My 2D Foundations Journal

Blog Entry # 6

2006-04-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

1. After completing this blog, will you ever write about art again?
YES, most likely

2. How often did you use ART vocab in your writing?
Often

3. How would you rate your personal research involved in this assignment?
Above Average

4. When writing, did you begin to use a dictionary or thesaurus?
Neither

5. Has your interest in new or different forms of art increased?
YES

6. How would you rate your overall vocabulary?
Outstanding

7. How would you rate your vocabulary of art terminology?
Above Average

8. How would you rate your writing abilities?
Confident

9. How would you rate your writing abilities when writing about art?
Confident

10. How would you rate your ability to use specific vocabulary when writing?
Above Average

Blog Entry # 5

2006-04-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

Michael Graves has touched the design world in almost any way a person could. He has not only worked in the field of interior design, along with being an aclaimed architect, he has also greatly influenced it. I wish I could have filled this page with photos of Graves' work, considering the man has done so much, so I tried to highlight a few different things the man has done in his lifetime.

Accessories are such a huge part of interior design, and Michael has no shortage of those. He was first recognized back in the 60's, when he was comissioned to design a furniture showroom. Along with that, he was able to design many of the pieces that were showcased there. He's done clocks, park benches, organizers, and perhaps most famously, the Alessi teapot in 1985, shown here.

What's so remarkable about Graves is his ability to not only be an amazing architect, designing such dramatic structures as the Dolphin and Swan hotels for Walt Disney, but to also design china, blankets, furniture, and almost anything else that's capable of being designed, AND he's well-known for them all. His teapot, which once retailed for about $60, is still selling hot at over $150 a pop. To me, that says something.

I think I am most impressed by Graves diversity and staying true to his roots. By that, I am referring to his teaching at Princeton University for over 30 years. He was once interviewed and admitted that he only planned to be there for one year, to put bread on the table, but he says that year turned into a lifetime, and he feels he needs to give back to help young people pursue a dream much like he once did. I admire him for that, because you know he's losing money by taking the time to teach. That's one less drawing he has time to do, and one less client he has time to take on. That's more admirable than if he didn't do it at all.

With Graves, dominance is never an issue. Each piece is unique in it's own rite, whether it be the building itself, the light fixture, or the chairs and desks, like in the picture above, all which were designed by Graves at the Denver Public Library. Whatever the structure, it seems to always dominate its surroundings, in the sense that when his designs are there, it's truly all you see. Everything else becomes invisible. I say this from personal experience, having lived near the Hyatt in San Diego, another Graves designed building. Everytime you drove down the highway, you couldn't help but notice this beautiful, large, unique building. So much so that sometimes you weren't watching where you were going.

As far as human form goes, I believe Graves accomplishes this by using natural curves, as opposed to harsh verticals and horizontals. After you look at enough of Graves' work, you can almost pick it out of a line up. The color and textures support it's surroundings, instead of fighting it. If you are in a desert area, like Arizona, you can expect to see more terracottas and yellows, where as like the Hyatt Hotel near the ocean, it's kept white, like the sand beaches it sits near. The shape of the structures themselves have almost a human quality about them, in the sense that they look like they grew there, as opposed to being built there. Graves' work has influenced me to not only dive deeper into my own creative self, but to also explore other options in the design field, instead of limiting myself to designing one certain type of interior, whatever that may be. Hey, if he could make it through the 60s and still manage to accomplish something, I should be able to too.

Image and Essay # 12

2006-03-29T09:22:00.000-08:00

Art activism is a large part of the art world today. We see it on cable television regularly. It's in the news, it's in magazinezs, it's on billboards....It's hard to ignore. What's wonderful about art activism is that it is a creative way to relay a serious message. There's the old saying that a picture says a thousand words, and that still holds true today. Altered photographs are sometimes the easiest way to be an art activist, while showing a real actual photo is sometimes the most thought provoking way, because it hits home and cannot be ignored.

I would assume that art activism has been around as long as art itself has, with people using media to express important ideas and problems in the world. The pieces I chose to show in this entry were not only meaningful to me, but they have a broader, more relevant meaning to the world at large. Normally I try to save the best for last, but in this case, the first photo, with the caption, "We Support Our Troops," is by far my favorite. Political figures have long been the subject of satire and humiliation. They were extremely popular back in the 20's and 30's, when the great depression started and the World Wars became the focus of society. They continued to gain popularity through the African-American struggles of the 50's and 60's, as well as during the women's movement, and most recently, the terrorist waves of the 80's, 90's, and today.

What I like about art activism, specifically political art activism, is it catches your attention. At first glance, the, "We Support the Troops" poster looks like just another yellow ribbon on the bumper of a soccer mom's car. It's only when you take a second look that you notice the man the troop is taking down is none other than President Bush himself. It says so much without saying anything at all. To me, it's saying, yes, we support our troops, but we do not support the president who is keeping them in a war they maybe shouldn't be in. It also says, we support our troops taking down a government we do not trust, nor agree with. I'm sure it says something different to everyone, and I don't really want to get into a political debate with anyone, but as a hard core liberal, this poster really struck my fancy.

The billboard about Baghdad is kind of the flip side of the coin. The artist, Jamelie Hassan, was originally from Baghdad, but had spent her life growing up in the United States. I thought it was interesting that she went back to where she came from and actually had the guts to put up a billboard as such. This has a personal meaning to her, as well as a very public one to anyone who witnesses it. That's what art activism is all about. Take something that means something to you personally, and give it a public voice.

The breast cancer poster left me with an upset stomach. Not because there is anything wrong with showing that you only have one breast, but because, "OH MY GOD...This woman really only has one breast." How sad. I think the shock value says it all. And it's not like she is walking around with an enormous, ample bosom on one side, and nothing on the other, she actually is rather flat chested. What's so great about it, is she doesn't try to hide the fact that she has only one breast. She doesn't wear loose fitting clothes. She doesn't pad a bra, or even wear one for that matter. I think this poster is saying you should be proud of who you are, even if it isn't like everyone else, and you should never be ashamed of what life has given you. The fact that it says breast cancer activists challenge traditional treatments leads the viewer to believe that traditionally, a woman with one breast would wear a prosthetic, or have plastic surgery, or hide herself. How awesome is it that this woman doesn't feel she needs to.

Art Activism is probably the coolest way to get a serious message across. It can be informative while being eye catching and entertaining. It tugs at your emotions and almost forces you to have an opinion on subjects that you normally wouldn't give much thought to. I think there should be more effort spent on studying about and learning the effects of art activism in the mainstream culture of the US. It seems the only people who are really exposed to it here, aside from satirical shows like Comedy Central's, "The Daily Show," are other artists themselves. That's like preaching to the choir, isn't it?

