Caravaggio and Chiaroscuro

Caravaggio, 1600

According to Kit White, "Chiaroscuro is the dramatic contrast of dark and light in an image.  Caravaggio and Rembrandt are considered the early masters of the technique."  The value scale, which goes from near white to black, can add a volumetric quality to the figures and objects that are being depicted.  It can be used to indicate where the light source is coming from and where the shadows are.  Chiaroscuro is the dramatic contrast of the light and darker values, with minimal mid-tones.  Caravaggio's Calling of St. Matthew (see picture), puts Christ in the shadows with a hard contrast with the light coming in from the window.  The light follows to Christ's pointing finger then onto St. Matthew himself.  Here the light and shadow is used to draw the eye through the picture.  Chiaroscuro adds drama to a painting, in which Caravaggio was a master.  Enjoy!

Surreal Pastel

Alice Cook, 2013

In my Drawing 2 class, one of the assignments involved creating a pastel artwork that was disturbing.  Using an image from the Dora the Explorer coloring book as a starting point, I drew out this surreal image.  According to Wikipedia, "Surrealism is where artists painted unnerving, illogical scenes, created strange creatures from everyday objects and developed painting techniques that allowed the unconscious to express itself."  I don't know what my unconscious was expressing while I drew this image, but consciously I was interested in drawing the foot and hand in pastel with a twist.  Enjoy!

Theory of Art, Aesthetic Response

J. M. W. Turner, early 1800's

During the 1800's, artists were concerned with the beauty of their artwork.  Aesthetics, or the sense of beauty, was the prime motivator in the arts.  Different theories of art have developed over time in order to shed some light on defining art or to theorize about the structure of our concept of art.  The theory of aesthetic response, according to Wikipedia, "is that art has an intended aesthetic function, but not all artworks succeed in producing aesthetic experiences...artworks that were intended to have this capacity, but failed at it are bad art."  While this theory was popular back then, the introduction of modern art has made this theory outdated and inadequate.  From cave paintings to contemporary art, art changes through the years and theories must change along with it.  Enjoy!

Giotto and Observation

Giotto

According to Wikipedia, "Giotto di Bondone (1266/7 – January 8, 1337), known as Giotto, was an Italian painter and architect from Florence in the late Middle Ages. He is generally considered the first in a line of great artists who contributed to the Italian Renaissance."  Giotto was unique compared to the other artists of his time.  Many of the artists during his time were doing Byzantine art, which is flat and not naturalistic.  Giotto made his figures three dimensional by drawing from live models, which was uncommon during that period of time.  He observed nature and painted what he saw.  Clothing was not flat, but had form and weight.  But what truly set him apart was that his figures had emotion on their faces.  Instead of the flat, emotionless look of the Byzantine art, Giotto expressed the feelings that the character would have in a particular scene.  Enjoy!

Pre-Columbian Art and Context

First Century Izapan Altar

According to Kit White, "Context determines meaning.  The social or cultural space in which an event occurs or an object resides imbues it with particular meaning."  Art is not made in isolation, it is affected by one's own culture and biases.  The Pre-Columbian artwork pictured here, had a different meaning for those that created it in the first-century and differs on how it is viewed today.  To understand the original meaning of an artwork, one would need to take into account the artist's culture at the time it was created.  Since the original culture that an artwork was created in changes throughout the life of an artwork, one can never truly feel the same impact that the artwork was initially intended to express.  The artwork that is created today, will have a different impact in a culture one hundred years from now.  That is the great thing about art, it's impact on the viewer changes throughout the artwork's lifetime.  Enjoy!

Merry Christmas and Rembrandt

Rembrandt, 1654

As I was searching for a Christmas picture to post, I noticed alot of snow scenes and some nativity scenes.  This holiday season is a perfect time, whether you have snow or not, to re-energize one's artistic endeavors.  With the new year just around the corner, I plan on making some artistic new year's resolutions.  For me, having goals for art in school and in the studio helps make sure I am moving forward.  So have a blessed holiday and enjoy this etching by Rembrandt.  Enjoy!

New Non-Objective Painting

Alice Cook, 1098

Just finished a new non-objective painting.  According to About.com, "Nonobjective art is another way to refer to Abstract art or nonrepresentational art. Essentially, the artwork does not represent or depict a person, place or thing in the natural world. Usually, the content of the work is its color, shapes, brushstrokes, size, scale, and, in some cases, its process."  First I started with a 300 pound cold pressed watercolor paper.  Then using colored construction paper, made various shapes that complimented each other.  Lines were then drawn using a technical pen, in order to give an overall unity to the picture.  Finally watercolor was added to lead the eye throughout the painting.  There is no overall focal point in this painting, for me, it brings an overall calmness.  Enjoy!

