Trip to the High~ Pictures shall be soon to come.

Over the weekend I went to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. So, for the questions that need to be answered, let's see...

A work that reminded me of something or someone in my life: the photograph by Thomas Struth titled 'Paradise.' It's a forest shot that reminds me greatly of the forests back in my home state, Washington. I couldn't help but to pass by intentionally while wandering through the museum.

A historic work: the Terracotta army excavated from China, which dates back to 210 BC. I particularly like this exhibit, simply because it's so old and shows a window into not just a different time, but a different culture, as well. Not to mention the expert craftsmanship and original details on each of the statues...

Liked but not for home: Gerhard Richter-11-Scheiben (11-Panels). It was an interesting piece, with eleven glass panels stacked against each other that gave a sort of blurred, distorted look. However, it would be a bit bigger than practical to keep in the home.

Shocked! Shocked, I tell you! And this is what it was: Two works, actually. The first thing was Jimmy Lee Sudduth's work 'Woman with Glasses.' It looked odd, yes, but what caused more surprise for me was the list of materials used. Mud, sugar or syrup, and paint on plywood. I can barely even imagine how one gets that to work. The other thing was Thorton Dial's 'Heckyll and Jeckyll: Pleasure for the People. The red and white colors really jumped out, and the work itself seemed to jump out literally. It was sort of a mess of stuff, but really cool. Both of these works were found in the folk art gallery, by the way.

Woman with Glasses by Jimmy Lee Sudduth

Something that felt sad: Robert Henri's 'Lady in Black Velvet.' Honestly, I don't see how this work couldn't feel at least somewhat sad. The woman is dressed in all black, like in mourning or preparing to go to a funeral. It makes you think and wonder.

Something I liked: Edward Ruscha's contemporary piece 'Home Power.' It looks like a photograph, but apparently it was done with acrylics. I liked this piece because when I first saw it from a distance, it looked like a spooky haunted house. Even though when you come closer and see the title of it, it looses some of the creepiness, but the first impression is awesome. The darkness that surrounds it gives off the eerie feeling of the unknown.

A work that taught me something I don't know: Soon to come...

What I noticed about the contemporary and folk arts: Okay, here goes. From what I happened to notice, there seemed to be a lot more materials used in folk art that one could get easily, like at a department store. Howard Finster's work 'MyFather's House are Many Mansions #4,392' uses a bunch of plastic toys, for instance. There was another work that seemed to use a lot of rhinstones and beads glued to make a person (will put up the name and artist to this if I can find it, by the way.) The folk art also seemed to indulge heavily in religious themes and surges of abstract and uncontained inspiration, such as Hallelujah Gate (another artist I can't remember) and Dial's 'Heckyll and Jeckyll: Pleasure for the People.' The contemporary art on the other hand seemed a lot more refined, some using oils that would be bought at an art shop that would be specifically more for that. Using mirrors like in Richter's '11-Scheiben' and other such materials also seemed to relate more to the industrial world rather than the world at home.

The most meaningful part of the trip: Soon to come~

I'm Having Another Catharsis

Night

In the velvety darkness

The stars twinkle and shine

Like hundreds of diamonds

Around a gold crescent moon

Magic fills the air

Mystery tingles every nerve in the body

Unlike

The bustling day

Some people sleep

Some people do not

Admiring the night

And the quietness

Within

Behold the magic

Of the night

And listen

To its song

I'm having a Catharsis

Color of Autumn

Color in the trees

On every single leaf

Red, gold, orange

Fluttering by

Soaring like faeries

In the wind

Young

But ancient

Like the sunset and sunrise

Glowing like fire in every heart

Signaling to every ghostly spirit of nature

To a new beginning

Art and Human Psyche

While not a visual art, I do dub this as a literary art that plays well on the human psyche. This book is called 'Death Note-Another Note: LABB Murder Cases.' With its twists and turns, it causes a person to question their own mind and their sense of semiotics, and gives some insight into a rather dangerous mind...

Art and Human Nature

For art and human nature, I chose a painting of an infant. If human nature is the basic makeup of a human being, how much closer could one be than to a newborn child?

The painting was found here, done by Jennifer Branch.

Art and Human Behavior

This is a ceremony over in Japan known as the tea ceremony. As well as being a ceremony, it is also practiced as a sort of art form. I believe this works well in explaining how human behavior can correlate with art, as the tea ceremony upholds the elements that tend to influence the culture of everyday life in Japan: politeness, courtesy, grace, and humbleness.

