Art Summer Course: 2010

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Reflections of AED 200

1. I expected to learn about artists, materials and styles in art and I did.
2. I define art as a form of expression and I have always felt this way but this class has definately expanded by knowledge on the many ways that artists do express themselves.
3. My favorite artist always seemed to be abstract artists like Pablo Picasso. I like to think outside the box so I enjoy art that is different and creative. My opinion has not changed about that. I have added to my favorites, artist like Aaron Douglas who also borrowed from "primitive" artworks of Indegenious cultures like Picasso.
4. I knew that taking this course was going to be a lot of work. Online classes are very demanding and require a lot of dedication. What took me by surprise was the fact that something was due every other day. One of the reasons students pick online classes is because they have a hectic schedule and cannot fit in a regular class so having daily deadlines is very hard. Most classes I had in the past allowed everything to be due by the last day of the module, that way if you have to turn it in you can work around your own schedule. I missed a lot of deadlines and I did not expect to do so badly because I have done so well in the past with online classes. I have 2 small children, a husband and a full time job and I wish I had to time to take this class on campus because I think I would have done much better.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

week 10- Art Gallery visit # 3

My self portrait

George William Eggers (1893-1958) self portrait
April 14, 1905 graphite on paper

Charles E. Burchfield (1893- 1967) self portrait January 1916
watercolors graphite and conte crayon on paper

Alice O Malley (1962- ) self portrait New York 2002
Gelatin silver print on paper

Art Gallery Visit #3

For inspiration for my self portrait I visited the Burchfield Penny Art Center. I chose these three self portraits because they were all different. Each portrait uses different mediums and are all completely different. George William Eggers' self portrait interested me the most because I knew I wanted to use pencil for my portrait. His self portrait is much more skilled than mine of course but I liked how realistic it looked. Charles E. Burchfield conveys his mood by painting an expression on his face. He looks angry. I did not want to depict myself in a bad mood but I wanted to show expression on my face so I chose a photograph of me smiling. His painting also looks "cartoonish" and I think mines does too. Well, mines is amatuer so it looks cartoonish but I tried to make it as realistic as possible. Alice O Malley's self photograph is interesting because it is taken in black and white. This inspired me not to use colored pencil and to shade in dark and light grays. It is a powerful photo because the background is dark and she is light and there is no use on color. I am not a good artist but I tried to use hatching and cross hatching to demonstrate light and dark areas of the picture. I could not shade very well so I tried shading as little as possible. I enjoyed this project the most. The only thing I wish is that my drawing skills were better. This project opened my mind up to my capabilities and what I could create.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Art Critisim

The art curation project I selected was "A Child's Impact on Impressionism" by Sara Bojak. I think I chose this exhibit because I knew I would enjoy seeing children portrayed in Impressionist paintings. The only challenge I faced when writing my critique was to not sound to informal and be objective to interpret the exhibit.I enjoyed critiquing my classmates work because the exhibit was nice so I did not have much negative commentary.It was sort of bittersweet because I was not able to finish my project due to personal problems I could not and I know people would have enjoyed the collection. I rate my article a 9 on a scale from one to ten because I think I did a good job reviewing it but it may not be perfect.I enjoyed this project because it allowed us to see how other students understood the artwork.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Week 10 Video Review

Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark
This video is about the critic Clement Greenberg. He is being interviewed by T.J Clark in 1981. Greenberg begins by explaining that an art critic has a more difficult job than a music or literature critic. He turns to a music critic to see "how" to be more relevant. He discusses other critics and partisan review. Greenberg discusses how he was attracted to modern art and that the best art of the last fifty years has been abstract. In his opinion, modern art was a result of a culture boom after WWII. He discusses the act that being a critic involves intuition, reasoning and relevance. These qualities existed in past great critics. Greenberg lack of use of history is questioned by Clark. Clark states that the critics judgment is going to be based on history. This film relates to our project because Greenberg is telling us what being an art critic consists of. I will certainly use intuition, reasoning and relevance to critique the artwork I view at the museum.

Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T. J. Clark
In this video Greenberg looks back at when Jackson Pollock emerged in the 1940s and there was a buzz about Pollock becoming famous. In 1947 Pollock paints one of the first of his famous splatter paintings. Pollock explains that he wants to paint paintings that could move easily from mural to easel. The ironic fact is that Pollock criticized the use of an easel, he use an easel for all of his paintings. I found that to be interesting. His paintings were meant to be transitional: to be able to go from easel to mural. Pollack broke the barriers of modern art. Even though his work looks chaotic, it is actually a rhythm to the way he slings his wrist , arm and shoulder. Greenberg admits that Pollock is an outsider but he feels that his methods are practical. What I found interesting is that even though Pollock became famous, he felt alone in the art work. He sought out to be different remained solitary. Even the art itself was separated from other ordinary art. This video relates to our project because Greenberg sees Pollock just as Pollock wanted people to see him and that is as an outsider. If the critic receives what the artist is trying to convey then the artist's mission is accomplished.

An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance (Giorgio Vasari)
This video discusses the Italian Renaissance. In the late 1560s many artists thrived due to a sudden period of enlightenment and renewed enthusiasm in the arts. One of those artists is Giorgio Vasari. In ancient Rome artists often painted natural objects but by the time the rise of the Byzantine Empire, artists were getting their inspiration from religious doctrine as mentioned in the text earlier this semester. The artist Giotto revives the Roman tradition in art. He was inspired by architecture around him. Coincidently, his apprentice Ghiberti created images of biblical context from the book of Genesis in human form. Other artists from the Italian Renaissance portray nudes to show human beauty, like Donatello's statue of David.
Pierro della Francesca helps the Catholic Church convey Christianity through art with his painting of "The Madonna and Child". Other famous paintings that came from this era include D'Vinci's "The Last Supper" and the "Mona Lisa" and Michealangelo's painting of the Sisteen Chapel. All of this art came from a burst of artistic expression in that time period. I often wonder will we ever encounter a Renaissance in our lifetimes.

The Critics: Stories from the Inside Pages

I enjoyed this video because it explored, what is the purpose of a critic. I asked myself the same question because I truly believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The video points out that the critic gets people to think and look at the art differently. Critics also keep artists on their toes and one good review from a well know critic can make an artist famous. Literature critics help new writers by suggesting the book as a good read. Most critics are passionate about their work. Just as we have to when visiting galleries, the critic has to compare objectivity versus subjectivity. Critics are also brave because they have to be able to make an argument for or against an artist. This requires support of the argument which is why critical thinking is important. The criticism has to be well written with the audience in mind. By writing criticisms in this class I learned that criticism does not have to be a negative thing. It can help interpret art and even help aspiring artists.

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

This video explores views of Non- Western Art. It explores colonialism in Africa and how it is justified by the images that Africans painted in their artwork. The Paris World fair had French artwork and other multicultural works of art also. The fair included images from Dahome and Algeria. Images portrayed African men in cages like animals. Women were depicted as sensual, Arabian dancers. They used these images to justify colonialism. Prejudice affected the way this art was interpreted. At that time indigenous people were considered to be savages and had to be treated as such. This is interesting because I never realized how much art would have been affected by prejudice in those times. The symbolism of the artwork was not appreciated. The women were even sexually exploited and depicted in a pornographic manner. Exploitation by Europeans is called colonialism.

Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J. Clark in Conversation

In this video, critics Michael Fried and T. J Clark discuss Jackson Pollock and his impact on modern art. They agree that he was an important figure in modern art but is often used as a negative point of reference. Fried believes that Pollack's work is optical rather than tactical. It is interesting to see what Fried looks at in Pollack's painting compared to what Clark looks at. This occurs because it is difficult to pinpoint the artist's intentions. They also discuss the historical importance of Pollack's work. Their critiques differ from the first video of Greenberg. Greenberg explored the method of Pollack's work. This relates to the project because we will have to decide what factors to be considering when viewing artwork. What is interesting to me is that it seems like Pollack did not want his work interpreted and analyzed. I believe the paintings were meant for each viewer to take its own ideas from the painting and evoke your own feelings toward the paintings.