Image and Essay #11

2006-03-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

Critiques are sometimes the worst and the best part of the art world. It's a wonderful way to get feedback from your peers, and a great opportunity to look at your own work from someone else's point of view. What I don't like about critiques, is they sometimes take everything that you liked about your artwork, misinterpret your meaning, and almost deface what you were going for to begin with. At the same time, it's a great way to see how the world views your work, and maybe open you up to taking a different approach to convey the same message.

The art works I've chosen for this entry are a bit random. The first picture, with the two gentleman standing on the cliff was a great example of using foreground, middle ground, and background. What I liked about it was the detail used in the leaves, the variation in texture and color, and the remarkable shading techniques the artist used. The foreground has an almost black quality about it, which is often reserved for the background. In this case, I think the artist wisely chose to use it in the area closest to you. It appears as if there is a little stream running down through the center of the foreground, which is mostly reddish in color, but accented with whites, which really brings attention to it against the black. I also like the way the same white shade is carried through the trunks of the trees, popping against the background and breaking up the many different shades of the same color (green). Without going into great detail, I think the artist conveyed a sense of sound with this painting, creating a solemn, peaceful environment, especially by showing the gentlemen in profile, and in the distance, almost as if they aren't the focus of the piece, but nature itself is.

I tried to pick a different sort of painting for the second critique, something that shows detail and lacks a fore, middle, and background. The flowers are full of color, yet lacking it at the same time. The artist's ability to cast shadows on each of the individual petals is unbelievable. The detail in each petal is set against a dark, almost black background, making it standout against such a dark surface all the more. The brown shading used at the centers of the flowers is an interesting color choice, since it would normally seem harsh against the pastels in the petals, but I think for this piece, it really works.

Both of the art works are well done, well thought out pieces. Each has it's own unique qualities and the artists did a nice job conveying a feeling through the paint on the canvas. While critiquing isn't my favorite part of the art world, it's an essential one, not to be reserved only for the end of a completed work, but to be used at various stages in the art piece, to help the artist get a better grip on the message their work is sending, and also get feedback on any problem areas they may have.

Image and Essay # 10

2006-03-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

Subliminal messages in art. The image at left has over 70 objects hidden in it. How many can you find? My intention was to find a number of art works that are known for its hidden objects, because really, this is not a rare phenomenon. Instead, it seems that those artists who do dabble with subliminal imagery, would prefer to keep it that way.

It's out there, and maybe I'm not even looking in the right spots. I did searches for hidden imagery, subliminal, hiding, masked....you name it, I did every variation I could think of. Not to say it's not out there. The easiest place to find subliminal messages are in advertisements. Look that search up sometime and see what you come up with.

Instead of using this entry to talk about advertising though, I wanted to talk about what makes an artist use subliminal images and how does that change our perception of the picture? The picture at left was actually done by an artistic dentist. She drew the sketch to put in her office, to help alleviate any tension a patient may feel, associated with going to the dentist. It was so successful, that she continued to do more. The waiting room, halls, and her patient care rooms all have similar versions of outdoorsy line drawings, with hundreds of hidden images between them. What a great idea! It's like a "Highlights" page for adults!

I think there are many reasons an artist would use imagery, and many others why they would choose to withhold that they did. For some, it may be a very personal story or image they are portraying, and the only way to conceal just how personal it is, may be to hide the true details of the story in hidden imagery. For some artists, they want the viewer to relish in the details of the piece, noticing that every time they look at it, they see a little more of the story, and suddenly it becomes quite clear as to what the artist was trying to say. I learned this in our class critique the other day. Some students spent a lot of effort dissecting someone else's painting, looking at what the representational part of it said, and seeing what hidden imagery they could find to relate to the story. It was amazing how far off target you could be as to what the artist was trying to say, until you found those images.

I studied hidden imagery a lot when I was younger. I got books on subliminal advertising, and listened to tapes of backwards masking, trying to understand how this information can be all around us, yet our subconcious allows us to completely ignore it. I can boldly remember, "the most carefully poured Scotch in the world," being dribble into a glass by a pair of mainly hands holding it at either side. Just reading the slogan and looking at his hands you could tell it was referring to how the man used the bathroom. Or how about the cover of a well-known cake box that advertised their cake as moist and chewy. If you looked closely at the frosting, it was perfectly shaped like a woman's vagina. Coincidence? I think not. Have you ever tried to frost a regular old cake before? Doesn't exactly come out looking like private parts without a little extra effort.

Those two examples are just two of millions we are exposed to all the time. I think just being aware of the possibility they are there makes you look at things differently. I have kind of always looked at art work in the way I used to study those ads. I see what you see, but then I try to go past that. I know how much of my own art has a very personal meaning, so I can only imagine how much someone else's may.

I remember reading all of this subliminal information on Leonardo da Vinci, and how he used it in a number of his pieces, including the "Last Supper." I already used his images on a previous post, and hated to do it again. But it was the simplest things, like the way Jesus leaned, and so did John, formed the letter M. M for Mary. Supposedly relating that maybe it wasn't John in the picture at all, but Mary Magdeline, Jesus' girlfriend. I could go on, but point being, artists are trying to tell us things all the time. Sometimes you have to look at a picture for exactly what it is. A bowl of fruit on a table. Other times you have to step back, take it in as a whole, then decide, what was the artist thinking when they did this piece? What were they feeling? How can I tell that from what information I have in front of me? The indepth look it will give you into the lives of other artists, will also, no doubt, help you reflect on the value and imagery of your own art work.

Image and Essay # 9

2006-03-20T12:37:00.001-08:00

Value has got to be one of the most important elements in art. It is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. It can determine the mood of the piece and the way it will be perceived. Value can be seen not only in black and white, but in color also. I heard somewhere once that the easiest way to learn about values is to do studies in black and white. Take pictures of your colored art work, and convert them to black and whites. From there you can study how you use values on various portions of your work, being sure to include a source or light.

In class, we are concentrating on the use of value in black and white, in order to better understand the way light enters a room, shadows play off of the light source, and also where the impact in the piece lies. Black, white, and grey tones are known as achromatic tones/shades, basically meaning they lack in color. They are the easiest tones to work with when trying to understand value.

