Reflection on AED 200 Blog

onestly I did not know what to expect from this class. I did know anyone who had taken it so I did not have any peer feedback. I was a little nervous as to how an art course online was going to work but it works. My one expectation was to earn the art credits I needed and that was accomplished. But something else also happened as a result of taking this class. I look at things differently with more of an “eye.” I look for the elements and principles in things around me and that are presented to me. The knowledge of them was very helpful in creating a brochure for an assignment in another class. Also I actually enjoyed my last visit to the Albright Knox Art Gallery. I hadn’t been there in years but it was fascinating to see works by artists in our textbook on display. “What is art?” Art is all around us. Art can come from anywhere as long as it works. Art is a communication from the artist to the viewer. The message may not always be clear and sometimes interpretation is left entirely up to the viewer. Before taking this class to me art was drawing, painting, and sculpture. I never viewed art below the surface, looked for meaning or appreciated different media or techniques. I did not have a favorite artist before and honestly I cannot say I have an absolute favorite now. I like the art from the Renaissance a lot. I also like works that are created using different techniques such as pointillism and the quick strokes by the impressionists. I am open to different works. I do know that I am not really a fan of abstract art. I have taken online classes before so this was not a new experience for me. I was unsure of an art class on online but it worked out much better than I expected.

self portrait project

Self Portrait Blog The inspiration pieces I chose were self portraits of Edgar Degas, Kathe Kollwitz, and Vincent Van Gogh. I found them on my virtual visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York City. I picked them because they seemed fairly simple and not over done. The portrait of Van Gogh is the only one in color. I decided to use pencil to create my self-portrait. I think it is easier to work with than acrylic paints. Also it can be shaded, which I like, and pencils can be erased to make changes. This was a challenging project for me. I decided to try to capture a realistic likeness of myself. It was a lot more difficult than I thought. To try to overcome this I kept looking in the mirror as well as looking at the photo I took of myself for this project. I also kept asking family members what they thought and what changes they thought would help. This piece represents me because it is an indication of effort and determination. Creating art is not my strength but I really tried on all the projects for this class. To create my self portrait I used shading (which reminded me of creating the value scale), symmetry in balancing the face, straight lines to create the hair, beard and eyebrows, contour lines to make the eyes, nose, ears, outline of the face and neckline, proportion (I attempted to make the features as proportional as they are on my face), and texture (eyebrows). Even though I found this project challenging and frustrating I did enjoy working on it. I think my final artwork is a nice portrait but it does not look like me. I sketched and shaded and erased and looked in the mirror but I do not think I was able to capture a resemblance. It definitely gives me respect for those who are able to create successful self portraits.

week 15 reflection blog

Week 15 Reflection Blog Before I decided on an exhibit to critique I reviewed the following exhibits: “Emotions” by Nicole Annalora, “Faces of Art” by Katherine L Mooar, and “Art in the New Age” by Kathy Rondinelli. I ultimately chose the exhibit “Art of Ice Hockey” by Ryan Malinowski. I chose this exhibit because I used to play ice hockey, my brother still plays hockey and I am a fan of ice hockey in any way shape and form. I felt this would fulfill the requirement of having knowledge of a subject before you start a critique. The biggest challenge in completing this project was staying focused on being objective and analyzing the work. When I had concerns I referred to the notes I took while watching the video, The Critics Stories from Inside Pages. I really did not like judging my peers. I feel that they are in the same boat as I am. We are all learning and we are not experts. I would like to know what my peers said about my exhibit. I put lot of thought into it and would like to know how it was received. The next question is on a scale of 1-10 how would I rate my article and why? I would give myself a 9.5. Why? Number one is no one is perfect. Also I spent a lot of time viewing other exhibits finding one I could connect with. When I found the exhibit I did not just glance through it. I went through it numerous times over several days taking notes and studying the exhibit. I did not want to be unfamiliar or uninformed. I cannot say that this was my favorite project. I did like being able to view other exhibits and seeing the different topics my peers decided to focus on and how they were executed. That was the enjoyable part of this project. Writing the critique was the unfavorable part.

