Quote o' the Day

Another quote from my good friend, Karina:

"You can live each day in a world filled with "problems," or rise each morning and embrace a world filled with unseen solutions... eager for you to find them. The decision is yours... both worlds exist. The one you choose is the one you will create."
~ Michael McMillan.

Henna Temporary Tattoo Fundraiser

About the Fundraiser: For the next few weeks Ms. Burnell will be donating her time and talent creating temporary henna tattoos for Meeker High School students during lunch time. Tattoos cost $1 to $40 depending on how detailed the design is. If you have a special request, see Ms. Burnell during cowboy time to set up an appointment. This fundraiser will be to raise money for the Meeker High School art program! Get your henna temporary tattoo this week!


History and Culture: Henna (or Mendhi) has been used as long ago as 1200 B.C. It has been speculated that it was originally used in Egypt to stain the fingers and toes of the Pharaohs before mummification. The most common use of henna tattooing is within the Indian culture as a ceremonial art form for wedding ceremonies. Henna is supposed to bring luck and happiness and is used in joyous ceremonies in India and other cultures.


Caring for your henna tattoo:

1. Scrub area to remove lotion and layers of dead skin BEFORE application of henna .
2. Avoid wetting design area for 12 hours if possible.
3. Let the Henna paste dry and leave it on for six or more hours for best results.
4. Peel off the dry henna paste with your fingers and rub off any residue with any vegetable oil.

When the henna paste is applied it will look greenish/brown. After six hours, when the paste is taken off, it will appear light yellow. The next day it will be a beautiful reddish/brown. Your henna tattoo will last 1 - 3 weeks if you follow the directions above.


NOTICE: Ms. Burnell is in no way promoting real tattoos. You must be at least 18 years old to get a real tattoo and there are very real risks to getting real tattoos. Unless you are allergic to the ingredients in henna tattoos, henna tattoos are temporary and safe. You must have parental permission to get a temporary henna tattoo.

Quote o' the Day

My dear friend, Karina, emailed this quote to me:

"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security."

~ Albert Einstein

Wow!

Photos from the Spring Art Show!

Grease!

Miz Art ~ Careers in Art

The final Miz Art for the 2010/2011 school year is about Careers in Art. Pick one of the listed careers in art and answer the following questions. THIS IS WORTH 50 Points or TWO MIZ ARTS!


Questions to answer about your chosen career:

1. What courses do you need to take in college to prepare yourself for this career?

2. What kind of trade school, college, university or art institution do you need to attend to prepare yourself for this career?

3. How much does this education cost? Does this include a bachelors degree or do you also need a masters degree or higher?

4. How much will you earn per year as a _________________?

5. What duties will you perform as a _________________?

6. Job outlook: What is the job outlook right now? Is it a competitive environment? Will you be able to get a job? Or will you need a second job to support yourself for a while?


List of careers to choose from:

Fine Art Painter
Fine Art Sculptor
Fine Art Mixed Media Artist
Fine Art Installation Artist
Fine Art Videographer
Fashion Photographer
Wedding Photographer
Portrait Photographer
Fine Art Photographer
Commercial Photographer
Art Director
Videographer
Museum Curator
Art Historian
Art Teacher
Art Professor
Museum Director
Illustrator
Medical Illustrator
Scientific Illustrator
Glassblower
Textile Artist
Woodcarver
Printmaker
Sketch Artist
Painting Restorer
Craft Artist
Animator
Costume Artist
Fine Artist
Potter
Puppet Maker
Cartoon Artist
Fashion Designer
Graphic Artist

PLEASE NOTE: This is a replacement for a research paper on an art-related career. Please do your best work. Thank you!

Due: May 13th, 2011


A sculptor makes sculptures that are displayed at galleries, and if the artist is lucky, in museums. How much does the average sculpture make per year? That depends on the popularity of the sculptor's artwork and demand for art at the time. The state of the economy can also play into how much artists get paid for their art (as with any commodity).

