Review of AED 200

1. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the best? Why?

I enjoyed the first art gallery visit the most, because I was actually the first time I've been in a big art gallery such as the Albright Knox. It was interesting to see all the different types of art throughout the gallery. I liked the assignment because although we had our guidelines to choose certain pieces, ultimately it was my choice on which pieces I wanted in the vast selection they had.

2. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the least? Why?

It would definitely have to be the video reviews. I don't mind reading, but most of the videos were dry and boring, and I would have a hard time staying awake for some of them, especially after a long day at work. I do enjoy watching videos for education, but the selection wasn't great in keeping me interested.

3. How did you like using ANGEL?

ANGEL was good, don't have too many complaints. The only thing is my Mac is supplied with Safari, and it definitely was a hassle to download new browsers in order to get my assignments in sometimes. But besides that, I thought it was very well put together.

4. If you had the opportunity to change this course:

What would you keep?

I would keep the projects, such as the self portraits, logo making, mask making, etc. It's assignments like that which gave me the opportunity to show my creativity.

What would you remove?

I wouldn't remove the entire selection of videos for review, but I would cut down the amount of them. It just keeps me more interested in the readings if I'm not getting bored by videos all night long.

What would you add?

I would add a requirement that made students check out the Breachfield Penney Gallery on campus if they live in the Buffalo area. I went there on without having to do an assignment and I really liked it there. It would be good to get students there if they never gone before.

5. Would you recommend this course to your peers?

I would recommend it to them if they have an interest in art or a drive to learn more. The course did have a lot of work and reading, so a person who doesn't have the drive won't do the work. But if they are willing to learn, I would definitely recommend it.

6. Please list any other comments you would like to share.

It was definitely hard keeping up with the work while I worked, but it was a rewarding class. Thank you.

Reflections of AED 200

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

My original expectations were to learn more about the different styles of art because I did not have a lot of background in this subject. Throughout the course, I learned how art has evolved from primitive to popular art today. The course and the text did its job in giving me the course materials I needed to learn about the world of art that I didn't know about before.

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

Art is a form of visual expression, that can be created to be a realistic or non-representational image. It's a way for an artist to give the viewer a look into their creativity. When I first started the class, art to me was simply paintings and sculptures and how they were made for show. Now that the class is finished, I've learned that art doesn't always have to have a purpose to show off. It's a way for people to express themselves and to use their creative minds in order to make a piece that represents them.

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?

I didn't have an favorite artist in my original posting, but after this course I feel like my favorite artist is Michelangelo. I love the detail that he was able to paint and sculpt during his time. He set the bar for religious art and sculptures for artists after that and also well into today.

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?

Taking an online course was definitely a challenge, but like I said in my initial posting, it was going to be hard but rewarding. I learn quite a lot through the summer, especially getting hands on with creating projects and visiting art galleries. It was hard to keep up with the readings because I worked a lot, but I'm glad I was able to stick with it. It was a long course, but it provided what I was looking for originally and that was to learn about art and its different styles.

Self Portrait

Paul Cezanne Self Portrait, Oil on canvas, 25 5/8 in. x 20 5/8 in., 1879

Vincent Van Gogh Self Portrait, Oil on Canvas, 20 in. x 14 in., 1887

Anh Duong Self Portrait, Oil on Canvas, 14 in. x 11 in., 2002

1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?

I thought they were well done pieces and they were some of the only self portraits I found at the exhibit. I was looking for more pencil media because that's what I was going to work with but the oil on canvas paintings were really life like.

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

Pencil media was just easier for me, because I tend to make a lot of mistakes and with pencil I can at least erase and perfect my self-portrait. I feel like i could make smoother lines and transitions with the pencil, too.

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

My biggest challenge was getting my facial feature to scale with the rest of my face. At one point, my eyes were too small for my face and also my nose didn't look the right size. That's why I used pencil so I could correct these changes.

4. How does this piece represent you?

This is me in my most true form. I didn't look to add any abstract effects like some artists would. I just wanted to keep it pure and as close to the truth as I could possibly get it.

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

Definitely a realistic approach with the whole thing. Like I said I didn't wanna get crazy with it so I just let my pencil move along the paper and tried to make it life like as much as I could with my level of skill.

6. Did you enjoy working on this project?

I did actually! Probably because I enjoy drawing, and the last time I did a self-portrait was back in high school. It was nice to get back to this theme of art and give another shot at it.

