Blogging Experience

I really enjoyed being able to keep and art blog because I was constantly looking for new events, artists, and articles to write about. I though it was a great experience because it forced me to see through a journalism lens, and notice information and art that I probably would have overlooked if I was not blogging about it. I also liked it because it gave me opportunities to go to shows and meet artists that I probably would not have otherwise pursued. Although there were periods of time where there was little to blog about, it felt really refreshing to constantly dig for sources and ideas. It’s the hunt of what’s happening next, where is it going to be, and who will be there that makes the job of blogging really exciting and sometimes exhilarating. If I could do some things differently, I would try to focus more time on the blog. Between school, work, and commuting, it was difficult to carve out time to go to different museums and galleries. If I could change anything, I wish I had been able to visit smaller scale galleries. I feel there a certain creative vibe that comes from small galleries, and it is nice to be able to talk to the artist who makes the works. The perspective of a viewer and an artists on art are worlds apart, and it can be fascinating to understand what the artist was thinking or going through when they created certain art pieces. Therefore, if there was anything I could change it would have been to visit local galleries and to have one-on-one face time with the artists. I think that I would continue to blog about art because it is a topic that I’ve always enjoyed learning about and appreciating. Art is expressed in so many different forms from drawing, painting, photography, to sculpting, architecture, and design. The possibilities for art are endless, and art can be used to reflect social and cultural issues. That is probably why art as a topic will never become old or stale for me, and it will be something I will enjoy watching change with time. I never actually got around to sharing my blog with family for friends. I do have several friends in some of the art schools around the area, but I guess I just was not proud of it enough to show it off. There really were not any surprises to speak of as well. I wish I had received some strange comments about my posts here and there, but I have a feeling no one ever read it. I think blogs in general are becoming more and more popular. In the rise of technology and advanced communication, I think people take for granted all of the possibilities that are out there. There can be blogs about virtually anything a person can imagine, which helps make society more knowledgeable and expressive. I think more classes should maintain blogs because students are constantly learning new information to blog about, developing technical skills, and communicating with people in a new medium.

Headdress

I thought this piece was particularly interesting. It looks to be made of gold and silver with intricate designs and patterns flowing throughout the piece. Obviously this would have been worn by one of the highest officials. The headdress is usually indicative of South America.

Buddha

Just as impressive as the sarcophagus, this buddha statue makes a presence known. In many countries in the west, cultures worship and pray to the budda because it is their god. Buddha statues are also a popular collector’s item in the United States; however the beliefs have not become mainstream.

Ruins

This photograph features one of the ruins that still exists in Mexico. You can see how time has aged the structure and the rocks. Although time ahs had its effect, the architecture of the ruin is an art form of creativity and expression. Even architecture can be indicative of the culture.

Cabinet of Jewels

This glass encasement enclosed a variety of artifacts of personal value to the culture. Inside laid a variety of jewelry from earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. On the lower shelf, there is even a jewelry box with an abundance of decorated jewelry coming out. There is a gold plate right above the jewelry box, with clothes and dolls scattered throughout the encasement.

Oriental Clothes

These are authentic oriental clothing for different ages and genders. The first one appears to be for a little boy. It is blue with old highlights and symbols around the coat. The second would obviously be for a female who was a little older. Decorated in pink silk, the owner of these clothes would undoubtedly be from the upper, elite social class in society. The last outfit would probably be for an adult woman, which includes a ivory and pink tunic with a green skirt. It is fairly apparent that the clothes were made out of fine, expensive material that only the elite would have been privileged to.

Wall Hanging

I was not really sure what to make of this artifact. It is a wall hanging that looks like it was seen better days. I wish I could make out the design, but I just do not see it. I guess it can be appreciated for being ancient.

Oriental Woman

This painting is breathtaking in person. The colors are so rich and authentic of art from Asia. Her fashion is also indicative of the culture with her and flowing loose arms. It is also interesting how the artist paints her hat to fall just below the eyes, leaving a mysterious impression of what lays behind the hidden.

Around the World

This Egyptian sarcophagus greets your entrance into the art gallery of artifacts from around the world. Already you can get a sense of an ethnic rich vibe that is getting ready to take over. Each culture caries its own style that is fairly obvious in these foreign treasures.

