Post #30

My three favorite artworks are the "Imagining America" landscape,  my stencil, and my inkblot. To begin with, I think my landscape was awesome because I was able to fully complete each layer. Similarly to the stencil, I liked the fact that I had an original message to portray. My landscape was colorful and unique. Moreover, my stencil was well done because it had cute animals that went together with the text. When I printed my drawing, the figures were well defined. Lastly, my inkblot was attractive due to the abstract designs and form it had. The colors I used to trace the inkblot  were bright and contrasted with the pastels and hues of blues of the inkblot. In short, these three art pieces are great.

Post #29

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"In Piece: The Women at Pinewood Gardens"
                                   Becca Bernstein

    This is a painting by American artist, Becca Bernstein. Her work is groundbreaking because it depicts the reality of humans. To me, it means that it is part of life to grow old. It's only natural that we will lose our agility, strength, and appearance up to a certain point. Rather than just a portrait, this artwork shows the personality of an elderly lady. She looks happy and peaceful. I'm glad that she doesn't paint youthful personalities. This is  because even though in the painting the subject will never get old, in reality it's a different story. She portrays how fragile we all are despite what we say. Overall, she is a great artist that has changed how we view others and ourselves.

Post #28

                       Even cats need a good laugh sometimes.

Post #27

           A website I always go to is Yahoo! I enjoy visiting this website because I can check my email, get informed about the current news, the weather, and search just about anything. This website allows me to do different things at the click of a button. Due to this, I have it as my homepage when I start my internet browser. The first thing I do is scroll through the various news pieces. I like the variation of political, celebrity gossip, health, world news, and even bizarre stories. I click on a headline I want to read or watch the news video. After that, I check my email with the "Open Quickview" option. Additionally, I check my other emails through this website and have access to Facebook. Finally, I search for a subject that migh t be in my mind. Yahoo! is part of my identity because it feeds me with cultural currency of daily events. It's better than waiting for the news to come on. In short, Yahoo! makes me feel safe and comfortable.

Post #26

                                     

                                                      

           In my view, the artist was trying to say that he can be joyful and positive but the personality that shows the most is being stern. To begin with, the colors in the background are bright hues, such as blue, orange, yellow and green. These colors usually make the viewer feel as if they're in a sunny place where everyone is nice. Furthermore, the black figure stamped over the bright colors shows evilbness and mystery. This can be another definition of the artwork. Franz Kline might be trying to say that he doesn't want anybody to know who he really is, so he presents himself with mystery. Moreover, the meaning of this painting could also be that. sometimes people pay too much attention on your flaws rather than your good traits. I say this because when I first saw his painting, I was drawn to the thick black figure. It was the emphasis that I was drawn to. In short, I believe Franz Kline is portraying his multiple personalities.

Post #25 Poem

Franz Kline
Untitled

Mystery tries to cover a true personality

The black shape feels gloomy and empty

Happiness is hidden in the background

A true meaning is not found

Madness is tearing the painting apart

It is classified as the abstract expressionism movement of art

Where breaking the standards was the only rule

Its simplicity and color makes it pretty cool

I feel lonely when I see it

The black smear seems out of place, it doesn't fit

Only this shape appears to be dripping and breaking down

If I omit the blackness, I'm reminded of a clown

Orange hair, red nose, blue pants, green shoes

Overall, this is a wonderful combination of strokes, lines and hues

Post 24

        I would like to live in Belize, Brazil because it has a beautiful scenery and climate. To begin with there are a lot of tourist attractions. for instance, you can visit the Amazon jungles, beaches, and see diverse wildlife. Also, there are many waterfalls and colorful birds crowding the sky. Furthermore, the economy of Brazil is in great shape, therefore I would be able to sustain a good lifestyle. I can afford to buy a nice house and have the luxuries I desire. In addition, the climate is tropical. This means it doesn't get cold or snowy throughout the winter time in North America. Overall, I would be full of happiness if I lived in Brazil.

