This week in Advanced Studio on Zoom Teaching Artist Eden Moore presented a session entitled Seasons in which we made anthropomorphic personifications of the change in seasons inspired by the work of one of her favorite artists innovator in the Art Nouveau style Alphonse Mucha.
Eden began by asking participating artists to consider the following questions:
· How do certain seasons make you feel?
· What’s your favorite season?
· What images/themes do you associate with each season?
Eden pointed out that her lesson concept Anthropomorphic Personification, the living embodiments of abstract concepts is well known to all in familiar examples such as Father Time, Grim Reaper, and Jack Frost.
She also shared a clear informative and interesting overview of Art Nouveau a style from the 1890’s that consists of asymmetric and fluid movements, and naturalistic colors and themes. Adding that its style was applied to every field, notably buildings, crafts, paintings, posters and furniture.
With the humor we all adore Zeke nailed the duality of spring complete with allergies and winter with cold in a puffer jacket!
Zeke Brokaw, Seasons (Spring & Winter)
Eden and Madison are both still in progress, and both depict a female embodiment of a season whose hair will be filled with the corresponding (Eden – summer, Madison – autumn) plants.
Eden Moore, Seasons: Summer (in process) and Madison Mack, Seasons: Autumn (in process)
Several artists used animals to represent their selected seasons. Jane a toy bunny (which Zeke astutly points out calls to mind Watership Down!) and Sigrid a bear for spring. Abby (zooming in from SPAIN!!!) painted a deer for the rainy seasons. Ed a fox gleefully scuttering across a blazing winter landscape.
Jane Huntington, Seasons: Spring; Sigrid Dolan, Seasons: Spring; Abrielle Johnson, Seasons: Rainy Season; Ed Rath: Seasons: Winter
I found myself referring back to the four seasons as depicted by Alphonse Mucha, at the same time referencing Albrecht Dürer’s Four Whiches, 1497.
Vera also took on all four seasons.
Kevin who referenced animated films including Moana, plans to depict his heroine wearing a four season dress. (check back for an updated image soon.)
Pat aptly draws the conundrum of dressing in the liminal time between seasons!
Karla explains her piece Seasons of Kansas, collage on board with cut colored papers: “I selected a deer to personify living beings within the changing environments. I liked the vertical panels in Eden’s example and worked within that grid. Thank you Eden for a great lesson!
On Tuesday Advanced Studio met in person at 180 Franklin Avenue, where our exhibition Towards A Brave New World is currently on view. Our aim this week was to test out the nuances of making art in the gallery and surrounding public areas prior to our open public session scheduled for Tuesday October 4th from 6-8pm which is aimed at engaging the building residents!
We found that the gallery, while small, provides ample space for many artists to draw directly from the exhibition. Likewise, the adjacent comfortable communal salon allows for a relaxed and welcoming vibe. I spoke with a tenant who expressed an interest in the artmaking happening in the space and invited him to return for both the Artists Panel Discussion next week and the artmaking the following week -- as we encourage all of you!
In ART YARD Portfolio at LaGuardia our session had a dual focus. We began with an important discussion and tips for photographing your art. Current phones tend to have very advanced cameras that allow for high quality documentation, yet there are some key elements that really help to get your best image. Daylight tends to provide the most accurate color, for example. However there are some pitfalls one must try and avoid – such as shadows, or angles which distort the artwork.
Then we returned to our still life drawing. This time rather than working from observation, we used photos. Students were asked to use the same still life set up they created last week, but to work from their own photos.
Students made astute observations about the difference between these two tried-and-true methods of creating a still life. That opened up the discussion to who reviews portfolios – experienced artists who are well versed in looking at student work – and the care at which they will look at your work.
On Thursday Dennis and I headed to Bushwick to meet up with Deputy Superintendent Dr. Rushell White to discuss new ART YARD Art Matters partnerships with high schools in North Brooklyn. We are very excited and will be sharing more soon!
Oh! And look what caught my eye at the café where Dennis and I went to continue our meeting…Do you see the book on the left of the shelf: You Are Here: Mapping The Soul of The City by Katherine Hamon?! Flip to page 91 and you find...
Please join us NEXT WEEK Tuesday September 28th 6-8pm for an artist’s panel discussion at the gallery at 180 Franklin Avenue
Good wishes on this Autumnal Equinox for a plentiful harvest in your artistic life and we look forward to sharing the Earth's fruits in the coming winter months.
🍂🍁 Meridith