Quote o' the Week

How it works:

Read the quotes below and write about how one (or more) applies to your life or how you can learn from it (10 points)

-OR-

Make a visual representation of a quote - drawing, painting, etc. (5 to 100 points depending on quality and effort)


The quotes:

"Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won't have time to make them all yourself."
~ Alfred Sheinwold

"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely."
~ Auguste Rodin

"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser."
~ John Gardner

Robert Rauschenberg

Robert Rauschenberg ~ Mixed Media and Photo Transfer Lesson

Robert Rauschenberg was an American painter and sculptor, who came into prominence during the Pop Art period by combining photography, printmaking and papermaking.

HIS LIFE: Robert Rauschenberg was born in Texas in 1925. He went to the Kansas City Art Institute and the Académie Julian in Paris, France, where he met the painter Susan Weil. He married Susan Weil in 1950. They had a child together, Christopher. Rauschenberg studied with Josef Albers at Black Mountain. Rauschenberg described Albers as influencing him to do "exactly the reverse" of what he was being taught. Rauschenberg divorced Susan Weil in 1953. According to a 1987 oral history by the composer Morton Feldman, after the end of his marriage, Rauschenberg had romantic relationships with fellow artists Cy Twombly and Jasper Johns. Rauschenberg died on May 12, 2008, on Captiva Island, Florida. He died of heart failure after a personal decision to go off life support. Rauschenberg is survived by his partner of 25 years, artist Darryl Pottorf, who was also his former assistant. Rauschenberg is also survived by his son, photographer Christopher Rauschenberg, and his sister, Janet Begneaud.

HIS ART: Rauschenberg's approach was sometimes called "Neo Dadaist," a label he shared with the painter Jasper Johns. Rauschenberg was also identified with the Pop Art movement. Rauschenberg combined photography, painting, found objects and debri into much of his artwork.

Quote o' the Week

How it works:

Read the quotes below and write about how one (or more) applies to your life or how you can learn from it (10 points)

-OR-

Make a visual representation of a quote - drawing, painting, etc. (5 to 100 points depending on quality and effort)


The quotes:

"The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them."
~ Bernard M. Baruch

"Sleep, riches, and health to be truly enjoyed must be interrupted."
~ Johann Paul Friedrich Richter, Flower, Fruit, and Thorn

"The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears."
~ John Vance Cheney

"The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter."
~ Author Unknown

Miz Art ~ Maria Martinez

This week's Miz Art is about the artist Maria Martinez or San Ildefonso. I want you to do a little research on the website www.mariapottery.com and answer the following questions:

1. Where was Maria Martinez born?

2. When was she born (or thought to be born) and what year did she die?

3. Who painted her pottery (there is more than one person)?

4. What technique did Marie use to create her pots?

5. Fill in this sentence: Wood and ___________________ are piled around an _____________, upon which the pottery has been carefully stacked.

6. What does this website say about life in Maria's village? What was the community like? What did they value?

DUE: April 21st, 2011

Thank you!

I would like to thank everyone who came to the art show yesterday! We had a great turn out and the Meeker Hotel was a great place to display the hard work and talent of our wonderful Meeker students! I would also like to thank Mr. Goettel for his help with the kiln, because without his help I wouldn't have been able to fire a single thing! ;-) As well as the support of all the teachers, staff and community of Meeker. You have all been very helpful, friendly and welcoming! I love Meeker and it's all because of the fabulous people here!

I would also like to Congratulate the FCCLA and Science Fair students! WOW!

If anyone missed the show, but would still like to see the artwork, the show will be up through next weekend. Hours are:

Meeker Hotel Lobby
Monday through Saturday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Cafe Hours
Monday through Saturday: 7 am - 2 pm
Sunday: 8 am - 2 pm
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

I would like to thank the Meeker Hotel and Lynn for graciously hosting the art show! It was very kind of them and Lynn makes some very delicious cookies!

Friendly Reminder - Spring Art Show!

Don't forget to come to the Spring Art Show at the Meeker Hotel this Sunday between 5 pm and 7 pm!

Bring your family and friends!

We owe the lovely historic Meeker Hotel a big thank you for hosting our art show this year! Thank you so much!

Constantin Brâncuşi

Constantin Brâncuşi



Constantin Brâncuşi's sculptures



Sleeping Muse by Constantin Brâncuşi




Endless Column by Constantin Brâncuşi



Bird in Space Constantin Brâncuşi



Constantin Brâncuşi

Quick Rundown**

* His abstract style emphasizes clean geometrical lines that balance forms inherent in his materials with the symbolic allusions of representational art.

