Oh, I do love the Holidays.

This year I decided to be a bit more creative in my gift-giving.
This is something that resulted from my decision.

I used the same fabric that I used on the bird. This is an "Aromatherapy Pillow". I think...anyhow, it's filled with dried lavender. :)

It smells amazing...

"To recyle, or not to recyle. That is the question."

1. First of all, what did you make? What is it?
My project was a bird shaped pillow/stuffed animal made out of varoius scraps of material for the exterior, and strips of an old fleece blanket cut up for the stuffing.

2. Write out your process in detail - how did you make it?
well, let's see. 

• I first drew out a pattern on a piece of parchment-like paper. It was a bird-like shape. Strange to describe
• After i cut out the bird pattern, I pinned it onto two pieces of fabric, contrasting, one a blue flower print, another a bright green. I proceeded to cut around the pattern.
• I flipped the fabric inside out, and began to sew, using a needle and bright yellow thread.
• Ahhh..this is where things were a little...as;dlkfjadls. Needless to say, I had to rip out my stitches a few times, due to the fact that I had not aligned the material properly. :P 
• When sewing, I didn't go all the way around, I left a small spot, so that I could then flip the bird inside out again, so that it would then be on the right side. 
• Fleece blanket was used for stuffing/filling, strips of the blanket cut, and then cut into small little squares. SO SOFT!
• I then proceeded to sew the small opening, and ta da! A bird! But I soon realized that I had forgotten something terribly important...
• A BEAK! I cut two small triangular shapes out of the bright green fabric, stitched them together, following the same process mentioned above
• Flipped inside out, and then put a few fleece bits. Stitched shut, and then stitched once again to the birds head. 
• FINALLY! DONE! :D For a nice finishing touch I added a pastel-green ribbon. 

3. What tools, materials, and equipment did you use?
I used the following:
Needle
Yellow Thread
Pins
Scissors
Pattern
Fabric Scraps
Fleece Blanket
Ribbon

4. What skill were you focused on developing or learning?
I was very much focused on improving my sewing skills. 5. What did you particularly enjoy about the process? What was challenging or difficult?
What I enjoyed the most about this, was that I finally created something! I absolutely loved the satisfaction that I felt when I held the finished product in my hands. There's nothing quite like that. 6. What do you think you did well on with this project?
Hmmm...I think that it overall looks quite swell, really & honestly. I'm quite proud of myself, I like the fact that it actually kind of does look like a bird. 

:)


Contrast: The materials that I use are contrasting yet complementary, I like the way the bright green material makes the flower pattern seem so much sweeter. 
Balance: There's contrast, yet balance, half of a bold green hue, and another half with a feminine pattern, there's the contradicting themes, a more masculine pattern vs. a more feminine pattern. 




I do quite love the way these pictures turn up. :)

Hmmmm...it is love...:)))

Quarter2-Places

1. As was posted on the Integrated Art blog, Hannah and I would absolutely LOVE to visit the Portland Art Museum.
On the website it says that School group tours are free---so that might be a very good idea, we'd just have to reserve a spot in time.

GENERAL ADMISSION

Adults	$12.00
Seniors 55 – up	$9.00
College Students 18 – up, with Student ID	$9.00
Annual College Student Pass§ 18 – up, with Student ID	$10.00
Adult Group Tours± 12 or more	$8.00
Museum Members	FREE
Children‡ 17 – younger	FREE
School Group Tours By reservation	FREE  Reserve Now

I believe that Hannah posted the hours that we'll be able to visit.
At the moment, there isn't a specific exhibit I would REALLY like to see, although the "Riches of a City: Portland Collects" would be interesting.

2. Although I do like museums, I don't feel that in order to see or feel art, we need to visit a museum. Art is around us, especially in the buildings and nature. I'd love to go downtown on a nice day, and maybe we could all take pictures, or paint in a park..I think it would be an interesting experience to paint "en plein air". I've read a lot of different articles about artists who do this, and I think it would be really cool to try it out. I don't know where there are festivals or such as...
but it would most definitely be interesting if we could do this on our own? I know that there are a lot of cool parks downtown Portland, and buildings too, so it's really such a waste & shame not to put our beautiful city to use, through art.

