Feelings about the Class

1.     What were you expectations for this course and where they met?

My expectations were met above and beyond. As I discussed in the extra credit evaluation I had a hard time managing everything on my plate but I felt the actual class was very rewarding. I’m a sensitive soul that loves to appreciate things and you gave us several opportunities that opened my eyes to amazing artists, paintings, sculptures, and styles. I enjoyed exploring the world of art. I wrote in my first blog entry that I expected to learn about the history of art and boy did I take in a lot more than that!

2.     Now that you've been through this course, What is art? How would you define it now compared to your intial posting?

Art is using imagination to create or convey ideas and concepts. It’s creativity and having a vision that you wish to express whether it’s conventional or not.

3.     Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

My favorite artists have always been those that I’m most familiar with such as Van Gogh but now my favorite artist is Seurat. I’m blow away by Pointallism. I think it’s mind boggling… The time, the effort, and the precision that goes into the placement of each dot it truly remarkable.

4.     Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

I enjoy online courses but sometimes it’s nice to have interaction with the classroom especially when asking for suggestions and getting to know both the teacher and the classmates on a more personal level. My answer is the same. I think online courses help when physically going into the classroom each day is not exactly an option.

Portrait Time!!

I selected the Frida as an inspirational piece because she’s so well known especially for self portraits. I chose the second female as an example because I knew I was going to draw myself and Tyelna’s portrait seemed more on the order of a raw portrayal that I hoped to convey. The third portrait was of a man Gustave Courbet and it was so detailed and realistic I felt captured by it. His expression and placement of his hands added to its appeal.

I chose to use pencil because I was hoping to add shadows to my cheeks and around my nose. I also planned on having multiple errors and from my experience trying to draw people in the past; I felt it was the best media for this project.

I had a really hard time because in my photograph my head is slightly tilted and when I couldn’t seem to place my facial features in a precise manner. I must have drawn my eyes fifteen times over and my nose even more. I drew teeth but the lead was so hard looking that it appeared as if I had braces on. I liked my drawing before I added a face haha.

This piece represents me to the best of my ability. The photograph I selected is my mom’s favorite current picture of me and I wanted to see if I could re-create it.

The elements of art I applied were the grey scale, balance, shape, symmetry and asymmetry.

I did enjoy this project. I don’t think I did as good as I had hoped I would but my mom is going to sit down with me the next time I’m home and help me out with drawing faces.

I selected the Frida as an inspirational piece because she’s so well known especially for self portraits. I chose the second female as an example because I knew I was going to draw myself and Tyelna’s portrait seemed more on the order of a raw portrayal that I hoped to convey. The third portrait was of a man Gustave Courbet and it was so detailed and realistic I felt captured by it. His expression and placement of his hands added to its appeal.

I chose to use pencil because I was hoping to add shadows to my cheeks and around my nose. I also planned on having multiple errors and from my experience trying to draw people in the past; I felt it was the best media for this project.

I had a really hard time because in my photograph my head is slightly tilted and when I couldn’t seem to place my facial features in a precise manner. I must have drawn my eyes fifteen times over and my nose even more. I drew teeth but the lead was so hard looking that it appeared as if I had braces on. I liked my drawing before I added a face haha.

This piece represents me to the best of my ability. The photograph I selected is my mom’s favorite current picture of me and I wanted to see if I could re-create it.

The elements of art I applied were the grey scale, balance, shape, symmetry and asymmetry.

I did enjoy this project. I don’t think I did as good as I had hoped I would but my mom is going to sit down with me the next time I’m home and help me out with drawing faces.

I selected the Frida as an inspirational piece because she’s so well known especially for self portraits. I chose the second female as an example because I knew I was going to draw myself and Tyelna’s portrait seemed more on the order of a raw portrayal that I hoped to convey. The third portrait was of a man Gustave Courbet and it was so detailed and realistic I felt captured by it. His expression and placement of his hands added to its appeal.

I chose to use pencil because I was hoping to add shadows to my cheeks and around my nose. I also planned on having multiple errors and from my experience trying to draw people in the past; I felt it was the best media for this project.

I had a really hard time because in my photograph my head is slightly tilted and when I couldn’t seem to place my facial features in a precise manner. I must have drawn my eyes fifteen times over and my nose even more. I drew teeth but the lead was so hard looking that it appeared as if I had braces on. I liked my drawing before I added a face haha.

This piece represents me to the best of my ability. The photograph I selected is my mom’s favorite current picture of me and I wanted to see if I could re-create it.

The elements of art I applied were the grey scale, balance, shape, symmetry and asymmetry.

I did enjoy this project. I don’t think I did as good as I had hoped I would but my mom is going to sit down with me the next time I’m home and help me out with drawing faces.

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n563/marchetti7588/265.jpg
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What a Critical Assignment!

An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance (Giorgio Vasari)

1. Vasari wrote, “Lives of the Artist’s”, and it acted as a culmination of famous artists and their work throughout the years.
2. This allowed new artists to learn from artists that had already mastered many different styles of art.
3. Barbarians destroyed a lot of artwork, which made it even more necessary to document paintings and sculptures from there on out.
4. Perspective makes more distant objects seem farther away.
5. Giotto used landscaping and architecture to add depth to paintings.
6. Older works also influenced Giberti. He was able to reproduce the human figure very accurately.
7. “David”, done by Donatello: “David’s” stance in the sculpture is called, “Contrapposto” due to its natural postioning.
8. Da Vinci added science and math into the mix when creating art. He needed to see things from the inside out in order to recreate them. The human form needed to appear naturally in the surroundings.
9. Raffaello made sure his painting were never too crowds or lopsided. He created balance.
10. Michaelangelo taught himself at fourteen how to paint and sculpt by studying the work of others.

