Module 8

1. Explain why you selected each of the three videos you choose from the selection listed above.

I chose the videos because I felt as though I’d enjoy watching them.  I always want to be able to enjoy the videos when I watch them because I feel like I understand them better when I take an interest in them.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

 “More Human than Human” – This video showed how art made the world and how images dominate our lives.  It said that images tell us how to think and how to feel.  The human body affects what we think of others and what we think of ourselves.  Pictures of the human body dominate our lives; they’re all around us.  All of the images have one thing in common – that they don’t resemble real human beings.  The images are very unrealistic.  Ancient Egypt was one of the first civilizations on Earth and they had an organized system of government.  They were the first people to use images of the body extensively in their art.  There was art buried in the ocean and by removing sand, divers revealed what was hidden under the beautiful details of the artwork.  In ancient Greece, the more impressive you can make your body look, the more you were perceived to be a god.  They believed that if you looked good, you were good.

“A World Inscribed: The Illuminated Manuscript” – People felt as though manuscript was the work of an angel, not of a man.  Very few people knew how to read and write that were outside of the church.  Monasteries were the places where the books were produced.  They were dedicating their life to God so their labor was to spread the word of God.  The spread of knowledge was slow because writing was not advanced.  People believe that their writings were used against people on the days of judgment.  Scribing was very tedious.  There were letters and poems within the writings and tales were told.  There was also a lot of money spent on textbooks.

“The Measure of All Things: Greek Art & the Human Figure” - In this video, it showed the transformations that were made in the 5th century.  The structures and statues were very real and the figures of the humans that were made were idolized.  The Greeks were very focused on the Olympics and their imagery and architecture that went alone with it.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The videos and text both provide the information but each go into depth in different parts than the other.  It is important to read the text and watch the videos because you get different information from both but it is still a review. 

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

Watching the films always helps me understand my readings in the text better.  It is helpful to have a visual.  It adds more to the readings in the text because you actually see what is happening and see more of the history.

Module 7

1. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

I watched the “Prairie Style” video.  In the 1890s to the early 1900’s Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes in suburban area.  Frank Lloyd Wright felt like they needed to reflect the area that they were in.  He felt like the layers of the house seemed to grow out of the land.  He built these houses to reflect the climate as well and wanted it to look very natural.  Everyone at the time was influenced by Wright within their houses.  There are many similarities.  The rooms weren’t isolated but rather just seemed to flow into one another.  Today, there are still many landscapes that are influenced by him.  In the “Architecture: The Science of Design” video, it showed that there is a lot of science that goes into architecture that you wouldn’t even imagine.  I never really put into thought about how architects have to put weather conditions and different environment issues into their building when they’re creating it.  In big cities, there are mostly skyscrapers and taller buildings.  Most are made of steel to support the buildings’ walls, ceilings and floors.  There is also an underground part of building a skyscraper to be solid enough to hold the weight of the building.  The building is then placed on concrete.  Skyscrapers with right angles don’t do well with wind.  Architects have to take the amount of snow into mind that might end up on the roof and if the building can hold it up.  They also need to pour concrete underwater with building bridges through a steel pipe.  Buildings need to withstand earthquakes, tornadoes, snow, wind, etc.  This is all that needs to be taken into account when an architect is creating their building. 

2. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

In the text, you read about both of these things and it’s not only a review but the videos provide further information.  It is helpful to see diagrams and visuals to see how things really work with building and architecture.   It shows how today is influenced by some of the architecture in the past.

3. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of Architecture?

I enjoyed watching these films.  They really helped my understanding of architecture because it’s not something I’m entirely interested in so  there was a lot of facts that I didn’t know and now I do.  Along with reading the text, the films provided useful information that was interesting as well.

4. Why did you choose the films that you watched?

I read the information underneath each video clip and these sounded interesting to me and also something that I didn’t really know too much about.  Because of this, I wanted to watch the films to know a little bit more about each topic.

Peer Blog Review #1: andmm01.blogspot.com/

Peer Blog Review #2: mdillonaed200.blogspot.com/

When looking at Project #1: (Elements and Principles), did you agree with the element or principle the artist listed with the images? Did you see other elements and principles in the images?

