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Ryzik, M. (2018, February 23). The afrofuturistic designs of 'Black Panther'. New York Times[New York]. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/movies/black-panther-afrofuturism-costumes-ruth-carter.html

This week I read an article about how the costume designer for Black Panther (2018) developed her designs for each character. I read this article to give a more insightful response for our weekly class discussion about identity in art. A main element in this news article was about how Ruth Carter traveled to different African countries multiple times to seek out authentic patterns. One of her focuses was to find designs that are linked to traditional tribal cultures of African nations prior to the influence from Western colonization. I did know some of this information as I kept in the loop on news about the movie last year prior to its premiere. However, I was unaware about Carter’s subtle touches on T’Challa’s wardrobe, like the significance of the triangular patterns on his panther suit.

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Iberostar rose hall beach [photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cheapcaribbean.com/deals/iberostar-rose-hall-beach-deals.html

One image that caught my eye this week was a photograph of the resort Iberostar Rose Hall Beach. It is in beautiful, scenic Montego Bay, Jamaica. This was a photo taken by the resort’s photographers as material for travel advertising. I believe this image is extremely effective and impactful as an advertisement because the quality and editing of this image make it attractive to the sight. This photo also highlights the raw, natural beauty of the Jamaican beaches. The photographer can focus on and the utilization of space., allowing the gorgeous ocean to be featured properly. Another art element accounted for in this photo is the manipulation of color and absorption. The main attractions at the Iberostar resort are water related and a major reason for the guest’s visits.

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Kamp, D. (2013). Manhattan- dramatic sky [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/dominic_kamp/10476029715/

New York City is arguably one of the most famous destinations in the world. Historically, the city is known for its trading and developing infrastructure. During the massive influx of European immigration, New York City gradually evolved into the place we know today. The “true” New Yorkers who were born and raised there are extremely prideful of their roots and experiences. They will represent their borough until their dying breath. In terms of branding, NYC is the most diverse city on earth as it is home to every culture. Over 40 million tourists visit NYC each year. Every language and food could be found among its eight million residents too from Korean fried chicken to Guyanese curry shrimp. The aspect that makes NYC even more diverse and vibrant is that people who represent countries from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and so forth can live alongside one another in harmony.

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Meditation by the sea [Oil on canvas]. (1860). Retrieved from https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/meditation-by-the-sea-32950

One artwork I would feature in my exhibition, Our Ocean World, would be Meditation by the Sea (1860). The mystery behind this painting makes the talent behind the unidentified artist even more fascinating to those who view it. The creator would utilize space to change the viewer’s perspective, forming a vastness on the beach as the ocean itself stretches into the distance, infinitely. The curls in the waves and even the foam washed onto the sand take on a meticulously carved shape. Even the solitary figure overlooking the dwarfing body of water suggests symbolism of overwhelming conflicts that might have been occurring at the time of creation.

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Garden at Sainte-Adresse, 1867 by Claude Monet in France. [Metropolitan Art Museum, New York.] This oil on canvas painting was completed in the summer of 1867 as the artist enjoyed spending his time with family. This was his view while we watched his family relax in the seaside garden of Sainte-Adresse, a resort on the French coast.

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Douglas, A. (1928). Congo [Gouache and pencil on paper board].

Image retrieved from https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/youth_beauty

Another theme I am considering for my final project is "music in art." The theme interests me because music is integral to the preservation and sustainability of dynamic culture through sound. I am intrigued by how artists capture the effects of music like energy and mood. Congo (1928) was originally an illustration for a novel. It depicts heavy emotions and rhythmic expression within the people dancing to the jazz music. During the era this illustration was drawn, the African-American community was finally getting the opportunity to shape their passion and influences from Western African culture and folk songs developed during slavery. This work is a testament to all of the pioneers of jazz who wanted to express the joy, heartache, and culture of black people in post-slavery America.

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Courbet, G. (1869). The calm sea [Painting].

Image retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436005

One theme I am considering for my final project is "Our Ocean World" The theme interests me because we have a class at the university by the same name (that I never got to take) and I kind of always had an interest in marine science. The ocean has a natural beauty that is unlike any other naturally occurring environment. It can be considered so basic (as it's just water), however, it holds many secrets deep within it and it compliments adjacent land perfectly. The Calm Sea (1869) would be a great addition to the ocean world exhibit as this painting was done in the summer when the tide would recede. I chose this painting as it has such a tranquil, idyllic composition, which masks the ocean's dark, vengeful properties it can sometimes demonstrate.

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Theme is " Family Drama"

FOX Entertainment. (2019). [Image from Empire (2015-)] [photograph]. Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/culture/story/empire-producer-confident-show-canceled-jussie-smollett-controversy-61679059

The theme is "family drama". I selected this theme as I have been anticipating a new episode of Empire. Fortunately, I don't have much drama in my family personally. I assume that's because I'm an only child and the rest of my family (cousins, aunts) have been even more distant since moving.

