Albright Knox Visit

For this module, we were instructed to visit the Albright Knox Art gallery in Buffalo. The Albright Knox is an incredibly beautiful gallery, and was displaying mainly a large collection of contemporary works from 2002-2012. It was amazing to see how many different mediums and canvases were used to create art, and I truly enjoyed being able to see works that we'd discussed in class, in person. We were given a set of questions to ponder while enjoying and analyzing the amazing works of art. They are as follows: Which artworks make an impact or impression on me and why? During my visit, I found several works of art that made a huge impact/impression on me. However, I also felt a personal connection with some, and have decided to include them in the next section. There were two works of art at the Albright Knox that had an extreme physical and psychological impact on me. Yet, they still left beautiful, impressions in my mind. Both of these works included sets of stairs. One work of art was actually found on the stairs themselves, the Zobop (Stairs), in vinyl tape medium by artist Jim Lambie in 2003:

The other work of art was found on the landing between 2 sets of stairs. The work was untitled, but a computer video installation created in 1993 by Jennifer SteinKamp:

Both of these vivid, colorful artworks affected me physically and psychologically. I could not look down when walking on the Zobop (Stairs) for fear of falling, because in my mind the lines and rectangles flowed together and I could not tell where one step began and the other ended. This work of art still left an impression on me however, because of its vibrant nature and color, the optical illusion it created, and the statement it made. I had a similar experience with the computer video installation, because the image was constantly moving, and it made the floor look something like lava. Even though I could see the floor, this work of art made me feel like I shouldn't walk on top of it, again for fear of falling. In fact, someone saw me hop over the corner of the work in order to get to the normal flooring and laughed :). This work of art left an impression on me because it was amazing to see what computer manipulation and generation could do to an artwork. I liked the psychedelic, trippy nature and tie-dye effect of the piece as well. One last piece that made an impact and impression on me was the 2008, The Quiet of Dissolution, Firestorm, by Sonja Braas. The work is a color print edition in which Sonja Braas photographed natural and man-made disasters and catastrophic landscapes and made a diorama to look like LA engulfed in flames. How the work was created and the message the artists was trying to convey really left a lasting impression on me, as the work was so horrifically beautiful and life-like, I just couldn't take my eyes away.

Which artworks do I feel a connection with and why? I felt a strong connection with the first artwork that I photographed, Toccata and Fugue, by Arman (1962). The work featured sliced violins mounted on wood. I am a musician, and my primary instrument is the violin. I was immediately drawn to this work of art, and it's title made me chuckle. Although my beloved instruments were cut in half, it didn't bother me because the overall effect was awesome and each violin had its own unique wood grain pattern that gave the work texture and beauty.

The second artwork that I felt a connection with was Reed Andersons' acrylic on cut paper, Midnight Peacock Music, created in 2006. The artwork was extremely involved and detailed and had an interesting color scheme. I loved that everywhere you looked in the piece, you could discover something new: an owl, a peacock, a flower, a leaf, a firework. There were so many paintings within a painting and it made me intrigued. The work also had splashes of strategically placed neon color bursts and splatters that made it visually appealing when contrasted with the black and white of the majority of the work. The shape of the work reminded me of Celtic knotwork, and the details, colors, and animals drew me in, I almost felt like it was a representation of myself.

Which artworks would I like to know more about and why? Clare Woods' enamel on aluminum artwork, Failed Back (2004), took my breath away when I walked into the room where it was on display. The work was enormous and interesting and unique. White is contrasted with dark, camouflage colors and a few specks of bright orange and yellow. The artwork itself was gorgeous, but when I read the description underneath the title of the work, my interest and intrigue grew. The description gave a snapshot of how the artist created this work by taking photos with a flashgun and combining them to form the 4 pictures that make up this work of art. The description made me want to learn more about the artist's process, see more of the artist's work, and look into the medium of the work.

