Wk 15-Artist Conversation-Nancy Young

Artist: Nancy Young

Exhibition: As the Crow Flies

Gallery: CSULB School of Art, Dennis W. Dutzi Gallery

Website: N/A

The featured artist, Nancy Young, is going to be a graduate of this year and she has kept along with the BFA Printmaking Program here at CSULB. Nancy is not only about art but she is into music. Aside from those topics she enjoys the company and care of dogs. She now works as a programmer in the City of Orange with also the responsibility of going to a university at the same time. Something that made Nancy Young stand out as an artist is her past struggle with drugs and disorder and how she overcame it with the focus of school. She admits that the length of her attendance of school was long because of these things that she has dealt with.

The art of Nancy Young consists of muted colors along with the job of ink. The drawings/paintings look as if they have sharp edges with rounded realistic curves. Since crows are thought of dark creatures, the art represents the feeling that they bring. In the back of the crow there are colors that seem as if it was splashed or if it had watercolor on it. There are certain parts of the painting that are white and I think they add an element of sort of a contrast to the crow in order for it to stand out.

Nancy Young’s art represent her personal issues that she has dealt with for a long time. She had to endure grief and loss which is somehow shown in her artwork. She had been grieving for about nine years for her husband, but she has found enjoyment through her dogs and art. Her art comes within her and it shows that it is way more personal than what meets the eye. Dark times in her life inspired the art work and she stated that the internet was a no when she looks for her next art work.

As someone who has not dealt with or can relate to Nancy Young, I want to understand her art work. I want to see what she has gone through, but instead of asking, I can wonder why she picked a crow and why she picked the way she styled it. Clearly you can tell some type of darkness in her art, although she is now a successful future graduate. Her art with the crows represent the past and the legend that comes with this animal. The meaning behind her art probably has to do with that time of her life.

 

Week 14-Activity Feedback

My top 3 favorite experiences for this course were the automatic drawing, sketching in the garden, and plaster casting. These were my favorite because it’s what I thought an art class should be about. I had the most fun and felt the most enjoyment out of these. They included interaction and that’s what made it  a cool experience. My 3 least favorite activity were the group video activity, photowalk, and moonbase alpha. They seemed a bit random and for it didn’t really excite me like the others. The moonbase alpha activity didn’t seem to fit in with the flow of the class.Something that could make the class better would be if there was a smaller class because there were too many people and not enough time to get to know your classmates. Other than that I thought the class was fun and I’m glad it was my first art class in a university setting

Week 14- Art Experience- Sketching in the Garden

Since this is our last art experience I think I enjoyed it a lot. I liked the fact that we went to a place that brings peace and quiet. I have never been to the Japanese garden, but now it makes me want to come here more often. I also liked taking pictures of a bigger picture which were my representational photos on the top and for my abstract pictures I tried to capture small little detailed parts of the garden that most people don’t put attention to. This experience was only dreadful because I have no artistic ability to draw. Tracing is the best I can do when it comes to this, but I saw that there was also freedom. I like how it’s recognized that some of us in the class can’t draw. Overall I liked taking pictures of the garden and the drawing was good especially when I didn’t think about it too much. Hopefully I did okay on the drawings and on my pictures. I wanted to capture so many available parts of this little hidden place on our CSULB campus.

Week 13-Art Experience- French Girls (Drawing)

 

So I felt like such a newbie when I tried this app out. There were talented people who do so much with just the tip of their finger. These people are like little hidden gems in the art world because you don’t see their work physically and rather in a small screen. My experience included amazement because the artists either draw the selfie or invent something totally different. Some people go into big detail and some, like me, do the best they can. It took a while to get some interaction with people since I assume everyone has their favorites and little group they talk to. In this app it takes a few days to get even a drawing so that is something that I didn’t like. I could pay someone but that just takes away the creativity I think. The concept is cool but I wish I used it when people were talking as much as drawing. It might not be as popular anymore because we have other apps like Snapchat that lets you do anything with photos. Overall this experience was cool but the app needs to be popular again for it to be more enjoyable. I like to think that someone in the world will draw my selfie one day. I will definitely be waiting since art, even on phones, can’t be rushed.

Week 13-Artist Conversation- Nick Bamford

Artist: Nick Bamford

Exhibition: N/A

Media: Clay,Cement, wood,plastic

Gallery: CSULB School of Art, Gatov West Gallery

Website: N/A

Nick Bamford is a fourth year student here at Long Beach State University majoring and will have a BFA in ceramics which is an art program here. He grew his passion and knowledge  about ceramics when he was just in high school. Before coming to study here he first grew up in Huntington Beach and is the only person in his family to pursue an art career. He works in a high range of sculptures and art that has to do with clay.

For these particular art the lines of the sculptures are very symmetrical and there is no roundness to them. Everything appears to be descending downward because the lines seem to be facing down each time.Each of the sculptures included wood and other materials giving it a random affect. The lights in the art includes an illuminating element to his pieces. They hit certain points in midair and on the ground that lets the viewers see important angles. Everything ties in the middle and that is where most of the materials are located.

I believe that Nick Bamford’s message with his sculptures was up to the viewer. He never really mentioned the meaning behind it which to me means that it can have multiple ones. Not only do the sculptures have a random factor to them but I think it adds to how random life can be to someone and hold meaning to others. To the artist I think it was a way for him to express himself rather than express a meaning important to him. Ramford had important angles to his sculptures and I think that rather than flowing together it swipes together which might show something about his art style to begin with.

