Art for My Heart

1. Self Evaluation

This Semester's class has been my favorite English course that I have ever taken.  I have learned many things about the arts here at Penn State and about general writing.  I have grown through all the learning I have done in this class.  I have discovered the importance of a title, analyzed advertisements, and learned about Penn State being ranked the #1 party school.  Through class discussions, homework readings, and outside cultural events, I have gained so much.

I  was born and raised here in State College.  I have always appreciated art, but never experienced it often.  This class has shown me that there is so much art going on around Penn State, you just need to look for it.  Even if it is something that I would never imagine myself going to, I decided that it can't hurt to go and you are usually pleasantly surprised.  I wish I could have attended more art events in the past, but I will make it a priority to continue exploring.  I have learned that I love paintings, poems, love letters, and more.  I loved going to the Palmer Museum of Art because each painting was so unique.  I enjoyed watching In the Red and Brown Water because it was different from anything I had ever seen.  This class has happily opened my eyes to art.  I have realized that it can be so powerful and make me feel the emotions of the artist.  Also, I now think about and notice how even little things can be considered art.  You can make an argument that practically everything is art in a special way.  There is the art of tailgating, partying, walking, proposing, breakups, facial expressions, eating, and everything in-between.  What I take away is that you should see everything as art, because it can be beautiful.  Earlier today, as I was browsing poems, I even texted a friend saying, "I feel so artsy."

Writing has never been one of my biggest strengths, but I enjoy doing it if the topic is something that I am interested in. This class has taught me a lot about writing and has improved my writing skills.  Through examining essays and other literary works, I have gained creativity and structure.  I have learned not to fill my essay with clichés and not to ramble using outrageous vocabulary.  I have discovered how important transition sentences are and that every essay needs to flow.  I have learned that small details can come together to form a whole that has one important theme.  I think that this class has strengthened my writing and will help me in the future.

Overall, this class has been an enjoyment and has caused me to grow.  I have learned that art is everywhere, writing should be creative, and that I wish I had some artist talent.  Though we can't all be skilled painters, musicians, or writers, anyone can appreciate it.  I would love to continue to be informed about art and cultural events going on around Penn State!  My improved writing and my new artistic views thank you.

2. Blog Responses

• http://samanthamartinblogspot.blogspot.com/2012/09/palmer-museum-visit.html#comment-form (A Piece of Mind)
• http://ifartcouldtalk101.blogspot.com/2012/09/i-was-unaware-that-art-museum-even-had.html?showComment=1348416537189#c6045537298542798479 (The Persuasion of Art)
• http://carascornerthearts.blogspot.com/2012/09/my-trip-to-psu-arboretum.html (Cara’s Corner)
• http://storiesfromstuart.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-garden-of-thought.html#comment-form (Stories from Stuart Halls)
• http://rebeccacommisso.blogspot.com/2012/10/blog-post-4-movie-review.html?showComment=1349817035914#c8445297137761697611 (Exploring the many styles here at Penn State)
• http://curtincallblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/move-review-old-school.html?showComment=1350582866554#c6624760014194562743 (Curtin Call)
• http://artandrhetoric.blogspot.com/2012/09/extra-post-comic-book-coffee-table.html?showComment=1350957613805#c2184767762545312086 (Rhetorically Speaking)
• http://ideasoninspiration.blogspot.com/2012/10/scream-2-acontinuation-of-satirical.html?showComment=1351784518196#c2154970214272978334 (Ideas on Inspiration)
• http://derosag5050.blogspot.com/2012/10/animal-house.html (The Pursuit of Happiness)
• http://tarasaverageblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/5-in-red-and-brown-water.html#comment-form (Entertainment for the Average Human)
• http://bittyjade.blogspot.com/2012/11/in-show-in-red-andbrown-water-main.html?showComment=1353968617451#c417534786111562235 (Mad Love)
• http://bryancarse74.blogspot.com/ (The Most Interesting Blog Ever: More Than the Arts at PSU)

3. SRTE Evaluations

Hi, Ms. S. I finished my SRTEs! Woohoo!

Arts/Cultural Response: Poetry Reading

Everyone thinks they can become a poet at some point in their life.  You feel that there is so much emotion inside you that when you put it on paper it will become an inspiring masterpiece.  After middle school assignments, valid attempts, and severe writers block, most of us discover that it is much harder than it seems.

