Reflections of AED 200

My expectations for this course were very simple; I figured we would be learning about different artists and their work. This class was much more than that. We learned about art in different time periods and also how the art was developed, which was interesting to me. Making the blog was not at all something that I had expected we would be doing, in addition to all the art gallery visits we had to do. As someone who has taken many online classes, I had never had to do work that involved me physically having to go somewhere. I definitely think having to physically go to art galleries helped open my mind more and helped me understand the different elements of art as well.

My definition of art remains the same as it did in the beginning of the course, which is that art is something created by an individual to express or depict a certain emotion, feeling, or event. I would like to add though that I think art is also a form of creative expression. Sometimes an individual does not need to be feeling a certain way in order to make a beautiful piece of art. Sometimes it can be something that was created simply by the current thoughts of an individual, with no specific purpose behind it.

I am embarrassed that in my initial discussion post I stated that I couldn't think of any artists off the top of my head. I don't even know how that was possible! Anyway, I think that Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso have got to be my favorite artists, in addition to Michelangelo. Van Gogh paints awe-inspiring paintings of the night sky where I feel like I could stare at his pieces for hours. Picasso paints many pieces where he distorts peoples faces, making them looking ugly in a way, yet something about me loves this. I cannot pinpoint why this is, I think part of it is because that is kind of like his own personal style when painting images of peoples faces. As for Michelangelo, I think he is a complete genius and that the sculptures he has created cannot be matched. They are life-like, yet always show more than exactly what meets the eye.

After completing this course, I still enjoy online classes. I think I do relatively well in them. Some online classes are a bore and I feel as though I am wasting my time, which is my current feelings on one of the other online classes I took this semester. The only constructive criticism I have for this class is that for the weekly video blog reviews, although the videos were always different, the four questions were always the same. By the end of the semester, this made the video reviews become kind of boring to me since I felt like I was always talking about the same type of things because I was always answering the same questions. Other than that, I really enjoyed this class and liked how you don't have to have an art background in order to excel in the class.

Art Analysis Project - Geurnica

The color of this piece intensifies the drama, as it is only blue, black, and white. It is full of abstract lines and abstract faces, and many different forms of value. It is interesting how all of the faces within the piece are either whites or light greys, while most of the background is darker shades of greys and blacks. This helps make the faces pop more and not get buried in the abstract design of the piece. There is also an overdose of movement within the piece. There are faces at all angles, meaning there are eyes looking at all angles. For me personally, I know that I tend to look wherever a face in a piece of artwork is looking, so since there are so many faces and sets of eyes, I found myself looking all over the piece, scanning everything quickly before looking at the individual aspects of the piece.

This work is a mural-size canvas painted in oil, and the discarding of color intensifies the drama as I stated above, which produces a reportage quality as in a photographic record. The rampaging bull in the top left of the piece is a motif of destruction, while the horse is meant to represent the people Guernica. This may be confusing as first, since there are different faces featured within the piece, so you would think the faces are what represent the people. This is the case, but the horse being compared to the bull also makes sense, since the bull is the devastating force of destruction, while a horse is a more peaceful, innocent creature. This shows how the people of Guernica were affected by numerous tragedies of the war.

Picasso painted this piece as an immediate reaction to the Nazi’s devastating casual bombing practice on the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. This piece shows the suffering that the war inflicted on innocent civilians and became a perpetual reminder of the tragedies of war, an anti-war symbol, and an embodiment of peace. As talked about above, the horse and bull are a contradiction to one another, but are two important characters within the piece as they represent the opposite of meanings. The left side of the piece shows a woman who is crying out as she is holding her child who was killed. The other depictions of humans in this piece are a dead soldier laying on the ground, a woman holding a lamp and leaning through a window, as if to see what was going on in the world outside of her home, a woman on the right side who is rushing into the center of the piece as if to save someone, and another woman on the ride side who is wailing her hands in the air while her house burns down. All of these depictions are symbols of what happened during the war and bombing practices.

