Trapped in layers

The artist Alicia Tormey is an Encaustic artist who works with layers of wax long with other mediums.  For this piece she has trapped layers of a material (my guess is string) under layers of clear wax.

What do you think of this piece?  Is this something you would like to try?  What type of image would you create if you could trap thin pieces of material between wax?  What material might you use? 

American Parody

I bet I could ask you if you have ever heard of the painting "American Gothic" and you would probably say you have never heard of it.  But if I showed it to you I bet you would not only instantly know it, but you could tell me some other way that you have seen it.  You have probably seen a parody of this famous Grant Wood painting in magazines or on a commercial.  Heck you might have even seen it in an episode of Spongebob.  It is probably one of the most recreated works of art on the planet.  And why not?  It is a fun piece that is easy to use in a joke.

American Gothic by Grant Wood

The top image is the original and the rest are parodies of it.  Can you name me another parody that you have seen using "American Gothic?"  What would you do if you could create a parody of this famous piece?  Would you stick with the original characters or would you swap them out for two completely different people/characters?

Painting with light

One of my favorite photography lessons that I teach is called "Light Painting."  This is where you take really bright lights and use them to create an image in front of a camera.  You have to set the camera to leave its lens open for an extended period of time, but the fun you can have with the images is only stopped by your imagination.

So what do you think of these images?  Most of the time you can use cell phone light or a flashlight, but what other lights can create really interesting images?  What would you do if you could?  Would you light up an object or draw a picture?  What would you draw?  What object would you light up?

They don't make them like that anymore

While I was browsing Pinterest looking for new things to blog about for this site, I stumbled across a beautiful perfume bottle.

These glass birds on the side of the bottle are what caught my attention.  It had to click on it to see if there were any other bottles that were just a beautiful and luckily I was not disappointed.

Maybe it is just me, but I instantly wonder what the perfume smelled like?  Was the scent as delicate as the bottles that held them?  And what kind of woman had one of these bottles?  What type of bottle would you have bought if you could have afforded expensive perfume in the 1920s?  Do you think these are art, or do you think this is something that any glass artist could do?  Is this a lost art?

"Shopped" without the computer

So in the art world, "shopped" refers to photoshopped.  Often art critics don't really like photoshopped art because they don't think the artist really had to do any work.  Don't get me wrong, there is a true talent to using Photoshop, trust me, if you know how to use the program I think you are a master artist in your own right.  But some critics think that all these people do is take images off of the internet and put them together.  And in some ways they are right, but I found an artist that is actually manipulating photos from actual film.

Thomas Barbey is using actual film to cut and put pieces of art together.  So this means he has to take the photos first and then has to develop the negatives and then has to put those images together by cutting them up, and then he retakes pictures of them.  So think of it as a really, really early version of Photoshop.  However, it is going to take you hours longer than a simple click and drag.

Let's take a look at a few.

So what do you think?  Do you love them or hate them?  Do you have a favorite?  What two or three photos would you put together?  Do you think his way is easier or would you prefer to use the computer?

But why real eyes?

So I came across this art print called "tilted crowned cat."  At first I was drawn to the bright colors and the silly crown on this cat.  But after I looked at it for awhile I noticed that while the majority of it was a very posterized image of a cat, the eyes are almost realistic.  Now that I have noticed that I can't seem to look away from the eyes.

What do you think?  Do you agree or disagree with me?  Once you see the eyes do you see the letters in the lower corner?  Do you find the random shapes that cut throughout the picture?  If you could make this would you do a cat or would you have picked another subject?

A steamy shower

So what would make me think that images of a steamy shower are art?  I know you are thinking that Mrs. DeWitt has offically lost her mind. 

But just humor me for a moment and take a look at these photos.

So what makes them art?  Can you spot the reason I posted them?

What if I told you that they are all oil paintings?  The artist is Alyssa Monks from New York and each painting is a separate canvas that has been painted in oil paints.

Now what do you think of these pieces?  Does their art appeal increase now that you know what they are?  What do you think of them?  Would you be able to paint like this?

From trash to treasure

I came across these smashed cans where someone has added a face to them.  I don't know who the artist is, but I love how he or she has reflected the angle of the can into the face.  In a way I feel like they could just come to life and walk away.  But I am interested in what you think about them.

So do you think they are cool, interesting, boring or maybe even a little creepy?  Do you prefer their eyes open or the sleeping ones in the last image?  Do you have a favorite one?  Does the one can remind you of Mr. Snethen?  What would you paint on a smashed can if you found one?

Figurehead

Have you ever wondered why they put sculptures called "Figureheads" on the fronts of ships?  And why they don't do it anymore?

So maybe you have never wondered, but I ran across this first picture and it made me wonder.  So I did what any curious person does, and I Googled it. 

It actually started with the Vikings painting eyes on the fronts of their ships so that they looked menacing.  Eventually it became beautiful ornaments to decorate the ship and tell you the name at the same time.  And then eventually as ships became battering rams they didn't want the sculptures destroyed so they stopped using them.  But the practice was around for almost 400 years.