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Friday, July 23, 2010

Uncertainty & Modernity

I chose to watch this video because modern art is the art that appeals to me the most. I feel like growing up, all of the art teachers I encountered in Elementary school focused more on modern artists like Picasso. For that reason I gravitated toward it. Historically, art was very realistic until modern art emerged. Artists frequently attempted to create the idealized version of man. The Industrial Revolution changed art in many ways. After the Industrial Revolution we saw art separate from nature. Modern art was a result of the rapid consumption of everything and society was defined by that change. The art was art that describes us (the people of that time). Modern art was peculiar because the common theme was uncertainty. The art was no longer about perfection because there was a different way to represent want is real. The video also shows how modern art changes itself. There was abstract expressionism and pop art which are very different but both are. Abstract art is an experiment. It asks questions and leaves you to answer it. That is what I love about it. Pop art was a response to consumerism in the 1960's. It was to show us what we had become in America. One the most popular artists of American art, Andy Warhol flourished during this time, whom we all know and love.

Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art- art of the 50's and 60's

I chose this video because I have a great interest in American art and most of our great American artists became famous during this time period. Franz Klein is one of them . He abandons figurative painting and began to move toward abstraction and painted that way until her died. In abstract expressionism there is no definitive space: no foreground or background. He begins to speak the language of abstraction with color or the lack of color. This is how he shows mood and expression. He also represents emotions through shape. Pop art does something different. Andy Warhol, for example, uses common everyday objects in his artwork. He inspired many other pop artists. He also created powerful images by uses photographs of electric chairs and race riots. His art was affected by the rapid consumerism of the 60's. His viewpoint was all reality is sucked up, reproduced and being spit back out to us by the media. I believe he saw the future because we are living in a world exactly as he depicted. One of my favorite artists is Roy Lichtenstein. He looked to the comic book for his inspiration. Far away you see an image but if you take one piece of it and look at the lines and colors you can see that it is abstract. He looks at style as something that can be chosen whether to use or not. He asks a lot of questions through art.

The Impact of Cubism
I chose the video on cubism because in cubism you see artist use shapes and colors like in abstract art but the end result is a real picture if you look at it differently. Juan Gris' "The Breakfast Table" is a perfect example where he starts with an abstract form but ends with something real. Start with the imagination then ends with the real object. Gris was impacted by Picasso and painted a portrait for him. Gris also incorporated collage in his art which he was influenced by the Spanish tradition. In fact many cubist borrowed inspiration from other heritages. Picasso and other artists borrowed from the faces of African masks. Artists like Delauney played with making art fit into life. She designed clothes and paints for cars. Art and life were on and she influenced many others. This is an early peak into how fashion ties itself to art. Boccioni is inspired by art also. He is inspired by the cinema screen which for him, represents the city life. Once a gain we can see how life is displayed in art. I found it interesting how all of the cubists borrowed from and were influenced from one another.

Matisse and Picasso

I chose this video because it tied in well with the other videos and text about cubism and abstract art and gives a closer look into the two famous artists of that time. It explores the ingenious relationship between Matisse and Picasso. Matisse becomes the leader of the Fauves. The Stein family is a popular family at the time who is convinced that Matisse and Picasso's art will be a clash of the titans. Matisse was a rational man and Picasso was not as serious he considered himself a worker. Picasso was much more impulsive with his paintings. He gives his paintings a primal feeling. Picasso's "Les Mademoiselles d'Avignon" (1907) depicts prostitutes in the street. Matisse mademoiselles painted the same year and they were idols. Mattisse respects Picasso as the head of the avangar. They shared a mutual respect for each other and they exchanged works of art to show that respect. In 1912 Picasso invented the first collage as he dives into cubism. Shortly after in 1920 Picasso's life is changed. He changes his style to please his wife. During that time Mattise creates a peaceful place to create art. Picasso paradied Mattisse's work in order to release the tension of his terrible marriage. Nevertheless Mattisse visits America and Picasso is the first person on his mind. They maintained a powerful relationship that is not seen by any other two artists in history. I found it interesting that at times they were borrowing from each other but at other times they were borrowing from one another. It was almost like they were family members.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

African Feminine Mask

AFRICAN MASKS

This sculpture is a representation of male and female. I was unable to find out the maker of this sculpture or where it came from. The body of the image on the right is an abstract representation of a woman. The waist is higher and the hips are wide which is a symbol for feminism and fertility. The breast and hips show that the body is made for child bearing. What I liked about this sculpture is that it reminds me of the women in my family. The body of the African and African American woman is shaped in that way. In African culture larger woman are sought out by men whereas in Western culture, thinner women are considered to be more attractive.