I think that all of the human beings within the piece provoke the most emotional response. They also convey a persuasive image in my mind, since they are portraying real life events. The images represent an undeniable form of brutality and darkness. Even decades later, this piece still touches home with many people who were very innocently murdered due to the Nazi bombings and WWII. In particular, this hit Picasso hard when hearing about what had happened to his country of origin. Once you understand all that is going on within this piece, you cannot deny that it is a potent symbol of the destruction of war on innocent lives.

It is very difficult to critique Picasso’s work because he is such a genius with his art. I think the biggest strengths in this piece are what the people in the photos are depicting. The messages that he conveys in this piece are eye-opening and a difficult reminder of what happened during 1937. There is so much movement going on in this piece, which also helps portray the fact that there was complete chaos during this time. This is another strength of Picasso. As for a weakness, the only thing I can’t seem to understand within this piece is the light that is hanging at the top of the piece and the scroll that is held in someone’s hand at the bottom of the piece. There does not seem to be any unity with these two images, although I am sure there is, since Picasso never paints something just to paint it, there is always a meaning. I have tried to determine what these symbols mean and represent, but cannot seem to find the answer. I wish this was more obvious, although almost nothing Picasso does is obvious. The only obvious thing within this photo is a sense of chaos, pain and suffering. Everything ties together at the end when learning about why it was created and what it relates to.

References:

Guernica, 1937 by Pablo Picasso. (n.d.) Retrieved on May 4, 2016, from,

http://www.pablopicasso.org/guernica.jsp

Guernica. (n.d.) Retrieved on May 4, 2016, from,

http://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/collection/artwork/guernica

Self Portrait Art Gallery

My Portrait

Media: Digital photo, cut into abstract pieces to form portrait collage

Size: 8.5x11 in.

Artist: William Doran

Title: Charles E. Burchfield at his Desk

Media: Reproduction of Ektacolor slide

Size: not stated

Year: 1996

Artist: Charles E. Burchfield

Title: Self-Portrait

Media: Watercolor and conte on paper

Size: not stated

Year: 1916

 Artist: Majorie A. Wyckoff

Title: Bust of Martha Visser's Hooft

Media: not stated

Size: not stated

Year: late 30s

I chose these three pieces because I liked the difference in them. The first portrait is a picture that was taken, the second is a watercolor painted portrait, and the third is a sculpted portrait, so I thought it was nice to have portraits with different media.

The first portrait, which is an image of Charles E. Burchfield, is actually what inspired me to use a photo as my self portrait as well. I then added my own creative touch to it by cutting abstract pieces to make my portrait look like a puzzle or type of collage.

I struggled for a little while on how to make my portrait creative and different. I decided to do something simple, but not something I have seen before in any of the art galleries that I have visited this semester. My friend is a photographer, so I had her take a close-up picture of me from the shoulders up with her digital camera, then I printed it and cut the picture into different pieces, then pieced them back together.

I think this piece sort of represents me because it is jagged and not perfectly pieced together. This is how I feel mentally right now with the end of the semester and graduating within the next two weeks. My brain is all over the place, so it's interesting how my portrait represents different pieces of me that may be separated from another piece.

There are irregular shapes and lines within my portrait, since I cut different pieces out of the image. The portrait also shows a sense of space, since the pieces are not perfectly fit together, creating some space in between them. 

I didn't mind this project, although I do think that what I enjoyed most about this project was creating my own portrait and trying to add my own twist to it. This involved me being more creative, which I liked. I have always like portraits and how they portray a person differently depending on the textures, colors, and the emotions/feelings that are expressed in a persons face.

I like my final artwork. I love taking photos, so I enjoyed being able to use a photo of myself and like I said, add my twist on it. I'm happy with how it turned out, although I do wish that it had more dimension to it and that it wasn't as flat.

Art Curation Exhibition Reflection Journal

The Art Curation Exhibition Slideshow was actually something that I enjoyed doing, which surprised me. I think the reason for this is because of the theme I chose, which was any type of artwork that portrayed different skies/skylines/sunrises/sunsets. As I stated in my powerpoint, I have always thought that our sky is one of the most beautiful wonders of our world and is often overlooked.