7. What do you think of your final artwork?

I think I did well, actually better than I thought I would have. It was a relief to just draw myself instead of having to draw another person. But I liked how it turned out and with more time I fell like I could have added a lot more detail.

Art Critism

1. Which projects did you review?

I reviewed Jason Petty's "Art Curator Exhibition Slideshow", and Chantell Watson's "Project #4".

2. Why did you select the Exhibit you critiqued?

I selected Jason Petty's "Art Curator Exhibition Slideshow" because I like the nature theme that it presented. It had some very good examples throughout the slideshow and I felt it presented me with a good choice to critique.

3. What challenges did you face in writing the critique article and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenges were trying to write a critique without being biased. I found myself liking some pieces and disliking others, but it was a struggle to keep an open mind because I don't naturally think like that. I did my best and I may of slipped up once or twice, but I felt I stayed focused on the task.

4. How do you feel about critiquing your peers work?

I felt that I did the best that I could, but I could not do many more because I feel like everyone has their own style. I like a lot of art, so it would be hard to look at another couple exhibits and not be biased in some way. I think it was good exercise though and definitely something I can work on in the future.

5. Would you like to read the critique your peers wrote about your Art Curation Project?

Actually yes I would. I feel that I presented a lot of good examples of Native American art in different medias, from paintings to photos to sculptures and masks. I'm interesting to see how my peers felt about my exhibit. My analysis may not have been spot on, but I feel that my exhibit was enjoyable nonetheless.

6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your finished article and why?

I'd say a 7 to be honest. I tried to put myself in the place of an actually editor at an art magazine or website that visits exhibits and puts out a review on them. I'm not the best at writing about art, but I typed what came to my mind and I fell that it was good enough to make me sound like I was a real editor or columnist.

7. Did you enjoy working on this project?

I enjoyed more working on the actually art curator project than the critique. It's more of what I enjoy.

Video Review week 10

1.   The first video was “Greenberg on Art Criticism: An Interview by T. J. Clark”. In the video, they discuss the important aspects to remember when you critique art. One point was made that while you critique, it is important not to be biased and not to keep a preference. The main objective is to keep an open mind and be responsive to any art piece that you may be analyzing. In his opinion, visual art is the hardest to critique because of the biased nature that most people have. Greenberg focuses on having good reasoning for his options and to be relevant to the piece. This is a concept that we have been taught throughout this course.

 

The next video was “Greenberg on Pollock: An Interview by T. J. Clark”. Greenberg goes into discussing the art of painter Jackson Pollock. It was pointed out that Pollock knew was going to be a great painter. Greenburg also discusses the nontraditional works of Pollock, which can best be described as "outside of the box". In 1947, Pollock painted his first drip painting. Greenberg gave Pollock a lot of credit for his nontraditional works, and even though Pollock rejects criticism of his works. Pollock seemed to burn a lot of bridges in the art work, and became sort of an outsider, even to the point where some people didn’t even consider his style “art”.

 

The next video was “An Introduction to the Italian Renaissance”. The video discusses how art is changed due to a new enthusiasm, which started in the 1560’s in Florence, Italy. Each artist took ideas from past artists and diffused them into their own ideas of art. The video includes information about works by many famous artists, encompassed in Visari's book "Lives of the Artist". Artists like Giotto, who was a well know painter during this time that was remembered for his realistic painting style. Other famous painters that come to mind during the Renaissance are Masaccio, Donatello, and Leonardo da Vinci. 

 

The next video was “The Critics: Stories from the Inside Pages”. This video features a bunch of critics discussing their own criticism and opinions of other artists. It focuses on telling what a good critic does, by observing with a clear mind and how criticism is a good thing. It also discusses how a critic must be true to themselves and should be able to take criticism because according to the video it can be fun. Critics are people who are willing to make an argument, and often act as reporters. Even though some artists don't see critics as helpful and they send the wrong message, we should be encouraged to see all of the possibilities in art.

 

The next video was “The Colonial Encounter: Views of Non-Western Art and Culture”. It talks about Colonialism and The Worlds Fair of 1900, which in an eight month period brought over 50 million viewers. It discusses the main themes of indigenous people being put in cages and the belief that African people could turn on them. There was so racism depictions but as I learned in the past videos is that art criticism has to be discussed with an open mind. I personally couldn’t imagine growing up in a time like that, but works of art such as these were popular and our view of the present shouldn’t cloud our judgment of these images.

