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Strawberry Candy by Anahi Abassy, 2023 pottery

For my final, I decided to explore more into the art world and dip into pottery. I’ve watched people throwing the wheel and making beautiful vases and dishes. I wanted to see how well I’d do with clay, so I free builded a strawberry jar inspired by strawberry candy wrappers. The process of making it with my own hands took around 3 hours, adding all the details of the seeds, the leaf lid, and supportive structures. It took 1 hour and 30 mins to paint it, and a long process of 3 months in between kiln sessions. Overall, I really enjoyed how this turned out and I was surprised with how far my beginner skills in pottery could make a beautiful work of art.

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ART PROJECT

Untitled by Anni Abassy 2023, acrylic on canvas.

For my abstract artwork, I felt a bit inspired by Pollock himself and his technique of painting. I layered some paint on the canvas and dripped black and white paint over it. Added some red brushstrokes for dimension and color, giving it more harmony and balance.

I'll have to admit this was not my first artwork when starting the project, but as I kept thinking about it I realized there wasn't much thinking to do. I began seeing the vision of abstraction, it wasn't what I was creating but WHY I was creating it. Overall, I really enjoyed the time spent and thoughtful emotions that went into both this painting and the very first one created, really indulging into the action of art.

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Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock moved to New York City to pursue his artistic career, in which he enrolled in a class that Thomas Hart Benton taught. Pollock learned much from Benton, and even deepened their relationship as mentor. Pollock was greatly inspired by Benton and his own taste for abstraction. Benton’s paintings and murals became famous as he showcased the American life. However, Pollock changed from what he was learning with Benton and turned alcoholic but started learning more about himself as an artist. He turned his focus to American freedom, used action into his paintings and with each drip and scribble of paint represented acts of individuality, defiance, and freedom. Art was more than what many taught to be imagery on a canvas, it was more than telling a story through pictures. Pollock diverted from that kind of traditional art with all the creativity in the world to make his own.  He used his paintings as a form of expression, his signature “drip” technique that had dripping and splattering paint onto canvas was made with several foreign materials than a traditional artist would utilize. Sticks, brushes, sand, broken glass, syringes, nails, strings, etc. were all materials he used to convey his expression onto his art, whatever he was feeling he felt the need to express it and not just illustrate it. Rather imagery would categorize his paintings, but by embracing abstraction he expressed the physical act of painting and that special bond between an artist and the canvas. His paintings showed raw emotions, uncontrolled creation that dipped into the subconscious, each detail different from the rest, layers and layers of emotion and a story that unravels the more time its spent analyzing it. There is more value and emotion into it once an artist does all it takes for an artwork, Pollock and his body with action painting and drip techniques are just one way of expressing it. Without the use of imagery, Pollock could go in a deeper way of creativity and fully immerse himself in his artwork, leading the Abstract Expressionist movement, and inspiring many artists still to this day.

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The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek is part of a commissioned series called The Triumph of the Eucharist from Archduchess Isabel of Spain to Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens dated back to c.1625. The tapestry is one of eleven, standing on the North Wall in Rubens gallery, capturing most people’s attention by its enormous size and location. It is the very first painting you see ahead of you, reaching from the top of the decorated walls to the very bottom, illuminated with lights to showcase the details and wonders of the painting. It is an oil on canvas with vivid colors, skillfully used to convey the subject of the painting. It is a portrayal from the Old Testament book of Genesis that shows the fore coming of Jesus Christ.

            In the center of the painting, Abraham returns from his victory from the battle of Dan, met by Melchizedek who is seen offering bread and wine. Rubens uses emphasis on the composition with the exchange of the bread, creating somewhat of a triangle of focus in between Abraham, Melchizedek, and the loaf of bread. These lines are implied by having both Abraham and Melchizedek hold eye contact, leaning towards each other, and the contrast of bold colors red and gold on their robes to make them stand out from the muted tones. The bread and wine are shown to be symbolic representation of the Eucharist, foreshadowing the New Testament during the Last Supper where Jesus Christ sacrifices his body as bread and his blood as wine.