For the projects I looked at, both students did an awesome job with naming the correct element or principle with the correct image.  They both put a lot of thought and effort into this project and I thought both sets of images were very creative.  There were a couple images that had more than one element or principle.  I feel like a lot of images have variety in them without even trying just because of the way things are in the world.

When looking at Project #2: Where there any images in the Peer Blogs the same as your own? If yes, what were they? Were the reasons the image was selected the same or different as your own?

There was only one image out of both sets that was one of the same as mine which is the wall drawing.  The reasoning for selecting this image was the same as mine.  We both discussed the incredibility of the image and how much time and effort it took which was amazing.  It was interesting to see what they both wrote about the art that meant something to them and what they wanted to know more about because it was different than mine but I understood their reasoning.

Where there any images that your peers selected that pique your interest now? If yes, what are they and what is your connection with them? What would you want to know about them?

I really liked the House of Collective Repair by Dennis Maher which was pointed out in one of the blogs I reviewed.  It shows changes in Buffalo and that sparked an interest in me because I have lived here all of my life and something that represents Buffalo is always going to feel like home to me.  I would like to look this up on the Albright Knox website and see what else it has to say about the art and the artist themselves.

What do you think about the process of reading your peers reflection? Do you find this to be a valuable in your learning?

I found this to be valuable to my learning in this class because it helped me see that I have things in common with my classmates.  This is an online class so you don’t really get to interact with each other and given this opportunity was a good way to do that. 

Check your Blog and read comments posted by your Peers. Do you find their comments helpful?

I read the comments and it really meant something to me because the one posted about how much she liked the picture I took for balance in project #1 and then wrote about it in her peer review blog post which I thought was nice!  Their comments were helpful.  I enjoyed this assignment :)

Module 6

"Through the Eyes of the Sculptor" was a really interesting video.  You got to really focus in and see what artists think about their work and the time and effort that really goes into it.  It was interesting to see the process of creating the marble statue because I just thought you would sculpt it out of clay but the effort and detail that go into it never even crossed my mind. 

In the video, "Glass & Ceramics," there were a few things I knew but it was mainly all new information.   It talked about how glass is made from sand but the properties of glass are entirely different from sand.  I learned that glass is a liquid that stiffens when cooled and is burned in a fire in a furnace.  Different temperatures give different characters to the product.  It talked a lot about the process from beginning to end of stained glass windows which was really interesting to me.  I remember in high school learning about the kiln and burning ceramics to make them harden where you can paint them so it was a review in a sense for me when they talked about ceramics.  The video also went into detail about different types of windows and the purpose for insulation with the pressure of sound waves.  If you put two windows of different thickness together it cuts the sound in half and helps with insulation.  It talked about how to make the glass safer and thicker which is like the windows used in schools and sports buildings because it prevents shattering.  I never knew all of this detail went into glass and ceramics so it was really interesting to see it up close. 

In the "Installation Art" video, it was all new information to me, other than what I had already read in our text.  I had never really heard about it before so it was interesting to learn about.  Installation artwork is artwork that takes over and defines the space it is in.  It is all around you and there is a physical and attitude definition to it.  It is 3D artwork that uses the space around it and within it rather than just using a flat pallet.  There was an artist that talked in the video about using an entire window as his artwork.  They talked about site-specific installation art which cannot work unless it is in a specific location.  The Spiral Jetty in Salt Lake, Utah, for example was made to be there and it couldn't exist anywhere else.  It is a process that at one point doesn't even look like art but it takes time.

Each video related to the readings but I enjoyed watching the videos rather than reading.  It really helped to actually see the process of some of the things discussed in the text like the creation of glass and sculpting. 

I really enjoyed the films.  I thought that they added a lot to my understanding of what the topics in the text discussed.  I'm more of a visual learner so it helped me to see the process of each individual art.

Albright Knox

A.) Which artworks make an impact or impression on me? Why?

