This blog is very special to me because it represents my culture and the art that you can see from Guam. I know the instructions say to do a country outside America and in some ways I believe that Guam culture is separate from American culture. I grew up in a US territory and many people from America did not know that it was and assumed I needed a visa to live here in the United States. I hope that I do not lose points for doing art from Guam because I think I have a unique culture and would like to share it with you all.

This is a painting by Lisa Pope. She is a woman who lived in many places and wanted to paint the “natural beauty of all those places for others to see” (lisapope.com/about). She grew up loving to paint but over time she could not do art because she had a family and so she lost touch with it for a while. She recently started painting again and wants to continue to show the beauty through her work. I personally love the story of Two Lovers Point and it is a little long so I will post a URL so that you can all read about it because I think it is fascinating and beautiful. I have visited this location on Guam many times and am so captivated every time. I think that Pope did an excellent job at making the painting simple with light colors and open space. The feeling this painting emits makes me feel like she too felt the way I felt when I was there.

This image is of James Bamba, a local of Guam who wants to perpetuate the art of weaving. Many cultural practices of Guam are dying out and it saddens me. Many generations do not speak the native language “Chamorro” anymore or know how to weave. Weaving was a way to bring together communities and make the necessary supplies to live. Many schools are Guam still have weaving classes, but will it continue. This is an image from a news article on Guam explaining that Bamba is trying to bring back weaving so we can remember our roots and pass it down to future generations. I struggle with my native tongue as well and I can probably weave a fish and that is the easiest thing to weave. I am in support of this movement and hope there are still others who want to see our culture live on.

This is a picture of a wood carving by Robert Taitano. Wood carving is another tradition on Guam that has been a big part of my life growing up. I actually used to get some wood carvings done by Robert Taitano because my grandfather and him were good friends. Every weekend we would get all our extra wood and take it to his house and in return he would show us some of his new pieces and how to make them. If I could I would go back and learn more so I could make the art he makes but mine would not be as beautiful and elegant. I wish I had more than a picture because his wood carvings are more amazing if you could feel the texture and grooves in the wood. This piece above was actually made in 2012 with my grandfather and I. Taitano thought the piece was not as good as his previous and wanted to give it to us so it would never be seen. My grandfather took it to a farmer’s market and people wanted to buy it but we did not sell it because Taitano gave it to us as a gift.

I hope you have enjoyed these different works of art from my culture and I really enjoyed making memories with all of you. We are coming to an end and it is sad, but like they say it never really is the end just a new beginning. I have loved sharing with you all and wish every one of you great luck on all your future endeavors.

“The Legend – Puntan Dos Amantes (Two Lovers Point).” Puntan Dos Amantes (Two Lovers Point) – Guam, USA, puntandosamantes.com/the-legend.html. Accessed 3 Aug. 2019. http://puntandosamantes.com/the-legend.html

“Lisa Pope – About the Artist.” Lisa Pope Fine Art, lisapope.com/about. Accessed 3 Aug. 2019. https://lisapope.com/about

“Weaving a Path to the Past, Bamba Hopes to Perpetuate Practices.” Pacific Daily News, 21 Apr. 2016, http://www.guampdn.com/story/life/2016/04/21/weaving-path-past-bamba-hopes-perpetuate-practices/83271158/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2019. https://www.guampdn.com/story/life/2016/04/21/weaving-path-past-bamba-hopes-perpetuate-practices/83271158/

“» Robert Taitano.” http://www.guampedia.com/robert-taitano/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2019. https://www.guampedia.com/robert-taitano/

This piece was done by artist KAWS. He is an American graffiti artist who is known for his intricate paintings, toys, and prints. This piece is the Pinocchio character from a beloved kid’s story about a boy whose nose grows whenever he lies. I personally love Pinocchio and so this piece stood out to me. I think that it being a wood piece gives rise to how difficult it was to get the lines and details crisp and polished. Wood art has been interesting to me since I took a wood art class in middle school. It is very difficult to put little details and get the structure centered so this piece is astounding in that the wood work is so specific and intricate. This artist was recognized by Tobey Maguire and interviewed for a magazine showcasing his work for others to see.

