Thomas Woodruff's The Freak Parade

This exhibit is another that I was blessed to see.  The Thomas Woodruff Freak Parade was indeed nothing short of never ending eye candy.  Each panel was at least 6 ft. tall and they were all connected, one right after the other.  Each was so full of visual information that one could sit in front of one panel for an hour and still find new interesting details minutes later.  Below is an explanation of the artist's intention with this series of works.  

About Freak Parade

"The Freak Parade is a dazzling parade of images that celebrates beauty in aberrance (irrationality).  The parade’s hapless yet noble characters march gaily across a black expanse (canvas), each member on a different panel.  The procession begins with “Anatomy Boy,” an elegant lad flayed (stripped of skin) from the shoulders down, and ends with “Sweeper,” a grim reaper dressed in a costume that might be described as “heavy metal Watteau (Watteau, after an artist who revived the use of color and movement in painting).”  All the parade participants are rendered (skillfully drawn) in loving detail and delicately embellished (made beautiful) with tiny rhinestones.  Woodruff began this project in late 2000 as a reaction against the global standardization (normalization) of culture.  Among the references are sideshow banners, Pompeian wall frescoes (painting made on fresh plaster), Baroque religious paintings, theatrical posters, and Victorian penmanship charts.  References to “normal” parades (Mummers, Tournament of Roses, Mardi Gras, Macy’s) are included but turned on their heads.  Each image has a caption, title, or poem included.  Written by the artist, these texts add another level of meaning to the pictures.  They are deliberately subdued (dulled down) and darkened and subvert (overcome) the viewer’s usual response, so conditioned through advertising, to image and text"  (thomaswoodruff.com).  

How does the explanation relate to the drawings?  How are the works of art indeed Freakish?  Some of you may find that his explanation was not specific enough or it just simply did not make sense.  If this is the case then, come up with your own interpretation of what the artist was trying to accomplish with this series.  Key items to mention when writing your response:

Talk about his use of color

Talk about his subject matter

Why Freak Show?

What is unusual about the characters in his paintings?

What does his work remind you of?

How long do you think it took him to finish his series?

What did Woodruff mean by global standardization of culture?  
How do these works resemble Surrealism?

Below is a link to the rest of the works in the series, look at the entire series before writing your response.   

Thomas Woodruff Freak Show!

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Chuck Close Portraits

 
 Chuck Close Portraits
Scale and Proportion
















Close makes these portraits so close-up and large, that the head is the only thing in the print. 

1.  If you could change these portraits to include other things, what would you add? 
2.  What would you take out? 
3.  Why would you make these changes?
4.  Close’s work is larger than life. How would they be different if they were very small? What size do you like better? Why? 
5.  How do you think Close created such large and realistic paintings?  Explain.  

Respond to the questions above.  Then reply to another student's response.   

Rules for Blogging:

• Write appropriately, use academic language no inappropriate language.
• You may place images as long as they are appropriate.
• You must respond to another person's comment with something meaningful.
• You may critic and disagree with others but keep it friendly.
• Blogs begin Mondays and are due Sundays by 6pm.  

 

Linear Perspective: Stacking the cubes

This week we are covering 1-Point Perspective.  Follow the task below by first, reading the assignment carefully and then responding in a comment.

Your assignment:

You are to draw 7 cubes that are stacked on top of each other.  Follow the steps that you learned in class.  See the examples below.

When finished come back to this blog and answer the following questions:

1. What was the most difficult part for you?  Explain.


2.  What was the easiest?  Explain.


3. Did you learn anything new from this task?  If so, what did you learn?  If not then explain how you feel that you have mastered 1-point perspective.

Draw a cube on the horizon line.  Make sure that you use the same vanishing point for all cubes.

Begin stacking the cubes as shown above. 

You should also draw at least one below the horizon line (below eye level). 

***********************RULES FOR BLOGGING***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response. 
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)

Lee Bontecou: 30 Years of Awesomeness!

"Lee Bontecou: A Retrospective, is the most comprehensive exhibition ever assembled of this influential 20th century American artist—one of the few women artists to receive major recognition in the 1960s. Co-organized by the Hammer Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, the exhibition features approximately 70 sculptures and 80 drawings from private and public collections as well as from the artist’s own holdings. It documents the complexity and scope of Bontecou’s art, from the late 1950s through 2003, with many works that have rarely or never before been publicly shown during the past 30 years"  (Oct. 5th 2005, Hammer Museum). 

