Self-Portrait

I visited the Albright-Knox and Burchfield again and found it hard to find self-portraits.  Of course, the Albright-Knox has Frida Kahlo's self-portrait (see below) and I did find a self-portrait by Lars Gustaf Sellstedt at the Burchfield.  Although I did not see any others on these trips to the museums, I remembered seeing a self-portrait at the Albright in the past by Chuck Close, which I was able to find online.  The one by Chuck Close is probably my favorite because of the overall composition that gives a mosaic effect.  However, I really felt a connection with the Frida Kahlo self-portrait since we spoke about it in class.

Creating my own self-portrait was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  I ended up doing four different ones using different media.  My final project is a mixture of oil pastel and marker because I thought it was the most successful compared to my attempts with pencil and watercolor.  It was challenging to draw myself because I do not think it resembles me very much, but overall I tried to make it lighthearted and fun because I don't ever want to take myself too seriously.  However, I do think that the piece represents me since I created it and was able to focus on what makes me unique.  The main elements and principles I employed were color, unity, and texture.  I did enjoy the project and am pretty happy with my final artwork, especially since it was my first attempt at a self-portrait!  Here is an original picture of myself and my finished self portrait:

 

Art Criticism

For my art criticism article, I chose to review Kelly O’Keefe’s exhibit, “Cool Blues.”  I selected this particular exhibit out of all the others because I thought it was very well done and that it was a unique idea that I was interested in.  In writing the critique, I faced the challenge of how to be critical enough, especially since I thought the exhibit was so well put together.  However, I did come up with some constructive criticism in the end to improve upon the exhibit by imagining myself actually experiencing the exhibit.  I liked critiquing my peers’ work because I do not always get to see what everyone else is doing for their projects and it was fun to see what directions everyone took with the projects.  I would definitely be interested in hearing what people had to say about my personal art Curation project.  I would rate my finished article a 10 because I had a lot of interest in the exhibit I was critiquing, yet I tried to remain unbiased in order to give an objective review.  This project was probably my favorite project of the semester, I really enjoyed it!

Reflection

My expectations for this course were that I would learn about art history and techniques and also reconnect with my artistic side.  I would say that I learned more about art history than actual techniques and styles, but I definitely never thought I would know this much about elements and principles!  I do think I got back in touch with my creative side this semester, and I am very thankful that I made time for it!

This course reinforced my previous definition of art as "any visual expression."  There are so many different types of art, cultures, and people, that almost anything can be seen as art.

In the beginning of the semester, my favorite artist was my friend Mandie, who does amazing work in ceramics.  However, my favorite visual artist is definitely now Charles Burchfield - I have been to the Burchfield Penney Art Museum many times, and each time I learn something new about him that makes me appreciate him even more.  I especially can relate to his feelings about nature.

After this course, I have to admit that taking an online class is a lot more work than I thought it would be.  I originally thought I would be able to do it on my own time, but it is really hard for me to make time to do it - I probably would have done better just going to school for a class.  Nevertheless, I am glad I experienced it and now I know more about myself and my preferences!

Week 16 Videos

Greenberg on Art Criticism 
In this video, Greenburg relates art criticism to music criticism, pointing out that music is easier to critique due to the way musicians emote their music and that a score is used.  On the other hand, art is harder to be subjective about when it comes to criticism.  I will definitely keep these perspectives in mind for my project.
 
Greenberg on Pollock 
This video focused on the artwork of Jackson Pollock.  Interestingly, Pollock rejected the easel, yet used it throughout his career.  The video also explained the techniques utilized by Pollock, which oftentimes result in an artwork that isn't easy on the eyes.  This video related to art criticism in that it gave a whole picture on the artist, yet critiqued specific elements of his works.


The Critics: The Story from the Inside Page 
This video took an interesting angle of art criticism by comparing critics to reporters.  For example, music reporters might report on how the audience reacts to a concert, just as an art critic takes in the big picture beyond the artwork, including how the artwork affects the viewer.  It will be important for me to incorporate these ideas into my self-portrait project.

An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance
This video was different from any we have viewed throughout the semester because it involved a skit.  The main message of the film was that all art inspires more art.  This relates to the project in that it reminds us to look to other artists for inspiration, motivation, and ideas.

The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture
This video touches on sexual exploitation of indigenous women and other topics of views of non-western art and culture.  As an anthropologist, I appreciated the tools segment that shared the view that tools can be considered an art form just as much as a traditional paintings and pottery.

Jackson Pollock 
This video introduced concepts of art criticism by discussing Pollock, considered a master, yet also used to describe a low point in modern art.  The film included a detailed discussion of the work "Lavender Mist," a controversial abstract painting.  This video inspired me to consider doing something more abstract for my self-portrait.

My Exhibit: Back to Nature

Like many of my peers, I am intersted in art in nature.  For my exhibit I took the angle of how art can reconnect us with nature and entitled it "Back to Nature."  My undergaduate research has focused on the growing disconnection between humans and nature and I did a first-hand study in Australia of how aboriginal peoples live more closely with the natural world and how we can incorporate this back into modern society.

I found it very exciting to be working through art to convey this message through which I formerly have only been able to reference other studies, journal articles, books, etc.  I tried to use very interactive pieces and also have a variety of media, from sculpture to large installations to paintings to videos.  I also tried to include a range of ideas that are related to the theme of reconnecting humans with nature through art.

It was not very hard for me to find 25 works that related to my theme.  The hardest part for me was arranging them in a way that would benefit and make sense to the viewer, but I am very happy with the final product!  I actually am now wishing this was a real exhibit I could go visit!