Greenery

Finally, I’d just like to mention all the green trees and shrubbery that was imported. Without these vital pieces, the experience of Art in the Park would not have been the same. It definitely gave cozy, inviting feelings that are in tuned with art. Now that I think of it, when is art ever outside to be appreciated anyway?

The Masks

This collection was interesting because there were a variety of colored masks that were displayed together. What’s fascinating is that masks are an important part of many cultures. These masks are another extension of art and the variety of forms it’s expressed with. Certain colors, lines, and symbols represent crucial information and is a method of communicating. Although the masks are on display, it stands to represent how crucial art is in a given society.

Man in Park

Instead of a painting; this is actually a real life photograph taken in black and white. The photo reveals an elderly man sitting on a park bench. There are no people around and the only things that accompany the man are the dead leaves on the walkway. Arts in the Park meets old man in the park…ironic?

Colorful Blur

Although the picture did not turn out the greatest, you can still make out the image of the people painted in using colorful blotches. It looks as though there are two adults and a child. Maybe it is just me, but one of the figures looks to be topless. The painting is abstract and even close up, the colors blur together. Instead of straight lines, the artist used a variety of colors to create the fuzzy effect.

Abstract Ribbons

This painting was one of my favorites. I love the whimsical feel of the curved lines and the bright feeling of the different colors. The lines appear to have dimension and are dancing around on a blank canvas. Although the painting is abstract and does not represent anything real; I still think it is a fun piece that can brighten the dullest days.

Landscape Paintings

The first painting is a river bed flowing through an open area of plants. Not only was I impressed by how realistic the painting looked, but also by the concept of the painting all together. That just below the surface of all the plants ran a river down the middle. The second painting is of a beach front. In the background of the picture captures several hilly valleys while a bird soared in the sky. This painting was very pleasant and picturesque, but it felt a little too well planned out.

Geometric Painting

This artist did an amazing job using vibrant colors with dramatic triangular shapes to create the figure of a woman. Cool greens and warm oranges work in harmony to create a balanced portrait. Not only is the color particularly appealing, but also the repeated shapes that seem to be transparent in some areas with the use of color. The painting is very intricate and complex in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Bird Fountain

A little went a long way in creating this bird fountain. A pool was cleverly decorated with fake stones and greener to give it that cozy park feel. Simply add in a few flowers for color, some extra trees, and some grass here and there for an inviting way for art to meet the outside world.

Arts in the Park Banner

The title says it all. Using fake trees, synthetic grass, and bird fountains, Northeastern really brought the picturesque utopia indoors. Not only is there a cozy, relaxing atmosphere to lounge in, but also there is amazing artwork to appreciate.

Husky Pride

Even the traditional husky was painted and dressed up in an artistic manner. Although from the picture the husky looks to be painted with a variety of colors, a close examination will reveal that the husky is actually painted with a mosaic of peoples pictures. The entire husky is covered in colorful pictures. He even sports a pair of shades, and will bark on cue (push of a button).

College of Engineering

Much like the College of Computer and Informational Sciences, the College of Engineering had a very mechanical type of feel, which is very fitting in representing engineering. The husky was part dog, and part machine. With metal legs and a metal apparatus on his back, he represents engineering mechanics at its finest. The husky even is equipped with mechanical head gear that is attached to the apparatus. He represents the College of Engineering in artistic manner by being like a machine and displaying the mechanics of engineering.

Bouve College of Health Sciences

The College of Health Sciences really impressed me with their version of the husky. Encased in a glass lid, the health sciences husky was displayed like a diorama in which certain sections are marked off and labeled. The husky represented a very medical perspective which represents the College of Health Sciences to a tee. Up close, this husky gave off a Frankenstein type of quality, which is a creative and artistic way to represent health.

College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences had a lot of expectations to uphold. Being the College of Arts and Sciences, they really had to create something that went above and beyond the artistic expectations. The college successfully did that by covering their entire husky in beads and sequences. From head to toe, there is not one part of this husky that us left uncovered. Not only was it very creative and original, they went above the expectation while representing the fundamentals of what the college represents. The representation is that when art and science meet, the creation is a beautiful, creative expression of the essence of the college.