The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture

1.      The largest fair was in 1900 in Paris. They celebrated friendship.

2.      The Dahome exhibit consisted of mud structures to enforce African culture.

3.      Violence eventually broke out civilizations became fearful. The barbaric people were banned from Europe.

4.      Dahome’s independence was shown through the portrayal of sharks. It represented determination to protect the water surrounding their land.

5.      By the 1900s tourism was on its way to become a major industry, which then led to building hotels to support travelers.

6.      Suddenly the exploitation of African men and women began taking place. They would display measurement of private parts and had them caged up as if it were an exhibit.

7.      The French took action and helped to prevent or at least minimize such pornography from taking place.

The Critics: Stories from the Inside Pages

            1. Good critics give you another way of looking at things.

            2. Steven Hunter believes that through writing we are able to evoke the imagination of others.

            3. The main function of critics is to help the consumers get the most out of the money that they spend.

            4. Because of critics the authors, directors, artists, actors have to keep on their toes knowing that they are being rated in the media for millions to see.

            5. The more credit critics receive, the greater their credentials, and the more we’ll    listen.

            6. Book critics are the most influential in their ability to help out new writers.

8.      Theirs an academic perspective to critics.

9.      Sometimes critics are called on to interview artists and they become that of a reporter too.

10.   This can breed subjective criticism.

11.  There is no real way to place accuracy on just one opinion but when others share similar views or when a critic becomes popular, people almost rely on their opinion when deciding whether to see/read something or not.

The videos definitely help in a couple of ways. Criticism, although it made be criticism, it should be constructive. How someone determines what is constructive is where it may become controversial but people that get into the business of entertaining others have to get used to scrutiny. Not everyone is going to like, understand, or appreciate everything they do. Feedback is a huge part of finding out what viewers want and what others are doing that is or isn’t successful.  Obviously critiquing our classmates is on a much different level but if someone asked me to critique their sketches that they were going to submit forward somewhere I would take that into greater consideration.

I thought the films were good. The most entertaining to me was the Renaissance one and the “Stories from Inside Pages”. I actually tried to watch the interviews with Greenberg but could barely hear him with both my volume and the websites volume up and everything else in the room off. It was almost impossible to hear anything. The Colonial Encounter was okay but I didn’t get nearly as much from it then I did the other two.

Flower Power

This project opened my eyes to how one subject such as, flowers, can be depicted in such a wide variety of ways. I found Artstor to easy to use once I was able to actually create an account. It acted as an excellent tool to search and learn about various artists and their work. I chose to create a slideshow about flowers because I love nature, colors, and the beauty of flowers in particular. The only thing that disappoints me about a flower is that it’s not forever, so what better than to capture the essence of it through art. I feel like all of our assignment have been designed to help us act as a curator, to be able to look at art and see it on multiple levels. It was nice to be able to pick a subject line on our own although I really did enjoy you choosing categories for us to work with because it almost forced me to look further into styles and people that I would not normally have.

Video Reviews

The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art

1. The actual definition to “Lowbrow” relates to someone with no “taste”.
2. Lowbrow has been said to relate to pornography because of the “balls” they have to create such outlandish artworks that in some instances include nudity.
3. It’s really a matter of taking art to the unknown and to have the audacity to take it to limits that are going to be controversial.
4. Different forms of art that are said to be Lowbrow are: Conceptualism, Minimalism, Abstract, Expressionism and Pop Art.
5. Lowbrow can be linked to music because of artists’ style, which can visually be reflected on album covers.
6. Artist’s realized no one was going to stop them and that they were free to express themselves through art how ever they may like.

Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach

1. This is the most popular museum in the world of modern art.
2. There’s no admission and due to the oversize crowds visiting the museum on a regular basis they had to expand.
3. The layout of the museum takes you through different styles of art and how they chronologically came to be.
4. “Water Lillie’s” by Monet was said to be the most controversial piece in the whole museum because of traditional use of materials.
5. There’s a room in the museum that doesn’t quite “flow” with the rest of the facility and because of its church-like atmosphere, not everyone is fond of the transition.

Bones of Contention:  Native American Archaeology

1. There’s been much controversy about the remaining bones of the deceased.
2. Some feel the bones should be “returned” to their ancestors versus being used for study.
3. Archaeologists have even been criminally charged because of bone possession.
4. This led to the creation of laws to protect Native American reservations.
5. Eventually people were actually hired to protect gravesites.

George Eastman House: Picture Perfect

  

1.      Eastman was a marketing and business genius and was the founder of Eastman Kodak.

2.      He also created the first motion picture.

3.      Invented the first affordable camera.

4.      There’s a House that includes over 14,000 photographs for people to visit and take in.

5.      He even created a school that taught how to restore and preserve motion pictures.

Yes, they do relate to my project.  Although I haven’t started, it had given me ideas that are shifting the focus of where my project is going.

The first video relating to pop-art was presented in a manor that I can appreciate.  I’ll most likely star my project in an expressionist manor.  Generally I like the films I watched.  However, the film on American Indian film was more like history lesson rather than an expose on art in America.

