Day 188: Exploration

Best Moments
1. Transportation strike day in Italy
2. Easy access to the Vatican
3. Seeing the School of Athens
4. Understanding that great works like the Sistine Chapel would be best viewed alone
5. Taking a cab through Rome
6. Shopping on the streets of Rome
7. Spending time with good company

Flickr Set of Images

Day 29: Perspective

I've always thought that perspective is an interesting concept.  There are so many ways to see the world and it would be sad to only view it from your own thought process.  


In my creative thought class our text instructed us to draw something upside down as an effort to observe more of what is being viewed.  I decided to take one of my favorite drawings and give it a try.  Testa di Giovinetta hung on my wall in Venice, so I decided to bring that element of the room home with me.  I thought she would be a perfect image to replicate.  The lesson taught me that I am no da Vinci.


My lady looks nothing like the original, but I have to admit I almost like her.  She looks very at peace.  Her lips are all kinds of wrong, but I think her hair and eyes are a bit telling.  One of my to-do list items this summer is to take an art class.  I am not planning on giving up any of my other interests, but just picking up another one.  I like to draw and would like to improve.  


I think I will probably be doing quite a bit of sewing this summer too.  Going to Provence will allow me to stock up on fabric for projects later on.  There are just so many enjoyable things to do out there, and I want to try them all.

Day 22: Inspiration is Crap

 My creative writing teacher in high school used to always say that inspiration was crap.  He doesn't doubt that we get ideas from different triggers, but to say that it all comes together through inspiration is crap.


For my creative thought class I had to pick an activity from a book we are reading.  I chose two.  One was about creating an inspiration board.  I liked the idea, but I wanted to make a book instead.  I've had the book for awhile, but I've never actually made anything of it.  There are times when I hear something or see something that leads to new ideas.  This will be my place to house those thoughts.


So far in the book I have a card I picked up in New Orleans that says "I am art therefore I am."  I still find my mind trying to comprehend the quotation, but I like it.  I also have a drawing of Kendra that I started awhile back.  I know it is not an exact likeness, but I like drawing and I'm not done with it.  Finally, I have a self-portrait.


The self-portrait is the second activity I did from the book.  The task was to draw yourself in 5 lines.  It forced me to consider what makes me, me.  Some may say I cheated with the lines, but I never picked up my pencil for a line.  I think my eyes are a defining feature, so I wanted to capture that.  My nose is a bit big, so it needed to be represented.  My lips are shut to resemble my contemplative nature.  I needed at least one strand of hair.  Earrings were a must as well because I would not be me without them.


I love this class because it is forcing me to think the way that I want to.  Normally I would not do these things because I would feel like I don't have time, but when it is a requirement, I must do it.  I am really hoping that when I finish grad school in March I will start to take classes on personal interests.  I really want to take an art class.  Interior design would be fun.  There are so many things to learn out there that I just want to try it all.

Day 15: Dwell in Possibility

Today was a busy day, but I didn't find many opportunities to capture an image.  The ones I did capture are not very good, but show the topic for today.  One of my favorite things to do is frame.  Most of these were already up, but the Monet on the left and the Severini on the right are new.  They are both from the summer and have been rolled up on my shelf, waiting to be hung up.  

The next picture (sorry, horrible lighting, I know) shows four postcards I picked up in Madison about a year ago.  I thought the images were whimsical and the sayings motivational.  "Love who you are," "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams," "Dwell in possibility," and "Make a wish" are all sayings that can now give me a daily reminder.  I especially like "dwell in possibility."  I think I may take this saying to an extreme.  I must remember to go beyond dwelling and make it more than just a possibility, but a reality.

Day 13: The Human Influence

I kind of feel like I am cheating when I take a picture of someone else's artwork, but I suppose this is a blog about me which includes my interests. I picked up this print when I was in Venice at Peggy Guggenheim's Collection.  I was so excited to see that I could get it in print form.  It is called "Sea Dancer" by Severini.  It now rests framed next to my bed so that I can see it daily.  I saw this piece and fell in love with it.  I may be simple for thinking this, but the colors pulse positivity and the shapes elude to new visions. 

This was the first time I had heard of Severini, but have fallen in love with his work since then.  When I was in Paris this past summer we went to the Musee de L'Orangerie which features Monet's work.  After viewing the lilies, I was ecstatic to see that they had a special exhibition on Severini.  It is so interesting to see a collection of an artist's work because you can view their growth and a reflection of their lives.  Severini was strongly influenced by his peers.  If I remember right, he was strongly associating with one man, but then he passed, so he found himself in new company.  It was this new influence that developed his style that he is known for.


I think the people we surround ourselves with have such an influence on our lives.  I wonder how the people I have met and will meet will impact my life.  I hope that I have created a positive impact on others' lives.