Gotta tell you, I love this video on art and agriculture all in the same place. Take a "5 minute" vacation and watch this. Very cool!
Showing posts with label art appreciation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art appreciation. Show all posts
Friday, March 04, 2011
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Art Appreciation 101
I found a great little article the other day on art appreciation. I thought it would be a good read for anyone wanting to learn more about viewing and appreciating all forms of art.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ART BUT I KNOW WHAT I LIKE?
Perhaps you've gone to a gallery or art museum, looked at the artwork displayed and said to yourself, "What the heck is that? I can't understand it! Why is this here in a gallery?"
Or, maybe you've gone to a gallery or art museum and your reactions was, "Wow! Great stuff! I like this! I don't know why, but I do!"
Or, maybe you've gone to a gallery or art museum, and, after viewing the exhibits, you walk away feeling bored and disinterested. You may have said to yourself, " Why do I bother with looking at art? I never understand it. It's beyond me."
Like any other discipline, art requires the viewer to be knowledgeable about the information it presents. Sometimes we think we should just automatically understand art. After all, there it is, just hanging there on the wall and all we have to do, we think, is just look at it. But do we really SEE it? Often, our response may be, "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like." That is just another way of saying, "What I like is really just based on my ignorance."
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU CAN ENJOY
Liking a certain artwork is a pleasure. You have communicated with visual phenomena and really enjoyed the experience. It can be a very enriching, rewarding experience to know how and why an art form developed or have some knowledge of how and why an artist works in a particular way. More than likely, your perspective is quite limited if you have never studied art or know how it has developed in not only, our Western culture but all over the world. What if you could gain information on the many forms of art that have been produced since humanity began, and how it developed over time to the present day? What would this kind of study mean to you? It would mean that, equipped with that knowledge, you would be able to enjoy a lot more art!
Here's why.
The more you know about art and its development, the more you can enjoy looking at art! You will see much more and understand the context, content and style of the art form. And this is the basis of Art Appreciation-a study of how to expand your knowledge of the art world, past, present and future and, with that perspective, be able to communicate with the rich visual/creative world!
HOW TO BEGIN
So, how do your start gaining knowledge of this vast art world? Where do you begin?
Begin by dipping your toe into Art History. With a basic Art History 101 knowledge you will be able to see how art, as we know it, was not really a term until the science of Art History was developed in our western culture. And, when it was developed, as you can read in many art history books in the library, art has existed as long as humans have been able to pick up a stick, brush or chisel and record their lives and experiences.
There are several ways of learning how to appreciate art:
ONE -- Learn about the basics of art history. How art developed, from the Lascaux cave paintings to modern art today. Older art history books deal primarily with artistic development in Western culture. Newer books add developments in Asia, China, Russia and the mid-East. The study of Art History has, over time, become global. In learning the time lines and factors that produce new perspectives and styles in art, you will not only gain a new historical perspective, but also become acquainted with the various art forms produced over the past centuries.
TWO--Choose a certain period or style in art history and learn about it. Perhaps Impressionism interests you. Or maybe you've always wanted to know the difference between Op Art and Pop Art. Through studying the cultural impact of a certain style on a specific period in time, you can understand why that particular art form developed and appreciate the artwork in a broader context.
THREE--Take a tour of your local art museum. Museums offer a wide variety of art educational programs and tours of their exhibits. Or travel and see the actual art in its setting. There are many websites on the Internet listing global art tours and travel, often by geographical location or specific art and architectural styles. On site art tours offer a unique and interesting way to travel and can give you an intimate, one on one perspective with the historical art and culture of the area. Tour groups are generally small in number and conducted by very knowledgeable guides delighted to respond to all of your questions and comments.
FOUR-Visit your local art galleries often. Galleries are supportive of their artists and gallery owners and attendants are usually quite pleased at your interest in their exhibits. They will be glad to give you information on the artists, such as whether they are local, where they have shown their work, what awards they have won, and who has purchased their artwork. Keep informed of present and future exhibits. This hands on approach, connects you closely with affordable art that is available where you live and often created by artists who live in or near your area.