The way you use value also determines how your eye will move around the piece. Starting with your focal point, or the area of interest in your artwork, you give it a value of black and white. Generally, the focal point is either mostly black, or mostly white, to allow it to have a high contrast in relation with the rest of the piece. Once you determine the value of your focal point, you can determine the values of what is around it. Using a technique called "chiaroscuro," which is basically high contrast using values that range from very light to very dark, you can use the opposite of the value of your focal point in the areas surrounding it. (i.e. If your focal point is a dog, and he is very dark, maybe the ground that he is laying on, the water dish nearby, and the other surroundings are in lighter shades, almost white.).

Value can also determine how your viewer will see space in your piece. High value contrasts generally come forward in space, and seem closer to you. Low value contrasts are usually used to designate the background, a far distance, or a flat surface. I tried to pick a line drawing, painting, and a black and white photo to use as examples for this entry. I thought it was important to see how or if the different mediums make values appear differently or not.

In the first picture, the line drawing of "Man's Best Friend," the man himself seems to be the focal point. His face and his hat are both very dark, almost shades of black. Next to that though, his shirt is very light, almost white. The use of these values right next to each other makes it an area of higher contrast, which creates the focal point. The dog, the stairs, the bricks and grass are all medium shades of grey (Medium just refers to that middle value of almost exactly half black and half white). And then, the background is almost entirely white, leading the eye back to focus on the man and his surroundings. The person who did this piece has obviously studied in light and value, and was able to alter shades ever so lightly to achieve depth and volume in the scene.

The painting is a little different. You can see a boat, a few buildings, a barrel, and some rocks. When I look at this piece and then look away, to determine where I see a focal point, I can feel my eye bouncing between the barrel and the boat. The barrel seems to pop out more to me, because it's a little darker in value, and also because it's in the foreground. The boat seems to almost fade into it's surroundings, using the same shades of grey seen in the buildings and on the ground, and the same white found in the background and sky. If I were critiquing this piece, I would suggest to the artist that the boat could probably be an area of higher contrast. Although it's in middle ground, and technically could be varied shades of grey, and only the barrel is in the immediate foreground, so it could remain darker, I don't feel like the eye moves around the piece. I see the barrel, the buildings, then the boat, and my eye stops. The boat needs to have more low key values, which are the ranges darker than middle grey.

My favorite black and white was the photo. I thought this was an awesome example of using all of the shades of grey, including almost entirely black and entirely white. The water is very striking, because of the way the light hits it. The water closest to us is very dark, then where the light hits, it's almost white, again making it an area of high contrast. Beyond that, it gets dark again, where the reflection of the buildings hits the water. Yes, I know it's a photo, but I really like how you can see the details of the buildings in the water, but can still tell it's water. The buildings in the middle ground are varied shades of grey, mostly medium tones, and the sky is very pale, with low value contrasts, and high key (light tones) ranges. I also particularly like how the sky is white, which is why the light is reflecting the water like it is, but that above that, the clouds are grey, and fade into almost black, making the entire photo look as if it's framed.

It's important to know your light source, how shadows play against it, and how to determine black and white values when you live in a colored world, when doing value studies. Knowing key points, like how to emphasize your focal point, how to use chiaroscuro, and the difference between high value and low value contrasts, are almost necessary when trying to do an accurate black and white value study.

Image and Essay # 8

2006-03-09T13:31:00.000-08:00

I'm writing about Figure Ground Reversal, because this is a hard concept for me to understand. I figure maybe if I write about it, I'll have to look up a little more about it, and maybe I can grasp the subject better myself. The best example I could find of figure ground reversal is that it's the idea that a pair of shapes, either of which taken alone would be seen as an object of some kind, share a common border-line. What happens is, when joined, each shape competes with the other. One is at first relegated to mere background and is hardly seen, while the other dominates as an object. Then the reverse happens: the object fades perceptually away to become for a time mere background in its turn. This came from www.exploratorium.edu . I don't want to take credit for that one, because I could've never come up with that.

Another site explained that basic negative shape is also called the "ground," which would explain why it's called a figure ground reversal. Of the two colors shown, both the black and white (or whichever two are used)could be the positive, or the negative parts of the picture, and you could still accurately tell what it is. Based on the concept, I'm thinking that maybe my picture of a woman isn't exactly figure ground reversal. If you look at the light colors, they don't really form complete shapes. You almost always look at it as the negative space. The picture on the right, with the men sitting at a meeting table, you could see the white areas, with the table, chairs, and hands, as the positive space, and everything else as the negative. Or vice versa. Perhaps the best example though, is M.C. Escher. A lot of people say he was a master of this technique. I concur.

Look at the drawing of the women's/men's heads above. The hair is defined, the faces are all proportionate and have the same structure. Now look at the white parts, and maybe even study it upside down. Do you see the men and women hiding in the negative space now? This is part of our next assignment. I have to say that it's been plaguing me a bit. I want to do something pretty amazing, but it's not always easy to do, like it is to say. Maybe if I get an epiphany, and shoot out some amazing work, I'll post it on here.

Image and Essay # 7

2006-03-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

Probably one of my all time favorite types of art is representational. I like things that I can relate to, and that's exactly what representational art is. Something real that you can relate to.

I chose images that said something to me this time. The girl lying on the floor, at the bottom of the stairs, with her shoe lying at the foot of them. She is completely naked, and she has quite a physique. Why is she on the floor? There are no pill bottles or anything around to suggest she took something. Did she throw herself to the ground because she just heard something tragic? But why is she naked? Was she pushed from the top of the staircase? For some reason, that seems more likely to me than anything else would. To me, the artist is maybe trying to convey the notion that domestic violence has no boundaries. It happens in all walks of life. Even those who have money, or natural beauty suffer from domestic violence. It's not just the down-trodden and the poor. That might be looking into it a little too deep, but it makes sense to me. Anyone else have a thought?

The picture on the left is by Mark Tansey, and is entitled "The Key." I found this painting to be so intriguing because there's so much being said in this scene. The man is fumbling with the keys, after what appears to be a night out. The keys are the old, skeletal variety, and go to a door that's twice the height of the man. The gigantic pillars with winged angels of some sort up top are so powerful, one can only imagine what's behind the door. Had the painting just been of the man himself in this situation, one would wonder if he's maybe a crazed man, a scientist, a millionaire recluse, but there is a woman with him. She's dressed as if she's just come from a party, and stands as if she's ready to get inside and settle in. She's either tired, or maybe irritated, the man could be her husband, and he just bought some old property and is surprising her with it on their anniversary. That's the best part about representational art. It represents something, but maybe what it means to the artist is nothing close to what it means to you. But if it means anything at all, then the artist did his job.

