My Opinion

       

Art Spiegleman

Vladek Spiegleman

           The comic novel Maus is a great comic. This comic is based on a real story, and lets us know a little bit more facts about the holocaust and some of the things that happened during the holocaust that a lot of us didn’t even know. The author of this novel is Art Spiegleman, but the story was told by none other than his own father, Vladek Spiegleman that survived the holocaust and lets us in to some of the things he experienced. Vladek lets us know about his son Richieu, which he lost in the war and tells us about his wife Anja and how they both managed to survive the holocaust. Even though Anja managed to make it through the holocaust she ended up committing suicide. A lot of Jews were ratting out their own to guards to save their own lives but that didn’t even guarantee them their lives. Vladek also informed us on the cruel things the guards would do to a Jew; they wouldn't be given any mercy no matter how much they pled.


          Throughout the comic Vladek let us know about his son Richieu and Anja and how his love for them was so great. Richieu was killed in the war; he died poisoned by Anja's sister Tosha. She didn't just kill her two children but also Richieu and herself. She didn’t want the children and herself to be sent to the gas chambers. All we really know about Richieu was that he was a good boy and that he was loved greatly by Vladek and Anja. Anja was Vladeks wife that he loved very much. Art did have the chance to see his mom and have some memories of her before she died. Anja came from a very wealthy family that gladly accepted Vladek into the family. Both Vladek and Anja were sent to the concentration camps and managed to survive.


           Even though Anja was able to survive the holocaust she ended up committing suicide a few years later. What we did know was that Anja was suffering depression and a little before the war began we know that she had a sort of break down were she didn’t want to live anymore and didn’t care about nothing and she didn't know why. Vladek was able to help her recover from that break down a bit. Anja was sent to the concentration camps just like Vladek and they were able to get out of there alive. Nobody really understands why Anja would commit suicide after she had survived the torturing experience of the camps. She had left no note or clue on why she did it. In my personal opinion it’s a bit ironic.


           As soon as the holocaust began fearing people you couldn't trust anyone. Not even your own family members could be trusted. Many thought that but ratting out another Jew would say their lives, they thought wrong, the guards would also shoot them down. Who you thought were your friends before the war, wouldn't even open the doors of their house to let you in; they would leave you on your own to die. Those people that did decide to help a Jew out would want to get paid a good amount of money, it was a really big risk helping a Jew, and it could cause them their lives. The guards had no mercy.


            The guards had no mercy and would to cruel things to the Jews. In the concentration camps many Jews were killed every day and the way they would do it was by torcher. Many Jews were tricked by the German guards being told they were going to take a shower but they were really putting the gas chambers. Vladek tells us that people were trying to climb the walls trying to escape and trying to get out through the door in which they came. Also a lot of Jews were sent to the ovens to burn alive. Vladek tells us how volunteers were forced to poor the burning fat of the bead bodies on the ones that were still alive so they would burn better. All those that were put in the camps were given rotten food and just the right amount to keep them working yet have them die slowly of starvation. Those in the camps were filled with lice from head to toe. The lice was in the clothes, body, inside the wounds, and on their bunks were they slept. This comic is a great story that talks about a personal live experience. We were able to learn more things about what occurred in the camps.

Rebecca Latham

   

          Did you ever imagine that art could ever influence a certain group in need? Whether it’s the elderly, homeless, animals and their habitats, etc. Well it can, the artist Rebecca Latham is a great example of this. Rebecca and her family have always been attracted to the outdoors. This and the encouraging support of her family was a huge push in finding her talent in art and becoming an artist. She chose to become an artist in her mid- teens and also at this time she realized her closeness to the natural world. Rebecca had a main goal with becoming an artist. She wanted to help the creatures she paints and their habitats. She reflects a personal experience with the species in her art. Rebecca reminds me a lot of a sculpture named Nick Mackman.

          Rebecca’s main goal is to help the creatures she paints through her work. By doing this she has manages to help different animals and their habitats. She participates in different wildlife and habitat conservation fundraising events to increase awareness and has generated thousands of dollars for wildlife and conservation through her work. Latham has a purpose for doing art and it’s not just because she loves it but because she believes that she can protect, help, and understand more about the creatures in her creations. It’s encouraging to know that someone can contribute so much of their talent to help something she cares so much about. In her art she reflects a personal experience with each creature.