I love watching  Empire because the characters are all extremely dramatic with their own personal flaws. I enjoy watching them discover and solve problems that are not my own. The three sons (pictured at the end of the line) usually have drama between one another. It is usually a battle for fame or the throne of the family's record label "empire." In other instances, the brothers would team up to remove their own father from power as he would use them as pawns for shady business tactics. Taraji Henson, known as 'Cookie' Lyon in the show, loves getting involved in both her ex-husband's and children's drama to hopefully defuse the situations. It is almost always a mess, but the drama and unforeseen consequences of their actions are what keep me tuning in.

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Theme is "Friends"

Pearson, S. (2015, December). Marleigh & me [Photograph].

I chose the theme of friendship because I have been having some difficulty with friends recently. I'm less than two months away from graduation and the handful of friends that I've made at HU have been gradually removed from my life. Most of it stems from petty personal grievances they have against me and instead of discussing it like mature adults, their choice was to ignore me and move on *insert eye roll*. Since spring break started, I decided to focus all of my energy on caring for the lovely people in my life who do love me. I celebrated my birthday over the break with one friend, my best human friend who baked me a cake and hung up decorations.

However, my dog best friend is still in Tennessee, 10 long hours away. I've been missing her a lot lately. It fascinates me how humans and animals can connect even though no words can be exchanged.

When I fly home, I'm bombarded with cries and barks of excitement. Marleigh loves going out into the woods with me for agility training. Not only does she love the exercise, but she enjoys working alongside me. She doesn't hold a grudge. She "complains" slightly, but doesn't try to hurt me deliberately with her actions.

She doesn't make me feel less than. She can be so much fun! Even though she cannot verbalize her thoughts, Marleigh can sense when my mood changes or when I'm stressed and she'll just lie near me to let me know she's there. My dog has definitely taught me a few lessons on friendship too.

She's been with me through thick and thin over these 11 years and we've accomplished so much together. The love a dog has for their person is unconditional and it truly saddens me that their lifespan is smaller than ours. This picture specifically means a lot to me as it was taken at my childhood home in New Jersey and Marleigh actually looked at the camera (which is a huge accomplishment on its own)!

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Newport, N. (2019, February 28). Victoria's Secret plans to shut down at least 53 stores. Retrieved from https://www.wgal.com/article/victoria-secret-plans-to-shut-down-at-least-53-stores/26570273?fbclid=IwAR1rT34mgjI93zhtUlFh8970y0o0nFeCn1cYHgpv6NGylRhhxI6OF2igqN4

This link is an article about Victoria's Secret and their plans to downsize the number of stores they currently have. This article was written by a reporter from WGAL News 8. I frequently use this news source as they are local to where I live and they are careful to verify the information they publish.

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FOX Entertainment. (2015). Empire [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.tmz.com/2015/08/24/empire-sued-again-claims-idea-stolen-wants-millions/

In this photo are Taraji Henson & Terrance Howard. They are the two stars of the hit series Empire (which has been in the news for the past month), Lucious & Cookie Lyon. I love watching this show as it features plenty of great songs produced with the characters. I also love the tumultuous plot and character depth.

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Monet, C. (1899). Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies [Painting found in Metropolitan Art Museum, New York]. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437127?searchField=All&sortBy=relevance&when=A.D. 1800-1900&who=Monet, Claude$Claude Monet&ft=*&offset=0&rpp=80&pos=28

Monet is the artist for my second painting as well. This painting is from a series of 250 paintings of Monet's home garden. The medium is also an oil painting on canvas. The subject matter is an oil painting of a bridge over pond filled with water lilies. One formal element of art used in this painting is texture. While the wooded background has a rough, unruly appearance of texture, the water especially in between the clusters of lilies appears still and smooth. Another topic of discussion in my essay is difference in impressionist style between the two paintings (both utilize the iconic small brush strokes in different ways).

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Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies , 1899

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Monet, C. (1867). Garden at Sainte-Adresse [Painting found in Metropolitan Art Museum, New York]. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/67.241/

Claude Monet was a painter from France. He was born November 14th, 1840 in Paris, France and died in Giverny, France in 1926. He is considered a founder of Impressionism, which is an art movement that focuses on the depiction of visual impressions, especially with light. The medium is an oil painting on canvas. The subject matter is an oil painting of the garden at Sainte-Adresse, a shore resort in France. One formal element used in the painting is the line. I admire how Monet places smooth lines (almost like a photograph) to frame out each object and create layers of distance for a multi-dimensional view. In my essay, I plan on discussing Monet's influences and style evolution between the 1860s and the early 20th century.

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Week 5- Post #2
Advertisement. (n.d.) Retrieved from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/427138345886766983/
**Padlet is not allowing me to give this post box a title**

This ad caught my eye immediately. While the text included in this image are purposefully grouped together, they form the shape of a hand around the child's neck. As there is a caption in clearer font next to the child, I believe the designers wanted the text in the shape to be read second. This would help the viewer understand what "words" are being referenced to.