This piece was also done by KAWS but this takes another perspective for his art. This type of artwork is more closely related to found art with all the different elements that are present. There are many shapes as well as colors all coming together to make the image of a dog standing up. This type of art requires deconstruction to break down what the elements in the piece are illustrating as well as the message being portrayed. Art has grown to cover many aspects so this is a depiction that spurs thought and imagination.

This was Jay-Z’s album cover which was inspired by a photograph of a sculpture by Ari Marcopoulos. Jay-Z collaborated with this artist to find the cover he was trying to convey for his album. Through this collaboration this artist and his work were showcased allowing more of talents to be looked at by 0thers.

This piece is by Andy Warhol whose work has been showcased by many celebrities in their homes. His work is simplistic with a twist of color. Many of his artworks show the use of shapes and colors to emit emotion. This piece has different versions demonstrating its plasticity through the years. The second image is a poster for Mickey made in 1982 which uses an iconic TV character for advertisements. This piece is simple with the light background with the dark color clothing centering the image of Mickey.

All these works of art are perpetuated through the years because celebrities buy and sell them, hang them in their homes and showcase them in other avenues of their career. Through these celebrities and the support they give artists can live on and be known. The publicity they give these works will allow it to be spread and continue for years to come. Celebrities promoting the art culture is a good thing for society and for the future because without art the world would be without imagination and creativity.

“Hollywood’s New Celebrity Collectors.” Artnet News, 29 Jan. 2019, news.artnet.com/art-world/from-hollywood-to-the-art-world-the-new-celebrity-collectors-9435. Accessed 28 July 2019. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/from-hollywood-to-the-art-world-the-new-celebrity-collectors-9435

“KAWS | Artnet.” Buy, Sell, and Research Contemporary Art Online: Artnet, http://www.artnet.com/artists/kaws/. Accessed 28 July 2019. http://www.artnet.com/artists/kaws/

“What Is Jay-Z Doing in the Art World?” Artspace, 8 July 2013, http://www.artspace.com/magazine/news_events/newsmaker/jay_z_art_collecting-51454. Accessed 28 July 2019. https://www.artspace.com/magazine/news_events/newsmaker/jay_z_art_collecting-51454

The Great Depression was a time of immense struggle. People were hungry and homeless, unable to provide for themselves or their families. Many people lost their jobs in the stock market crash and no new jobs were on the rise. During this time, everyone was in the same boat and struggling to live.

This photograph is just one of many that showcased the strife that these people felt. I do not know who took the photo, but it was most likely someone who worked for a paper and wanted to demonstrate how bad it was for people at the time. There was so much unemployment that the lines for these places was out the door. It is truly heartbreaking to see and hopefully I will not have to live through something like this.

This painting was done to illustrate what was occurring during this time and getting people to think about how this experience was affecting the people. Many arts programs were getting funding so artists could establish new styles or hone their own skills in their field. Some would say this is ironic because while many people were losing their homes and jobs, artists were getting their work seen and promoted during this economic crisis.

This painting was done in 1929 to illustrate the beauty and life of New York at night. It was painted from O’Keeffe’s apartment on the 30th floor of the Shelton Hotel. Her focal point being the Benjamin Tower formally known as Hotel Beverly. She wanted to bring the building to life with the use of bright colors and detailed line work.

From the first photograph, then the two paintings you can see that the photographer and artists wanted to show what was happening at the time and getting people to think about their situation in a different light. I see from all the art displayed here that they wanted to use lighting, bright colors, and messages to give hope for the people of the time. Their lives would get better and that for a brief time it would be hard but the days would get brighter and good things were coming.

These types of paintings and photographs would hang in a shed by my house as a reminder of all the strife that people have gone through and how they survived so I can do what I want if I just believe that I can. Many people have gone through struggles in life that I have not. I think that myself and others should realize that so we can appreciate what we have and what we have yet to achieve.