So do you think this is a fad that should come back or stay in the past?  If they brought it back for our military ships what do you think they should put on the fronts?  What would you carve into a sculpture and put at the front of your ship, if you had one?

Finding art in your closet

I know sometimes it is hard to think of all of the different ways we make art, but have you ever thought of clothing?  It is an art major, but did you think of that this morning when you got dressed? 

I think we can all agree that a dancers dress like this is a work of art in its own right, but do you think of the clothes that you wear as art?

I am just curious if you have ever thought of your wardrobe as as work of art?  And that being said, does that make it your own work of art, since you have picked the items that are in it?  Do you have any pieces that you agree could be works of art?  Now that I have brought this up will you look at your own clothes selection more carefully, or not?

Pumpkin Art

I love this time of year.  I love the colors and the temps and of course the pumpkin carvings.  I am always amazed by how artists can take a pumpkin and sculpt it into amazing images with some of the most basic tools out there.  Just check out these pumpkin carvings that I found.

So what do you think?  Do you like the spooky or the creepy ones?  Do you like them to look gross or do you just like to check out the details?  What would you carve if you had the chance and the ability to make one of these pumpkins?

Can lace be a sculpture?

Well can it?

When you think of lace what do you think of?  Something light, delicate and usually white.  Or at least that is what I think of.  Did you have any other thoughts about it?

Well the artist Agnes Herczag has come up with a new vision of what you can do with lace.  She uses colored thread to create images on found objects (usually sticks).  She creates incredibly detailed images by hand sewing them into the designs that she wants.

So what do you think of her art?  Do you think they are sculptures?  If not, what type of category would you put them in?  Is this something that you would like to try?  Which one is your favorite or which one is your least favorite?

Leading to Adventure

So I am curious.  Does this interest you more as an artistic piece or as a literary piece?  In other words, do you admire it for being a work of art or does it make you want to curl up with a good book and lose yourself into the story?  Would you pick up this book if this was on the cover?  What do you think the story would be about?  Does it remind you of any books that you have read?

Can you feel it?

If you have done any searching on this blog you will figure out that I enjoy paint that has texture to it.  Basically that means that someone applied a really heavy layer of paint to create their work of art, and this flower painting is no exception.

For me, I am in love with not only the texture but the color (blue is my tone).  I even love how they photographed it next to the fluffy white pillow.  It is such a contrast, and I just want to sit there and touch both of these items.  I am really intrigued by how they achieved the texture and the mixing of paint.  If you look at the corners towards the center and see how the color changes, but the petals feel fairly uniform in size and shape at the same time.

What do you think about this piece?  Is it too simple?  Is it something that you would like to try to do?  If so, what color would you do this piece in?  What is your color tone?  Would you pay $600 for this work of art?  (Actual price)

Doing a Double Take

An artist is supposed to find ways to make the viewer think about the world in a different way.  Sometimes that can be simple and sometimes that can be very tricky or at least tricky on the eye.  I am in love with visual images that create optical illusions.  It's not hard to find these images on the internet because so many people are playing and working with Photoshop now days.  Here are a few really good ones that I found.

So what do you think of these images?  Do you have a favorite one?  Or would you have done something different with one of the images to make it better?  Can you think of a really cool photo combination that you would like to try?

Working simple

Sometimes we try to do the most intricate and fanciest thing we can come up with, but sometimes it is better to just do something simple and master it.

I know what you are thinking, these are just bananas, what is so special about them?  And why the subject matter is simple, I really want you to stop and look at the coloring.  Do you see all of the colors that were used to create the different tints and shades?  Do you see the brush strokes?  What colors were used in the shadow?  Do you think that this takes talent or can anyone do this?  Could you sit down and paint a picture just like this?  If you are not thrilled with the bananas then what simple subject would you paint?

Lace and Metal?

Okay those are two things that I know you would have never put together, but then again you are not Canadian artist Cal Lane.  Cal is a world renowned sculpture artist that takes sold, cold, manly objects and cuts them into delicate and intricate lace patterns and designs.  She gives a feminine touch to some very masculine objects that I think is very beautiful, but I would love to hear your thoughts after you check out a few of her works.

So what are your thoughts?  Would you love to have one of her massive pieces in your house?  Obviously I don't think the shovel would do you much good as it is intended anymore, but would you hang it on your wall?  Can you think of an object that she should use for her next work of art?  If you could do this what would you use?

Welcome back!

I hope you have had a fun and relaxing summer and are ready for some fun and learning!  I have had a very full summer with travel, food, family and friends.  We spent time learning to kneeboard on the lake and running to baseball games.

Hopefully you didn't forget who you are or why you are here!  Like any class, this will be as fun as you make it.  I love the projects that I have planned for you, but if you dread them then this will be a very long year for you.  

So all I ask is that you come in everyday with a positive attitude.  Even if that means you have to walk out the door and try again.

I am curious what you are looking forward to as you start a new year?  Are you looking forward to this class or one of your other ones?  What are you hoping to try?  What do you feel will be the highlight of your school year?