After finding all my pieces of art that were based on the sky, I wrote what the image was portraying and why it was significant. I also decided to have a little more fun with the project by including an interesting fact about each piece, which better explains either the piece itself or the artist who created it.

Finishing up my slideshow, I tried to make text colors and fonts coincide with the theme and the pieces represented, but also kept things simplistic. I did this so that the most important and most eye-catching thing for each slide was the image of the art.

I have developed even more of a respect for artists who choose to portray the sky in their art, as it is not something that is easy to do and can easily be critiqued by viewers since we all know what our sky looks like. Still, each piece represented a different kind of sky, which makes the viewers feel a different type of mood.

Art Criticism Exercise

Artist: John E. (Jack) Dummer

Title: Untitled

Media: Stretched and dyed rubber, 12 panels

Date: 1990s

Size: Not stated

Source of Picture: Picture taken with camera at gallery

This piece shows 12 different panels, all of which are the same texture but with different coloring. Some of the panels are dark shades of purple and blue, while some have hints of yellow or light blue. This piece is interesting, as it represents what can happen with the colors on the stretched rubber from sitting there for an extended amount of time. The colors are faded into the stretched rubber, giving the piece a very elegant, simplistic look to it. Some of the panels show dots on the dyed rubber, while others show lines across the dyed rubber as well.

Artist: Seymour Drumlevitch

Title: Illuminations for the 21st Century - Catalan and Petenera

Media: Acrylic on canvas

Date: 1972

Size: Not stated

Source of Picture: Picture taken with camera at gallery

This piece catches the eye immediately due to its bright yellow background. Most of the piece shows the yellow background, while the top half depicts an abstract, colorful image. Although I am not exactly sure why the artist choose this type of design, my original thought in regards to what the colors were meant to represent was that each color symbolized something that went on or took place within the 21st century. Line is very prevalent in this piece, as the abstract design is broken up within itself, with each piece having its own color.

Artist: Charles E. Burchfield

Title: Early Spring Summer

Media: Watercolor and charcoal on paper mounted on board

Date: 1950

Size: Not stated

Source of Picture: Picture taken with camera at gallery

Although the title of this piece is a positive one, this piece looks like it represents an abandoned piece of land. It is almost eery when looking at it from farther away, rather than close up. The sky is bright in color, but the trees are black and without leaves, the fence separates part of the land within the piece, and the house is far in the distance with a dark rooftop. The land itself shows lots of textures, making part of the field look like it has tall grass, while the bottom left corner depicts a dry piece of land that is just starting to grow back.

Art Gallery Visit #2 - Burchfield Penney Art Center

The Burchfield Penney Art Center has many different galleries within itself. I took pictures and looked at 8 of the galleries: Andrew Deutsch Gallery, Anthony J. Sisti Gallery, Charles Cary Rumsey Gallery, Fluidity in Form Gallery, Jack Drummer Gallery, R. William Dootlittle Gallery, Sylvia L. Rosen Gallery, and The John R. Oishei Foundation Gallery.

Although I will show all of my pictures of the galleries below, I will be talking and answering questions about the Jack Drummer Gallery.