Today I decided to hear what some true poetry is about.  I attended the Art of Poetry Series by our one and only teacher, Sheila Squillante, and her husband, Paul Bilger.  When I walked into the Palmer Museum of Art, I took a seat next to fellow students and other adults.  The feeling in the room was calm and I think everyone was anticipating the start.  

The series consisted of photographs that inspired poems.  Bilger held up the pictures while Squillante read her poems to the audience.  However there was a twist to it all.  The photos were originally completely different.  We did not get to see the original pictures, but it was still very interesting.  They poems were very abstract just like the photographs.  I enjoyed listening to the poetry because there is something so beautiful about not knowing exactly what is being said.  Most likely, what I heard was completely different to the person next to me.  There is a lot of room for emotions and interpretation.

This was my first ever poetry reading, and I really enjoyed it.  I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleased.  I have never really read poems on my own time, but I think they can be wonderful works of art.   I want to broaden my horizons and experience new things, and poetry can be a part of that.  I would like to go to more poetry readings and more art shows while I have so many opportunities to do so.  Thanks so much for the fun experience Sheila!

The Art of a Secret

“Secret” in Hebrew means “come closer”

Post secret is blog site started by Frank Warren, the world's most trusted stranger, that consists of a composition of secrets.  They can be emotional, funny, powerful, random, and everything in between.  Each secret is a glimpse of someone else’s life who you know nothing about.  However, through each secret you gain a piece of them with you.  As you scroll down looking through each secret, there is a good chance you will find one that makes you think, makes you feel, or makes you realize that it is your own secret.  Every Sunday, a new handful of secrets are added to the blog waiting to be revealed.  I am a regular Sunday checker and I am always pleased.

At the Post Secret event held in Alumni Hall, students gathered to listen and discuss secrets.  Warren described them as something we hide from others, but most importantly we hide from ourselves.  Putting a secret on paper can cause a variety of emotions.  It can set you free, cause guilt, or even put a smile on your face.  The funny thing is, we all have our secrets and we are certainly not alone.

Writing a secret is harder than it seems.  It is a work of art.  At the event, every person was given a blank postcard  to write a secret that can be sent to Warren.  I find myself staring at this postcard wondering what to write and how to write it.  On the card there are three tips: 

1. Be brief - the fewer words, the better.
2. Be legible - use big, clear and bold lettering.
3. Be creative - let the postcard be your canvas.

I am not ready to produce my work of art yet, but here are some of last Sunday’s secrets:


If you like these, check out the blog every Sunday for more!
http://www.postsecret.com/

In The Red and Brown Water

      This is a story about a young girl blooming into adulthood facing various struggles that leave her sad and upset.  Oya, lives with her mother, Mama Moja, whom she loves very much.  Oya is the fastest girl around and she gets recruited by the state to run.  However, at this time, Mama Moja was sick and needed Oya by her side.  Mama Moja ends up dying shortly after, but it was too late to run for the state.  After she loses her chance to run, Oya finds herself wanting a baby more than anything.  There are a few men in her life who cannot seem to please her.  Elegba is the funny, crazy kid who cares for Oya and is there for her in his own corky way.  Shango leaves for war and after he returns, he is the expecting baby daddy for another girl.  Ogun loves her so much but her feelings don't match.  The story ends with a shocking twist that no one was expecting.

      At the beginning, the most important thing for the main character Oya was running. She constantly wanted to be flying down, moving her legs faster than anyone.  Her mother's illness prevented her from following this dream.  Later in the play, the most important thing to her was having a baby.  She wanted to bring a "sunshine" into the world but was unable.

      I was compelled by many things in this play! The drumming, dancing, and acting were all very entertaining.  The three drummers on the side of the stage played most of the music in the show, and it was perfect.  They looked like they were having fun, and they played great.  The dancing was beautiful and full of emotion.  Each of the character's personalities were all unique in their own ways.  Elegba and Aunt Elegua were the comedy acts of the play, Mama Moja was the orderly figure, and Oya was the emotion.

      

      I feel that I need to watch the play again to completely understand everything.  The ending confused me because I am still unsure why she did such a drastic thing.  Also, I felt that there wasn't the best flow during some of the play.  For example, the shift from Oya wanting to be a runner to wanting a family happened very fast.  I felt that this should have been a bigger moment, but it seemed rushed.  