Week 13: From Modern to Postmodern

Isamu Noguchi: The Sculpture of SpacesI chose to watch this video because I am interested in the idea of spaces because of my goal to enter the field of urban planning.  I agree with his idea that the earth itself will someday be the subject of sculpture.  Furthermore, as he points out, civilizations have been doing this since the beginning of time, such as the Aztecs.  I thought it was interesting that Noguchi started off by designing stage sets – like a miniature world.  My favorite work featured in the video was his water sculpture; it is interesting how water can also define space.  Although this video was a little dry without music, I enjoyed it because it brought a different dimension to sculpture besides what we learned from the book.

Hockney on PhotographyI watched this video because I am interested in photography and think it is a very accessible art form.  The part I found most interesting to learn about is the void between the photographer and the subject.  I also enjoyed Hockney’s Polaroid collages, which are actually more like mosaics.  I really liked this film because it allowed me to understand what was going on inside the artist’s mind while he was creating the art or how he planned it, which you often do not get to hear about.  In fact, this video discussed the artist’s entire life, which was interesting to relate to his artwork.  I think this video most related to what we learned about photography earlier in the semester when learning about the history of art.

Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50s and 60sI chose to watch this video because I thought the title was interesting.  As it turns out, the video did help me to understand abstract art on a deeper level than was provided by the book.  I liked the explanation that the point of abstract art is to “think and feel what the painting is.”  This video was different than many that we have watched this semester – it just showed images of the paintings and other pictures and did not include any people talking besides the narrators.  However, it did help me to understand and appreciate abstract art more.  The video focused on six works and the artists.  “C&O” by Kline is one abstract art this video focused on and it was emphasized that this artist used color to imply ambiguity.  “Mountains and Sea” is by an American artist, Helen Frankenthaler.   The narrator pointed out that works such as this make you question what a painting is.  De Koonig’s “Morning: The Spring.”  In abstract art like this, nothing is identifiable.  However, after the narrator’s explanations, I agree that this work may represent natural elements such as plants and water.  Jasper John’s “Flag” does not seem abstract at first – it just looks like a regular American flag.  The artist wanted tomake us look hard at his subject as if we were seeing a flag for the first time, making us question its significance.  This work is probably my favorite out of the group after I realized that it is mainly composed of newspaper.  “The Texan” by Andy Warhol is a work by Warhol I have never seen before.  It includes many images of the one man (who is in fact another artist).  I learned that pop art, such as Andy Warhol’s, was the first to embrace the rhythms and textures of city life.   The video also explains how “Girl with Hair Ribbon” by Lichtenstein conveys surprise and seduction. 

Uncertainty: Modernity and ArtI watched this video because it seemed like I would be able to relate to the art in it more since it focuses on modernity.  It turned out to be my favorite video from this week.  The video suggested that art can tell us about ourselves; it started by discussing Greek statues, which mainly referenced divinity and “knowing thyself.”  I agreed with the narrator’s suggestion that “modern art is contemporary society’s version of the Delphic Oracles.”  The main point of this video is that uncertainty is the underlying message of modern art – everything is always changing.  I thought this video was very well done and fast moving, which really kept my attention.  Also, it used examples of many different works to expand on what we learned about modern art from the book.

Burchfield Penney Art Center

This week I visited the Burchfield and the “An Overabundance of Detail” exhibit really captured my interest.  The title of the exhibit fit the theme very well, as many of the works in the collection seemed simple, yet had exceptional detail with a closer look. 

This particular gallery had only white walls and the lighting consisted of small spotlights on the ceiling as well as a boxed in skylight.  The interior architecture of the space was very minimal – there was basically just the wood floor, a glass door, and the plastic pedestals for the artwork which were encased in glass.  There was space to walk around each pedestal in order to see every side of the art pieces.  The movement of the viewer therefore was meandering amongst these artworks, as well as looking at the pieces which were mounted on the wall.  However, the movement was generally from the front of the gallery to the back.
The floor plan of the Burchfield Penney can be found here:
http://www.burchfieldpenney.org/pdf/BPAC_Floor_Plan.pdf

The artworks were organized randomly in this meandering fashion, all at least 5 feet from each other.  There were multiple works from each featured artist, so there were many similarities of the pieces overall, but most of the works by the same artists were not placed next to each other.  All of the works also shared the similarity of simplicity and immense detail.  However, they did differ in the media and techniques used to achieve this, as well as their overall meanings.  Most of the works were three dimensional and therefore not framed, but all works were labeled with a white card detailing the title, artist, year, and media used.

One of the first works that caught my eye was “I Glow for You” by Felice Koenig.  This 2010, 3 foot by 3 foot work consisted of layers of acrylic paint on canvas to achieve a glossy and textured look.   It consisted of many white, red, pink, and yellow dots.  I would consider this work to be representational and possibly include modified images of eyes or cells.  Koenig’s theory behind her artwork is that the use of patterning can actually make a viewer pay attention to the details.  This work exemplifies the elements and principles of texture, color, rhythm, and harmony.  The yellow dots in “I Glow for You” reminded me of octopus eyes, while the pinkish elements reminded me of human insides.  This was very fitting as Koenig’s concept in her artwork is the vulnerability of the body.  Therefore, I interpreted this piece to be about the beauty of the human body, or seeing beauty in small details.

Another artwork I chose to analyze was “Vessel #87 (Span)” by Dennis Nahabetian.  This work is about 1 foot by three quarters of a foot and was made of copper, bronze, and pigment and is dated 2008.  This piece was representational as it contained a modified image of a bridge.  The principles and elements utilized b y Nahabetian include form, line, and rhythm.  This work actually reminded me of a blueprint as well as a bridge.  Therefore, I think this work goes beyond being a decorative vessel to an object that speaks of the attention to detail required in any art.