Martinez talking here: "The above describes an art show that I had the privilege to see back in 2004.  In my opinion, it has been the most detailed study of an artist's creative evolution to date.   I was so impressed by the show that I went back and saw it another three times, and if I could have, I would have gone many more times.  This show was an inspiration to me and to my artistic process at the time.  Bontecou was an artist who gained fame from her art during an era when most women artists were ignored or completely dismissed.  What is important to note about her work is the clear transition from sketches to drawings to sculptures.  She truly embodies the artistic process.  This is why I strongly emphasize completing your sketches before your final works!
 Unfortunately, after one of her biggest shows during the 70's, she received harsh criticism from the leading art critics and  felt destroyed.  She went into hiding for the following 30 years and secretly continued creating art while teaching college.  It wasn't until 2001 that a fellow artist was allowed to see her works, and the art world began to hear her name again.  The discovery of her secret works was like finding the secret fountain of youth.  The Lee Bontecou Retrospective show was meant to display these fantastic works of art." 

While most of Bontecou's work consisted of abstraction, they did incorporate figurative, organic, and mechanistic references to the idea of transformation between the natural and the man-made.  Her early sculpture portrayed wall-mounted, three-dimensional objects in which geometric fragments of canvas and other materials are stretched over and fastened onto welded metal framework.  Her other works are intricate works made to look like mechanical spaceships made from ceramic, wire, and other materials suspended in space.  (Oct. 5th 2005, Hammer Museum).



Your Task:

1.  Describe the works of art; how is line, shape, contrast, value, and etc. used?

2. Are there any similarities between the drawings and the sculptures?  If, so what are they?  If not, what makes them different?

3.  What do you think that Bontecou was trying to accomplish with her works of art?  What is the message behind them?

4.  How different do you think that women artists are treated today?

5.  How different would have things been for Bontecou if she had emerged as an artist today as opposed to the 1960's?  How do you think the art world would look at her work?  Explain. 

***********************RULES FOR BLOGGING***********************************
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*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response. 
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)

Advanced Art: The Color Challenge

Observe the color images below and then answer the following questions.

The image above is known as an example of simultaneous contrast.  What seems to be happening to the image as you stare at it?  What do you think is causing this?  If you stare at the blue dots for a few seconds, what happens?  Think of where these colors are located on the color wheel, what would happen if these were to be put together instead of apart?

Observe the image above?  Which colors are present?  Notice the two smaller brown squares, which is darker and why?

***********************RULES FOR BLOGGING***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response. 
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)

David M. Cook

Top Left: Robin, cut paper, pen and ink.  2013

Top Right: Cosmic Mike, cut paper, pen and ink.  2013

Middle Left: Impossible Triangle, cut paper, pen and ink.  2013

Middle Right: Little Billy Hughes,  cut paper, pen and ink.  2013

Left: Bob Sager,  cut paper, pen and ink.  2013

Left: Bev, cut paper, pen and ink.  2014





















These are the works of the very talented David M. Cook.  Originally from Brooklyn, New York, David currently lives in Los Angeles and is adjusting to the fast paced life of L.A.  Mr. Cook's success has recently grown even after just moving to L.A.  His recent solo art show in Los Feliz is a testament to that. 

Observe Mr. Cook's works above and answer the following questions in complete sentences and use academic vocabulary: 

What is the title of the work?   Describe what you see. (at least 4 things). 

How the does Mr. Cook use the elements and principles of design within his work?  How does he emphasize line and shape?  Is there a focal point?  Is there movement?  If so, where?  Would his works be considered flat or 3-dimensional?  Explain.  Geometric or Organic?  Explain. 

Using what you have recently learned about color, how does he represent color?  What color schemes are present?  Is there color contrast?  If so, where?  And how?  What theme in his works relate to el Dia de Los Muertos?  Explain. 

What message do you think he is trying to convey to his audience?  Does it remind you of anything?  How does the work make you feel?  Would  you recommend your friends and family to see this work?  If so, why?  If not, why not? 

***********************REMEMBER NEW RULES***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response. 
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)

Lucian Freud Portraits

 These are portraits created by an exceptional artist named Lucian Freud. 

“Everything is autobiographical” Lucian Freud said, “everything is a portrait, even if it’s only a chair.”

What do you think Freud meant by this quote? 

What is your first impression of these portraits?

How are they different than other portrait paintings that you have seen?

