The Museum Experience

What makes a good experience in a museum? Is it seeing a special exhibit that you've been planning to see for weeks in advance? Is it seeing something unexpected or new? Or is it viewing the work of an artist you have studied before and you become reacquainted with an old friend? I had the opportunity to visit two, yes TWO art museums in one weekend, and let me tell you, each experience was unique in many ways- so I thought why not pass along what insights I've gained into the making of a great experience in an art museum. 

Flint Institute of Arts:
 Me under/in an old Medieval/Renaissance Fireplace
Have fun with your visit, document when possible!

Examine works closely, consider all angles!

          The two museums that I visited with some friends were the Flint Institute of the Arts and the Detroit Institute of Art. They are very different in size, as one is a university museum and the other is a large city institution, so the number of visitors each had also differed, I'm sure you can guess which had more! I did go with two friends who are also art obsessed, which helped to create positive engaging visits since we could bounce feelings, thoughts, and questions off one another. One thing I did very little of before my visits was research on the collections/exhibitions. Sometimes I make a museum visit because of a particular show that they have or because I know they have certain objects in their collection, but in this case my visit was decided because I was in the area and it was a convenient weekend to go. 

Museum Selfies are important!

In my time as a museum go-er, there are a few things you must consider as you begin your visit. Do you have to do every single suggestion on the list, no. But you owe it to yourself to participate in your visit, it is the only way you can 'get' anything out of your visit. What if you don't want to get anything out of the visit, what if you just want to look, walk and enjoy the environment? Well you can do that too, but at least consider these tips for having a fun day at the art museum! DISCLAIMER: Everyone is an individual and therefore their experience depends on their own likes and dislikes. I happen to love going to museums, art or otherwise, so my experience is unique and yours will be too!

1. What is your limit? In other words, know how long it takes before you reach the point where you can't stand another minute or you need to put food in your tummy. Also, consider whether you will dine in the museum at their cafe or if you have to find food once you leave. This always drastically effects my experience in the galleries.

2. Talk to the people you are going with, find out what they want to see, what you want to see and what you both can do without to maximize your experience without minimizing your enjoyment.

3. Ask questions! Whether you are in conversation with yourself, a gallery guard, or your friend- talk about what you are seeing. Figure out why you like it or don't like it! Don't just walk by say eh and be done with it.

4. Look. This takes more than 3 seconds. Let your eye glide over the work of art, consider the text that is written if you like, look at the fine details. Examine all possible views or angles! In other words, really see the work of art rather than just notice it and continue walking.

5. If you enjoy a work of art- get excited by it! If it is something you are surprised to see or find it particularly pleasing to the eye- let someone know. Appreciating art and having an experience with it doesn't have to be an internal process that you keep to yourself. One of the most contagious things in an art museum is people getting excited about art!

6. Take notes! If there is a piece that has you intrigue and you want to know more, write down the title and name of the artist. Your learning doesn't have to end when you leave the museum, find out more when you go home.

Expect the unexpected!
Get excited when you see something cool!

Art Appreciation at its finest!

Become an artist yourself!
 If photos are allowed, take them-
they will create lasting memories!

Go with friends who challenge you and your views on art-
it will be highly rewarding!

The experience you may have in a museum is one that has been thought out, planned, and hoped for by many museum professionals, but the experience only exists once you take part. So, within this post are some helpful hints, tips, and examples of how to make the most out of your trip to an art museum. Take them or leave them, but know this,  these museums I visited were very different in size, type of collection, location, etcetera, and the experience I had in each was very different, but in the end they were exciting, fulfilling and inspiring visits. Does this happen for me every time I visit an art museum? No. But do I leave seeing the world a little bit differently than I did before? Sure. I leave with more knowledge, more curiosity, and a greater sense of where I stand in the world I live in.  Seems like no matter what, I get out of a visit what I put into it.

Ahh Monet, how I love thee! So far I have seen 38!

Art Appreciation 101

My belief is that anyone can appreciate art. To me it doesn't matter if you have mastered stick people or make 8 foot oil portraits. Nor does your profession, age, or education level keep you from developing this skill.

Over the years several people have asked me, "Why do you like art history?" (Most of these being students.) Art Appreciation is a great class to teach, it gives me the opportunity to show my students why out of all my choices, I choose to specialize in art history. You might wonder what I tell my students, it goes a little something like this:

I like art history because it's subjective. Everyone can have a different opinion and that's ok! I strongly encourage opinions, the more the merrier. Textbooks are vast wells of knowledge, nonetheless they do not poses the only interpretations.

Then I give an example to help illustrate my point: Math has always been a difficult subject for me. Having those basic skills like adding in your head, knowing how to move decimal points and long division all prove important for daily life. However, I always felt that math put me in a box, right or wrong, answer or no answer, understanding or confusion.

