1. What were you expectations for this course and where they met?

My expectations for this course were to lean and understand the meaning of art. I wanted to learn about different art and artists along with the process of how art is made. I really feel as though I have an in-depth understanding and meaning of all that I just mentioned.

2. Now that you've been through this course, What is art? How would you define it now compared to your intial posting?

Now that the course is coming to an end I feel as though art is how you view everything around you. For example, looking at a coffee table you can see the design that was put into it or a painting your emotions take over and your feelings may change from one emotion that you were feeling to another just by looking at a piece of art. Not only is art portrayed by sight it is also through your emotions.

3. Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

In my first posting my favorite visual artist was Van Gogh and after doing research for this course and watching videos my new favorite visual artist is Bohumil Kubista who is a newly emerging artist. The way his paintings draw me in and wanting to look at every single detail and how his pieces are more my style it just fits for being my favorite visual artist.                       

4. Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

I have taken multiple online courses and I prefer it over going to class especially with my busy schedule which is my same answer in my fist posting.

        
Title: Portrait of Jan Zrzavy                Title: Epileptic Woman                Title: Homeless
Artist: Bohumil Kubista                      Artist: Bohumil Kubista               Artist: Lee Jeffries
Media: Oil, Canvas                              Media: Painting                           Media: Photography
Size: 96 x 79 cm                                  Size: Unknown                            Size: Unknown
Year: 1912                                           Year: 1911                                   Year: 2013-2016?

1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?

I selected the inspiration pieces because I really like abstract art that is simple, I do not like a lot of color in photos one bright color is ok for me. I really am a big fan of black and white photography I think that you can capture every detail and can be more revealing than colored photography. These pieces just drew me in with their color and their value. I just could not pass them by.

2. Why did you select the media to create your self-portrait?

I selected the type of media for my self-portrait because I cannot draw that well and with this week being finals week I did not have much time to do anything else, I would have loved to do a collage though if I had the time to do so I could of had a lot of fun putting that together.

3. What challenges did you face in creating your self-portrait and how did you overcome them?

The challenges that I had faced creating my self-portrait was trying to get the hues and tones to match up to the first two inspiration pieces. To be honest I did not match my self-portrait to the first two inspiration pieces but I came as close as I could. It's tricky to match up colors with each other on the computer when you do not have the right software but in the end I like how it ended up turning out. 

4. How does this piece represent you?

This piece represents me by I do not like taking photos of myself and when I do I typically do not photograph my whole face. If I was sticking true to myself and what I like I would have chosen to make my photo all black and white but for this project I thought it would be better suited to stick with color so I opted to do so but I did it my way and what I thought looked best.

5. What elements and principles of art did you apply in this work?

I feel as though the elements and principles that apply in my final picture are value, color, and emphasis.

6. Did you enjoy working on this project?

In the end I really liked working on this project. It was fun looking around for inspiration portraits and being able to create my own in the end and play around with effects in order to get my ending result.

7. What do you think of your final artwork?
 

For my final thoughts on my artwork I am happy with the way it turned out and I was surprised that there was still a lot of color in my final photo that I rather enjoyed rather than having just black and white. All in all I had a fun time working on this project.

For this weeks blog reflection process journal I chose to do a power point on a theme of a journey of a lost soul. I feel as though projects are not really meant for students to have fun with it because everyone waits until the last minute and it is not enjoyable we just want to get it done. I really wanted to think of a way where I could have fun and enjoy this project so I decided to tell a story that has a theme which would make this project not only fun for me but also for those who were to view it. The pictures that I chose from the course resources links that were provided for us told a story for themselves and I thought it would be a self told story but I decided to write the details of the story to make it more enjoyable for myself. Everyone can make up their own version of the story as to how the events would unfold and it would be interesting to know if my story would have been told differently by someone based on the photos that I have chosen. The beginning of my story is very somber and dark based on the photos that I chose that were dull in color but had detailed shadowing in them and then as the story went on the colors became more vibrant up until the end but I'll let my story explain itself. I really enjoyed this project and I began by exploring the links that were provided and found a picture that spoke to me the most to begin how exactly I was going to go about this project. The photo that spoke to me the most and I based my project on was found on slide 4. After I began my story and put all the pieces together and then was able to find pictures that would fit into the story. I decided to add the little details of page numbers to make it more story like. I know my photos do not have the traditional theme of cohesiveness but when you go through the slides and read they fit together as a cohesive theme. I really enjoyed putting this project together and I hope you do to.

Enjoy!