DISCOVER A RICH VISUAL WORLD
Art Appreciation is as big or small a study as you want to do. Whether you want to make it an occasional outing or a serious study, whatever you choose, learning how art forms have historically developed and understanding what is on the walls in your local gallery will definitely change your perspective.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to discuss a painting on the wall in a gallery, instead of shrugging and muttering, "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like."
Think of it. Perhaps your response would be more like, "I like the way this artist uses color in an Expressionistic style. The brushwork is so vigorous! There is a lot of energy in the composition. Also, the use of thick paint produces an interesting texture."
Through Art Appreciation you can discover a rich visual/creative world that will inspire you and beckon you to learn more.
Or, maybe you've gone to a gallery or art museum and your reactions was, "Wow! Great stuff! I like this! I don't know why, but I do!"
Or, maybe you've gone to a gallery or art museum, and, after viewing the exhibits, you walk away feeling bored and disinterested. You may have said to yourself, " Why do I bother with looking at art? I never understand it. It's beyond me."
Like any other discipline, art requires the viewer to be knowledgeable about the information it presents. Sometimes we think we should just automatically understand art. After all, there it is, just hanging there on the wall and all we have to do, we think, is just look at it. But do we really SEE it? Often, our response may be, "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like." That is just another way of saying, "What I like is really just based on my ignorance."
THE MORE YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU CAN ENJOY
Liking a certain artwork is a pleasure. You have communicated with visual phenomena and really enjoyed the experience. It can be a very enriching, rewarding experience to know how and why an art form developed or have some knowledge of how and why an artist works in a particular way. More than likely, your perspective is quite limited if you have never studied art or know how it has developed in not only, our Western culture but all over the world. What if you could gain information on the many forms of art that have been produced since humanity began, and how it developed over time to the present day? What would this kind of study mean to you? It would mean that, equipped with that knowledge, you would be able to enjoy a lot more art!
Here's why.
The more you know about art and its development, the more you can enjoy looking at art! You will see much more and understand the context, content and style of the art form. And this is the basis of Art Appreciation-a study of how to expand your knowledge of the art world, past, present and future and, with that perspective, be able to communicate with the rich visual/creative world!
HOW TO BEGIN
So, how do your start gaining knowledge of this vast art world? Where do you begin?
Begin by dipping your toe into Art History. With a basic Art History 101 knowledge you will be able to see how art, as we know it, was not really a term until the science of Art History was developed in our western culture. And, when it was developed, as you can read in many art history books in the library, art has existed as long as humans have been able to pick up a stick, brush or chisel and record their lives and experiences.
There are several ways of learning how to appreciate art:
ONE -- Learn about the basics of art history. How art developed, from the Lascaux cave paintings to modern art today. Older art history books deal primarily with artistic development in Western culture. Newer books add developments in Asia, China, Russia and the mid-East. The study of Art History has, over time, become global. In learning the time lines and factors that produce new perspectives and styles in art, you will not only gain a new historical perspective, but also become acquainted with the various art forms produced over the past centuries.
TWO--Choose a certain period or style in art history and learn about it. Perhaps Impressionism interests you. Or maybe you've always wanted to know the difference between Op Art and Pop Art. Through studying the cultural impact of a certain style on a specific period in time, you can understand why that particular art form developed and appreciate the artwork in a broader context.
THREE--Take a tour of your local art museum. Museums offer a wide variety of art educational programs and tours of their exhibits. Or travel and see the actual art in its setting. There are many websites on the Internet listing global art tours and travel, often by geographical location or specific art and architectural styles. On site art tours offer a unique and interesting way to travel and can give you an intimate, one on one perspective with the historical art and culture of the area. Tour groups are generally small in number and conducted by very knowledgeable guides delighted to respond to all of your questions and comments.