“Influences on Early Modern Art.” Art 200x | Explorations in Art, 24 Apr. 2009, art200.community.uaf.edu/2009/04/24/02-influences-4/. https://art200.community.uaf.edu/2009/04/24/02-influences-4/

Influences on Early Modern Art

Influences on Early Modern Art

Influences on Early Modern Art

“Culture and Arts.” UW Departments Web Server, depts.washington.edu/depress/culture_arts.shtml. depts.washington.edu/depress/culture_arts.shtml.

“New York Night Georgia O’Keeffe Painting.” Georgia O’Keeffe Paintings, Prints, Posters & Biography, http://www.georgiaokeeffe.org/new-york-night/. http://www.georgiaokeeffe.org/new-york-night/

For this blog, I will be looking at romanticism and realism. Romanticism was a reaction to neoclassicism, the work was more subjective and artists wanted to elicit emotions and feelings. The artist was considered a creator that reflected God’s power. Realism was an American artform developed in the mid 1800’s. They were mostly landscape painters from New England and upstate New York. They made realistic depictions of the reality of man and his relationship to God. They also held a reverence for nature because it was a manifestation of God.

This painting was done in 1903. It is considered a religious painting and was done as an oil painting on canvas. It depicts Madonna and child. It was supposed to be a representation of the Virgin mother and her child. In my research some sites describe this painting as a realism piece, but when discussed in the visual arts section it is considered a romanticism piece. I would say that this is more a romanticism piece because it is depicting the woman in a fancy rode with the child looking content. The painting is also centered and the background is formulated to illuminate the two figures showing their importance. This gives a focal point that reflects reverence of the two figures making them seem less human and more godlike.

This is a landscape painting that is also considered a romanticism piece. It was done by a painter from the Hudson River school and showcases a landscape after a thunderstorm. The line work and simplicity of the image make it less realistic of the area. After a thunderstorm, one would see far more destruction and debris. This being a romanticized painting makes the image seem less disastrous than it would actually be.

This is a painting that demonstrates the strife and hardship of a people. The way the floor boards are depicted as being long and the shavings show just how long they have been working. Many who have written about Caillebotte’s work have emphasized his attention to detail and depiction of actual tools used for the image “justifying his reputation as one of the great realist artists of the 19th century” (visual arts cork.com).

This is a painting depicting a young woman who just a few years before Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a poem about. This depiction uses the words from the poem to give life to the painting. Interestingly enough, it is an almost perfect depiction of the words from the poem. It gives the words a picture and brings life to the poem itself. It is such an accurate painting that one can say that the realism behind it is flawless. Both romanticism and realism have drawbacks as well as where they shine, but I prefer the realism paintings because I have always enjoyed the realistic aspect to a painting.

These artists of both styles were trying to demonstrate emotion and feeling, but the romanticism style took the aspect of reality and inclusion away from a piece that one can clearly see in a realism painting. With romanticism, one can imagine what it would have been like while with realism one feels for the person or scene portrayed like they were right there with them. I would want to be a part of the journey and the realistic aspects far more than just imagining.

“The Lady of Shalott.” Poets.org | Academy of American Poets, poets.org/poem/lady-shalott. https://poets.org/poem/lady-shalott

“The Floor Scrapers, Gustave Caillebotte: Analysis.” Visual Arts Encyclopedia, visual-arts-cork.com/paintings-analysis/floor-scrapers.htm. http://visual-arts-cork.com/paintings-analysis/floor-scrapers.htm

“Artworks by Tag: Christianity – WikiArt.org.” Www.wikiart.org, http://www.wikiart.org/en/tag/christianity#!#filterName:all-works,viewType:masonry. Accessed 10 July 2019. https://www.wikiart.org/en/tag/christianity#!#filterName:all-works,viewType:masonry

During the classical era, there were many styles of art from Rococo to Neoclassical and so much more. There are also many artists during these times from French artists like Jean-Antoine Watteau, Francois Boucher, etc. to English artists like Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Thomas Gainsborough, but are there differences apparent in each artists’ works of art.