College of Computer and Informational Sciences

This could have been another flog, but the College of Computer and Informational Sciences really pulled off a good representation of the husky. Their version of the husky mascot was a robotic husky equipped with a battery pack for power. Wrapped in metal and wires, this husky was probably assembled with genuine computer parts, which makes him one of the best representations of a husky by a college so far. The sense of technology and machine oozes off of this very creative and clever version of computer and informational sciences.

College of Continued and Professional Studies

Another husky display that I just did not understand was the College of Continued and Professional Studies. Granted, this college has a much harder image to represent; because what does continued and professional studies look like anyway? However, putting a husky in a block of blue isn't really the image that I had in mind. Although there is a transparent image of the outline of the world in the block, the husky just did not represent the college that well. If I had to design a husky for the College of Continued and Professional Studies, I would have designed an elderly husky. Maybe give him some gray hair and glasses.

School of Law

I think the School of Law could have been planned better. Criminal justice did such a great job, that the School of Law just couldn't come up with anything better. The School of Law glued different colored books all over their husky. I did not think their presentation of what their school represents was very original. Having the law on your side, there could have been many more creative outlets they could have taken. I would have liked to see one a police husky, and the other one getting arrested. That would have been a much better attention grabber and a better representation of what the school means...other than books.

College of Criminal Justice

The College of Criminal Justice did a great job with their version of the husky mascot. Painted in black and white with a star badge on his chest, his husky sits proudly on top of the world. Holding the scales of law and justice, this husky sits as a watch dog to uphold the law. This husky represents much of what the College of Criminal Justice stands for. It is very creative and artistic to have the dog sitting on the world, holding the scales, with the law on his side.

Northeastern Illuminated

President Joesph Aoun was recently inaugurated as President of Northeastern University. During that week, there were many events around Northeastern to showcase and display art. In the Curry Student Center each college created their own version of the husky mascot and fashioned it in their college's style. Not only were there artistic huskies, but also part of the student center was transformed into an artistic retreat featuring synthetic grass, benches around displayed artwork, and even a flamingo fountain. After retreating in a calming retreat, simply walk over to the artists gallery to get a view and perspective of art from around the world. The scene was very impressive and nothing has ever been done like it before.

Grace Slick on tour with art!

I noticed this article in The Boston Herald this morning. Grace Slick is a songwriter and vocalist for rock bands. However for the last 10 years, she has been using her creative talents to paint. She was showcasing her work at Wentworth Gallery in Chestnut Hill. The following is a link to the article. The link may be outdated after today because the article will be archived, and will not be able to be seen for free.

Here is the link to the article.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/1216846791.html?dids=1216846791:1216846791&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+15%2C+2007&author=CHRISTOPHER+JOHN+TREACY&pub=Boston+Herald&edition=&startpage=40&desc=Slick+show%3A+Grace%27s+latest+form+of+expressionism

Podcast

Check out the podcast that I made about Iranian artwork at Northeastern University. Several weeks ago, the art gallery at NU featured many paintings and photographs by Iranian artists showcasing the turmoil in the Middle East. The following is a link to the actual podcast that you can listen to. Let me know what you think!!

Link to Podcast:
http://ia340929.us.archive.org/1/items/Iranian_Artists/IranianArtistsFinished.mp3

Article on Longobardi!

The Northeastern News covered the guest lecture made by Pam Longobardi. I thought the article did a really good job explaining the event and highlighting the most interesting aspects. There was a lot more to the article than the dressed up sheep. Her slides from her travels to Montana, and while she was a firefighter were really incredible. It was a real mind opener to how big the world actually is, and where people fit in to that larger picture. Another part that was particularly interesting was her work with fossils. She used her artistic ability to draw a guesstimate of what an actual egg might have looked like. Later, her drawing was used in a scientific journal which made her work a historical record. The following is a link to the actual article which is good at explaining her lecture in more detail.

http://media.www.nu-news.com/media/storage/paper600/news/2007/03/14/News/Connecting.Art.With.Physical.World-2775453.shtml

