Thread for the Fine Arts of painting, sculpture, and other interesting mediums!

At an exhibition of Chinese art once years ago, I noticed this -- the ancient art had a certain style ... I don't know it, but what you think of when you think of Chinese art, like the murals at PF Chang or those terracotta soldiers. Then the art after the People's Revolution, it was totally different! The sculptures of people were much more robust and lifelike, and you could tell they were workers! It was quite an odd and abrupt change in styles, and not for the good in my opinion.

On my first trip to Russia, I was in my 20's and not at all familiar with Russia -- the trip was a lark. In that famous marketplace ... I want to say Arbat Square? ... I first enountered the small lacquer boxes which Russians handpaint with scenes from folk tales. They were small, so I bought several for souvenirs for folks at home, and had no idea they were actually a true collectible.

The tiny paintings on the boxes are so detailed, you have to examine them through a magnifying glass and you can see the fine work -- sometimes their "paint brush" is just one strand of hair! They are amazing.

My greatest regret from that visit is not buying for myself the one I wanted: the box had been molded like a scallopped shell, and the scene was of a mermaid. It was a little bigger than the others, and far lovelier. The artist wanted 300 US dollars for it, which was far more than the others I had bought, far, far more!

My office had sent with me a lot of cash, so I could have bought it (and paid the office back of course!) but I just couldn't see spending that. What a mistake! I never saw another box so perfectly suited to me, with a green and blue and silver mermaid.
 

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It's hard to be sure from so small an image, but the box you display may be depicting the beloved Russian legend of Prince Ivan and the Quest for the Firebird. One cool thing about this folktale is that it features a talking wolf AS A GOOD GUY. This wolf, in fact, is Prince Ivan's guide and protector, getting him out of danger more than once.
 
I started getting into art at the age of 19 while taking the required humanities courses in college. I took Greek and Roman and found myself really interested in the art aspect of the course. Then I took Renaissance and Baroque humanities and that really opened up my eyes into the world of art. I knew of Michelangelo and Leonardo before, just that one of them painted the Sistine Chapel and the other one did the famous Last Supper. Before then my knowledge of what the Sistine Chapel looked like was before they its big restoration project. And to me to colors featured on it until then was what embodied Renaissance art. Ha! Was I wrong!
Before then I was trying to finish all my prerequisites for my mortuary science major I was pursuing. If any of you met me in real life you would find me a bit quiet, serious, and sometimes aloof (depending on how uncomfortable I feel). Growing up I was all those things and rarely made any friends in school and college, barely went out and spent most of my time in my room. The more I learned about art the more I desired to see these works which meant I would have to actually go out, travel, interact with other people from a different culture who spoke a different language. Had I kept pursuing embalming I would have spent most of my time in a colorless, cold room with no one to interact with (the funeral director deals directly with the grieving family the majority of the time). I saw art as a window of opportunity to open up, to get out of my comfort box, and see more with my eyes (having spent the majority of my life looking down at the floor trying to avoid people).
Once done with my A.A. degree, I transfered to a 4-year university and started pursuing a B.A. in Art History. And I have to say, I LOVE it. I get art history withdrawals during my vacations from school. I start craving to learn more about art history. People often ask my what would I do with an ARH degree, but you know what? Let me worry about that later. I have much more learning to do. Obviously, I'll go on to grad school (hopefully in a year!) and I'll see what I'll do about it then :)

And to all you Christian artists out there, I highly encourage you to give art back to the people no matter what medium you work in. Art is for the people. Unfortunately, the liberal elite have taken that away from the public, making it solely for them and those who think like them.

P.S. I'm obsessed with Michelangelo :p

P.S. #2 I have a question about Stonehenge. I'll post about it later. I finally have a day off! :D
 
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TIFF ! ! ! ! ! ! !


