Last Day of Class!

Thank god the year is almost over because my head is filled with so much to do! And soon I will be on a plane to Italy!!

soo....

looking over the projects in class i got really upset. I have the hardest time coming up with projects and everyone comes up with these great ideas. I think its because this is my first art class and its really asking you to think outside the box. I've learned a lot, but I still do not feel good about it. My project is not good, I feel like i really rushed it, or was so scared. I get really nervous before a new project because I want it to be amazing but I'm too scared to take risks. I think that is my problem. I hate how it seems everyone else comes up with sweet projects and mine suck. Mine was extremely literal, but i had to have something turned in on time, so it was the only thing i could think of. This project really got to me, I thought about what to do all the time and I even asked friends for advice. Hopefully with more education, I will be able to do better.

Absence April 23, 2008

Juxtapoz Art and Culture Magazine. March 08, 2008. n 86. Page 38. His graffiti is amazing! I love the colors he uses and how it looks 3D. His letters are extremely crisp and unique. I find it interesting how he calls himself an "active subway writer". Also how he traveled around the world to places like England, Japan, New Zealand, Italy, Sweden and Panama to draw graffiti. I find it extremely rebellious. He knows what he is doing is illegal; however, he is famous for it and continues to do it. I strongly believe graffiti should be legal because it expresses peoples point of views and emotions. 

April 21, 2007

What weird artists there are out there! Melena showed the class some crazy contemporary  artwork! The piece I found most interesting and disturbing is the piece by Patricia Piccinini, The Young People. The half human half dog thing is disgusting; however sadly, it reminds me of my basset hound Lily, who I think is adorable and cute. I find it so odd that I can look at this piece and find it cute, even though it is so disturbing!!!

Lastly, VENUS. Every painting in art history is compared to Venus, usually Venus of Urbino by Titian (is the artwork that everything in the class is compared to). It is so crazy how people, even in contemporary art, look at old pieces of artwork, like the birth of venus by bonticelli to get inspiration from! 

I feel stupid

For some odd reason March 17th and 19th class commentaries are written in the text commentary section! I am really sorry.

April 16, 2008

I FELL IN LOVE WITH BARBARA SCHREIBER'S (SPELLING?) ARTWORK! it was so simple, yet her colors worked so well. I loved the simplicity of her artwork. As much as this sounds like an insult, her drawings do not look like you need to be that talented to draw, but i think they're better than any Piccasso work. I found it stupid that a past teacher told her "nobody is going to take you seriously if you are funny". I love funny people. She shows that art doesn't have to be depressing or about a serious matter. Art can be comical and that is what I want to do with my art. I found "pregnant again" funny and i really liked her colors choices/how she drew. She draws as if she is drawing for a children's book. It would be hilarious if she made a mock children's book with her drawings. Especially the pregnant 5 year old. I'm very fond of the environment/an activist and when she talked about her piece with the two girls running after squirrels and then the squirrels running after them, she said "people control nature and then nature fights back". Right now in the world (global warming a big example) is going on-nature is fighting back! Overall, I love her humor and I love her art! But right now I am out of creative ideas and having the hardest time with project #3. It sucks.

April 14, 20

Everything Malena lectured about today was very similar to what my english teacher lectured about a few classes ago. First off, she stated that in art you are writing and in english you are continuously writing. Also, both processes need sources. Both artists and writers need information, inspiration and facts from different sources, such as films, the internet, other writers/artists. Both are/can be creative and both have an audience and need to think about who their audiences are. Most of all, each one is trying to get a voice out. Both english/writing and art are very similar.

I am very interested into the wilderness, so I checked out the site www.greenmuseum.org. I found the task, Meadowsweet Dairy (a collaborative group of sculptors) very interesting. I found the quote in their biography true: "We share a deep commitment to the notion that art has a job to do." For people who think art is for just doing to do it is wrong, in my opinion. Art forms opinions, beliefs, events- art has numerous jobs. I'm really into the environment and it makes me excited that they not only make art but they clean up trash from neglected areas and make their "beauty accessible". 

April 9, 2008

Will Puckett. Do I like his work or not? A question which still lingers in my head. You could call me a realist-I am not a fan of his piece which he painted the human's hands and face green (located in the garage). It looked like it was about to throw up. His work was okay, nothing astonishing. What was so cool was his piece in the mudroom (entry area) it was paint dripped on a canvas. It looks graffiti like, which I really enjoy. The most interesting part of our visit was the fact that he was basically happy. Making art he was not making enough money but he was happy and wanted t continue doing it. A lot of people do not have the courage to do such a thing, I know that I don't. He showed me that life is okay when your not making a large amount of money. His moral did not look complicated, it just looked like it took FOREVER. I do not think I could ever have the patience to do such a thing. 