      I have been to a number of plays, but none like this one.  This play was daring, emotional, funny, and a little weird.  There were times filled with emotion in dance and acting, then there were times where the whole crowd was laughing.  I think that this mix makes a good play because it becomes more interesting.  I would also consider it much more daring than other plays that I have seen.  There are not as many sexual references that are so obvious in other productions.  The music and dance were also unique.  The African dancing was one of my favorite parts because the dancers had so much emotion and were very talented.  This play will have your jaw dropping, but it is great!  I would see it again!

There's a New Critic in Town

“Without struggle, there is no progress”.  This quote from Professor Phillips (Laurence Fishburne) can be a representation of the entire film, Higher Learning.  Everybody’s got their struggles, especially the characters in this movie.  


Higher Learning, directed by John Singleton, starts off by showing all the things you imagine when you think of college.  From frat parties, late night studies, and athletics, it’s all there.  The main characters get introduced one by one including the typical jock, Malik (Omar Epps), the naive freshman, Kristin (Kristy Swanson), and the social outcast, Remy, (Michael Rapaport).  The movie also has supporting characters played by well known actors such as Ice Cube, Tyra Banks, and Laurence Fishburne.
      

The setting, a made-up college called Columbus University, is the home of racism, violence, sex, drugs, and a little bit of education.  Each student is tied together in a big web of controversy and issues.  It starts with Kristin who learns the hard way that not everyone is as friendly as they seem.  She loses control at a party and ends up becoming a rape victim.  Malik, the track star, struggles balancing school and athletics along with the racial segregation going on around him.  Remy, the troubled and socially awkward student, cannot seem to fit in with anyone he interacts with.  However, this all changes when he is approached by a group of neo-Nazis who take over his mind.  

A good college movie consists of self discovery, emotional complexity, flow, and a meaningful theme.  Higher Learning demonstrates self discovery through each character in different ways.  Kristin realizes that she wants to do good for herself, her school, and community.  Malik comes to understand that he should want to learn, not force himself to.  A problem many college students come to realize.  On the other hand, Remy conforms to those around him and cannot find himself through his college experience.  Anyone can connect to the characters and their problems.  There are many emotional parts to this movie, but there are also funny and happy times mixed in.  This keeps the movie watchable and lightens the mood.  The flow of the movie is scattered and there are many powerful scenes packed into the film.  It starts out seeming like a generic movie about a girl who faces problems in college, turns into a racial battle, then into outright chaos.  There is so much thrown at you during this movie, that it doesn’t flow well.  The most important thing for a movie is the theme.  This movie has a good theme and powerful messages.  The movie’s goal is to show racism and violence and how they are relevant to a community.

Although Higher Learning shoves the audience with powerful and dramatic scenes, the “big picture” can connect to many.  It also has self-discovery and emotional complexity improving its watchability.  While watching the movie, I was engaged in it the entire time; it was not boring.  Higher Learning is for anyone who wants an poignant movie with intense conflicts.  Prepare yourself for the emotional rollercoaster!

A Day at the Arboretum

Walking to the arboretum, I got a little lost.  I could see it from afar, but I wasn’t exactly sure how to get there.  I had to go through some tall grass but I finally made it.  As we began to explore, the first thing that stood out were the rocks set up in an interesting formation.  I wasn't sure about what they were, but it looked cool!

Continuing to walk, I noticed a plant that I thought looked like pepper.  That is because they were peppers... They were beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow.  

Perhaps the cutest part of the arboretum was the bench under all the plants.  Underneath, I noticed the gourds hanging from it which added to the prettiness of it.  I would love to just sit on this bench for hours, it was so beautiful.  

I love sunflowers! I was happy to see a big patch of tall sunflowers in the arboretum.  There were bees flying all around the flowers which was lovely (Bees don’t bother me).

There were so many flowers around, and in the middle there was a pond with lily pads and bright pink flowers.  The contrast was so pretty! This was one of my favorite parts of the arboretum. 

The feeling at the arboretum is nothing but good.  The nature makes you feel alive and the colors bring happiness.  It is an amazing place to get away from campus and school.  Even if you were feeling sad, this would be the place to come.  Nature has a strong impact on many people, and it can do wonders on the soul.