Cy Twombly and Conversations

Cy Twombly

According to Kit White, "What happens in the studio should be a conversation, not a monologue.  That conversation is between you and the image you are constructing."  While I don't think I have ever had a conversation with an artwork I am creating, I have always said that creating a piece of art is a give and take relationship.  Happy accidents or the unexpected happens while making art.  For me, the conversation is more with my artistic judgement (the right side of my brain) and the logical part (left side of my brain).  When both sides work together a usually satisfying artwork is created. Enjoy!

Fiber Art and Lana Crooks

Lana Crooks

According to Wikipedia, "Fiber art refers to fine art whose material consists of natural or synthetic fiber and other components, such as fabric or yarn. It focuses on the materials and on the manual labour on the part of the artist as part of the works' significance, and prioritizes aesthetic value over utility."  Artists have been working with fabric and yarn for centuries, though in the past they were not considered artists and many of them were women.  Nowadays fiber art has exploded and artists, both female and male, are creating fine art with the fabric and yarn.  Lana Crooks fiber art (see picture), is what she calls soft sculpture and is where she elevates stuffed animal to fine art.  Enjoy!

Ad Reinhardt and Looking

Ad Reinhardt, 1953

Ad Reinhardt's art, especially of the 1950's and 1960's, requires you to look intently to see something and/or experience something.  Art is made to be looked at.  With some paintings a glance can some up the whole experience, while other paintings require time looking.  Sometimes I think that the less complicated a painting is the more time it requires looking at it.  In painting, sometimes less is more.  According to Kit White, "for every hour making an artwork, spend an hour of looking and thinking."  Artists, in my opinion, need to step back and ponder their artwork.  If an artist wants the viewer to ponder their creation, then an artist needs to do the same thing.  Spend time with the artwork, whether you are creating it or viewing it, it will prove beneficial.  Enjoy!

Design 2 Class, Artwork 2

Alice Cook

I just finished my Design 2 class and pictured here is my final artwork for the class.  It is a three dimensional sculpture with wood and metal rods.  I had to combine a wrench and a violin in order to create this artwork per teachers instruction.  For this sculpture I wanted it to be clean and efficient and visually pleasing.  The wood is part of the wrench and the metal rods represent the four strings of the violin and the tuning pegs.  What bothered me this semester in my Design 2 and Drawing 2 class was that our creations were called projects, not artworks.  My approach was to create artworks this semester, not student projects.  I believe that when labeling it an artwork compared to a project, the student will approach it differently.  So I just relabeled it in my mind and made artworks.  Enjoy!

Shout Out to Patrick Hickey

Patrick Hickey, Atomic Bomb On Japan

According to Wikipedia, "Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world."  A fellow artist, Patrick Hickey, makes abstract art that, at times, has a social conscious.  I have heard it said that all art is an abstraction.  For even if you are looking at a landscape painting, those trees are not really trees, but paint on a canvas.  Hickey's picture, Atomic Bomb On Japan, is a powerful abstract that expresses the event with raw energy and determination.  Abstract art can challenge us and bring feelings into the picture.  Hickey's artwork can be found on his website, www.heechpeachhead.deviantart.com and is for sale.  Enjoy!
 

Willem de Kooning and Discovery

Willem de Kooning, Excavation, 1950

Maurice Merleau-Ponty once said, "Conception cannot precede execution."  According to Kit White, "Art is a process of discovery through making, and our ability to discover is generally greater than our ability to invent."  I would partly agree with the above statements, though they cannot be generalized to all artists.  While I approach my art making with some planning and some spontaneity, I know other artists that completely plan out their artwork before execution, and only then executes it without deviations.  So conception can precede execution, if the artist so chooses.   What I have read of some of the master artists of the past, their artwork changed while executing it and there was a sort of working relationship with the artwork that was give and take.  For me, I try to remember, there are no rules in art, only tools.  Enjoy!

William Blake, Poetry in Words and Art

William Blake

According to Wikipedia, "William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age."  For me, there is something special about the combination of words and the visual arts. Poetry can be pictures with words, while art can be words with pictures.  Blake combined both and made them both speak to us.  Enjoy!

Project 4 of Drawing 2

Alice Cook, Project 4

Just finished project 4 of my Drawing 2 class.  This project involved mixed media along with some textures using sand paper.  Watercolor was first put over the paper in a yellow ochre wash, with Payne's gray wash for the rectangles.  Colored pencil was added with some sand papering of the colored pencil to give a centered wash out in the picture.  Then acrylic was added to the organic shapes with a striped pattern to continue the textured look of the picture.  The emphasis is on the periphery, having colors of greater intensity while fading to the center.  With this final project I have successfully completed this class and look forward to more adventures in art.  Enjoy!