April 7, 2008

Everything can be better. Everything can be improved. Art (nickname) really showed the process of an artist drawing. I really did not think he needed the background music. The sound his pencil and the movement of his hand was really neat. Also I do not remember if this occurs in the video, but it would be cool if he erased a part and redrew it to play off with the sound of the eraser and then hand brushing the erasing marks off. I felt as if I was the artist creating it and it was my hand-too bad I can't draw as well as him!

Sarah's was really comical. The music and the shredded paper coming towards her was funny. I do not know if she intended on this but it was. I agreed with Sheldon's comment on how she should have either cropped it or started it over the hill (although, unfortunately, there was wind). It looked odd coming from that random spot. 

Sheldon's made me want to cry. It made me really upset. Not that it wasn't good, it was amazing! But the whole swinging on the swing and childhood memories, along with the jack johnson music made me a little emotional, even though it was suppose to be playful. 

Mine. I wish I placed in a place filled with pictures, so that it was another picture hanging from the wall. Also Sheldon's comment on how I should make another one where maybe other orange flowers fill the vase so it seems like I feel more involved/wanted. I agree with Malena's comment on how it is something we can walk by and look at it cause of its size. I think making them stamp size and framing them on the wall would be more efficient. 

April 2, 2008

Rachael showed disconnection in a completely different way. It was cool and not literal at all! I found it interesting how we took basically the same concept and made too completely different projects for our time pieces. I found her sources neat too. I have never seen the Beatles movie "Around the Universe" I believe it is called; however, I am not interested in seeing it. I could connect in way that I too used to go strawberry picking with my family back home in Maine. I found it funny that the black berries were her bad memories because I completely HATE blackberries and who place them as a negative trait/memory.
Also after much contemplation I think Drake should make his track onto a record and play it with a record player, on a white pedastol (spelling again? sorry!) in a white room with nothing else but the record player. People would be startled and confused. Older people might be terrified or shocked, but younger people I bet would really enjoy it.
Lastly, David's piece. He should have just had it with the girl and himself. I know I walked in late from the bathroom, therefore I really didn't see the reason for the Chris Rock part; however, the silence KILLED ME!!!! I was waiting for him to scream or something to occur, I got so pissed off/irritated! And I LOVED the background haha. Anyways, silence kills and I think that would have been a really cool project! I kind of wish I had done it!
While sitting in class I thought of how I could change my own project! NEAT-I know! My project is time based because I have continuously changed it the last two and a half weeks. I think my final outcome is strong. Art has a lot to do with English, you write a draft, come back to it a later and edit it/rewrite it, maybe have someone else look at it, then you eventually have a final draft. My art piece was like that it took me three different times till I finally got something I felt was final/happy with! I hope the class enjoys it also!




p.s. class was canceled 3/24 and 3/26 therefore no class commentary was written!

Sculpture Magazine; May 2006; Volume 25; No. 1; pages 33-32

Jene Highstein amazes me. Her ice construction, called Oblong Voidspace is beautiful. The ice pieces looks like bricks. If you touch the piece it looks as if it will break, it is so fragile looking. Its neat how the outside is a square tower, but the inside is circular. If I were to walk on the stairway I feel like I would slip very easily. Also the sun shines directly into where the center circular room is, which makes you wonder why doesn't the piece melt? I question this though. Is this piece of work architecture or structure? Are the two the same? You have to design  an architecture and you have to design a structure. I feel like this piece is more architecture. It brings shelter and could be a purpose. Living in Maine, I still don't think I could make such a beautiful piece of artwork.

March 12, 2008

Reading through Art in America I saw an advertisement for paintings of Terence La Noue and no offense, but it looked like he threw paint onto the paper and I could have done that in 5th grade; however, for some reason, it is so beautiful. I love the colors ad the blended, along with the texture. I just find it so odd that I have these mixed feelings. In class we watched two artists films. The first artist used fire in an explosive way. He made fire look so beautiful, yet when I think of fire in reality I think forests or buildings burning down and people getting hurt. I had a twisted emotion. I found myself fascinated with his piece of the cars in a variety of positions. It looked like a real life comic strip. 

March 10, 2008

In today's class we discussed project two. One (of the many) things we discussed really interested me. It was graffiti art. Melena talked about how there is no graffiti in Charlotte. I agreed with this because I wanted to do it for my accumulation project; however, I could not find any. Also she stated that graffiti is good because it makes us look at art and I agree with this and also my art history teacher does to. Just this morning she stated that although art museums have several positive the negative is it made art become seperated from the rest of daily life and only the elite could look at it. I found this connection interesting.

