OFF DAY BLOGGING: UPDATE

Hey Otters!
I won't be able to post much this week or the next week because of all of my research papers, thesis work/paper, and more papers are due. It's the final stretch so I can't focus on anything else at the moment except for finishing everything to the quality I've been working towards my entire career here. In the mean time, I'll be on Twitter tweeting Art News and other things. If you have any requests or comments, now is the time!! But don't worry I'll be back with full force soon enough! In the mean time here's an otter I saw in the Smithsonian National History Museum in Washington D.C. a while back! So cute!

CROSS HATCHING: THE DRAUGHTMAN'S FAVORITE TOOL

When I first started learning how to draw I learned about cross hatching or hatching and thought it was a way to create a neat texture while drawing. I was completely unaware of it's extreme usefulness while drawing. To start, many artists from Peter Paul Rubens to Robert Longo use cross hatching in their drawings/sketches. Although there are different types of cross hatching that an artist can use. 

Rubens was a very talented painter known for his use of brilliant reds within shadows. Many artists look to his paintings to learn about color theory and painting in general. But some go back and create copies of his sketches to learn how to render a figure well and learn basic knowledge of a figure. In this one sketch of Rubens you can see the marks are just straight lines. These lines are following the plane of each part of the skin to create darker areas as shadows. So where there are more lines there is more bends in the skin and more planes in which the skin uses. Get it?

Another few artists that use this technique very obviously and beautifully are Robert Longo, Jenny Saville and Simon Birch. This is a great skill to learn when learning about shading and rendering the figure. Many artists use this technique while copying masterpieces. Something to keep in mind while working with cross hatching or hatching is that the lines do not need to be straight, they can bend around the plane as well which allows for better rendering and following of the figure's skin. This allows a better 3 dimensional appearance to the viewer.

So if you're a new artist or an artist just needing some ideas, try cross hatching to further your skills in drawing.

Citations:
Rubens Sketch: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_2002.12b.jpg

VISITING MUSEUMS: MET & WHITNEY BIENNIAL

If some of you follow my Twitter (@ArtOtter) then you know that I recently went to New York to visit the Met and the Whitney Biennial. There is a ton of stuff going on that you don't want to miss out on so let's start with the Met. 

If you've ever been to the Met then you know of the amazing collection they have there. Vast as that collection is they have some special shows going on currently that push it further. Historic Photographs (salt prints, daguerreotypes, albumen prints) are currently on view as apart of their Charles Marville: Photographer of Paris exhibition. Now as long as I've been studying Photography I've still never seen a daguerreotype in person. They have 2 on show and they are fascinating and amazing. A picture really doesn't do it justice until you are standing in front of it and just in awe of the beautiful silver reflections. Now that exhibition is only up until May 4th so hurry over. It's quite a beautiful collection.

Charles Marville, Rue de Constantine, 1865, Albumen silver print from glass negative

Another quite special thing going on at the Met is their William Kentridge installation, The Refusal of Time. This piece has moving sculptures and 5 channel video projection. As you get closer to this piece you can only hear it. Then once you get into the space, it's really quite amazing how you're fully embedded into the piece itself. At first it can be uneasy but once you start to look at everything you will realize how beautiful and mesmerizing it is. That's all I'll say about this piece because you really just have to see it in person.
Other exhibitions worth checking out at the Met are: The Passions of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (AMAZING artist who can portray torment and realism through his flawless sculptures, paintings, and drawings) and many more

Now moving on to the Whitney Biennial... I've never been to the Whitney before so I absolutely had to see this last biennial before they move. I had heard from previous years that it was mainly focused on performance and just really strange art, so going into it I really didn't know what to expect but to keep my mind open. The pieces that were included in this Whitney, I thought were amazing. I had barely any problems with the works I saw. I actually thoroughly enjoyed majority of it. I felt inspired and I understood what was trying to be portrayed. Some of my friends on the other hand had a completely different experience. They didn't know what was going on, they didn't consider it art, and they were very unhappy with the show. Now I truly don't know what show they saw but I saw something completely different. With that I'll explain which pieces I really loved.

Karl Haendel. wow. I am hugely in awe of Robert Longo's work as a whole and now seeing Haendel's work I am a huge fan of his as well. An entire wall dedicated to a truly talented draughtsman with amazing sense of composition and positive negative space. His drawings go from fully rendered to black void spaces, but yet feel complete. I could go on and on about him but I'll save that for another post. 

Karl Haendel, Theme Time - Presidents Day, 2013, pencil on paper 69"x52"

Keith Mayerson's large salon style collection of paintings included images from a guy jerking off to a family portrait. The range of styles and images was really awesome and it was almost overwhelming with the amount of paintings that covered the small room. It really takes a long time to get through the room. 
Paul P.'s Untitled small ink drawings were really ghostly and beautiful. The small collection was all you needed because of the detail and control in which he used. More of a classical style but definitely delicate and gorgeous. 

