Major US averages fall
Dollar rises
Gold falls after rising above $2,100
Oil edges down

NEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) – A gauge of global stocks fell for the first time in five sessions on Monday while Treasury yields rose as investors looked to upcoming U.S. labor market data for insight on the path of the Federal Reserve’s rate policy.

Softening economic data and recent comments from Fed officials, including Chair Jerome Powell, have heightened expectations the bank has ended its rate hike cycle will begin to cut rates as soon as March of next year.

Expectations for a U.S. rate cut of at least 25 basis points (bps) in March are about 58%, according to CME’s FedWatch Tool, up from about 22% a week ago.

Such expectations for Fed policy have helped fuel a strong rally in U.S. stocks, with each of the three major indexes on Wall Street capping their fifth straight week of gains on Friday.

“In the absence of a new catalyst with a market that’s basically retraced its downdraft from August, September, and October, you really need something new and that really kind of comes back-end loaded this week with the jobs print,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B Riley Wealth in Boston.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 152.91 points, or 0.42%, to 36,092.59, the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 42.54 points, or 0.93%, to 4,552.09 and the (.IXIC) lost 223.66 points, or 1.56%, to 14,081.37.

U.S. labor market data will kick off on Wednesday with the ADP National Employment Report and culminate on Friday with the governments payrolls report.

Stocks in Europe also edged lower, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) down 0.12% after earlier touching a four-month high, while MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) lost 0.69% after hitting its highest level since August 2.

Attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea on Sunday risked increasing investor worries about the potential for a widening of the war between Israel and Hamas, potentially complicating the outlook for a rally that saw U.S. stocks crest a fresh closing high for the year last week.

Crude prices were slightly lower, however, as investor skepticism over the latest OPEC+ decision on supply cuts and uncertainty surrounding global fuel demand outweighed the risk of supply disruptions from the Middle east conflict.

U.S. crude dipped 0.39% to $73.78 a barrel. Brent crude fell to $78.7 per barrel.

The dollar rebounded, bouncing after three straight weeks of declines, with the dollar index (.DXY), which tracks the greenback against a basket of six currencies, up 0.47 points, or 0.46%, to 103.74. The euro was down 0.6% on the day at $1.0818.

The bounce in the dollar weighed on gold, which pulled back after hitting a record high of $2,135.40 per ounce and was last down 2.19% to $2,025.54 an ounce.

U.S. Treasury yields moved higher, with the benchmark 10-year yield moving off three-month lows to stand 7 basis points higher at 4.29%. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, rose 8 basis points to 4.648%.

Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Christina Fincher

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Brushes, Beats, and Mindful Balance: A Conversation With Scott Kessel

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Printmaking

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Field Hockey Places 14 on Academic All-MAC Team – Ball State University Athletics

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Monday afternoon the 2023 Field Hockey Academic All-MAC Team. A total of 91 student-athletes were named to this year’s squad.

Ball State and Kent State led the way with 14 student-athletes on this year’s team. Miami had 13 honorees, while Bellarmine had 12 and App State, Central Michigan, and Ohio had 10 student-athletes represented.

The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.

App State (10)
Charlotte Bosma, Junior, Applied Physics, 3.78
Sarah Callery, Sophomore, Accounting, 4.00
Addie Clark, 5th Year Senior, Art Management, 3.92
Samantha Connors, Sophomore, Exercise Science, 3.51
Bridget Donovan, Sophomore, Finance and Banking, 3.54
Rachel Fleig, 5th Year Senior, Communication Advertising, 3.26
Hadley Kuzmicky, Sophomore, Exercise Science, 3.47
Jillian Orcutt, Junior, Exercise Science, 3.38
Sarah Perkins, Junior, Cell/Molecular Biology, 3.94
Henni Stegen, Sophomore, Communication Advertising, 3.36

Ball State (14)
Rachel Bohn, Senior, Nursing, 3.584
Nadia Briddell, Junior,Natural Resource Management, 3.603,
Maureen Donegan,Senior, Kinesiology, 3.453
Michaela Graney, Senior, Exercise Science,
Maya Guinn, Junior, Biology, 3.947
Emma Hilton, Senior, Exercise Science, 3.943
Hannah Johnston, Senior, Computer Science, 3.724,
Fleur Knopert, Sophomore, 3.689
Libby Kraus, Graduate Senior, Business Administration, 3.766,
Kerrianne McClay, Graduate Senior, Psychology, 3.938
Jessica Rochat, Sophomore,General Studies, 3.200
Taylor Sullivan, Junior, Strategic Communications, 3.883
Maddie Summitt, Sophomore, Nursing, 3.570
Emma van Hal, Sophomore, History, 3.483