The second artwork that left me wanting more was Mark Fox's untitled work with a crazily involved combined medium of ink, watercolor, acrylic, marker, gouache, graphite, pencil, colored pencil, ballpoint pen, and crayon on paper with PVA and piano stool. The shape and use of color were what drew me to the artwork. At first, I thought that it was a bunch of deconstructed cardboard boxes on top of the stool, but I was incorrect. Then, I looked at the description of the work and was amazed by the varying mediums that the artist used. I immediately wanted to know why he did it, how he did it, if he created this just sitting around coloring at night, etc. A million questions flew through my mind as I observed this beautiful, colorful structure, and it left me wanting to learn more.

Logo Project

This week for art inquiry, we created a logo to represent ourselves. I had no idea how much time and thought and consideration went into the logo creating process. When I sat down to think about what my logo would be I had a million ideas. I started by thinking about things that I enjoy, things that I like, etc. and came up with a turtle, my favorite animal. After brainstorming, I sketched out 2 different turtles, but in the process i realized that turtles were just something I liked, not something that represented my identity and my very being.

y67 The next day I went back to brainstorming, this time focusing on my true identity. I am going to college to be a special education teacher and teaching is what I love and a huge part of my life. So I decided on an apple, but just an apple would be too boring, so I decided to put a heart inside the apple to symbolize my love for teaching and caring nature. Next, came the step of deciding where to place the heart, how big it should be, what type of heart, etc. I finally decided that the apple looked the best with the heart on the left, top bump of the apple.

However, the logo still lacked something crucial. I realized pretty quickly what it was, I needed something Celtic in there! I identify strongly with my Irish and Scottish heritage, so I decided to carry on the "what's in my heart?" theme, and decided to add a Celtic love knot to the design. My design had an asymmetrical feel to it, so I kept it going, placing the love knot inside the heart at the bottom. Finally, I added color, making the apple green instead of red for aesthetic purposes so as not to clash with the heart.

The most important thing I learned during the logo creating process was that it was much more challenging than I had first expected, but also incredibly fun to create! I also truly enjoyed watching the videos about creating a logo. What I found most interesting was how many people are processes are involved in compiling a logo on a product. In both videos, a whole team of individuals had to get together to discuss what the logo should stand for, or symbolize, create a series of possible designs, narrow it down to one design, tweak that design until it's perfect, collaborate with the manufacturers, etc. I just couldn't get over how much planning and time and effort had to go into making these symbols. My final product:

Value Scale and Color Wheel

This week for Module 4 our class was assigned a project in which we needed to construct a Value Scale and a Color Wheel. I love creating art and was especially excited to work on this project. I have created both a Value Scale and a Color Wheel in previous classes, and paint ceramics with acrylic paint in my spare time, so I knew that this project would be very enjoyable. The media that I enjoyed working with the best was the acrylic paint for the color wheel. I love the ability to be able to mix and combine the paints to create a wide range and variety of new, unique colors. The most important discovery in making these studies, was how challenging it was to create the Value Scale. I found it very challenging to keep getting lighter and lighter with the particular charcoal pencil I was working with. I had to keep going back and adjusting and making the previous squares darker, but eventually I got the hang of it. I thought that the videos we had to watch for this project were very informative, interesting, and knowledgeable. The most important information I learned from these videos was that blue and red are not in fact the true primary colors. There are now two new colors that form the primary colors that are different from the classic color wheel. Instead of red, blue, and yellow, the more appropriate primary colors are magenta, cyan, and yellow. Overall this project was quick and fun!

Photo Slideshow

Slideshow

After learning about the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design, we were instructed to demonstrate our understanding of the material by taking photographs that embodied each element and principle and creating a slideshow.  For my slideshow, I decided to take photographs at the Botanical Gardens and the Toronto Zoo.  However, I also included a few pictures that I had taken at home when the opportunity presented itself, as well as a picture of a spot at Hamburg Beach.  Although I am not a photography major, or even any type of art major, I love to take photographs.  Capturing images in time, in different angles and lighting intrigues me and makes me feel wonderfully happy.  Though my pictures may not be show-worthy, my family and I enjoy them. 
I found the process of sorting through hundreds of pictures to match them up with the elements and principles challenging.  I had so many pictures that could fit into so many different categories, that it was difficult to chose what to put where.  When I made my final selections, making the slideshow on PhotoBucket was a breeze!  I couldn't believe how easy it was to upload these pictures into a slideshow.  I ran into trouble however, when I attempted to embed the slideshow itself into my blog.  No matter how I tried, or how many times I looked at the professors powerpoint, PhotoBucket refused to post my slideshow to my blog.  Therefore, I've posted the link to the show below:

I'd also like to give explanation for my slideshow by highlighting why I chose each photograph in particular:
For Line I chose the top of a teepee structure that showed wooden beams as lines leading to the focal point of a pair of antlers.
For Shape I chose a square metalwork that also had the shape of a Chinese character cut out of the middle.
For Form I chose a wrought iron table and chairs that were place at an angle where one could see the 3-dimensional length, width, and height of the setting.
For Space I chose an up-close photograph of some sort of cactus that was surrounded but a negative space of sand.
For Color I chose a photograph of the inside of an orchid.  The colors were amazing and I was quite pleased with the intensity of the shot as well.
For Texture I chose a picture of my dog Tallulah.  Her soft fur and bumpy nose combined nicely with a shot of the raised tiles on the floor to showcase several different textures at once.
For Balance I chose an asymmetrical view of where the sandy beach meets a tall rock pile on lake Erie.  Although asymmetrical, the naturalness of the image flowed well and created a sense of oneness.
For Emphasis I chose another up-close and personal shot of an orchid (my favorite flower).  The blurred green leaves at the very bottom of the photograph served as a nice contrast to the vivid nature of the various parts and colors of the orchid.
For Movement I chose a photograph of the top of the glass roof of the Botanical Gardens.  The viewers eye is attracted to the square center of the roof by the diagonal lines of the structure itself, and the tall, diagonal palm trees that surround it on the ground level.
For Pattern I chose yet another orchid.  This orchid was very different from the rest due to the web-like pattern found on it's petals.  Each petal had its own variations in the pattern, but the overall effect was beautiful.    
For Repetition I chose a picture of four turtles eating their supper at the Toronto Zoo.  The turtle's shells all had the same interesting pattern and texture, and every turtle looked like a replica of the next.
For Proportion I chose a picture of my puppy Finnegan burrowed underneath a set of pillows that are proportionally much larger than his little frame.
For Rhythm I chose a photograph of a spherical gazing ball that was a decoration at the Botanical Gardens.  The variations of color, light, texture, and shape of the pieces covering the ball created a sense of swirling movement and unity.
For Variety I chose a shot of some outrageously colored berries on a hot pink stem.  The varying conditions and colors and shapes of the berries gave me a feeling of variety.  The lines of the stems brought my eye to visualize different aspects of the group as well.
For Unity I chose a photograph of a statue surrounded by leaves and flowers and natural light.  I felt that this picture included almost every element and principle and flowed together harmoniously.


http://s1056.photobucket.com/albums/t369/oconnekm01/?action=view&current=a8a2bd7b.pbw