 

The last video was “Jackson Pollock: Michael Fried and T. J. Clark in Conversation”. The video focuses on the different criticisms of modern art, focusing on the style of Pollock and the different opinions of Michael Fried and T.J. Clark. Fried focused on the positive aspects like aesthetics and like how it was always regenerating. He also focused on discussing art strictly on the way they looked. Clark focused more on the history behind the piece and the influence it had during this time. It was good to hear of criticism coming from two different points of view, and how they listen to each other and combined it with their own options.

 

2.    In regards to my Art Criticism project, the video did indeed help because it gave me better understanding of what art criticism involves and some tactics I can use when looking at someone else’s work. My method of critiquing was minimal and could sometime be considered biased. But with the pointers that I got from the videos, I feel like I can gave a better critique of my peers.

 

3.   I thought I gain some good methods of critiquing from some of the videos, but a few weren’t as helpful. I felt the video on the Italian Renaissance and The Colonial Encounter weren’t very helpful. It was a lot of videos but the overall assignment wasn’t too bad. I just think it could have been cut down from six videos to four.

Art Curator Reflection Journal

I based my Art Curator project on "First Nations Art" as I am Native American and I love the work that I see in different tribes throughout North America. When I started this project, I wasn't really sure on how I was going to develop my powerpoint. But as I went on, I realized that like many exhibits, it's almost best to categorize art pieces to make it more uniform. Like I started out with oil paintings, then I grouped together sculptures, then masks, and so on. I felt that if I mixed my art pieces together, it wouldn't look as clean and efficient. 

The most difficult part was fining all the information for each of my art examples. It wasn't too hard to find that actually examples, just to get the essential information was a pain. I'm glad I went with my theme because I grew up around a lot of the imagery in my art examples and it's what I was familiar with. Native American art in my mind some of the most various genres today, because it comes from sculptures, to representational and non-representation, masks that are for show and also for actually ceremonies, etc. I hoped that I made my exhibit well enough that anybody can enjoy it.

Video Review week 9

1.  The first video was “Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art”. This video on the art of the Lowbrow genre. Lowbrow is best described as pop art; generally dreamlike characteristics and involves a lot of the figures we see on the television. Some examples of the figures used are automobiles and scantly clad pin-up type, as well as other abstract figures that really can’t be put in another categories. Some critics argue that it should take the name of “Lowbrow Surrealism”, and I feel that it resembles surrealist paintings from the readings. 

 

The second video was “Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach”.  This video discussed the method to displaying modern art in the Tate gallery. Throughout the 20^th century, art was displayed in galleries in a straight forward chronological style. With the Tate Approach, art pieces were broken down into four groups, or exhibits, which each piece being categorized to match that exhibit. This video focuses on grouping of artworks with the Tate Approach and the job of a curator breaking up the works into the right groups and themes. 

 

 The next video was “Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology”. It features a Native American woman making a stand for the protection of Indian burial grounds. This movement was based on fighting for the rights to claim their ancestral artifacts from becoming amusement in museums and other exhibits. These Native rights groups fought for the protection of bones and remains being dug up, and boycott the museums that show Native artifacts. The artifacts can tell a great deal about the past and should not be destroyed, as well as not be moved because more can be discovered by examining remains in their nature state. It’s also about respect of the ascestors, because they fell that their cultural remains are not meant to be used for exhibit purposes. 

 

The last video was “George Eastman House: Picture Perfect”. This video talked about the George Eastman House located in Rochester, NY. It goes into discussing Eastman’s creation of the first camera, and the collection the visual history of photography that he created. It gives a good history on photography, including explaining the thousands of different kinds of cameras and lenses, and works from over 14,000 photographers. It was interesting to see the early models of cameras and the photographer's styles and how they can be compared to the changes in what the photography field is today.

2. I felt that three of the videos I could relate to my Art Exhibition project. Because it is based on Native American Art, I felt that the issues talked about in the “Bones of Contention" video were very relatable to my project. Most of my art I chose was more current, but I know that a lot of tribes are reluctant to let certain images to be portrayed because they do not want outsiders misrepresenting it. The history explained in the "George Eastman" video could relate because photography was something I liked when I was choosing my art pieces. Lastly, the "Lowdown and Lowbrow" video related because I discovered some very abstract pieces done by some current artists. Pop culture artists today have an array of influences, and mixing the traditions of the past and today's abstract style made for some really interesting pieces.