Many of Freud's critics argue that he not only captures the physical qualities of people but also, their psychological qualities as well.   

What is meant by psychological qualities?

The painting below is Freud's painting of the Queen of England.  It was harshly criticized and many referred to it as an insult.   

What is your opinion?  What makes it or does not make it insulting? Explain. 

Remember your task is to respond to all of the questions then wait a day and respond to another persons response. 
















***********************REMEMBER NEW RULES***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response. 
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)

Advanced Art: Crystal Wagner

Crystal Wagner

Crystal Wagner received her MFA from the University of Tennessee in 2008, her BFA from the Atlanta College of Art in 2004, and her AFA from Keystone College in 2002.  She is represented by Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, CA. After teaching as a college art professor for five years, Crystal left academia to focus exclusively on her studio practice.

Wagner’s interest in combining 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional forms, alternative use of materials, and hybrid approaches to printmaking, and massive site-specific installations, have led to her artwork being exhibited extensively in the U.S and abroad. - See more at: http://www.crystalwagner.com/info.html#sthash.QLTQmaBp.dpuf

 

Crystal Wagner recieved her MFA from the University of Tennessee in 2008, her BFA from the Atlanta College of Art in 2004, and her AFA from Keystone College in 2002.  She is represented by the Hashimoto Contemporary Gallery, San Francisco, CA.  After teaching as a college art professor for five years, Crystal left academia to focus exclusively on her studio practice.

Wagner’s interest in combining 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional forms, alternative use of materials, and hybrid approaches to printmaking, and massive site-specific installations, have led to her artwork being exhibited extensively in the U.S and abroad.

After viewing Wagner's work, what is your first impression of her work?  Explain.
How does it directly relate to her drawing?  Explain.
Knowing that paper is 2D and sculpture is 3D, how in your own words can you describe Wagner's work?  Explain.
Explain how she uses line, shape, form, and color?  Be specific and give detailed examples from the work above.

***********************REMEMBER NEW RULES***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*No more going back to make up blogs
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name (or else how do I know who you are?)

Crystal Wagner received her MFA from the University of Tennessee in 2008, her BFA from the Atlanta College of Art in 2004, and her AFA from Keystone College in 2002.  She is represented by Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, CA. After teaching as a college art professor for five years, Crystal left academia to focus exclusively on her studio practice.

Wagner’s interest in combining 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional forms, alternative use of materials, and hybrid approaches to printmaking, and massive site-specific installations, have led to her artwork being exhibited extensively in the U.S and abroad. - See more at: http://www.crystalwagner.com/info.html#sthash.QLTQmaBp.dpuf

Crystal Wagner received her MFA from the University of Tennessee in 2008, her BFA from the Atlanta College of Art in 2004, and her AFA from Keystone College in 2002.  She is represented by Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, CA. After teaching as a college art professor for five years, Crystal left academia to focus exclusively on her studio practice.

Wagner’s interest in combining 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional forms, alternative use of materials, and hybrid approaches to printmaking, and massive site-specific installations, have led to her artwork being exhibited extensively in the U.S and abroad. - See more at: http://www.crystalwagner.com/info.html#sthash.QLTQmaBp.dpuf

Mysteries of the Linder Gallery

The Mysteries of the Linder Gallery is displayed at the following website: Linder Gallery.  This is an interactive website.  View details of the painting by clicking on numbers and zooming in and out.  Your job is to explore the website (not just the home page) and find out interesting facts about the mystery of the painting above.  Also, you must describe three things that you find interesting within the painting.

Respond to the questions above.  Then reply to another student's response.   

***********************Rules for Blogging:***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response.
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
*You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)  

The Art of Zheng Hongxiang

The Art of Zheng Hongxiang 

Observe the images below.  And answer the questions that follow.

"These stunning works by young Chinese painter, Zheng Hong Xiang (b 1983) have been making their way around the web over the past few weeks, and this painting you see here is quite dynamic. The deep reds caught our attention first."

 Choose one of the paintings and answer the following questions. 

What type of art does this remind you of?  Explain.  What genre?

What do you think the significance of the red is?  And why?

Is there contrast within the paintings?  If so, where and how?

What do you think is the message the artist is trying to convey?

 

Respond to the questions above.  Then reply to another student's response.   

