Titanic (Greatest Love Story Ever)

The movie I chose is my all-time favorite and probably always will be. The movie is called Titanic written and directed by James Cameron and was released December 1997. The movie was a success in my opinion; everyone I know has seen or owns the movie. The movie has an earned a worldwide gross of over 1.84 billion, and the movie has won 11 Oscars and the actors have won awards and nominations for their parts in the movie.  I was 5 when this movie came out and I LOVED the music on the soundtrack and had the HUGEST (still do) on Leonardo DiCaprio, also the love story that goes with it, and the fact that this was an actual ship that really sank. For a long time I thought this was a true story of a diary they found or something until I researched this movie for another project in 5^th grade and was amazed that it wasn’t. My favorite scenes are actually when the boat is coming to life. There’s scenes where the boat is in its actual state under water and slowly starts coming to life into what it used to look like or what the people who made the set made it look like so that’s the example I chose for the transitions in scenes. Also the opening scene shows actual images of people waving goodbye to go on this voyage with out a care in the world because they were aboard the unsinkable ship.

There is alot of symbolism in this movie if you look it up online one of them is the note that Jack writes for Rose he writes “make it count, meet me at the clock” I noticed that the message is on two lines and that it could be interpreted as “Make it count and then meet me at the clock”, suggesting that Rose should make her life count and then meet him at the clock in heaven when she’s finished.

Another one is throughout the film Cameron places great emphasis on hands, letting them tell the story in places where words might fail. Like when Jack first reaches out to Rose on the railing, when she’s getting ready to jump. “Take my hand. I’ll pull you back in.”There’s a meaning well beyond the actual words, as we discover as the movie unfolds. The very first thing we see of Rose is her white gloved hand coming out of the car. It’s so sterile and pristine. There’s absolutely no sign of the emotions and passion that hand will evoke. And don’t miss the fact that Jack wins passage on Titanic in a lucky HAND of poker. As he says, “A VERY lucky hand.” There’s almost not a scene when Jack and Rose are together that Cameron doesn’t use a close up shot of their hands. When they meet on the grand staircase for dinner, Jack kisses her hand. During dinner he’s separated from her, so to speak to her personally he slips a note into her hand. Later in steerage they dance wildly, but not out of control, because as Jack and Rose spin around and around faster and faster their hands are locked safely together. Jack and Rose are always safe, as long as their hands are together. In the gymnasium, when Jack is pleading with Rose to break free, he shows his emotion by tenderly stroking her face. It’s such a simple gesture but it evokes such feeling.

Now we all know the amazing song by Celine Dion.

The actor who played Molly Brown which is Kathy Gates I feel she lent her talents to the film because in every movie shes ever stared in she plays a strong woman. In this movie as well. She was so understanding of them being together because in the movie she wasn’t always rich.

I know this movie by heart, scene by scene, word for word (yes obsessed….) The acting, the clothes, the meaning. If it wasn’t for spoilers online where they show you parts of the movie where directors messed up I would say they nailed the scenes, the style of that time, the cars, the cabins, the jewelry and the attitudes and differences between the rich and the poor.

“The Making of Titanic.” The Making of Titanic. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://www.anlimara.com/dreampage/titanic/makingtitanic.html&gt;.

“Titanic.” IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120338/&gt;.

“Titanic Movie Facts.” Titanic Movie Facts. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://dicaprio.8m.com/titanic/movfacts.htm&gt;.

 

Ruin Porn

Photography is a form of visual art that depicts a moment in time, one that can be interpreted differently by each viewer some may find the image soothing or relaxing while someone else may find the picture horrendous. Modern ruins photography also called ruin porn depicts old, dilapidated, and often abandoned buildings, equipment, or cars from years past.  The images show not only the remains of what once was, but also hint towards the temporary nature of what we create.

