PORTRAIT

Bernecia Broadbelt
Art - 11
Portrait

"It is always the start that requires the greatest effort." James Cash Penney. This quote epitomizes 

how I felt when instructed to find a partner and draw a portrait of them. I have never done a portrait 

before and this would be a task. Luckily enough my partner had the same feelings. The both of us sat 

looking at each other laughing having no idea where to begin for literally ten minutes. However, we 

breathed in and encouraged each other to start, conquering our fear the unknown we pressed forward.

 In the end because we made the effort to begin we completed our portraits.  My focal points were her

 hair the length and how it flowed loosly behind the black bander and also her eyes beauiful and with a 

hint of innocence.

Tittle of Work: "The Experience"

ANCIENT ART

Bernecia Broadbelt
Art - 11 B.C.C
Assignment #2


Magnificent, Innovative, Creative, Brilliant and Superb are just a few words that can be used to describe Ancient Egypt. When one think of Egypt the first thing we gravitate to is Pharos and the pyramids, however, looking at videos such as "The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" that seeks to enlighten you on the other things ancient Egypt represent is beyond amazing. In the video series we are introduced to sculptures, architecture, portraits, papyrus, canon, and most importantly "Art". This writing will take its readers to ancient Egypt focusing on its influence in our world today, climb aboard, relax and travel with me to Egypt.
Set in a time before christ ancient artist dared to push what was seemed impossible in architecture, sculptures and engineering to heights never thought attainable. From the worlds largest building to the tallest skyscrapers these innovations received the one of the highest distinctions, being the seven wonders of the world not of one country but the entire world. However, only one wonder still exist to this day the others were destroyed. One may ask what are these "seven wonders" and they are the "HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON, THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA, TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS AT EFFESUS, THE SATTUE OF ZUES AT OLYMPIA MAUSOLEUM AT HALICARNASSUS,COLUSSUS OF RHODES, AND LIGHTHOUSE OF ALEXANDRIA." The next question that may be asked is how are these wonders important? These wonders paved the way for modern architecture, sculpting and even art. Although majority of the structures perished techniques developed back then are still being used.
Inventions and Techniques that challenge and amaze us even now paved the way for modern technologies. We have adopted their traditions and cultures which encouraged developments in art, for instance Fideus the creator of the largest ever created the sculpture of Zues  that stood as tall as a four story building encouraged the creation of the sculpture of President Lincoln. Also we have also adopted portrait which according to the oxford dictionary means a representation or impression of language or a person eg. the MonaLisa. If you take a walk down Manhattan you are bombarded with  persons on street corners begging to do your portrait. Papyrus is a thick paperlike material used to make ropes, sandals, baskets and mats, its becuase of this material some of our questiions about the greek architecture were answered.  Even as we modernize these techniques the general idea remains the same.
Architecture is one of the main  techniques used in ancient times, we see the moseleum, the pyramids, the lighthouse, the temple and the collussus. They won praises for their notable features and their unforgettable artistry. The architectural features have "surpassed expiration dates and were imitated throughout the Hellenistic world and beyond. "The Greek influence in Roman culture, and the revival of Greco-Roman artistic styles during the Renaissance caught the imagination of European artists and travelers. Paintings and sculptures alluding to Antipater's list were made, while adventurers flocked to the actual sites to personally witness the wonders. Legends circulated to further complement the superlatives of the wonders. (extracted from wikipedia).   Canon the greek word for measuring rod which refers to the general law or criterion for which judge. In the video series we saw how the ruler of Hellicarnassus the creator of the mausoleum was judged for marrying his sister also today if a persons behavior does not follow societal norms they are judged eg. same sex marriages.  
As humans evolve and become more mature so does the technique of our greek ancestors evolve, no longer do we have to use pulleys and cranes made out of rope, no longer do we depend on drawings of the blue print but the computer does it and most importantly we do not have to take fifty years to complete a structure. Let us give praises to FIDEUS who pushed against the barriers of height and design in sculptures,  to Satyros and Pythius who designed the mausoleum and the many others who contributed to the creation of "The Seven Wonders of the World". Never should we stop visiting our greek past seeking the complete creative details of these structures, not only has it paved the way for artist who came before but also for artist of the future and those of the present. I am of the view that art would be less exciting, innovative and creative if the greeks did not push against impossibility. Therefore art would not mean the same thing to artist and art lovers if it wasn't influenced by the greeks.
Works Cited:
^ Anon. 1993The Oxford Illustrated Encyclopirst Edition Oxford:Oxford University
^ "History of the Past: World History".
^ "The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — Part II".
^ The New Encyclopædia Britannica Micropædia Volume 10. USA: Encyclopædia Britannica.
^ a b c "The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World". Retrieved 2009-09-14.
^ Paul Lunde (May/June 1980). "The Seven Wonders". Saudi Aramco World.
^ Clayton, Peter and Price, Martin: The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
http://homepages.bw.edu/ilr/Spring%202011%20Courses/Spring%202011%20Pics/07