February 27, 2008

Jennifer's identity project really hit home to me. I also have a huge insecurity about my weight. I try diets and work out often, but my Italian genetics are not allowing me to lose weight. I always beg my parents for surgery but even if they said yes I do not have the courage to go "under the knife". Also senior year of high school I did a research paper on Barbie and how she has affected culture in a negative way. Don't get me wrong, when I was little I had every Barbie Doll, outfit, house, car, accessory; but as I grew older I realized that it is almost impossible to look like Barbie. (Actually, in my research I found out that Barbie's proportions, if you humanized them, are actually very out of proportion on a regular human being). Weight and looks effects everyone at one point in their life. I really could connect to Jennifer's identity.

February 25, 2008

In todays class people presented their identity projects. I found it fascinating how people described their identities. No project was a like or similar. All were completely different. I really enjoyed Rachel's, with the horses and the eyes. I found the branches going through the pictures neat. I also enjoyed Sara's. I thought it was a sad but interesting way to portray her abiding image. I wish mine was as creative.

February 20, 2008

In today's class we watched a video and brainstormed ideas for our projects. After hearing my group members and classmates ideas I felt like my original idea was not creative enough. I decided I needed a change. I spent a large amount of the afternoon wondering about my identity and i tried to think about something that crosses my mind daily--there I had it--HOME. I am far away from home, somewhere I grew up all my life, somewhere where I had an identity and it was familiar to me. I am going to do a video of pictures from my home town of places that I go.

February 18, 2008

In today's class we had an artist come visit us and show us slides of her own personal work and work which inspires her. For most of the time I could not help but ponder about what inspires me. I still am clueless on what I want to do for project 1. I feel if I just start and stop hesitating then I may begin to come up with ideas. Our speaker discussed how you have to enjoy what you do or else you will not be inspired. Right now I am trying to find or figure out something which inspires me. It is hard for me to think about my identity because i see myself as a normal girl going to college. I know there is more. The speaker sort of assured me I could do this.

February 13, 2008

          In today's class we watched a short film by Tony Ousler. The piece of creepy, yet I really enjoyed it. His film was not that well crafted; however, the thought put into was intelligent. He made me think that I could be able to do this identity project, the one I have been ignoring for weeks. Your identity is hard to define and to define it in a piece of artwork seems impossible to me. I'm really having a struggle with this. I've lived an ordinary life and I feel like nothing dramatic has happened to me, or anything worth putting into artwork. I've come across ideas, about my dream to play soccer in college, which was crushed because I had mono my senior year. My grandfather's recent surgery. My phobia of needles. How I laugh too much sometimes. I don't know. I guess I need to stop writing and think some more!

February 6, 2008

For todays class we visited the Mint Museum of Craft and Design. It was my first visit. I really enjoyed all of the art pieces; however, my eye caught on to all of the pieces that were crafted for jewelry. I take a very large interest in jewelry making, especially the very creative jewelry, and have decided that I want to take a jewelry making class next year. My favorite piece was the the Bridezilla dress. I found it hilarious, yet beautiful. The phrases we funny and the material was nice. It made me think about the Bridezilla television show that I watch with my mother. 

February 4, 2008

In todays class we looked at several pieces of artwork and discussed identity. It made me think about who my identity is. This also helped in a way because in english class we are writing a paper about cultural identity. The artwork by Ruben Ortiz Torres is very similar to what I have to write about. My father and his family are from Italy and follow several italian traditions. In the picture of Torres showing his Mexican side and his Native American sides made me think about my different nationalities and their traditions. I felt more connected to his piece internally (the struggles) then externally (the actual appearance). I found Janine Antoni's "Lick and Lather" piece interesting. I could connect to her in a way, where I don't always feel so connected into my skin.

January 30, 2008

In today's class we interpreted artwork done by Malena. It was interesting how all of the small groups interpreted it differently than Malena. After knowing the exact meaning I continued to have a hard time interpreting the artwork in the way she, the artist did, although, I believe that my interpretation is not wrong. Usually when looking at artwork you do not have the artist standing there telling you what the piece means. This also goes for any text. You have to interpret it yourself and you can't be wrong. I found the next piece, the liquid dripping into the test tubes depressing. It reminded me of science and mixing, possibly of cultures. Once the context was revealed I found it easier to understand the interpretation of the artist in this piece. Much easier than Malena's piece.

January 28, 2008

In today's class we went over a majority of the people's experiment project. I avoided showing my project because I was extremely scared; however, after looking at everyone else's experiments I realized that there is no wrong way to do this project. The only wrong way is to not do it. I really enjoyed Sheldon's piece because I interpreted it the same way he did; however, I was too scared because I thought it was the wrong interpretation. When you move from one space to the next you are transforming space. It was interesting how everyone interpreted it differently. Alison's experiment was really cool. She took a object (a fork) and created a fork out of her 20 needed objects. I think I took the safe way out in this project and I am a little disappointed in myself, but I promise myself to take a brave chance for the next project.