Emotions of Color

Color has an enormous impact on the emotions of individuals.  I personally believe that colors can evoke emotion because humans subconsciously connect present emotions with emotions of past experiences, and in turn, subconsciously recall the setting and color in which they experienced that emotion.  Linking color to emotion and emotion to experience is something innately human and biological.  Artist June Redfern believes that color keeps paintings fresh and alive, and makes her feel young.  For June, painting is instinctual and intense; it drives her crazy sometimes.  Colors can make paintings feel violent and depressing, or they can make them feel optimistic and joyous.  Artists utilize particular color combinations to evoke the emotions that they want their audience to experience.  For example, Van Gogh used clashing color combinations to make something feel depressing and unnatural, and Rothko used bold reds and browns to make his audience feel trapped and bricked into the Four Seasons hotel (which he hated).  Other artists such as the early David and DeGoya utilize color in order for their audiences to feel the emotions of events of the time.  Where David believed in using color to portray nobility, glory, hope, and goodness, DeGoya used color to emit feelings of negativity such as sorrow, pain, deprivation, and evil.  In the Color video, June stated that there is always a, “crisis point (in her painting) where she has to get really irritated and frustrated with it before it’s any good.”  I found that to be an extremely interesting statement, because she pointed out exactly why color is so incredibly important to a work of art.  The artist needs to love the color scheme and the feelings the colors evoke, whether good or bad, in order to be ready to show the work to the public.  In the Feelings video, Matthew Collings says something at the very end of the video that is fascinating.  He states that people fear their own potential, and wouldn’t it be amazing if we were able to raise ourselves up and be all that we can be.  However, the most thought provoking statement of Collings’ conclusion occurs when he states that, “21^st century people live in a world of freedoms that were undreamed of in David’s time, but there is also a loss there too because we’ve forgotten what it is to be great.  We don’t really feel that loss until we’re shown a world where greatness is still possible.”  I believe that these feelings of loss and of hope and aspiration that Matthew speaks of are quintessential to the foundation of art itself.  Art is there to help us see our potential; what could be, should be, what was, and what will come to be.  Art is there to evoke feeling and emotion; it requires thought and visceral reactions.

Video Review

This week's blog assignment was to watch the videos "Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts" and "CARTA: Neurobiology Neurology and Art and Aesthetics," and to respond accordingly.  The key concept of the "Philosophy" video was to explore the evolution of theoretical aesthetics through philosophical history.  The video analyzed several philosophers'/groups' theories regarding what aesthetics is and where it comes from.  For me, the overall key concept of the video was that theology regarding aesthetics is ever changing, ever evolving, and unique to the individual.  The key concept of the "Neurobiology" video was that biology and neurology actually play a huge part in the perception of aesthetics.  The video discussed that there was a neural basis for aspects of aesthetics such as novelty, empathy, and the universal search for harmony.  The scientists stated that different parts of brain process different visual aspects of a work of art.  When an individual finds the answer to the visual problem presented by the work of art, they receive an internal reward.  The grand award comes after several mini "ah-ha" moments are found at every stage are combined together.  These moments form a pursuit of comprehension of the work and the pursuit is what gives us pleasure when viewing art. 
The "Philosophy" video presented various philosopher's theories regarding aesthetics.  Personally, I felt that Francis Hutcheson's theory of aesthetics was the most important addition to the concept of aesthetics.  Hutcheson lived around the late 18th century in Europe and believed that the human moral sense is innate, as is the human sense of beauty.  He believed that humans had an innate, spontaneous sense of beauty and harmony, that was mediated by external senses and transferred to internal senses in order to register/appreciate beauty.  Hutcheson stated, "the ideas brought about in our soul by beauty and harmony delight us necessarily and immediately, just like the other sensible ideas."  I believe that Hutcheson's theory that the sensory perception of the essence of beauty is innate and spontaneous and soulful is a key idea of aesthetics that remains today.  I also liked that where other philosophers believed that art was something nonsensical or foreign, Hutcheson referred to art as a sensible idea.
I found the "Neurobiology" video to be extremely interesting and informative.  I always enjoy learning about the interconnectedness of the brain and the world around it.  Science makes sense to me and is factual, where art makes me think and is very subjective.  The most interesting part of Changeux's speech was when he stated that, "aesthetic experience is the conscious access to the global workspace."  I found this statement to be very profound and thought provoking.  On the other hand however, I found Ramachandran's speech to be far more engaging and entertaining, and thought that everything he discussed was interesting.  If I had to pick a specific fact that was the most interesting in his speech, I'd  have to say that his statement that, "most biological things are symmetrical so symmetrical things spark your attention," was something that I'd never realized before.
These videos really connected with the readings we were assigned this week simply because they explored aesthetics, the philosophy and history and science behind aesthetics, and most of all, explored how we find the meaning in art through neurology and though processes.    
I enjoyed these videos as an extension of our textbooks because I believe that it is always essential to add extra substance to learning.  Learning from a textbook is not enough to grasp a particular concept in depth.  Adding outside videos allows us to get a more in-depth view of the concepts being learned.  These two videos added a historical and scientific understanding to our understanding of art.