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Showing posts from June, 2016

The Art of Transportation

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I might not call the act of transportation its' self an art, but some of the vehicles that were created are most definitely works of art. That's not to say that they weren't engineered and produced to accomplish the specific task of moving from one place to another.  They most definitely were, but when they were created, was there an intention of creating art? Probably not, at least in most cases. There may be a few instances in which there was original intent to create something beautiful or there was an intent to make it look nice or attractive,  but in most cases the object was to create something that could move people or things from one place to another. Once we got good at that, we then started to try and make things look pretty. This 1927 Rolls Royce was built, not only to be functional but to be beautiful as well. Over time, as these things are discontinued and no longer produced, we begin to see a beauty in them that can be considered true art. Car collecto...

Why We Dance - Another DAM Exhibition

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On our trip to the Denver Art Museum last weekend we not only visited the "Women of Abstract Expressionism" exhibit but we also got to see "Why We Dance". This is a very interesting exhibit, which displays and explains some of the traditions of Native American Dance. The exhibit consists of videos, traditional dance costumes, paintings, music and more. This exhibit has a great combination of art from different mediums and put together with the music, we found it very relaxing. Artist: Dan Namingha Title: Hopi Eagle Dancer Date: 1995 Medium: Acrylic on canvas This is a great exhibit to go see and there is no extra charge for this one. If you have a chance, I strongly recommend checking this one out. Artist: Quah Ah Title: Buffalo and Deer Dance Date: Early 1900s  Find out more at: http://denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/why-we-dance

DAM Women of Abstract Expressionism

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The Denver Art Museum presents Women of Abstract Expressionism. Saturday we attended the member's preview of this exibition. With more than 50 works from these artists of the mid 20th century,  most everyone will find something to enjoy. The exhibition features works from the following artists:  Mary Abbott, Jay DeFeo, Perle Fine, Helen Frankenthaler, Sonia Gechtoff, Judith Godwin, Grace Hartigan, Elaine de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Deborah Remington, and Ethel Schwabacher.  This was a terrific display of a variety of Abstract art from these women artists who at times, struggled to make their voices heard among all the popular male artists of the time. You can see some of the struggle and their voices in much of this artwork. Lee Krasner,  wife of Jackson Pollock,  had a quote displayed at the museum that kind of indicates how these women may have felt during these times. I didn't write the exact quote down but I can paraphrase what she s...

Art Excursion : Pearl Street

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Saturday afternoon we drove up to Boulder Colorado to visit the famous and historic Pearl Street Mall. If you are looking to see a variety of art, Pearl Street is a great place to explore. There are a number of galleries located on the mall. They range from galleries with paintings, photographs and sculptures to galleries that contain hand crafted items made by local artists and craftsman. There are galleries of stones and crystals as well as shops that feature more spiritual and hippie type items. Various Galleries on Pearl Street Boulder, Colorado While we didn't get a chance to visit all of them, the ones that we did visit, had a lot to offer. Whether you are looking to purchase some fine art or just browse, most everyone will find something that they like. Most of the work is from local artists. I can't wait to go again to see some of the galleries that we didn't get a chance to visit.  One of the greatest assets Pearl Street has to offer, is that you can see a...

A New Quote

"A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light." Leonardo da Vinci How do you interpret this quote? To me, in the technical sense, it says that one of the most important elements to art is light. If you think about it, the way that light hits a subject will greatly affect the way that you perceive it. A skilled painter will paint a picture with a consistent light source. Showing features such as reflections, depth and color variations all based on that light source. In photography,  we know that lighting plays a major role in a photograph. It not only affects the quality but it can also change your perception and how it makes you feel. Visual arts are highly dependent on lighting and of course with no light we would never see them but could this concept also apply to other types of art such as writing or performing. In another sense, maybe it does. Writing, poetry, novels, film, music,...