3. I felt the videos were very helpful, except the "Displaying Modern Art" video because it didn't really have to do too much with my project. But I felt that the rest of the videos gave me extra guidance to take me in the right direction for my project.

Week 8 - Video Blog review

The first video I chose was “Dance at the Moulin de la Galette”. I was interest in it because I have become very interest in France art, and Auguste Renoir seems to have had a major influence on the artistic culture of late 19^th century. The painting seemed to me as a painting that stood for Paris and all its pleasures. It depicts a scene in Paris of the people dancing, laughing, and just having a good ole time at the Butte Montmartre. What I like about the painting is that you feel as if you’re right there with people. It also is a very intimate piece, as Renoir does a good job of making all the actions of the towns people look very realistic. You got to believe that this piece is one of Paris most influential works because it is so well but together. The video tied in with the text because it shows how influential French art was during this time, before the globalization movement of the art capital to New York City.

The next video I chose was “Matisse and Picasso” video. The video was based on the different styles of each artist and how their style made them so famous. Some of the key concepts were that Matisse traveled the world and often took very little with him in search of artistic inspirations. Matisse struggled to find his latest paintings a great deal of the time. Picasso was more of an impulsive artist and would find your influences on the fly. He spend a lot of time in his studio and drew inspiration from what was around him. Picasso also grew bored quickly, so it wasn’t uncommon that he changed styles more than most artists. At one point, Picasso skipped over Fauvism and focused his mind on Cubism, which he would be known as the leader for. Both artists had there own style and it showed in on the canvas. With the text, I focused more on Picasso because I enjoyed his style more than Matisse’s. But it was interesting to learn more about his methods and the history behind him because the text only talked about so much.

The next video I chose was “Dada and Surrealism”. In the video George Grosz was seen as a political satirist. He came from a lower-class background, which didn’t provide him with many opportunities going up. His situation developed overtime into a great deal of bitterness directed towards the government, soldiers, lawyers and priests. The picture titled "Pillars of Society" was geared to be a picture of evil men, when it is clear the enormous social range gave off a satirical element to it. This ties into the text because of the book’s general definition of Dada that society had gone mad and refused to make sense or provide aesthetic comfort of refuge. It was sort of the “anti-art” which put emphasis on irrationality, chance, irony, childness, and absurdity. The video put it in perspective because it gave me the visual of just how Dada and Surrealist artists worked.

The last video I chose was “Uncertainty: Modernity and Art”. It focuses on how modern life evolved out of old ideas, much similar to how modern art evolved out of older styles of art. Basically, the key concept is really just how uncertain modern life can be at times. It talks about how more modern art changes with modern life through different styles such as Abtract Expressionism and then Pop Art. We live in an ever-changing environment, its natural for things to change. The video went on to explain examples of how art has changed. For example, the Industrial Revolution helped move along modern life with the changes in technology, and in turn this directly affected the way art went about. It was above to gain influences from other cultures now due to globalization. This ties in with the text because globalization played such a major role in how art evolved. If we were never to have known how the cultures in Europe or Asia viewed art, we would have never seen a change. It’s a great thing to gain knowledge from these other nations because it benefits everyone in the end.

I fell like every time a Video Blog assignment comes up it does help me out a lot. There is only so much that the text can portray, so its good to see a visual aid to help me understand the material more. I’m a more visual learner anyways, so videos and the pictures in the books that go with the readings is what benefit me the most. The book might get dry, but the videos are there to give me the assistance I need to learn the material.

Mask Making

The three masks that inspired me were the Ecuador Mask Clown. This one inspired me because of the color in the mask. The next mask that inspired me was the hockey mask. One of the links describes this kind of mask as a protection or sports mask. To me it has a little bit more meaning because I have been playing hockey for so long I have worn this kind of mask as long as I can remember. The third mask that inspired me was the False Face mask because I am Native American and this kind of mask is part of my culture. The Ecuador Mask has white, black, green, and red colors in it and also is symmetrical on both sides. The hockey mask is white and has symmetrical holes on both sides. It also has brown straps on the back to keep the mask on. The false face mask is red and is the most powerful false face. It also has long hair and has big white eyes. The nose and is large and the wooden mask also has carvings in it at the top. The mouth in the mask is wide open.

My mask was incorporated all of my three inspirations in different ways. I based my physical features like the nose and eyes on the False Face. But my general focus was to make it look more like the hockey mask, so I keep the mouth holes as well as kept a majority of the mask white. The color inspirations came from the Ecuador Clown Mask with the green and red. Overall, I fell that my mask was well balanced in using elements from all the three masks.