week 15 blog

Week 15 Video Review Blog\ Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T.J. Clark, 1981 In this video Clement Greenberg admits that “writing about visual arts is harder than writing about music. This is because you can write about music formally. He also stated that he has to remind himself to be relevant and that several times he let preferences cloud his articles. He discussed Modern and Abstract art. He also discussed that fact that “good art can come from anywhere.” Through his writings he counts on a cultivated public and hopes the public will respect what they cannot understand. Greenberg referred to Ruskin and Sylvester on the topic of intuition. He stated that they knew the value of judgment, that judgment is intuitive and judgment comes with experience. Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T.J. Clark This interview was based on the life and works of the artist Jackson Pollock. Green recalls Pollock’s fiancé telling him in the 1940s that Pollock would be a great pointer. He tells of his own discussions and influence with Pollock move to non-easel painting. He admits that he was wrong and that his works was “high fluting journalism.” Being discontent with cabinet painting Pollock moved to working on unstretched canvas and in doing so moved away orderliness. Greenberg acknowledges that there are all kinds or orderliness and that good art is always orderly. He also stated the only demands on an artist is that there works need to be good. Pollock moved to “drip” painting and in doing so was not accepted by his peer. Greenberg felt that his paintings failed not because of the technique but because they failed to the eye. He shared that artists seek fame and money and that Pollock achieved notoriety. Fame refers to exposure in newspapers and magazines which is related to art critics. An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance (Giorgio Vasari) Giorgio Vasari wrote the “Lives of the Artistis” which is the basis of art criticism. It allowed future generations to learn about the old masters. This video demonstrated that art continually changes. It gave an insight to the works of: Giotto, Ghiberti, Donatello, Paolo Uccello and Masaccio, Pierro della Francesca, Botticelli, da Vinci, Raffaello, and Michelangelo. This video showed how art emerged and changed after the Byzantine era. Most importantly it gave insight into how artists built on the works of their predecessors. The art continually changed and developed. The Critics Stories from Inside Pages Initially I was disappointed that this did not include art critics but when I was done viewing this video I realized that this was probably a good thing because it gave an overview of the role of a critic. Critics get the public to think and off fresh ideas. The critics in this video art passionate about the fields they critic and love their jobs because it changes everyday. The difference between informed a review and criticism was revealed. It was stated that superior professional criticism is when the critic brings experience to the table and makes a persuasive argument. Effective criticism requires logic, emotional support and creativity. Critical thinking, based on the components outlined by Bloom and Krathwohl’s components consists of: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Good critics write with their audience in mind and their works are well written and well constructed. The process of good writing is results from the taking of numerous notes. Elements of superior critics include: the six elements of critical thinking, good writing, the placement of works in historical and social contexts, and the ability to make connections. There is always a danger of mixing reviewing with criticism. The Internet has opened an expansive audience that can be reached by critics. To become a critic one needs: to write, find out if you like it, see if people want to hear what you want to say, know your subject, and have knowledge of the classics. Criticism is not necessarily negative it is based on analyzing, classifying, and looking at the big picture. Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture This video demonstrated by reviewing the 1900 World Fair in Paris how Western prejudice, ethnography, and art consumption have counteracted real intercultural dialog. Provided were examples of works created by the colonies in Africa. It did not matter how intricate or worthy the works were not considered art but rather crafts. The difference in the treatment of colonies and the exploitation of its peoples was brought to light. This was reflected in the architecture in the colonies as well as how they were presented at the Fair. Also highlighted was the fact that material culture is tied to the appreciation of descendants. Material culture recognizes formal quality and skill but is devoid of meaning. The Western world views the works through the eyes of Western art but give the works no history or cultural meaning. Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried, T.J. Clark in Conversation The conversation between modernist critic Michael Fried and social historian T.J. Clark took place in from of the work “Lavender Mist” by Jackson Pollock. It was enlightening to see different points of view. They discussed their conflicting reasons as to why Pollock has a place in the history of modern art. There was a discussion of Opticalism, that emerged from Greenberg, was discussed. They discussed their disagreement on the character of “Lavender Mist” and how the historical significance cannot be separated from the pictorial significance.

