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Final Project

Create Art

Title: “Then Sings My Soul”

Artist: Barbara Fernandez

Media: Acrylics on 8.5 x 11 Canvas

Date: 6/22/2022

I have always had a love of angel’s wings for as long as I can remember. I’m not really sure why. I’m not much of a “feather” person. I’m mostly drawn to paintings, woodworks and sculpture. On my recent vacation, I came across a very large pair of distressed white wooden wings. I really, really wanted to buy them. But they were $180. So instead, I chose a small 5x7 print of an angel with flowers, hand-painted by a local artist. Those two items were my inspiration for my final project. Wings seemed easy enough, but still, I’m not a painter.

Documentation

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Virtual Sketchbook 4

Pollock/Abstract Artwork

While walking along a New England beach, I came across this lone entangled stone nestled among smaller, cleaner ones. It caught my eye right away. I wondered how this one rock made it to it’s current location, with no other ones like it nearby. I wondered about it’s journey. It made me reflect on my own life. My own journey. The scars that got me this far. Some visible. Some hidden. 

I related this to Pollock. He was a man, full of artistic capabilities. Also full of scars. Alcohol was both is his inspiration and his demise. He fought with himself from within to stay sober. His artwork became the outcome. When he lost the fight, he lost his inspiration. We all have something in life we are struggling with. Imagine how beautiful this world would be if we could channel the outcome into fantastic art?

“Character cannot be developed in eased and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” -Helen Keller

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We form art. Art forms us.

Title: Slate

Artist: John Mellencamp

Media: Oil on canvas

Date: 2014

https://www.billboard.com/photos/john-mellencamp-art-exhibition-new-york-city-gallery/1-portrait-of-an-artist-john-mellencamp/?i=576275

You may know John Mellencamp from his music. He was known as John Cougar back in the 80′s. What you may not know about him, is he has been creating artwork since he was a young boy. I came across his work a few years ago and was overcome with emotion.

Most of his paintings are of people. Many are self portraits, some others are people close to him. This particular painting is his granddaughter, Slate. If you notice, her hands are larger than normal. This is because, according to Mellencamp, “...because she’s gonna reach out and do something with her life.” He also added, “...a world on a string.”

So the question lies, do we form art or does art form us? I think it can be a different answer depending on perspective, If you are the artist, you are forming the art. Although you may be forming it from your inner feelings and emotions. For many artists, like Mellencamp, painting is an “outlet” for himself. He never imagined for others to view (or want to purchase) any of it. I think, if you are the viewer, the art can form us. It can bring out feelings and emotions you have never experienced before. It can bring empathy to a person in regards to the artist’s inspiration for the work. 

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The Modern World (discussion)

Realism

Brenton Brother and Sister

Artist: William Bouguereau Year: 1871 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 129.2 cm × 89.2 cm (50.9 in × 35.1 in)

Out of the given list, I find myself gravitating towards the realism style of artwork. I am taken by how photographic my above chosen painting, Brenton Brother and Sister, looks. It amazes me how someone can do this with paints and brushes, contrasts and transitions. Just like having photographs in later years, these early paintings of children and loved ones helps families relive fond moments of years gone by too quickly. As we all know, as time passes, we cannot always remember these “pictures” in our minds as clearly as a hard-copy. 

In today’s world, we have come much further with capturing these moments. Decade after decade there have been new technologies invented to keep the spirit of the realism style alive. Even someone with very little artistic ability can use digital media to zoom and flip, clip and crop, saturate and define the simplest photos taken with their smartphones. Although, for me, still nothing beats a hard-copy.

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Virtual Sketchbook Session 3

A Memorial to Young Womanhood

“Lifesize” Sculpture in Bronze on a granite base with inscription by Constance Witherby. Located on Blackstone Blvd, near the intersection of Clarendon St.

Gail Sherman Corbett, Sculptor

 First, I will discuss the sculptor, Gail Sherman Corbett (1871-1952). Corbett was both a sculptor and a painter.  She was a native of Syracuse, New York; studied sculpture in New York at the Arts Students League. She later moved to Paris to study art at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. After returning to the US, Corbet began works such as memorial tablets and portrait busts.

(Sherman) married Harvey Corbett, a fellow sculptor, and they became a remarkable team. Together, they designed the Hamilton White Memorial in Syracuse, NY. Harvey went on to be one of the world’s leading designers in skyscrapers, such as Rockefeller Center. Being a woman in that age and time, Gail was limited to smaller projects. Although she is well known for her work in sculptures, she also went on to paint many cityscapes, mainly in a neo-impressionist style.

This particular sculpture, “A Memorial to Young Womanhood,” also known as “The Spirit of Youth,” by Corbett, was dedicated in 1930 in a small park also dedicated to the author of the poem on the base, Constance Witherby. It was moved to its current location toward the end of the 20th century. The inscription at the base of the sculpture reads, “The wind roars by I feel it blow, and know that I am free to go.”

Next, I will discuss the poet. Constance Witherby (1913-1929) was a young girl who attended a private school in this same area of Providence, Lincoln School. Although a young teen, Witherby was a talented poet. Unfortunately, she passed away of an unexpected heart attack while vacationing with her family in the Swiss Alps at the young age of sixteen. A year later, her mother published a book of her daughter’s poems. This is called “Sunshine and Stardust.”