Art and the Human Condition

This movie is Baraka, a meditative movie that reveals the world, cultures, and people to music. With the scenes throughout, it moves the emotions and creates a powerful piece of art overall. Showing the people from various countries doing the rituals and participating in every day life, I believe that this portrays the human condition very well.

Art and the Human Struggle

This is a song by the Cranberries that I particularly like called 'Zombie', and I think it suits the theme of the human struggle very well. Not only the song emphasizes it, but the video as well, with pieces of symbolism and powerful scenes throughout. It is an anti-war song primarily about the revolution over in Ireland.

Hey! Meet this Artist I Know.

The artist I decided to interview was my dad, Tom Thomason. He's very artistic with his photography, and while it isn't my own primary form of art, I've always looked up to him and tried to follow in his footsteps when it comes to that field. So here is the interview I had with him.

Me: So, starting off with a somewhat general question... What is photography to you?

Tom: It's a way to keep my memories alive and to share my experiences with others.

Me: When did you take up an interest in photography?

Tom: When I began traveling a lot in my job (1986) and seeing more of the world.

Me: Was there anyone or anything that got you interested in photography?

Tom: As I stated earlier, traveling to new places and seeing new sights gave me a desire to capture these images and to begin experimenting with different techniques to bring these images to life.

Me: Did you get any professional training in photography, like a class, or is it something self-learned and self-trained?

Tom: I got some assistance from my brother who is a professional photographer. He taught me the basics of 35mm camera usage such as usage of f-stops, shutter speeds, film speeds and the general use of lighting along with some creative tips such as the use of filters. Then I basically self taught myself the creative aspects of using various filters and different camera settings to enhance the visual effects of the shot.

Me: What inspires your photography?

Tom: Mostly the beauty in nature; waterfalls, flowers, mountain vistas ( I once shot nearly 200 pictures of nothing but tulips, trying to capture their beauty). Also, I enjoy making scenic memories of my travels, especially the historic sites in Europe. As you can see, most of my work is scenic photography with little emphasis on people.

Me: Do you have any particularly favorite photographers or influences for your work?

Tom: As with most people who have an interest in photography, Ansel Adams did inspired work with scenic photography.

Me: What materials do you use?

Tom: I use my old manual Minolta 35mm camera and various Cokin filters. I prefer to try to create my images in the field rather than photoshop digital images.

Me: Have you ever tried making money off of your art? Were you successful?

Tom: Mostly my photography is for myself but I have had minimal success selling some work at craft fairs and to friends.

Me: Have you ever entered (or won) any contests with your art?

Tom: I entered a contest once at a photography store but I didn't win anything.

Me: What are some of your favorite subjects for your photography?

Tom: Scenic views - waterfalls, flowers, mountain vistas, seascapes. Architecture - historic buildings, bridges, lighthouses.

Me: Where are some of your favorite places for your photography?

Tom: The outdoors - National Parks, mountains, coasts (especially the Pacific Northwest), flower gardens, historic sites.

And following that are a few of the favorite pictures he's taken:

Dreamscape, Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands















Grand Canal, Venice















Mirror Lake, Mt. Rainier, Washington















Tulips, Keukenhof Gardens, Netherlands















Sol Duc Falls, Olympic Peninsula, Washington

Poetry Slam! (Ouch?)

Alright, so...this isn't how I normally write poetry, but we're learning a new form of writing poems in Professor Fraser's English class. So I finally decided to take a shot.

Evil dust! Are my first thoughts as I

step outside. Cringing

at the sheet of pale yellow

covering anywhere and everywhere it can

reach. Hesitant and reluctant to touch-

like sentencing one's flesh to acid-I

pull open the dusty door and hide in

the shelter of the car.

Welcome to spring, my precursor to hell.

Sorry if it seems so negative, but these are the thoughts I tend to have every year when spring and summer comes around. I don't like summer here in Georgia. It's hot, and I can't stand heat, and spring is when it begins to warm up. Plus, I have a mild allergy to the pollen that happens to be everywhere...and well, let's just say that these two particular seasons tend to be downright miserable for me. Since spring signals the coming of summer (practically hell on earth temperature-wise for me), I tend to label it a precursor to hell.

Fall and winter-rock on.

Right Brain vs. Left Brain

Right brain vs. left brain-supposedly the left side of the brain is the more analytical and logical side, while the right side of the brain is more random and artistic. I wasn't entirely sure what to do for assignment, but while I was searching, I found a quiz to test out which side is more dominant. It's a little iffy for me, since the options for every question are yes and no with no 'maybe' or 'sometimes.' But I can't say I disagree with the results. 

Right side of the brain for the win.