Let’s begin with the works of Yves Marchand was born in 1981, Romain Meffre in 1987. These young photographers met and began work in ruins photography in 2005. Based in Paris, Marchand and Meffre fell in love with the delipatated theatres and buildings of a city thousands of miles from their home. They began photographing the ruins of Detroit, and quickly gained recognition for their striking photos. The works that I am displaying here come from their book The Ruins of Detroit. These artists have since been showcased in exhibits across the US, as well as mass publications like the New York Times. I didn’t find much of a biography though just tells me when they met unfortunately.

The pictures displayed below were taken from various locations around Detroit, Michigan.  The photos show the decay of what were once ornate and elegant paintings and decoration, as well as grand architecture and buildings.  The first is one of my favorites, showing an old grand piano on its side, gathering dust in what used to be a beautiful ballroom in Lee Plaza Hotel, Detroit, 2005

I find many of these photos interesting because not only do they show abandoned, decaying structures, but many of them appear as though they were used normally one day, and the next were completely abandoned leaving behind items that may have cost a pretty penny when the building was in use.  In many photos, the chairs, books, furniture, and wall hangings were never removed as if their users simply disappeared.  Much like what you see in the next photo of the United Artists Theatre in Detroit.  This grand gathering place of the arts has been abandoned since 1984, gathering dust and cracks since it was abandoned. You’ll notice that the wall hangings are still intact, although much of the ceiling decor is crumbling.  Marchand and Meffre’s image of the theatre serves as a ghostly reminder of the stage’s brighter days.

Also featured in their book Detroit in Ruins is a French Renaissance style home known as the William Livingstone house.   It was constructed in 1893 and was eventually moved one block away from its original construction, but full renovation never took place and as its construction continued to decay.  It has been nicknamed Slumpy until it was finally tore down in 2007.

Finally, this photograph entitled Melted Clock was taken at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, which is still in operation today.  This image is the result of a fire that occurred in an old section of the building in 2007.

Next, another well-known ruins photographer Mr. Rob Dobi has been photographing ruins since the late 1990s. After attending the Rhode Island School of Design, Dobi made a name for himself by documenting the decaying ruins of the northeastern United States. Dobi is best known for his historic documentation of the crumbling institutions of the northeast.

The next several photos come from Rob Dobi’s 2006 portfolio documenting an old Winchester Repeating Arms factory.  After filing for bankruptcy in 1989, this Connecticut based factory has remained empty ever since.

I think this next photo sums up ruins photography really well.  The old boot and work glove represent a day when sites like the Winchester factory were heavily used.  Just like the old buildings, this boot and glove saw quite a bit of use in their day, but now sit in an abandoned state gathering dust.

I enjoyed looking at the images produced by the three artists that I mentioned. I as a child loved to go into places that look abandoned just to see how someone may have lived or what a place used to be used for, until my mom told me people could be hiding in there. It’s crazy how some images really look like people just vanished in the middle of doing something. I hope you enjoyed the post!

“Cass Technical High School.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Technical_High_School&gt;.

“New England Ruins – Home.” New England Ruins. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://robdobi.4ormat.com/7417-winchester-arms&gt;.

“Photos: The Ruins of Detroit – Plog.” Plog RSS. 7 Feb. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.

<http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2011/02/07/captured-the-ruins-of-detroit/2672/&gt;.

“United Artists Theatre Building.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Artists_Theatre_Building&gt;.

“William Livingstone House.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Livingstone_House&gt;.

Great Depression Music

After the First World War had ended. The economy was booming and people were happy. They hoped for a better future and they began to spend a lot of money. The invention of the automobile was big cause it increased productivity and stimulated the economy. People were also buying stocks and buying more and more material goods. Thus it’s usually called the roaring twenties. Then in 1929 the stock markets crashed. This caused anxiety and despair. They were entering into the depression. There was extreme economic distress and people lost a lot of money that they invested in stocks.