Longobardi's Lecture

Artist Pam Longobardi showcased slides of her most impressive and distinguished artwork on Tuesday night. Inspired by nature and social events, she uses these elements to enhance her art work. In particular, Longobardi discussed the influence of events such as Dolly, the cloned sheep, and the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey.
Most of her paintings, photographs, and installations were extremely creative and original. However, I do have qualms about her artwork pertaining to Dolly. Longobardi showed a slide of two lead sheep figurines. She said that she "decorated" the sheep. One was wearing a lace collar, and the other was wearing a lace skirt. She said that someone once told her they resembled a puritan sheep, and a sexualized sheep. To me, it looked like she just tied a piece of lace around them and called it art. Although art is a matter of subjective interpretation, I beg to differ that her little sheep's were art.
Aside from my mini-rant, a lot of her work was very impressive and original. Check out the link below to see her personal website and pictures of her other artistic creations.

Longobardi's Website
http://www.pamlongobardi.com/

Pam Longobardi- Artist Speaks at NU!!

Don't miss Pam Longobardi who is giving a special guest lecture Tuesday, March 13th at Northeastern University. The lecture will begin in 105 Shillman Hall at 6 p.m. The lecture is free to the public and should be interesting to learn about the trials and errors of another professional artist. Do your best to make it! It will be interesting and insightful.

Laura Kurgan's Lecture

For those of you who may have missed Laura's lecture, you missed out on a exciting turn where art and technology combined together to create better understanding of social issues. Kurgan discussed her experiences purchasing overhead satellite images. While using these aerial shots, she is able, with the help of other researchers, to map out amazing issues. For instance, using data from prison admission and aerial shots of Manhattan, Kurgan is able to demonstrate the areas of the city where crime is centrally located. Using this method, it is easy to demonstrate and explain different social phenomenons. She was also able to demonstrate similar trends after hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Using aerial photographs and crime statistics, it was easy to spot trends where violence was most predominate. It is not surprising to find that most of the crime occurring in New Orleans was occurring on the outskirts of populated areas. Not only was it useful to demonstrate crime trends, it was also useful in pin pointing population return, the areas that are repopulated verses areas that are still largely unpopulated. Although she used photographs and art to layer the dimensions of these complex issues, it is particularly innovative when thinking about other areas of social construction.

Laura Kurgan comes to NU!

Don't miss well-known designer Laura Kurgan's guest lecture tonight at 6 p.m. The lecture, which will be held at 105 Shillman Hall is sure to be filled to capacity so get your seats early. The event is free and all are welcome to the discussion.

The following is a link to her design website.
http://www.l00k.org/

This link provides more background about Kurgan's career.
http://www.arch.columbia.edu/start.php?pageData=8882/23/4/1853/

Artist's block

An art block recently opened in the South End last week allowing for artists to reside within the same building. Although it is not big enough to house all of the South End's talents, it will offer affordable rates for some struggling artists. In addition, the close proximity to other artists will be sure to get you noticed around the art community.

The following is an article published by the Metro.

http://boston.metro.us/metro/local/article/ArtBlock_opens_in_South_End/7062.html

Guerilla Girls on Tour

The Guerrilla Girls are coming to Northeastern University on Wednesday, February 21st at 7 p.m. in AfterHours in the Curry Student Center. They will be doing a performance called, "Feminists are Funny". There is a link to there website for more information.

www.guerrillagirlsontour.com.

Max Beckmann's Birthday

German artist Max Beckmann was born on February 12, 1884. Coincidentally, this was the same year that another famous German artist Franz Marc was born. While Beckmann lived most of his life in Germany, he moved to the United States in 1947. He began teaching art at the School of Fine Arts at Washington University in Saint Louis. His also taught briefly at other art schools like the University of Colorado in Boulder, and the Brookline Museum Art School. Beckmann died two days after Christmas in 1950.