Moore & Rothko

I chose the video on Henry Moore because I didn’t know much about him and Pop Art and Photography are forms of art that don’t catch my interest as much as sculpting and painting does.

Henry Moore

1. 20^th century artist exploring the human figure.
2. One of seven children in a tiny house.
3. He had a coal mining back round but was expected to become a teacher due to a couple of his siblings taking that profession.
4. He had an obsession with the idea of mother and child. So much that he could turn just about anything into a figure resembling a mother with her child.
5. The reclining figure is a theme of Moore’s sculptures.
6. He proposed the idea that sculptures should have meaning to the architecture that surrounds it.
7. Moore used his family upbringing to bring life and meaning to his artwork.
8. He felt form captured more than facial expressions and experimented with proportions throughout his work.
9. His drawings required him to pay more attention to detail and that is when he decided to separate both sculpting and drawing into two completely different categories.

This video was great. I enjoy watching biographies of artist’s, especially those that aren’t so familiar to me because I’d much rather see new artwork rather than to see a popular piece such as, “Starry Night”. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean “Starry Night” isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s nice to have you open the door for us to so many other artists.

Videos such as this always remind me of the pages in the book that give us a “sneak peak” into the lives of artists. I really enjoy his style. It reminds me of a specific set of collector items that Hallmark sells that are made out of wood. There’s a soft, flowy way about his style.

The Power of Art: Rothko

I chose this video for the exact same reason I chose to watch, “Henry Moore.” I wanted to know more about an artist I was not very familiar with.

1. 9 paintings of Rothko were delivered to the Tate Gallery in London the same day he killed himself.
2. He was born in Russia and it was during an era that “beating up on the Jews” was a familiar hobby.
3. To “make ends meet” he even taught kids at a Jewish Community Center.
4. Rothko began experimenting with Expressionism. This included thick dark lines.
5. The “Subway Series” were his first set of paintings.
6. He felt there was no psychological explanation for his work.
7. Eventually he took a turn for the worst
8. He had even created artwork for a restaurant that he hoped would be gruesome enough to make customers sick as they dined.
9. He led a very dark life that was evidently shown in his work.
10. His writings include a depressed cycle that sound as if he wished there were still no critics and that art could be done with out any backlash.

I think it’s interesting to hear how many artists live disturbing lives. His story just seems very similar to that of other artists and ironically Van Gogh’s, since I had just mentioned him in my previous discussion. It’s almost as if they were so lost in their own minds that painting was their only true way of expressing themselves. I remember when my grandmother passed away my mom began painting again after what was probably a twenty-year break. Her brush strokes were heavy and filled with anger and her color selection was dark and depressing. I guess you can’t really paint flowers and rainbows if you’re experiencing deep anguish. It’s a lot easier than I thought to get “into” the mind of an artist. At least to understand what feelings they are trying to express. I feel like the book and these videos have provided us such an intense understanding of what to observer when looking at art and how to break down the different elements used.

An Artist's Point of View

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884.

I chose this video simply because it is one of my favorite paintings. I think the style is mind-blowing because I can’t imagine the patience require to use pointillism to create an image much less than one of its size.

Georges Seurat is the artist of this painting.

1. It began as an experiment and wound up an obsession.
2. To this day, no one is positive what it is about. The people don’t make sense nor do the proportions.
3. There’s forty eight total people in the painting.
4. There’s a monkey on a leash that is questionable. Some suggest that it could mean the term known as, “monkey business”.
5. There’s only one photograph of the artist, Seurat. He was known for being a very strange man.
6. Pointillism is the term given to the technique that Seurat used. More simply put, it is the use of individual dots to create a piece.
7. He spent 6 months visiting the same island from the same vantage point to study the surroundings.
8. He didn’t just use dots but also dashes and verticals and horizontals.

This video relates to several different chapters in the text. It covers style, technique, color, interpretation, and the mind of the artist.

I thought the film was excellent although I was a little disappointed to hear Georges Seurat wasn’t mentally all there. It makes sense though that a technique such as Pointillism would first begin as an experiment and then suddenly become an obsession. It seems like the type of work to take over ones life.

Dada and Surrealism

I chose this film because I wanted to know more about it. Prior to this chapter, I had not heard of the term “Dada”, although the category of work it covers seemed relatively familiar.

Schwitters

1. He was known for making collages.
2. He collected fragments of WWII to use in his creations.
3. The use of old items opened up art on a new level.
4. Often used the term, “Merz”, and even created a magazine called that.
5. In 1933 he was forced to leave Germany by the Nazi’s but this helped to mold his persona.

Hoch

1. Dada meant, “yes, yes” in Russian.
2. Hoch used Dada as a “weapon” to act out.
3. She used political and business figures to revolt and to create characters mocking them.
4. She was ruthless and spared no one “neither friend or foe”.

This movie wasn’t as exciting as the first one. I was hoping to see several different examples of work rather than just two. It didn’t provide me with any additional knowledge of Dada and Surrealism than the book already had explained. It could also be because I don’t think I care for this style too much. I feel like the work created is so negative and is done strictly to destroy the reputation of others. It’s definitely personal preference.

