Questionnaire and Reflections:: Foundations of Art Inquiry

COURSE CONTENT
1. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the best? Why? *I enjoyed working on the self portrait the best.  I thought it was a good ending to the modules and a good way to reflect on the different elements and principles. It was much more enjoyable because it was a project on myself.

2. Which assignment did you ENJOY working on the least? Why? *I did not like doing Module 9 dealing with the art work of Leonardi DaVinci and other artists of that time period. I thought it was very boring and that I always go over artists of that time period over and over again.

 

3. How did you like using BLACKBOARD? *It is fine. I liked ANGEL better, but this was okay to work with because you had everything organized neatly. You had every module put together with clear instructions and even gave us helpful tips on how to complete some of the projects which was nice.

4. What is your opinion of the Discussion Groups in this course? *The discussions were good because they reinforce the readings. It always helps to write about what you read about in my opinion.

5. Did you participate in any of the extra credit projects in previous modules? If so, what was your opinion of them? (mandala, elgin marbles, culture, art critics) *Yes, I participated in the extra credit projects. I enjoyed the Mandala project especially because I used to work at the Buffalo Museum of Science all throughout high school so I knew about mandalas. I liked doing the research on it too because it brought me back to my high school days. 

6. If you had the opportunity to change this course:

What would you keep? I would keep mostly all of the modules.

What would you remove? I would not include module 13 and 14.

What would you add? I would not add anything.

7. Would you recommend this course to your peers? *Yes, I would definitely refer this class to my peers because it is thorough and everything we will have to do is explained at the beginning of the course which is very helpful.

8. Please list any other comments you would like to share. *Thank you for allowing me to take your course. I think it is very reasonable of you to offer extensions on any of the modules and allow work to be submitted late with penalty (even though the penalty is somewhat steep). 

Module 16: Bye Foundations of Art Inquiry

1. What were you expectations for this course and where they met? * My expectations for this course was that I would have a new found respect for art work and to truly understand how to approach art. I definitely think that my expectations were met. Going to the art gallery and learning how to analyze art work was actually an enjoyable experience. It takes more effort to breakdown the meaning of a piece of art than I initially believed prior to taking this course. I honestly believe all art courses should be structured like this one because it makes you work hard to understand art. It was fun to make drawings of myself and color wheels.

2. Now that you've been through this course, What is art? How would you define it now compared to your intial posting? *Art is a form of expression that includes elements and principles used universally to analyze and understand works of art. Art can be in the form of music, visuals, designs, etc. I think my definition this time, having taking this course, is more detailed and thorough.

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 favorite artist in my first post was Vincent Van Gogh and I liked his painting called "Starry Night". He is still my favorite artist and that is still my favorite picture. The picture is just calm and collective feeling for me so I will always enjoy it.

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? *I like taking online classes and yes my answer is still the same as in my first posting. However, I realize that I need to pay more attention to deadlines and make sure I look ahead at course work before I start it so that I can have it done in a timely manner. I would take another online class again though.

Photo Credit: www.ignivomous.org

Module 15 Self-Portrait

Module 15: Self Portrait!! (I love sefies!)


1. Why did you select the inspiration pieces? I selected the inspiration pieces because i wanted my final self portrait to look similar to the ones I chose. I like each portrait in it's own special way and I wanted to include them in my reflection in my blog.

2. Why did you select the media to create your self-portrait? I simply selected a pencil and paper to draw my picture. I think it is the simplest form of art. I like the way it looks too, it makes every aspect of the picture very defined. I think it looks original when drawn with pencil and no color.

3. What challenges did you face in creating your self-portrait and how did you overcome them? The only challenge I faced when doing my self portrait was trying to make the picture look like myself. In my childhood I used to draw pictures often of cartoon characters or of my friends and family. But since then I have not been practicing drawing so I am rusty. So I struggled to try to make the real photo and my drawing match as close as possible. I just kept trying to remember how I used to draw and relaxed and enjoyed the drawing process.

4. How does this piece represent you? It shows how I can be happy no matter what the circumstances going on in my life. I recently lost my job and have been missing my grandfather who passed away around this time two years ago. However, I like that I am able to smile through any type of problem going on in my life. It is incredible how much a simple smile can do for your self esteem!