I think this image also has a shock element to it, as most people adore children and would rarely see an advertisement where a child appeared upset and being abused. I do like the message that although there are no clear signs of physical abuse (scratches, bruises, etc) that verbal abuse can absolutely have lasting effects on a child, especially at the hands of their parents or guardians. Both are valid forms of abuse and neither should be tolerated or excused.

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Avedon, R. (1955). Marian Anderson [photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/61.565.2/

I love this photograph for various reasons. The simplicity of this photo is what makes it so beautiful. Marian Anderson is one of the most accomplished singers f the 1900s. Avedon captured her raw intensity while she sang. This image showcases her strength, power, and grace. Her deep concentration in her face and focus on her mouth form is what captivates me the most.

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Baxandall, M. (1988). Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy: A Primer in the Social History of Pictorial Style. Oxford University Press.

Tiffany Studios. (1924). Autumn Landscape [Leaded Favrile glass]. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/25.173a-o/

I selected this glass artwork of a landscape through a stained glass window. The attention to detail and color quality make this piece timeless to me. The shading gives it an element of realness and serenity.

One element of the Period Eye that I need to better understand is the point about the best artwork usually expresses their culture through a few means. I'm confused as to why that is as artists can vary in the cultures they represent if they learn a certain style.

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Man at the center of the mural (detail), Diego Rivera, Man, Controller of the Universe, 1934 (Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City) (photo: Joaquín Martínez, CC Attribution 2.0 Generic)

I believe Rivera's intended function for this mural was to encourage people to think about the intentions of their government. His method of dividing the two ideologies (capitalism and communism) ended up causing people (the government included) to interpret the artwork as an attack on capitalism. This led to censorship from various parties.

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Dali, S. (1925). Girl at a Window [oil on paper mache].

I chose this painting as shows of a beautiful landscape. It is also simple in its depiction of the little girl looking at the view.  Dali uses lines as a method of framing to shift the viewer's eye to the landscape at the window, as if they were seeing it in first-person. The lines also help in making the shoreline across the sea have distance between the building the little girl is in.

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Dali, S. (1952). Galatea of the Spheres [oil on canvas].
In this painting, I admire the pattern of the spheres that make up the female figure. It gives the sense that the woman is consisting of three-dimensional objects, like particles. Dali is showing that all of those pieces (hair, skin, bone, and tissue) come together to form one being. This painting also looks extremely complicated but orderly at the same time, which creates the illusion of form.

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Heaton, A. (2018). Spiritum [woodcut print installation]. Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA.

The artwork chosen is Spiritum by Amber Heaton, featured at the Susquehanna Art Museum.

This artwork was a favorite of mine as it contains an optical illusion purposefully created by the artist. It is made of cut wood with color printed on top of it. When viewing this piece in person, you can see some of the squares appear to pop out like a 3D image. The others look like they're sinking into the wall. Another aspect that I like about it is the various fiery colors that compliment one another within the pattern.

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Figure 1. Pearson, S. M. (2018, December 31). Flow [Photograph]. Creekside Park, Surgoinsville, Tennessee.

This is a photo of one of the branches of the Stony Point Creek in Hawkins County, TN. It runs directly into the major Holston River (behind me). I was standing on a large roofed wooden bridge that goes over the rushing water.

I selected this picture as my mom and I decided to stop at this park on our way home for the grocery store. Even though we had moved to TN in 2017, I've only flown there for a few weeks at a time so I've never had a chance of going there even though it's down the street from my house. It was so serene and peaceful.

Even though the sky was overcast, the crystal clear water shimmered in the daylight. I can't even describe the noise properly as it was so calming and raw. It was New Years Eve and in this moment with my mom there, I felt like my awful 2018 was erased and a foundation for a fantastic 2019 was being developed.

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Figure 1. Pearson, S. M. (2018, December 25). Christmas pajamas [Photograph].

I selected this specific picture of myself as it was taken on Christmas Day. My mom has bought matching family Christmas pajamas for us to wear.

This past Christmas was my dad's first Christmas at home in about 23 years (which is before I was born and my parents' entire relationship). All throughout his career as a Merchant Mariner, my dad would never be able to come and stay at home on Christmas as he was always at sea.

There were a few years where he would be able to sneak away from his job in NY to see my mom and I in NJ, but he would always have to rush dinner and go back. Other years, we would be opening presents in March or April as he would be away for so long.

Christmas 2018 was the first time that my mom, dad, dog, and I can celebrate the holiday together, so I was elated on Christmas morning when this selfie was taken. My mom pulled out all the stops to ensure this was our best Christmas ever, including a huge breakfast of Guyanese traditional dishes.

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From the grouping exercise of the week.

From the images utilized throughout the week, this image of the ocean stood out to me. It is my favorite as the imagery is powerful from the dark skies to the boats caught in the middle of the high crests. The contrast between the white foam and the dark blue waves gives motion to the painting.

Growing up near the ocean in New Jersey, I've always been reminded of the intense duality of water. It can nourish, heal, and appear beautiful at times. However, in a flash, it can become treacherous and destroy anything in its path. This image captures both aspects of water's nature.