Title: Jack Drummer: The Effects of Time Gallery
Theme: The pieces made by Jack Drummer are made from his "materials that have transformed so much over time that they look unrecognizable.
Lighting: The lighting that is used in this gallery is very basic, yet very bright. There are bright, white lights throughout the whole gallery that hang above all of the pieces and also from the ceiling.
Colors on walls: The walls are completely white. This makes the room look very bright since all the walls are white and all the lighting is white as well.
Materials used in interior architecture: The only materials used for the interior architecture of the Jack Drummer Gallery are thick, white walls that protrude through the huge space, making the space look like somewhat of a maze from above. This makes the whole gallery more abstract to walk through. Other than the white walls, there are basic benches throughout the gallery for viewers to sit on.
Movement of viewer through art space: Because there are protruding white walls, this makes the viewer have to turn a few corners in order to see certain pieces when walking through the space. I liked this, seeing how it allowed me to concentrate more on the pieces that were currently around me, until I turned the corner or to another side to view different pieces. It created a bit of suspension on what would be coming up next through the walk.
Artwork Organization: The artworks are all hung on the white walls. They all hang relatively at the same height and in the center.
Artworks Similarity: The artworks are absolutely similar. Each piece flows with the next. The colors and textures may be different, but the back canvas/panel is the same, in addition to the shapes of the canvas which is either a square of rectangle. Some of the pieces are multiple canvas placed together, which is another similarity.
Artworks Differences: Like I just stated, some canvas shapes differed between squares and rectangles, in addition to their sizes. There are also some pieces that exhibit much more texture and have a 3D effect to them, where the painting is lifted off the canvas. Others have a tie-dye look to them and simply differ in color and the abstractness of them.
Artworks Framing: The pieces are not framed. They are all on canvas/panels that are simply hung on the wall.
Artwork Identification: All of the pieces in the gallery are identified by a small rectangle that is placed directly next to each piece stating the artist, year, title, and media.
Artwork Proximity: Each piece of art has its own wall, making lots of white space around each piece. This helps viewers keep their eyes focused on one piece at a time.

Andrew Deutsch: Object as Energy Point Gallery




Anthony J. Sisti Gallery




Charles Cary Rumsey Gallery




Fluidity in Form Gallery


R. William Doolitte Gallery






Sylvia L. Rosen Gallery




The John R. Oishei Foundation Gallery

Video Reviews - African & Chinese Art

I chose the African Art video because from what I can remember, lots of African sculptures consist of long bodies and large facial features, in addition to bright colors painted on these bodies and faces, so I thought it would be interesting to choose this video to see if it touches upon this style of art. As for my second video, I chose the Chinese Art: Treasures of the National Palace Museum The Great Wave video because I have always liked Chinese art that depicted army soldiers standing in rows of each other, which I saw that our book touched upon. Chinaware is also very beautiful, so I thought it would be cool to hear about the making of Chinaware as well.

The African Art videos talked about the meanings behind African art, from making pottery and utensils, to dress, hairstyles, and other forms of ornamentation. Art is also very important in traditional African rituals, like masks for example. These masks were made of wood and straw, representing patterns that have been handed down from generation to generation. The Chinese Art: Treasures of the National Palace Museum The Great Wave video talked most specifically about the different glassware, or Chinaware. It stated that people used black glazed tea bowls to help accentuate the paleness of the tea, which I found to be odd, yet interesting. The Chinese teapots that were featured in the video were also intriguing, as they had similar features of current styled teapots, like the spout and the tail, yet it also featured 3 legs that the bowl part of the teapot stood on.

The text discusses African clothing and ornamentation in Africans, which was talked about in the African Art video. The textbook features an image titled Temne nowo masquerade with attendants. The term nowo refers to the mask that is featured in the picture. The picture depicts females surrounding a girl who is hidden underneath the mask, and shows the bright, ornate colors that are being worn by the woman all around her during a ritual. For the Chinese Art: Treasures of the National Palace Museum The Great Wave video, this video was based solely on a diverse collection of 33 pieces like glassware, jars, cups, cabinets, and other artifacts. I did not see any Chinaware featured in the textbook, unless I somehow missed it, and was sad to see this considering how much I love Chinaware. My family has a few different sets of Chinaware that are absolutely beautiful and have continued to remain pristine through many years, so I wish the text had touched on this specific subject more.

As always, both videos helped provide further explanation of different pieces of art, like how they were made, what their meaning was, what they were made of, and also showing 3D images in close detail. I do wish that the Chinese Art: Treasures of the National Palace Museum The Great Wave video discussed more than pottery and artifacts, but I liked how it showed close-up, 3D images of every piece they showed, including a description of what the different markings were.