5. What elements and principles of art did you apply in this work?  I applied the majority of art elements and principles to my picture. I used lines to define my eyes and pretty much entire picture so you can tell what is what. I used to value and contrast with the pencil to highlight certain areas to give it more definition. I liked that feature especially. I emphasized certain areas like my smile and the background. Lastly, there is unity in my picture because it gives a warm, happy effect, showing that not only is summer on it's way and the semester is over, but that I tried my best to keep a positive attitude and happy mentality through it all!


6. Did you enjoy working on this project? Yes! I liked this project the best. Not just because I was drawing a picture of myself, but because it was a liberating process. I like drawing so I enjoyed the entire thing.

7. What do you think of your final artwork? I think it came out nice. I am inspired to draw more often like i used to as a kid. Hope you enjoyed my picture.

MY INSPIRATIONS!!

Frida Khalo 1926. Photo painted with oil.
125x170mm. Mexican Museo Frida Khalo (google art project)

Vincent Van Gogh. 1889. Dimensions: 438.2x517.5 cm
oil on canvas. Dutch National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC
(google art project)

Evelyn Joyce McCrea. 1935-1936. 410x510mm.
oil on canvas. Iziko Museums of Cape Town.
(google art project)

Module 13&14 Reflection to Powerpoint

For my Module 13 &14 project I decided to dedicate my PowerPoint slides to African and Asian artwork. I wanted to honor how important family was in these cultures and how they were represented in their art.

My PowerPoint consists of 10 slides that alternate between African and Asian themed slides. The name of the PowerPoint is "Honoring Family in African and Asian Cultures". 

I found creating this PowerPoint was quite time consuming. Having to locate decent pictures, relate them to the theme, and type out the facts took time and effort. I learned a lot along the way and I am glad I chose the theme that I did. 

I am now interested in visiting more museums around the country to view other works of art! 

One of the slides from my PowerPoint, my favorite picture from the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

"Field Work" by Ellis Wilson
oil on fiberboard

Module 13 &14

 VIDEO REVIEWS:

1.  The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art

2. Displaying Modern Art: The Tate Approach

3. An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan

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

2. Do the videos relate to the creation of your Art Exhibition project? If yes, explain how. If no, explain why not.

3. What is your opinion of the films? Do they add depth to understanding of the art concepts you practiced while creating your curation project?

 Video #1: 1. In this video I learned that lowbrow art was defined as "a person regarded as uncultivated and lacking in taste". A lot of the artists from the video were not concerned by this definition and continued to create art as they pleased. Lowbrow art was art that contained explicit graphics such as naked women or exaggerated body parts. Lowbrow art originated in the West Cost of the U.S.

2. No, this video does not relate to my art exhibition project. My art exhibition project is more conservative and traditional looking, so I do not think it fits the criteria as being similar to lowbrow art.

3. I enjoyed watching this film mostly because of it's colors. The film was interesting because it showed various examples of lowbrow art, which I had never heard of before. Yes, this film did add depth to my understanding of the art concepts I practiced when creating my project, it reminded me that it does not have to be perfect or fit within the means of what society thinks my art work should look.

Video#2: 1. In this video, I learned about how art is displayed in museums and galleries. Political and Ideological themes were among some of the ways that art was displayed after modernism. The Tate approach divided the artwork into four different sections each having their own unique displays and organized specially.

2. Yes, this video related to my art exhibition project because my project was organized similar to the Tate approach. I did my project on exotic artwork of African and Asian roots.

3. This film was not that interesting, it taught me a lot about the Tate approach to displaying art work, but I did not find it that helpful. It somewhat added depth to the understanding of art concepts I practiced while creating my exhibit by reminding me that display is an important aspect in drawing attention to it. But otherwise it did not affect my thinking during the creation of my artwork.

Video #3: 1. In this video, I learned that Philippe De Montebello was the director of the Metropolitan museum for 31 years. He talked about how it was important to him when choosing which pieces of art, which ones were appropriate for display in the museum. I also learned that the conservation of art on paper is often a long process and to create the best results you should take your time.

2. Yes, this video does relate to my art project. My project was specially crafted to be seen by a variety of spectators and I strived to make it as interesting as possible.