Finally, I focused on “Untitled 2010” by Carolyn Panzica, a sugar string on sugar base work measuring about 1.5 square feet.  This work actually looked like a cake, with diagonal lines (some flat, some wavy).  Colors used were red, yellow, blue, and green.  The principles and elements involved in this piece were line, form, color, proportion, texture, and movement.  Besides a cake, this work also reminded me of architecture and I related it to how when I become an urban planner, I will have to work with the environment (such as the sun, fire, water, and plant life that the colors may represent).  

Before I decided to study urban planning, I was very interested in architecture.  Therefore, I enjoyed taking this perspetive of analyzing a space and how it was designed to guide the gallery guests through their viewing experience.  I think the Burchfield is very well done and therefore I liked the atmosphere at this gallery moreso than at the Albright-Knox.  I also am very happy that the Burchfield is LEED Certified!

Week 12 Video Reviews

The Mystical North: Spanish Art from the 19^th Century to the PresentI chose to watch this film because we had an exchange student from the Basque region in the north of Spain.  I learned that Goya’s work reflected the feelings of doubt in the 19^th century.  I thought the “black paintings” on his walls were very interesting to learn about.  Conversely, the 20^th century exuberance was characterized by the architect Gaudi’s art.  Historic periods in Northern Spain are also represented Pablo Picasso and Francisco Franco, and more recently, Frank Gehry and Santiage Calatrava.  Overall, I thought the concept of this video was very unique – studying the psychological landscape of Spain through art – and was an effective way to bring together the ideologies and lives of many different artists introduced in the book.

Expressionism
I chose to watch this video because I wanted to learn more about expressionism.  I learned that symbolism through color is very important in this style of painting.  For example, the bright colors used in Beckmann’s “Actors” convey the idea that the people depicted might as well be puppets.  The film was very quiet but it definitely helped me to learn more about expressionism after being introduced to it from the book.

Dada and Surrealism
I chose this film because I have always been interested in surrealism.  The film examined six different works by Schwitter, Hoch, Grosz, Miro, Dali, and Ray and their relation to the Dada movement (following World War I) and surrealism.  My favorite was Schwitter’s use of collage from ordinary everyday objects.  I think the film was a little dry and would have been better with music, but I still find the concept of surrealism fascinating – tapping into the unconscious mind.

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884 (Seurat)
I chose this film because I wanted to learn more about this painting because I have never appreciated it but I thought maybe I would if I learned more about it.  As I learned about it, I became more interested in the painting once the enigmas involved in it were pointed out, such as the monkey (might it represent “monkey business”?).  Furthermore, learning about the historic period on which the painting is based helped me to understand why people are so interested in it – for instance, the park was a place to find prostitutes, which leads viewers to consider if every unaccompanied woman is soliciting herself.  I also am intrigued by Seurat’s pointillism technique – it really shows how much work went into the painting.  Overall, this film did a very thorough job of outlining Seurat’s life, influences, and the details of this particular painting.  Moreover, it reinforced what we learned about him and pointillism from the book.

Mask Making

The inspiration pieces for my mask project were:

The Classic Fang Mask from Gabon is actually one of the most recognized masks in the world and apparently one of the most attractive to Western eyes, which may explain why I chose it.  It is a narrow upside-down teardrop shape that is mainly a natural white/ivory color.  The facial features consist of black lines that represent the nose and eyebrows as well as holes for eyes and the mouth.  Shape can be seen in this piece if you look at the areas between the components.  Line is another element used in this work because it creates the features of the mask as well as leading your eye.  However, the most important element of this mask may have been shape, as the actual shape makes a large impact on the viewer.

I chose the Oceanic yam mask because I found it interesting that men make them to decorate giant yams to make “yam men” as part of their festival.  These masks are also unique because of they are made with woven rattan and dyed with natural pigments.  This mask resembles a basket because it is woven and because of the shape.  The facial features include big ovals which represent the eyes and there is a space that may be the nose or mouth at the bottom of the mask.  The mask utilizes subtle colors of green, yellow, white, and orange.  The strongest element in this work is texture due to the materials used.  Form is also important in this work as it is very three dimensional.  Space also plays a role, especially for the “mouth” and the “headdress” parts.

The European Clown Mask is a very complex and abstract carved wooden mask whose facial features are formed by waves and cuts in the wood.  The most important element in this work is form because of the complicatedness of the carving.  Also, the mask looks completely different from a front to side view because of its dimensions.  Space and line are also utilized by the artist in order to create the features of the mask.  I chose this mask as an inspiration piece because it was the most unique one I saw.

Here are my sketches and final project:

My final piece is called “We Are Nature.”  I used a button, decorative paper, dead leaves, and birch tree bark.  The elements and principles I incorporated were texture, rhythm, and ultimately, unity.  There is texture from the leaves, bark, and button and rhythm from the pattern on the paper.  Unity was achieved through interaction of all of the components.

 I thought the mask project was a lot of fun.  I enjoyed learning about masks in the first place because they are an easy way to take a look at different cultures.  It was fun to incorporate my personal philosophies into my project.

Week 11 Video Review

I watched the Buddhism video because I learned a lot about this way of life in my anthropology class called “Religion, Magic, and Culture.”  This video added to the knowledge I learned in that class as well as in the textbook readings this week.  For example, I knew that the fundamental goal of Buddhism is to be free from all desire, but I didn’t know there was a word for it (tanja) until watching the film.  I enjoyed seeing the Great Stupa (and all of the Buddhist ideas incorporated into it), which I did not know was a pilgrimage site for Buddhists and also inspired the Parliament building design.  Overall, I thought this film was good because it included a lot of information in a short amount of time.