I have to say, when I came upon this sculpture, it stopped me in my tracks. I hadn’t seen it since I was a younger (I moved away when I was 21), and I remember gazing up at it on my many walks and bike rides as a child. Until now, I never knew the backstory on the sculpture of the girl.

To me, Witherby captured the essence of a young teen. Not quite an adult, but no longer a child, right down to her gazing, daydreaming eyes. I love that it was placed on the “Boulevaad,” as we lovingly call it. Witherby’s surviving brother, Frederich Witherby actually paid for trees, shrubs and two granite benches to be put at the site of the statue upon its arrival. The life-like sculpture reminds me of being a child, hair blowing in the wind, not a care in the world, except the innocence of play and daydreams.

 References:

 https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Featured-Artist--Gail-Sherman-Corbett.html?soid=1108953381911&aid=PQQlLhFtqaM

http://mycentralnewyork.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

https://www.blackstoneparksconservancy.org/the-parks/blackstone-boulevard-park/statue/

https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/architectureandmemory/8131.html

https://www.yelp.com/biz/blackstone-boulevard-walking-path-providence

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Tradition to Improvisation in Asia

Japanese Zen Buddhism

Aya Takano, The World in Two Hundred Years, 2017, oil on canvas, 130.3 x 194 cm.

Aya Takano’s imagined universe is more than escapism—underneath the layers of fiction and fantasy is a commentary on her perception of the world and its less than utopian realities. 

When asked about the non-specific gender of her characters, she says, “In the future, I believe ‘gender’ will solely be the word to describe the mechanism of an individual body. We are now coming to understand that there is such a wide diversity [in gender identity] depending on the individual. While I cannot tell what the biological and survival consequences of this will be, I am curious to find out about the future of this path.”

Zen Buddhism is achieving enlightenment by seeing one's original mind directly, without intellect. Takano captures exactly what she envisions the future to look like in her own mind. It looks so peacefully and melancholy. The colors she chose for this piece are very relaxing to one’s mind.

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Renaissance/Baroque Art and John Ringling

Acrobats, Contortionist and Clowns

Artist: Frans De Vos (Belgian, 1880 – 1936 )Date: ca. 1900, Medium: oil on canvas, mounted on wooden support bars Dimensions: 113 x 102 1/2 in. (287 x 260.4 cm)

John Ringling was one of the five brothers who owned and operated the circus rightly called  “The Greatest Show on Earth.”  He had a personal connection with many people who worked for him in the circus spotlight during those years. This piece of artwork depicts the early years of acrobatic performances. I think it may bring back many memories for Mr. Ringling of his long career with the circus.

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Building as Art

Confederate Memorial Carving at Stone Mountain, GA

This project was greatly advanced by C. Helen Plane, a charter member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and first president and Honorary Life President of the Georgia State Division, as a memorial to the confederate states and the Civil War. There were several sculptors who worked on this project before it’s completion:  Gutzon Borglum (first design), Luigi Del Bianco,  Augustus Lukeman,  Walker Hancock, and Roy Faulkner. The carving began in 1917, sat untouched for over 40 years, then was finally completed in 1972. 

The carving is the largest bas-relief sculpture in the world, the Confederate Memorial Carving depicts three Confederate leaders of the Civil War: President Jefferson Davis and Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (on their favorite horses, Blackjack, Traveller, and Little Sorrel, respectively). The sculpture was cut 42 feet deep into the mountain, measures 90 feet in height and 190 feet in width, and lies 400 feet above the ground.

Regardless of how one stands on the historical background of this carving, this is an amazing piece of artwork because of the intricate detail that came from this one large “rock”. I am in awe every time I get to see it in person.

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Section 2

 1. Journaling - Principles of Design

Unity and variety are when things come together in an aesthetically pleasing way, yet they are not all exactly the same. For instance, picture a montessori classroom shelving unit. It may have similar woven baskets, evenly spaced out, not crowded, on the three shelves provided, but the contents of the baskets would be different. There also may be a colorful toy on each shelf in place of each middle basket.

Balance is having harmony with design and proportion. Think of a walking through a model home. You see a centered couch with an end table on either side, and an identical lamp on either table. It is pleasing to the eye to see balance.

Emphasis and subordination refers to having a focal point and subtle background. Like a grand fireplace amongst basic leather furniture.

Directional forces are when an artist uses specific lines to draw the viewer’s eyes toward one direction. Notice if you were on the beach and you see a flock of birds flying in a diagonal, arrow shaped line. It would catch your eye to follow them in the way they are headed.

Repetition and rhythm is much like unity and variety and emphasis and subordination combined. Repeating both common dominating patterns and lesser subordinating patterns creates a pleasing design. These types of designs are seen in many upholstery fabrics and bedding comforters.

Lastly, scale and proportion is used in art to depict or distract from the ideal. One example I can think of is during sunset, I sometimes see tourists taking pictures of each other positioning themselves in a way where it looks as if the setting sun is in the palm of their hand. It’s an illusion made by having the sun so far behind them.

