Last week we explored video blogging in class while enjoying some very tasty food while clacking away at our laptop keys or debating art in front of our web cams.
The only problem is I am shy and I really really Do not want to do a video blog and know for a fact that I am very comfortable just writing or typing my blog posts out. I am much more comfortable in my ability to communicate through writing than my ability to communicate through speech which I already know is some-what lacking.
As for the questions, who am I? What is Art?
Well my name is Rachel and it is my second year (or third semester) At Cypress College however it is my first time being a full time student. I am a fine-arts major although I have no idea what I am going to do after school.
I work at McDonald's which is not fun, however I have awesome co-workers that make the time go by faster. Oh yeah, and I'm quiet, both because I am shy and because I generally do not have much to say.
As for the second question: What is art?
Its a difficult question to answer. Personally I think that almost anything can be interpreted as art. The design of a book cover, a written novel, the graffiti on a billboard, or even the design of dishes, pens. It merely depends on the individual seeing it or rather how they choose to see it. But in my book, as long as something was "designed" for more than just functionality it can, to some extent, be art.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Chapter Two: Artist Contrast 2
Rebecca Purdum is a contemporary artist that was born in Idaho but studied at saint Martin’s School of Art and Design which so happened to be located in London, England.
Purdum is unique in the way that she paints. She uses a technique that involves covering her hands in gloves and carefully rubbing the paint onto the canvas as opposed to using brushes. The result is a vague and sometimes haunting blend of colors.
Susan Rothenburg had been born in Buffalo, New York and studied at Cornell university. Like Rebecca Purdum, Susan Rothenburg leaves a certain vagueness to her paintings.
Sussan Rothenburth, however, does not use gloves to create he paintings. Instead she combines two very opposite kinds of art: Representational and nonrepresentational. She uses images found in the visual plane but breaks them up so that they are not whole and easily identifiable. An example of this style can be found in her painting Maggie’s Ponytail. The painting depicts arms that are reaching out to grasp a chunk of hair while another hand in the lower right hand side of the painting holds up a ring or ponytail.
If it had not been described in this way, I do not believe that many people would see the image right away. Even now, I have to think about the painting for a moment or two before admitting that the description does indeed make sense.
I think both artists’ paintings are beautiful. Both seem very simplistic and vague but they also both manage to draw people into them. In addition, both possess some form of nonrepresentational art, whether it is fully nonrepresentational like Purdumn’s paintings, or a combination as seen in Rothenburg’s.
I also happen to think that if you combined the two paintings the result could be stunning. I imagine the result would have a background similar to Rebecca’s Purdum’s paintings, with vague, misty colors spread over a canvas. Then the broken, also vague images of Susan Rothenburg’s paintings painted on top.
Purdum is unique in the way that she paints. She uses a technique that involves covering her hands in gloves and carefully rubbing the paint onto the canvas as opposed to using brushes. The result is a vague and sometimes haunting blend of colors.
Susan Rothenburg had been born in Buffalo, New York and studied at Cornell university. Like Rebecca Purdum, Susan Rothenburg leaves a certain vagueness to her paintings.
Sussan Rothenburth, however, does not use gloves to create he paintings. Instead she combines two very opposite kinds of art: Representational and nonrepresentational. She uses images found in the visual plane but breaks them up so that they are not whole and easily identifiable. An example of this style can be found in her painting Maggie’s Ponytail. The painting depicts arms that are reaching out to grasp a chunk of hair while another hand in the lower right hand side of the painting holds up a ring or ponytail.
If it had not been described in this way, I do not believe that many people would see the image right away. Even now, I have to think about the painting for a moment or two before admitting that the description does indeed make sense.
I think both artists’ paintings are beautiful. Both seem very simplistic and vague but they also both manage to draw people into them. In addition, both possess some form of nonrepresentational art, whether it is fully nonrepresentational like Purdumn’s paintings, or a combination as seen in Rothenburg’s.
