Lecture 9

This weeks lecture was Eileen Neff who is a photographer.  Before she became a photographer she studied literature and then painting.  Once she started taking photographs she never returned to painting and still hasn't in 30 years.  Photography and Neff just clicked together.  In a lot of her earlier work she first started with black and white photographs and then would hand color pieces of it. She likes to play and work with the illusion of perspective, or reflection.  Her lack of formal training allowed Neff to be free in her work.  Because she didn't study photography she felt a sense of freedom to do what ever she wanted. As she continued to use collage aspects in her work, Neff slowly started using the computer.  She resisted at first, but eventually gave in.  Eileen continues and continues to use lots of exploration in each project which is something I find very admirable. 

Rome!

Lecture 8

The guest artist this week was Sharon Louden.  Her lecture was really interesting and I found her artwork to be extremely beautiful and creative.  She is very renown and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and got her MFA at Yale.  She believes that one media does not define what the artist does.  If someone says "I'm a painter" that doesn't necessarily mean that that is all the artist does.  She is heavily influenced by nature, architecture, and hair.  She was a painting major who specialized on the figure, but got bored.  She started becoming interested in simple lines to create figures and movement.  To give a shape a sense of character.  She started merging different medias and specialties together.  Sculpture was no longer just sculpture, but involved painting and other things.  She enjoys working with abstraction because it is the artists interpretation of something without being obvious.  She mentioned art as being ever-changing.  I would agree with that statement.  All of the lectures so far have discussed how art is no longer what it used to be.  Technology is becoming more and more a part of what an artist can do.  Sharon uses technology when she works in animation.  She is beginning to become involved in animation very heavily.  In paintings, the movement of a shape is implied, but now it is there for the viewer to see.  It's like it is live painting.  It makes the viewer feel like you are part of the paper. 

Lecture 6 and 7

Lecture number 6 featured the artist Bradley N. Litwin.  His kinetic sculptures were displayed inside Tyler right at the main entrance. His sculptures are playful and humorous, but also incredibly complicated and detailed.  During his lecture he mentioned the fact that the Digital Revolution has affected his art.  He began as an animator working for companies that needed medical animation, or other companies that needed maps of a certain area.  As technology changed so did his artwork.  He uses art to create technology and technology to make art.  His sculptures now are made possible, and much easier, with the technology and animation to make sure that these objects will succeed.  He uses the technology to make his tangible objects.

Lecture number 7 was about program planning for this upcoming semester.  It's very exciting, but I'm stressing out! I hope I get in to the classes I need to get in to!  This lecture was extremely helpful (except for the fire alarm) and featured my friend from high school, Alexa Linton, who talked about how to use Owlnet.

Fun with Text!