Paul P., Untitled, ink on paper, 2013, 11 3/4" x 8 1/2"

There also were a few interesting installation pieces. One being by Valerie Snobeck and Catherine Sullivan and the other being by Bjarne Melgaard. Snobeck and Sullivan's piece was very inventive and beautiful, including ghostly blueprint images and suitcases. On the other hand, Melgaard's included pillows the shapes of penises, and violent scenes being projected on the walls of a gaudy and sexual themed plush room. I've got to say, I can see where some people will obviously be upset about Bjarne Melgaard's piece but when I was in the room there was an older couple and they were not upset or running out of the room. It spoke a lot of animal instincts and tension along with the need to hold back and show restraint. I actually felt that the message was good and as if this is what could happen if people didn't restrain themselves and how dystopic that would actually be.
There are so many other artists that are worth discussing but I don't have the time/space to keep writing about the Biennial. I will continue on about some other pieces though during the rest of this week, so stay updated!

Citations:
Charles Marville: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2014/charles-marville
William Kentridge: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2013/william-kentridge
Met Exhibitions: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions
Karl Haendel: http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2014Biennial/KarlHaendel
Paul P.: http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2014Biennial/PaulP
Bjarne Melgaard: http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2014Biennial/BjarneMelgaard

CREATIVE CONVERSATION

This post is going to confront two ideas: critiques within your studio/workspace and having a place or group to go to about your creative questions. As an artist is it very important to have an open line to critiques whenever you need it. It may seem difficult when you're not in the right situation but there are so many easy ways to have support and criticism to help you grow as an artist.

If you have a studio or workspace don't be afraid to invite other artists in. One way to broaden your connections and keep them is to have studio visits. It's also a great idea to go visit other people's studios so you get a good idea of how their process is. Maybe you'll pick up a few tips while strengthening a few connections along the way.

Join a art community. There are plenty of ways to find groups of people with similar interests or even just area in which you all reside. There are groups that are called Art Organizations which you sometimes have to pay for but you do get insider info and opportunities. You just have to figure out which is the right one for you. But either way there are groups and communities online that you can easily join right on Facebook. This is also a great way to promote a show you might be in or anything that you've got going on.

Visiting art museums. Pretty much every museum has a VIP or Membership opportunity. This allows you to rub elbows with other people in the community that have a similar interest in art history or buying art. Not to mention you get great perks like wine and cheese evenings for openings of new exhibitions and sometimes even lectures by the curators or artists themselves.

A final way to get helpful studio practice help or social media help is to comment on blogs like this one. If you want to know how to stretch a canvas or get yourself in more shows but don't even know where to start, then ask! Start up that conversation so that you get your name our there and the information that you need.

VISITING MUSEUMS: WASHINGTON D.C.

Ever since I was little Washington D.C. has been the home of all museums. I mean it has the best set up a museum lover could ever imagine. Walking distance from a museum all about our navigations through space is a museum filled with skeletons from dinosaurs to frogs which is next to a museum filled with glorious art work. The art museums alone in Washington D.C. are numerous, there is the National Gallery of Art which is broken up into two giant wings, plus there is the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum which are combined and hold so much variety of art work, and we can't forget about the Hirschhorn. Then there are other museums such as the Holocaust Museum, International Spy Museum, the Museum of Women in the Arts, Newseum, and so many more. But before I write about every museum in D.C. lets just stick to the art museums and what exactly you can expect to see.

To start lets go to the National Mall to see the National Gallery of Art (West building and East building). In the West building you can see more historic works of art such as European paintings and sculptures ranging from the 13th to 16th Centuries. There also is a good amount of American art and they always have a few temporary exhibitions going on which are very interesting. Then in the East building you would find a large amount of Contemporary and Modern works along with their Film series they almost always have running in their auditorium. If you know whether you'd enjoy a more contemporary feel then head to the East building but if you'd rather see some historical art then go to the West building.
 

National Gallery of Art West Building

National Gallery of Art East Building

Next on the National Mall is the Hirschhorn museum of art. This museum is the round building and it is smaller than the other museums but it does hold a great collection of art. While I was visiting they only had two temporary exhibitions going because of renovation. But both of which were fantastic. It's easy to get lost within the art but nice to flow right around the Hirschhorn (because it's a circle) so you almost forget to worry about seeing everything because you kinda have to walk through each room to get to the next. They had a large variety of mediums in there as well from video, drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography. I personally loved the Destruction and Gravity's Edge Exhibitions. I loved so many pieces from both. Which I can get into in another post.