Here is a link for more information about Beckmann's life.

http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_15.html

Franz Marc's Birthday

Franz Marc, a German artist, was born on February 8, 1880. This artist is very original and seems a bit ahead of his time. Although his life was short lived, dying in battle in World War II, he encompasses the cubism movement. He is known mainly for his paintings of animals and his vivid use of color. His artwork becomes more abstract as time goes by. Although he is not widely known in the United States, he is an influential artist in Germany of his time period.

Here is a good link to learn more about Marc's life and to see more examples of his artwork.

http://hs.riverdale.k12.or.us/~dthompso/art/marc/

Stella Johnson

Stella Johnson, a photographer who gave a lecture last Tuesday at Northeastern University, had a lot of great advice for inspiring artists and photographers. The lecture focused on the photographs that will be featured in her upcoming book, Dancing with Turkeys. Johnson enlightened the audience with her tales from exotic locations like Mexico, and Nicaragua.

While she was in these remote locations, Johnson photographed the living conditions of impoverished people as a way of creating a historical marker. She agreed that photographing these people is like photographing a species that is coming close to extinction. The culture in these areas is also beginning to change as more people travel to the areas. These tourist bring new technological advances that these primitive villages have yet to see.

One of the most interesting aspects of the lecture was Johnson's advice to think of a picture in layers. Many artists are concerned with aspects like background space, lighting, and depth. These aspects are also fundamental to photography. A good photographer will be concerned with the rhythm of natural light as well as the layers in the photo. According to Johnson, layers in pictures create depth which is one of the most powerful elements in a composition.

The other important advice Johnson told the audience is to always persevere even if an artist has been rejected multiple times. Johnson was able to travel to these exotic locations via Federal grants. She said she continued to write the grants, and her third attempt was finally accepted. Similarly, Johnson's idea for her book almost never made it off the ground. She pitched the book to all the major publishing companies in America with no luck. Johnson was planning to fund the publication of the book herself until a friend became interested in the idea, and freed up some funds.

Johnson said that representing people's daily lives will never stop being exotic. The experience will never become regular to her. Johnson has her eyes set on the next location for her photography. Some of her interests lay in places like Ecuador, Peru, and Greece. Don't miss her new book, Dancing with Turkeys! Publication should begin as soon as next month!!

Here is a link to her official website.
http://www.stellajohnson.com/

Stella Johnson speaks @ NU

Just a quick reminder for all of you interested in art, photography, and journalism. Stella Johnson will be delivering a guest lecture at Northeastern University tomorrow on behalf of the Art department. Johnson is a photographer and graduate of journalism at Boston University's College of Communication. The lecture will being at 6:00 PM on February 6, 2007 at 105 Shillman Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public. Below is a link for more information about Johnson and the event.

http://www.art.neu.edu/events/?eid=12

Happy Birthday Rockwell

Norman Rockwell's birthday was on February 3rd, 1894. Although a New York City native, Rockwell moved to Stockbridge, Massachusetts in the early 1950's. Rockwell first began his art career creating Christmas cards as a teenager and gradually moved up to designing magazine covers in his twenties. He also is widely known for his "Four Freedoms" paintings which were featured in The Saturday Evening Post in 1943. Rockwell created a museum from his studio in Massachusetts known as the Norman Rockwell Museum at Stockbridge.

Here is a link to the official museum website that includes information, pictures, directions, and anything else you could ever want to know about Rockwell.

http://www.nrm.org/

Guerrilla Girls

This is a really cool site created by the group called the Guerrilla Girls. The Guerrilla Girls create art work that exposes the gender gap and stereotypes that women still face in today's society. These pieces are really clever, creative, and they expose the honest truth of gender inequality in the United States. Furthermore, they use these stereotypes to make larger statements about feminism and art. Some of the pieces are really funny, and other make you really think about the world that we live in.

http://www.guerrillagirls.com/

Dani S

Boston College Upcoming Exhibit

A press release issued yesterday on January 29, 2007 stated that Boston College is preparing for a new exhibit called "Pollock Matters". The exhibition will premier at the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College. The exhibit revolves around the personal and artistic relationships between Jackson Pollock, an American painter, and Herbert Matter, a photographer and graphic designer.
The museum will also display over two dozen newly discovered pieces presumably by Pollock. These experimental pieces were found by Matter's son in a storage facility. After scrutiny and examination, the pieces were found to be authentic. This exhibit will debut the works for the first time to the public.
Not only is the exhibit significant to Boston, but it is significant on a national and international level as well. The exhibit at Boston College will open on September 1, 2007 until December 9, 2007. The admission and parking to the McMullen Museum is free and open to the public. Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!