The third painting is much more simple. It's a blur of colors almost. I just wanted to show that representational doesn't have to be so exact and true to life. Usually when it's less exact, it's a landscape. I suppose you could even consider it abstract almost, because there are no definite shapes. The reason I think it's a good example of a representational work is because it reminds me of living on the ocean. I used to live in San Diego, and I spent many afternoons in May and June, when the fog sat over the ocean, looking out at the Pacific, over a clifftop. And that's exactly what it looks like. Nothing is real exact. You can't really tell for sure where the horizon line ends and the sky begins. If the fog sits low enough, it'll even make the rocks down below look a little fuzzy. Just like this painting. Representational, like I said, can be interpreted differently by everyone.

What's so great about it, is that representational art depicts life. It's people you know, places you've been, movies you've seen, books you've read, or maybe something you've only dreamed about. Sometimes it's a bit far-fetched and a stretch of the truth when it's being called realism, but representational art remains one of my top three favorite types of art. Music and interiors would be the other top two.

Image and Essay # 6

2006-03-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

There is so much that can be said about line definition. Lines are all around us. Much like textures, lines can form shapes that can evoke feelings, sounds, images, with the way they are formed, or the lack of lines altogether.

My original hope in doing this web blog, was to base it all around my love for interior design. The more I worked on the various assignments though, the more I realized my life isn't anywhere close to being only about interior design. My life is multi-faceted with art, whether that be the art of acoustics (in a room), music, space, architecture, ancient art, or modern interpretations of classics. I am at least trying to include my love of design, both interior and exterior, in the writings on these blogs, if not in the images.

The first person that comes to mind when I think of "lines" and I think of interior design is Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright was the master when it came to fusing architectural masterpieces with the nature surrounding it. He was also a master when it came to balance, symmetry, and the flow of the eye. The top picture is actually a photo of the hall way of Frank Wright's home in Illinois. While I could've shown you a number of famous photos, like Fallingwater, I chose to use something more simplistic, to show that even in a hallway, Mr Wright's use of line can be breath taking. The horizontal beams running across the ceiling, the symmetry of the doors running down the length of the hall, even the sparsely patterned floor helps the eye move down the hall and up the wall to the ceiling. Without the strong use of lines, the rooms that Mr. Wright created wouldn't be much more than any other average room from any other everyday architect.

The drawing to the right came from a collection of art work, I found online. It's a representation of a light bulb, as I'm sure you guessed. What makes this light bulb so wonderful is the lack of definition it has. The lines are broken all the way around the image, never actually completing a shape. Instead, it's the combination of lines put together that makes your eye "connect the dots" in a way, and actually form a shape. It's a great example of how line definition can trick the eye, and also how sometimes the lack of line can be more appealing than the line itself.

I liked the warrior drawing because it showed a lot of variation in line quality. Some are thick, some are thin. The thicker lines form the edges of the sharp rocks, while the finer lines define his hair, his boots, the strength in his arms. Lines are used almost as a shading technique in this piece.

I also wanted to include some different, three-dimensional versions of line definition, like the historical photo to the left of the warrior. While I don't know what city street this is, I can still gather that it's a bustling community, probably during it's hayday. The buildings are tall and have a lot of architectural details. Each of the windows forms it's own line across the city scape, as do the awnings down below. I was particularly intrigued by the number of wires running across the street, at such a low height. Again, another interesting use of line, when you think of the photo as a composition, but at the same time there's an element of danger there, when you imagine all of the power running through the various wires, and you look below and see the number of people in cars and on the streets.

The bottom photo is from the Shanghai Museum of Art. While there isn't anything special about this photo, I thought it was interesting that it is on display as an art exhibit. The interior is very simple, with only a dining chair and a small black platform inside. The floor is lined in black and white, and the one wall is also lined, although it's transparent, and you are able to see inside from all angles. I sat and debated this photo for a while, trying to come up with some good explanation for what the artist was trying to say, but it just never came to me. Maybe someone out there can give me their interpretation.

Lines can evoke emotion, or can imply motion. Lines can separate, and they can join together. Lines can help the eye see what is there, and help the eye forget what is not. Without line, there would really be no art, as lines are the basis of all artistic works.

Blog Entry #4

2006-02-23T07:20:00.000-08:00

Art 21 : PLACE

1. Do we define a place, or does a place define us?
I suppose it depends on the person or the place. Obviously the things you remember as a child, your first experiences with new places, defines who you are. For me, that's long lazy days in the summer, out from 9 am until 8pm. It was a feeling I didn't get again until I visited San Diego for the first time. Endless sun.

2. How is each of the featured artists influenced by particular places? How is this influence reflected in the artist's work?
Each artist was very unique in their own right. One gentleman sculpted with pieces of steel, making them look as if they were stretchable, and forming them like the hull of a great ship. This came from an experience he had as a boy, with his father, watching a ship being launched out to sea. Another artist, a photographer, remembers growing up as the youngest child, being able to run wild with her family's kennel of boxer dogs. She was often clothless and shoeless. Now a mother herself, she often let her children run naked when they were young, and captured the essence of their youth in her photography. Something that may be considered pornographic and wrong to some people, seemed quite natural to her.

3. How has the program altered your notion of how art expresses places?
The program made me reflect on my own artwork over my lifetime. My poetry is certainly a reflection of who I am, but so are my paintings and drawings. Ideas come from experience. I remember doing a series of fish paintings, which came from hours of helping my mother clean fish tanks and transfer fish from one tank to another. I also did a series of space scapes, which came from an old black felted painting my mother bought in Tijuana. It was done only in white and blue, and showed a bridge (like the Golden Gate) attaching the earth to the moon. I used to stare at it for hours, wondering if it was really possible, and playing games, pretending it was.

4. Which artist do you feel most connected to and why?
I probably best related to the photographer who let her children run naked, because I myself ran amok as a child (clothed, but same concept). Strangely enough though, I found myself really drawn to Pepon Osario, the Hispanic artist who recreated entire stage like rooms, so you are literally walking through his art. As an aspiring interior designer, I just related to him more, and LOVED his concepts. They were so unusual, yet as I sat there watching, I kept wondering why I had never come up with an idea like that myself.

5. Compare the media used by each artist and discuss how it affects the scale, composition, and accessibility of his or her work.
Obviously, the photographer was the most accessible, because a photograph can go virtually anywhere. Likewise, the man/woman team who dabbled in folk art, but loved graffiti art done on the sides of buildings and on trains, were also highly accessible, because anyone who came by them would see them. Both of them mentioned they liked the idea of doing art out in the open, because it was accessible to everyone, as opposed to doing "gallery work," where only those who come to the gallery or are a part of the art world would see it.