 

The Girl Behind the Mask

1. The first mask I thought to create was of a butterfly, a monarch butterfly to be specific. This is because I feel a close connect to them. My uncle passed away a couple of years ago and whenever my mom and I see one we like to say it’s him saying hello. When I searched for a mask to help me along, I had already drawn one out. There were plenty of designs to look at but one stood out simply because it was large and bold. Ravenwoodsmasks.com designed it and the other thing that I liked about it was that it didn’t look manufactured.

http://www.ravenwoodmasks.com/Images-2/masquerade/o-butterfly-mask-Y2B.jpg

2. The second idea that I ended up choosing to design was of a pumpkin. I researched holiday masks and got a large variety of just about every holiday known to man. I narrowed my search to Halloween specifically because my mom was born on that holiday and I felt I could incorporate both aspects in my representation of a mask. The only problem I found when searching for “pumpkin masks” was that they were scary masks. Because a pumpkin isn’t too complex, I chose a very simple model and used the elements of art to make it more meaningful.

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3. My final idea began with wanted to use stars for eyes because I have a deep passion for astronomy. When I thought of another object having to do with the sky I bounced my thoughts between outer space and actual weather elements. I conducted a Google search and found rainbows to be a perfect choice. They’re colorful and would make a perfect smile! The image I found inspirational was a mask that a little girl was wearing and most likely made. Granted it’s not complex but it was fun, youthful, and made me smile. I also liked that it was made from paper and supplies easy to find around the house, which was exactly what I was eventually going to have to attempt!

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5330979147_1736811280.jpg

As mention, I chose to re-create a pumpkin. I used the traditional color orange with a green stem. The mouth is made up of green candles to symbolize my mom’s birthday and the eyes are glass beads purchased from a craft show. I thought the beads worked perfect because within the design there are smaller dots that helped to represent pupils. The stem of the pumpkin has two green dice, one turned over to show the number three and the other to show the number one. This of course was done because Halloween is on the 31^st of October. Off of the stem I placed a dead leaf that I saved one day because it was in the shape of a heart. I feel it ties my emotional connection to my mom and it reminded me of vines that grow off of pumpkins.

I enjoyed creating the mask because I used to have container on top of container filled with beads and other various art supplies and I would spend hours with my mom over the years doing similar projects. I literally cried at one point because it reminded me so much of how we used to bond. As I’m sure you can tell I’m rather an emotional person.

Below are four links to my photobucket account:
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Video Review of Art in Different Civilizations

1. Explain why you selected each of the FOUR videos you choose from the selection listed above.
The videos I chose were Islamic Art: India and the Middle East, African Art: Legacy of Oppression, African Art, and Hinduism.  I chose the first video because in my work I deal with many residents relocating to America from India and other Middle Eastern countries.  I am intrigued by some of the art I’ve seen in their apartments and wanted some more information on what I had seen.  African Art: Legacy of Oppression caught my attention as soon as I read the title.  I was very interested in seeing how some of the atrocities committed in Africa affected their artists and their work.  The first African Art video was pretty short and left me wanting to see more African artwork.  That is why I decided to watch the second African Art video.  I chose the Hinduism video because Hindi art has so many Gods and Goddesses and statues and paintings of spiritual and mystical creatures have always been interesting to me.   

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.
Islamic Art had several interesting concepts in the video.  The architectural style for the great mosques consisted of the same basic ideas present in Muhammad’s first mosque, yet gradually became more ornate and decorative.  Much Muslim architecture, namely arches, became a huge influence in gothic styles.  Muslims do not use portraits or statues in much of their artwork, but instead use geometric patterns, flowers, calligraphy of Koran passages and mosaics of an “atmosphere of paradise” in much of their work.  Even their buildings, walled in with large open areas for worship are geometrically perfect in their pursuit of serenity.
Legacy of Oppression focused mostly on the abstract.  While European cultures valued realism in sculpture and art, African cultures made masks, and sculpture rich with symbolism and hidden meanings.  African art also showed that artists reflected their current conditions in their work and even sculpted women and men carrying large loads while emaciated due to lack of food and being overworked.
African Art further expounded on the full breadth of African Art.  The part I found most interesting was how much work African artists put in to daily, functional tools.  Hair brushes and spoons were made to look absolutely beautiful while still being used on a daily basis.  I spoke to the point that African cultures lived art everyday.  Head dresses, clay work, dance, rock art and statues were a part of everyday life.
Hinduism took place at the Ganges River.  Hindis, much like the Africans, had art everywhere.  Shrines were decorated beautifully and exist all over.  Statues were built right into boulders and showed images of their Gods and Goddesses.  The architecture was also beautiful and displayed some arches similar to Muslim architecture.  An interesting characteristic in Hindi art is the fact that their carvings place fantasy and reality together at every turn.  Gods are placed above peasants milking goats and near farmers harvesting crops.  Their art reflects their feelings that every spirit is the same and that each being is moving toward the same end goal.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?
The videos related to the text because it took me on a journey through several different civilizations and showed me how forms of art influenced their societies. It helped to review information already read and further my understanding through observation and expansion on examples and regions.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?
I feel as though every video I watched was both entertaining and informative.  The Islamic Art video really illustrated the beauty of the architecture as well as the precision with which Islamic artists operated.  It also gave a reason for why some of the preciseness developed, i.e. being able to locate Mecca from anywhere and the fact that since they were not painting people they came up with beautiful ways to write and stunning geometric patters.  The African Art videos showed just how ingrained art was in the day to day lives of the Africans.  Everything was art and even the mundain could be made beautiful.  The ideas they expressed in their artwork left room for interpretation and transcended the real world and spoke to their imagination.  Hinduism and their carvings in stone were astounding.  Their cave art spoke to their beliefs of interconnectedness and oneness with everything else on earth.  The sheer beauty of their sculptures and shires are breathtaking.
These videos serve to bring art to life as they showed the driving forces behind the way art developed in these vastly different places. 