3. This is also about the Portland Art Museum, but I think it would be interesting to also be able to look at Native American art. I mean, this was THEIR land, and it'd be right for us to learn about their art, the stuff that was here before us! I think that there would be a lot of diversity, and a TON of things to learn.
 here's the link:
http://portlandartmuseum.org/collections/permanent/Native-American-Art

4.
I'm not COMPLETELy sure exactly what this is...but it's called ACE, Artist Created Experiences....this would be interesting..!! The shape of sound looks particularly interesting!
here's the link:
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/AboutSAM/ace.asp

Art:21

The Artists:

Bruce Nauman: I honestly found his art kind of strange, and he himself just seemed like a very reserved person. I'm not sure whether I was enraptured by his work, or just terrified. 

Kerry James Marshall: The way he portrays African Americans, it's very different than you'd see anywhere else. Also, his work has sort of a pop art feel to it. 

Maya Lin: I thought the way she mixed up art and architecture. It was really fresh and I just wish that you would see buildings or parks around here, or just in more places, that are more artistic, and not just designed to be functional only. Things need to be pretty too. :)

Louise Bourgeois: I believe she is French, which is pretty cool! Her hand sculptures are extremely graceful, and VERy expressive. The black color really stands out, it's just gorgeous. 

Also, her history is very interesting, the way her mother didn't want her to touch a needle, instead she encouraged her to pursue her art, so have a career. So I find that very inspirational. 

The way that we perceive ourselves and others around us is influenced by so many things. Different experiences will affect the way that you see yourself, the way that I see myself. But a lot of times, I think that the way we actually see ourselves, is not what we give others the impression of. Deep down, probably in your subconscious you see yourself in a different light, than what you are consciously aware of. 

I'm not sure if that makes sense...

IF I were to draw my self portrait once again, it wouldn't be just the contour of my cheeks, or eyes. It wouldn't be just a straight line, or a curved one. Every shadow, every dip and rise would be filled with...a different meaning. The style would vary, skin wouldn't be the same color, eyes wouldn't be the same shapes, a mouth could both be smiling and grimacing all at the same time. That's how I would represent myself, me. And no longer would I be staring out blankly, I'd try and draw all the unspoken words and hidden thoughts. I'd try to get you to understand ME. 

Marla-Is it art?

I think that art isn't something that can be clearly defined. Different people find art in a wide array of things! So, I think that Marla's paintings should be considered art. There is no age limit, whether you're young or old, art is the way that you express yourself. And Marla, is just an extremely talented young child that expresses herself (through art), in a much more..mature way than other children her age.
I personally don't really like abstract/modern art, but I can see how it is art. It's a way that people choose to express their views.
But what I thought was extremely..infuriating and sad was the way that the media attacked Marla's family. I think that it was ridiculous, and rather immature of them to degrade her in such a way. Marla was only a child, and instead of encouraging her art, they just...kind of brought her down. It was rude...and I hate the way that media does that now days...
but overall I liked Marla's art, even if it's not really my style. It was pretty interesting:)

5 Artists

Today in class we were asked to compile a list of 5 artists, and a piece of their artwork, which we most admire. Here's my list. :)

1. Roman Czerwinski
What I really like about his paintings, is the bright colors of the poppies. They're so bright and cheery, and for him they represent freedom, since he's from Poland.

2. Romina Petresku

This particular artist is my cousin, she studied art in Romania, and graduated from an art university in....2008 I think. I really like her style, the way she uses color, and shodow...but particularly her subjects. 

These four paintings are a set, that she painted as a final project during her college years, she was ranked number 1 in Romania. I'm not quite sure what the size of the canvases is....but they're HUGE!

3. Edward Degas

Probably one of the main reasons that I like Degas' paintings, is the ballerinas, especially the bright colors of the bows on their dresses. 

4.George Seurat

I absolutely LOVE his study on the way we perceive color. The different colored dots, is very very fresh and modern, for a man that lived in the 1800-1900's. 

5. Jan Vermeer

Where to begin? The thing that I absolutely adore about this particular painting, is the contrast of lights and darks. THe girl with a pearl earring is also very beautiful...but so..um...common? 

Love it!