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This is a blog for the Core 2 class at Texas State University

[d-1artstudent]

Calm place to Sit- Me

For my final blog post I wanted it to be a personal photo, as mentioned prior I typically walk to my classes as a matter of exercise. This is yet another one of the pictures I took while exploring the campus. It’s a reminds for me to explore more, in hopes of not missing out on anymore beautiful sights.

What stands out to me the most in this photo is the beautiful architecture used for the table and benches, the engravings and the fact it is made from stone add an old beauty to it. I was also a fan of the color theme for this photo, the muted browns of the leaves combining with the grey of the stone really allow for the life of the piece, the greenery to stand out. In truth, I would not be against having this place be a study spot of mine, should I have the time to walk over and study. Even then, I’d love to surround myself in this scenery once more.

[d-1artstudent]

Giggle, Giggle, Quack- Doreen Cronin

This picture was taken by me during the walk around the square for our analog assignment. It is more on the childish side, though I immediately felt a sense of nostalgia, reminded of all the bed time story books I had collected (ranging from Mama Llama Red Pajama to There’s an Alligator under my bed). In truth, I’ve forgotten about these stories for a while, yet they both came to the forefront of my brain the second I saw this little book.

Everything about the illustrations on the cover give an innocent vibe, the watercolor shading as well as the thick cartoonish lines are a prime example of how bed time story books are. I find myself a fan of the line weight used, as well as the simplistic designs of all of the animals. This is a book designed to make the person reading it feel happy, content and safe. In my eyes, the silly name and nostalgia inducing images have masterfully accomplished this goal.

[d-1artstudent]

Carved Tree with Reliefs- Haw Phra Kaew

Wooden sculptures have a longitudinal history dating back to the Paleolithic era, though many works were not preserved properly. To the contrary, Egypt’s dry climate gave wooden sculptures the opportunity to survive efficiently, thus a majority of the oldest surviving wooden artifacts are that of Egyptian origin. One of the earliest works is that of a man, as of now, that particular sculpture is being displayed at the Egyptian museum in Cairo.

Wood sculpting is a time consuming art form, and due to the perseverance and dedication it requires, it is also common place in numerous temples. This particular sculpture piqued my interest due to the fact that, despite the skill behind the wood work, it still gave off a youthful and innocent impression to me. The combination of dinosaurs and regular animals brings my mind to the thought that this could unintentionally be representative of a child’s imagination. The texturing of the creatures are simple, yet the implied texture is masterfully executed. In general, I find myself rather fond of this work.

[d-1artstudent]

Foliage along the Stream-Me

Just recently I committed to getting the perimeter parking pass, and after some discussion my parents suggested that I walk to class from the coliseum. This was for 2 main points: the exercise and calming nature of walks. Starting and ending my day with a 20 to 30 minute walk is tiring, yet a healing process whenever I listen to music and just observe the world around me. Its helped me quell anxious feelings, and make friends on my little trips, a positive addition in general.

This photo was taken as I was walking back to my car from my class, I was immediately taken with the gold accents amongst the green stream. The contrast is beyond visually pleasing, but also the added depth and texture that is provided, allowing the viewer to observe the rocks under the water’s surface. I found the picture to be aesthetically pleasing in general, and the addition of grafiti in the background as a charming point that adds a note of youthfulness.

[d-1artstudent]

First Comfort in Uncomfortable Walk- Me

I had first started my color walk in the early morning, it was, to be frank, cold, gloomy and generally unpleasant given the lack of sun. Overtime as I was on my walk, the sun began to present itself and all the prior conditions I had experienced slowly melted away. This particular image was the metaphorical changing point for me, and in turn it is also the image with the warmest hue in my collection.

What I found particularly pleasing about this image was how yellow the base of it is, even the greenery has a predominantly yellow hue. Yellow is generally interpreted with positive connotations, hope, warmth, and comfort. As the color became more apparent in my chilly and gloomy walk, those narratives seeped in by the minute. I found this image to be the best representation of such, and given that it was a physical embodiment of my comfort during my walk, it quickly grew to be my favorite of my collection.

[d-1artstudent]

Origami with Light and Shadow- Kumi Yamashita

Origami is known as a the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, exploding in popularity roughly in 18th century Japan. The earliest hint of origami being mentioned in history is debated to be in a poem created in 1680, referencing origami butterflies. Given the profusion of interest in origami, instruction manuals were quickly created in the late 18th century. Throughout the centuries, creations such as the fortune teller and crane grew immensely popular, soon evolving to be symbolic forms of good luck.

The art of origami has always been a calming one to me, even as far back as elementary school. What intrigued me notably about Yamashita’s work was the use of minimalism in a typically thorough art form such as origami. Origami typically utilizes 10-12 basic folds, yet Yamashita didn’t provide a single one, only adding the slightest creases to her paper. Despite this, with the added medium of light/ shadows, Yamashita was able to provide a degree of realism through silhouettes. Rather than folding the paper to culminate into its own creation, she instead chose the unorthodox choice of mimicking the facial structure of men who she would observe. The complex balance of lighting, creases and perspective angle of the viewer intrigues me to no end.