2. Writing and Looking

Pieter de Hooch, Interior of a Dutch House. 1658 Oil on Canvas. 29″ x 35″

This painting is so pleasing for me to look at. It has both unity and variety. The balance of three figures on both sides of the print. The evenly spaced wood beams on the ceiling. The checkered squares on the floor. And the pop of red in either of the two skirts to draw your eye towards their direction.

3. Connecting Art to Your World

One way that color has affected my life is that of the choices I use for decorating my home. I live in a small efficiency so the colors that I choose are going to effect my moods when I’m in my space. I choose to keep my tones light and more on the pastel side for a calming affect. I use a combination of warm and cool colors of blues and oranges.

4. Art Project - Artist’s Choice

I painted this picture a few years ago at an organized step-by-step painting event. It’s hangs by my bed. I absolutely love this picture. I painted it using acrylic paints. I learned how to mix colors that night. It was much easier than I expected to create. The moon grounds me, as I mentioned in a previous post. It helps me relax to look at it as I’m falling asleep.

5. Photo/Design 

This assignment is in a separate post titled “Logos” 

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Vic Muniz

Orphan Girl at the Cemetary (from Gordian Puzzles) 2008. Digital color coupler print. 221 x 180.3 cm.

Vic Muniz is an artist who creates artwork from out-of-the-box elements. He has a remarkable imagination when it comes to media he choses to use for his pieces. For instance, in this picture above, he created the picture entirely out of different colored puzzle pieces. Muniz stated, “When people look at one of my pictures, I don’t want them to actually see something represented. I prefer for them to see how something gets to represent something else.” 

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Logos

Adidas                       FritoLay

Apple                        Buccees

Nike                          Ford

Boston Red Sox       Suave

Vans                         Coors

Facebook                 MLB

Google                     Tumblr

Twitter                      Instagram  

Coke                        Tostitos

I am in group number 1. Logos in our environment.

Logos are designed as a quick way for people to recognize your business or product. When a person feels a certain way about a product, they will get that same feeling when they see the logo. For instance, if they like Nike shoes, they may want to also wear a shirt with the Nike logo on it. It shows others that they like and recommend that product. This is one way logos become recognizable, by people displaying them in public. Other ways would be from commercials, billboards, magazine ads, celebrity endorsements, and social media platforms.

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Evaluating Art - Drawing

1.  paulheaston (Paul Heaston)

2.  https://www.instagram.com/p/CaJYcLwMDtK/

3.  The artist posted these two side-by-side drawings he made to show his followers the dynamics of his artistic growth over the past eight years.

 The artist shares his sketches, some workshops, tutorials, and a blog link for followers to view. He also has several links through this site for followers to sign up for classes that he offers for purchase as well as artwork of his own you can purchase.

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My fridge is my continuous Self-Portrait. This Is Me.

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Writing a Self-Portrait

I am Barbara. I am a 52 year old white woman living in Florida. I was born and raised in a tiny state called Rhode Island. No, it is not a city in New York. My family background is of Irish, English, and Hungarian decent. I am a mother of 3, a grandmother of 2, a teacher, and a student. I enjoy being by the water, weekend getaways, live music, and Boston Red Sox baseball. Like the Red Sox, sometimes I’m on top, sometimes I’m not. But life is good, and I keep on playing the game!

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Moon 31 1/2″ square print on canvas. This print hangs in my room. It is very special to me. I fell in love with it in a shop while visiting my daughter in college several years ago. She purchased it for me soon after that visit as a gift. The moon, especially the full moon, grounds me. It’s massiveness reminds me how small I am on this planet. It reminds me to count my blessings and be grateful for all that I have in my life.

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I was assigned The Dinner Party, by Judy Chicago. I had never seen this piece before. From my initial intake, I felt it was a formal dinner reception of some kind. I thought maybe representing leaders from different countries. I also thought it might be set on the deck of a cruise ship because of the “whale tail” figure in the background!

Judy Chicago 1974-1979 The Dinner Party.  Mixed media: ceramic, porcelain and textile; 48“ x 42” x 3'.

5 new facts of this artist/art work:

The Dinner Party is regarded as the first epic feminist artwork, it functions as a symbolic history of women in civilization.

The principal component of The Dinner Party is a massive ceremonial banquet arranged in the shape of an open triangle—a symbol of equality.

There are 39 elaborate place settings, in groups of 13, on the triangular table for 39 mythical and historical famous women. 

The Dinner Party rests upon the Heritage Floor; inscribed on the tiles in gold luster are the names of 999 mythical and historical women of achievement who correlate to the 39 women represented in the place settings.

The Dinner Party was produced from 1974 to 1979 as a collaboration and first exhibited in 1979. 

After reading about this piece, I have a greater appreciation for it. It took 6 years to complete. After working on it by herself for the first 3, Chicago had over 400 people contribute work towards it's completion. It was meant to be more than just a piece of artwork, it is a major feminism statement in history. It initially was only going to have 25 women in the piece. Chicago eventually expanded it to 39, with the number 13 representing the number of people at the Last Supper, which was made up solely of men.