Exploring Line - Hand Drawing

Using my own hand was definitely something different in regards to subject matter for a drawing. It was more difficult than I thought simply based on the fact that I needed to try to keep the hand that I was drawing at the same angle it was at when I started the drawing so that I could get the angle of the fingers correct. I found myself seeing lines in my hands that I haven't really noticed before and also tried to take note of the slightly different shape of each of my fingers within the sketch.

I selected a pencil as my media simply because I have always liked sketching with a pencil. With the pencils that I have, they blend very well, so I was able to use my pointer finger to help blend my sketches which was very simple and easy. 

If I am being 100% honest, I absolutely hated using my non-dominant hand, which is my left hand, to sketch my right hand. I felt as though I was having trouble getting the correct line forms on paper and couldn't quite get the shape that I wanted.

I definitely think it is obvious in my sketches as to which hand is the dominant hand and which hand is not. Looking at the comparison of the two hands, my left hand looks more natural and has better shading, whereas my right hand looks slightly off in my opinion. I do think that in general, this was a successful sketch based on the fact that I was able to mock the different lines that are on my fingers and the palm of my hands, although determining where to shade within my fingers and hand was a little difficult for me.

I would absolutely not consider using my non-dominant hand to create artwork in the future! I feel as though my drawings are very unstable and based on this, that my left hand does not naturally do what my brain is thinking in regards to a drawing or sketch.

Video Reviews - The Renaissance Period

The first video I selected was The Drawings of Michelangelo. I selected this video because I love Michelangelo and think he is absolutely genius with all of his pieces of art, especially his sculptures. I thought this would be an interesting video and something I would enjoy since it focuses on his drawings, which I don’t know as much about. The second video I selected was Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance. I chose this video simply because I also love Leonardo as an artist. The Renaissance period is one that I think is very cool, especially with the garments that women wore. 

The Drawings of Michelangelo video was definitely helpful when it showed how Michelangelo started his drawings. He started with the torso, as that was the center of the body. This was intriguing to hear about and is something that I know I will think about whenever I am sketching. The use of cross-hatching that Michelangelo uses in his drawings showed that it made certain parts of his drawings, like the drapery on someone, much more dense and full looking. Cross-hatching is a really fascinating concept within his drawings. The Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance video showed how Leonardo created correct facial proportions within his drawings, like the boxes and lines he drew around human and animal heads. I wasn't surprised to see the box he drew around the human face to make it proportional, but I was surprised when I saw a drawing of an animals head from the side, where he still drew a box around this head as well to make it proportional. 

The Drawings of Michelangelo video related very closely to the text seeing how the text featured many of his pieces, like the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and it also had a section dedicated solely to Michelangelo and his life history. As for the Leonardo da Vinci: The Mind of the Renaissance video, Leonardo is also talked about a lot within our text, in addition to the Renaissance period. Some of Leonardo’s pieces represent this time period, like his Madonna and Child with St. Anne piece. Interestingly, the text states that this piece's composition is not meant to look realistic, but is meant to suggest theological meanings. An example of this within his Madonna and Child with St. Anne piece is that the three figures form a single unit because they are a single lineage. For someone who doesn't know much about Leaonardo's style, they (like myself) would not catch this hidden meaning. 

The Drawings of Michelangelo video absolutely added depth of understanding not only on Michelangelo as an artist, but also how he created his drawings and made them so lively. The video gave off many tips as to how his drawings were so successful and realistic, like starting the drawing of a person with their torso or the cross-hatching concept that I previously spoke about. Also, as I started talking about in the last paragraph about Leonardo, the videos help viewers understand hidden meanings that the artist creates within their work, which is very helpful in understanding the true meanings behind them. 

Video Reviews

I chose the Late Gothic Art and Architecture: England, 1400-1547 video because I have travelled to England before and I think it is absolutely beautiful. The buildings and art that I saw in England were breathtaking, so I chose this video because I thought that I would find it engaging to watch. 