I felt that in making this mask, even though we were to use the other masks as inspirations, I was able to keep my own creativity in the way I wanted it to look. It was a nice piece to work on because it's a field I don't have much experience in. I felt that my mask was put together well and served its purpose of being a well rounded piece.

Video Review

The first video I chose was on “African Art”. Based on the video, African art is based on the tradition of the culture and is found throughout everything, from clothing, to clay pots, sculptures and other everyday objects. African art, much like most cultures is based on ritual and created for ceremonies. The idea behind most African thought is that all figures and animals have a spirit is held within them. They used art to exemplify their imagery of what they think these spirits look like, using such as rock art and carvings of animals and humans. The readings talk about rock art just a little bit, but both the text and the video go into explaining the early carvings of humans and animals, and how they were stylized, but recognizable. They may have just been carving symbols with no real meaning because it is unknown whether or not they had meaning.

The next video I chose was “The Great Wave – Japanese Artwork”. I was very interested in Japanese art, and the “The Great Wave” was a major art piece in their culture. The woodblock print was used to create a series of images that was over lapped in several different colors. The vibrant lines give the giant wave detail and depict and source of chaos that are about to in gulf the Japanese citizens on the boat. It almost looks as if the wave is an army that is about to attack the people because the ends of the wave look like hands or claws. The video and the text both get into this style of Japanese art, like that was done by Kano Eitoku during the Momoyama period even though “The Great Wave” definitely in more detail than most works.

I also chose the “Buddhism” video. From my concept of the religion, it is based on the idea that time is important, and all beings are condemned to suffer an endless hell like events, endless they can gain release. Followers must then shy away from any sort of desire that may cause this fait by cultivating nonattachment and follow a moral and ethical path. The term from the video, “tanha”, is the action that Buddhist follower’s perform in order to extinguish the immoral desires. What I learned from the videos is the Buddhist religion is made up of two groups, the Hinayana and the Mahanyaha. The Hinayana were Monks who wanted to take a boat to cross over into nirvana and the Mahanyaha decided to seek companions and wait for a boat to come. It was very interesting it get more background on the religion because it has a lot of history, but I didn’t know very much about it. With this video and the text, it was good to find out more about it. The formal background I read in the text about the main idea of “breaking the cycle” was explained more with the video. To have followers that are willing to give up elements of life in order to pass into the next realm, it takes a great commitment.

Lastly I chose the “The Islamic art” video. It discusses the key idea of Islamic art based on the fact that images of humans and animals were forbidden to be portrayed. This was because the Islamic followers believed that worshipping idols is not allowed according to the Qur’an. Instead, images of plants, flowers, and patterns were primarily used in Islamic art. This relates to the readings in that the readings emphasize the use of geometric patterns and script in Islamic art that made it very beautiful. Architecture in Mosques and places of worship were also emphasized in both the readings and video. It makes me think just how different every culture to each other, like where idols and gods are loved in Greek culture, in Islam they aren’t in art.

I like how these films gave me a better understanding of each one of these art styles. I’m not going to act like I have learned a lot of background on these styles before I took this course, but along with the videos and the text I now know why these cultures exemplify the images they do, and why they are so famous. I think these videos helped me out a great deal in my understanding.

Art Gallery Visit #2

The Exhibition

1. The title of the exhibit was "Clyfford Still"

2. The theme of the exhibit was works done by the artist Clyfford Still, an American painter who lived from 1904-1980 that worked a lot with Abstract Expression with his work

The Gallery

1. The lighting in the gallery was fairly light throughout the entire place, but extra light was shined on each one of the paintings to put more emphasis on them. 

2. The walls were strictly white, most likely to contrast with the colors of the paintings.

3. The interior architecture of the exhibit was plain, as the only thing that it had were a couple benches to sit on. Besides this, it was basically made of three rooms (2 small room and a larger room). Not a whole lot to it.

4. All the art were wall paintings, and each labeled at a single spot in a clockwise order. So the movement of the space was mostly a clockwise viewing. Look at one, move to the right, and so on. 

The Artwork

1. All the art works were done by Clyfford Still's, with each small room having 4 paintings each and several more in the larger room. The paintings were in 2 different sizes, either about 6.5 ft. x 6 ft., or 9 ft. x 8 ft., and not in any order throughout the exhibit.