I’ve only been to the Albright Knox twice in my life, including this time, so it was interesting to recall the art works that I’ve seen before.  The art that I feel made the biggest impact on me was the wall drawing by Sol LeWitt.  It was just phenomenal to me to see what kind of work went into this.  I read about it online on the Albright Knox website to read more about it and it said “Built up from thousands of graphite scribbles that cover more than 2,200 square feet of wall surface, the drawing was scribbled into existence over nine weeks. Working according to LeWitt’s instructions—Line, continuous gradation, and feel of steel—a crew of sixteen people scribbled for seven hours a day for fifty-four days between August and October 2010. The scribblers—artists from the LeWitt estate and the Western New York area—worked for a total of 5,026 hours and used 1,717 pencil leads.”  That is incredible to me.  It must have taken so much patience to complete this.

Fred Tomaselli’s painting Echo, Wow and Flutter also stood out to me.  This was created by pinning a chain on a canvas, tracing it and using different materials.  He collects things like leaves, pharmaceuticals, natural elements and photographs.  It left an impression on me because I found it interesting that he used things from nature and worked them into his art.  I feel like this is really unique.

B.) Which artworks do I feel a connection with? Why?

I felt a connection with Jasper Johns’ Numbers in Color.  I feel like I felt a connection with this because when I walk through my work every day, there is a classroom’s rendition of this work that the children created with number stamps and paint.  It’s so big and noticeable and I love the fact that the children created it. 

I also felt a connection with Victor Vasarley’s Vega-Nor.  In grammar school, I remember doing art work like this and the name seems familiar to me, maybe why I felt a connection.  It just seemed to be a memory, in a way.

C.) Which artworks would I like to know more about? Why?

One of the artworks that I would like to know more about is Stephan Balkenhol’s Standing Man.  This is made strictly out of wood and paint.  It amazes me how creative and talented people can be.  I would like to read more into this artist and see if he mainly works with wood.

Andy Warhol is a familiar name to me and I know some of his artwork but I remember last time going to the gallery, I wanted to know more about his 100 Cans.  I just feel like it’s such a silly painting but it has to have some meaning.  Reading about it on the website, I learned that when he was asked why about his painting, he responded with "Because I used to drink it. I used to have the same lunch every day, for 20 years, I guess, the same thing over and over again. Someone said my life has dominated me; I liked that idea."  I felt like this was clever of him and it makes me want to read more about him as an artist.

Victor Vasarley

Vega-Nor

Oil on canvas

78 ¾ X 78 ¾ inches

1969

Stephan Balkenhol

Standing Man

Wood & paint

100 X 29 X 12 inches

2000

Andy Warhol

100 Cans

Oil on canvas

72 X 52 inches

1962

Fred Tomaselli

Echo, Wow and Flutter

Leaves, pills, photo collage, acrylic, and resin on wood panel

84 X 120 inches

2000

Sol LeWitt

Wall Drawing

Scribbles, staircase

Three walls – dimensions variable

2006 - 2010

Jasper John

Numbers in Color

Encaustic and newspaper on canvas

74 ½ X 52 X 3 5/8 inches

1958-1959

Project #2

1. Discuss what you thought about creating your logo.

When creating my logo I thought about what is important to me but more specific, who is important to me.  I put my initials, KM, down on the paper & it worked out perfectly because my sister who passed away – her initials are KM, too.  This worked out for me because she is one of the most important people to me.  I wanted to do something with my logo involving teaching but I thought it was more about me & my life.  I basically put my initials down in block lettering & wrote the people important in my life inside the letters. 

2. Describe the process: creative thinking skills and ideas you used in the logo creation.

Honestly, I just thought about what I should do and had many ideas.  I wanted to involve teaching and work in some way because that is a big part of my life but then it just worked towards who was important, rather than what.  To me, anything can seem important to you but if you’re with the right people, it makes it that much better.

3. What was the most important discovery you made in the creation of your logo?

It might not be a discovery but the people that are most important to me in my logo, fit perfectly within my initials :) I don’t really know if there were any discoveries made but I enjoyed this project.

4. What is the most important information you learned from watching the videos, power point, and reading material for this project? What is your opinion of the videos?

I guess I never really knew that there was so much to learn about logos until this assignment.  The power point is filled with 29 slides of information.  I didn't know that there were different types of logos, different elements and principles of art that went into it, or about any of the different laws.