Material Invention Experiment #2

The idea of this project was to take 20 objects and transform physical space. The idea twisted in my mind for days (and still does). My interpretation of the project was to take these objects and put them all together in one setting. For example if you place a chair in an empty room you are transforming space. For the object that must be fleeting or temporal I picked my pathfinder which met the dimensions requirements. Every day cars pass us and disappear. I put eighteen different random objects in the driver and passenger seat of my car, many that would not be there, that is how I transformed space. I took mustard and smeared it on the mirror. Also I poured water on my car and from the wind the water made ripples (this goes to the object transformed by wind). Once I placed these random objects together I was transforming their uses.

Material Invention Experiment

 

January23, 2008

For today's class we went to the Fibers room and listened to Mary, the fiber's teacher show us slides of her artwork and discuss what they mean to her. She began the discussion with asking the class who are artists and who are trying to be artists? Almost the whole class raised their hands at the question, "who are trying to be artists?". I was among this majority. Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a doctor, not until my senior year, after taking several medical classes did I realized, the idea made me miserable. After having a long discussion with my parents about what I enjoy doing, I discovered I wanted to do something artistic. Earlier my senior year my brother's girlfriend showed me a bunch of work she did for graphic design and I really enjoyed it. I wanted to do it. I was just too scared. Today made me realize that I am not the only one trying to become something. I have an identity to find as an artist. That is why I am in school.

Several of Mary's artworks stood out at me. The first one being "Miscarriage". I enjoyed the idea that it was about Barbie. Just like Mary and millions of other girls I am obsessed (not as much anymore) of Barbie. When I was younger I had every Barbie doll, car, clothes, houses. I I felt like I could connect with my past; however, that was different from the interpretation Mary had, when she discussed its name "Miscarriage". After in Concept Studio class we discussed interpretation and who interprets it? Or is an interpretation ever wrong? I believe no. Later in English class we discussed interpretation in a text sense. My teacher gave us a quote and each one of the students interpreted it in a slightly different way. Although I felt different than Mary about her "Miscarriage" piece; however, I did have the same interpretation as her in her "Pinch an Inch" sculpture. 

Mary's "Pinch an Inch" piece related to men and women. Made out of polyester, which clothing pins pinching the polyester does give the illusion of skin. Even myself, frequently I pinch my stomach. Whether your the skinniest or the largest, almost everyone is uncomfortable in their own skin. I was extremely impressed with Mary's work.

January 18, 2008

On Wednesday's class we spent an hour at the McColl Center for Visual Arts. First off, the building was beautiful. I loved the stone and the inside brick. The history was also interesting. What stood out to me was the Contemporary Art piece "5000 Misconceptions". Not saying the artist has no artistic ability; however, it took little artistic ability (the basics, like drawing and painting) to create such a power piece. It made me feel like I could get a point across and I too could be an artist without having to draw. As you can tell from my blogs, I cannot draw and the fact that I have to draw scares me. Also Malena talked about how you need to look at art and need to think why the artist chose a certain material or certain color. After Concept Studio class I went back to english where we discussed the same thing, but in terms of reading context. Although they are two different classes they still connect which I thought was neat. 

January 14, 2007

In yesterday's class we had a visitor from the graphic design department to inform the class about blogger and computers in general. I did not write down his name because I thought I would have remembered, unfortunately, I forgot. After disagreeing with a classmate on the way he and several other students set up their blogs (I am one of those classmates), the visitor showed us the more correct, yet confusing way to do it. I found this event rather interesting because it really connects with the idea of this class. You have an assignment and from that assignment you need to interpret it in your own way, and there truly is no wrong way. That is the underlying theme in this class. Well, the blogger was an assignment, and in class we were proved that there are two correct ways of doing it (probably more than that). Both the classmate and the instructor were correct. This event proves to you that this class is needed and useful. After much thought on my way back to the dorm, I decided I was going to stick to my way (and that classmates way), unless of course Malena decides different.

January 9, 2007

After yesterday's class I left feeling anxious, as well as, nervous. I am scared of the openness of the class, but am ready to take on the challenge. I believe this class will help every student in art and in every day life. It is designed to make you think outside of the box, and are forced to go with your creative ideas, even if you do not think they are possible. This can be related to daily life because you are forced in different scenarios where you need to come up with creative ideas. I have already decided what I am going to do for my accumulation project and am excited to begin it. Also, I have not stopped looking at my Material Invention Experiment sheet. I have many questions and am sort of confused. I think I will really enjoy this class and am very excited for future classes.