Sofia

I chose this idea because I believe smoking, vaping, and even drinking should be legal for 18 year olds. I hope to communicate that underage smokers and drinkers will find a way to get their illegal substances, so therefore it should just be decriminalized. I don’t think I was very successful at getting any change because it is the law and it is just how things are. If I were to do it differently, I shoot a video on how easy it is for teens to obtain vapes and alcohol. Another shocking art idea I would like to explore is how mainstream media is corrupt and we are all being brainwashed.

Ana Alvarez is college student in her last year at Cal State Long Beach. She is from Irvine and is part of the School of Art’s Illustration and Animation Program. One of her interest is playing video games which sparked her love for illustration.

Alvarez used Photoshop and Procreate softwares. Her piece at first glance is simple but when you look closer, you can see the detail in the color contrasts and shading. The piece uses warm colors. Although the physical piece is smooth, the content is rugged.

Alvarez explained the story behind her piece. She said that the character in her piece is a Dwarven abuelita. The character had lost her husband and is exploring the Enchanted Borderlands to find him. She’s an example of a strong woman who is willing to help others in the Borderlands.

Alvarez helped enhanced my experience with this art gallery. The way she tells the story for her characters is just amazing. It’s just one picture, but Alvarez has an entire story and that what I think is the true artistry. Her piece actually help me relate the story to real life. You see people all around, but you don’t know their story until they or someone else tells you. Her piece asks you to take a step back and try to know the story.

I chose to capture this story of a beach day with friends because it shows the importance of taking time off and enjoying the company of friends. I think I did a fairly good job of capturing the day. My best individual picture is the last one of ocean. I feel as though the wrestling picture is not great as a stand alone picture, but goes well the story. Next time when I take photos to tell a story, I want to focus on the journey of just one person instead of a whole group. Another more serious photo story I would like to take is about the stigma of mental health.

The artist, Madeline Taylor, is currently undergraduate at CSULB in her senior year. She is also in the School of Art’s Studio Arts Program as well as a student at the Cinema Makeup School. Madeline expressed a strong interest in make-up including special effects make-up. Her works explore abstraction and nature.

In Taylor’s piece she used oil on canvas. Her lines and shape are smooth but also wavy. She uses warm colors in the foreground with some cold colors peeping through the background. The rhythm of her painting is flowing and it is on a large scale. Her piece was large; one would have to step back to experience the entire painting.

The question asked to Taylor was, “What was going through your mind, when painting this?” She mentioned that music and how she thinks the sound waves flow inspired her piece. The exhibition was titled Organic Matter because most of the work including Taylors show an emphasis on organic and biomorphic forms. Her piece does portray an organic and natural feeling.

When I first walked over to the different galleries, I briefly looked at them from outside the doors. Then I saw the Dennis W. Dutzi Gallery filled with such vibrant color and so I chose to walk into that one. I was particularly interested with Taylor’s piece because when I looked at it, it felt as though I was looking into something such as looking inside some sort of tissue of the human body. I am usually not a fan of just “looking” at stuff, but in her work, I experienced a 2d piece in a way that it felt 3d.

I had an amazing time participating in this drawing activity. I didn’t the activity to be stressful at all because I like to draw and I will most likely draw again. I definitely think if I practiced drawing for at least 100 hours, I would get better. Drawing can be used in psychology which is my major. In one of my classes drawing the parts of the brain helped me to visualize and study. Also, I drawing can be used in therapy just like writing or journaling. This is why drawing is a language. Drawing can express ideas and communication in its own form. Drawing can say feelings, stories and emotions that words cannot.

My form of my art is 3D, minimalistic, smooth. It is a sculpture. It is energetic, but also depressing because it is without color. It made me question, “What is this, if not a bike rack?”

I definitely think the bike rack was art before the rectangle was around it because of its complex shape and how it’s different to other things in nature and it is man made.

It will still be art even when the rectangle is gone. The rectangle just invites people to stop view it and think about it.

Art resides in the intention of the artist and the conceptualization of the viewers. I don’t think we can never truly know the line between what is art and what is not art. The line is up to the viewer and how they wish to view objects in life.

Art can capture many different forms that aren’t necessarily objects. Art can be music, poetry, and in sounds.

Art does reside in the experience of the viewer. If we can just flâneur for a little bit we could experience so much more art in our lives.

My experience with finger painting was amazing. My friend Lauren and I did the activity together which made it more enjoyable. The experience was definitely easy and brought out my inner child. The fact that I didn’t have to paint a certain object made the project stress free. I feel as though I see a lot of abstract art, but other ones feel more mature than mine.

1. As I was performing Maintenance Art at the USU, I felt a sense of rebellion because the Art Department said professionals had to clean it. It felt freeing to clean the Now statue.

2. I feel as though Ukeles’ Maintenance Art performance was an act of sustainment while Serra flinging molten lead was act of destruction. However, both of those art were in the form of an action. I feel as though both are not art.

3. Ukeles’ Maintenance Art performance is not art. I hate to say it but janitors do it all the time and it is not art. Simply it is just an ordinary task.

4. An object is art if it has the intention of being art and has a medium that can be seen. Painting on a canvas is art and also painting a picture on a house could also be art.

5. Ukeles and Jennifer Lopez did not make me feel any different about Women’s Work because I already value the work the women.

6. I would clean Tom Hanks’ star because I think he is a talented actor and just a chill dude.

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