Sticking to what I'm familiar with!

1. I remember having to draw my hand in high school but never of my non-dominant hand. I love to draw but I always have a hard time picking a subject matter, which is why I enjoy assignments like this so much because you pick the topic for us!
2. The media I chose was a pencil because I’m left handed and I have a tendency to smear charcoal to a point where the image is unrecognizable.
3. It felt so awkward to draw with my right hand. I thought it was going to be a disaster and have even thought of turning it into turkey to mask the scribble, but it went better than I predicted. I was trying to add lines where my knuckles are located but I couldn’t stay within the lines.
4. I chose to position my hands differently because I wanted to experiment a different pose for my right hand, knowing I’d be able to draw better with my left. Not that they’re anything special but I’m hoping you think I did well with the shaping and proportions.
5. I would most likely not use my non-dominant hand in the future because I had very little control of it. I wasn’t even sure how to hold the pencil to optimize use of it.  

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A Day at Burchfield

Burchfield Penney Art Center

Questions about the exhibit:

1. The current exhibit taking place at the Gallery is called, “Involving People into this Magic” by Steina.

2. The theme was installation art, involving video technology and electronic imaging while placing an emphasis on experimental music and engineering.

Questions about the physical space:

1. The entry way uses a lot of natural lighting mixed with recess lighting, but the actual gallery utilizes track lighting in order to place emphasis on the paintings around the various rooms.

2. The walls are starch white except for in the rooms that display the video imagery for the exhibit. They are a darker gray.

3. The floors are a light blonde wood throughout the entire gallery, including the stairs. The center of the gallery is a circular room with what appears to be gray brick on the outside of the room and the inside has a round, blonde wood seating area.

4. The movement is in a clockwise manner, which takes you from room to room to eventually bringing you upstairs, and then you can head down a second staircase to exit the gallery.

Questions about the artwork:

1. The artworks are organized by artist and are hung at eye level. There are also display cases in some of the rooms that exhibit the actual tools used to create the artwork hung on the surrounding walls. For example, there was a case that contained the wood stamps that were engraved for the piece.

2.  They grouped artists that use similar style and media to be in the same section of the gallery.

3. The artworks are different depending on what “room” you are standing in. Down stairs showcased paintings, prints, drawings, and the work done by Steina for the exhibit. Upstairs showcased 3-Dimensional work done by several different artists that were in some cases life-size.

4. The majority of artwork is framed using wood. Some were natural wood and some were painted various colors such as gold and black tones.

5. The artworks are labeled using thick white paper that’s outlined with a thin black boarder. Then the artist, name of the piece, year created, media and a short excerpt about the piece are typed on in using black ink. They mount the paper onto the wall in close proximity to the artwork it’s describing.

6. The artwork is hung in a very organized, spaced out manner. Smaller pieces were some times hung one above the other but never more than two. It allowed for a couple steps in between each piece to get to the next one while given the chance to read the label about them.

Art Criticism Exercise:

1. Charles E. Burchfield: “Genesis”, 1924

Watercolor, Gouache, Charcoal

This painting is made up of dark, heavy strokes to develop what appears to be an idea that the wrath of “God” is upon us. You can see a prominent figure with a muscular arm coming down from the sky that is filled with black, stormy clouds. There’s no life on the ground but instead different elements of land such as mountains, a green valley, waterways, and trenches. Because the name of the painting is, “Genesis”, the artist creates the idea of, “judgment day”. Amidst the heavy clouds you can see light as if the sun is battling the storm in a way that, “heaven battles hell”. The clouds also create a circular opening where the “beast” appears and it makes it look as if they are opening up for “him” to extend from.

Source: Picture taken by myself at the Gallery.

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2. Wesley Olmsted: “Secretary Bird”, 1993.

Welded and brazed found objects

34 ½ x 37 ½ x 22 inches

This sculpture of a “Secretary Bird” is a representation of the actual species of birds, literally named, the Secretary Bird. I looked up the actual bird and Olmsted was able to recreate it using electrical and typewriter parts, brass strips, and paint. The feathers located off the bird’s head are done with several long, welded brass strips, letters off a typewriter make up additional feathers and its feet, and the beak has electrical wiring woven around and above it. This sculpture brought together nontraditional objects and combined them to make one recognizable structure, a bird. The emotional reaction I had was to laugh and I think humor is exactly what the artist was trying to convey. It’s fun and lighthearted. That is what the second level of the museum had in mind when they grouped the pieces together.

Source: http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/211105_206369012734653_3844993_n.jpg

3. Bill Stewart: “Shaman”, 1989

Glazed Terracotta

Stewart’s sculpture inhabits both human and animal characteristics, which is so often portrayed in a fantasy world. This large, monochromatic piece has several hands extended from its center and there’s no representation of facial features other than several small holes punctured through the clay. This sculpture is not one form modeled into different shapes, but several pieces actually attached to one another giving it an even more fictional representation.