The More Human Than Human video intrigued me from the start when it stated that nothing intrigues us humans more than images and pictures of the human body. I think this is so true nowadays, seeing how people have become obsessed with looking at other bodies and and even with taking pictures of their own bodies. Human bodies are used in all forms of advertisement. Human bodies in art forms are also very prevalent today. The video stated that all the human body images within art do not ever resemble a real human body, seeing how we do not walk around looking like the images that are portrayed within art and most advertisements. The video questions why this is, making it an interesting video to watch.

The Late Gothic Art and Architecture: England, 1400-1547 video discussed many historical buildings and pieces of art that have continued to survive throughout all these years, which some believe is because they revolve around Christianity. The monarchy was the most important patron during this time, so the visual arts helped promote the monarch. Yet, not only noble households owned visual arts. Many middle-class families owned paintings and carvings of religious subjects as well. Art in England strongly revolved around religion. 

The More Human Than Human video relates to the text in regards to all the paintings and sculptures of the human body. It’s interesting because the text shows images of sculptures that are not complete resemblances to the real human body, which was talked about in the video. The Female Figure from Willendorf is pictured in the text and was also featured in the video. The figure shows no face, no arms, extra large features like her stomach and breasts, and overly exposed to genitals. This figure does not represent a real female body. 

Just like the Late Gothic Art and Architecture: England, 1400-1547 video, the text also speaks about the religious art in Europe and how it revolves around Christianity. Stained glass was also discussed in both the text and the video. The Gothic cathedrals consisted of beautiful stained glass that is different for every cathedral. Both the text and the video show images of stained glass that are awe-inspiring. 

I found these films to be some of the most interesting films I have watched so far this semester. I think that both films included excellent images of different artworks and explanations on how they were made and what they represent. The second film that I watched about art in England also included an immense amount of artists who created work and largely contributed to the visual arts during that time, so it was interesting to hear about all those other artists who were not brought up in the text. I think that it is always nice to just sit, listen and retain information in regards to what we are being shown, which is why I appreciate the films so much. 

Video Review

The two videos that I chose to watch and will be discussing are: Prairie Style and Architecture: The Science of Design

The Prairie Style video explained what prairie style is, which is something I did not know. Prairie style homes are designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, creating wide-open, horizontal living spaces. These homes have layered horizontal aspects to them, largely including horizontal windows and flat roofs. The Architecture: The Science of Design video discusses what is most unique and popular in concrete and steel. Something I did not know about skyscrapers is that they have two main parts: the super structure and the underground substructure. This makes sense when you think about it, although it is not something I would normally think about. It was very cool to watching how the substructure is made in the video.

The Prairie Style video largely related to the text because the text dedicated a section to Frank Lloyd Wright. This text gives a background of Wright and discusses how he refined the principles of the Prairie style house. “Organic” architecture was also brought up in the text, which refers to the interiors that were designed in an open plan. The text also talks about steel-frame construction and how it is used when building skyscrapers, which directly relates to the Architecture: The Science of Design video. 

To be very honest, the films have moments where they are a bit boring, but for the most part they are interesting and extremely helpful in understanding the true designs of the architecture that is being discussed. I think that without the videos, it would be harder to picture the architecture that is being discussed, although the text does include some excellent images. Based on the videos, I think that they may become slightly outdated as they were made back in the late 1900s and there are so many changes nowadays, but they are still very interesting and help the viewers understand what they are talking about, versus just reading it and not fully comprehending what is being stated. The films provide more visuals, which help provide more understanding. 

I chose the films that I did simply based on the title of them. The Prairie Style video was one that I was unsure of what it would be on, which is why I chose it. The Architecture: The Science of Design video was the second video I chose to watch because the title made it sound like it would explain the science and concepts that take place when making architecture, which I thought would be an interesting video to watch.

Peer Blogging Experience

Courtney- http://funart2825.blogspot.com/
Ashley- http://ashleys-art200.blogspot.com/

When looking at Project 1 of my peers, I think they did a great job at listing an element or principle to go along with the picture they took. Both Courtney and Ashley took their own pictures of the world around them, while I had went to an art gallery to take pictures of artwork that related to an element or principle. I like how creative both these ladies were in regards to making the connections they did.