Art history is no cake walk, but it is more than reaching the right conclusion or plugging numbers into a formula. The history is just as important as the art. Knowing the facts behind the artist's motivation are as significant as analyzing the colors used. Context, the social climate, the economy, the artist's background are all aspects to be studied in addition to the formal analysis of the piece.

I do not expect my students to fall madly in love with art after taking my class. Not only is that totally unrealistic, it's the opposite of my goal. I want students to be more open to artwork. I want them to look at a work of art, to discover what draws them in or why they dislike it. To instead of glancing and deciding they have no interest, to instead take 30 seconds and give it a second look. Then reading the wall text for further information, and you guessed it, to look once more.

This clip summarizes my teaching philosophy towards art appreciation and by extension art history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHCUoDf7KGA

Do me a favor, watch this video.                                                                                            ~Samantha

A Little Art with your Hotel?

How would you like to stay in a place where each room is a little different? Gone are the generic prints or canvases framed on the walls in each and every room, and environments that are interchangeable, you could be in Columbus or Chicago but you wouldn't know the difference just looking at the walls in your hotel. At 21c Museum Hotels, a new brand of boutique lodging, you not only have a comfortable room in a prime location, but the unique experience where museum and hotel merge into one.

21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati
(image credited to http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com)

I recently had the pleasure of visiting one of the 21c Museum Hotels in Cincinnati, not as a guest, but as a visitor to the museum, which is open to the public.  It's in the perfect location, right next to the Contemporary Arts Center and across the street from the Arnoff Center. The museum is made up of two floors of gallery space that is filled with ever-changing exhibitions. I was pleasantly surprised to find a mix of artists I recognized and some I didn't, art I liked and some I didn't. Their current exhibition is entitled Hybridity: The New Frontier, which explores the evolution of species and spaces. There are also a number of works that are apart of the Museum's permanent collection. Currently, there are three locations for these fabulous accommodations: Cincinnati, Louisville, and Bentonville, with more locations opening up across the south. 

Some may say that it will never last or its simply the new 'next best thing', but looking a little deeper at the company one finds at its heart good intentions that are being realized. Its founders are trying "to create both an economic driver for the community and an oasis where art challenges and amuses, stimulates conversation and provokes new ideas." They are promoting contemporary 21st century artists in a venue that embodies the century it was created in. So many places, small town and large city alike, are attempting to reinvigorate their downtown areas and with lodgings like this, it becomes a destination all on its own. So next time you are in Cincinnati, Louisville, or Bentonville and you are looking for a place to stay or a small museum to visit, check out 21c for an inspiring experience. 

~Caitlin 

First Post: Inspiration

"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."~ Pablo Picasso.

          Inspiration exists....an interesting thought to ponder. Often, we view that the other way around, that we must constantly seek inspiration, almost having to create it ourselves. Instead, Picasso offers us a new solution. Inspiration is a gift, nay a reward for the determined. Those who work hard will be rewarded with a never ending supply of ideas and simulation. This coming from a man who hated working from life and preferred instead to let his imagination run wild. I personally find it refreshing. What is so unique about artists that they seem to never run out of stimulation? Why do they have this ability? Could it be as simple as taking the time to look...? Yes, I believe it is. Everyone can be an artist. Everyone can be and is creative. Just like art has no set media or parameters, the same applies to the driving force behind it, not to mention the end product. Inspiration is attainable for all who seek it. The act of seeking is all that is required. ~Samantha

What we are all about...

Art and Life. These two things go hand in hand and often it's hard to have one without the other. This is one thing we have come to learn and embrace over the years, for in some way, art infiltrates our lives making the world a better place to live in, whether through music, literature, film, dance or what people usually think of as art, i.e. painting, sculpture, & photography. Art touches us all in some way and what we hope to do is to highlight that connection by sharing our own experiences, thoughts, and feelings about art and the beauty it can bring to the everyday. 

So often we fail to see the beauty that surrounds us, dismiss the opportunities we have to create new connections or relationships through art, and go through life, day after day, focusing only on what brings us stress or dampens our spirit. We hope that through sharing our insights, experiences, and encounters with art, that maybe little by little... you too can begin to appreciate the beauty that all of life has to offer.  


                                                 ~Caitlin & Samantha

Color: Hook, Line & Sinker

Do you ever wonder why you like the things you do?

What is it that makes the hardback Pride & Prejudice your favorite copy? Is it the cover art? The fact that it’s hardback and not paperback? Or maybe because it’s your favorite Jane Austen story?

This same line of questioning can be applied to your taste in art. Similar to your favorite book or outfit, we are drawn to certain qualities. These qualities are what we look for and admire in an artwork, we judge based on the presence or lack within the piece before us.

One way to go about discovering what draws you in, what you look for, and what you want is by following The Elements of Art:

-Line

-Shape

-Texture

-Space

-Color

Although, there is no universal list of elements, these 5 are the foundation. By zeroing in on one, you may discover what pleases your eye, what you find aesthetically pleasing. For me it’s color. Bold, vibrant colors are the first thing to catch my eye. I do enjoy black and white pieces from photography to drawing, but my favorite element is by far color.