Source: Picture taken by myself at the Gallery.

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I enjoyed my visit to the Burchfield Penney Art Gallery but I found that Steina’s exhibit took up a great deal of space that they have. It was in at least six different rooms and although they were spectacular to see, I would’ve enjoyed a little bit more variety. I’ve been to this Art Gallery before but it was interesting to go into it with so much more knowledge of art especially when looking into the exhibit. For example, I was able to explain to my boyfriend what lithograph is and how the process of wood engraving goes. It was even more humorous because he watched the video of installation art with me when we were at Cedar Point and I felt like we were trying to impress each other which all the information we retained from the assignments. I don’t think I would’ve picked up on the architecture in such detail had you not proposed the questions you did. I even went into side corridors, not because I had to, but to scope out the style.

Here are a couple additional photographs to document my visit:

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n563/marchetti7588/IMG_0578.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n563/marchetti7588/IMG_0597.jpg

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I hope you enjoy! J Jess

Revealing the Mind of the Artist

1)      For my video review I chose The Drawings of Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci: Mind of the Renaissance, La Primavera, and El Greco: Rediscovering a Master.  I picked these four videos because each sparked my interest.  Michelangelo is one of the most well known artists of all time, and I liked the idea of being able see some of the sketch work leading up to his masterpieces. 

Da Vinci has always been a fascinating figure for me.  His genius was not limited to painting but also spanned the realm of sculpture and mechanics.  I knew immediately that I would watch this video.

I choose La Primavera because I remember reading about the work in High School art class so was excited to gain a further explanation on the meaning of this highly debated work.

The El Greco film was the only artist I choose who did not train in Italy in the Renaissance style.  I choose this film because I wanted to stay with the theme of master painters and El Greco definitely satisfies that criteria.

2)      A key concept in the Michelangelo video is that Renaissance art is extremely realistic.  The video taught me that Michelangelo’s idea of ideal beauty in the human form is not solely based on the flesh, but instead on the spiritual and emotional state that the body can convey.  This video also shows how much work goes into planning and creating a work of art.  Michelangelo sketched countless body positions until he found the perfect way to express his visions.

The Da Vinci video stressed the importance of proportion in art.  He worked with a mathematical precision to make sure his works epitomized reality.  He studied light and shadow and understood the type of depth shadows and reflections provide to a work.  Perhaps the best part of the Da Vinci video was the fact that it shows how far reaching his genius was.  He taught himself to sculpt, drew up blueprints for machines that had never even been dreamed about, and did it with flair and confidence.

La Primavera focused mostly on the work it’s titled for, but was no less interesting.  It was the first popular, non-secular work.  This video touched on Renaissance artwork’s realism but really broadened the spectrum due to the fact that La Primavera left so much room for interpretation.  It covered themes of life, sex, passion and mythology and is still highly debated as to what it means today. 

El Greco was the only artist who was self-taught in the Renaissance style.  He was well travelled and showed us that culture defines art as much as art defines culture.  There were Byzantine, Renaissance and Medieval influences throughout La Primavera.

3)      “The Drawing of Michelangelo” was to me, the most similar out of all the videos in correspondence to the book. It’s possible that it’s because I knew the most about him going into this lesson but I feel both sources captured his essence and that he devoted much of his time into studying the human body.

The video about Leonardo Da Vinci was also true to his nature. Of course it led to a deeper understanding of his work but what the video captured the most was his intellect. The book credited him to being a master worked and unbelievably skilled artist but it didn’t convey how truly intelligent that he was. I thought it added a deeper understanding and I was very intrigued to hear all that.

La Primavera and The El Greco film were two choices that I’m glad I chose because I they didn’t catch my attention in the book. I think that was mostly because during the past couple chapters I’ve been so focused on artists such as Michelangelo, Rafael and Da Vinci. These videos helped to open my eyes and take learning a step further. As I mention during most of my video reviews, I’m more of a visual thinker so the videos you include for us to watch are a tremendous help and are an enjoyment.

4)      I thought that each of the four films I watched were very entertaining and enlightening.  I learned about Michelangelo’s perfectionism, the importance of the soul and intent in movement, and about his beautiful sculptures.

The Da Vinci video shared some of the same themes as the Michelangelo video but further expounded on the use of light and symbolism in art.  Every Da Vinci work was a critique on politics, society, religion or all three at once.

La Primavera took symbolism a step further using mythological beings and nymphs in a beautiful garden paradise.  Botticelli painted hundreds of different types of flowers with picture perfect precision but left the ultimate meaning of his work up to those viewing it.  Botticelli was also a master of movement but generally concentrated on the female form as opposed to Michelangelo and Da Vinci who focused on males.

The El Greco film showcased that a combination of artistic styles can make for incredible works of art.  La Primavera combined religious work with byzantine, Renaissance and medieval styles to make a piece that was beautiful, scary, realistic and whimsical at the same time.

Exploring Others

1. Hyperlink the Blogs you reviewed into your Blog

http://joanna-livingwithart.blogspot.com/2011/06/pictures.html#comments

http://joanna-livingwithart.blogspot.com/2011/06/1-gallery-visit.html?showComment=1310333166144#c2953023114766361823

http://danielle-aed200.blogspot.com/2011/06/art-gallery-visit-extension-request.html?showComment=1310334053546#c3600299744612168078

http://danielle-aed200.blogspot.com/2011/06/creative-process-of-creating-element.html

2. When looking at Project #1: (Elements and Principles), did you agree with the element or principle the artist listed with the images? Did you see other elements and principles in the images?

