Reflections of AED 200

1. What were you expectations for this course and where they met?
My expectations for the course for the most part were fulfilled.  The only thing I would say was that I felt like due to the length of the book I feel like we rushed through a lot of the material that I found interesting in order to fit everything in to the summer schedule.

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

In my initial post I defined art as I would define art as something that attracts your attention in a way that you forget about everything else around you.  I still feel the same way about art, but I now would now incorporate a lot of styles I had not initially liked when I first started the class.  Namely sculptures and installation art.  I have actually grown to like installation art, especially after completing the last couple of projects.
3. Who was your favorite artist in your original posting and who is your favorite visual artist now? If there is a difference, why do you think so? If you have the same favorite artist, why do you think so?

My original favorite artist was Da Vinci.  I still have the same favorite artist and I know this is because of his intellect that was associated with him.  Anyone can draw, but he used it in a way to be an inventor, an artist, and a philosopher at the same time.  He truly was a renaissance man.
4. Now that you've completed this course, how do you feel about taking an online course? Is your answer the same as it was in your first posting? How is it the same or different?

Well I would say overall I have enjoyed this course, but I would rather have taken it in a classroom and while I wasn’t working fulltime because some weeks its harder than others to complete the work assigned and the stresses from my work and current life sometimes shed onto the course and its assignments when Im not usually that type of person.  My opinion is the same as when I started the course, I enjoyed the teacher and her understanding of outside factors when it came to completing assignments, but I would have enjoyed it much more if I had been in a classroom.

Self Portrait Reflection Journal

Inspiration pieces—

For some reason I could not save the pictures that I viewed through Art project to my computer so I provided the links for them and names of the pieces, I’m sorry if this is in inconvenience to anyone

Self-Portrait as a Deaf Man, Sir Joshua Reynold (FROM TATE BRITAIN)

http://www.googleartproject.com/museums/tate/self-portrait-as-a-deaf-man-200

Portrait of William Style of Langley, School 17th century(FROM TATE BRITAIN)Artist School 17^th Century

http://www.googleartproject.com/museums/tate/portrait-of-william-style-of-langley-174

A Young Lady Aged 21, Possibly Helena Snakenborg, Later Marchioness of Northampton, British School 16th century (From Tate BRITAIN)

http://www.googleartproject.com/museums/tate/a-young-lady-aged-21-possibly-helena-snakenborg-later-marchioness-of-northampton-178

Create a reflection journal on your Blog and answer the following questions:
1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces?

To be honest this was a very large museum and using Art Project I was only able to find one self portrait so I decided to take what could conceivably be considered self portraits because the artists were unknown but made by British School between 16^th and 17^th century.

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

Well I wasn’t going to get into trying to paint a self portrait.  I believe for this project it would be a good idea to keep things simple so I just used pencil to create a self portrait of myself because if I tried to get into too much detail the portrait wouldn’t look as good.  I did not feel comfortable taking a picture of myself and posting it online so if there is a problem with this let me know and I will email you a picture personally.

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

The eyes and nose were hard to get right but after some erasing and redrawing I settled for what I had done.

4. How does this piece represent you?

Considering this is a self portrait, this is what I believe myself to look like as shown by a mirror.

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

Line

6. Did you enjoy working on this project?

Yes I enjoyed the creating and drawing of the self portrait more than trying to find self portraits from a museum and trying to somehow seem inspired by these self portraits.  I was more so self-inspired to see how well I could do in creating a drawing that looked similar to myself.  I feel as though I have done a decent job.  The one thing I wanted to mention was that I didn’t’ really feel comfortable taking a picture of myself and posting it online because I feel like everyone’s sense of privacy in this day and age is deteriorating due in part to facebook and the internet.  So that’s why I chose not to submit a photo of myself.  If you want an idea of what I look at just look at my self-portrait drawing.  If you personally have a problem with this I will send you a picture of myself if you believe I just drew a random face.

7. What do you think of your final artwork?

I believe I did a good job considering I haven’t taken any art classes since about 7^th grade. 

Answers to questions you may have:
• My portrait is realistic
• My choice of media is pencil
• My self-portait is done in 2-Dimensions







Link To My Self Portrait
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h355/donnjame/Self%20Portrait/

Reflection Journal for Art Criticism

Answer the Following Questions:
1. Which projects did you review?

I reviewed Life in Color and Nature Affected

2. Why did you select the Exhibit you critiqued?
I selected Life in Color because I seemed to connect more with Lydia’s exhibit and I believed her presentation was a bit more thought out than Nature Affected.

3. What challenges did you face in writing the critique article and how did you overcome them?
The main challenge I experienced was to make this project two pages long.  Initially I had a little over a page when I had looked at your suggestions about what to write about and then applied them to this exhibit.  Just like most problems or difficulties you face in life, the more you think about a given problem, the more likely it is that you will arrive at a solution to it.  So, with some time and some abstract thinking I was able to stretch my review to the full two pages.