I also happen to think that if you combined the two paintings the result could be stunning. I imagine the result would have a background similar to Rebecca’s Purdum’s paintings, with vague, misty colors spread over a canvas. Then the broken, also vague images of Susan Rothenburg’s paintings painted on top.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Chapter Two: Artist Contrast 1
Almost everyone has heard of Picasso in one way or another. Even those who have not completed an art class or even possess a basic knowledge of art could more than likely be able to pick his paintings out of a line up of many. As stated in Chapter Two, Pablo Picasso was an artist that had been traditionally trained before he began experimenting with different styles. Eventually Picasso settled on the highly stylized paintings, or Cubism, that he is known so well for today. His paintings are striking, bold, and have no inability grabbing your attention. Yet when you look at his work First Communion it looks to be painted by an entirely different artist
Likewise, Vasily Kandinsky’s, a Russian painter of the twentieth century, compiles paintings that are also bold attention grabbers. In addition to this, his paintings are also very similar to Picasso’s in the fact that they almost force people to view art in a way that they were not used to seeing it. There was not a scene or a landscape to be depicted in his paitnings. Instead his work is entirely nonrepresentational. To some individuals his paintings may even seem like flat, random objects slapped onto a paper and called art, much as some might criticize Picasso by saying a child could paint as he does or insist that it is not art at all.
The difference in there artwork are more distinct than their similarities. Picasso, while dealing with the abstract, based on something that could be found and located in a visual field. Kandinsky’s paintings, however, are there own creations that, as pointed out, do not exist outside of themselves. To put it in simpler terms, if the subjects of Kandinsky’s paintings were to spring to life and take a stroll down the street there would be more than a few brows raised and no one would be able to point and say “Oh that’s a person” or “that probably a vase”. Instead they might point and say “that’s a weird… flat… triangle thingy with an odd… curvular triangle… thing” or just stare with their mouths agape.
Likewise, Vasily Kandinsky’s, a Russian painter of the twentieth century, compiles paintings that are also bold attention grabbers. In addition to this, his paintings are also very similar to Picasso’s in the fact that they almost force people to view art in a way that they were not used to seeing it. There was not a scene or a landscape to be depicted in his paitnings. Instead his work is entirely nonrepresentational. To some individuals his paintings may even seem like flat, random objects slapped onto a paper and called art, much as some might criticize Picasso by saying a child could paint as he does or insist that it is not art at all.
The difference in there artwork are more distinct than their similarities. Picasso, while dealing with the abstract, based on something that could be found and located in a visual field. Kandinsky’s paintings, however, are there own creations that, as pointed out, do not exist outside of themselves. To put it in simpler terms, if the subjects of Kandinsky’s paintings were to spring to life and take a stroll down the street there would be more than a few brows raised and no one would be able to point and say “Oh that’s a person” or “that probably a vase”. Instead they might point and say “that’s a weird… flat… triangle thingy with an odd… curvular triangle… thing” or just stare with their mouths agape.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Week 3 Lecture Analysis
In tonights lecture we were given a more specific look at cave art while comparing the two movies The Matrix as well as Inception.
Firstly, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture. It was engaging and posed many good questions as well as made connections that I would never had made on my own.
The pictures we were shown of the cave paintings were beautiful. I still find it remarkable that even all that time ago humans still had that inclination to create art. Not just that though, but to create it as a community, regardless of the reason, instead of just a single individual.
I never would have though to relate the "broken man" to Neo's death and enlightening in The Matrix even despite the fact that I am familiar with both films.
As for the question "What is Reality?" I believe that reality is merely the world as an individual perceives it and that no two "realities" are the same. This related to art because I think that when an artists creates something, whether it be a painting, sculpture, or drawing, that they are allowing people a brief glimpse into their own unique reality.
Firstly, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture. It was engaging and posed many good questions as well as made connections that I would never had made on my own.
The pictures we were shown of the cave paintings were beautiful. I still find it remarkable that even all that time ago humans still had that inclination to create art. Not just that though, but to create it as a community, regardless of the reason, instead of just a single individual.
I never would have though to relate the "broken man" to Neo's death and enlightening in The Matrix even despite the fact that I am familiar with both films.
