Module 15

1) My expectations for this course were to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for art, to learn about the creative process, and sources of inspiration. I believe that this course did a good job introducing me to these concepts and set a foundation of knowledge.

2) I think what I said in my initial posting still stands true for how I would define art. I've learned that art is hard to define as it comes in many forms and is open to various interpretations. I still believe that it is a form of expression.

3) My favorite artist in my initial posting was Andy Warhol. As of right now, he is still my favorite artist. I think this is due to the fact that I was able to spend a lot of time seeing his art and learning about him on my own accord which makes a deeper connection. However, I do really like the work of Charles Burchfield who I was unfamiliar with prior to this course.

4) I still love online courses just as I did prior to taking this class. I think online education is the future. It is easily accessible and inclusive of students who have other priorities in life to be able to complete coursework on their own time. 

Module 14

Self Portrait/Virtual Art Gallery Visit

Self-portraits selected from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston:

1) Self-portrait (muscle shirt), from the series Every Breath We Drew
Jess T. Dugan
2013
Photograph, inkjet print
61 x 47.9 cm

2) Self Portrait
Ellen Day Hale
1885
Oil on canvas
72.39 x 99.06 cm

3) Fantastic Inkwell (Self-Portrait as a Sphinx)
Sarah Bernhardt
1880
Bronze
31.8 x 34.9 x 31.8 cm

Image of myself:

Self-Portrait I created:

Reflection Journal Questions:
1) I selected the inspiration pieces for various reasons. For the first piece, as shown above, I liked the stance of the subject and how the body language parallels that of the image of myself. For the second piece, I enjoyed the gaze of the subject and how your eyes are drawn immediately to the face and eyes as in the image of myself. For the third piece, I thought the concept of creating a self-portrait in the form of sphinx was really interesting and creative and inspired the idea behind my self-portrait.
2) For my self-portrait, I used multimedia, Sharpie on wax paper superimposed on a print. I chose this media because I thought it represented duality with the outline of my face still visible but the creepy zombie still lurking beneath and also clearly visible through the wax paper. 
3) The challenge I faced in creating the self-portrait was finding a viable light source that could be placed underneath the photo which I used to trace onto the wax paper. I was ultimately able to rig a clear bin with my phone light underneath to create enough light to be able to trace the photo.
4) I think the piece represents how my outside appearance is often deceiving. Despite being able to capture an attractive picture of myself, at the time I felt very stressed and ugly on the inside. This also works the other way in that sometimes when I'm feeling great mentally my physical self doesn't line up. It is a constant and forever-frustrating dilemma. 
5) The main elements used in this piece are line and shape which I used to create the outline of myself. There is also the element of color from the image of the creature underneath the wax paper.
6) I enjoyed creating the self-portrait because it was a chance to be creative even though I don't consider myself an artist by any means.
7) I like the concept of my artwork much more than I actually enjoy the final product. I think with better tools and a better way to capture the final product, the outcome would have been much better.

Module 13: Project #4 Journal Reflection

I liked creating this project because it was nice to be able to find pieces that jumped out at me and that I was interested in learning more about. I wanted to see the similarities/differences in how women have been represented in art throughout various cultures, time periods, and art styles. Female beauty is a subject that I feel has been prevalent and widespread throughout art and therefore gave me a lot to work with. 

Module 13

Video Review:

1) Key Concepts
An Acquiring Mind: Philippe de Montebello and The Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Monographic gallery: all works installed by a single artist
• Philippe de Montebello was the longest-serving director of The Met, for over 31 years
• It is the job of the curator to capture the audience's attention
• The flow of the gallery is an important component that is considered by the curator
• There are approximately 2 million works of art in the museum's collection
• Montebello guided the acquisition of around 84,000 works of art

LIVE Q&A with MoMA Curator Anne Umland (April 24)

• MoMA was founded in 1929 and was meant to highlight the value of modern art 
• Modern art is often debated by experts
• Curators should remain open-minded and be a "perfectionist"
• The curator and exhibition designer must work together

The Lowdown on Lowbrow: West Coast Pop Art

• "Lowbrow" is used to describe art that nobody knows how to categorize
• Atomic/Space Age: post-World War II period, the late 40s through mid-60s, heavily influenced by the American consumer culture
• It is the job of the artist to create and let someone else analyze
• Lowbrow features pop culture references which are relatable to the general population
• Robert Williams coined the term "lowbrow"
• Lowbrow is often looked down upon or not taken seriously among the art community

2) The films heavily relate to the art curation project at hand. The films discuss the process, expectations, and role of an art curator. The films highlight how important presentation and aesthetic is to a curator. The films also show just how difficult the curation process can be because not everyone views art the same. However, it is the job of the curator to be knowledgeable and able to adequately discuss the art.

3) I liked these videos because I think it was interesting to see a different role in the art community, other than an artist. It is easy to assume that artists create art and museums just put it on display but there is a lot of hard work that goes into what happens behind the scenes.