***********************Rules for Blogging:***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response.
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
*You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)  

Advanced Art: Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time - Trailer

Andy Goldsworthy is not your typical artist.  He creates art with nature, or as he calls it "working with nature's energy."  Watch the video above and then answer the following questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

1.  What kind of art does Goldsworthy create?  Is it painting? Drawing? Sculpture? or Installation art?

2.  Would you call his work art?  Why or why not?  Explain.

3.  What makes his art different from the work of other artists?  Explain.

4.When his movie Rivers and Tides, hit theaters it received a lot of attention both positive and negative.  Some have asked, "What is the point of creating this type of art if it is not meant to last?"  What do you think?

***********************Rules for Blogging:***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response.
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
*You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)  

ADVANCED ART: GAJIN FUJITA

Gajin Fujita

1972 Born, Los Angeles, CA

Education:
2000 MFA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
1997 BFA, Otis College of Art and Design, Westchester, CA
1990 - 93 Attended East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles, CA

FUJITA

Fujita combines Eastern techniques such as anime, Japanese Warriors, and Demons with Western, urban imagery such as Latino graffiti, U.S. pop culture imagery in a way that is stunning and vibrant, yet harmonious.

His startling works portray the cultural and class differences that are an important part of urban Los Angeles.  He constantly explores how artistic traditions are both maintained and changed as they move across styles and national borders.

According to the artist himself, "I kind of look at myself as a hip-hopper, the way a DJ would sample all sorts of great music from the past - sounds and beats. I'm just doing it with visuals."

Answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. Do you think that Fujita's work represents your community in some way?  If so, how?  

2. What other influences do you see in his work?  

3. How is color used in his work?  Does he use complimentary colors?  Analogous?  What are the color schemes present?  

4. Do you think that the text is overpowering or does it work well with the painting?  

5. List the stronger elements and principles present in the paintings.  For instance, how is line used?  Value?  

6. If you could mix elements of your culture with elements of your experience of daily like Fujita, how would you do it?  What kind of things would you create within a painting?  Please give examples. 

7. Watch the video below and write a ONE PARAGRAPH SUMMARY of what you observed. 

***************************Rules for Blogging***************************


*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response.
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
*You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)  

OP ART: THE POWER OF PATTERN AND CONTRAST

Hey all observe the following images and answer the questions below:

1. In the first image, how do complementary colors add to the overall image?  How do they make the image work?  What other color schemes are present?  Where is the focal point?

2.  Explain how you think the second image was created?  How do the colors add to the illusion of depth?  Explain.

3.  And finally, in image #3, what drawing technique is used to create the illusion of depth?  You learned this in first semester.  Explain how it was used.

***********************REMEMBER NEW RULES***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response.
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)  

Surrealism: Salvador Dali

Hello Kidz!

Salvador Dali, "Geopoliticus, Child Watching the Birth of a New Man"

You answer in a comment on this blog the following questions:

Remember Surrealism is:

a 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images.

Description:
1. What is the first word that comes to mind when you first view this painting?
2. How would you describe it?

3. Is there anything that stand out to you?

Analysis:
4. What kind of painting is this?  Is it a landscape, portrait, or?
5. Is it realistic, imaginary, or?
6. How is line and shape used?

Interpretation:
7. What is the message behind this work?  How does it speak to you? 
8. Explain the four components of Surrealism (they are listed below).

Dream like state of mind: a feeling of euphoria a sense of the surreal, out of reality.

Distortion: the manipulation of images or objects.

Juxtaposition or displacement: items out of place, items together that don’t belong.

Fetish: an obsession with something, an idea or object.

***********************REMEMBER NEW RULES***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response.
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)  

Color Scheme Analysis

Observe the images below and answer the questions in the comment box.

 1.  Observe the image to the left.  What color scheme is present?  Which colors seem to be stronger? And how do you know?

2.  What color scheme is present here?  How do you know?  What effect are the colors making?

 3.  What color scheme is present here? How do you know?  Explain how it was made.

 4.  What kind of contrast is present here?  How would it make the viewer feel?  Explain.

5.  Observe the image, what can you tell about the thin rectangles within the larger rectangles?  How are the outer colors affecting the thin rectangle colors?





















***********************REMEMBER NEW RULES***********************************
*Blog responses are due Sundays, no exceptions.
*You have one week to complete blogs
*All questions must have a response.
*Each response must be a paragraph (5-10 sentences)
You must comment on someone else blog (agree, disagree, add to it, or make them understand your point of view)
*Your blog response must have your correct name and your class period. (or else how do I know who you are?)