I watched Islamic Art: India and the Middle East because I wanted to learn about Islamic mosques because my sister recently visited some in Istanbul.  I appreciated learning about the history of Islam throughout this video; it is interesting to note that the medieval Islamic map is oriented with the south and north the opposite of what we are used to.  Ever since seeing my sister’s pictures from mosques in Istanbul, I was interested in learning more about the beautiful art involved in these places of worship.   The narrator pointed out that elements of the Christian basilica, Roman temple, and visions of paradise from Buddhism can all be seen in the Islamic mosque.  I thought this film was very well done and tied into the readings from the book.  Furthermore, as an anthropology major, I also appreciated that Waldemar Januszczak alluded to breaking down the stereotypes of Muslim terrorists. 

I chose to view African Art: Legacy of Oppression because I am interested in Africa because my grandma and grandpa once lived there for 4 years.  I learned that this art is often stereotyped as “primitive,” but it actually holds very deep meaning.  I personally enjoyed learning about the more abstract African art and ideas.  I thought it was interesting that some of the art from the turn of the century even had influences from Picasso.  Besides going along with the readings, this film was also useful in that it focused a lot on masks, which are considered magical art objects in African culture and may serve as inspiration for my project this week.  The film was interesting and although a little outdated, it was great to learn about the art of a different culture.

Finally, I watched Chinese Art: Treasures of the National Palace Museum because the title sounded interesting.  I really enjoyed it and have found a new appreciation for Chinese art – each piece was so beautiful.  I especially admire the simple touches, such as the leaf incorporated into the Zhou dynasty tea bowl.  It was amazing to see these pieces as you would normally never see them unless you visited the museum – I learned so much about artworks I have never heard about before, such as the curio cabinet.  I also like the succinct style of the film and the fact that it gave interesting facts about each piece.  It was nice to see so many examples of the art we have been learning about in the book.

Week 9 Art Making

The hand sketching project turned out not to be as intimidating as I thought it was going to be!  In fact, I almost found it easier to sketch with my non-dominant hand.  I started sketching with my dominant hand first and then moved onto my non-dominant hand.  At first, it was weird to hold the pencil in the other hand and I wasn't even sure where to start.  However, I actually think my drawing with my non-dominant hand came out better - possibly because I had to focus more.  It was pretty amazing!  Both were successful studies.

I chose to use pencil because if I used charcoal it would be too tempting to blend it and it would not be as defined.  It was interesting to use my hand as the subject of the drawing - I have never paid that much attention to the detail of my hand before!

Week 9 Video Review

I chose to watch Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance because I am very interested in Da Vinci’s work ever since reading about the supposed symbolism involved in The Da Vinci Code.  The video reviewed his entire life, including his exceptional intelligence since infancy and how he embodied The Renaissance in his quest to understand humans.  However, the most important part for me was learning about Da Vinci as an urban planner, since that is the field I am going into.  This part was especially interesting to me as I have spent a few days in Milan.  Also, I had no idea that Da Vinci was one of the first to secretly perform dissections.  I thought this film was very comprehensive, although the continuous music almost took away from that.  The film definitely related to everything we have discussed about the Renaissance and Renaissance from the text.

I watched The Night Watch because I was interested in the title although I had no idea what it would be about.  I have to admit I never heard of Rembrandt before this class, but after watching the film I can’t believe I have never heard of The Night Watch before since it is so important to the Dutch people; the sheer size of this painting is amazing.  It seems like this painting was very controversial because it has been stabbed and attacked with acid.  I learned that one of the achievements of Rembrandt in The Night Watch was the allusion of movement throughout the painting, unlike paintings before his time.  I most enjoyed learning about the small details of the history of the painting, such as how it had to be trimmed to fit in the door (“the greatest act of official vandalism in Dutch history”) and what the x-rays reveal.  His use of light and perspective reinforced the concept of chiaroscuro in that his use of light was very important to the overall mood of the piece.

I was attracted to La Primavera for no other reason besides that shrimp primavera is my favorite dish at Olive Garden.  It ended up being very interesting as I learned about how controversial and mysterious this work is.  I learned that there are many different interpretations for what the painting represents, including sex or humanism and neo-Platonism.  However, the nine figures in the painting represent mythological characters, including Venus.  This painting also has a lot of associations with marriage, as the themes of rape and violence are common in paintings for newlyweds since they show that adversity ends with a happy marriage.  Also, many of the flowers depicted are associated with marriage.  After watching the film, I still do not have a clear idea of what the painting is about, but maybe that is what draws people to it.  Also, this film went over some elements of the Renaissance discussed in the text, such as humanism and neo-Platonism.

I chose Albrecht Durer: Image of a Master after reading the description because I was interested in learning about the printmaking aspect of the artist’s work.  Durer is credited with bringing Renaissance art to Italy during the time of gothic art in Germany and is known for his skill in portraiture.  He is also considered the first landscape artist.  I was most interested in the fact that Durer’s woodcuts portraying angry images played a role in supporting Martin Luther because I remember learning about that in traditional history classes.  I found this video to be interesting and helpful as it tied in some of the discussions about religion that the text includes.

Week 8: Video Reviews

The first video was More Human than Human and focused on artists’ obsession with human form.
I liked the video because of the angle it took on works of art about the human body – I agree that the world’s most popular images of the human body are popular because they are unrealistic.  As an anthropologist, I loved that the video involved archaeology!  The most interesting part for me was learning about different version of Venus figures – I had formerly only learned about one version of them in my anthropology classes and was fascinated by the fact that they were found in numerous cultures.   This video related to much of the content in Chapter 14, such as the section on the Venus of Willendorf figures.

I chose to watch The Illuminated Manuscript because I was very interested in learning about it when it was presented in Chapter 15.  I very much enjoyed the Irish accents, especially since it is St. Patrick’s Day!  I learned about the life of people during the Middle Ages (especially illuminators), a period I am very interested in.  It was interesting that few people knew how to read and write besides scribes, monks, etc.  I can’t imagine what life would be like if I were illiterate!