            Rubens’s painting is Baroque, full of emotion and splendor. It is full of depth with the different angles, the ledge shown from the building and its surrounding columns showing the difference in background and foreground.  The design of the painting is done in a way that shows the emphasis of the Eucharist with Abraham coming back from battle having both his men/warriors and the horse on the left with dark hues, also receiving bread from the people of Salem, on the right with lighter hues contrasting color. The sense of movement in the painting is shown from the design of human anatomy; Abraham’s legs and arms show strength as it moves up the ledge and the people at the bottom gathering the jugs of wine with skillful detailed painting of the human body. Another interesting element of this painting is how it seems to blend two worlds together in distinctive space. The painting seems as if the scene was woven into the tapestry, which disappears in the center but reappears at the bottom. On the right, it seems as if space was real with people crawling and moving, but on the left it seems as it was a tapestry after all, creating confusion for the original commission of the painting. It represents the Eucharist role during mass where there are no boundaries within worlds.

            The painting makes me feel like I’m witnessing a very important part of religious history. The painting evokes a lot of emotions within the people in it, reflecting those onto the viewers. There is a sense of relief that Abraham is back from battle, and the emphasis on the bread foreshadows the coming of Christ that fully incorporates Catholicism and Christian religions. It is a very important scene to their religion and such aspects are rightfully placed in the painting. I believe these feelings are evoked heavily due to the time period the painting was created. The Baroque era is known for its drama and emotion. From research around the painting’s time period, it was said to be one of the wonders of the Baroque period, along with the other tapestries in the series. It was to be characterized by “exuberant energy, clever visual illusions, and astonishing array of figures” that give the paintings its importance.

Rubens was also very influential and a well-known humanist, however it doesn’t change the meaning of his artworks any less. He is able to communicate clearly through his tapestry the meaning and message of his painting with skillful symbolism and emphasis. He uses his skills with color contrasts to create emphasis, a sense of space, and shows clear emotions on the subjects’ paintings (a common conception within the Baroque period).

            This work of art shows importance on the foreshadowing of Christ. It shows Him as the person of salvation, someone who saved us all from sin. The emphasis of his coming through symbolism and depiction in Ruben’s work of art shows the importance of the event to the religion and society. A sign of salvation and faith, the painting evokes spiritual reason and appreciation for both art and religion. I picked this work of art because its dynamic caught my attention and from the Bible, I’m familiar with the scene. With research done on the painting and the artist, I was able to fully take the meaning more in depth and analyze it in a way I haven’t seen before. It is a wonder of a painting, the colors are vibrant, the size makes it stand out, and the message it conveys makes it far more special and influential to the world.

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PHOTOJOURNALISM

GROUP 5- PHOTOJOURNALISM

1. Dorothea Lange: Migrant Mother

Image taken by Dorothea Lange, considered to be an iconic image that truly delicates the Great Depression. Florence Owens Thompson, the mother in the picture, is seen with two of her children after moving to a camp due to losing their livelihood to crop failure. The image went viral, showing how deeply the Great Depression affected American citizens, including children. The photo was so powerful because it symbolized hunger, poverty, and hopelessness by citizens during the Great Depression, enhancing deep emotions to the story many viewers encounter. 

2. Mstyslav Chernov in Mariupol, Ukraine

Mstyslav Chernov, a visual journalist and writer, photographs Mariana Vishegirskaya standing outside a maternity hospital shortly after being destroyed by Russian troops in Mariupol, Ukraine. As a more recent event, this image has depicted how deeply affected Ukrainians are by the war between Russia. Many innocent people are being injured and left without resources, shocking to world as current event. Chernov documents the city and people’s agony during times in crisis, getting him nominated for a Lovejoy Award. 

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4. ART PROJECT - ARTIST’S CHOICE

For my painting I did acrylic on canvas and I chose my subject to be traveling. Every since I was little, I loved to travel! Getting to know new places and experiencing different cultures, types of food and different climates. I also like to travel to see my family that most of them are in my home country, Honduras, which is the mountainous land in the painting. This has a deep meaning to me because every year I like to visit and spend time with my family. Honduras has been my favorite place, the mountains and tropical beaches make it a memorable and lovable place. I can’t wait to visit Europe once I graduate university!

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3. CONNECTING ART TO YOUR WORLD

Recently I have been in the loop of finding my own color palette to see what colors looks best on me after doing a research paper on color theory and the effects on the human mind. I’ve always liked to matched neutral colors with each other, in an achromatic way, to make certain colors stand out. After spending time researching on seasonal color palettes, I’ve come to the conclusion that autumn and spring colors bring out my best features. On a skin hue spectrum, I lean towards the warm shades (red or orange). To make my eyes pop, I look best in muted tones. The primary colors have too much intensity and make me look pale, so a lighter tint to the primary hues compliment well with my natural palette. So, for my color scheme I’d choose the Mute Autumn colors, especially with the shade of pink that’s my favorite.