Let’s break it down further. Color is the rainbow, or the visible light spectrum, including black and white. We can then isolate color schemes, such as:

-Primary colors (red, yellow, blue)

-Secondary colors (orange, green, violet)

-Warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows)

-Cool colors (greens, blues, and violet)

-Complementary (blue & orange, red & green, yellow & violet) 

Having this background information will help you determine which color scheme suits your style. Handy for selecting galleries, to visits in a museum, for selecting accessories to match with your favorite party dress, to picking paint colors for your kitchen. With our knowledge of the element of color, we can go on to discuss one art movement that was obsessed with color: Impressionism.

Starting in Paris, this group of artists began working in the 1860's. Japanese prints were a huge stylist influence, from the flatting of space, to the focus on nature.

Ando Hiroshige, Moon Pine at Ueno from One Hundred Views
of Famous Places in Edo, 1857. Color woodcut.

The Impressionists preferred landscapes, cityscapes, and leisure activities for their subjects. Working outdoors "en plein air," was ideal for capturing the changes in natural light. Color and light were the two main objectives of this movement, shifting away from the realistic renderings of Realism. Heavy brushwork and lots of texture are surface characteristics of this style.

Edgar Degas, is a well known French Impressionist. He fits into the group stylistically, but he did differ in some ways. First, he favored pastels over oil paint. Second, he had different motifs, like animals (particularly horses).

 

Edgar Degas, The Jockey, 1889. Pastel on paper.

Another theme was dancers. Both animals and  dancers captured the idea of motion. Degas was interested in photography and the way the camera could capture a moment of time. He was often seen at local ballets, sketching during practices, in addition to before and after performances. Always working from life. He was a visual artist who used performance art as his subject. When looking at these drawings, you feel transported to the ballet, as though you are on stage.

These depictions of dancers are my favorite of Degas' work. He was not focusing on the dancers themselves, their personalities, or their costumes, but rather on the act of dancing itself. We feel the spins, the turns, the twists of the dancers and the soft strains of the music in the background. Here, our subject is three female ballet dancers. Two figures are facing in our direction and the one in the background is looking to the left. The arms of the dancers lead our eye around the composition. The figure in the foreground is front and center, emphasizing her importance. The background is just color, helping to flatten the space and refocus our view to the dancers. Look at the color. 

Edgar Degas, The Dancers, 1899. Pastel on paper.

Degas uses several color schemes. The figure on the left is outfitted in cool colors like: dark and sky blue, kelly green and hints of lilac. Our main dancer shows off a bright orange and yellow top that fades into a green, blue and orange skirt. In addition to the clothing, the faces work the complementary color scheme as well. The bright blue strengthens the orange brightening the entire composition. Although, it looks hurried and rushed because of the broad lines and blurred texture, this was a labor of love. The same can be said of all Impressionist works. Please do me a favor, if you ever get the opportunity to see a Degas work in person, go for it! You will not regret the experience. This photo gives us a good idea of the animated color scheme, but nothing can compare to seeing with your own eyes.

Armed with your new knowledge about The Elements on Art, see if you can isolate one that you favor above the others. Is there one more important to you? What do you look for in a work of art? What is your favorite attribute? This week I challenge you to uncover your favorite element, and remember, "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."- Edgar Degas

                                                                                                                                                                      ~Samantha

A Little Bit Local...

I decided to branch out and check out the art scene in Lima, Ohio. This past week I visited the local gallery, ArtSpace/Lima, to view the Lima Area Watercolor Society's first annual juried watercolor exhibit. There was a wide variety of works selected for the show that ranged in subject matter, style, and size, but the one thing that was clear across the board is that all the works demonstrated the beauty that is inherent in the medium. I am inspired to see artists utilizing both more traditional techniques and subjects, while at the same time experimentation within the genre can clearly be seen in the artists' handling of the medium and new views being depicted. The only drawback that I could find with this exhibition of work is that there was no information about the artist's that were represented in the show, and that is information I love to see for it offers a multifaceted experience for the visitor.

Two beautiful examples of the range of watercolors found at ArtSpace/Lima

Mary Lou Shepp, Venetian Seascape

I was drawn to this piece by Annabelle Vandemark titled Country House. Though the subject matter of a country landscape is somewhat typical coming from an artist in rural northwest Ohio, it is completed in an edgy, modern style that adds interest and depth to the piece. At first glance, you see a quaint picture featuring a house with a bright red roof and dilapidated looking fence. However, on a closer examination, the process of the artist emerges. She creatively uses the white space of the ground on which she applies the paint to create the clouds and road that finishes off the composition. It creates a simple and clean piece. The use of black was quite surprising. Sparse but effective. Bold but not overpowering. The artist's work clearly shows her thoughtful process and color selection when one takes the time to simply look.

Annabelle Vandemark, Country House

Until next time, look, experience, and see!

~Caitlin