Yes, I agreed with them and also found it very interesting to see what others chose and how they related to my own selections. I also found some similarities with choice objects around the house. The most common element that could have been used in many slides could have been, “shape”. A specific example would be Joanne’s slide on rhythm. It could also be used for space.

3. When looking at Project #2: Where there any images in the Peer Blogs the same as your own? If yes, what were they? Where the reasons the image was selected the same or different as your own?

Joanne only chose one, “Carcass of Beef”, that was also in my selection from the tour of Albright-Knox. We shared similar views and everything on it. It wasn’t selected because it was one of our favorites but more for the mere fact that we didn’t understand why the artist chose to use a carcass as their focal point. Danielle went to a different Gallery than the one I visited but it only peeked my interest being that I will have to visit it further into the semester.

4. Where there any images that your Peers selected that pique your interest now? If yes, what are they and what is your connection with them? What would you want to know about them?

Joanne’s slide for unity was of a s’more. Unity was the element I had to most difficulty with and yet I feel she did an excellent job at portraying it through something that is so familiar. Danielle's photographs from the element project involved a lot of nature which has always been an interest of mine. I was nice to see her connect the "outdoors" with the elements of art.

5. What do you think about  the process of reading your peers reflection? Do you find this to be a valuable in your learning?

I honestly loved doing this! Sometimes when I’m completing my assignments I second guess myself and wonder how others are handling the same assignment. It’s intriguing to see what others take in and it provides additional reinforcement as we head further into the semester. I also enjoy reading and hearing what others say and feel about my own work because I feel I put in a great deal of effort to describe what I see and have heard.

6. Check your Blog and read comments posted by your Peers. Do you find their comments helpful?

I felt that the only comment I'm able to read at this point in time is brief and didn’t allow me to respond without reiterating what was already said in its entirety. Now that others are able to respond, I've found it slightly beneficial but extremely uplifting. It's nice to hear that others like the work that you done and it's interesting to see which portions of the project draw the most attention.

Legends of the Hidden Temple

1. Explain why you selected each of the three videos you choose from the selection listed above.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

More Human Than Human

Images have such a hold over us that date back thousands of years ago when things were first named to make sense of the world. Reason behind over emphasis of human characteristics such as those found on the, “Venus of Willendorf”, is shown through a study involving “chicks”. Our brains become stimulated when we see specific objects. When that object in particular is emphasized, we would become more stimulated at the sight of it. As civilizations became more modern, the need to exaggerate body parts was not as evident. In fact as time went on, people began to thoroughly study the human body in such a way that they were able to reproduce sculptures and paintings that were in direct proportion to the human figure. Ironically, because our brains are hardwired to want and to need that exaggeration, realism was rejected. So how do you make a realistic artwork also pleasing? The answer is to create implied movement.

Late Gothic Art and Architecture

Stained glass, tapestries, and architecture are three major categories covering gothic art. The want of comfort from art is now sought after. There was an interest in purchasing art for decorations, but not only paintings and sculptures but items such as vases to place around the quarters. Gothic architecture was grand with elaborate designs. Stained glass didn’t just involve colors being placed in between lead. It involved intricate detailing almost as if windows were murals. Gothic style books were even immensely decorated with numerous colors and designs filling the pages.

The Birth of the Middle Ages

We begin to look at life as it was during the Middle Ages. Tax collectors played a significant role and were feared by other “levels” under a rigid social stature. Castles crumbled and contemporary life rose to be. Feudalism in Japan quickly jumped to high-tech and the line between man and nature has been kept. Martial arts are used and require brutal force and actual intelligence to succeed. The leaning tower of Pisa is where Galileo studied the sky from at one point. (Definitely did not know that!) Barbarians initially were foreigners that dressed different and could not speak Greek or Latin. They quickly became the bottom of society.

Cairo Museum

The mysterious museum of Egyptian artifacts includes priceless jewelry and 30 dynasties of pharaohs along with many of their mummies. The basement is “like the biggest tomb” of them all. Egypt is said to be filled with secrets and power ranging spiritual levels. It is not a matter of fact or fiction but more of mere curiosity that is so captivating. There is proof of the first plastic surgery. Thousands of years before the museum was built a man named Abdaul found a cachet of mummies and treasure that eventually landed him to be beaten in prison. The amazing part is that even now, to revisit that same place the items were first retrieved is difficult to find and they know where it is! Even a main worker at the museum feels it’s “spooky” to walk around in.

I selected the three videos based on the amount of interest I have in the topics they were covering. I was surprised to find the first two were not nearly as exciting as I thought they'd be especially because I've enjoyed so many of the other ones. It wasn't that there weren't a lot of interesting facts, but that they were presented in a dull manner. I felt they could've done more with both the Middle Ages and Gothic Art. The video on the Cairo made up for the other two! I loved it.

The Gothic architecture video related to the book although the video seemed to cover the same material but in forty-nine minutes worth of footage. I was surprised that it didn't take a deeper look into sculptures. The Middle Ages video took me all around the world and included a lot of additional information that the book did not go into. Egyptian artifacts are similarly covered in both the book and the video but the video focused specifically on the museum in Cairo. Even though I felt the videos could’ve been more entertaining they continued to add a deeper insight because I’m able to visualize what I’m reading and reinforce the images the book has to offer.