FOUR-Visit your local art galleries often. Galleries are supportive of their artists and gallery owners and attendants are usually quite pleased at your interest in their exhibits. They will be glad to give you information on the artists, such as whether they are local, where they have shown their work, what awards they have won, and who has purchased their artwork. Keep informed of present and future exhibits. This hands on approach, connects you closely with affordable art that is available where you live and often created by artists who live in or near your area.
DISCOVER A RICH VISUAL WORLD
Art Appreciation is as big or small a study as you want to do. Whether you want to make it an occasional outing or a serious study, whatever you choose, learning how art forms have historically developed and understanding what is on the walls in your local gallery will definitely change your perspective.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to discuss a painting on the wall in a gallery, instead of shrugging and muttering, "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like."
Think of it. Perhaps your response would be more like, "I like the way this artist uses color in an Expressionistic style. The brushwork is so vigorous! There is a lot of energy in the composition. Also, the use of thick paint produces an interesting texture."
Through Art Appreciation you can discover a rich visual/creative world that will inspire you and beckon you to learn more.
Lois's website offering free online art classes and many art resources, includes a gallery of her own paintings and pastels, as well as her videos demonstrating a wide variety of skills and techniques in the lessons: http://www.free-online-art-classes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lois_Dewitt
Friday, August 20, 2010
Questions to ask at an art show
As I'm busy preparing for the fall art shows, I am also keeping in mind what customers have wanted in the past or could potentially have a need for. There's more to selling jewelry than just selling the jewelry! One thing I try hard to do is to answer questions from art enthusiasts and take the opportunity to educate them about my artisan jewelry. It actually got me thinking about questions I WISH people would ask. I certainly don't want to overload people with information about my resin jewelry if they don't want to hear it, but I do love to talk about what I do. I brainstormed a few questions that I believe someone could ask any artist at an art show or gallery opening and hopefully get some thoughtful responses.
Along the line of what to ask, I would like to share with art enthusiasts one question not to ask: "Did you make this?" I realize that may seem like a perfectly innocent question on a shopper's part, but it's one that artists are asked MULTIPLE times during an art show or opening. Artists tend to take that question as "Of course! As opposed to my little gnomes or slave labor?" A better question would be, "Are you the artist?" if you are unsure if the person you are talking to actually created the art. (Just a suggestion to get the conversation off to a good start.)
There are certainly others that I get asked that I'm happy to answer as well. What other questions would you like to add to this list?
- What inspires you?
- What is your technique?
- How is your art different from other artists?
- How did you get started?
- Can you take me step by step through a piece?
- Why do you do your art?
- Why do you do this particular kind of art (or use this particular technique)?
- Can you describe your creative process?
Along the line of what to ask, I would like to share with art enthusiasts one question not to ask: "Did you make this?" I realize that may seem like a perfectly innocent question on a shopper's part, but it's one that artists are asked MULTIPLE times during an art show or opening. Artists tend to take that question as "Of course! As opposed to my little gnomes or slave labor?" A better question would be, "Are you the artist?" if you are unsure if the person you are talking to actually created the art. (Just a suggestion to get the conversation off to a good start.)
There are certainly others that I get asked that I'm happy to answer as well. What other questions would you like to add to this list?
Friday, January 08, 2010
Want to brush up on your art history?
So as I'm surfing the net, I find art related articles and websites that I've rather enjoyed. I have bookmarked so many, that I thought it might be fun to share some of the best from time to time with blog readers. One of my favorites is Art History Resources on the Web, a website developed and maintained by an art history professor at Sweet Briar College (Virginia). The site was selected by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for inclusion on EDSITEment as "one of the best online resources for education in the humanities." The website chronicles art history and links to other webpages for additional information about art periods and their respective artists. It also categorizes the art by geographical location. I love that it gives art history lessons with no test at the end (haha!).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