Paul Klee and Execution

Paul Klee

According to Kit White, "An idea is only as good as its execution.  Poorly make work will either ruin a good idea or make the lamentable execution itself the subject...One can only gauge the need to throw technique away if one has first achieved the mastery of it."  I have heard people state about a piece of artwork, "my child could do that."  This is often said about abstract artwork, and I will admit that I have said that in the past.  What often isn't known is that the artist, most likely, has excellent skill at rendering subjects, but chooses a more childlike presentation.  Judging what is poor technique or what is simply self expression can be difficult.  All art is subjective, what one likes, another will dislike.  For me, I am going to try to not pass the judgement that "my child could do that," but just enjoy art!  Enjoy!

Pop Surrealism Exhibition

Joey Potts

Recently I was at an exhibition that a local artist's guild was putting on.  It was a group show called Deviant Pop with five artists represented.  According to the guild's newsletter the exhibit was filled with Lowbrow art.  "Lowbrow art, according to Wikipedia, describes an underground visual art movement that arose in the Los Angeles area in the late 1970s. It is a populist art movement with its cultural roots in underground comix, punk music, and hot-rod cultures of the street. It has a sense of humor, often being gleeful, impish, or sarcastic."  Lowbrow art, also called Pop Surrealism, is not collected by museums or represented by galleries as much as what could be considered "fine art."  For me, the art displayed took creativity, ingenuity, skill and talent, it was indeed fine art.  Enjoy!
  

Hierarchy of Painting, Still Life

Blaise Alexandre Desgoffe (1830-1901)

We have finally reached the final type of painting in the hierarchy.  Last but not least is number six, Still Life paintings.  According to about.com, " All Still Lifes contain no living objects, and most are small-scale paintings. Though technically sound, they require the least amount of expertise because everything in the composition is inanimate (read: easier to record and requiring no stretch of the imagination on the artists' part)."  At first I didn't agree with this statement, for it takes expertise to depict glass, cloth, fur, metal, wood, etc.  But upon further consideration, I realized that the reason the beginning painting studio class, where I go, begins with still life is probably due to the fact that its only focus is the technique of depicting objects, leaving imagination elsewhere.  Enjoy!

Myron Stout, The Object and The Ground

Myron Stout, 1950's

According to Kit White, "Most images, usually have the object(s) of interest and a ground, the space in which those objects sit...The relation of the object(s) of interest to the ground is the most basic compositional device and describes to the brain the most basic conditions of any image."  Minimalist painter, Myron Stout is best known for his "black and white" period.  Here (see picture) an object of interest, which is white, is placed in a black ground.  How one color and it's placement interacts with another color and it's placement is crucial in developing a painting that really works.  Enjoy!
 

Shout Out to Aaron Flint Jamison

Aaron Flint Jamison, Funnel Horn, 2013

Recently in the magazine ArtForum, contemporary artist Aaron Flint Jamison's art show in London was reviewed.  What struck me was the picture of one of Jamison's artwork (see picture).  The piece is composed of acrylic, fiberglass, plastic hoses and spray foam.  To me it looks like some sort of artificial organ in the human body.  This artwork is 82"X82"X39".  It has inspired me to browse the aisles of my local Home Depot in search for my next art project.  Enjoy!

A Personal Triptych

Alice Cook, Outside of Time

A triptych is a set of three panels side by side, bearing pictures, or the like.  The three paintings I previously posted on this blog are now all together as a triptych.  The three strand band goes from one painting and continues on to the other paintings.  The titles of these paintings are Outside of Time #1, #2, #3,  respectively.  The figure goes from a crouched position, to running position, to an upright position.  In the first painting clocks are falling all around the figure.  The second painting has the clocks below the figure and the figure appears to be jumping over them.  Finally the third painting has flowers and some clocks falling behind the figure as she walks forward.  What is the meaning?  I leave that up to the viewer.  Enjoy!

Abstraction and Arshile Gorky

Arshile Gorky, The Liver is the Cock's Comb, 1944

Abstraction comes from the world.  According to Kit White, "The material world impresses upon us images and patterns from the first moment we open our eyes.  Composition, harmony, proportion, light, color, line, texture, mass, and motion are all part of the vocabulary of sight."  For our eyes only send messages to our brains and our brains interpret what we see.  Things we have never seen before causes our brain to interpret them according to what we have already seen, what it is use to.  Either we will reject it or open our minds to new possibilities.  Arshile Gorky took abstract to a new level and had great influence on the art movement called Abstract Expressionism.  Enjoy!