My first trip to the arboretum will not be my last!  Some of my friends have been there before, but I never got a chance to go with them.  I have already told a few people about it, and I will definitely return soon.  I would like to go alone too because it would be the perfect place to gather thoughts and think.

The Palmer Museum of Art

Portrait of J., C. 1959
Nathan Oliviera

1928-2010

 

WARNING: iPhone photo does not do the painting justice!!

This painting was created in the late 1950s.  The portrait does not seem to be specific to any event during the year it was created.  I think it can be related to any time period and is not specific to one person or lifestyle.  It seems to be more personal to the artist and feeling rather than an event.  However, it can still be making a social comment.  It could be commenting on life and depression.  It could also be commenting on darkness in our world that is all around us.

Sad, scared, depressed, creepy, and lonely were the emotions I felt from this painting.  A majority of the painting is black and dark while a small part has color.  The painting strokes and the detail also have a creepy aspect to them.  The brown, tan, white, and dark yellow face of the portrait adds texture with lumps and swirls that make it look scary.  This piece gave me a dark feeling, but I also found it beautiful.  The person in the portrait is not the dark and depressing part, it’s what is around the character.  This connects to my values because I think that everyone has been in that dark place like this painting.

Nathan Oliviera is an American painter, printmaker, and sculptor.  He attended the California College of the Arts and later taught art classes at several colleges.  In the 1950s he had many solo expeditions along with group expeditions in museums worldwide.  He has won many awards for his work showing his credibility.  His background, schooling, and career make him a very accomplished artist giving him all the ethos necessary.  

My interpretation of this painting is that it is a portrait of a person who is at a time of dark, sad feelings.  I think that it is showing how there can be a darkness upon us that is creepy and scary but it doesn’t change us.  The person in the painting may have a creepy texture to them, but it is only scary because of the dark background.  This piece may not be persuasive in way that changes your views, but it persuades you to think.  You can’t simply look at this painting and walk away knowing exactly what it is about.

The Palmer Museum of Art was a great experience! I enjoyed it a lot more that I thought I would.  I have not been to many art museums or galleries, but I think they are very interesting and cool.  I have always admired artists and their ability to create a scene or idea on a canvas, paper, or sculpture.  The detail is amazing and each piece was so unique!  I enjoy thinking about what the artist is trying to say through their piece and interpreting it for myself.  There were so many different styles, colors, and messages throughout the museum.  It made me wish I had some artistic talent, but I should never be given a paintbrush.  I will have to stick to viewing art, not making it.  For being my first time at the Palmer, I think I got a lot out of it.  I would definitely return to look at the art and admire the talent of the artists!

Building a Blog

Template: Finding the perfect combination of layout, color, and font is a difficult task.  I thought about all the things I wanted to include such as nice colors, an easy-to-navigate layout, and cool font.  The light peachy, yellow and blue template was everything I hoped for.  The colors are calming, it’s easy to follow, and nothing says “sophisticated” like a cursive title.  This template will show the reader that I am relaxed, fun, and a little girly.

Title: Art is good for your heart.  It can make you feel beautiful, educated, cultured, mature, sad, scared, happy and a plethora of other emotions.  Art is truly for your heart, which made choosing the title easy.  Also, the fact that “art” and “heart” rhyme makes it ten times more creative.  I enjoy art just like the next guy (or girl) and I hope to enjoy it more and more.  This title represents how I view art.

Font:  The main purpose of a blog is to read it.  Therefore, it has to be legible.  That means a simple, readable font.  I chose the popular “verdana” as my font because I like the look and can easily read it.  Plain and simple!

About Me: On my “About Me” page, I included a few important things that I enjoy.  If you really knew me you would know that I am a sucker for a nice sweater, rarely get scared at the movies, obsess over gymnastics, and enjoy a good round of golf.  Those are a few things I included along with my favorite music.  I didn’t include favorite movies or books because I just could not decide! I want the reader to know some random things about me that will hopefully let them get a better sense of who I am without getting too personal.

I can honestly say that I am already pleased with my blog and having some fun with it.  I think it reflects our English 15S class along with myself.  Making this blog was fairly easy, though I did need to play around with it to work the blog to its full potential.  I expect to show myself as a writer and person through my blog and enjoy doing it!