I chose to watch Cairo Museum because I once had an exchange student from Egypt and with everything that is going on in Egypt right now, I thought it would be a good one to watch.  And of course, I have always been interested in ancient Egyptian culture!  I liked this video, especially because it was directly related to anthropology.  I love learning about how anthropology, especially archaeology and museum studies, are connected to art and art history.  I think this video made a good point that the mystery of ancient Egypt is what draws many people to it.  The video definitely added to what we learned about Egypt in Chapter 14.

The last video I watched was Cataclysm: The Black Death Visits Tuscany.  My sister is studying abroad in Rome right now and she just went on a weekend trip to Tuscany.  The pictures I have seen of Tuscany from her intrigued me because of the small towns Tuscany seems to be made up of, so I wanted to learn more about it.  Although the video was a little depressing, it helped me to understand more about the art of the Renaissance that we learned about in Chapter 15.  It was interesting to see more examples of how artists were less interested in the natural world and more focused on the divine world, such as the Christian mosaics depicting the motif of the second coming of Christ.

Architecture Video Review

This week I got to learn more about architecture, which I have been fascinated with for the past couple of years.


I was very excited to watch the Prairie Style video about Frank Lloyd Wright, my favorite architect.  This video explained how this architect changed American architecture in his attempts to reconnect us with nature.  His prairie style is recognizable in the layering of horizontals which give the impression of "growing out of the land."  The video essentially discussed Wright's influence by examining his prairie house designs and the experiences of two of the architects he has inspired through the idea of organic architecture.  The video built upon the idea of organic architecture introduced in the text and the section on Frank Lloyd Wright found on pg. 309.  One fact that surprised me from the text, especially while I was watching the video, is that Frank Lloyd Wright was not very educated and did not even finish high school.  Overall, I enjoyed this video, especially because it mainly consisted of tours of the houses discussed.  It was also interesting to see how other architects have been inspired and interpreted Wright's designs into their own work.  It makes me wish that one of our field trips had been a trip to the Darwin Martin House!


In Architecture: The Science of Design, I learned about how technology is applied to the design of archiecture.  For example, wind tunnel research can help sciencists and archiects plan skyscrapers.  The video built upon the ideas that were introduced in the book, such as how architects choose different materials and structures based on the location and environment.  Furthermore, this video also focused on the application of concrete to architecture, which the book explained was one of the primary materials used in Greek and Roman architecture.  This video was interesting to me because I like to know the science behind things and what leads people to make the decisions they make.  I find it fascinating how science and technology helps us to continually improve and innovate architecture.


Classical Architecture discussed how some of the features of what is thought of as classical architecture is still applied today, such as Renaissance architecture in England.  Moreover, I learned that the idea of solar panels is not at all a new idea, which related to the idea of "green architecture" that was discussed in the text.  This video also reinforced what the text introduced about the infleunce of Greek and Roman architecture.  I liked this video because I have always wanted to travel to Greece and see the architecture that orginally inspired much of the modern classical architecture.


I chose to watch Last Call for Planet Earth because sustainable development and architecture will be my main focus in my studies next year when I go for my Master of Urban Planning at UB. 

One of the most important facts I learned from this video were that it would be easy to build buildings that use 20-30% less energy.  Sadly, it was also mentioned that greenness is less hopeful in capitalist countries because of the challenge of coordinating private companies.  I learned many techniques that can be used in green architecture, such as windows, solar energy, and underfloor heating or cooling.  I was surprised to find out that high ceilings are actually more sustainable because they allow more light and warmth, while I formerly thought that it would make it harder to heat a room if it had high ceilings.  I think the section in which the French woman architect discussed sustainable practices for water, air, and energy really encompassed the possibilities of green architecture.  This video obviously went into further detail on the green architecture section in the book.  This video was really great for me to watch, and I enjoyed it as well, especially hearing all of the different languages of the architects; it showed how environmental issues are a global problem and emphasized that we all need to work together.  In the words of one of the architects, “Today architecture is global.”

Art Installation Project

This week I finally figured out what installation art is; a work of art that has been arranged in a place by the artist or as specified by the artist.  The work may be site-specific or not, and can be indoors or outdoors.  Installations may be temporary or permanent.  Most installation pieces are 3D, therefore, many of the materials used are 3D as well.  Ultimately, any material can be used for art installation.  Artists make installation art in order to convey a message or create a feeling in the viewer.  I was very interested in Untitled (Paperbacks) by Rachel Whiteread, which I found on the ArtLex site.  The work gave an impression of a negative cast of the interior of a library.  I related this work to the fact that libraries may be dying out because of the internet.

After reflecting on all we have learned about installation art, I began planning for my own piece.  I remember feeling a connection with Matthew Ritchie’s work at the Albright-Knox, which involved an art installation in conjunction with a wall painting.  The artist had ideas about the complexity of the universe.  So I also wanted my work to connect with a larger idea.  From there, I decided on a theme to explore in my installation.  I chose consumerism and its relation to environmental degradation.  I wanted to install my piece outdoors to emphasize the connection with the environment.  I finally decided to create a “snowman” out of waste and recyclable products that would convey the message of how the American lifestyle is essentially trading in snowmen for landfills via climate change.  The materials I used were a garbage can full of garbage, many plastic bags, duct tape, marker, and aluminum cans.  See the final product below:

I am entitling my work Garbageman.

You could describe my installation as an artwork made from what others might see as garbage.  Speficially, it is household waste and recyclables in the shape of a snowman with dollar-signs for eyes. 