Both the man who did the monstrous steel sculptures and Mr. Osario were quite different. Their work wasn't movable as easily as a photo would be. It took weeks and months to install the large scale steel sculptures, and design the intricately detailed floor plans of the rooms. Both had a larger sense of drama, just based on their size. All of them had unusual techniques they used to create a sense of self and individuality in their pieces.

6. When you were young, was there a place that interested you? A place that scared you? List five places from your childhood. Use one word to describe each of them.
My neighbor's pond - Invigorating
The woods by my house - Intriguing
My great grandmother's den - Scary
My bedroom - Cozy
Cedar Point - Intense

7. Pick one of those places. What objects occupy that place? What are the textures and sizes of those objects? What was the lighting like? Was it a dark and dreary place, or bright and happy?

My great-grandmother's den was very scary. It was an old house by the railroad tracks to begin with, and she used to tell me stories about how her husband, a preacher, would let the hobos off of the railcars come in and eat dinner with them, and they would sleep in the den. There was no door to the room, only an old sheet that covered it. Out of sight, out of mind. I don't know if I ever saw a light on in there, but it was connected to both the living room and the kitchen, so there was always natural light flooding in, which only added to the creepy factor. The curtains were old and looked stained. She had a Queen Anne style sofa sitting on one end, covered with quilts. The carpet was probably over 50 years old, and the trophy case sitting next to the sofa probably hadn't been opened in years either. There was an old player piano in there too. Some of the keys didn't work, and it didn't "play" right either. I remember asking about it once, and my uncle taking me in there and turning it on. It played some old, saloon style tune, but it was out of key and you could hear the air pumping through it. From that moment on, whenever I went into or near that room, I was transported to this whole other place and time, where I could see a hobo sleeping on the couch, in his dirty old clothes, and his sparse belongings. I haven't seen that room in more than 20 years, but I can still smell the musty, mildewy smell as if it was yesterday.

Art 21: Stories

1. What are the important stories that are told in our society today (books, movies, pictures, news, or by friends and family)? Consider, if you could personally guarantee a single story to be passed down to future generations, what would that story be, and what form would it take and why?
To me, important stories in my lifetime, that are still retold in society today would be where you were when JFK was assassinated (I was not alive, but my parents and grandparents still talk about it), the Challenger shuttle blowing up, and of course September 11th. Those are the ones you remember most readily, because they had the biggest impact on the most people. Movies seem to tell and retell stories of horrendous natural disasters that could wipe away the planet with one fail swoop. With books, I believe the biggest hits right now aren't the mysteries or the romance novels, it's the biographical stories telling about the traumas in people's lives, and what they do to overcome them.

If I were to pass a story on to future generations, it would be the story of my life. There is no ONE thing that defines me and has made me who I am. I am a collaboration of my DNA, all of my ancestor's who came before me, my influences from family and friends I grew up with, and my life experiences. I could write a novel that would inspire and compel, just chronicling what I have seen, done, and been through. That may sound vain, but much like an architect who studies every building he walks into, or a photographer who sees her next great shot every where she looks, I'm writing a book about my life every day I live.

2. Why are some stories told, as opposed to others? Why do some stories continue to be told over time while others are lost?
Some stories are told as opposed to others, because of the impact it has on the person repeating it. We remember that which we see, go through, and read/hear about more than something we just see on TV or read in a paper. Your personal experience, how the story effects you, if you know those who are involved, if it changed something in your life in some way, and if you personally dealt with it, all add to the worthiness factor, getting the story passed on. If it's hearsay, doesn't apply to where you live or what you do, if you only hear about it in passing, or see it on TV while you're eating dinner, it may be completely irrelevant to your life. The most memorable, the most unusual, the most characteristic, the most life altering stories are the ones that stick out, and the ones that tend to get retold more often.

3. How do the artists featured in Stories use journals or sketchbooks in their artistic processes? Is a journal or a sketchbook a work of art? Why or why not?
Journals and sketchbooks are used by the artists as a means to continue producing ideas. Any time something comes to them, whether it's a little thought, or a whole piece, they can quickly jot it down or sketch it out. I personally wouldn't consider a journal or sketchbook a work of art as much as I would consider it a working piece of art. It's the tunnel between your mind, and your finished product. Not to say that I haven't come up with some of my better work in my journals or in my sketchbook, just that I find it more of a path to organize your ideas and get you on track to your final piece. To me, my journals will not be done until I die, and a sketchbook is exactly that....for sketches.

4. What experiences were important to you when you were 5, 10, or 15 years younger? Write in a present tense voice about the experiences that were important to you at the time. How did you spend your days? What did you dream about? What emotions did you feel? Now write a self-description in your childhood voice, followed by a second description of yourself at that age from the view point you have now.

What I remember most is the long, lazy days of summer when I was probably 6 or 7. Whether those were spent at my house, one of my neighbor's houses, or my grandmother's house, it didn't matter. I was already social, and knew most of the kids in my neighborhood. I was lucky enough to grow up in one of those areas where all of the neighbors really are friendly, and everyone hangs out with everyone. We had block parties, pond parties, and whenever someone would go out of town, I would get to make some extra cash watching their house and feeding their animals.

The important experiences probably involve my friendships. I had a couple girls on my road that I would play with. Jenica was my next door neighbor, and her grandmother lived about a half mile from us. We would ride our bikes over there daily, and play in the pond, her grandma's attic, or sit and watch her mother, who was always covered in oil paints, busy painting landscapes on an easel in the middle of the yard. We did a lot of exploring too. We would go into abandoned houses a mile or two from our own, we ventured into woods often, and once found ourselves in the line of fire, thanks to some eager deer hunters. I usually didn't come home until it was time for dinner, and even then, I'd go back outside immediately afterward. When we weren't at Jenica's house or on our bikes, we were in my backyard, pretending we ran a restaurant, playing school, or playing house.

Jenica and I used to dream of living in a gigantic house, where her family lived on one half, and mine in the other. We wanted to live in California, near the ocean, and she was going to be a make-up artist, and I was going to do hair. Interestingly enough, it was I who moved to San Diego after high school, and Jenica who ended up becoming the hairstylist. We were confident, spunky, and unstoppable. I really don't remember feeling lonely or helpless until we changed schools when I was in the fourth grade.