I foundr this mask on a website that sells authentic African masks. It is from the Punu tribe. It's white face is representative of the power to speak to the afterlife. The facial expression is one that is non threatening and happy. It gives a jovial feeling to the viewer. I chose this mask because it is one of the few that is not meant to scare.

This sculpture is Niki de Sainte Phalle's Black Venus. It exhibits sexuality and is also a jovial statue. It has bright colors and looks as if the figure is dancing or celebrating. She represents a happy earth mother. I like this because is shows the freedom of women to be happy not just a tool to recreate.

The mask that I created is of the African American woman . I left half of the mask plain to demonstrate the calm demeanor of the woman and the other side of the mask is complex with designs showing the many roles that the African American woman plays. Her facial expression is content and calm because she knows she has everything under control. The visage that she wears is not representative of the many tasks that she has to juggle as a mother, housekeeper, wife, student, daughter, sister, nurse and sometimes doctor. She is draped in jewelry, because she deserves riches for the queen that she is.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Videos- week 7

Islamic Art- India and the Middle East
In this video Islamic art is explored through a look at its decorative art and architecture. The Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the most beautiful works of Islamic art. It is also the world's oldest known mosques. It is a perfect example of the stylistic features seen in most Muslim art. It has geometric shapes and designs. The video also states that there is one stylistic feature that unites Islamic art and that is the atmosphere of paradise. The art is meant to portray divine tranquility. In most mosaics painted there is a depiction of what paradise should look like. The rich greens and and yellows are described in the Holy Qua'ron. One special feature is that there is no one in the mosaic. The idea is that if you lead the right life and worship the right god, then paradise is waiting for you. In history Muslims also were excellent inventors. Mostly everything they created was based on the Qua'ron. They invented instruments that told the time of the day so they knew when to pray and which direction to pray towards Mecca. Also, historically images were taboo, but this was not universal. Icons were sculpted in some mosques it depended on the fashion of the time. One of the narrator's main points was that the Middle East was not only about terrorism and he had to tell of the peaceful, creative side of Islamic art.

African Art: Legacy of Oppression
The video opens by describing a mask that was made by the Yombe tribe. The mask was white so it was meant to connect with the dead. The masks and other "primitive" art was used to inspire many modernist artist like Pablo Picasso, who were trying to escape the realistic approaches to art. African art and sculptures are naturalistic images that are symbolic. They are abstract and simplified but represent many different elements that only the tribes would understand. The mask was very important in African art because it is believed be magical. Some were meant to be scary and most told a vivid narration. Around the late 1800s there was a decline in the creation of magical masks because Africans soon discovered that the masks could not protect them from bullets. The Congo, which was the birthplace of so many African artworks, was the bloody land where so many men and women were exploited. When King Leopold the II colonized the area, the women were raped and the men were forced to exploit the land of its natural resources such as rubber. The right hands of the people were cut off to prove that bullets were being used and not wasted. The pain that was endured during that time did not stop the people from creating beautiful works of art.

African Art: Its Cultural Meaning
This video delves into every aspect of African art. Africans add beauty and design to their homes, everyday utensils, dress and even hairstyles. Many of the masks and sculptures that are displayed in museums are less than 200 years old because they were made of wood and the warm climates add to the rapid degradation of the artworks. Ancient rock art dates back centuries and represents people and animals. Many believe these were painted to appease the spirits of the animals killed in hunting. Hunting and gathering was used until recently. The remains of Great Zimbabwee is used as a model for modern Zimbabwee's architecture. Great Zimbabwee was a sophisticated political society. African art was unknown to Europeans until the 19th century and even then they looked at it as primitive and even childish. They did not know that African art is mostly symbolic and conceptual. There is a generalization of African art is that it is all the same but there are many different types of African art. For example, West African art is mostly figure art like sculptures.
Artists are respected in African communities. The idea is that an artist has to be able to recreate traditional African art but do it better. African art is intertwined with magic and religion. Their beliefs revolve around the idea that everything is animated by unseen forces. So the sculptures and masks were never meant to represent a real person but to appeal to spirits and ancestors. Rituals were performed for the invisible force of nature. Therefore, art intervened with the course of life.