I have never see an art sculpture like this especially adding light into a dark exhibit. Usually with sculptures the try to add additional light to focus on all part but this time it added darkness and you had to look for what was there. To me the art was showing the viewers about how all art is not the same or it doesn’t all have to circular like many art things. This is something very different and it takes a while to get used to. It looks different to each viewer because the dark might pin point the top, middle, or bottom for certain people. Overall I like the uniqueness to it and the glowing effect it has is very mesmerizing.

 

 

Wk 12- Classmate Conversation- Jazlyn Tabar

So this week’s classmate conversation feature Jazlyn. I added her a while back on snapchat for a previous art experience, but this time I got to know a little bit more about her. First off she is a first year going into sociology and planning to minor in film. The reason she wants to minor in that is because she is passionate about social justice issues that she wants to bring attention to through films that she will be a part of one day.She is originally from San Diego and went to a small arts school. since then she was interested in music, theater, fashion, and any type of art. Some things she likes is food and hanging out with her friends which to her is “typical college student things.” Her favorite foods include hot pot, kbbq, sushi, and other Asian foods. She also informed me that she is pledging for a co-ed community service frat and enjoys her time doing so.

Wk 12- Art Experience-Game Design/Geocaching

The coordinates to my cache: Latitude 34.1794823, Longitude -118.5015955

Making my own cache was way more fun than finding one in my area. I loved collecting small enough items to fill in my box and they were a little personal. I added the most random things and I also added some that gave a hint to who might have made it in the first place.I picked an area where I used to go in my childhood which is not in Long Beach but rather in The San Fernando Valley. All together I found it to be something awesome because I leave something behind in the world and I leave it up to people to make it good or destroy it. Finding a cache took time and patients because GPS are not as accurate as I would like to find these things and I don’t know how to use coordinates. Towards the end I did find it, however there was nothing in there but a log book so I put my name and put my item. All of this reminded me that the world we live in today still has its little secrets even though we think we found every corner of the world. You could walk the same street your whole life but never see something like geocaching because it is considered something sacred until you are informed about it.Until it is brought to your attention there is no recollection of the time other people have witnessed in the same area. To someone the place might have a different meaning and perspective. Everyone has their own story, whether good or bad, and it doesn’t mean we are “muggles” since each of us see things differently.

Wk 11-Art Activity-Turning Pages

To some people this experience/activity would be rather silly or pointless until other people start to questions things like Marta did. In this type of situation there was no right manner in documenting it and what was out there could not really be captured. I feel as if an experience like this one can be captured with words but not pictures.The way you express yourself is how others will know what you went through and might not get a 100% what you are talking about and that’s okay because everyone has their own perspective. A way to share your experience with others is if you recommend them to do it themselves and what you enjoyed  should be told in order for them to try it as well. If you don’t do this then documenting an experience becomes a job and you end up trying too hard to make it seem like a perfect time when in reality a picture doesn’t say the whole story. For me, not taking pictures in the library was good because it was out of the ordinary from our class time. In the bookstore I felt a little more freedom to explore by myself and get a few pictures while I experienced it. My overall experience was pretty cool because I got to see places on campus that I pass everyday and don’t stop and appreciate it  being there. One thing I thought about is how in future most of the things will be gone once we get something “better.” No one will know about it except for the ones who experienced it.

Wk 10- Artist Conversation- Helen Werner Cox

Artist: Helen Werner Cox

Exhibition: Silent Screams

Media: painting

Gallery: CSULB School of Art, Gatov Gallery West

Website: http://www.helenwernercox.com

Helen Werner Cox is a student here at Cal State Long Beach planning to major and obtain a higher degree in Fine Arts. She is originally from New York, but stayed in Boston for quite a few years before coming to California. During her time in California she became an art teacher in a middle school and actually enjoys it.

Helen’s type of painting includes small and abstract strokes that adds a texture that you could imagine that pop out. The realism of her paintings are caused by the shading and the use of colors that are associated with real life scenarios. As you look at it, the mimic of movement sways with the way the direction that all of the colors and strokes follow. There is also emphasis on certain focal points on the painting, for example the carousal figurines in the front were added with great detail. They had the most color and expressions while the rest where just seen as shadows of some sort. Overall the painting had dark elements and light in the main point and center of the painting.

For the symbolism of Helen Werner Cox’s painting, it is solely based around the image of the carousal and what it means to her. The way she pictures it is that it represents how  human society has lost the momentum of going far and accomplishing things that it sets off. It is like an endless cycle that does move, and to add, does not go anywhere. Cox does not say that it is impossible in our society since certain people actually gain the movement of going somewhere. Not only are there contrasting colors in her painting but there is also the way she wanted to present society through her eyes.

Call me old fashion and close minded, but when I saw the painting I thought it was about a fun time a carousal could bring children. I never could of thought of it like Helen Werner Cox, but I can see where she is coming from. It makes me reflect on how sometimes I get stuck or repeat my mistakes instead of  learning from my errors. Not only is it interesting to look at the painting, but also view it before as your own perspective in the beginning and following up to the way the the certain artist sees their own images.

 

 

Wl 10- Instagram

While trying out this experience I noticed that since we basically show every move we make in our lives on social media, it adds a sense of community and sometimes loses the meaning of asking someone what they did that day. We now tend to say” oh yes I saw what you did on instagram or snapchat.” I can’t complain otherwise because having our own hashtag is really cool and you can also be a little curious and see what your classmates are doing on a daily basis. I left instagram a few months ago, but using it again was different because I didn’t see how much my life has changed in a couple of months before. Overall I like sharing the little things I do and trying to make my life a little interesting for people to see.