Nature meets Technology

Installation art is a much more difficult term to define because the artist is not limited to any one place, material, or utensil. It’s turning an object or place into art by conceptualizing it. A simple way of defining installation art would be to say it’s when 3D artwork takes over a particular space. The whole environment can be art rather than a specific space such as a canvas. Installation art is increasingly becoming more popular. The reason artist’s choose to make installation art is because it allows for “individual experience” and takes creativity to another level with objects and places found in everyday life. You can literally use anything to create installation art if it’s conceptualized. As the video stated, “anything could be art as long as it were legitimized”.

The art that I felt was inspirational and interesting in the video was the art gallery that literally became a piece of installation art. The whole side of the building was turned into a rotating masterpiece. I felt it was inspirational and almost ironic because, why not turn an art gallery into art? What a novelty concept!

The theme I chose to explore was nature, specifically the sky. This is because I have always been intrigued with meteorology and astronomy. I want to incorporate technology with nature.

The material I will use is a computer, an i phone, an i pad, a television, and a real plant.

The installation will be in my living room because I want to portray how technology has captivated this day in age and in my opinion has led to an artificial lifestyle.

     

Below are links to four different views of my installation:

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http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n563/marchetti7588/IMG_0486.jpg

 

My installation is meant to show that technology is replacing the natural world. The blinds in my living room were deliberately closed to enforce the idea of humans are being cut off from the outside world. I chose sunshine to bring up on all the screens because people waste their days on their phone, watching television, “surfing the net”, and now newer technology is making it even easier to take all of these materials mobile with you. The plant was brought in to show life and that sunlight is needed in order for the plant and for us to survive. The photographs taken of my installation art did not quite do the project justice but I hope you feel it's conveyed well enough.

Step by Step

Architecture: The Science of Design

1.)

    1.       Skyscrapers are made out of concrete and steel but yet it still does not stop wind from damaging  them.  Whirlwinds make tall buildings sway. The higher the building the more the affect.

    2.       Super structure and substructures make up the two parts in constructing a skyscraper.

3. Trees can be planted at the base that can help reduce the impact of wind against a building.

4. Computers can be used to change the internal temp of a room when desired, start brewing coffee at a particular time, turn on music, and even open the blinds at your convenience. This advance in technology is available but obviously very expensive.

5. Concrete is a combination of sand, pebbles, and cement.

6. Bars of metal are placed within concrete to provide additional reinforcement.

7. Concrete is placed underwater using a “hopper” which acts as a funnel.

2.) The video closely relates to the book because it analyzes the various ways architect’s design buildings and what needs to be looked at before production begins. For instance, what materials to use, dimensions, and what how the weather conditions could affect the structures wear and tear. The book goes more into different styles of architectural designs so it was a nice off set of one another.

3.) I thought the video was very interesting because I enjoy seeing how things are made, especially buildings and bridges. I’m deathly afraid of heights so it always baffles me that people actually put their lives out there to build structures of such a high elevation. It added depth to my understanding of Architecture because even though I knew weather would play a role in how designs become a reality, I had no idea just how much it impacted structures. I also was not aware of the different kinds of concrete and that metal is sometimes placed in concrete to provide additional support. My only wish was to watch more about how bridges are made but I quickly found a video just like this one!

4.) I chose this one only after watching a couple minutes of the first one, “Prairie Style”, because the material wasn’t sinking in. It kept losing my interest. Then when I clicked, “Architecture: The Science of Design”, I was hooked!

I M. Pei and the Mathematics of Architecture

1.)

1. Pei was sent to modernize the Louvre.

2. The “center of gravity” was the center of the pyramid and that’s where they wanted the entrance to be.

3. Because of the transparency of the pyramid, it allows for us to see the other buildings of the Louvre clearly.

4. Form, light, shape, space, texture, and color are all major categories that turn Geometry into a work of architecture.

5. The old model was used to work in what worked and what needed work for the future.

6. The triangular shape Pei chose to work with went well when looking to maximize space.

7. He doesn’t like to use labels because they come and they go but architecture of whatever era it may be it what’s long lasting. – Interesting concept! (It takes all the “isms” out)

8. He feels architecture needs time to develop, that there’s no instant gratification.

9. He didn’t originally think he should take up architecture because he couldn’t draw.

10. Design developed into architecture.

2.) The text gives us examples of artists and their work all the time so I felt that this video was an extended version of that. It reminded me specifically of the pages in the book that are literally dedicated to one artist. For example, the page dedicated to, Frank Lloyd Wright.

3.) This video was different from the previous one in the fact that it specifically focused on the Louvre rather than taking a deep look into how multiple structures that have similarities work together. I think it was a perfect combination because I was able to take a broader look at how architects work on a wide range and then followed it up with seeing the life of one architect in particular and all the work that comes into play for him as an individual.

4.) I chose this video because visiting France is on my “I wish” list. The Louvre is one place that I’d love to see while in France and I felt it would be interesting to hear about. I would’ve never guessed that such extensive work went into remodeling it, nor did I know it was remodeled in the first place. When I imagine old building and museums that hold such a tremendous amount of history, I seem to think that they are never touched and that what we see today is exactly how it was decades and decades ago. I’m learning that I’m a little naive these days.