Reflection Journal to Project 4

Reflection on Art Curation Project Blog The theme of my project was based on two factors. The first is my love for my two dogs and the second the work Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash by Giacomo Balla, that I viewed on my last visit to the Albright Knox Art Gallery. The dog in the painting reminded me of one of my dog and I was also impressed with the sense of movement the painting portrayed. I really did not know what I was going to title the exhibit so for the blog I called it “A Dog’s View.” After reading Professor Tabone’s response to my theme I changed it to “Man’s Best Friend.” Initially I really wasn’t sure how successful I was going to be in finding works that matched my theme because I did not want to use pet portraits. I do not know what the problem was but I was unable to connect to ArtStor. Also when I tried to open other resources that came up as not available. I think if I had my research would have been easier. I started searching the internet. I did not want to use works that were just a result of a Google search that had no background or the information I needed to accompany the works in my exhibit. As a result I visited many galleries, some I was able to gather works and information from, and others not. I also visited the British Royal Collection. It was an experience but it was very time consuming. I was very pleased and surprised at the number of works I found. Once I gathered the works I set out to set up the exhibit. I reviewed the samples provided of past projects several times. Then I thought about my visit to the Albright Knox Art Gallery that preceded this project. The exhibits were shown on white walls, and even though the works were framed, there were no distractions of other colors or designs to take away from the works. I decided to keep my power point design simple to use a white background and to try to vary the exhibit by changing the layouts. I opened with the work by Balla that inspired the exhibit. Then I divided the works I found into categories: the oldest works I found, dogs within family/owner portraits, paintings of dogs that were not necessarily portraits, dogs within still life paintings, and dogs as a part of landscapes. I ended the exhibit with a work by Ethel Mars, “Untitled (Woman and Dog from Back,” that reminded me of the work that inspired the exhibit. The way I organized myself was I put each work on an index card with the necessary information on the front. I reviewed each work several times and added comments on the back. From this information I formed by descriptions. Once I decided on a format using the index cards made it easier to create the power point. I was pleased with the end result. I was happy that I found more than just pet portraits, in fact in some areas I had to edit and exclude works that I did not feel fit my exhibit or I felt were overly repetitive. I was also pleased that I was able to explore the works of artists some that I had heard of and others I had not. I was also able to explore different types of paintings, methods, and styles. I hope others will enjoy viewing my exhibit.

week 13 and 14

Video Blog – Week 13 and 14 The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art This video was very interesting and really provided new information that was not covered in the text book. Art historians termed this art influenced by comic books, B-movies, and rock and roll, Pop Art Surrealism. The pioneer of lowbrow was Robert Williams, in 1979. Isabel Samaras gave this media a meaning of its own when she began using television characters as her theme. In the early 1980s Big Daddy Roth brought concept art to painting and he was refused shows in museums in the United States. The Laguna Art Museum was the first to put on a show featuring Lowbrow art. The development of this movement was primarily on the west coast, “free thinkers,” and had a Polynesian influence that was brought to the states by servicemen. Lowbrow has been described as real. It is an movement that is more open to women and was brought to the attention to the world via the Internet. The galleries that feature Lowbrow art are the Tart Gallery in Vancouver, and the Shooting Gallery in San Francisco. Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach This video gave exposure to the Tate Approach used to display exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibits are displayed in rooms that each have a theme, such as landscape, still life, history, action, matter/environment, memory, society, within the rooms there are works from different media and eras that display the theme. This allows the visitors to see and compare the works. Each room is self contained and carefully positioned. Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology It was amazing to learn the number of Native Americans and artifacts that have been unearthed at archeological sites across the United States, and to view the amount of files and boxes. There is tension between scientists, historians, museum curators and Native American groups as to how these should be handles. Scientists have used the skeletons to examine health problems among tribes such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. Historians want them to study the development and extinction of different tribes. Museums want them to display stating that they are a part of culture. The Native Americans want them returned so they can remain a part of their heritage and receive proper burial. George Eastman House: Picture Picture Perfect This video outlined the work of George Eastman a visionary in the field of photography. It also gave a vision of the George Eastman House which displays a visual history of photography and his works under one roof. He was the first to develop a user friendly camera. The Brownie camera used by Ansel Adams to photograph the Grand Canyon was developed by Eastman. The Kodak company founded by Eastman was actually named after his mother’s maiden name. Art Curator This video gave a description of the job of an art curator. The job of a curator is to be a bridge between and artist and a viewer and to help prospective buyers understand an artist’s work. Interview: Josh Yiu This was an interview with Josh Yiu who holds the position of Assistant Curator of Chinese Art at the Seattle Art Museum. He described his job as enriching the collection of art through exhibitions. He also shares his knowledge with viewers. He himself is not an artist but would like to be. He is a student of pottery and shared one of his works. Interview with Wayne Baerwaldt Wayne Baerwaldt is the curator at Montreal Biennale. He described how applying themes enhances exhibitions. He stated that it is beneficial to acknowledge other curators and share experiences. Felicity Fenner Felicity Fenner was the curator at the Venice Biennale 2009. She gave a description of the decisions that needed to be made to include works in an exhibit and the marketing needed to have a successful exhibition. Peter Alter Peter Alter is the curator at the Chicago History Museum. He described how he makes decisions on what to bring into the museums and how he labels the works. He stated that he enjoys working with people, getting to know them and learning about their cultures. One of these groups was the lowriders where he actually brought a car in to display in the museum.