2. Each artwork started on the same tan canvas and framed with the same wood finish. The method of abstract painting was a common theme for all of Still's paintings

3. Besides the size of the paintings, the choice of colors were about the only thing that was different. Still's had a array of color choices he used from painting to painting. Some would have minimal paint and a lot of canvas, others were painted throughout the whole thing. Some were darker with choices of black and blue paint, others focused on being lighter with red, yellow and white paints.

4. Each painting had the same exact simple wood frame, not too large, really just enough to make it look minimal. 

5. Each painting had a label to it on the wall with painting information. In the smaller rooms, each painting info was posted together in one spot, but let you know that the labels from top to bottom went clockwise with the paintings. In the larger room, the labels were posted right next to the paintings. 

6. All the paintings were pretty spaced out, as it was common that each wall only had one painting on it. This put about 10-15 ft. in between each painting.

-Clyfford Still, "October 1950", oil on canvas, 1950, 6.5 ft. x 6 ft.

What I see is a lot of abstract thought with Still's. The colors do not seem to be in any sort of particular form. It more free and has no direction. Best described as a non-representational art piece. What it really reminds me of is the Doppler Radar for the weather that we see on the news every night. What I think Still's is trying to say is just be free, just let the brush do the work.

-Clyfford Still, "November 1950 No. 2", oil on canvas, 1950, 6.5 ft. x 6 ft.

This painting is less involved than the first painting. The only colors that are present black, yellow, and a lighter tan than the canvas. This one also does not seem to have too much direction or any particular form, and is non-representational. This painting doesn't seem to remind me of anything really. What I think the artist is trying to stay is kept it simple and don't over complicate things.

-Clyfford Still, "November 1954", oil on canvas, 1954, 9 ft. x 8 ft. 

This painting follows the abstract style of Still's. What I see is not a lot of paint, with a lot of the color focusing on the white. The black takes up very little, and also goes for the orange. This too is a non-representational painting. This painting reminds me of a cloud over the western desert mountains. What I think Still's is trying to say in this is that everyday images can be put on canvas, even if they do not directly look like the image itself. 

These are photos of the exhibit at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery

4. I thought going in with a clear mind that I did look at the exhibit in a much different way. Still’s artworks may not seem to complex, and with a bias mind I probably would have never entered that room on the gallery. With the questions and Art Criticism guidelines, I was able to open my view to art in a much different way. The way each painting was placed in the room, to the similar frames, to the free flowing images, it all meant something. With a biased mind, I would have never realized any of this.

What is installation art?

A form of art in which a space is presented as a work of art that can be entered, explored, experienced, and reflected upon.

What materials are used installation art?

The materials used in installation art can be anything the artist wants. An example of the materials used in one installation is the materials used in Thomas Hirshhorn’s installation Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake. He uses common, inexpensive material like cardboard, adhesive tape, aluminum foil, and wood. It’s mostly the work of putting all these things together that is the beauty of the work not what’s actually in it.

Why make installation art?

Installation was made into art because of the changing times. Art can manifest itself in many more ways then the 18^th century philosophers who invented the category every dreamed. Art can be presented in so many different ways and installation is one way for artist to do this.

Which artist/installation did I find most interesting?

I think the installation created by Ann Hamilton to be very interesting. I feel like I get what she is trying to say with all this stuff going on behind the women and the women still doing what she was doing like it was not there. I really understood this picture and think it is very interesting how Hamilton did this.

From the material reviewed, is there an inspiration piece that I feel a connection with?

One of the pieces I felt a connection with was Thomas Hirshhorn’s installation Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake. I love how he put the most random things together but still had a message come across and a reason for doing so. His image is of world problems and that is really important to me.

What theme do I want to explore in my installation?

The theme I was thinking about exploring was Self. I want to create an installation that shows all about me.

What materials will I use?

The materials I will use are sports equipment, school stuff, native American material, clothes, shoes.

Where will this installation be located and why?

My installation will be located in my room because it is where I spend the most time and where I have everything that is mine.

Describe my Installation:

The first thing I put into my installation is a Wayne Gretzky poster. The next thing I put on top of the poster is two hockey sticks crossing each other and a lacrosse stick crossing them in the middle. I place a Chicago Blackhawks puck in my lacrosse stick. Next I folded my Buffalo State Hockey T-shirt and placed it in the top right. The next thing I added was a picture of my dad holding me when I was little. I placed a carving my dad made me from soapstone next to our picture. I placed a dream catcher in the installation next. I placed a trophy I had won playing hockey in my installation as well. I also included two very important key chains to me. The first is a player pass to the National Championships for hockey. The second is my name tag to where I work, Hard Rock Cafe. The very last thing I included were my hockey skates.