BERNECIA BROADBELT
WHAT IS ART?


What is Art? This phenomena art can be defined in many ways, some define it as a portrait,
music, sketches, architecture, collages,photography and the list could go on. However what is the true
meaning of art? We can sit, we can ponder, we can conduct researches even turn to a dictionary for the "politically correct definition" but can a book or any number of research really tell us what art is? I say no according to an art critic Jerry Saltz "Art is a way of thinking a way of knowing ourself." Therefore you define what art is, how it makes you feel what is convicted in you by the piece,  art expresses you. Hence, I agree with Jerry Saltz on what he says about art and art criticism.
Criticism can be defined as one of the most negative things in society. Why? because people never take time out to truly understand this term. According the oxford dictionary "criticism is the practice of judging the the merits and faults of something or someone in an intelligible/articulate manner." Everyday we engage in some form of criticism whether its about fashion, hairstyle, language, etc. we always critique. So why is something that we engage in on a daily basis deemed as negative? Persons are afraid to be told the truth about their shortcomings, critiques are not only tools of destruction but correction. Criticism allows us to improve on our faults not only in the perspective of art but also our day to day living.
Like many terminologies one can be described as a radical and the other as a norm. Jerry Saltz considers a true art critic as a "radical", he feels that is a talent and compares seeing art to having an ear for music, it is developed but was placed in you from birth. Can a true critic use his ability to bring down a piece without stating its pros. Absolutely "there is nothing wrong with criticizing weak work but one must state the flaws.Obviously, critics can't just hysterically love or hate things, or assert that certain types of art or media are inherently bad (e.g., no one has actually believed that painting is dead since the Nixon administration, yet writers regularly beat this dead horse). Critics must connect their opinions to a larger set of circumstances; present cogent arguments; show how work does or doesn't seem relevant, is or isn't derivative; explain why an artist is or isn't growing. As with Melville's ideas about art, criticism should have: "Humility—yet pride and scorn/Instinct and study; love and hate/Audacity and reverence." Good criticism should be vulnerable, chancy, candid, and nervy. It should give permission, have attitude, maybe a touch of rebellion, never be sanctimonious or dull, and be written in a distinctive, readable way. Good critics should be willing to go on intuition and be unafraid to write from parts of themselves they don't really know they have."
Although art criticism is important it is considered as a dieing field, why? because art critics have lost their drive, they have chosen to conform to language that appeases the "astute" society, they have lost there flavor and oomph. They describe and give praises to horror the modern deem as art, nothing is wrong with modernization but have they forgotten the contemporary pieces that forged the structure for "art?" Give praise where praise is due, they encourage the emergence of modernity and neglect great pieces such as those done by Burchfield. One reason more young artists aren't familiar with this great American may have to do with Burchfield being yet another painter who is left out of the Museum of Modern Art's narrow-minded, mad march through modernism. Although he had three retrospectives at the Whitney, one at MOMA (way back in 1930), and one at the Met, Burchfield continues to be an odd man out of modern-art history.
Art is apart of us it is who we are it is apart of our history, culture, traditions even our day to day living. As we grow and evolve we must never neglect our roots. As much as modern art is apart of who we are contemporary also is apart of us. Art critics help to remind us of the good and even great art pieces. They give us perspectives, art criticism and art are equally important.

Name of Artist: Alex Grey
Title of work: "The Visionary origins of Language"
Year completed: 1998