What is the MEANING of this, young lady? Are you so crassly presumptious as to ruin the perfectly melancholy mood of a thread being barely kept alive, by charging in like the cavalry with such a lively infusion of interest and stimulation? Are you so gauche as to think the people should ENJOY artistic things?? Garn, that is SO confoundedly democratic-in-the-best-small-D-sense of you--I'm deliciously outraged! To think that such wholesomely beneficial use of intellectual and aesthetic talents is being FOISTED upon us--and by a woman so devastatingly beautiful that the popular non-culture would relegate her to airhead roles!

This provocation, this gauntlet flung into the face of apathy and shallow dullness, must be angrily and vengefully celebrated!! You want art that's for the people? Ha ha, I'll show you an art which is indeed for the people--transferring here, for one post anyway, the art of Affectionate Fighting!! Brace yourself to be pitilessly, remorselessly liked and applauded!!!

You insufferably wonderful young woman, I shoot you with virtual water pistols! I hurl imitation boulders made of styrofoam that bounce off your head! I make ridiculous faces at you! I blow the wrappers of soda straws at you! I toss nerf-balls at you! I make _more_ ridiculous faces! (I wish you could see "the lizard;" it's a truly silly expression which my actress sister Ricki learned in an acting class long ago and taught to the rest of the Ravitts siblings.) I blow virtual soap bubbles at you! And I fling in your direction the fervent hope that, as long as God will permit it, you will ALWAYS be here to inspire us and brighten our forum time!!

There! You have just been put in your place, young lady--your place being in the high esteem of myself and others!
 
Since Miss Narvaez has not responded so far to my opposite-of-character-assassination, let me now try proactively to counter anyone's inference that I _only_ value this thread because I appreciate the personal qualities of Miss Narvaez as an individual. (Goodness, can't have anyone thinking that old Copperfox is _human!_)

I actually do read stuff about the concepts of art and beauty. Is anyone here familiar with a magazine called "Touchstone," published by the Fellowship of Saint James in Chicago? Artistic subjects are not foreign to this periodical's pages. In the June 2008 issue, on page 6, they have an excellent letter by one Peter Leithart (don't ask me how his last name is pronounced), refuting the notion that beauty is _entirely_ a matter of subjective emotions. He says that beauty is aggressive, that "We don't grip, but are gripped by [it]."
 
Copperfox said:
Since Miss Narvaez has not responded so far to my opposite-of-character-assassination, let me now try proactively to counter anyone's inference that I _only_ value this thread because I appreciate the personal qualities of Miss Narvaez as an individual. (Goodness, can't have anyone thinking that old Copperfox is _human!_)
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I'm here! I'm here! CF, how dare you lift up my hopes and spirits the way you did in that last post! And *speaks in the voice of Tilda Swinston in LWW* HOW DARE YOU shoot me with virtual water pistols after having done my hair on a fine Sunday morning! (Did I get the hang of it? Did I?) :p

I actually do read stuff about the concepts of art and beauty. Is anyone here familiar with a magazine called "Touchstone," published by the Fellowship of Saint James in Chicago? Artistic subjects are not foreign to this periodical's pages. In the June 2008 issue, on page 6, they have an excellent letter by one Peter Leithart (don't ask me how his last name is pronounced), refuting the notion that beauty is _entirely_ a matter of subjective emotions. He says that beauty is aggressive, that "We don't grip, but are gripped by [it].
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I like that last sentence. I would love to read Mr. Leithart's letter that was featured. I got my current issue of ARTnews over the mail the other day and the headlining article on it was "Shock Art: How Far is too Far?" The article didn't provide a clear answer, and most of the artists and critics interviewed sided with the artists that took their art way too far providing cheap excuses on their behalf. What bothers me the most is that the majority of the arts that is commissioned and displayed in museums (unless they are private) are done with the taxpayer's money! I doubt any sane and educated (well, unless not done by a crazy 60's liberal professor) person would be happy to find out that a work of art featuring human feces (Santiago Sierra's "Anthropometric Modules" ) was commissioned with their money.

Sorry if I seem to be angry with today's art. :o
 
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You're starting to pick up the kung-fu of competing compliments, O peerless princess of professors. Just remember not to confuse play-anger at me with righteous anger against the perversion of art.