Hirschhorn Museum

Next on the list is the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. This combined museum is awesome. I love portraiture so this is my favorite museum of all time. You can find anything from Nam June Paik pieces, to Georgia O'Keeffe paintings. Plus portraits of people ranging from the Presidents to Eminem and LL Cool J. It's hard for me to actually write about how amazing this museum is and how ranged the art work is within it. One section of the museum is American landscapes and gorgeous marble sculptures and another is a collection of over 100 TVs stacked all screaming at you to watch this amazing billboard of images and Eric Fischl paintings. It all depends upon preference and what you want to get out of a museum but I will always love the collection they have at the National Portrait Gallery. Sometimes their special exhibitions can be amazing and blow your mind, other times they can be strictly historical and you learn more about the person in the portrait than the art of the piece, which is okay too. 

American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery Interior Courtyard

If anyone has any questions about specifics about the museums or want to know more about something within the galleries, leave a comment!

Citations:
West Building Image: http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Washington_DC/Things_To_Do-Washington_DC-National_Gallery_of_Art-BR-1.html
East Building Image: http://www.viewpictures.co.uk/Details.aspx?ID=107181&TypeID=1
Hirschhorn Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirshhorn_Museum_and_Sculpture_Garden
American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Portrait_Gallery_%28United_States%29

A WHOLE MUSEUM DEDICATED TO WOMEN

In Washington D.C. there is a museum called the National Museum of Women in the Arts. This museum has been around since 1987 and promotes women not only in the past but also the current strong women artists of today. Their mission: "The National Museum of Women in the Arts brings recognition to the achievements of women artists of all periods and nationalities by exhibiting, preserving, acquiring, and researching art by women and by teaching the public about their accomplishments."
The NMWA is located in the heart of Washington D.C. and is in a gorgeous "Renaissance Revival" style building. This building holds over 4,000 works from the Renaissance to Contemporary all by women.

Great Hall and Mezzanine taken by Tom Field

But enough of the advertising, which I don't get paid for anyways, this is one of the few museums that is fully dedicated to women. By that I mean that this museum began by two women who were simply art historians collecting art. It then grew into this non-profit statement for women. It's not just any museum it's renown and has many advocates. This is a large support for women in the art world. This is a place to be seen and to be comfortable. It's definitely a place to visit if you're ever in Washington D.C.

Citations:
http://www.nmwa.org/

VISITING MUSEUMS: BALTIMORE

If you are from Maryland, or Baltimore itself, then you know of some of the great museums this city has to offer. As an outsider here are some things that I learned while visiting:

-The Baltimore Museum of Art. go there. It may be under renovation currently, but it's plans are big for when they reopen the entire building. But even though it is under renovation, it's still a great museum. It's not overwhelming even though they offer a lot (Contemporary, German Expressionism, Impressionism, European Painting and Sculptures, Modern, and Antioch Mosaics) Their Contemporary Wing includes very amazing artists from a collection of Andy Warhols (that will blow you away) to new artists like Jonathan Latiano who really knows how to fill a space with Installation art. My favorite was one of my idols: Robert Longo. They have two lithographs of his Men in Cities drawings (I may have cried...). Anyways, they have a cool exhibition on Sterling Ruby too which is worth looking into. Like I said it's not overwhelming, the collections are amazing and you can definitely take your time walking around and really see everything and not feel like you're missing out. 

Contemporary Wing of Baltimore Museum of Art

-The Walters Art Museum. I found this museum to be very similar to the Metropolitan Museum in New York minus the Contemporary Art and Photographs. It has a great amount of history shoved into one four story building. They offer a lot of really different stuff there such as a Chamber of Wonders and Armor as well as a Sculpture Court and of course Medieval Art, Renaissance and Baroque Art, Asian Art, Ancient Worlds (Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Egyptian, and Near Eastern), and 19th Century Art. I was quite impressed with their collection for all of these sections. It's definitely a large museum and even though each area might not be large, there is still a ton to take it. It holds the interest of everyone (unless you only like Contemporary and Modern works).

-American Visionary Art Museum. Now this museum is kinda off the beaten trail but it is really interesting and has a very different spin on art. This museum currently has a Singularity Exhibition going on with many different opinions of what Singularity is. Which is great, because you get to almost step into the artists shoes and figure out what it means to them and what exactly they are trying to portray. The diversity of materials and styles is amazing, you can go from wood sculptures to ballpoint pen drawings, to installation within a few minutes and still be in the same exhibition. It's all very offbeat artwork and really shows how these people are more interested on their work as a project to learn something instead of being an artist and showing your work. They also have an entire building to Kinetic pieces, which move and are cars or floats or on bikes. Really neat stuff, people are so creative. 

Visionary Art Museum Entrance

That's all of the museums I was able to go to but I'm sure Baltimore has a ton more to offer. I know they have an amazing Science Center right near Inner Harbor as well as the awesome Aquarium. Overall the city is very nice and clean, you really feel like you can walk all around it.

Citations:
Baltimore Museum of Art Image: http://bmoreart.com/2012/09/from-september-urbanite-new-bma.html
Walters Art Museum Image: http://blogs.ischool.utexas.edu/newmedia/category/early/cabinets/
Visionary Art Museum Image: http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/maryland/baltimore/american-visionary-art-museum