For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

 The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art

-Lowbrown was used for a lack of a better term for the artwork that was shown

-Even though there are forms of surrealism found in the artworks it differs

-People can relate to this type of art work due to culture that is shown in the artworks

-Punk rock musicians had a great influence over this art and the two went hand in hand and created a scene

Tate Modern

-Tate Modern changed London forever for the better

-All different forms of art can be found here, anything you can imagine

-Opening parties found here bring people from all over the world 

-Changed the visual landscape for art

-Half of the age demographic is under the year 35 that comes to Tate Modern

An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan

-A musume is never finished

-Phillippe de Montebello director of The Metropolitan he is the eighth and longest serving director

-Under his direction he has brought works from all over the globe from different eras which previously there was only works of Europe shown

-Today The Met holds some of the largest collections shown/displayed in the world 

Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Exhibition project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

For my creation of my art exhibition project the videos did not relate due to I have a story line that I came up with before I watched the videos. The story line that I have chosen is a young woman who became ill and died and her spirit went through the journey of the afterlife starting with being damned and having to go through a journey to end up finding her way into heaven. I found my images through the links that were provided and found some great images for my story on the Met site.

What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of the art concepts you practiced while creating your curation project?

I enjoyed the films and they added some depth to my understanding of just how I was to piece everything together. I was really able to get my juices going and create a detailed thought process of just how to start my project and how to get to my final results but also a big part that was played was the examples of previous class examples of how I should put my slides together.

Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

The two videos I chose to watch this week were Andy Warhol: Images of an Image and Hockney on Photography. I chose these two videos because I am a fan of Andy Warhol and his pop art and I really like photography and have taken a class in photography so I though that these two videos were a good fit for this weeks assignment. 

For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Andy Warhol: Images of an Image

- He never wanted to be an artist, he wanted to be a tap dancer

- Used silkscreen technique for his famous Marilyn Monroe (which made him famous)

- Reproduced images from newspapers, magazines, celebrities, and everyday images (ex. soup cans)

- Had to enlarge his images several times for his large silk prints

- Used a large studio that was "tin"

Hockney on Photography

- Began with using a polaroid camera

- Used multiple pictures of the same objects to piece them together to make one whole picture, one picture had two people with three faces and five hands but when looking at the picture at first glance you do not notice the abnormalities 

- 35m camera he had to keep the image in his head and construct the photo from memory or do the best he could

- Stood in one place while photographing the Grand Canyon (1982) could not make his big picture due to costs, $200-300 for each side, now would cost $15-20 to make

- He is also a painter

How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos relate to the reading in the text by there is a whole section of photography in our book which breaks photography down into different categories along with the historical development of where we are today in photography along with a few examples of different types of cameras along with a history lesson of old cameras that were used back in the day. When it comes to Andy Warhol there is a whole section on pop art in our book along with Andy Warhol and some of his artwork. 

What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

This week I thought that the videos were very interesting and added an in-depth look to Andy Warhol and his life story of how his art work came to be and I really enjoyed the video of Hockney on Photography I though it was very detailed and added a lot of extra information that was fully explained along with visual examples. 

     Questions about the exhibit:

1. What is the title of the exhibit?

    Picasso: The Artists and His Models

2. What is the theme of the exhibition?

     Picasso used his close relationships with his models                                                             

     transforming them from two dimensional to three    

     dimensional displaying them in his own representation 

     of what he saw in each one.

Questions about the physical space:

1. What type of lighting is used?

    Normal lighting was use, simple bulbs to highlight the 

    artwork.

2. What colors are used on the walls?

    Colors such as white, a dull brown, and a dull sky blue  were used on the walls to show off and compliment 

     the artwork.

3. What materials are used in the interior artchitecture of the space?

    The materials that are used in the interior architecture is very simple without any dramatic architecture elements, the lights were hanging on the celling blending into the the space which you don't notice.

4. How is the movement of the viewer through the gallery space?

     When looking at the artwork the space is very open and large, you are able to freely move throughout the exhibit and your eye flows from one piece to the next, some of the artworks are very detailed and you have to look at every little detail in order to take in the whole artwork to appreciate the story told where as there are some simple pieces without a lot of noise that balance out the loud pieces very well so you are not overwhelmed. 

Questions about the artwork:

1. How are the artworks organized?

The artworks are hanging on the walls spaced out far apart so your eye is only focused on one piece at a time without any others to distract your viewing. 

2. How are the artrworks similar?

The artworks are similar in the use of the model for the subject, other than that there are not two paintings that are similar to each other in their representation. The same colors can be found throughout some pieces but they are all telling different stories.

3. How are the artworks different?

The artworks are different through the position of the models, the stories being told, and some pieces are loud spoken while others are soft and realistic.

4. How are the artworks framed?

Very simple frames were used on the artwork and were color coordinated to blend into the artwork with the exception of La Toilette which had a large grand frame that appears to be a gold/brown color which still compliments the painting but adds more depth to the piece.

5. How are the artworks identified and labeled?

To be honest I did not notice any labels next to the art work or the pieces being identified when viewing the painting. There was a pamphlet that labeled each piece that I received.