Analyzing my Installation:

Wayne Gretzky is my all time favorite hockey player and I have had this poster in my bed room since I can remember. I used my two game sticks that I use for every game I play and I also play lacrosse so I added that to it. I added the Chicago Blackhawks puck because they are one of my favorite teams and won the Stanley Cup this year. I play hockey for Buffalo State and it is a huge part of my life. My dad is the most important person in my life and has always been there for me through everything. The carving is one of my favorite things I own. My dad used to make them when he was younger and my grandma recently gave them all to me. The dream catcher represents my culture, which is Native American. The hockey trophy represents all the years of dedication I have put into hockey and the reward I get from it. The keychains are important to me because going to the National Championships was one of the best times of my life and something I will never forget. The Hard Rock Keychain is important because I spend 90% of my time working there and I also really enjoy it though. My hockey skates are so important to me. I would rather wear them then any other shoe in the world and they have helped me achieve so much in my life.

What are your thoughts on the planning and creation of a site specific installation?

My thought on the planning and creation of this site specific installation is that it was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed sharing myself with people. I liked creating something that was all about me and it being somewhere were I could see it and my family and friends could see it as well.

Video Review

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

Through the Eyes of the Sculptor: This video was very interesting to me because I learned how much time, hard work, and dedication go into a sculpture. I think it is very intertersting that the the artist does so much of their own dirty work, for example picking out the marble right from the quarry! I would think most artist go to stores and just purchase marble.

Glass and Ceramics: This video taught me more then I ever knew about glass and ceramics. I had no idea that the person creating a dish and glazing it would put their whole arm into the glaze. I also enjoyed when the video discussed how to keep glass from changing colors and the concept of glass blowing.

Installation Art: From this video I learned that installations take a very long time to do and that they aren’t permanent.

Prairie Style: I think the houses in this video were so cool. I would love to have that many windows and enjoy everything outside. I wouldn’t even mind people seeing in. I really enjoy the outdoors and I enjoy seeing all types of weather and nature around me outside.

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

I think the videos relate in a way to the readings. I think they kind of explained things in a different way and gave me a better understanding of the readings and also a different look into the text.

3. What is your opinion of the films?

I think the films were very good. I mean sometimes they would get boring but I think I just enjoy reading better. I have a better thought process when I look at words and videos are good for a picture in my head but sometimes I overlook what they are saying or trying to say. I really enjoyed the sculpture video. My family is really into native American carvings so I also find anything like sculpture very interesting and tend to pay closer attention to it. I also enjoyed seeing the different buildings in the architecture video. I think there are really gifted people out there who are able to create such wonderful things and I really do enjoy learning about it.

Review Peers

http://arteducationballsm001.blogspot.com/

http://bojasc72.blogspot.com/

2.) ballsm001: Yes we had a few similar images, such as “Convergence” and “Yellow Jesus” I think we decide on the same images because of the imagery they both possessed. “Convergence” was huge, but was so stunning to look at, and the “Yellow Jesus” was just eye catching because of the history behind the imagery but the figure of Jesus was so abstract.

bojasc72: In project #1 we did not have any similar pictures; she has a different style than me and I don’t expect everyone to be the same. But project #2 the “Nomad” painting by James Rosenquist was what we had in common. I agreed that the colors and the 3D aspect of it drew me in. It was just a very well done piece that caught both of our attentions.

3.) ballsm001: I like the piece “Child’s Blue Wall” by Jim Dine, because it was a piece that got my attention at the Albright-Knox but I decided on other paintings to use. It just so simple but with the addition of the light it reminds me of my childhood bedroom, just like how Dine used his son’s room as inspiration.

bojasc72: I like the use of the cat as “texture” because the picture alone made me imagine the feel of the cat. Also, the picture of the tiger’s eyes for “emphasis” was very striking because of the contrast of the bright blue eyes to the lighter fur of the tiger. In project #2, I like the piece “The Marvelous Sauce” by Jehan Georges Vibert. It was a very well done painting because it was so detailed. The men in the painting looked life like, almost as if it was a photograph and not a painting. It showed me just how talented the artist Vibert was.