Bellarmine (12)
Hannah Brown, senior, nursing, 3.39
Anna Crump, senior, business administration, 3.45
Isabel Gladys, junior, elementary education and learning, 3.31
Peyton Hobson, senior, nursing, 3.21
Abby Hodges, senior, exercise science, 3.62
Alicia Hudson, sophomore, psychology, 3.84
Lauren Marshall, senior, exercise science, 4.0
Bente Moormann, junior, business administration, 3.65
Alexa Rastigue, graduate student, Master of Arts in Education: Teacher, 3.76
Terea Schmidt, graduate student, Master of Science in Digital Media, 3.97
Sophie Stoll, senior, psychology, 3.35
Kailey Workman, sophomore, biochemistry and molecular biology, 3.77

Central Michigan (10)
Caroline Beairsto, Teaching (PK-6), 3.92
Coletta Beeler, Teaching (Grades 3-6) with Special Education Emphasis, 3.41
Kate Biglin, Exercise Science: Kinesiology, 3.6p
Kaitlyn Bowker, Teaching (PK-6), 3.88
Isabella D’Alessandro, Teaching (PK-6), 3.88
Shannon Dwyer, Undeclared, 4.0
Hannah Havrilla, Teaching (PK-6), 3.97
Ashlyn Norris, Sport Management, 3.77
Simone Potgieter, Integrated Science, 3.76
Rosa Maria Ruiz Hellin, Undeclared, 4.0

Kent State (14)
Elise Bearance, Junior, Nursing, 3.5
Iris Bekker, Sophomore, Biological Sciences, 3.384
Bella Carpenter, Junior, Exercise Science, 3.39
Lauren Conroy, Sophomore, Nursing, 3.455
Agustina Florio, Junior, Sports Administration, 3.489
Madison Leety, Nursing, Junior, 3.745
Emma Rolston, General Business, Sophomore, 3.37
Alex Sacker, Exercise Science, Senior, 3.284
Maia Sarrabayrouse, Sophomore, Business Management, 3.581
Emma Seger, Sophomore, Biological Sciences, 3.369
Patricia Strunk, Sophomore, Architectural Studies, 3.661
Victoria Tinghitella, Senior, Sports Medicine, 3.226
Cecile van Eijck, Junior, International Studi, 3.768
Katie Wuerstle, Senior, Marketing, 3.901

Longwood (8)
Kate Frey, Senior, Communication Studies, 3.850
Hunter-Paige Johnson, Senior, Business Administration, 3.883
Meghan Hyatt, Sophomore, Elementary Education & Teaching, 3.934
Kylie Levine, Senior, Kinesiology, 3.931
Santia McLaughlin, Graduate Student, Master’s Business Administration, 3.900
Cara O’Beirne, Junior, Biology, 3.685
Lara van Nunen, Junior, Physics, 3.860
Isis Vrolijks, Graduate Student, Master’s Business Administration, 4.00

Miami (13)
Madison Workman, Senior, Child Life Specialist, 4.0
Isabelle Perese, Senior, Inclusive Special Education, 3.78
Mary Kate Barbee, Senior, Political Science, Business Economics, 3.45
Jenna Kirby, Senior, Kinesiology, 3.84
Kailie Connor, Senior, Speech Path and Audiology, 3.28
Berta Mata, Junior, Microbiology, Medical Laboratory Science, 3.43
Becca Kline, Junior, Kinesiology Premedical Studies, Kinesiology, Nutrition & Health, 3.85
Carlie Servis, Junior, Kinesiology Premedical Studies, 3.63
Katherine Groff, Junior, Finance, 3.83
Imke Breedijk, Sophomore, Real Estate, 3.82
Becca Lawn, Sophomore, Accountancy, 3.32
Riley Mazzalupi, Sophomore, Business Undeclared, 3.95
Paula Navarro, Sophomore, Psychology Business Economics, 3.68

Ohio (10)
Noa Desmaretz, junior, International Business, 3.427
Sasha Dikotla, sophomore, Chemical Engineering, 3.803
Merle Kai, junior, Bios Human Biology, 3.634
Meela Kopp, senior, Fin ance, Managemen t Info Systems, Business Analytics, 3.897
Weslee Littlefield, Graduate student, Coaching Education, 4.0
Bodhi Littlefield, Junior, Integrated Language Arts, 3.782
Macy Lotze, Senior, Strategic Leadership and Mgt. and Marketing, 3.471
Anouk Plaehn, sophomore, International Business, 3.969
Emily Risser, sophomore, Biological Sciences, 3.641
Katelyn Whittle, Graduate Student, MBA/Sports Administration, 3.592

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Business Monday: Pilikana Boutique supports local artists, perpetuates Hawaiian culture

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

Step into Pilikana Boutique in Kailua-Kona and you are greeted with shelves of stickers, with flying owls, turtles, Big Island themes and ones with sayings like “Mana Wahine” or “Aloha is a Super Power.”