Childhood Voice: I wish my parents weren't as strict as Jenica's were. I'm always supposed to be the smart one, because I'm older, and Jenica is the cute one, because her mom let's her do what she wants. It's not fair that she can cut her own hair and I can't. I like math, and I am really good at reading. My teacher wants me to move up a grade, but my parents think it's a bad idea, so I have to wait for the other kids in my class to catch up to me. I'm bored a lot, so I like to pretend new things. My friends get mad cause I always want to organize everything, but they just don't know what they're doing. My way is definitely the better way.

Adult Voice: I was probably on people's nerves a lot. I was never satisfied with an answer someone gave me, and it never dawned on me until now that I probably drove my parents crazy with questions. My dad taught me how to read when I was two, so by the time I was 6, I was doing long division, dividing fractions, multiplying, and all of the other boring things kids shouldn't have an interest in. Even when I played, it had to be organized. Dukes of Hazard: "Okay, who's going to be Daisy, who gets to play Luke and Bo, and who's going to be Boss Hog?" I decided. We'd play 'restaurant,' and I'd be the one to decide what's on the menu and who got to cook and who got to serve. I'd even decide when we'd stop playing and what we would do next. Part of that probably comes from having a younger sister, and a friend who was closer to her age than my own. I was always in control. I hated being told 'No,' and would do anything to change that answer. Almost all of the characteristics I possessed at age 6, I still possess, although on a lighter scale, today.

Image and Essay # 5

2006-02-20T16:28:00.000-08:00

Textures are a part of our lives everyday. We see them, we feel them, we love them and we hate them. Textures evoke psychological feelings inside of us as well. Take a look at the black and white, symetrical piece above. Aside from crowding your eye, and making you feel nauseous, this texture also evokes a feeling of noise. Doesn't it remind you of a scrambled screen on a television? Or of the waves produced on an old school machine, to simulate a person's voice?

Certain textures can change your mind about a piece of art, a piece of clothing you would buy, or help determine if you will eat a certain food. Fire is something so deadly and dangerous, yet the thin, wispy, curved textures of the flame (okay, color is a factor here too!) make it more inviting. It's pleasing and also beautiful to look at, despite the nature of what it does.

The texture of something can determine what it does. The crackled picture above is probably a wall texture. It's certainly not on a drafting table or a school desk, because you could not write on top of it and get a smooth, fluid line. I suppose it could also be a close up of human skin, showing all of it's blemishes and imperfections. I'm leaning toward a wall texture though.

Texture can also evoke the age of something. Does it look worn? Is it cracked or uneven? The piece of paneling above looks very much like it came out of an old barn or school house. It's weathered, used, varnished and probably revarnished. It's also homey though. It's warm. It's solid. It's somehow inviting.

Textures can make you happy, sad, long for something more, or hate it all together. Food is always an easy way to describe this. I think of my son, as a baby, learning to eat solid foods. All baby food has basically the same texture. Smooth and kind of thick. Pasty almost. I remember the first time I tried to give him broccoli, you would've thought I'd fed him cardboard. It wasn't that he hated the taste, because I'd given it to him in baby food form, it was that he hated the texture. I watched him push it around in his mouth, and make the most awful face, before spitting it back on to his plate.

Some textures you have to learn to like. I've always hated scratchy fabrics, which comes from my mom making me wear wool sweaters growing up. One of my first jobs ever had a uniform, and we were required to wear polyester pants. I'd never even SEEN polyester pants before that. Like wool, polyester is a scratchy material, unless it's mixed with other synthetic fibers to soften it up. I didn't last very long at that job, cause I couldn't stand the pants.

Textures are all around us. They can influence our opinions, and can effect us psychologically. Without them, the world would be very flat, smooth, and uninviting. Would that even be possible?

Image and Essay # 4

2006-02-20T16:20:00.000-08:00

In my previous Image post, I talked about symbolic art, specifically regarding UFO's in religious paintings. For more info, please visit ufoartwork.com. It was very helpful to me.

The term Gestalt is a psychology term that actually means, "unified whole." The individual parts of the principle can apply to almost any work of art, and sometimes multiple principles can apply to one particular piece.

Similarity is one principle that can apply to all of the works I've shown here. Particularly the black and white drawing of the hands and the faces. Both the positive and the negative shapes form similar shapes, making the picture appear unified. Likewise, the ad-like piece above, parodizing Formula 409, a popular cleaning agent, also uses similarity to pull the viewer in. The actual cleaning agent comes in a package similar to the ones shown, although it says 409 on it, as opposed to 408 or 410. Having seen the cleaner before, many people may have to look twice before they realize what's different about this piece.

Continuity is another principle, which allows the viewers eye to carry through the entire piece. This is often done through a curved line, like in both the black and white picture and the 409 parody. It is also done with grouping, similar to the way the disciples are grouped in the painting of "The Last Supper," by Leonardo daVinci. Closure is the principle that allows the viewers eye to "complete" the missing sections of an art work, with their own eye. While it's not as clear in this black and white as I've seen in others, your eye does somewhat complete the white form, missing parts and all.

"The Last Supper" is also a good example of proximity, which is done by grouping figures near one another to, once again, create a unified whole. Although the disciples are shown in two separate groups, the addition of Jesus as the central figure in the painting helps tie the two groups together. Containment, another principle, is also seen in this painting. It's contained by it's edge, and also by the building in which the last supper is happening. Focal point, which is yet another principle, is seen here also, with Jesus acting as the center of the painting, and also a symbol for the center of religion. Incidentally, if diagonal lines were drawn in all directions leading out from Jesus, you could easily see how he IS the focal point. All lines lead directly to him.

Repetition is another principle, seen with the multiple disciples, the dual ad images, and the way the positive and negative spaces reflect each other in the black and white work. The black and white work can also be considered to have fusion, as the black edge is also the white edge and vice versa. Fusion happens when elements are placed close enough together that they share a common edge.

A wise person once said, "A good composition will have both unity (togetherness or cohesion) and also variety (a visual difference)." This is so true. What's more boring than looking at a piece and thinking, "Eh, it's a bowl of fruit. Big deal." Through the use of Gestalt's principles, when applied properly, a decent piece can become a true work of art.

Image and Essay # 3

2006-02-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

So, I was talking to my friend Sam about my web blog, and the different sorts of art work that you can use for images. Sam, an artist himself, was a plethora of suggestions when it came to images. By far, my favorite was his view on the subject of symbolic art.

"Hey, why don't you do it on UFO's in art?" he asked.

"What?" I said, as I imagined those cheesy posters you can win at county fairs, the ones with the oversized egg heads, and two almond shape eyes, no nose, and a thin line drawn for the lip.

Sam commenced to school me on the number of famous (and not so famous) works of art from the past 1000 years or so that depict some sort of UFO like objects, complete with flying saucers, windows, and beams of light. Instantly, I was intrigued.

In my research, I've found that no one particular country and no one particular period is responsible for starting this UFO phenomenon. They each contain them equally. From dates pre A.D, all the way through the Renaissance, many artists chose to use UFO symbols in their works. Some are said to be based on actual citings, and the artist's attempt to recreate what they saw. Others, like the ones I've shown here, have a much more religious background, perhaps indicating that our own Genesis is much different than we know it.

The top painting, entitled "The Annunciation," done by Carlo Crivelli (1430-1495), is one of the better paintings I came across. I found this one so interesting, because you can plainly see the beam of light shining from the UFO to the top of Mary's head. Some of the other paintings I looked at were subject to interpretation, and others were very abstract. This one seemed to have a direct correlation between the UFO and the subject of the piece, the Virgin Mary.

Dictionary.com's definition of Annunciation is to announce or proclaim. It can also mean to foreshadow, an omen, or an indication of a warning. Was the artist trying to tell us something? Were UFO's more widely known to peoples who came before us? Was Mary's pregnancy more than just an immaculate conception? Even today, you can pick up a tabloid and read stories of encounters with unidentified flying objects. Many women have claimed to have been impregnated in such a way. Is it possible that Jesus Christ was also? Whether you are religious or not, you can't deny the strong correlation between the folklore of UFO's and the folklore of religion.

The second picture is a 17th century fresco in Svetishoveli Cathedral. You can clearly see the UFO figures on either side of Christ. While I did not find much information on this particular art work, I still found it to be quite significant to the symbolism of UFOs and their place in religion and its related art works. The third, another one of my favorites, dates back to the 15th century, and is located in the Palazzo Vecchio. Entitled, "The Madonna with Saint Giovannino," the work is much like other religious pieces of the time. Flat, with literally no linear perspective, there is little to distinguish this piece from many others. That is, until you look closer in the background. I included a close up of the section in question, where you can see a UFO-like object, and a man with his dog staring up to the sky. The object itself may not be questionable, but the addition of the man who looks up at it in amazement, one can only speculate what the object is supposed to be.

Symbolic art comes in many forms. Ancient art focused more on religion than in the secular world, and makes it easy to use as a source of symbolism. It would've been easy to dissect daVinci's "Last Supper," or Raphael's, "School of Athens," because both contain such deep symbolism, entire papers could be written on them. But, I chose to pick something a little more obscure. Something they don't teach you about in Art History, and something I'm actually afraid to ask my professor's opinion about. It's often been said that ancient cultures were way before their times in so many ways. Did they know something that we ourselves have not been able to figure out? For centuries, have artists been telling us something many of us have chosen to ignore? The UFO-like objects, and the paintings themselves certainly exist, as does literature to back up the claims. Now, it's up to the viewer to determine what message the artist was trying to get across.

Blog Entry # 3

2006-02-08T16:31:00.000-08:00

1. Before this Blog assignment, had you ever kept a journal, diary or blog?
YES
2. Before this Blog assignment, had you ever written about art before?
Often
3. Have you ever written for fun?
EXTENSIVELY
4. When writing, do you use a thesaurus or dictionary?
THESAURUS
5. If given a chance, would you rather discuss art verbally or through written means?
BOTH
6. How would you rate your overall vocabularly?
Above Average (excellent if I have a thesaurus!!)
7. How would you rate your vocabularly of art terminology?
Above Average
8. How would you rate your writing abilities?
Confident
9. How would you rate your writing abilities when writing about art?
Confident
10. How would you rate your ability to use specific vocabulary when writing?
Above Average

Image and Essay #2

2006-01-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

Exaggeration, while it is often literal, it can have a high impact on the meaning of something. If it's done properly, exaggeration can aid in providing attention to particular things, without giving too much away, still leaving the viewer with thoughts to ponder.

Take the picture of the clay-like Earth I posted on here. What is it saying to you? Are their chunks missing? Or is it bulging in some spots? I suppose that depends on the viewer. Some may say there are pieces missing because we are throwing away our Earth's resources, and they are things we can never reclaim. Maybe it's bulging from the amount of energy we use on the planet every day, or from the congestions of bodies and traffic in our largest cities.

Exaggeration can also be quite literal, which is why I love the photo of the money in the toilet. Hence the expression, "flushing money down the toilet." Who hasn't felt like that? In all my searches for images regarding exaggeration, this was one of my favorites. Although it's so literal, what does it mean? It's a proverb of sorts really, to waste money so uselessly that you would actually flush it. In this photo, the fact that there is SO much money in the toilet is an exaggeration of it's own. It creates emphasis on what the artist is trying to say. What if this picture was hanging in front of the IRS headquarters? How would people react? It would have a very different connotation, than say if it was hanging in the bathroom stall of a big Manhattan nightclub.

Exaggeration can be a good thing in art, IF it is done correctly. Of course, you can always over do it, and leave the viewer with nothing left to ponder, like in the toilet picture. But, if done well, you can spend minutes looking at a picture, and still never fully grasp what the artist intended, but still walk away feeling as though you "got something" that maybe those around you didn't.

Image and Essay # 1

2006-01-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

The idea of the golden mean is quite complex. You are dealing with the concept of a rectangle whose one side is equal to 1.618 in a ratio to 1. On top of that, there are smaller parts inside the rectangle in the shape of smaller rectangles, much like the picture shown at lower left. The small rectangles are of equal ratio, and arranged in such a way that they create a spiral. The spiral is such a common phenomenon, it is a sure fire in artist's works and on TV commercials. It also occurs naturally in plants, insects, and our own lives. The sunflower, for example, is a golden mean that occurs in nature. The centers always contain 55 spirals, with either 34 or 89 on either side, going in an anti-clockwise direction.

The golden mean is really just the "ultimate division." Interior designers use the golden mean when deciding the placement of a mantle, arranging a group of pictures on the wall, or even the level at which to tie back curtains. The division generally occurs somewhere between 1/2 and 1/3 of the line's length, hence the number 1.618.

The number itself comes from Fibbonaci, an ancient mathematician who pondered the idea of rabbits breeding. He came up with a theory that if two rabbits continued to breed, bearing one rabbit a month (They don't call it "doing it like rabbits" for nothing), and they themselves never died, plus their offspring could begin producing rabbits at one month of age, there would be a number sequence that would form.

