Understanding Goals Reflection- Final Ashley

Throughlines:

1. Artists can be part of global conversations about important topics by basically engaging themselves into a large project with a whole bunch of other artists so they can all come together to work and discuss their passionate issues and suggestions about the important topic. They can also express themselves individually with their own work and let their opinions show through that way. They can broadcast their art to the world, therefore making their views public and informing more people about that certain issue.

4. Nowadays artists dont merely just use plain painting and drawing anymore. There are different materials and things that are considered art now. Artists are working hard to reconstruct the view and limits of art. Basically if they think that their work is art, then it definitely is art. Many artists have gone out of the box to use landscapes and even broken down dumpster materials to transform it into a wonderful form of art. All these steps are pushing the limits of media and common art stereotypes in what art is considered to be.

Understanding Goals:

1. Site specific art is art that is planned out in some type of environment that will fit in or pop out of the existing environment. Installation art is using forms of art and sculptures to alter the view of a certain space or environment they are placed in. Conceptual art is the meaning behind the work that involves deep thought. It is seeing rather than looking.

2. Your words and actions as an artist relates to responsibility as a citizen of the world because as an artist you have to make sure that your work does not have a negative affect on the public and the world. Offensive art can be used in certain circumstances, such as fighting for a certain issue, but you still have to be careful and think before you do or say something. Also, as an artist you have to watch our for the public eye, and make sure the meaning of your work is how you want it to be expressed and percieved. Art does infuence others, so artists have to be responsible about what they give out to society.

3. You can plan a site specific installation art that shows the concept of a shelter by designing a flat sketch of some form of a mini building and decide where it will be located and what it will be built out of. You can use those notes and sketches to follow through and actually make the plan come to life in a three dimensional artwork based on your original thoughts. But the actual outcome of the work may vary and change according to the weather and availability of materials.

4. You can use recycled materials to create beautiful and pleasing art that also fuctions as a shelter by simply going out to find old materials and incorporating them into your planned art/shelter piece. My group went to the dumpsters and I went in collect a whole bunch of large cardboard pieces. And so the base and walls of our shelter was made entirely out of cardboard.

5. Having a shelter means to me that you have a comfortable place to rest and sleep and just hide out from the natural environment. Shelters also gives privacy and protection. Not to have a shelter is to have no place to go to where you feel safe and protected, and that you’re exposed to the world uncomfortably.

6. I think that not everybody in the world are as privileged as some of the rich people in their mansions, or even people in regular houses. But they at least find a way to cope such as building their own shelters in shanty towns or living in tents. People usually find a way to get protection and some privacy. But there are some homeless people out there as well, lying on the ground and shielding their faces from the sun with old newspapers.

7. Your backgrounds, experiences, environment, etc. impacts your work as an artist because it probably alters your views towards some topics and opinions, therefore forcing you to create work based on your own perspectives that come from that background. Your work as an artist could be totally different if your living in a different environment or experienced different situations.

Shelter Project: What was the hardest?- Ashley

I think that basically the most difficult part of this building construction thing was designing the structure to actually get it to stand and hold on its own. I’m terrified of saws and nails and splinters so my group made ours entirely out of bent cardboard. It’s probably the worst one out there, and no one would want to live in it.

But anyways when we first started building, the cardboard wouldnt stand on its own unless we placed it strategically, and even then it kept moving around when we were trying to tape it down with plain small strips of masking tape. Then the next problem was our roof, also made out of cardboard. The top was too heavy and it caved in the next day after all that work trying to tape the floppy roof down. It was so not fun.  So we decided to switch materials and ended up bringing in a sheet and taping it to the top. And we stuck a pole in the middle to keep it up. It looks retarded but at least it stands.

Our group also had problems working together, because some people werent willing to participate. It was a bit frustrating. And we also got into fights on what to do.

So all in all, I really hated this project, but I guess I learned something from it, I think.

Shelter Project #2- Ashley

1. The message I took away with me from the presentations was that art comes in various forms, not just one or two types of things such as painting or drawing on regular paper or canvas. Art can really be anything that the artists wants it to be. If the artist decides that it is art, then it’s art. Art is a broad topic, and is basically unlimited in what you decide to do with it, and how you decide to make it.

2. From the presentations, I discovered that many artists participate in global conversations involving their artwork. In their work there is more than merely just decoration. They have hidden and outspoken messages in their pieces, each representing or talking about a different situation the artist feels passionately about. There are many artists out there who do their work because they feel strongly about an issue or topic and want to express their opinions on it. Not all artists just blindly draw, paint, or sculpt without inspiration.

3.  My understanding in art has grown a lot in how some things people do not usually think of as art can be art. Many artists today are going out of the box with their creativity. Art is not limited to pencil and paper anymore. Art can be landscapes or even buildings. The artist I did my presentation on, Gordon Matta Clark, was famous for using old torn up buildings as his inspiration. He would just paint over and alter the building, and that would be art.

4. The art and artists we learned about connect to the shelter project because they take old sorts of scraps and turn them into something wonderful. Many artists even used broken down buildings and transformed them into workable shelters that can be enjoyed again. The artists would recreate a friendly shelter from boards and scraps for the benefit of others. A lot of the art that we saw in the presentations also had buildings and landscaping in context, which adds to the shelter project theme.

Reflection#1 Context- Ashley

1. The context of the art classroom is basically a good setting for people to do artwork. There are pictures and students’ works all over for future inspiration and making people feel motivated. The artroom also has the supplies needed to work, such as tables and paints, and the cubbies and drawers to stock large sized projects. There are also other extra things such as the computers. My bedroom context probably describes me well due to all the bright happy light things in it. I also really love my big big window with the line of tall trees in the background. Along with the window I also really admire my drapes that hang on it.

2. As I was drawing the artroom, I never noticed quite a few things. I never realized there was a tiny table along the farside of the room along a wall underneath some calendars. I also didn’t notice a clothes hanger with colorful things strung from it. In my own room I already knew everything in it really well, and there wasn’t anything I never noticed.

3. I think the context of the artclassroom here in Fremont differs from the ones in Bangalore, India and Oakland because we are more priviledged, without really knowing we are. For example, for some reason I sort of doubt that the India artroom has computers in it. Our air heating and cooling system are also priviledged, while others have to just deal with hot and humid weather. We probably also have more supplies and materials. But I’m guessing all the artrooms have basic art supplies and tables and chairs. I also think my bedroom might be a little priviledged, because of all the extra useless junk I have just thrown around all over.

4. My context is pretty comfortable for the most part and affects the context that I do in a positive way. If I’m physicaly n a comfortable setting, then I feel more motivated to work faster and better.