As you venture further into the shop, it’s a feast for your eyes with Hawaiian-print clothing and hats stacked neatly on shelves, and a collection of locally made soaps and fragrances smelling of pikake and puakenikeni flowers.

Kila Quam started Pilikana Boutique in 2018 after selling her truck and with some family savings. Photo Courtesy: Kila Quam

Jewelry made of black pearls, Ni‘ihau shells and lauhala are artfully displayed on white shelves. Books, journals, cards, key chains, Hawaiian seeds, games, Crocs, lei and toys fill the rest of the shop.

“Nobody really needs anything in this store, but you kind of have to have everything,” Kila Quam, the 36-year-old boutique owner.

Pilikana Boutique opened in 2018 in the Ilima Court off Kuakini Highway and relocated a couple years later to the Brew Block Kona at 74-5606 Pawai Place. Quam started the business as a way to create a space for local and Native Hawaiian creators to display their wares.

Pilikana Boutique, located at the Kona Brew Block, solely sells products created by locals and Native Hawaiian artisans. Photo credit: Tiffany DeMasters
Pilikana Boutique in Kona hosts monthly workshops teaching the art of lauhala weaving and stringing Ni‘ihau shell jewelry. Photo courtesy: Kila Quam
Pilikana Boutique, located at the Kona Brew Block, solely sells products created by locals and Native Hawaiian artisans. Photo credit: Tiffany DeMasters
Fresh lei sold daily at Pilikana Boutique in Kona. Photo courtesy: Kila Quam
Pilikana Boutique, located at the Kona Brew Block, solely sells products created by locals and Native Hawaiian artisans. Photo courtesy: Kila Quam
Pilikana Boutique, located at the Kona Brew Block, solely sells products created by locals and Native Hawaiian artisans. Photo courtesy: Kila Quam
Earrings on display at Pilikana Boutique. Photo credit: Tiffany DeMasters
Kaya Mockchew, Quam’s niece, works at Pilikana Boutique organizing the shelves Dec. 2, 2023. Photo credit: Tiffany DeMasters

As a child, Quam’s dream was to open a surf shop. But as she got older and spent time working in the tourism industry at Jack’s Diving Locker, the vision of her business came into focus.

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While working at the dive shop, she said tourists would ask where they could buy authentic, locally made products. Quam struggled to think of such a place, despite all the souvenir shops in the area.

“Everything you see is typically imported overseas from Indonesia or China,” Quam said.

After selling her truck and using a couple thousand dollars she and her family had saved, Quam built out her tiny shop with 100% thrifted or donated items.

The mission of Pilikana Boutique is to keep “Hawaiians in Hawai‘i and keep Hawai‘i Hawaiian.”

“I definitely want to be a part of the perpetuation in any way I can,” Quam said. “So everything in here, you’re supporting local no matter what you buy.”

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On average, she estimates she spends around $4,000 to $5,000 per month on products at wholesale prices from local vendors. It goes up to about 10,000 a month during the holidays.

She adds new products to her store almost daily. It could be something as small as earrings, a new line of T-shirts or an order of scents.

Quam said there are times it can be difficult to get products because most of the businesses she works with operate on a small scale.

“They’re making it themselves,” she said. “They’re like a one-man show or a family business. So it’s a lot of our vendors aren’t, you know, sourcing overseas and just mass producing it.”

Quam said the relationship with the vendors also is critical.

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Her cousin Ehu gifted the shop’s name Pilikana, meaning relationships. It fit. Quam said it’s important to her that the artists she works with have values that lie with family.

“We always want to make sure that they’re like-minded in the business sense to know that at the end of the day, family is first and it’s got to make sense for us,” Quam said. “It’s got to make sense for you.”

Quam works with at least 60 vendors, most from the Big Island but some from other parts of the state.

Kona-based Brittany Rocha, founder of HiSami Co., makes earrings out of polymer clay and creates a variety of designs related to Hawai‘i from the moon phases to plants to the ocean.

Her jewelry making was a side hustle and hobby until about two years ago when she talked to Quam about carrying her products.

“She was the first person who gave me my first break,” Rocha said. “As a Native Hawaiian, we don’t always feel heard or seen.”

Rocha said Quam is a treasure and considers her to be a mentor who always is encouraging her to keep creating and pursuing her passion.

“I feel grateful to Kila,” Rocha said. “I’m excited to see her boutique continue. It can only expand and get better.”

Lauhala weaver Meredith Buck first met Quam in 2018 when the shop owner reached out to her over Instagram.

Buck said she was accustomed to receiving cold requests from retailers.