As for the question "What is Reality?" I believe that reality is merely the world as an individual perceives it and that no two "realities" are the same. This related to art because I think that when an artists creates something, whether it be a painting, sculpture, or drawing, that they are allowing people a brief glimpse into their own unique reality.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Chapter One: Artist Contrast 2
For my second post, I wanted to write about perhaps one of my favorite artists from ye olden days, Vincent an Gogh (And not just because he was featured in a Doctor Who episode mind you). Van Gogh, as most people know, was not the most mentally stable and had committed himself to an asylum after cutting off his ear and giving it to a prostitute. His artwork, however, is beautiful. In his art, I truly believe, you can see how her perceived the world around him, emphasizing things that ordinary people might have overlooked or taken for granted. An example of this, is the glow around the stars in the night sky which Van Gogh seemed to emphasize in his painting Starry Night.
When I saw the photograph printed on the very next page (Page 12) Peeling Paint taken by Ernst Haas, I was reminded again of Vincent Van Gogh’s artwork. It is not in the subject of the photograph that had caught my attention but rather the over all the appearance. The vibrant red of the paint against the black iron of the bench is beautiful, not to mention how the leaves plastered against the black seem to pop out to grab your attention. I would never have guessed the subject of the photograph to be an old park bench if I had not read the little blurb beneath it. This Photograph reminds me of Van Gogh’s paintings, and how both the photographer and the artist had seen something very ordinary that most of the general populace would probably overlook or not even bat an eye at but found something extraordinarily beautiful about it. Not only that, but they both managed to capture their subject (whether it be on film or canvas) in a way that everyone else could perceive and understand the beauty of what it was that they had discovered.
Unfortunately the book Living with Art did not go into any great detail about Ernst Haas. However, by doing my own quick little research session about him, I can say that he was born in March of 1921 and died in 1986, near 100 years after Van Gogh Shot himself in 1890.
When I saw the photograph printed on the very next page (Page 12) Peeling Paint taken by Ernst Haas, I was reminded again of Vincent Van Gogh’s artwork. It is not in the subject of the photograph that had caught my attention but rather the over all the appearance. The vibrant red of the paint against the black iron of the bench is beautiful, not to mention how the leaves plastered against the black seem to pop out to grab your attention. I would never have guessed the subject of the photograph to be an old park bench if I had not read the little blurb beneath it. This Photograph reminds me of Van Gogh’s paintings, and how both the photographer and the artist had seen something very ordinary that most of the general populace would probably overlook or not even bat an eye at but found something extraordinarily beautiful about it. Not only that, but they both managed to capture their subject (whether it be on film or canvas) in a way that everyone else could perceive and understand the beauty of what it was that they had discovered.
Unfortunately the book Living with Art did not go into any great detail about Ernst Haas. However, by doing my own quick little research session about him, I can say that he was born in March of 1921 and died in 1986, near 100 years after Van Gogh Shot himself in 1890.
Chapter One: Artist Contrast 1
Two artists that were mentioned in Chapter One: Living with art, are the sculptor Constantin Brancusi and Architect Maya Lin.
Constantin Brancusi, as mentioned before, is a sculptor who was born in Romania but eventually resided within Paris France where his studio was eventually made into a museum. From what I understand from both the books and from what we discussed in class, Brancusi believed in the simplest, most basic of words, shapes, and forms. His works such as the ‘Endless Column‘, ‘Fish‘, and ‘Bird in Space’ are simple but powerful.
Maya Lin was born in the united states after both her parents imigrated from China. Her father was a ceramist and her mother a poet. She is most famous for designing the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Washington D.C. Other pieces that she has designed include the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery Alabama, The “Wave Field” at the University of Michigan, and the Langaston Hughes Library in Clinton Tennessee.