Neither of my peer bloggers chose the same artwork as I did, which I liked! I enjoyed seeing what pieces they chose and how it related or didn't relate to them. I noticed that Ashley had a common theme of choosing pieces of art that were all outdoors, while Courtney chose a wide array of different pieces.

I think the biggest piece that piqued my interest was in Courtney's project 2 blog, which was the White Flag piece. This piece relates to me for the obvious reason that I live here in the U.S. and our flag is a very important symbol for our country. The piece was interesting to me because the artist chose to make the outlines of the flag very subtle. The whole piece was white, so this made me wonder why the artist chose to do white and not use any color.

I definitely think that reading our peers reflections was valuable because it made me look at the pieces through their eyes, not only my own. Everyone has different opinions and views on pieces of artwork, in addition to being able to relate to them differently and develop different feelings and emotions on them. I think this concept alone is the coolest thing about art because everyone see's things differently, so I enjoyed reading their thoughts on the pieces of art that they chose.

Unfortunately, I have no comments on my blog and considering the due date of this posting, I cannot wait any longer to see if I receive any to include it in this posting. I do think that reading comments would have been helpful and useful.

Video Review

Something that was interesting to me when I heard it was during the "Through the Eyes of the Sculptor" video, when it was stated that restoration carvers generally work on a specific area of a monument, like the hands, face or foot, not the whole thing. This was something I had never thought about, but it makes complete sense. The restorer isn't going in to completely resculpt a sculpture. They are going in to fix what has started to deteriorate in an attempt to preserve the piece of art. This is an awesome concept and one I am grateful for since it allows me to view sculptures that were made and created centuries ago. 

The "Glass and Ceramics" video was a reminder of how much glass we are always surrounded by. The process of making glass and designing its shape is something that was so entertaining to me. Colored pieces of glass are also an interesting concept considering the process that needs to take place in order to stain the glass. The lead technique is one of these concepts that result in staining glass. Each sketch piece is numbered, so the artist knows what color to make each piece. This reminded me of the color by number coloring books!

The videos relate to the readings in the text because the text also walks through the process of doing things, like the process of carving or casting within a sculpture. It was nice to see all the different images within the text and what the results were of certain artists in regards to their sculptures. Blowing glass was also talked about in the text, just as it was in the video. The text explains the process of blowing glass, while the video was able to actually show someone doing it, which gives the viewers a better understanding in my opinion. 

"Through the Eyes of the Sculptor" video showed the process of getting the stone that is needed to sculpt. I thought this was a cool process and was glad that they included it in the film, otherwise I never would have really known what it takes to begin the sculpting process. The "Glass and Ceramics" video also did this, explaining how glass is made, which is made of sand that is composed of silicon dioxide, which forms crystals when placed on a hot flame. After the mixture is heated, the glass can be shaped at will, which is where the concept of glass blowing comes from.

Logo Design

I found creating the logo to be fun and relaxing. I chose to do my initials since that is something that represents me. During my sketches, I tried to create a logo that was simple, clear, and had some form of abstract design. I also tried to stray away from my normal use of dark colors and used bright colors instead to make the logo appear to be more upbeat. I love sunflowers, so I incorporated a sunflower into my design and tried to give the sunflower texture by using different colors of yellow. I also thought a lot about shading and the value of colors while making the abstract green shapes which are meant to be in the background of my logo, behind my initials. I think that adding the texture of the sunflower and the different shadings in the green background and the letters help make the logo more attractive and not flat looking.

I watched the logo videos and read the reading materials that were provided to us before creating my logo to see if they helped give me any ideas of key concepts in making a good logo. I think an important aspect of a logo, and something the Graphic Design video also talked about, is having a logo that looks good and works on multiple different formats. Whether it be paper, metal, or plastic. The logo should also be strong, simple, and capture the essence of the business it is representing.