Buddhism
This video starts with when Buddhism was born in India. Buddha was enlightened after meditating under a tree and realizing the path to follow to escape suffering. His goal: to walk off to Nirvana the final place of bliss and peace. The key to Buddhism is freedom of desire. Most art depicts Buddha in symbols. His teachings swept through India during the Golden Age of Buddhism. .Within one hundred years of Buddha's death, Buddhism split into two groups: "hinayana" and "mahanyana." The monks looked at him as a saint and the leity looked at him as a savior. Sanchi is a center of Buddhist art and architecture. There were intricate carvings of medallions and flowers. The three tiers represent the three levels of Nirvana. Borobudur is the Mecca of Buddhism. Pilgrims traveled from all over Asia to reach this shrine to finally reach the peaks of enlightenment. It took 100 years to build and was destroyed by volcanoes not restored until the 1990s. Buddhism traveled so far that it reached the Western civilization. In Carmel, New York, the Chuang Yen Monastery is a complex of buildings dedicated to Buddhism. The centerpiece of the shrine is a sculpture of a Buddhist. All of the architectural style is modeled after the Tang Dynasty. Buddhism is a paradox because it rejected the commonalities of religion but now embraces it.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

My Trip to the Albright Knox

Yesterday, I visited the Albright Knox Art Gallery. During my visit I did not focus on one exhibit, I walked the entire museum and chose to focus on artwork that interested me. I found it interesting focusing on the architectural aspects of the museum because the museum seems to be designed so that you do not focus on the archetectural design. The museum is set up for the viewing pleasure of the art only. Even the resturant seems to be hidden or disconnected from the exhibits. Upon entering the museum the first thing you notice that everything is clean and white. The interior is simple in design and there are no decorative colors on the walls or floor. There are minimal details. This makes the museum bright without the use of a lot of flourecent lighting. The lighting is pointed downward toward the artwork, but not directly on each piece. When you enter the artwork that you see at first is the older classical art and as you move through the art becomes more abstract and contemporary. Each piece is about 10 feet apart to give you the opportunity to view it with no distractions. The more classical art that is on canvas is framed in gold "antique looking" frames and the modern artwork is either mounted or matted. The artwork seemed to be generally categorized in the museum: classical, abstract, drawings and sculptures. They are all labeled with a small white card to the right of the piece. I noticed the more contemporary art had a small amount of information written about the artist and the work.

My Three:

1. Numbers in Color (1958-9) By Jasper Johns - American Born in 1930
Encaustic an

d Newspaper on canvas
This piece is a part of the abstract expressionist period in time. By looking as the repetitive nature it is obvious that he is a contemporary artist that uses printmaking in his technique.This piece is representational rather than realistic. It represents a time in America when many products were being mass produced. Color is definately an element that he uses. He draws in the viewer by using bright colors and complimentary colors such as blue and orange. He uses the principle of unity and variety because it is an assortment of the same numbers but in different colors. This piece reminds me of newspaper print because of the style of the numbers but because he makes it so abstract it is like he turning something that is very simple into something that is very extreme. We look at numbers so much that they loose their impact. I think he is trying to say that you can take something that is very mundane and turn it into a powerful work of art.

2. Convergence (1952) by Jackson Pollack American born (1912-1956) Oil on Canvas
This piece is one Jackson Pollack's splatterpaintings. What we see in this painting is the use of many colors and extreme variety and movement. It is almost as if you can imangine Pollack painting this. The size of the painting also invites the viewer into Pollack's world of tangles, twists and drips of paint. Pollack is representing his non acceptance of traditional forms of paintings. The title convergence suggests that even though the painting is chaotic, you should see how it all fits together also. This painting reminds me of heavy metal music. In your head you are trying to keep up with the patterns but rather than try to understand the patterns, you should just enjoy the output. I think Pollack is suggesting that we step away from how we try to rationalize art and interpret it and see the beauty in the creativity of his method.

