Journal #5: Response to work shown in class

In the last two weeks there have been quite a number of graphic designers that have shown their artwork in class.  I found it very interesting that some of their assignments were lessons that I currently teach with my elementary children in art.  There was one assignment in particular  where the artist was to mirror Matisse and his cutouts. I loved seeing how the graphic artist generated organic and geometric shapes through the computer to do this. In turn, inspiring me to add another element to my lessons in my own teaching.

This also, made me realize how incredibly fortunate the younger generations are today, regarding their access to resources, materials and technology in the classroom. It’s really amazing! I wish I had half of what they have now when I was in school. Granted, times were much different and the closest I came to a computer was a typewriting class in High School.  Usually, when people don’t have access to such things, is when they can realize its worth and gain a different appreciation for them. This leads me to question whether, what was once considered to be a privallege for my generation, is now overlooked and taken for granted by this one because, the access has always been there for them.

Journal #4: Response to comments on digital vs. 35mm photography

In the past couple of weeks I’ve been privy to comments made by several artists, on different occasions, who primarily work with 35mm photography. The comments made in each occasion and blatantly put were that, “digital photography  is not photography and I would never work with it! Anybody can just snap and shoot.”

Even though I am a firm advocate of everyone’s right to what he,or she may believe, as a photographer who has worked in both mediums, I found this notion to be ludicrous. Indeed, while anybody can just “snap and shoot,” not everyone has a photographic eye, with the ability to capture a specific moment in time, exquisitely. Notwithstanding that the process of using 35mm film is a beautiful one, an artist’s decision to use digital vs. film should not make them less of a photographer by any means.

Journal #3: Response to this week’s class readings

I found the readings to be interesting and quite true in that we have become a visual culture. When asked to imagine a hypothetical advertisement, immediately many of the commercials we see daily came to mind. Commercials/advertisements nowadays seem to have almost nothing to do with the product itself but, rather how to entice the buyer with anything visually catchy. For example, there is a commercial in which random individuals are making a heart sign with their hands towards one another, or at the camera. It is not until the end of the commercial that you find out it’s for LensCrafters.

Ironically, earlier this year I taught several third grade classes a lesson on symbols. When I asked them to identify a symbol that they knew and thought would be easily recognizable by all their classmates, the very first one that each class mentioned was the swoosh symbol/icon for Nike.

Journal #2: Response to Winterson

I absolutely loved reading these pieces by Jeanette Winterson! While reading her extract I had to laugh a few times because, I could totally relate and agree with her especially, in regards to museums. I always say to myself that I should go to museums more and look at art. The problem is that when I actually do, fifteen minutes into being there I am reminded exactly why I don’t go anymore, or can’t wait to get out. She’s right! There are so many distractions, ourselves being the biggest one. The shops, videos, along with the long, elaborate writings solely explaining how the museum came to owning the piece, leaves me drained and annoyed instead of enjoying the art that I was initially drawn to.

I really enjoyed that she brought up the subject of modern art and mass production/materialism. Also, cleaverly making comparisons with Capitilism in regards to religion and conflicts between Church and State. Her mention of the exchange of energy through art was great! I loved all her references, really. They were thought provoking and perfectly placed to re-enforce her points/message, keeping the focus of her subject clear. Winterson was refreshingly straight to the point. I look forward to reading more from her.

Journal #1: Response to readings from Field Guide to Getting Lost

Reading the Open Door made me want to pull my hair out.  It could be from lack of sleep, the many hours stuck in traffic today, or the endless children I had to lecture on following simple rules that has left me drained and with no patience. Nonetheless, I got through it. It was extremely hard for me to stay focused on what Solnit was trying to say in this particular selection because, its lack of structure. I felt that it was kind of all over the place, from memories to scientists, poets, philosophers, religion, etc…. While there were topics in which I could relate to overall, it was just way too much information, examples, stories for trying to define/express her point(s)/view(s) on being lost/getting lost/losing oneself, etc… across. It also, doesn’t help when the title in itself is a contradiction.

Several parts that sparked a memory, feeling, or understanding were the following:

“…to be lost is to be fully present, and to be fully present is to be capable of being in uncertainty and mystery.” (Solnit, 6)

“…I have lost myself though I know where I am.” (Solnit, 12)

“…I never did know where I was, even when I was home.”(Solnit, 13)

I can relate to all of these at different stages in my life thus far. In relation to my artwork that consists of a combination of portraiture and landscape, specifically, people and the places they live in, may express some of the notions of being lost, present in uncertainty, not knowing where you are, etc….

As I began to read The Blue of Distance, a sigh of relief came over me. I enjoyed the descriptions of the many blues and felt I could breathe again. Even though Solnit makes references to history, and memories here as well,  she does so in a more structured manner allowing for better flow in the reading.

I enjoyed reading these sentences from this selection:

“…though often it is the distance between us and the object of desire that fills the space in between with the blue of longing.” (Solnit, 30)

“Sometimes gaining and losing are more intimately related than we like to think. And some things cannot be moved or owned.” (Solnit, 38)