BLOG ENTRY ASSIGNMENT #1

Hello blog, my name is Carlee and I am a native to the Toledo area. I have enjoyed art my whole life, but didn't take a particular liking to it until my freshman year in high school. Since then, I have become more passionate about my art. With each project my love for it seems to grow, even if the project consists of a medium or idea I am not particularly fond of. Altogether, this will be my fifth year learning about the principles of art.

The sources of my ideas come from a wide range of places. I am inspired by fashion, photographs, books, any form of art really. I highly appreciate and am inspired by the works of Georgia O'Keffe and Salvador Dali. However, I appreciate numerous other artists and am looking forward to learning more about them. All past artists are the basis for techniques current artists are using, and everyone inspires one another to some extent.

I personally learn the most in an environment which everyone is focused on learning. People that are not interested in learning or being in the class make it harder to grasp new concepts and ideas. Sometimes it may be hard to focus on some ideas mentioned in class because it is easy to zone out at times, but that does not mean people should ruin this experience for others. I also enjoy constructive criticism. There is nothing wrong with suggestions because everyone is in the classroom to learn and grow in ways they have not yet encountered.

So far, I have used the mediums of graphite, charcoal, chalk, colored pencils, india ink, wax, watercolor paint, tempera paint, and acrylic paint. My teacher in high school did the best she could to make sure we used as many art materials as we could get our hands on so we could learn what we liked to work with best. I worked with acrylic paint the most because it seemed to work the best for me. It has been my favorite medium since I discovered it my sophmore year in painting class. At first, I was afraid I would ruin my stark white, newly streched canvas but I soon learned that I could layer the paint and there was no such thing as a mistake.

Just being around art materials makes me excited. I just feel like art is something I need to do to define myself. I feel inspired to learn more about it and in turn come up with ideas of my own to express how I feel about it.

Any kind of art inspires me. Some types of art inspire me more than others, but for the most part I am inspired by all types of artistic expression. Music and people also inspire me because they give me ideas for new kinds of expression. I believe my works turn out better when I have music playing as I work. When I see peoples' artwork or when people critique my work it inspires me because it makes me want to put more effort into my artwork.

The definition I have for art is simply any way a person effectively expresses themself. I believe this definition is logical because everyone has a different way of expressing themself. Due to this, each person has a different idea of what art is. If a person writes, makes music, paints, or does anything to express themself in a way they feel suitable it is art. Even if someone expresses themself in a way they feel is are and no one else in the world would concider it to be art, it is still a form of art.

Again, Art is defined differently by each person. Everyone has a different idea of what art is. Honestly, as long as someone puts everything they've got into the art they are creating and it means something to them, it is art.

Movies, music, video games, comics, and television are all forms of art. They all start out with a script, a plan, a motive. Someone has a passion to write, draw, or construct some sort of plan to start something. This requires a person to be driven to express a passion they had inside of them, to create something they had no guarantee would be successful. When someone creates a work of art, there is no guarantee it will be famous so the artist has to give the work everything they've got and hope for the best.

I don't personally think it's my responsibility to decide what is art and what is not. Everyone has a different idea of what they believe art is so what I believe to be art is not necessarily what others believe to be art. Everyone should have their own opinion about art. When it comes to art works, people can have opinions but no one is necessarily right or wrong.

I chose to pursue art because it is definately something I can devote time to and not feel as if my time is being wasted. Art is something I can devote my life to without feeling as if I have wasted money on schooling or that I have forced myself into a career that does not suit me. Most people in the world have to work, some people like their jobs more than others. There will always be days where I wake up and do not want to go to school or work, but if I am going into a career I enjoy it won't be nearly as much of a struggle as if I were going into a career I did not enjoy just to make better money. A career needs to involve money because people need to make a living, but money is not everything.

Music and movies fall into many different categories and genres. There are several important factors in composition when it comes to music. The most obvious requirements for music to be successful are: lyrical flow, instrumental talent, and vocal abilities. In movies the most obvious crucial factors for success are: acting ability, budget, script, director/cast, and how much time was put into the movie. So many factors can determine whether a musical artist or an actor will become successful.

I do not watch movies very often at all, I am more of a reader I suppose. Crash was probably one of the best movies out in 2005 but it is hard to say that it is my favorite since it is one of the few movies I watched all year. I liked it because it plunged right into racism and there was not really a place the line was drawn. Everything played out in the movie as it would in real life as far as racism in the United States goes. The acting was definately satisfactory and it was very well composed.

Oh, art films. There are so many films I would concider art films. The first ones that come to mind are Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, What Dreams May Come, and Big Fish. The older Disney movies are also art films. Examples of these are Snow White, Pinnocchio, Cinderella, and newer films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King. The movies that involve real people require proficient acting skills as well as a great script and an experienced stage crew. Animated movies require devoted artists and much patience; especially the the older films. The older disney movies and cartoons required an artist to paint each frame of the movie by hand. Due to technilogical advances, artists do not have to do that ever again!

I go to the Toledo Museum of Art a few times a year, and the last time I went was at the beginning of the summer. I went to Owens Community College last year and there was a student gallery in the fall and again in the spring that I enjoyed. Other than that, I have not seen much other than what is shown in textbooks. I am looking forward to exploring local artists and learning about other works of art more fluently.

The last drawings and sculptures I did were in the spring because I had a drawing and a ceramics class at Owens. I worked on a painting all summer and I enjoyed it very much. I am looking to start something new very soon and am searching for some new inspiration.

My favorite CD would definately be Bright Eyes- Fevers and Mirrors. Bright Eyes is definately my favorite band of all time. He, however, is the only person in his band but he writes all of his own lyrics and music. His abilities are above proficient, in my opinion and if I had to pick an artist to listen to the rest of my life, it would definately be him.