6. What is the proximity of the artwork to each other?

The artworks were far apart from each other so when viewing one piece you could not see another in your viewing.

Art Criticism Exercise

Artist: Picasso

Title of work: Nude Figure

Media: Oil on Canvas

Date: Late Spring 1910

Size: 39 x 30 3/4 inches

Description – When looking at this piece I see a person who is trapped a dark place and is wanting to escape due to what looks like their arm are in the air in the stance of begging why. 

Formal analysis – The elements that are used in this piece are line, value, shape, form, color, and texture. The principles that are used in this piece are balance, contrast, movement, pattern, and unity. 

4.  Bracketing - I cannot think of anything else this piece of artwork reminds me of. 

5.  Interpretation - I feel as though Picasso was tying to show us that there is a darker side and that even though we may not think that anyone can see us in that dark place our emotions can give it away to the point where it is visible to others who are around us. 

Artist: Picasso

Title of work: Femme en Vert (Dora) (Woman in Green [Dora])

Media: Oil on Canvas

Date: Late Spring 1944

Size: 511/8 x 381/8 inches

Description – When looking at this piece I see the bright vibrant colors of the green blended with the dark monotones of green which is a symbol of wealth and envy. I can see the human form with where the flesh would been seen (the head and arms) are mixed with half woman and half cow but in a weird way they compliment each other.

Formal analysis – The elements that are used in this piece are line, value, shape, form, color, space, and texture. The principles that are used in this piece are balance, contrast, movement, pattern, emphasis, proportion, and unity. 

4.  Bracketing - In a weird way this picture reminds me of the painting of the farmer and his wife, where the farmer is holding the pitch fork and they have no expression on their face. I feel as though it reminds me of this piece due to the non-expression on this face of Picasso’s painting and the lifelessness 

                                                                             that is shown through the human form.

5.  Interpretation - I feel as though Picasso was tying to show us that there is a price we pay for wealth and when we are greedy we can turn into what we fear the most and most woman have the fear of being fat which is represented by the cow. 

Artist: Picasso

Title of work: La Musique

Media: Oil on Canvas

Date: 1939

Size: 45 3/8 x 45 3/8 inches

Description – When looking at this piece I see the balance of different colors, the relaxed peaceful motions of the woman playing the guitar along with the peacefulness of the woman in the yellow listening to the music playing. It seems as though they are outside playing due to the leaves that are in the background and they are becoming one with the universe. 

Formal analysis – The elements that are used in this piece are line, value, shape, form, color, space, and texture. The principles that are used in this piece are balance, contrast, movement, pattern, emphasis, and unity. 

4.  Bracketing - I cannot think of anything this painting reminds me of.

5.  Interpretation - I feel as though Picasso was tying to show us that there is harmony between us through music. There is a sense of peace and tranquility when we are listing and playing music together. 

What did you think of visiting the Gallery and purposefully looking at the exhibition from a different perspective - the physical space, the architecture, theme, etc.?

I really liked going and viewing the artworks by Picasso at the exhibit. I was able to appreciate the artwork more that I would by just looking at them through a photo which we are often lacking the fine little details when viewing them this way. When looking unclose and personal in the exhibit we are able to take in those small details that are often lacked and have a larger scale to look at which makes one really appreciate how the artist was able to make us feel as we are done taking in the artwork, it can often change our perspectives on our daily lives. 

 Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above.

For this weeks videos I decided to watch Matisse and Picasso and expressionism. I really think Picasso was an extremely talented artist and would like to learn more about him along with his artwork and I find expressionism to be interesting so I though that this week they would be good choices for me.

For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

Matisse and Picasso

- Matisse and Picasso have the strength of genius according to Gertrude Stein

- Picasso was a born painter introduced by his father who was also a painter

- Matisse was unaware of his talent for the first 20 years of his life, needed to think things through and rationalize things

- Picasso thought of himself as a worker and did not think things through or rationalize things, he was impulsive

- Picasso liked things clear cut (atheism) 

- The differences between the two painters brought them together and balanced the two artists out on their works

Expressionism

- All of the visual art works tell a deep story

- Hope is shown by body language

- Poses show emotions of the human figures

- By taking the whole picture in you may think of one story but when you break down each section you can see a different story that tie together to make a whole story

- It is important to look at the art work closely

How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

For this weeks videos relating to the readings in the text there are multiple sections of Matisse, Picasso, and of expressionism. There are profiles of Matisse and Picasso along with a few selections of their art work, the videos add more depth to their life stories and showed in-depth looks to other art works than the book. In the video there was an in-depth inside look to expressionism and with different methods of how to achieve this work.

What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I really enjoyed this weeks films, I thought that they added a better in-depth look to the artists along with expressionism. I feel as though getting a viewing look of expressionism I have a better understanding of how to achieve this work and I feel as though I have learned a lot of new information on Matisse and Picasso which I would have never known.