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

Well I don’t really mind critiquing others work, and in fact I saw things that Lydia did with her presentation of the art gallery that made me wish I could go back in time and sort of spice up my own project to seem more artistic(considering I used only a white background for each of my individual slides)

5. Would you like to read the critique your peers wrote about your Art Curation Project?
No, I would personally not want to read someone’s critique of my exhibit because after looking at the two exhibits I feel as though mine was missing some presentation value, as I have said, and I am a little annoyed at myself for leaving that out of the project.

6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your finished article and why?
I would rate my finished article an 8.  I used spell-check so that shouldn’t be an issue, and I believe that a few of my observations would not have been made by other individuals critiquing the art exhibit.

7. Did you enjoy working on this project?

Yes, I enjoyed this project, and surprisingly enjoyed the critique part of the assignment.

Reflection Journal for Art Exhibit Creation

Reflection Journal

This project was nice because there weren’t any real restrictions on what themes we could use as well as the fact a lot of artwork can be interpreted to fit the selected theme.  Another aspect of this project I enjoyed was the diversity of different artworks( paintings, sculptures, installation art) kept the project fresh instead of feeling like doing the same thing twenty times over.  The overall process took awile from selecting materials to the creation of each individual slide but I would recommend this project to future classes. 

Week Ten: Blog Video Review

The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art

Artists and gallery curators explain Lowbrow means to them. Artist Anthony Aussang says it is essentially reactionary to highbrow culture. The dictionary definition is, "a person regarded as uncultivated and lacking in taste.  Artists and gallery curators explain how the term Lowbrow originated. Artist Robert Williams says he invented the term but doesn't care for its meaning. Some believe Lowbrow Surrealism is a more fitting term while others embrace Lowbrow.  Artists and gallery curators explain why Lowbrow art appeals to the masses. Pop culture, car culture, and folk art have both had major influences in the genre. Lisa Petrruci says the art is more relatable that esoteric art.  Artists and gallery curators discuss pop culture and consumer references in Lowbrow art. The time after World War II known as the "Atomic Age" is another important part of the genre.  Art covers so many different things ranging from concept art to paintings. Artist Anthony Ausgang says it is the job of critics to categorize the art. Robert Williams, the original Lowbrow artist, discusses his early career.  Artists and gallery curators talk about Ed "Big Daddy" Roth and psychedelic rock posters.  Artist Anthony Ausang recalls being introduced to Zap Comix. Robert Williams discusses how Robert Crumb inspired rock poster artists to start doing underground comics.  At a time when galleries were not willing to display Lowbrow, the Laguna Art Museum put on a show featuring Ed Roth, Von Dutch, and Robert Williams. Artists and curators discuss the impact of MAD Magazine on art culture.  Artists and curators discuss the tiki theme that was prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s across the U.S. Lowbrow artists drew upon this imagery and incorporated it into their art.  Artists and curators discuss conceptual art. While conceptual ism brought thought to art it excluded audience members who were not trained in art history.  Artist Anthony Ausgang says, "Lowbrow blitzkriegs the idea that high culture requires a certain level of intelligence." Robert Williams thinks the established art world is set up to promote only certain types of art like minimalism and abstract.  Artist and curators discuss the unwillingness of the mainstream at world to accept Lowbrow. These unaccepted artist created their own art scene after being shut out from museums and galleries.  Artists and curators discuss the emergence of female artists in Lowbrow.  Artists and curators discuss the effect of the Internet on art in general and Lowbrow specifically.  Artists and curators discuss the difference between the fine art scenes in New York and the Lowbrow and pop culture are in California.  Artists and curators discuss how the punk rock generation propelled Lowbrow art culture. Artists were able to get their work to the masses in the form of album covers and fliers.  Artist Nicole Steen and other members from the Pop Tarts discuss the parallel underground art scenes in Vancouver and California.  The Pop Tarts opened the well received Tart Gallery in Vancouver. They gained more recognition and acceptance after being featured in a book about female Lowbrow artists.  Artist 12Midnite and the ladies from the Pop Tarts talk about bringing their work to the U.S. There are many talented Lowbrow artists in Vancouver but it does not have the population to support a big art scene.  Curator Billy Shire is credited with promoting the Lowbrow art movement by opening the Shooting Gallery in San Francisco. Juxtapose magazine has made it possible for people worldwide to stay in tune with the Lowbrow art scene.  Artists and curators discuss the current and future monetary value of Lowbrow art. The Pizz says he is internationally known but not wealthy while paintings by Mark Ryden sell for $500,000. 

-Depending on your interpretation of an artwork, a certain piece could be interpreted as potraying someone is is relaying sadness or depending on the scheme of the piece the viewer could correlate what time it must have put in and the mental fatigue to produce something of its nature.

Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach

Modern art in the MOMA from 1929 onwards was displayed primarily in chronological order, representing each art movement. Art is displayed on white walls with flexible lighting.  By the 1970s, traditional ways of displaying modern art are questioned. Art came off the walls to become busy and noisy. Artists explore the political and ideological context of the museum itself.  The Tate Modern displays its modern art if four sections. In each section an overarching principle provides a theme for the selection and exhibition of the selections of modern art.  The Tate's thematic approach to displaying art prompts controversy when three works by Richard Long are juxtaposed with Monet's "Water Lilies." Yet, the connections among the pieces are justified.  Unlike MOMA's original concept of displaying art in chronological order, visitors to the Tate are provided with striking and often abrupt transitions between the individual display rooms.  Critics argue that Tate Modern's thematic presentation of art requires that viewers have no knowledge of art. They believe art should be more than entertainment.  Many abstract artists tried to make paintings that were not dependent on figuration. They wanted to convey emotions, aesthetic effects, or social vision.  The Joseph Beuys room in the Tate Modern creates a church-like atmosphere. Visitors do not materially understand what they see. They transition to the next room where art consists of waste and junk.

Bones of Contention: Native American Archaeology

Native Americans' bones were collected as a scientific curiosity during the U.S. genocide against Indians. Anthropologists differ on whether or not the remain should be returned to their ancestors.  Maria, a Yankton Sioux, fights for the bones of a Native American who is taken for study after a road construction crew discovers the body. Anglo bones are reburied but Native bones are studied.  David Van Horn, a field archaeologist, is charged with criminal possession of Native human bone fragments. He avoids jail but loses his livelihood as a result of his prosecution.  Europeans encounter, seemingly strange, Native Americans and remove them from their own land. Burial mounds are thought to be too civilized to have been built by Native American.  In the 19th Century Samuel Morton M.D. studies brain size and conclude that the size of one's cranium is related to intelligence. Native American skulls are collected and stored in museums.  Susan Harjo, a Cheyenne and Muscogee, leads the fight for Native people's objects of worship to be returned. The Smithsonian's inventory reveals that 18,000 Native's bones are stored there.  Dr. Barnes, a physical anthropologist, is prevented from doing her research of Native American migration because of the new law. Bones with similar defects suggests shared genes and origins.  Bronco Lebeau, a Lakota Sioux, rejects theories of evolution and migration held by the dominate U.S. The Sioux people emerged from the Black Hills and did not migrate from somewhere.  Repatriation requires that scientists first determine the bones tribal affiliation. Skull measurement helps to identify where the bones should be returned. Conflict of interest is rampant.  Native Americans have ceremonies to discover whether the bones are their ancestors or not. Their past is conveyed through an oral tradition. Native Americans do not want the scientists' history.  Scientists learn a lot about today's health problems by studying the remains of human beings from the past. Scientists can benefit future knowledge by studying the past.  Bruce Rothschild, an arthritis researcher, theorizes that arthritis is a new disease whose trigger may come from the Tennessee River region. Natives as well as scientists are skeptical.  British researchers DNA test bones infected with T.B. They claim research benefits understanding how man changes from the ancient to the modern. Native Americans are still skeptical.  Maria Pearson continues to represent the right to an undisturbed Indian burial ground. The holy areas are avoided by construction crews and archeologist do not excavate graves.  The Great Plains Omaha ask the University of Nebraska to analyze bones for their cultural and health significance prior to repatriation. Change in diet and lifestyle is related to high rates of diabetes.  Omaha women, die earlier due to small pox and a change in their daily life. Their bones reveal that hard work by manufacturing furs worn them down and led to a lower birthrate and life expectancy.  Native Americans, in the early 20th century, are stripped of their tribal identity at U.S. boarding schools. Dr Reinhardt restores pride by sharing his research with today's Native Americans.  Dennis Hastings, an Omaha, is satisfied with the reburial of his ancestors' remains. Moreover, both the tribe and scientists have gain new knowledge by having the bones analyzed prior to burial.  Now, Native Americans design the exhibits in New York's Native American Museum. Ancestors' bones continue to be brought home. Archaeology must share the responsibility for stewarding the past.

George Eastman House: Picture Perfect

By creating the first affordable, user-friendly camera George Eastman became the father of popular photography. The museum established at his home celebrates the contributions he and the company he founded have made to advance the art, science, and phenomenon of photography.  The photography collection at George Eastman House is a visual history of photography that represents the work of 14,000 amateur and professional photographers. The collection includes all types of photographs, famous and obscure, from documentary to fine art.  The technology collection at George Eastman House contains about 16,000 objects, including about 5,000 cameras. The Eastman House holds the largest Daguerreotype collection outside of France.  George Eastman worked to make photography accessible to everyone; he created the first affordable, user-friendly camera and founded the Eastman Kodak Company. Eastman's "Brownie" camera revolutionized photography and the motion picture film stock he invented with Thomas Edison became the industry standard.  The 50 room colonial revival estate George Eastman began building in 1902 serves as the centerpiece for the museum that bears his name. In addition to photography-related artifacts the museum houses many of Eastman's personal possessions.  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made George Eastman a lifetime member to honor his contributions to the film industry's development. Today the George Eastman House is one of the world's premiere motion pictures archives.  In 1996 the George Eastman House established the first school in North America to teach the restoration, preservation, and archiving of motion pictures.  George Eastman's world revolved around his work and around philanthropy. The George Eastman House offers a variety of means to access collections, including 140,000 online images, that celebrate the art, technology, and impact of photography and motion pictures.