Post #23 Landscape Story

                                

        This wonderful place is the home of a girl named, Anabelle. She wakes up every morning gazing at this scenery. She lives in a nearby lodge where electronics are not necessary to have fun. As soon as she exits the door, she wanders around looking for food. She carries around a basket to collect berries, fruits, and if she's lucky, fish. From this high hill she walks down trying to keep from rolling down. Along the way, she yanks off berries from passing branches. To get some energy, she decides to take a dive in the river. She's wide open ready for more adventure. There's no need for a towel when the warm breeze can dry you in its nurturing arms. Anabelle sits on the edge, picks up a stick and patiently waits for swimming fish. As soon as one catches her eye, she stabs it. In the distance, she sees a small boat. A smile grows on her face. Everyday, new visitors pass by to admire the beauty of what she calls her home. They bring new things for her to see and keep. Sha talks to them and then they wave goodbye. On her way back home, she sees a deer. The deer approaches her and Anabelle pets its smooth texture. Back in the lodge, she will make a delicious blueberry pie and cook the fish until its meat is tender. She will spend some time with her new gifts and gaze out her window. As sunset arrives, she knows the day is about to end.

Post #22

Yasunao Tone is a Japanese artist who has expressed his art through different media types. First of all, he was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1935. In 1957, he graduated from Chiba Japanese National University, majoring in Japanese literature. He became involved in the Fluxus movement during the 1960s, moving to the United States in 1972. He is most recognized for his musical work. To create distinct sounds, he used music players that extracted pieces from CDs and used those to create new selections. As a result of modern devices not being able to perform this, he uses old equipment. In honor of his work he has been awarded multiple grants from prestigious foundations. This includes the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts

Post #21

http://listverse.com/2007/12/08/top-10-inkblot-test-cards/

      To begin with, my subconscious sees the head of a wolf. The bottom set of triangles are the eyes, while the pointy shapes on the sides of the head are the ears. In addition, it appears to be an upside down crown. Moreover, there seems to be two creatures on the left and right pulling apart the shape in the middle. That shape is a woman with her hands up. Also, if you flip the shape upside down, you can see two birds on either side with their beaks open eating some sort of fruit.

Post #20

               Bicycle Wheel
The Dada Movement began in the early twentieth century. It changed the meaning of contemporary art, bringing about new styles and techniques. It originally developed as an anti-war movement full of odd ideas and irrationality. A famous artist part of this was Marcel Duchamp. His kinetic sculpture, Bicycle Wheel, is an example of artworks during the Dada movement. To begin with, he put an upside down wheel on a wooden kitchen stool. He invented objects to challenge the real meaning of art. This made people rethink the established definition of art. Furthermore, his sculpture enhanced the interaction between the viewer and craft. 

Post #19

            I enjoyed the experience of creating portraits during this unit because I learned what portraiture was all about. Before this project, I thought portraiture referred only to the making of a self portrait. I now understand that portraits are more than just a picture. They tell the viewer about the lives of the subjects. It teaches us about different time periods and important changes in history. Moreover, I learned the process of making my own portraits and developing my own style. My favorite part was adding color to my drawings. I was anxious to see if my portrait resembled the actual photographs. However, the size of the drawings made it harder to paint small details such as facial lines and lips. Even the smaller brushes were not small enough to fill tiny spaces. Despite of this, I was able to create the pictures based on people that inspire me. That made the project more meaningful and important.   

Post #18

                                http://www.lisahebden.com/blog/?attachment_id=395
                                                                   A Boo Day
First and foremost, the painting was created by Lisa Hebden. It feautures a young girl with a sad complexion. The artist added white to the colors to create tints. As you can see, the colors appear to be mostly faded and worn. Her hair is a mixture of white and beige, a possible variation of yellow. The fact that the artist used this dull coloring rather than bright colors signifies that the overall emotion is cheerlessness. The eyes of the girl look shiny, as if on the verge of tears. Her lips are a dry brown with no sign of a smile. Overall, the skin of the little girl is pale white rather than a creamy peachy color. Clearly, the painting portrays no sign of livelihood.