For more information on the exhibit and the artists, check out the following links to the press release, and museum website.

http://sev.prnewswire.com/art/20070129/CLM16729012007-1.html

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/artmuseum/

Here is also a link to home interesting information of Pollock's paintings by Harvard.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3946677a1860.html

Dani

Rembrandt Auction

Unless you've been hiding underneath a rock, then you've heard all about the paintings by Rembrandt that have been auctioned off. One of Rembrandt's most famous paintings to scholars and collectors was the portrait of "St. James the Greater". This portrait has been displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for many years as a loan before the piece was put up for sale. Believe it or not, this painting alone sold for more than $25 million.

This was not the only Rembrandt painting to be sold at auction. Another painting called "Portrait of a Young Woman with a Black Cap", was sold for more than double the estimated price of $4 million. The painting, which was under authenticity speculation, proved to be a genuine Rembrandt and brought in $9 million.

The auction, including several original Rembrandt portraits and other old master paintings brought in an unprecedented $110 million in funds. This has been the largest sum of profit an art auction has seen since 2002 when Sotheby's London auction raised $104 million.

To view a picture of "St. James the Greater" and to read more information on the auction, Rembrandt's masterpieces, and other high priced paintings, visit the first art newspaper on the web.

http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=19070

Don't forget to check out this article by The New York Times for more information on the seller, buyers, and history of the portraits.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/26/arts/design/26voge.html?_r=2&ref=arts&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Dietmar Winkler's Lecture at NU

Dietmar Winkler, a graphics and design practitioner, appeared as a guest lecturer at Northeastern University on January 16th, 2007. The focus of the lecture revolved around the idea that design is all around us. Art and design have been an integral part of humanity and vital to different cultures. However, as different cultures combine certain aspects of design, and the meanings understood behind the designs can be lost.

Whether we are graphic designers, painters, sculptures, photographers, or writers, we are all affected by the combination of cultures. Consequentially, the loss of meanings from particular cultures represents a loss too all members of humanity. It is a loss to all because design, and its meaning are built upon each other over time though different cultures. However, once the culture is lost, all the socially understood meanings are lost with it.

Winkler opened students' eyes to the larger picture around themselves. It is not enough to simply make brochures, and advertisements in order to live a comfortable life. Winkler wanted students to look beyond the materialistic means behind design. Instead, Winkler wanted students to expand their minds and think of what design can do to make the world a better place.

A day after the lecture, an article about Dietmar Winkler's lecture appeared in The Northeastern News. The article provides more information about Winkler's history as a graphic designer, as well as offers students thoughts and opinions.

Globalization affects design - News

Future Exhibits

Artist's Atrium will be viewing different art events as well as listening to lectures from knowledgeable artists and local talents. Here are a few of the many exhibits that we will be visiting during the next few months at the Museum of Fine Art.

Exhibits:
"Fashion Show: Paris Collection 2006"

"The Romance of Modernism: Paintings and Sculptures from the Scott M. Black Collection"

"Michael Mazur: The Art of the Print"

"Beyond Basketry: Japanese Bamboo Art"

Upcoming Guest Lectures:
Stella Johnson, Photographer

Laura Kurgan

Pam Longobardi, Artist

Roy Pardi, 3D

Check back soon for more information and upcoming events.

Artist's Intro

Artist's Atrium is a blog dedicated to the local art scene in, and around the Boston area. Discussions about new museum exhibits, artwork, events, and profiling local aspiring artists are just a few of the many exciting topics I'll be diving into. Boston is a city that is rich in art history and creativity. This blog is a vehicle to drive you to all the cool local happenings. Updated frequently, this blog is constantly changing and being revised. Check back often to read about all the events, exhibits, and new information that's important to you!!! Thanks for stopping by. Hope to hear from you soon.
Dani S