Speaking of anger, do you remember my posting something about Franky Schaeffer having written about art issues? Unfortunately, the same issue of "Touchstone" that I mentioned also carries a review of the younger Schaeffer's book, "Crazy for God;" and the review reports that the Christian philosopher's son has turned bitter, cynical, even slanderous and foul-mouthed.
 
Copperfox said:
You're starting to pick up the kung-fu of competing compliments, O peerless princess of professors. Just remember not to confuse play-anger at me with righteous anger against the perversion of art.

Haha don't worry, I won't confuse play anger with the perfersion of art :p
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Speaking of anger, do you remember my posting something about Franky Schaeffer having written about art issues? Unfortunately, the same issue of "Touchstone" that I mentioned also carries a review of the younger Schaeffer's book, "Crazy for God;" and the review reports that the Christian philosopher's son has turned bitter, cynical, even slanderous and foul-mouthed.
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I tried looking back to see if I can find the post but I didn't find anything (at least on this thread). If you can provide a link to the post I would love to. I always enjoy reading your posts on any of the threads lol
 
"Always enjoy reading my posts"--trying to catch the old flattery-master off guard with an unexpected compliment, eh? Nice try, beauteous one, but I'm ready for you. Try THIS--

Tiff, you marvellous creature, your presence here is a double-barrelled blessing! At one and the same time, you remind me happily of several rewarding past friendships, AND enthrall me with the never-boastful but always-impressive display of your own unique merits! Maybe you've heard the song "Showers of Blessing"? Well, that kind of shower is not _nearly_ enough non-punishment for your non-wicked, non-insulting conduct on this thread. You should be hit with a _hurricane_ of blessing, one that will yank you gently but insistently off your feet and carry you to new heights of closeness to God and fellowship with all persons of goodwill. Then, once your feet are on the ground again, you should be _doomed_ to suffer the privilege of sharing with others all of the non-injurious, non-painful, non-destructive things I have wished upon you!

But, um, to answer your question: I seem to recall that there was a thread about the idea of beauty in the Socratic Club. If you can't find it, ask a Mod. Any Mod will doubtless make haste to assist you, for without a doubt they all know what I know, that you are such a priceless treasure to this forum that they need to try to keep you happy here!
 
* Chortling triumphantly * Ha ha, the Mods miss _their_ chance to butter you up, as I get there ahead of them! The "Beauty" thread IS still there in Socratic Club, near the bottom of the second page of listings. I haven't had time to search through it, but I'm _almost_ sure that this would be where I formerly remarked on Franky Schaeffer's art commentary.

===================================

UPDATE: Now I _can_ tell you: Post Number 83 on that thread is where I mentioned Franky Schaeffer. But it was only a very fleeting mention. Thinking about it now, I _believe_ that his book in question was titled "Addicted To Mediocrity," and that it was written _before_ Franky tragically went sour and went south. As you will see, most of what was written on that thread was about what _people_ look like....a department, of course, in which you can hold your head high in ANY company!
 
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Well, I'm here now. :D I got into art... wow, actually can't remember that one because it's been so long ago since my obsession started... and now I cannot live without it. The walls in my room are filled with my own paintings and the art of others. My father and I share a special love of the works from Salvador Dalí. I constantly think in terms of art, even though I have never been educated in it, and I tend to surprise myself by creating art out of things many people don't see art in. My current project revolves around a 'role model' collage I'm putting together in order to reward myself for successfully completing the goals my psychotherapist and I had set for myself.

My greatest love, however, lies within painting. I use acrylic paint, a lot of water, inexpensive paintbrushes, my own two hands and some very cheap canvases in order to create my art. :) I never know what I am going to paint beforehand and often experiment with colour on the canvas before I paint anything in particular, but somehow it always ends up looking wonderful. I'll leave you with one example of a painting I made for my soulsister and her boyfriend...
 