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (9) Right Brain Dominance: (12) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Free Post

A free post? Oh boy... What to write about?

Meh, I suppose I could do some shameless self-advertising. Since I just put something new up, it's the first thing that comes to mind, and I've been desiring some feedback and constructive criticism on my stuff for a while...

I'll be honest: I draw a lot.  In class, at home...everywhere. Not only is it something that I love to do, it helps my ADD mind pay attention to whatever is going on when my hands are moving. So here are some of the finished products of my work at my deviantart account, Bridget-McTavish.

And I suppose I'll put my latest work up on here for a preview. ^^; Hope you pay me a visit!

Fashion as Art

For the fashion I chose, I decided on one of my personal favorites, the kimono. The kimono is a traditional form of clothing from Japan, and while it used to be worn daily, it's now mainly reserved for special occasions and festivals. There are particular details about various sorts of kimonos, and if worn the wrong way, well...you could certainly be sending the wrong signals. For instance, the kimono itself is like a robe. However, it is important to put the kimono on left over right. Putting a kimono on right over left is how one would dress a corpse. Also, the sleeves are another detail. Kimonos with long, flowing sleeves-as seen in the right picture-are often worn by children and unmarried women. Men and married women usually wear sleeves that are much shorter, such as the sleeves shown in the left picture. The large sash worn with the female kimono is known as the 'obi' and can tend to consist of three separate pieces. It is also extremely long, however, it can can be tied artistically in various different ways-a rose knot, a butterfly knot, ect. As seen on the left, men's kimonos tend to be a bit lighter, often known as yukatas, and often are worn with a haori (a type of jacket.)

One of the main reasons I love the kimono fashion however is how artistic the designs often are. From elegant landscapes to animals to flowers and fans, these are normally decorating the kimono in very lovely styles. The rich colors often used adds to the overall design further, creating a masterpiece of fabric.

I personally love the design of the yukata on the left, since it has the pieces of the ancient strategical game of shougi as decoration.

Diorama Drama Commentary

The diorama I gravitated to was Beth's. The message sent in this diorama is the importance of recycling, and shows a good comparison to what we should strive for and what could possibly be our doom. It's an issue that I've always tended to feel strongly about, as I've been more or less raised as an environmentalist.

This Film is Art

This is Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal, a movie by Nobuhiro Watsuki. While it is fiction, it is also historical, educating the viewers on the Meiji Revolution of the 1860's in Japan, which is also known as the Bakumatsu. Even detailed elements such as the Shinsengumi and some of the characters-such as Hajime Saitou and Souji Okita-added in this piece are historically accurate to the point of being almost eerie.

I believe that this movie is art in more ways than one. To start out, the animation and design is stunning, with some points being so realistically detailed that I wonder if actual video footage had been slipped in. The scenes of action-while a bit bloody-are well-animated. The symbolism throughout the work is well-placed, and it seems that nothing in the piece goes unused. The characters are also well-developed, making it easy for the viewer to sympathize with their own individual positions.

As for the storyline itself, most of the history it follows is-again-extremely accurate. It follows the life of a teenage assassin for the Inshin Shishi-the revolutionaries of the Bakumatsu-named Kenshin Himura, and how the bloodshed and his own profession takes a toll on his mind and tears his life asunder. It is a dramatic and psychological work, reflecting the horrors of war and its psychological effects. At the same time, it also has a romantic side of forbidden love. In short, this is definitely a movie that I would recommend-otaku or not.

This is Me (For Forever)

Well, this is me. Er...this is me dressed up in my Cissnei cosplay to Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis and Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core after the first day of Momocon. But I find it a fitting enough picture. I'm an otaku/gamer that loves to cosplay, roleplay, and write and draw what I love. Therefore, this self-portrait I believe sums up what makes up me.

Graffiti Beat

Here's a little piece of graffiti that my friends and I found when searching for a place for dinner after Momocon. I can't remember the exact address to the area, but it was only a few blocks away from the convention, which happened to be at the Georgia Tech student center. I thought it was an interesting piece of art. Yes, art. While I'm not entirely sure of the message being sent by this (although the caricature's expression seems to almost convey a sense of rebellion), it does probably mean something to the artist. Sure, it's on a wall and probably violating one's property, but it's still an expression of the artist's self. And that's what makes it art.

The Art of this Culture

The culture I chose is otaku culture. Otaku culture-especially in the west-mainly surrounds the hobbies of anime, manga, and video games, and along with it, a branched fascination with Asian (primarily Japanese) culture. So of course, this culture wouldn't even exist without the art it praises.