[d-1artstudent]

Girl With a Pearl Earring- James Cook

Typewriters, now a vintage and archaic item, were first introduced in 1874 through mass production. Despite such, they did not become an office necessity until roughly a decade later, effectively marking itself as a hallmark of office supplies. They became the primary means of writing, vastly more efficient than handwritten documents. Typewriters kept their status as a common place writing item until a technological revolution, specifically the age of information and telecommunications. This marked the descent of typewriters into redundancy.

Typewriter art has been around since the 19th century, though arguably the most skilled typewriter artist is alive and thriving. I found the primary outlook James Cook thinks of his artworks to be intriguing: “a picture worth a thousand words”. The process of typing art is no doubt time consuming(taking him roughly 1 week to 3 months per piece), but one can’t help but be enamored by the individual characters making up the piece when looking closely. I was even more riveted by the fact Cook would and could enclose little messages as part of the artwork, the simple fact the piece was made by a typewriter made it all the more multifaceted if one looked between the lines. The individual characters all find purpose within these works, combining to form an even larger message in a way only typewriter art can articulate.

[d-1artstudent]

Borzoi with Vyshyvanka collar- Slavic Origin

Dog collars have been a constant instrument utilized since the domestication of dogs. Ornate collars spoke of a high status symbol in Africa, while in places like Greece, there was a more utilitarian use: protection. Vyshyvanka is the Ukrainian word for embroidery, hence vyshyvanka dog collars are embroidered dog collars. This also is indicative of a cultural style for the embroidery, typically vibrant and cuboidal in nature. Borzois are a popular breed when it comes to adorning this collar, given their lithe bodies and long, flowing hair. They were, and are, seen as a regal breed. When wearing a Vyshyvanka collar, they are referenced more by their other name; The Russian Wolfhound.

I’ve always been intrigued by embroidery, especially given the cultural significance behind it throughout time. After coming across this photo, I was enamored by the notion that embroidery could change the perspective for a typically humble tool, to something considered regal and of high status. The constant pattern for cuboidal shapes, as well as the organic loops surround them are truly eye catching. The tag that hangs from the collar is equally as enamoring, especially after mixing the maroon(borderline black) collar base and the golden embroidery.

[d-1artstudent]

Monteith with the Gibbs and Nelthorpe coats of arms- British origin

Monteiths are considered a relatively archaic tool in the present; however, in the past, they were used to keep wine glasses cold by keeping them in an ice bath. The wine glasses would hang from the notches in the rim, the true body of the glass being kept in ice-cold water. They were typically made from silver, though this particular monteith is an outlier, given that it is one of glass. It came into being for a momentous occasion in the 1700s: the marriage between William Gibbs of Horsely Park and Mary Nelthorpe.

I found the history of this piece to be particularly fascinating, a prime example of the grandiose and passionate gestures in the past. The engravings are positively beautiful, each segment with its own meaning, religious proclamations in six languages, the joint family crests, cupid's appearance, as well as a scene depicting a serenade from the groom!

Furthermore than the artistic prowess it brought the thought of extravagance to me, Monteith bowls weren't particularly important in wedding culture; rather, this creation is purely a demonstration of wealth. In truth, I find it engrossing how, when beauty is added to even the most mundane of objects, there is suddenly unprecedented value. It became even more apparent to me when I found out that Monteiths have fully lost their purpose, given the new cooling technology. Yet through the power of engraving, these objects now have value as heirlooms, due to their beauty. This realization effectively has me absorbed by the aesthetic lure that engravings provide.

[d-1artstudent]

Shotgun engraving (Perazzi)- Rodger L. Ronnie

Firearm engraving is a popular and lucrative subset of metalworking that gained popularity in the 1800s. Since then, master engravers have endeavored to hone their techniques, evolving from a form of practicality (personalizing firearms with names) to its own sophisticated art form. Rodger L. Ronnie is an engraver who stands out with his firearm and watch collection. His skill in creating organic shapes and adding texture with hatching, with such a small medium, culminated in the masterful reputation he garnered in the engraving realm.

I recently went to a gun show, despite not being a gun connoisseur myself. It definitely was an event that I didn't feel I belonged at, at least until I focused on the guns with a more "rustic" aesthetic to them. This usually meant that they had some form of firearm engraving while also appearing to be made of wood. I focus on capturing texture through cross-hatching in a lot of my sketches, so I spent a lot of my time admiring the engravings while I was there. I then went on a metal engraving binge throughout the week, it being the perfect combination (in my opinion) of rustic, nostalgic, and regal aesthetics! It made me interested in the idea of superfluous textures adding to the perceived value of an object.