1, ,2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144......to infinity.

Those same numbers can be divided by the number that came before them (i.e. 3/2, 34/21, and so on, and you would, for the most part, get a number close to 1.618...) and produce a "GOLDEN NUMBER."

I enclosed a picture of the Parthenon, because the Golden Mean is nothing new. Greeks were using it in their architecture before the modern world was even known. It's actually their ideas that became the basis for all proportions in the world we live in now. The golden mean is all around us. It's in the breeding patterns of animals, it's in wildflowers, on our TV's, and in the art we love. Stop and look around you sometime. Can you see it? It's right in front of you. Probably always has been.

Blog Entry # 2

2006-01-24T06:48:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how basic compositions can sometimes be the hardest to do. Being creative doesn't always mean doing what you want. Sometimes, well, all the time in the "real world," creativity is on demand. You are asked to be creative at the drop of a hat, and it's not always going to be what you WANT to create. It's important to reprogram your mind to create what you are asked to create, while keeping in mind your own personal thoughts/feelings, and owning your composition.

When I did part three of our circular/rectangular/linear assignment, I initially wanted to do a composition that was more a "tree" of my life. Chaotic, hard to follow, with certain things taking precidence over others, although not necessarily how I wish my life was ran. What I found out after the group critique, was how different people view the same work of art and interpret it in an entirely different way. To me, because it's my life, it was easy for me to follow the chaos, and make sense of the giant cup of coffee, and the baby's head, the spider web-looking chair, the lines going everywhere, with clocks in every corner. Instead, I discovered that I really had missed the point of the assignment entirely, as did most everyone else in class, and failed to create a dominant portion of my composition, with scattered accents of flavor, although clearly I used more circular elements, so I assumed that WAS my dominance. I had so many images on my page, that actually, looking from afar, none of it made sense. There was no sense of negative space, no use of direction, or flow of the eye. I needed to completely rework my idea.

I loved the photo of that baby. I don't know if it's because I'm a mother, or what, but he looked so at peace, and represented so many different things to me. As I flipped through magazines again, I found this wonderful picture of a worn American flag, minus about 30 stars, and backwards on the page. The stars were to the outer portion of the flag, and there were actually 15 stripes instead of 13. I can't tell you know what relation that picture had to where I had cut it from, but I knew it had to be a part of my compostion. I continued on, cutting out various rectangles, trying to find what I wanted my "theme" to be. As it ended up, I decided to copy numerous pictures, and cut them out, using my page to make a variety of arrangements, until something stuck out at me.

My copies were less than perfect. As it turns out, unless you have a copy card on this campus, good luck making copies. Finally, I found a machine that accepted change in the library, and used what little cash I had to make as many as possible. I was distressed to see the copier did not fair well with photographic images, dispite the little button that said it would. What looked to be a terrible problem, ended up posing its own unique solution. I had one picture perfect baby, and a number of other baby faces that were looking almost as if they were deteriorating away. I also had this great little Petrie dish looking picture, my infamous clocks, the rotting flag, and a bottle of aging cream. We were getting somewhere.

I actually started on the right side of my page. As if the progression works backwards. I had my few definitive lines, my original baby, pristine and neatly juxtaposed on the outer edge. As I worked towards the left, the pictures became less distinct, and more worn. I played with size, the idea of my objects falling off of the page, and definitely negative space to create my final work. I believe it makes a statement. Perhaps about where we are as a nation in the broad scheme of things. Maybe about the importance stressed on beauty and aging in this country. Or even the idea that we are all rotting away from the day we are conceived. The clocks are always ticking.

From where I started before the class critique, to where I ended up, when I turned my final composition in, I have to say I'm quite pleased. I almost feel as if I need that rough draft to make mistakes and be picked over, in order to come up with something more challenging and creative, not just fixed upon the page. When you see what others come up with, you know what to do, and what not to do. And hearing what someone else thinks of your work can sometimes be stabbing to your psyche, but all the same, it can force you to produce a much better product than you might have thought incapable before.

Blog Entry #1

2006-01-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

So the question is, how long and for what reason have you made art? It's such a multi-faceted question, that there is really no one answer that would suffice. I've dabbled in many areas of art since before I was even potty-trained. I come from a family who isn't exactly "artistic" by nature, but certainly highly creative.
My father used to scribble mechanical drawings on scrap paper for fun. I would watch him talk on the telephone, mapping out the new deck he wanted for the backyard on a nearby napkin. My mother, she's the Martha Stewart of our bunch. Always crocheting, quilting, faux painting, and doing just about any craft she could get her hands on. It's still that way. While some kids grew up playing outside with neighborhood kids, or spending time at the local pool, I (as did many of the children in our area) spent my days with my mother, constructing little Noah's ark animals from polymer clay, making "Shrinky Dinks" in the oven, and creating huge, elaborate drawings with sidewalk chalk.
Art has always been a part of my life. Sometimes I wonder if it's made me a recluse of sorts, preferring to spend time alone as an adolescent, as opposed to going to the mall or the movies. Art is a release to me. I use it to combat depression, release anger, get myself stimulated, and just to express myself. I couldn't possibly put a number on how many times art has saved me from something much more drastic and dramatic in my life.
My mother always allowed me to paint my own walls, any way I chose. When I discovered The Doors in seventh grade, I suddenly wanted to paint my walls black, and used my hands dipped in white paint to represent the "bleeding Indians" with dripping headdresses, Jim Morrison so often spoke about. When I got older, and became a mother myself, I moved back to my mother's home to finish college. Those walls were still black, but I quickly painted the entire room to resemble a beautiful sunset evening in the Hundred Acre Woods, surrounded by all of the characters of Winnie the Pooh. Although I've been gone for a few years now, that mural has become my mother's pride, and she's vowed it will never be painted over again.
I will always be an artist. A poet, a sculptor, a painter, a designer, a craftsmen. Art is my stimulation and my therapy. It keeps me sane and keeps the blood pumping through my veins. Without it, life wouldn't be worth living. There would be no reason to get out of bed everyday. My son is now almost three, and I see how generations of artisans can effect someone so young. Grandma's house has become the place for crafts and fun, always getting to try something new and never before seen. Mom's house (my own), has become a mecca of experience. Paintings and photos line the walls, handcrafted items are all over the home, and art time is the favorite pasttime, surpassing movie, game, or even toy time for him. It's a time we spend together, and a time that is our special time together. One he will always remember, and one that he may one day be reminded of when someone asks him, 'How long and for what reason have you made art?'