Duke Ellington and his orchestra transformed Western music with his take on jazz music. Without jazz much of the popular music today wouldn’t exist.  The song, It don’t mean a thing, is a catchy tune that make people want to dance to the beat, have fun, and enjoy life.  With the depression being so…..well depressing it was important for people to keep a good attitude about life.  Jazz music became very popular in the twenties and thirties. Clubs in New York like the Cotton Club were very popular.  This song is said to define the era of the Ellington orchestra which was a unique new tone for the jazz sound. Specifically, they changed the Hot jazz of the ’20’s to the swing of the ’30s. Ellington’s intention is to bring a happy feeling because music should make you feel good. Ellington also uses the idea of music’s outcomes on people, He’s saying it doesn’t matter what you look like or sound like just let it out and enjoy.

“I Surrender Dear” is a song composed by Harry Barris with lyrics by Gordon Clifford. It was first performed by Bing Crosby and became his first solo hit. It has been covered by a large number of artists, making it a jazz and pop standard. The first jazz vocalist to record the song was Louis Armstrong in 1931. Bing Crosby was one of the most popular singing stars in the history of show business and one of the best-selling musicians of all time. In the midst of the Great Depression, Bing Crosby became a millionaire, and by his death in 1977 he was estimated to be worth more than $80 million, most of it invested in industry and real estate. Bing and the band’s piano player, Al Rinker, left Spokane for Los Angeles in 1925. In the early 1930s Bing’s brother Everett sent a record of Bing singing “I Surrender, Dear” to the president of CBS. His live performances from New York were carried over the national radio network for 20 consecutive weeks in 1932. His radio success led Paramount Pictures to include him in The Big Broadcast (1932), a film featuring radio favorites. His song about not needing a bundle of money to make life happy was the right message for the decade of the Great Depression.

“All Of Me” written by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra. Louis Armstrong nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and one of the pivotal and most influential figures in jazz music.Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an “inventive” trumpet and cornet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. With his instantly recognizable gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also skilled at scat singing. Armstrong’s romantically bittersweet “All Of Me” scarcely suggests the desperate needs of many Americans as he recorded this then-new standard during the Depression’s bleakest winter. National income had declined by 50 percent since 1929, and 14 million Americans were unemployed at the outset of 1932. Americans were giving their all that winter just to survive..

The Great Depression of the early 1930s was especially hard on the jazz scene. The Cotton Club closed in 1936 after a long downward spiral, and many musicians stopped playing altogether as club dates evaporated. Bix Beiderbecke died and Fletcher Henderson’s band broke up. King Oliver made a few records but otherwise struggled. Sidney Bechet became a tailor and Kid Ory returned to New Orleans and raised chickens.

“The Great Depression.” The Great Depression. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.

http://recollectionbooks.com/siml/library/mirror/Depressionmusic2.htm

Loo, Amber. “Harlem Renaissance.” : It Don’t Mean a Thing Analysis, by Duke Ellington. 8 Mar. 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.

http://amberloo-hrmoviebrothertobrother.blogspot.com/2011/03/it-dont-mean-thing-analysis-by-duke.html

“I Surrender Dear.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Surrender_Dear

Impressionism Like or Hate

 Impressionism became accepted in the 1890s before then it was widely disregarded. This style of painting had sketchy lines, loose brush strokes, and unusual visual angles. Impressionism had an emphasis on light and the artists worked outside painting what they could see while the sun was out instead of drawing from memory.

One painting by Claude Monet called Woman with a Parasol shows an example of his work. Monet uses the technique called optical mixing where instead of mixing the colors on the palette; he lets the colors mix together on the canvas by themselves. Following Impressionism was Post-Impressionism at the end of the 1900s. Post-Impressionism followed nearly all of the characteristics of Impressionist paintings, but also included more formalized and structured art techniques. Post-Impressionist paintings were filled with more emotion and expression from the artist, possibly to search for a deep meaning. In doing so, the artist used the colors more vibrantly to depict more expression in the painting.

 

Take Vincent van Gogh’s painting Starry Night for example. Van Gogh used color to convey emotion rather than to depict light as Impressionists had. What made van Gogh unique was the technique of applying his paints. Van Gogh sometimes used a palette knife or squeezed the tube of paint directly onto his canvas.