The primary principles in this piece are variety and unity; various related materials were used to ultimately become a unified piece with a distinct message.  This work also involved the elements of form, space, and space. 


Overall, I thought creating an art installation was fun!  I had many ideas, so it was hard to pick just one.  I thought I chose a pretty decent day to do it, but it turned out to be more difficult than I thought due to the wind - the plastic bags were flying everywhere.  After this project, I definitely give a lot of credit to artists who do large-scale works such as art installations.

Video Reviews

This week we watched three videos focusing on sculpture, craft, and installation.

Through the Eyes of a Sculptor discussed becoming a sculptor, from apprentice to master, as well as the steps of “immortalizing a work in marble.”  I also learned about the different types of work that sculptors do, such as helping with restoration of monuments, buildings, bridges, etc.  The video outlined the entire process of developing a sculpture, including from sketches, models, molds, casts, and selecting the limestone.   One of the most interesting facts I learned was that limestone must be stored at 12 degrees Celsius to have a consistent climate. 

Through the Eyes of Sculptor went deeper into the techniques and everything that is involved in sculpting, which was a nice addition to what we learned about sculpture from the book. 
I really liked that the video focused on the day to day life of a sculptor, how he got started, and the various projects sculptors work on, such as restoration.  It was very cool to see famous landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral through the eyes of someone who worked to restore them

Glass and Ceramics discusses the many applications of glass and ceramics and their role in art.  For example, the video went through the process of glassblowing and stained glass, as well as the use of glass in architecture.  It was interesting to learn that glass is a viscous liquid that stiffens when cooled, and is thus not truly a solid - I had no idea!  The video also overviewed the steps that go into creating a piece of ceramics, as well as the various uses of ceramics.  I learned that cars may be made more efficient by using ceramic engines.

Once again, this video expanded on what was introduced in the text.  I appreciate that the videos go more in -depth about many of the techniques the book touches on.  Glass and Ceramics was a bit cheesy, but I found it interesting.  I enjoyed the scientific approach of the video.

The Installation Art video emphasized the variation of installation art, as well as talking about some specific pieces and the possible processes involved in installation art.  The video talks about how installation art combines elements of architecture, sculpture, painting, video, music, and performance.  My favorite definition of installation art from this video is "Installation art defines the space."

Installation Art definitely related to the readings from the text because it specifically talked about environmental and site-specific art.  Despite the low audio quality of this video, I definitely learned a lot about installation art and got some ideas for my project!  I also of course enjoyed the narrator's accent.

Reflecting on Peer Responses

The assignment this week encouraged me to take a look at the work my peers have been doing.  The blogs I reviewed for Project #1 were: http://shivencm01.blogspot.com/ and http://kellmr35.blogspot.com/.  The blogs I reviewed for Project #2 were: http://jbkelsch.blogspot.com/ and http://shivencm01.blogspot.com/. 

For the elements and principles project, I agreed with all of Christina’s images.  I also thought that her image for “variety” could also fall under the “texture” category, and I noticed that shape and form underlie many of the pictures.

For Melissa’s pictures, I agreed with some of the elements and principles they were supposed to be demonstrating; I thought the dart board was a great idea to show rhythm and the Coca-Cola bottles were an example of proportion.  Her “texture” and “color” pictures were also very straightforward.  However, some of the pictures had a lot of other objects in them so the entire picture did not seem to symbolize these ideas.  For instance, the “balance” picture was not very effective because of the background.  Of course, many of the pictures overlapped in the elements/principles they were representing – I think this was partially the point of this project, to show that a work of art combines many elements and principles.  I definitely think the colored flowers for “unity” also represent balance, color, texture, shape, and form.

It was interesting to see what works of art other people chose from the Albright-Knox.  I noticed that the works of art Christina focused on were not the same as my own.  However, she included an extra section at the end of three works that were her favorites, one of which was “Morning War” by Matthew Ritchie, which I had focused on as a work I would I like to know more about.  So in that way, we had both selected that work as one of our favorites, but I was interested in learning more about Ritchie’s ideas behind the work, while Christina mainly was attracted to the aesthetic elements of the work.

As for Jim’s blog, we both talked about Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawing #1268.  I would not be surprised if this was one of the most memorable works of art at the gallery for all of us, since we had learned about it beforehand.  However, I chose it because I felt a connection to it because of the anticipation of getting to see it in person, while Jim chose it as one of the works he was most interested in.

After reflecting on others’ blogs, there are some artworks that have piqued my attention although they did not necessarily upon my first encounter with them.  In Christina’s blog, she talked about “Untitled” by Fernand Leger as a work she would like to know more about.  I actually do not remember seeing this work in the gallery, but as she pointed out, the piece looks 3D so I would like to know more about the technique used for this effect and also what exactly the artwork represents, because I see many things in it, from the devil to a cartoon character.
I am interested in Urban Landscape Buffalo by Zhan Wang after reading about it in Jim’s blog.  When I saw it at the museum, I was just overwhelmed by it and did not even notice the title.  Now after knowing the title, I am more interested in the concept behind it and what the artist was trying to say about our society.  I also would be interested in finding out if any of the elements used were from Buffalo, since it is part of the name.

I really enjoyed reading others’ blogs and seeing their pictures.  It was especially helpful to see their slideshows of the elements and principles of art because it was like a refresher to me.  I liked hearing other peoples’ opinions of the gallery and the artwork there.  It is nice to get some feedback from my peers!  It was also good to know that we are all in the same boat; Lindsey commented that she did not know where to start with the elements and principles project, until things started popping out at her.  Overall, reading and interacting with each other’s blogs made these assignments more meaningful and memborable.