week 12 videos

Week 12 Video Blogs Andy Warhol:Images of an Image I have been fascinated with Andy Warhol’s soup cans for as long as I can remember so I decided to watch this video to gain further insight into his work. It added to the knowledge about Warhol and Pop Art that was presented in the text. Several of the things I learned about the artist included: that he really wanted to be a tap dancer, he first worked as a commercial artist when he began experimenting with advertising images that he had a dark side that reflected on plane/car crashes, suicides and electric chairs, and he began mass producing his work to make money. This video explored the production of the work Ten Lizes, a study of Elizabeth Taylor. Warhol was fascinated by celebrities and treated them as commodities. It was interesting to watch the process of silk screening and how prints can be reproduced using varied colors with the same image. It was also interesting to learn that Warhol published a magazine and was an art journalist who covered race riots, the moon landing, and the cultural revolution in China. Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art of the 50s and 60s This video explored six different works of art representative of Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art. This added depth and understanding to the text in that I gained more insight into Abstract art and I also find it helpful when painting are explained in detail. The first work was Franz Kline’s C+O. It was interesting to note that Kline started as a figurative artist and then became an abstract painter. He strove to evoke emotion in viewers by creating action painting. He considered the process a part of the work and the question of “Where to stop?” lies in when the experiment is complete. Frankenthaler’s Mountain and Sea was unique in that it was painted on cotton cloth and the texture can be seen and becomes a part of the work. Morning:The Springs by Wilhem de Kooig used color to suggest meaning. It was very interesting to view the change in his style from his earlier work, Women One, and to his paintings in which nothing is recognizable. Jasper John’s Flag as well as some his later works were described as defying the logic of art history. I learned that Rauschenberg was actually the father of the Pop Art movement that began in the 20th century and Andy Warhol was actually the son. This is the description of the work The Texan, presented in this video. The notion of combining representation and abstraction was presented in Girl with Hair Ribbon by Lictenstein. The artist’s approach to painting was mechanical and when the viewer looked closely the image was actually lost. Uncertainty: Modernity and Art I chose this video to gain more knowledge in the area of Modern art. It added to the information presented in the text. The basic key concepts presented was that modern art is contemporary society’s version of the Delphi Oracle the wanting to know ourselves, that it communicates chaos, anxiety and uncertainty, art changes as everything changes and reflects what we are. I learned that Hitler actually staged art shows. I also learned that Abstract Expressionists were outcasts because they had attitudes, they were fighting for meaning in a consumer driven society. Pop Art emerged as people looking at their own disillusion and striving to be opposite. It was interesting to see how art is being created in China. It was also revealing to see Watteau’s work and what it had to say: life is sordid, society is corrupt, and art reflects the present. Hockney on Photography I chose this video to learn more about photography as art and because I didn’t remember the name Hockney being mentioned in the text or any of the other videos I watched. I felt this greatly added to the text in the area of photography and gave a great insight to this artist who possessed very diverse talents and interests. He gravitated from drawing, to photography, to using modern technology (fax machine) to theater art. In all his works he endeavored to challenge perspective and encouraged viewers to take a step back, a technique he employed in his work. It was fascinating to see how he created a work using a collage of pictures. He also used this technique, collage, to create cubist pictures. He explained how technology at first hindered his work, because it was costly to developing pictures, to enabling his work as technology reduced the cost of the process. I thought it was genius when some of his photos were destroyed in processing that he used the note from the fotomat explaining their error in the spot where the pictures were to go. It was very interesting to watch his career go back and forth between mediums and especially in photography as he adjusted to the use of different types of cameras.