3. Kill Yourself (1989) by Nancy Dwyler American born in 1954 - vinyl paint on canvas
This piece is a play on

words. There is a major contrast in what is being said and how it is depicted by the artist. The words "kill yourself" are negative in nature but the style of lettering, the colors and the bubbles painted on them seem to represent a happy mood. Dwyler uses space in suspending the words in the middle of the painting and leaving a large amount of space around it to give emphasis on the phrase. Her use of color is also interesting because had she used darker colors the painting would have depicted a different mood. This painting reminds me of font that one would see in a cartoon. The lettering seems almost childish yet she plays with your mind by putting ice on the letters to the word kills and painting bubbles in the background. I believe she wants the viewer to make light of a serious statement by either being confused or amused, either way, you may or may not laugh when you see this.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Videos

The Drawings of Michealangelo
This video explores the sketches and "roughdrafts" of some of Michealangelo's best work. I chose this video because I thought it would be interesting to see the brainstorming of such an artistic genius.During the time of his masterpieces, he would have never wanted anyone looking at his sketches. Many of his drawings were destroyed because he did not want people to see his hesitations. By looking at his work, one can see that he seeks to find the core of the figure and the mass of the body. In doing this, he masters the human body. As a child he was very talented. He was the 12 year old talented apprentice of of Ghirlando. He became infatuated with the Roman and Greek sculptures and their depiction of the perfect man and for 60 years he used the male figure as his model. His sketching showed where there is pressure and mass by his extreme talent in hatching and dense cross hatching. (hatching and cross hatching as seen in the text) He made the body in poses that were actually impossible for the body to move into but because of the realness of the drawings it did not seem impossible. In his depiction of Christ's Risen Body, Jesus is weightless but dense at the same time. His most interesting sketch was of Adam from the Sistine Chapel. This was his depiction of the perfect man, Adam, before God gave him life. I found it very interesting that he focused on the male body instead of the female body. His technique of perfecting the males muscle mass became an obsession for him, such that he did not attempt to perfect drawing females.

Leonardo DiVinci-The Renaissance
I chose this video because I wanted to learn more about an artist that I only associate with the Mona Lisa. Leonardo DiVinci was born in Tuscany and was thought to be very intelligent at a very young age. As mentioned in the text, the Renaissance began in Italy,so DiVinci lived in the midst of the splendor of the arts. He proved his brilliance by mastering many arts and moving from one expertise to another. One interesting part of the video was the discussion of his homosexual tendencies. He was even accused of sodomy and used his accusers as the subjects of his work. He depicted their grotesque angry faces and made fun of them. He also became very isolated at this time. During this time, he also faced rejection over and over while Botticello was chosen to paint many famous paintings. As time progresses he becomes a master in his skill and focuses on color, distance and proximity. He became the official court painter. He also ventured into science and mechanics. He was one of the first to secretly carry out a dissection. He even studied artificial flight. His studies helped him to have a vast knowledge of proportions of man and other objects. This enhanced my knowledge of art because great art is created by creating realistic proportions. This is interesting because he approached this through a knowledge of many things, not just art.

Botticelli- La Primavera
I chose this video because the painting of The Birth of Venus on p 383 in the text caught my attention. I did not know much about Botticelli, but after watching the video I noticed that he used the Greek gods as his subject matter. La Primavera, which means Spring in Italian, is a picture that depicts the god Mecury (messenger to the gods), the three graces and cupid in a fertile garden. The garden also shows hundreds of different flowers that represent different species. It was said that the subject, Mercury, was a version of Lorenzo Magnificent. Lorenzo was a very wealthy and intelligent but was not very beautiful like Botticelli presents him in La Primavera. Botticelli was an artist during the 1480's, which was the peak of the Renaissance and perfect timing for his talents. There was a high demand religious imagery. Everyone owned religious paintings that could afford them. Botticelli took advantage of this and became an opportunist and artistic entreprenuer. What was interesting to me was how talented Bottecelli and DiVinci were equally talented but since Botticelli was more business savvy he was chosen to paint more.