Anime and manga itself are Japanese animation and graphic novels, dating back to 1917. They cover a wide variety of interests, from fighting to gardening to history, fiction and nonfiction. Storyline-wise, many tend to be fairly mature, dealing with murder, ghosts, romance, war, and so on, though some are directed towards children. Animated and drawn, the style is commonly associated with an emphasis placed on the eyes-partially because of the Japanese belief that emotion and character lie in the eyes themselves. Larger eyes often used are also attribute to the Japanese culture it spawns from, partially in relation to their 'kawaii' aspects in culture.

Here is a video of some of the art from this culture. Some of my own personal favorites in the video are from Naruto, Death Note, Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, Ghost in the Shell, Yu Yu Hakusho, Trigun, and Fullmetal Alchemist.

I Love this Piece of Architecture

Okay. I'll admit-I have a bit of a weakness for the Ludwig castles. Apparently I've been to this place, but I can't remember-I was only a couple years old at the time.

Right. About the castle.

This is Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, close to the town of Hohenschwangau. Its name translates to 'New Swan Stone Palace.' It was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat for his muse Richard Wagner, with construction starting on September 5th, 1869. The castle's lead architects were Christian Jank, Eduard Riedel, and Georg Dollmann in the Neo-Romanticism style. However, it was never fully completed as Ludwig II was arrested and declared insane, then soon after found dead from drowning along with the psychiatrist that certified him.

Since then, this castle is one of the most frequently-visited buildings in Germany by tourists, and has been shown in several movies along with being the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's Castle in both Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland. Personally, along with the architecture itself, I believe it beautifully fits into the nature of the mountain and the landscape overall.

Favorite Artist-Edgar Degas

Alright, so it was a tie between Cassat and Degas, and eventually I decided on Degas. Edgar Degas was an impressionist painter who was born in Paris, France on July 19th, 1834. By his early life, he had begun painting seriously, though under his father's wishes he attended law school. Without much motivation at law school, he eagerly accepted admission into Ecole des Beaux-Arts and flourished while studying drawing with Louis Lamothe. He traveled to Italy in July 1856 for three years, drawing and painting copies of Michaelangelo, Raphael, Titian, and other artists if the Renissance, usually selecting an individual head for a portrait. During this time, he studied and became accomplished with techiniques involving high, academic, and classical art.

Upon return to France in 1859, he began copying paintings at the Louvre, and presented exhibits anually in the Salon for the next five years. His art began to incline more towards contemporary subject matter, which was especially influenced by Edouard Manet, whom he had met in the Louvre. In 1870, he joined the National Guard during the time of the Franco-Prussian War. After the war in 1872, he began an extended stay in New Orleans, Louisiana and produced more art, many of them consisting of family members and daily life for subject matter. When he returned to Paris in 1873 and became dependant on his artwork for income, he joined a new independent group of artists whom had been labeled the Impressionists. However, he had little in common with the others-not being a landscape painter and not painting outside, for instance-and eventually contributed to the break-up of the group.

Taking up photography and pastel, he is well-known for his works involving dancers and nudes. During his last years of life, which were sad and lonley, he was forced to stop his art due to near-blindness. He outlived many of his friends at an age of 83, eventually dying on September 27th, 1917.

Second Bit of Art on Youtube

Being a cosplayer (for those who are unfamiliar with the term, see the Momocon post below), I can honestly say that for those that make their own costumes, the whole thing is an art project in itself. All of the sewing and makeup and prop-building...it tends to be very similar to costume design in theater. This girl gives a look into that with this makeup tutorial for the Kingdom Hearts character, Axel. All of the detail, varying colors and shades-it's like a painting on a facial canvas.

First Bit of Art on Youtube

This is a video that one of my friends recommended to me after it inspired her to do some pieces of her own. Using some spray paint and some pieces of newspaper (and maybe an extra prop or two), you can get some amazing results in a short amount of time. So long as you can handle the fumes from the paint, I've been told that this is definitely a good form of art for one to look into if they're interested in creating something while on a tight schedule.

Dance

This is a traditional form of Japanese dance, which is derived from the dance 'Bon Odori.' It is a dance created to welcome the spirits of the dead. They tend to vary with every region in Japan with different music, but usually involves gathering around a yagura (a high wooden building made for for a Japanese festival. Sometimes the dance describes the region's history, using certain movements together that represent the past, such as a mining or weaving. Sometimes fans, small towels, and/or small wooden clappers are used as props.

This dance is typically performed during the Odon festival every summer, which is a Buddhist festival that commemorates one's ancestors.