Art Gallery Visit

The Albright Knox Art Gallery is a place that I have been going to since being a young child. I was excited to bring myself back there to see the new changes and the new artwork that the gallery has gotten since I have last been there. I decided to do something different, which was buy six postcards on six pieces of art that intrigued me or related to me, versus a piece of art that was on a wall or in the middle of a room. I wanted to do this so that I could bring these postcards home and spend some real time looking at them, and also be able to keep them.

There were two postcards that I got that had caught my eye right away. Both of these pieces of art are filled with bright colors, which is one of the reasons they make such a great impression on me. Although I am a fan of dark colors and shades, I always find it interesting when I see bright pieces of art that I really enjoy. These two pieces are listed below:

Artist: Jasper Johns
Title: Numbers in color 
Media: Encaustic and newspaper on canvas
Scale: 66.5 x 49.5 inches
Year: 1959

Numbers in color is a piece that I have seen before. I've always found it interesting that the numbers went in counting order (0-9) from right to left, as if we were reading words on a page. Although the shapes of the numbers stay the same, the colors of them continue to change. No same number ever looks exactly alike, which is what I like most about this piece.

Artist: Polly Apfelbaum
Title: Reckless 
Media: Synthetic velvet and fabric dye
Scale: Not stated
Year: 1998

This postcard actually had two pieces of art on it, but I immediately focused my attention to the piece on the floor, which is the piece I will be specifically talking about. Never in my life had I seen such bright, abstract designs on a floor before. The art is also placed on white flooring, making the design and colors more bright and eye catching. This was my favorite postcard out of the six.

The two pieces that I connected best with are pieces that directly relate to my life. These two pieces are listed below:

Artist: Henri Matisse
Title: La Musique 
Media: Oil on canvas
Scale: 45 3/8 x 45 3/8 inches
Year: 1939

This piece is also one that I have seen before. It represents two women who are focused on the music that is being played, coming from the woman on the right who is playing the guitar. Although I always found the bodies of these women to be very large, I love that it represents music because music has a big impact on my life. I think that music brings people to another place and helps people relate to something within song. I also think that music is a form of art, so finding pieces of art that incorporate music are always pieces that I enjoy looking at.

Artist: Ellsworth Kelly
Title: New York, N.Y. 
Media: Oil on canvas
Scale: 73 3/4 x 90 inches
Year: 1957

This was actually the first postcard that I found and one that stood out to me simply because it has the letters NY on it. It is very simple, based on it being a black and white piece, but is something that obviously relates to me due to me being from and living in New York. For a long time I had always wanted to leave home, but once I was finally given the chance to, I no longer wanted to. I love Buffalo, NY and everything about it is home to me, which is why I was glad to have found this piece.

There were two postcards that I liked, yet was unsure about what they were meant to represent. Both of these pieces are simple in color and in my opinion, they are not blatantly obvious as to what they represent. They are a sort of mystery to me, which is why I chose these two pieces. These two pieces are listed below:

Artist: Zhan Wang
Title: Urban Landscape Buffalo 
Media: Stainless steel, pots, pans, and kitchen utensils
Scale: 67 1/2 x 197 x 393 5/8 inches
Year: 2005-2010

This piece was one that I liked because of the stainless steel look. I love stainless steel, especially with my kitchen appliances and utensils, but I had no idea that it was actually made of stainless steel kitchen utensils until I read the back of the postcard. I wondered what inspired the artist to do a piece using only the items listed above. The way that the pots and pans are laid out, it is not obvious that they are pots and pans. The way the light reflects off all the stainless steel was so intriguing to me, and I think the artist must have had a great time putting all these pieces together.

Artist: Franz Kline
Title: New York, N.Y.
Media: Oil on canvas
Scale: 79 x 51 inches
Year: 1953

Although this piece is also titled New York, N.Y., I am not exactly sure why. This piece is also black and white and remains a mystery to me, which makes me questions what the artist was thinking about and what he was feeling during his time of creating this piece. I love the idea of the white background and the solid, black lines being painted over the white, almost overtaking the white background. Black is a dark color, which I think represents more of a painful emotion. I wonder what the artist was going through in his life during this time of painting it.