To see the difference of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism style painting, take a look into Realist Painting for example Muleteers Crossing the Pyrenees by Rosa Bonheur. Realism was a reaction against Romanticism, which was more subjective and focused on depicting emotion with exotic subjects. Realism revealed the accurate and objective view of the ordinary world. Realism revealed that ordinary people and daily activities were worthy subjects for art.

I believe I have a fair knowledge of Impressionism, but this does not necessarily mean that I like it. I do not hate it either. Let’s just say,  With art not being something I look at on a daily basis I just don’t feel I am worthy to give a good enough judgment.

http://robinurton.com/history/impressionism.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impressionism

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/artwork/claude-monet-paintings-1873-18788.htm

http://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starryindex.html

http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/c19th/realism.htm

http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artist.php?artistid=333

Classical Era

Morality in art changed during the classical era. It went from not having an important role in Rococo art to playing a major role in neoclassical art. In Rococo art, morals were not very important. The enjoyment of the art was what was important. During the Neoclassical era, it was very important to inspire people to have good morals and to think about them when looking at the art. In the art people were portrayed to be following the morals or they were being reprimanded for not following the correct morals. The art piece The Love Letter by Francois Boucher, painted in 1750, is an example of the Rococo style. Even though there are no morals that really stand out. The painting illustrates two girls that are talking while a boy is watching. I chose this piece of art because is beautiful to look at and the colors of the girl’s dresses stand out from the rest of the painting making you focus on them.

This is Broken Eggs by Jean-Baptiste painted in 1756. This piece of art was painted around the time when art started to shift from Rococo to Neoclassical. The morals are more noticeable in this painting than in The Love Letter. The girl in the painting is upset, while the older women is attempting to hold the man back. It is assumed that the girl has lost her virginity because of her pose and the broken eggs lying next to her. It is believed that the man is attempting to leave the young girl after taking her innocence. So this paint is showing the morals of the time, that it is bad to have sexual intercourse before marriage. You can tell the older woman is upset and the little is trying to repair the egg as in trying to get back her innocence, while the girl looks sad and the man looks distressed. I also like how the girl is highlighted in the middle of the painting. It draws your eye to it because you know something is wrong by her demeanor.

The painting The Stolen Kiss by Jean Honoré Fragonard was painted in 1788. This painting is a good example of the neoclassical artwork. The morals of the painting are easy to pick up because the two people in the painting are sneaking around with each other. It shows that the people in the time were not able to express their love in front of others or that they should not be interacting with each other in that way. Or it could be a Romeo and Juliet sort of scenario where it was prohibited. The lady in the painting seems to be caught off guard about the kiss I don’t believe she was expecting it. I chose this painting because I liked the way it had detailed her dress with all of the creases and wrinkles in it. Also you can see all of the grooves in the walls. I also like the pastel colors of the painting. They are all very light and soft in color.

“Painting the Aristocracy.” Painting the Aristocracy. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.

http://www.radford.edu/rbarris/art216upd2012/Rococoandmoralgenre.html

“Mark Harden’s Artchive: “Neo-Classical Art”” Mark Harden’s Artchive: “Neo-Classical Art” Web. 15 Oct. 2015.

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/neo_classical.html

“Great Works: The Stolen Kiss.” The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-works/great-works-the-stolen-kiss-1780s-jean-honor233-fragonard-2056867.html