Creating a Personal Logo

Creating a logo was very difficult!  For some reason, I had an idea in my head that it would all be computer generated, rather than starting from scratch in a sketchbook.  I think it was especially hard to create one for myself because it is hard to define yourself in just one image.  It would probably have been easier to create a logo for a company, but I enjoyed the challenge!

I started off by thinking about what kind of message I wanted to convey about myself.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I identify with trees because they reflect my upbringing.  Also, I consider myself an environmentalist and it is something I try to practice in my daily life, so I thought incorporating a tree into my design would be ideal. 

I started out with some sketches (see above) and then figured out which worked best and what elements I liked or could work on for the final logo design.

Here is the finished product:

I am very happy with it and proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone with this project! 

The most important discovery I made in the creation of the logo was about myself - this project gave me a chance to reflect on what is important to me and how I can present this to others.  I also learned more about my style of creativity and my own personal creative process.

However, all of the given resources also provided valuable information.  I really enjoyed the Design and Logo Development reading material from DIY Lupton.  It went over the basics of design and I found the information on different types of fonts and how they can be perceived to be very useful.  I also liked that it showed many different ideas for the "Going Public" logo.

I also thought the videos were great because it familiarized me with the entire process of logo designing and product designing with the use of in depth, real life examples.

Visiting the Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Today I braved the weather to go to the Albright-Knox for an assignment.  It was nice to have a reason to go there - it has been awhile!  It was fun to see pieces of artwork I remembered, and even more interesting to see works that we have been learning about this semester.  It is completely different to see a painting in person than in a textbook; when I saw Frida Kahlo's self portrait with monkey it was amazing to see all the details, such as her green hair and the expression in the monkey's eyes.  These works are a reminder of what a gift it is to have such an important art gallery right here in Buffalo.

Here is a slideshow of the artworks that I will be discussing.

Many of the artworks impacted me for different reasons, so picking just three was difficult! 

Ten Formal Fingers by Jim Dine (1961) is a work that uses wood relief with oil.  This was one of the works that made the biggest impression on me; for some reason, I was disgusted by it.  I'm not sure what it was exactly about it. but the name and looking at it definitely made me uncomfortable.

Caryatid by Paul Pfeiffer was a 2010 digital video loop on a chromed TV/DVD combo that made an impression on me as it took a different angle than many pieces of art; Pfeiffer attempted to juxtapose sports with art.  Caryatid refers to ancient Greek architecture that was supported by sculptures of women's bodies.  Pfeiffer related his edited digital video loop of the Stanley Cup being carried around with the athletes almost invisible by making the connection that hockey players can serve as modern day architectural references to antiquity and that "unwavering faith and worship often manifest in sports fanaticism."

Seamlessly Lost (2009) is an oil on canvas work by Bingyi that takes up almost a whole room.  This artwork personally affected me because of its sheer overwhelmingness with all of the detail and it also seemed to bring out fear because of the sculpture of what was seemingly a person on the ground with roots for limbs.  It seemed reminiscent of either death, depression, or both.

As for the works I most felt a connection with, Wall Drawing #1268 Scribbles: Staircase, the 2010 graphite on three walls work by Sol LeWitt, was very exciting to see since we had learned about it already.  It was amazing to see how much time and effort must have been put into it, and it was incredible to see how the finished piece came together to play with light.

I also was drawn to Child's Blue Wall (1962) by Jim Dine.  This work utilized oil on canvas, as well as wood, metal, and a lightbult.  I consider myself to be young at heart and the awe of seeing the stars never ceases to amaze me, so I definitely had a connection with this piece.

I also had a connection with Piet Mondrian's Composition No. 11, a 1940 oil on canvas.  This painting reminded me of the stained glass often found in houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who is one of my favorite architects. 

A very mysterious work that I was drawn to was Mirror House (2010) by Kelly Barrie, an archival light jet print.  First of all, trees are a big part of my life for some reason.  I love trees because I grew up (and still live in) the country and love climbing them.  I see them as a sign of life.  This work took this idea to a new level for me when I realized that the artist utilized a photograph of a tree that reflected a historical disaster.  I would love to learn more about what sort of historical disaster this is referring to and the specific methods used to transform the photograph to look like an x-ray.

Another work I'd like to know more about is Untitled (green), a 1966 oil on canvas work by Scott Short.  What was mysterious about this piece is that although I was attracted to the design, I have no idea what it was referencing.  Furthermore, "green" is in the title, but the work seems to be purely black and white.

Finally, my favorite artwork overall in the gallery was Morning War by Matthew Ritchie.  This 2008 painting is oil and marker on linen but also extends onto the surrounding wall and they way the artist used the space to create emotion just amazed me.  I read that this work is an exploration of the edges and limiations of the universe, cosmos, and human consciousness, which I am very interested in, so I am very interested in knowing more about Ritchie's ideas on this.

Exploring Value and the Subtractive Color Theory

This week our hands-on project was to create a value scale and color wheel (shown above).  The color wheel was not all what I had pictured in my head before starting the assignment!  I am glad that we had this assignment so we had the chance to actually work with some materials and get to know how they are used and the basic theories behind them.

I most enjoyed working with graphite pencils for the color scale.  I found this project to be relaxing yet mind stimulating at the same time, because I was paying attention to minute details I never thought about before.  Furthermore, I can see how this practice will benefit me if I need to work with shading in the future.

These projects lead me to an important discovery - that I have been lied to by art teachers for the past 21 years!  Never had an art teacher told me that the primary colors are NOT red, yellow, and blue.  Rather, they are cyan, magenta, and yellow, which create black instead of brown.

That being said, this is definitely the most important information I learned from the videos this week, and doing the color wheel helped to reinforce that.  I liked these videos because they were easy to follow and I the background music in the value scale video was very enjoyable!