Rembrant- the Night Watch
I chose this video because I am somewhat familiar with his work. The Night Watch is a massive (11ft by 14 ft) painting, which means it is not meant to be taken lightly. It is a piece of iconic Dutch art. Its viewers feel as if they are a part of the artwork because of the extreme detail and attempt to make the space seem 3 dimensional. X rays show where he worked and reworked the painting until it reached perfection. Rembrant painted action and drama in this painting. The painting has been slashed, splashed with acid and had water thrown on it. He painted during a time when the genre of group portraits were painted to depicted militias. He added addtional figures that gave the painting a story: a young boy, faces in the background and an unexpected small girl that seems to be supernatural. His use of lighting is magnificent and gives meaning and emphasis to certain parts of the painting. The most important part of the video was how the paintings massive size interfered with moving it and the trouble the Dutch went through to keep it secure. I have learned in many of the videos I have watched in this class that artists have to worry about preserving their art and traveling with their artwork. Some of the artwork that is hundreds of years old has to be carefully preserved and inspected. When the night watch was unrolled after five years, it was in remarkable condition.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Video Review

Through the Eyes of a SculptorIn this video, one of the important factors that I noticed right away was Emmanuel Fillion's connection with his history and culture. He points out that it is important to know where you come from and who you are. It was very interesting to see the process of how the limestone is taken from the quarries. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that forms under the sea so at first it is heavy and wet. Another part of the video discussed the restoration artist. The process of restoring the old sculptures is very intricate. Before the old stone is removed it is molded and the duplicate is carved using the mold as a guide. This is similar to Fillion's process when he creates his sculptures. First he visualizes it, then he draws it, next it comes alive in clay, then plaster and finally marble.As mentioned, the clay is familiar to us because we all used clay as a child. It is the material most used for modeling. Plaster is done by casting.which the book calls an "indirect" form of creating a sculpture. One interesting fact was how marble was moved down the mountains with sleds which to be an arduous task. The most interesting aspect of the video was how time consuming the entire process was. It took Fillion 8 months to complete his masterpiece.
Glass and Ceramics-
Glass is made from sand. A viscous liquid is used that stiffens when cools. It is 60 to 75 % sand that can be mixed with limestone or pot ash. Lumps of the molten silica is gathered on a rod and blown until it inflates then it is shaped with a marver heated again to finalize the process. It also can be shaped with a torch. Cementation allows the paint to adhere to the glass so that it is still transparent. The process of making ceramics is very intricate. Ceramics are made from a clay base. One fact that I did not know was that ceramics are differentiated by heat. For example, beautiful China is made by heat of 1400 degrees Celsius and floor tile is made from 1100 degrees Celsius heating. Glazing the ceramics waterproofs and makes it shiny. The book mentions the potter's wheel, which is the fastest method of creating a hollow rounded form. It was first used by the Egyptians. In my opinion the most interesting part of the video was the many uses of ceramics in cars, surgeries and things in our everyday lives. It is stronger than steel!
Installation Art
Installation art can transform a space. Installation art defines a space. In the video most of the installation transformed the rooms into more creative spaces. It is 3D and it uses all of its surroundings. Sometimes it can change an entire building. Dechamp changed the way we look at art. He and Switter paved the way for this new innovative art, proclaiming that art can be more than just an image. The pop art era revealed a new way of thinking for many artists. Artists include videos, music , sculpture, and architecture. Installation art is synonymous with environmental sculpture as mentioned in the text. It can be entered or moved about in. It is made for a specific area and only makes sense in that venue. In my opinion installation art is the most creative. It involves architects and can include changing the dynamics of an entire room.
Prairie Style
Prairie style was introduced by Frank Lloyd Wright. He intended to build a style of homes that could coexist with their environment. Prairie style is a direct reflection of the American Midwest. Wright designed houses for the single family in the Chicago area. This Chicago architecture came from the landscape in that area. He incorporated the layering of horizontals. The Tomac house was built in 1904. Its owner feels that he wanted it to be a harmony between the client and the architecture. The goal was the echo the land. Even the access to the door was even mystic so that the house looks like it blends in with the environment. He opens up the home by places the fireplace in the middle of the house in order to have endless windows. All of the rooms are linked to one another. His houses were also planned to follow the sun. Francis Sullivan is another artists that incorporated this style. Prairie style houses are organic; almost like they grow out of the land. The houses are mansions but built for ordinary man.Houses are rooted into the landscape. The texts sites Frank Lloyd Wright and accredits him to be the greatest American architecture of his time. I agree. I feel that his home give a warmth and comfortable atmosphere for the owner. It offers views to the owner. It is amazing that he has little formal education. He took his creativity to the maximum.