* Brâncuşi grew up in the village of Hobiţa Romania.

* His parents Nicolae and Maria Brâncuşi were poor peasants who earned a meager living through back-breaking labor; from the age of seven, Constantin herded the family's flock of sheep. He showed talent for carving objects out of wood, and often ran away from home to escape the bullying of his father and older brothers.

* At the age of nine, Brâncuşi left the village to work in the nearest large town. At 11 he went into the service of a grocer in Slatina; and then he became a domestic in a public house in Craiova where he remained for several years. When he was 18, impressed by Brâncuşi's talent for carving, an industrialist entered him in the Craiova School of Arts and Crafts (Şcoala de meserii), where he pursued his love for woodworking, graduating with honors in 1898.

* He then enrolled in the Bucharest School of Fine Arts, where he received academic training in sculpture. He worked hard, and quickly distinguished himself as talented.

* In 1903 Brâncuşi traveled to Munich, and from there to Paris. In Paris, he was welcomed by the community of artists and intellectuals brimming with new ideas. He worked for two years in the workshop of Antonin Mercié of the École des Beaux-Arts, and was invited to enter the workshop of Auguste Rodin. Even though he admired the eminent Rodin he left the Rodin studio after only two months, saying, "Nothing can grow under big trees.”

* He had a drive to depict "not the outer form but the idea, the essence of things."

* He began working on the group of sculptures that are known as "Bird in Space" — simple shapes representing a bird in flight. The works are based on his earlier "Măiastra" series. In Romanian folklore the Măiastra is a beautiful golden bird who foretells the future and cures the blind.

* Brâncuşi always dressed in the simple ways the Romanian peasants did. Brâncuși would cook his own food, traditional Romanian dishes, with which he would treat his guests.

* His circle of friends included artists and intellectuals in Paris such as Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, and Henri Rousseau.

* Brâncuşi held a particular interest in mythology, especially Romanian mythology, folk tales, and traditional art (which also had a strong influence on his works), but he became interested in African and Mediterranean art as well.

* A talented handyman, he built his own phonograph, and made most of his furniture, utensils, and doorways.

* His worldview valued "differentiating the essential from the ephemeral.” He was an idealist, turning his workshop into a place where visitors noted the deep spiritual atmosphere.

* However, particularly through the 10s and 20s, he was known as a pleasure seeker and merrymaker in his bohemian circle. He enjoyed cigarettes, good wine, and the company of women. He had one child, John Moore, whom he never acknowledged.

* He died on March 16, 1957 at the age of 81 leaving 1200 photographs and 215 sculptures.

* In 2002, a sculpture by Brâncuşi named "Danaide" was sold for $18.1 million, the highest that a sculpture piece had ever sold for at auction. In May 2005, a piece from the "Bird in Space" series broke that record, selling for $27.5 million in a Christie's auction. In the Yves Saint Laurent/Pierre Bergé sale on February 23, 2009, another sculpture of Brâncuşi, "Madame L.R.", was sold for $37.2 million, setting a new historical record.

** SOURCE: Wikipedia

Vocabulary ~ Constantin Brâncuşi Lesson

Abstraction
Artwork that is not realistic, though often based on an actual subject. Remember Picasso? Reduced, simplified, removal of detail.




Modern Art
The very diverse late 19th and early 20th century movement towards less objective or totally subjective art. Art for art's sake. Remember Duchamp's urinal?




Subtractive Sculpting Method/Process
Subtractive process: cutting of a form, figure or design out of a solid material such as a block of stone or wood. Cutting away material. Michaelangelo used a pointing device early on in his artistic career. Towards the end of his life he no longer needed such assistance.

Quote o' the Week

How it works:

Read the quotes below and write about how one (or more) applies to your life or how you can learn from it (10 points)

-OR-

Make a visual representation of a quote - drawing, painting, etc. (5 to 100 points depending on quality and effort)


The quotes:

"The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you."
~ John E. Southard

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."
~ Epictetus

"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily."
~ Gerald Good