Elements and Principles of Art Slideshow

This project seemed daunting at first, but I have to admit, it definitely forced me to learn the elements and principles of art!  One thing I learned from this task is that each picture has multiple elements and principles involved. 

I find that every time I have a creative task to do, it is hard to get going at first, but once inspiration strikes, there is no stopping me!  At first I tried to brainstorm and plan out ideas for each term, but I found that getting out there and just looking at the world around me worked much better - some of my favorites were completely impromptu.  I also got to play around with the different settings on my camera, so I think I am starting to get a feel for things!

Week 3: Color Theory and Emotional Effects

Color seems so simple, but it is actually very complicated to explain.  It has always been interesting to me how others might perceive color differently than I do – is what I call green exactly what someone else sees as green?  One definition of color is HVI, or hue, value, and intensity, as used by computer programs.

One of my favorite things this week was learning the effect color has on emotion.  The emotion colors can evoke depends on the context they are in; different colors have different associations and symbolism for different cultures and individuals.  In Living With Art, I learned that red is believed to increase appetite (which explains why it is so often used in restaurant décor), while blue can lower blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rate since cool colors have a calming effect.  

The theoretical aspect of color that I most enjoyed learning about was the difference between subtractive and additive color.  I actually had never heard of either of these terms until I read about them on “My Art Studio.”  I realized that people who work with theatre lighting and the like conceptualize color in a different way than I ever have.  I found out that I normally think of color in terms of additive color, such as mixing red and blue to make purple or blue and yellow to make green because the primary colors of the subtractive color system are red, yellow, and blue, while in additive color, they are red, green, and blue. 

Understanding subtractive and additive color has also helped me to understand the colors black and white, which have confused me ever since an art teacher years ago informed me that light is the combination of all colors while black is the absence of color.  This used to confuse me because I would assume that black is the combination of all colors since I know that when I want to make brown paint, I mix all the other colors.  After exploring “My Art Studio,” I now understand that my teacher was talking about these colors in terms of light, as in additive color.

In the "Color" video, I was particularly struck by how the artist specifically created her works of art to be about feeling.  I am not sure if all artists directly think about how their color choices may affect the viewer; I am sure most take it into consideration, but this particular artist made it her main goal in her artwork.  She truly recognized the affect color has on emotions. 

In the Feelings video, I learned that two artists were representative of the thoughts and feelings of their time period.  David focused on the general goodness of man; his overall theme was that without kings or religion, mankind would be more free to express their individuality.  Goya, on the other hand, was a very dark artist, but only after a serious disease affected his health.   Goya went through a period of work that people call "the black paintings."  These paintings focused on the unwanted and the uncomfortable, particularly uncomfortable for me was the dog sinking in quicksand because I am claustrophobic!

Week 2: Aesthetics

This week I learned more about the IDEA of art and aesthetics than I ever expected to know!  Two films complemented our first readings from "Living With Art" by Mark Getlein.

The first film, “Aesthetics: The Philosophy of Arts” chronicles the history of the philosophers responsible for the development of aesthetic theory, including Plato, Hutcheson, Kant, and Tolstoy, among many others.  Basically, this film depicts how aesthetics has evolved over time.  The second film, “CARTA: Neurobiology Neurology and Art and Aesthetics,” took a very unique approach to the concept of art by exploring the connections between art and science.

When I first began learning about aesthetic theory this week, I personally identified Kant as the most important aesthetic theory philosopher because he explored how art connects reason with sensibility.  However, after considering my peers’ interpretations of the various philosophers, I now consider Plato’s contribution to aesthetic theory in the 5^th century to be the most important, although he did not purposely contribute!  Furthermore, I have to admit that I did not understand his theory at first.  I especially struggled to understand his concept that “the true nature of ephemeral things is an idea which can only be reasoned."  Even though Plato himself did not think of art highly, I now understand how his theories actually relate to aesthetics - his idea of the true essences suggests that art makes one contemplate the idea of beauty itself.  Likewise, the most important thing I learned from the "Aesthetics" film overall is that art is not always beautiful.  What is more important than beauty in a work of art is whether or not it makes you question things.  Besides, not everyone has the same concept of beauty, so that cannot be the only consideration in whether something is art or not.

In the second film, Changeaux’s examination of the evolutionary origins of arts and aesthetics was very interesting to me as an anthropologist – the connection between genetics and the development of art is something I had not before considered.  For me, the most interesting fact Changeaux related was the connection between the discovery of tools as the first step towards the development of art and aesthetics; this fact is a great example of how art IS related to anthropology - a connection that people do not always see.

In Ramachandran’s presentation, “The Science of Art, ” he suggests that humanities and science meet in the human brain.  His main point is that art is not realistic – the goal is to deliberately exaggerate an image in some way.  I was surprised to learn that there are artistic universals, although cultural overtones exist as well.

Upon reflection, the “Aesthetics” film helped to reinforce what we learned in Chapter 2, especially the section on Art and Beauty.  Both the book and this film showed the indefinability of “beauty” and how a work of art should be appreciated in and of itself.   Simply put by Getlein, “Art makes looking worthwhile.”

While the first film reinforced Chapter 2, I found the second film, “Neurobiology Neurology and Art and Aesthetics,” to bring an alternative perspective to the idea of aesthetics.  By attempting to reconcile theories of aesthetics with scientific explanations, the film brings a whole new level to the understanding of art.

As for my opinion on the films, the “Aesthetics” film tended to have poor audio quality at times, but overall served as a comprehensive history of aesthetics without overwhelming the viewer with too much information on each philosopher.  The audio and diction of the second film was also hard to understand at times, but I appreciated the overarching theme of the juxtaposition of art and the human mind.  However, I would have liked a little more detail from Changeaux, such as the evidence that shows that symbolism was discovered some 300,000 years ago.