Baroque Art- Massacre of the innocents

The French word baroque is from the Portuguese word “barroco” or Spanish “barrueco” both of which mean a rough or imperfect pearl.When speaking informally, the word baroque can simply mean that something is elaborate, with many details, without reference to the Baroque styles of the 17th and 18th centuries. The Baroque is a period of a new art style that started around 1600 in Rome, Italy, and spread through the majority of Europe during the 17^th and 18^th centuries. This style was popular and encouraged by the Catholic Church, and had been decided at the Council of Trent that the arts should reference religious themes and emotional involvement connected to the Protestant Reformation. The Baroque art form wasn’t the same in all countries. The important factors during the Baroque era were the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation, the Baroque style was linked with the Catholic Church. Baroque style featured exaggerated lighting, intense emotions, release from restraint, and even a kind of artistic sensationalism, motion and clear details used to produce drama, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, architecture, literature, dance, and music. Baroque was direct and dramatic, intending to appeal to the senses and the emotions. The chiaroscuro technique is a well-known detail in Baroque art. This technique is the the interplay between light and dark and is often used in paintings of dimly lit scenes to produce a high contrast and dramatic atmosphere. The chiaroscuro technique is seen in the painting “The Massacre of the Innocents” by Peter Paul Rubens. The Massacre of the Innocents is the biblical narrative of infanticide by Herod the Great, the Roman-appointed King of the Jews. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Herod ordered the execution of all young male children in the vicinity of Bethlehem, so as to avoid the loss of his throne to a newborn King of the Jews whose birth had been announced to him by the Magi. Other important Baroque painters include Caravaggio who is believed to be a precursor to the movement, and is known for work with close-up action and strong diagonals and Rembrandt.

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 5 Oct.2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Innocents_(Rubens)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Innocents

Ashley’s Comparison Blog

The Primavera, the title of which means “Spring”, is among the greatest works at the Uffizi Museum in Florence.  The meaning of the painting is unknown, but it was most likely created for the marriage of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco the cousin of the powerful Lorenzo the Magnificent Medici in May, 1482.

I chose this piece because of the history behind it and the connection it had to the Medici family making it seem very interesting. The symbolism in the painting was amazing making it fit with the wedding and bride. Botticelli’s work is very mythological as you see when you look at the characteristics and profiles of each character. In the middle of the painting is Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and on the left stands Flora, the goddess of flowers and spring and the nymph, Chloris, being swept away by Zephyr, the god of wind. The right of Venus stands the Three Graces, and to the right of them is Mercury, Messenger of the Gods, who is protecting the grove and keeping it clear of any possible intruders. Above Venus is Cupid, the god of love and desire, who would shoot people with his bow and arrows and that would immediately make people fall in love, really fall in love with whoever it hit.

The painting shows hopes of happiness and fertility as you can see the symbolism in the garden’s plentiful fruit and flowers. It is said that the Medici’s had their own orange grove in their estate and that Botticelli drew multiple oranges in the grove in Primavera to bless them with fertility to Lorenzo Medici and his bride. One story I read mentioned something symbolic that caught me by surprise. This site said that near Zephyr you will see no oranges because Zephyr did not respect Chloris until he made her Flora. Then all of a sudden oranges begin to appear over Flora symbolizing that without respect there won’t be “fruit” produced. It is very evident of the power that the Medici family had in the visual arts and their importance as they had Botticelli design a work of art around Lorenzo Medici’s marriage.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primavera_(painting)
http://www.italian-renaissance-art.com/Primavera.html
http://www.historylink101.com/art/Sandro_Botticelli/pages/09_Primavera_jpg.htm

About Me

Hello Everyone!

My name is Ashley Gonzalez, I currently live in Fairbanks Alaska but not by choice! I have been here and attending school up here since 2012, although its a beautiful state this Panamanian girl isn’t cut out for the cold. I moved here to live with my father and his family and attend school and along the way I met an amazing man who just so happened to be stationed at Fort Wainwright and who later became my husband. We have no kids (yet) but two beautiful fur babies that we love to death!

I work at Alaska USA as a financial service rep which is a fancy title for teller. I am currently majoring in education, my goal is to be a 2nd or 3rd grade teacher. I have never been much of an art person besides high school art class, I love to see what everyone else creates but I personally lack the skill. My favorite paintings to look at are landscape paintings of trees because they seem realistic and all the colors together look amazing. I hope to learn a lot in this class that may make me appreciate art more!

The link I attached shows a picture of tree paintings that I enjoy!

http://webneel.com/i/art/26-realistic-tree-painting/10-2013/d?n=9396

 

     Shadow (left) Chance (Right)