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SOLYA! In case for any reason Professor Tiff is not immediately available to perform disciplinary action, I shall intervene in her place to _punish_ you with ferociously warm appreciation for this _shockingly_ excellent contribution to the topic! The firing squad is lined up, to "shoot" you with applause and thanks for your intelligent words and your thoughtful provision of an example of your work. Be thankful that you got off so lightly this time; but I warn you, you had better NOT let this be the _last_ time you post on this thread...for it would be a "punishment" to the _rest_ of us to go without your valuable input!
 
*blushes* :o Thanks!

Actually, the art I showed above is not my usual style. The colours are the same as they always are, but I usually paint a more abstract whole than this. One work I am very proud of is the one I have attached to this post. :) I got the idea for it after a chat with my soulsister and it took me about two hours to create, but the experience itself was utterly wonderful. I slipped into the same old familiar trance while painting, and the result felt like the epitome of the relationship I have with that friend I posted about in the "Needless Partings" thread over at The Stone Table. Divided... him in the green/blue... me in the yellow/pink... but also together, in a swirl of colour... at least, that's how it still feels to me whenever I look at it. It's been a healing painting for me.
 

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For me, Solya, the cooler colors represent someone being calmer and more in control--not meaning that he or she DOESN'T HAVE emotions, but that he or she has mastery OVER them. I almost always dress in green or blue myself. If I may ask, did you choose warmer colors to symbolize yourself because you consider yourself to be more emotionally impulsive than the friend to whom you refer?
 
I actually didn't consciously pick the colours out. I never do when I start to paint something like this, because I know my mind would influence the painting if I did. I am highly affected by other people's emotions, though, and even though I have mastered my own I am prone to experiencing great highs and great lows emotionally. This friend, instead, chooses to work out everything through his mind. He shuts himself off from the outside world so he can maintain the control over the things he feels. Deep down inside of him, he's like a volcano waiting to erupt... but on the surface, he's every bit as calm and collected (and even aloof, though I can be aloof as well) as can be. However, I am definitely the more impulsive one and also the one whose love for the other sparks through everything else. He maintains a level of control at all times, which is often confusing for me because it feels like he cannot surrender to the things he feels as readily and easily as I do.
 
Without meaning to make more of this comparison than I should, the way you feel toward this man reminds me of the way my Mary was toward me before I quit waffling, got with God's program, and married her.
 
That's another lovely piece, Solya. I believe you said acrylics? Do you ever work in oils or water color? When our girls were younger and spent more time with us, I used to get them all different stuff to try, but oils were not a success around here! All three of us found acrylics much easier to work with, at that time.
 
Solya said:
*blushes* Thanks!

Actually, the art I showed above is not my usual style. The colours are the same as they always are, but I usually paint a more abstract whole than this. One work I am very proud of is the one I have attached to this post. :) I got the idea for it after a chat with my soulsister and it took me about two hours to create, but the experience itself was utterly wonderful. I slipped into the same old familiar trance while painting, and the result felt like the epitome of the relationship I have with that friend I posted about in the "Needless Partings" thread over at The Stone Table. Divided... him in the green/blue... me in the yellow/pink... but also together, in a swirl of colour... at least, that's how it still feels to me whenever I look at it. It's been a healing painting for me.
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Spoken like a true artist! Solya, It's great to have you on board! Glad to know that a fellow member is an artist. We'll be looking forward to hearing your personal inputs on this thread :D

And your views and techniques of creating a work, not to mention the colors, go along the lines of those who were part of the surrealist movement. I can see how someone like Salvador Dali has influenced you :)

Copperfox said:
SOLYA! In case for any reason Professor Tiff is not immediately available to perform disciplinary action, I shall intervene in her place to _punish_ you with ferociously warm appreciation for this _shockingly_ excellent contribution to the topic! The firing squad is lined up, to "shoot" you with applause and thanks for your intelligent words and your thoughtful provision of an example of your work. Be thankful that you got off so lightly this time; but I warn you, you had better NOT let this be the _last_ time you post on this thread...for it would be a "punishment" to the _rest_ of us to go without your valuable input!
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Ah! You beat me to it! :p
 
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