3. This film was somewhat interesting. It was interesting listening to Montebello talk about how he chooses to display certain artwork and how he filters out the art that is not fit for the Metropolitan.

Module 12: Video Reviews

VIDEOS:

Andy Warhol: Images of an Image

Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the ’50s and ’60s

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above. *I chose to watch the Andy Warhol: Images of an Image because I wanted to know more about the idea of mass media in relation to art from his perspective. Since I've never heard of him, I decided to choose that video.  I chose to watch the Abstract Expressionism and Pop: Art of the 50's and 60's because it seemed interesting to watch.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned. *Andy Warhol enjoyed artwork and photographs of women such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Often he would used one image and create multiple copies of it and put it all on one picture. He used a lot of overlapping photos and used silk screens. There was complex process to achieve a lot of the photos he released. It was called a "parable of mass production". In the Abstract Expressionism video, the "language of abstraction" was the main idea. This idea explained that this new type of art was "non figurative" and combined American and European ideas to create a new type of art.

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text? *The videos relate to the text in many ways. Andy Warhol's photos showed some of the art elements and principles such as lines, shapes, color, and space especially in the pictures with multiple copies of the same image. In the Abstract Expressionism video, I learned that when beginning an abstract work of art, this is the most important part. An abstract artist is working in the "dark" when beginning a new picture.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts? *I thought the films were somewhat interesting. They were not what I expected them to be. I thought in both films, there was too much commentary and not enough viewing of actual artwork. The Andy Warhol video was  interesting I liked looking at the Marilyn Monroe pictures and the way the film talked about how much of an impact she had on the culture at the time. I actually learned that he was a prominent artist during his time period. I mentioned him in a conversation with my mother and she knew exactly who I was talking about. The Abstract Expressionism video was very dull and boring. I did not think this particular video added depth to the understanding of the reading

Module 10 :-)

MODULE TEN:

Buddhism

African Art: Legacy of Oppression

1. Explain why you selected each of the TWO videos you choose from the selection listed above. * I selected the  Buddhism video because I enjoy learning about this particular religion and their is always more to learn especially from different prospectives. I chose to watch the African Art: Legacy of Oppression video because I wanted to learn more about Africa and more about the history behind their artwork and how it related to their struggles and what they went through. I also was happy to watch this video because out of all of the art classes I have taken in my college career, we never discuss Africa in detail, just a small paragraph or short sections. I enjoy learning about all cultural artwork, not just limited to Greek and Roman artwork.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned. I learned a lot in the Buddhism video. My favorite concept about Buddhism is Nirvana, the eternal bliss one will achieve once he is enlightened. The entrance way into temples where Buddhist people prayed is called the Torana which is made of granite and has some of the teachings of Buddha on it. Tanho' was the teachings that as each person studies and worships the concepts in Buddhism, then he should break free of ignorant thoughts and live in his own way. The outside of the temples were made of high quality ivory with lions, pop belly dwarfs and people.

In the African oppression video, it shows the different artwork collected at a museum in Belgium. The narrator takes us through a short video showing how African artwork related the events that went on during the time period they were made in. One particular piece of artwork shown in the video that interested me was the masks. For example there were masks to signify manhood and masks to represent handicapped people. But there were also masks made to scare off enemies, like those made by Boan people to scare off European people they considered to be a threat to them. 

3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text? *These videos compliment the text by putting the readings into live footage and helps the reader make connections to how the artwork is in real life. In the book, figure 19.4 (9th ed) shows the details of the east gate at Great Stupa, Sanchi made of sandstone. I seen a similar gate in the Buddhism video and it was explained more about how the entry ways of the temples were like entry ways into enlightenment. In the book I also noticed the masks they spoke about in the video such as the mask worn by the man from page 416 (9th ed). A lot of the masks resembled white European government officers during the early 20th century when colonial rule was imposed over the continent.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts? I enjoyed the films, they both taught me a lot more about the Buddhist and African cultures. They were both packed with information I would have otherwise never found out such as architectural styles within Buddhism. The videos add depth to understanding the readings and art concepts because they reinforce the concepts through visuals and listening to the narrator tell the story.