Installation Art

My project-
1. Installation art is art that defines a space or takes over a space. It is all around you. It is site specific as if it only exists for that area.
2. Installation art can incorporate many different materials. It can be anything from video, sculptures, architecture and music.
3. Installation art is made to transform a space. It gives the viewer a new perspective and it can change a gallery or space.
4.The installation I found most interesting was 2050 because it involved reflections off of the oil in the room. It inspired me to include a mirror in my installation so that the viewer can view the entire area from both sides.
5.I felt a connection with sculpting so I made a small sculpture to incorporate my own creation.
I incorporated Nature into my installation by using fruit to add a natural appeal.
6.I used clay, sculptures I already owned, cloth, paintings and a mirror.
7. My installation is located in my kitchen area because it is a site specific design that can only exist in that small space.
My plan was to create a space that looked natural and fit perfectly with my eating area. I have a small kitchen so I could not fit much into the area. I made the sculpture of the pineapple and I made it small so it could be noticed but not overpower the other fruit.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Exploring Value and The Subtractive Color Theory

I had a lot of fun with this project!!

I thought creating the Value Scale was going to be very simple, but it was not as easy as it seemed. The trouble I had was making the darkest shade of black with a graphite pencil. It just did not look black enough to me. As for the lighter shades I had to smudge the pencil with my finger to lighten it You cannot see the white square in this image. The color wheel on the other hand was fairly simple. The watercolors are only annoying in that they can make the paper "soggy" if you do not blot the brush off enough but I enjoyed creating both scales

I enjoyed working with the pencil better because it is something I am more familiar and comfortable with. I have used shading techniques recently when I just sketch. I have not used water colors in such a long time. You can erase pencil but not watercolors!

I think the most important discovery in the study of these color theories is the complementary color theory. By placing the complimentary colors next to one another the colors appear more vibrant.

The most important aspect of the videos to me was to darken colors without black. I have made the mistake of ruining paintings in the past with black and black can overpower the other colors.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Project Reflection

This project was very interesting. When I first read the assignment I thought it would be difficult to photogragh the principles and elements but I found this project to be fun. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the elements and principles of art. The most difficult principle to photograph was "emphasis" because in a photograph there can be a lot of distractions for the viewer. I found the other elements and principles to be fairly simple. Take a look......http://s751.photobucket.com/home/watkinar01/recentuploads?view=slideshow

Friday, June 11, 2010

Color and Emotional Effects

1. An artist's use of color can influence a person's emotions in a painting. The hue, intensity and color can promote a feeling that the artis is trying to convey. Brighter hues can promote happier feelings for instance and more intense colors can convey more intese feelings.

2. The theoretical aspect of color that intrigues me the most is the fact that we do not see colors we actually see reflections of light. What is even more interesting is that white is a combination of all the colors on the spectrum.

3. In the video, the most interesting aspect was that the artist began with the yellowish color of the buildings as a foundation to her painting. She later added more intense colors that expressed her mood and the outcome was much more personal than the image she saw.

4.In the video, the most intriguing aspect of color and feelings is that it started with humanism. Each period of time changes the way humans were depicted. For instance, during the revolution, the paintings were not meant to depict any emotion other than Revolution. The colors were intense and meant to depict the emotions of war.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

First Blog

1. I thought the process of creating the gmail account and blog was very simple. I think I have been raised in the computer age so it was very similar to other functions I do on the computer daily.
2. I expect to learn about artists, materials and styles in art. It should be interesting to see what influences certain things and art.
3. I feel that taking an online course is not as easy as most people think. It requires a lot of dedication and discipline, so I am constantly reminding myself to check online daily and put in the same amount of effort as I would any other class. (Sometimes online classes have MORE work than regular classes) in my opinion