This is a painting by Jean-Antoine Watteau entitled “Le Faun and L’Enjoleur” (1707-1708) and is one of two paintings that remain from a series of eight that were commissioned by Marquis de Nointel. The painting was made to be light-hearted and sensual which made many think that the paintings were made for Nointel’s dining room. The painting has a woman perched on a pedestal with a swain looking up at her. With the curves and edges in the columns it adds to the composition. There is also a bagpipe hanging under the platform and two birds sitting on what looks like part of the flowers. This painting encompasses two ideas but they blend well and that makes it all the more interesting.

This is a self-portrait of painter Vigee Le Brun. She was also a French artist during the classical era and was a close friend of Queen Marie-Antoinette so she was involved in high social circles. This painting is entitled “Self-Portrait in a Straw Hat” (1782). It is located in the National Gallery in London. It holds the painter looking out and relaxed. It is based off another portrait of someone she adored and wanted to emulate. The lines and colors add to the image as well accentuating the hat by having bright colors. If you look at both paintings they both have many elements, but they flow well together and complement each other.

This is a painting by English artist Thomas Gainsborough. It is entitled “River Landscape” (1754-1756). Gainsborough is known as one of the dominant artists during the second half of the eighteenth century. He preferred landscapes over portraits and excelled in the field. He was known for his light strokes and detail in the lines throughout his work and light colors. He was credited with opening the 18th century landscape school. By looking at paintings from both French and English artists I would say that both artists excel in their own ways, but I would personally have more work from the English artists in my home over the French. I enjoy the simplicity of the work by the English artists as well as the light colors and line work. I also find more of myself in nature and landscape over portraits.

It seems like there are differences among artists during the classical era, but they are not apparent and depending on the style they used there are more curves, lines, types of color, contrast and so much more. It seems that each artist is unique in their own way.

“Watteau Artworks & Famous Paintings.” The Art Story, http://www.theartstory.org/artist-watteau-jean-antoine-artworks.htm.

https://www.theartstory.org/artist-watteau-jean-antoine-artworks.htm

“River Landscape.” Oil Paintings – Buy High Quality Oil Paintings at Wholesale Prices – PaintingMania.com, http://www.paintingmania.com/river-landscape-248_47460.html.

https://www.paintingmania.com/river-landscape-248_47460.html

“Vigee Le Brun ART Page 2.” Bad Avenue Tools, Cheese, and Books, http://www.batguano.com/vigeeart2.html.

https://www.batguano.com/vigeeart2.html

The way that most people can distinguish a renaissance work of art from a baroque is when it was made. If it was made between 1300 and 1600, it is probably a renaissance work while anything between 1600 and 1750 is probably a baroque. If you do not know when the painting or sculpture was made, then it might take more inspection to tell.

These two paintings are both “The Last Supper” one is a renaissance painting and one is a baroque. Can you tell which is which from just looking at the two paintings?It takes someone who understands what elements are taking place in both and what each is trying to convey. From what we learned recently, renaissance art and baroque art are similar in some ways while very different in others.

The similarities of both works are that they both try and portray realism. They both showcase ideas that follow the Church or ancient Greco-Roman mythology. These are just some of the reasons why many confuse renaissance art with baroque art, but there are many differences that could shed some light.

The use of line in both works can show distinction because renaissance artists use vertical line and symmetry in their work and baroque artists use diagonal line and asymmetry in theirs. Renaissance art also does not have a contrast from light to dark in terms of showing depth or emotion. These are just some of the differences between the two, but with an eye for certain elements one can distinguish a renaissance from a baroque.

Both paintings are beautiful, but I would probably have the baroque painting of “The Last Supper” by Jacopo Tintoretto in my house over Da Vinci’s depiction just because I think that it is more realistic of the time with the chaos of having all those people for a meal and it is supposed to be before Jesus was to be betrayed so the turmoil is more apparent in the baroque painting. I also personally like the contrast of light to dark. In my opinion, I would be more attracted to art from the baroque era.

“The Last Supper.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., http://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Last-Supper-by-Tintoretto.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Last-Supper-by-Tintoretto

“Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art: Understanding the Difference.” Arts, Artists, Artwork, 25 Sept. 2018, artsartistsartwork.com/renaissance-art-vs-baroque-art-understanding-the-difference/.

Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art: Understanding the Difference

Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art: Understanding the Difference

Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art: Understanding the Difference

Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art: Understanding the Difference

The Last Supper is an iconic painting. It was painted between 1495 and 1498 and sits in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The painting was a commission from Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan and Da Vinci’s employer for nearly 18 years (1482–1499). Leonardo wanted to be more adventurous so he painted this artwork on dry plaster which resulted in a varied palette. The dry plaster not being as stable began to fall apart. There have been many reproductions through the years but the original is a fresco painting and many have tried and failed to restore it.

The painting is a visual representation of the night before Christ was to be betrayed and executed. He gathered all his disciples and told them that he was going to be arrested and that one of them would betray him. They could not believe it and they all denied it could happen. It was also the first Eucharist to be performed in the Catholic Church. In Da Vinci’s depiction every disciple showed human emotions which made them seem less like saints but regular people. The Last Supper used technical perspective by allowing the vocal point to be Christ. This is an example of one point perspective as noted by Shelley Essak in her article. The artist also loved symmetry so this work and many others were laid out so it matched on both sides. The amount of disciples on the right and left of Christ are equal and spaced accordingly.

The painting inspires awe in me because I grew up with it. My grandmother had displayed it in the kitchen of her house. It could be seen while we were eating and my grandmother said it demonstrated that every meal was sacred because it could be our last. She talked about how Christ gave his life for us and that we should value our lives and want to do good just like Jesus had. I still think about that picture on the wall between the kitchen and dining room and think that my grandmother was right. We should seek to do good and value our lives because one day we will have our last meal and we should look back and not regret anything we did in life.

Esaak, Shelley. “Is Mary Magdalene in ‘The Last Supper’?” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 23 May 2019, http://www.thoughtco.com/john-or-mary-magdalene-last-supper-182499.

https://www.thoughtco.com/john-or-mary-magdalene-last-supper-182499

“The Last Supper – by Leonardo Da Vinci.” Henri Matisse, http://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-last-supper.jsp.

https://www.leonardodavinci.net/the-last-supper.jsp

This painting is from Pablo Picasso’s “Blue Period”. This period was between 1900-1904 when the famous painter lost his friend Carlos Casagemas to suicide. The period was supposed to represent his grief and many of the paintings had a similar depiction of a man that he used to symbolize his fallen friend. This painting was painted in Paris while inspired by Spain.

This painting stood out to me because it reminds me of the time that I lost a friend to suicide. My friend and I would meet up to play guitar together and sing the oldies. At the time, I was looking up people who had gone through the same thing I had. I stumbled across this painting my freshmen year of high school, a year after losing my friend. I was able to find comfort in the paintings of Picasso during this period because I too was struggling. The way that he can take an painting and invoke so much emotion, emotion that I shared pulled me in.

His use of black and blue in his images gave a sense of sadness, but also calmness. The lines in the face and on the body showed the man’s strife that he endured and the pain he must have felt. The long face showing sadness, but also a defeat in the battle for happiness. The guitar with a warm color to draw contrast to the blue throughout. The guitar also being a focal point because it is centered and draws the attention of the viewer.

This painting to me and many of his others during his “blue period” gave me an outlet for my sadness while also encouraging me to move on and know that my friend was at peace. The blue period was a way for Picasso to grieve, but also a way to accept his loss. That is how these paintings helped me. Through his paintings I grieved and then accepted that my friend was at peace and would want me to move on and be happy.

/www.pablopicasso.org/blue-period.jsp

Hello Art200X,

My name is Kinesha Pangelinan. I am a senior at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I am a transfer student from the University of Portland. I am from Guam and met my fiance at the University of Portland my sophomore year. He was a senior and graduated that year. We did not want to part so I enrolled at UAF to finish out my college career. I like to read and hang out with friends. I also like just relaxing and doing nothing. I hope to get to know all of you better and see where this semester takes us.

My relationship to art is very limited. I work two jobs and attend classes, so I do not get much leisure time. I do enjoy drawing and painting, but do not have time most days. I have been to an art museum in Portland and enjoy going to different ones when I can. Art is interesting and I hope to learn more in this class.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton