Simon Silva- Art as a Means of Inspiring

This evening I attended a wonderful lecture and artist talk given by Simon Silva who is an artist and writer. His talk was so inspiring and his work was riveting. His use of color is what initially drew me but I was also captured by his narrative storytelling and his talk of nurturing ones roots. He spoke of family, morals and childhood. He talked about how the rough times in his life was what built character and made who he is today. He talked about the importance of a multi-culture society we are and how we must embrace it, how we are in reality, related to one another.

Something that struck me in his talk was he listed all the things that art isn't. For example, it isn't a filler class in your schedule, it isn't a hobby, etc. Then he went all to tell what art really is. In my mind I summed it to be "art is my religion."

Film Review: The Soloist - 9/15/2009

In class we reviewed a clip from the "Shawshank Redemption" film about the moment in prison when inmates get an opportunity to listen to music and to relate to the outside world. This moment in the film is very moving and it is a wonderful example how music is universal and how it can change the world.

Following this film, I screened the movie starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx entitled "The Soloist". It is a current film and reminded me very much of the scene I mentioned above except the entire films shares with the viewers how music enriches the lives of many but more importantly how it enriches the lives of two men from different worlds. Downey is a news reporter who is miserable in his divorced, rat race, stressed out world. He stumbles on Foxx's character who is a mentally ill homeless man. Foxx is a very skilled musician and lives to play his music. It is literally what keeps him alive. The story shows how these two men meet, become friends and eventually find themselves needing each other. The common thread is music. Music that is good for the soul.

To take a look at some of my past work, please visit:

http://www.jamuse.com/ViewPortfolio.aspx?userID=5166

After reviewing several artist-painters and how they apply paint to create a grunge type style I decided to focus in on grunge web sites. This is definitely the style I enjoy most when doing any kind of graphic design because it allows me to apply layers much like I do in painting as well as combine various styles together. I once had a professor who tried to steer me in a direction that would force me to pick one style and stick with it. I always had trouble with this notion and fought it. I've now stumbled on the style I enjoy the most. I feel it has a "creative" appeal and really is "design". So much of the "corporate look" bores me to tears whereas the grunge look is more expressive and depicts the style of the artist whether he/she be a painter, a graphic artist or even musician. Grunge is the look for today and I expect it will be around for sometime.

The website that led me to this image as well as many other exciting web designs is:

http://sixrevisions.com/web_design/30-beautiful-examples-of-grunge-in-web-design/

Artist - Alejandro Martinez--Pena

An artist I stumbled on that inspired me is Alejandro Martinez-Pena. His paintings are not pictorial but are very abstract and colorful. His work inspires me to loosen up with my painting and to try and not be so literal and realistic. I was able to relate this to my website project because I was intrigued with the texture and feel of each piece. It reminded me of the grungy, yet colorful backgrounds I have been choosing for my page backgrounds. Most of the backgrounds I've used have been close-up images of rust, paint, water drops, etc.

The website link for this artist is: http://www.martinez-pena.com/page1.htm

http://www.martinez-pena.com/page1.htm

Art Walk Experience - Artist Jacqueline Shaw

On Sunday I attended the Art Walk in Little Italy and was just overwhelmed with the diversity of art and design everywhere. There was so much to look at and so much to take in and it was far better than reviewing art online. One of the artist that caught my attention was Jacqueline Shaw. She is from Mexico and her work is amazing. I find myself being drawn to the style and it appears to me to be somewhat of a grunge painting style and I enjoy it very much.

After viewing her work at the show I came home to check out some of her other works online.
http://www.jacquelineshaw.blogspot.com/

Her work has some surrealism in it but I love the use of various layers of images that are combined to create a mood or perhaps tell a story.

Her work makes me want to pull out my easel and brushes! This summer I will be attending CSU Summer Arts in Fresno and I look forward to painting.

Hearts of Stone

Holy Cow! I attended an artist talk this evening through the Arts & Lectures Series and I was so impressed with the artist's work as well as her talk that I had to go to her website and learn more. The artist, d.goth, paints beautiful pieces of work by painting on broken stones. She either finds naturally broken stones or she breaks them herself but then looks at them to see what she can see within the breaks. They are somewhat of a fresco type painting but are so incredibly beautiful. She has inspired me to try this medium but I was also able to really relate to her artist experience in that she uses art as a therapy and she shares that the art comes out of her. The style also reminded me of the grunge style that I am applying to to the website I am designing for this class. The style is not a clean, "corporate" style but it has a sense of "grunge" appeal. The unplanned and unexpected is what makes the art so beautiful.

Ms. Goth gave her talk and then had everyone join in and paint indivual pieces of abstract art that she will later construct into one large community heart for the "Race for Life" event. Ms. Goth is a poet as well. I encourage you to check out her work. She is a local artist who also gives workshops.

http://www.dgoth.net/

We also discussed the upcoming Art Walk in Little Italy so I plan to attend that as well.
http://www.artwalkonthebay.org/