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!