Post #17 SPRITE

 

                            Chief Joseph, Nez Percé, 1903 

           This is a photograph of Chief Joseph taken by portrait artist Edward Sheriff Curtis. He is part of the Nez Perce tribe in Washington. The social aspect of the picture is that the subject is part of a Native American group. Also, by the numerous feathers on his headdress he shows he holds an important position in society. Furthermore, politics is portrayed in the photograph because Chief Joseph is the leader of his tribe. In other words he acted like a president in modern government. Adding to that, we can see a glimpse of religion by the fact that the Chief is wearing a headdress full of eagle feathers. This shows that the eagle was a sacred animal. Moreover, the intellectual aspect is evident because the Chief is well dressed and looks healthy meaning he has skills to sustain a good lifestyle. The craftsmanship of the headdress, the necklace and clothing is a form of technology. They probably used animal material to sew and decorate their creations. The photograph shows that the tribe had a stable economy because the Native American Chief is adequately dressed and has many feathers. The feathers signify great triumphs of the Chief such as defeating an enemy where he gained power. Overall, the photograph provides an insight into the lives of Native Americans.

Post #16

Carrie Mae Weems

 The Kitchen Table Series

This is a photograph by the artist Carrie Mae Weems. I can relate to this piece because the kitchen table is where I do everthing at home. I do my homework on  it, I eat, I watch TV, and I talk on the phone there. Just as in the photo, at home the kitchen table is the center of the house. I like the fact that the picture shows a kitchen table and not a dining table which is more formal. The dining table is the ideal in a household because it's where people eat. My kitchen table is located in the kitchen but has the size to be a dining table. The lamp shining on the table emphasizes the table as the protagonist both in the picture and title.

Post #15

Self Portrait with Champagne Glass 1919

Max Beckam

This artwork is a self portrait of the artist Max Beckam. It was created during the Surrealism era in the early 1900s. To begin with, surrealistic means having an oddly dreamlike or unreal quality.This is true for the painting because the skin tone is unlike real skin color. There many tints and shades that would otherwise not appear in a real human. It appears as if the hands are a grayish tint. This was probably the result of adding white to a beige skin color.The left side of the face has a darker value as a consequence of lighting not reaching that part.Also the background is a variation of reds and oranges. The man in the background is also unrealistic because his glass lense is pure white and not clear like glass. Overall, the painting has a human resemblance but can be described more as cartoonish.

Post #14

Cat In A Box
http://foundmagazine.com/find/458 
 

This is a picture of a cat found on the sidewalk in Glebe, Ottawa.  It's an orange tabby in a box.  I feel a connection to the found object because I have a gray, tabby cat named, Christopher. The fact that the cat in the picture is in a box reminds me of the day I met my cat. He was a stray roming around, without a home. One summer day, I woke up and found him sleeping on the floor, next to my bed. I'm pretty sure he got in through the window, because I left it open. I told my mom about him, but she told me to take it outside. I lured him out with a bowl of cat food. Ever since that day, he came to my yard to eat. When we moved, I took him along. I bathed him, combed him and we took him to the vet. He was no longer a cat "living in a box," but a loved housecat who belonged to a family.

Post #13

I have nostalgia for this brown teddy bear because it reminds me of my life as a little girl. I remember Texas, where I was born, and El Slavador, where my parents are from. I connect this teddy bear with Texas because I received it as a gift from one of my cousins while we were living there. El Salvador comes to mind because my parents and I lived there for awhile. In both of these places I have relatives who I have visited with my bear.. .

Post #12

                                  

                      HANG OVER


Fred Tomaselli can be described as a postmodern artist. First of all, he uses the postmodern strategy, re-contextualization in his painting, Hang Over. An  example that shows this are the hands on the tree in the center. This shows re-contextualization because the artist has put the hands in a new context. No longer are they body parts, but they are leaves. In addition, he used layering when he created the colorful necklaces. He had to draw the strands over each other to give the image that they are dangling.

Post #11

Hang Over

                             Fred Tomaselli
    The artist I chose is named Fred Tomaselli.  He was born in 1956 in Santa Monica, California. He graduated from Orange High School and went to California State University, Fullerton. In 1982, he graduated with a B.A in painting and drawing. In order to paint,  he uses thick layer of clear, epoxy resin on wood panels. He prefers painting on the floor. Fred Tomaselli currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. One reason I chose this artist is because I liked his paintings. At a glance, they look colorful and sparkly. I believe this is because of the black background he usually uses. He adds a lot of intricate designs to the objects in his artworks.