“But Kila’s message stopped me in my tracks,” she said. “Instead of asking for wholesale pricing and quantities right off the bat, she approached me with a spirit of friendship and community, seeking to establish a relationship as people first.”

After messaging Quam and getting to know her by spending time in Pilikana, Buck said she felt in her na‘au (gut) that this was someone she could trust — and a place where she could confidently place her creations.

“By supporting the people who carry traditional knowledge passed on from the elders and ancestors, Pilikana helps to ensure that this knowledge makes it to the next generations,” Buck said.

Aside from stocking her shop with Hawaiian-created products, Quam also hosts monthly workshops to spread knowledge of Hawaiian arts, including lauhala bracelet weaving and how to string Ni‘ihau shell jewelry.

Quam survived the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide shutdown by pivoting her business to offer graduation lei. Now, her store is known as a place where you can find fresh, unique, beautiful lei for any occasion. Lei include pikake, pakalana, jade or lanterni lima. Every once in a while the shop will get fresh maile.

Quam purchases flowers from locals, including a 95-year-old man who sells her jade blossoms.

Selling lei, Quam said, makes the boutique a one-stop shop.

“Grab a gift, put it in a cute gift bag, grab a lei and a card and you’re on your way to the party kind of thing,” she said.

Quam said she also envisioned the business as a place to teach her keiki, ages 6, 10 and 18 the behind-the-scenes of finances, their roots and customer service. She hopes someday they will take it over and continue the mission.

School of Art to Host First Winter Art Market

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

Dec. 04, 2023

Novo Studio

The School of Art in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to invite all to the first annual school-wide Winter Art Market, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Studio and Design Center located at Hill Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard in south Fayetteville.

The Winter Art Market will feature artwork available for purchase from art and design students and registered student organizations.

“We are so excited to provide a space for our students to sell their artwork and engage the community in their work,” said Donna Jones, director of recruitment and outreach. “Not only does this provide a revenue source for students, but this is also an incredible professional development opportunity as they navigate entrepreneurship as upcoming artists and designers.”

The market will offer a variety of art in various mediums and media areas, including ceramics, drawings, paintings, photography, printmaking and much more.

In addition to the market, the community will be able to view exhibitions currently on display from first-year foundations students and the United States International Poster Biennial 2023, an exhibition organized and hosted by graphic design assistant professor Ryan Slone.

For more information or questions about the Winter Art Market please visit art.uark.edu or call the School of Art office at 479-575-5202.

Woodhouse loves the adventure of getting great photographs

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Photography

It’s the adventure to get to the destination that makes landscape photography so exciting for Chad Woodhouse.

A full-time MRI technologist who has been practicing photography for the last seven years, Woodhouse recently placed second in the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s annual contest. His photograph of Laurel Fork Falls titled, “Feel the Power,” will be featured in the TWF’s 2024 calendar along with shots by other local photographers Michael Kaal and Ryan Rice.

Urban Roots Hosta Handmade Holiday Faire

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Printmaking

People got the chance to make seasonal crafts and check out goods from local vendors at Urban Roots’ Handmade Holiday Faire on Sunday.

New art, nature garden gets kid-approved opening

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

It’s been a long road turning a dirt lot into an outdoor education area, but the Grace Lutheran Child Learning Center in Sahuarita celebrated the accomplishment Friday with a ribbon cutting and the first wave of kids putting the grounds to work.

Learning Center Director Laura Heiman found the new addition goes beyond a playground, providing the added benefit of outdoor learning, which she said is beneficial for children. The extra space is also a welcome addition as the center’s enrollment grows.

The Power of a Single Light in Portrait Photography

Dec 3, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Uncover the remarkable versatility of a single light source as we venture behind the scenes of an engagement photoshoot in this helpful video tutorial.

In this behind-the-scenes video, Jiggie Alejandrino, a wedding photographer hailing from the Philippines, provides viewers with a glimpse into the art of using just one light source for an engagement photoshoot, offering several noteworthy takeaways for photographers of all levels. Strategic light placement is a central theme throughout the video. Alejandrino carefully positions the light source to complement the existing ambient light, creating a harmonious blend of artificial and natural illumination. This approach preserves the authenticity of the location while achieving well-lit subjects. Creative experimentation is also a recurring theme. His willingness to explore different lighting setups showcases the potential for diverse image outcomes. By making subtle adjustments to light direction and contrast levels, he demonstrates the value of creative exploration in photography. Altogether, it’s a great demonstration of how important the ability to mix natural light and artificial light is, and it’s worth a watch by any photographer learning how to light portraits. Check out the video above for the full rundown.

If you would like to continue learning about how to light a portrait, be sure to check out “Illuminating The Face: Lighting for Headshots and Portraits With Peter Hurley!”