I wanted to compare these two artists together because, while Brancusi is a sculptor and Lin is an architect, it mentioned in the reading that Lin often classified herself as both a sculptor and an architect. They both use simple means to portray powerful meanings. Take for instance “Endless Column” sculpted by Brancusi. It is very simple yet powerful and, as the book mentioned, seems as though it could go on forever. I found this style to be very similar to Lin’s Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial because at first glance it is very simple. Just a black wall, cut into the earth. Yet when you take the time to look at the polished black surface of the granite, it reflects the world back at you and when you reach out to touch a name its as if you’re touching yourself because of your reflection. Also, following the simplicity of the design, which reminds me of the ‘Endless Column’ as well, is how the wall subtly grows higher as you walk down the path. Like the column, it seems as though it could go on forever with name after name of the deceased.
Constantin Brancusi, as mentioned before, is a sculptor who was born in Romania but eventually resided within Paris France where his studio was eventually made into a museum. From what I understand from both the books and from what we discussed in class, Brancusi believed in the simplest, most basic of words, shapes, and forms. His works such as the ‘Endless Column‘, ‘Fish‘, and ‘Bird in Space’ are simple but powerful.
Maya Lin was born in the united states after both her parents imigrated from China. Her father was a ceramist and her mother a poet. She is most famous for designing the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Washington D.C. Other pieces that she has designed include the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery Alabama, The “Wave Field” at the University of Michigan, and the Langaston Hughes Library in Clinton Tennessee.
I wanted to compare these two artists together because, while Brancusi is a sculptor and Lin is an architect, it mentioned in the reading that Lin often classified herself as both a sculptor and an architect. They both use simple means to portray powerful meanings. Take for instance “Endless Column” sculpted by Brancusi. It is very simple yet powerful and, as the book mentioned, seems as though it could go on forever. I found this style to be very similar to Lin’s Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial because at first glance it is very simple. Just a black wall, cut into the earth. Yet when you take the time to look at the polished black surface of the granite, it reflects the world back at you and when you reach out to touch a name its as if you’re touching yourself because of your reflection. Also, following the simplicity of the design, which reminds me of the ‘Endless Column’ as well, is how the wall subtly grows higher as you walk down the path. Like the column, it seems as though it could go on forever with name after name of the deceased.
Week 2 Lecture Analysis
In this week’s lecture we were shown a giant overview of art history dating back to prehistoric times.
The interesting thing about the lecture was that you could trace both similarities and distinct differences from the art from many different cultures at many different times. An example of this is how the ancient egytian art is more stylized, flat, and angular or “perfect” Whereas the artwork of ancient Greece seems more natural, flowing, and three dimensional. Just as it was pointed out in class, it is not that the ancient Egyptians lacked the tools or skill to make statues like the Greeks had but rather their brains had not thought of it.
I think that this is very similar to how art is influenced in modern times as well. When you are surrounded by something (and I’m not just speaking art here) I think it is natural to be influenced by that first while things that you are not accustomed to just seem strange or out of place. Unlike in the ancient past, however, nowadays we have these not-so-newfangled inventions called the computer or rather the internet that exposes us to more diverse ideas, cultures, and art styles.
Also, on a more random note, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Column of Trajan and how the letters engraved on it influenced Carol Twombly to create the Tajan font which, as we learned, is one of the most widely used font today.
The interesting thing about the lecture was that you could trace both similarities and distinct differences from the art from many different cultures at many different times. An example of this is how the ancient egytian art is more stylized, flat, and angular or “perfect” Whereas the artwork of ancient Greece seems more natural, flowing, and three dimensional. Just as it was pointed out in class, it is not that the ancient Egyptians lacked the tools or skill to make statues like the Greeks had but rather their brains had not thought of it.
I think that this is very similar to how art is influenced in modern times as well. When you are surrounded by something (and I’m not just speaking art here) I think it is natural to be influenced by that first while things that you are not accustomed to just seem strange or out of place. Unlike in the ancient past, however, nowadays we have these not-so-newfangled inventions called the computer or rather the internet that exposes us to more diverse ideas, cultures, and art styles.
Also, on a more random note, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Column of Trajan and how the letters engraved on it influenced Carol Twombly to create the Tajan font which, as we learned, is one of the most widely used font today.
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