4.) I did find it refreshing to look at both blogs and their projects because there is only so much that I look at during my time doing my own homework. I like to see other people’s take on art, mainly because it expands my horizon. I found it very valuable because I got to see more examples of fine art and how my peers viewed them.

 5.) I did find them helpful. It gave me the feedback that I need to go on from here and have a better understanding that my process of work is the right one. It’s always good to hear what people have to say, because it keeps me honest with myself. Whether the criticism is good or not, I know how people feel about it now. 

1. I grew up playing basketball my entire life, and as a Native American, it's a sport that is very popular at home. I played with a youth basketball team since I was 8 years old, called the "Native American Youth Organization". I created this logo as the new face of the basketball organization, because the original one was getting outdated. So I was approached to make a logo and here it is. 

2. I knew the logo needed a few things, like the basketball, headdress and the symbol in between. The symbol is the "Hiawatha" belt, a symbol that stands for all the nations of the Iroquois. I incorporated them all together to become unified as one eye-catching logo. The Hiawatha belt had to be purple because that's just what it is, but I used the bright orange for the basketball to get it to stand out even more. 

3. The most important discovery I made was my process of drawing. I've all ways been a drawer, but for something this special to me I wanted to do a good job on it so I worked on it for awhile. I went through a lot of rough drafts before I settle with this one, but over the process i discovery my technique of detail, especially with the headdress.

4. The most important thing I learn was make it memorable. Companies and groups don't want a logo that's not going to catch a viewer's eye. I had this thought in mind the entire time. The videos were of some help, but my motivation was my old team.didn't want the basketball organization I played with for so many years to not look good. They loved it so I'm happy.  

Art Galley Visit #1

Romare Bearden, "Return of the Prodigal Son", Mixed Media and Collage on Canvas, 4 ft x 5 ft, 1967

This piece of work really leave an impression on me. I think it looks so cool and unique. I think this artist went out of the box and really wanted to say something with this work. I really think it is cool how the artist used different mediums to make people. I think this would take a lot of hard work and patience and I can appreciate that.

Giacomo Balla, "Dramismo di un Cane al Guinzaglio (Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash)", Oil on Canvas, 2.5 ft x 3 ft, 1912.

This picture leaves an impression on me because I really enjoy the technique the artist used to show the dog in motion. I think this would be very difficult to do and really appreciate the effort that was put into it. I also like the black and white.
Marisol, "Baby Girl", Wood and Mixed Media, 6.5 ft x 2.5 ft, 1963

I want to learn more about this piece of work. I think the big baby is kind of scary looking and I wonder why there is also a little baby doll on its leg. The two seem really random and I am not sure what the artist is trying to portray.
Tom Wesselmann, "Still Life #20", Mixed Media, 3 ft x 4 ft, 1962

This piece of work makes me want to learn more about it. I want to know why there is food and beverages painted and a sink connection to it with a medicine cabinet. I do not get how they are related and would like to know why the artist connected the two.
Philip Elliot, "Shelocta, Pa", Oil on Canvas, 2.5 ft x 2.5 ft, 1943

I want to know more about this picture. I want to know what is under the bride. I want to know why one house is on the other side of the bridge and why this man is walking all alone. I also want to know how he is reading a newspaper and walking at the same time. There are so many questions that come to mind when I look at this.
Adam Swift, "Niagara Falls", Oil Rubout on Canvas, 2.5 ft x 2.5 ft, 1943

I feel a connection to this work because I am from Niagara Falls. The falls is one of my favorite things in this area and I really enjoy going to walk around at the falls. I think most people take it for granted but I really enjoy this great wonder we live so close to.
John Wesley "George Washington and Three Indians", Oil on Canvas, 5 ft x 5 ft, 1963

I feel a connection with this piece of art work because I am Native American. I also did a thesis paper on The Pickering Treaty which was a treaty between the Seneca Nation and George Washington so this picture represents this to me.
Emile Fu, "Fishhawk", Acrylic on Canvas, 2.5 ft x 3 ft, 2009

This picture left an impression on me because I really enjoy the colors used in it. I love the bright color of the bird and fish and that they are the same. I also enjoy the background colors as well.
Paul Gauguin, "The Yellow Christ", Oil on Canvas, 3 ft x 2.5 ft, 1889.

I feel a connection with this work because I believe in Jesus Christ and really enjoy learning his story. To me this picture depicts people following him and I consider myself a follower of Jesus Christ as well.