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pg. 4.4 Directional Forces Francisco Goya, BULLFIGHT: THE AGILITY AND DARING OF JUANITO APINANI

Bullfight uses dramatic directional forces, ways that influence the way we look at a work of art. He uses emphasis, contrast, implied lines, motion, balance, geometric shapes and light for an effective composition. He emphasizes the man and the bull by isolating them and having dark shapes against the light background. The crowd at the upper left creates suspense and creates motion by the diagonal axis of the bull’s hind legs and the man. The balance point is near the ground by the bull’s head and the pole. The position of the light on the left emphasizes the implied horizontal line with the bull’s shadow, creating a triangle.

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1. JOURNALING, visual outline of the Principles of Design.

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Anahi Abassy 2023 Gladiolus, Watercolor.

The Gladiolus flower, often known as “the sword lily,” is full of heroism. It symbolizes strength, victory, and pride. The flowers are unique as they tend to bloom on both sides of the stem, in which case I though of representing each of my traits as flowers and myself as the stem.

The Gladiolus flowers bloom in many different colors, but a single stem only blooms one color. I used all the colors Gladiolus flowers bloom in and combined it to one, showing the most of my personality.

The color purple is often associated with independence, ambition, and kindness. Blue represents serenity and imagination. Beige represents reliability, humility, and elegance. Pink is nurturing and playful, one of my personal favorite colors. Both orange and yellow show optimism, intellect, and friendship. Red symbolizes sacrifice and courage, showing what I’m willing to do to obtain my goals. White is associated with purity and green with renewal and resurrection, showing my blooming into new beginnings.

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I am 20 years old.

I primarily align with the female gender.

I am from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, but live in Sarasota, Florida.

I am Latina/Hispanic.

I like to read books, listen to music, spend time with family, and bake sweets for fun.

At the moment, I’m not in any organized group. However, I have been VP in SCF’s Entrepreneurship Club, Treasurer in Key Club, and a Youth Ambassador for Sarasota Sister Cities.

I currently work at Crumbl Cookies, I love baking!

What makes me unique would be my dedication and kindness. I am committed to help others when needed and I have a strong sense of leadership. I like to represent and be a voice to those who need it, an advocate and a friend. I am determined to reach my goals and encourage others to do so as well.

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This work of art hangs by the front window of my house, near the front door and the fireplace. I like to admire this piece of art because it was made by my grandmother in her art studio in Honduras. It was made with plywood and a fine wood-burner tool. It seems to be a woman from east or west asian origin, holding what I believe is a mirror and admiring her beauty with the dripping vines and flowers surrounding her. I believe its purpose is to embrace one’s culture and find the beauty in tradition. The dress representing cultural tradition and the plants and birds appreciating the land where we come from. I think this work of art is absolutely beautiful, not only because it was made by my grandmother, but because of the effort on precise detail. From the shadowing to the details in the dress, this piece shows dedication and skill.

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Marcel Duchamp 1917 Fountain. Found object.

The original Fountain sculpture became lost after its first showing. Some speculate it could’ve been thrown away like trash, but others think it was given to Richard Mutt whose name is shown on the side of the sculpture.

Marcel Duchamp chose to create the Fountain because he believed it had the least chance of being liked because it is a porcelain urinal, taking a different approach into catching people’s attention.

Duchamp was a member of the Society of Independent Artists whom they claimed to be an “unjuried” board. Duchamp tested their claim and submitted the Fountain to be showcased and the board rejected it. He then resigned as a form of protest.

Duchamp’s Fountain is appreciated for the development of conceptual art, which ideas are more valued than the looks and aesthetics of art, taking items from everyday life and finding a new meaning.

It is believed that Duchamp’s “Readymades” have influenced artist Andy Warhol due to his passion with everyday objects. Duchamp’s open-minded experimentation with object-as-subject later influenced many others to value everyday objects.

At first, I really doubted at what I was looking at was really a piece of art. To me, it had looked like a regular urinal that are placed in public restrooms. I stared at it for a while, paying attention to the little details and admitted that it did look more “aesthetically pleasing” than regular urinals (or maybe I was just staring at it for too long). After doing some research, I was surprised how that everyday object had such an impact in the art world. I definitely look at the Fountain differently now, I like how it insinuated a turn-point in traditional art and opened many different views and perspectives in the art world.