          She reflects a personal experience with the species in her art. In each painting she demonstrates the personal experience she had with the animal in her creation. She is known to spend as much time as she possibly can observing and experiencing the wildlife she paints. “We often take up to 5000 photographs in one shoot. It is very important that the subject painted is studied from every available angle, as well as its habitat’s and preferences”, says Rebecca.  

          Rebecca Lathman reminds me a lot of an animal sculpture named Nick Mackman. They share great similarities when it comes to creating an amazing form of art. They both have to observe the subject from ever angel know their personality and anything that has to do with the animal and their surroundings. Knowing everything about the subject before putting it on a canvas or turning it into a sculpture shows its true value once it’s turned into a form of art. It comes to show that you can pertect or even help a certain group that is in need with the power of art. Art can encourage others to stand up for any cruelty or harm done, to pertect what they care about and what they believe in. Rebecca Lathman is a great example, she stands up for what she wants to pertect through her work encouraging those around her.  

Brought Back to Life

          Someone can create art with own experiences and imagination. Nick Mackman is a sculptor of clay animals drawing on her own experience as a rhino keeper and in safari, she aims to analyze an animal and then recreate it. When she recreates her art she gives each of them its own personality. Each of her sculptures are Raku fired, giving it a rich but natural crackle glaze. Sometimes bristles, paper maché are used in her sculptures. Some people have the gift of being able to change a person’s perspective of something. Many might not understand the real meaning of bringing something dead or extinct back to life. I think that sculpting is an awsome talent because they don’t just imagine their creation but they bring it to life.
         
         Some people have the gift of being able to change a person’s perspective of something. I say this because some people tend to judge something without getting to know about it. For example when Nick does her sculptures she analyzes the animal she might be studying weather its unknown or highly endangered. With doing so she has been able to have more people know about something they had no clue existed. She has travelled to places such as Botswana and Madagascar to observe many different animals that she also models in her work. A lot of people are so caught up with their personal lives that they don’t realize the importance of an animal’s role in the world.
  
          Many people might not understand the meaning of bringing something dead, extinct, or endangered back to life. A lot of people are so caught up with their personal life that they don’t care or find the true importance of an animal’s role in life. Sculptures like Nick can show and teach others the great value of and animal’s existence. She uses animals to lighten us with their amazing beauty, humor, and tenderness. She allows us to view all this things even though they might be viewed as purely ugly or aggressive.  

         In my personal opinion I think that sculpting is an amazing talent. A sculpture doesn’t just imagine their creation but brig it to life. With doing so it brings a new type of life. There is an important part in making the sculptures beauty stand out, this process is called Raku firing. This process gives the sculpture a distinct smoky finish. She uses this in most of her sculptures. Nick and meny others have the amazing talent of being able to change a persons perspective on something. Someone able to recreate something that has been extinct, dead, or endangered and give its own personality is a gift. She helps others understand the true beauty and value of the animals used in her creations.   

The Cheese Lady

         How would you react to see a sculpture made of pure cheese?? Well personally I would find that very interesting and amusing. Sculptures can be made of anything and still be considered a work of art. Sarah Kaufmann is a cheese sculptor. She was born in Wisconsin; Kaufmann worked at a dairy industry for 16 years, she perfected her skills working there.  She also received a degree in Commercial Art in Madison, WI. Sarah has received hundreds of commissions for her creations. Sarah is a very talented sculptor that loves what she does. Her sculptures are known to be jaw dropping. She has immense -imagination and uses it in her art.  

          Sarah Kaufmann loves what she does and the sculptures she creates. When asked why she chose cheese she said “ If you were born and raised in Wisconsin, surrounded by dairy cows, cheese factories and people who ware orange triangles as high fashion, you might think it would just seem . . . normal!”. In her works of art you can see the effort and excitement she puts into them. She uses much creativity and many details that leave some people speechless. In my personal opinion I love the fact that she puts so much emotion and thought to her sculptures. Also the fact that she can create jaw dropping art and leave people speechless is amazing.  

         

          Kaufmann is known to create jaw dropping sculptures in her Cincinnati and San Diego studios. She has carved from ten to forty pound blocks to five hundred pound wheels of cheddar cheese giants. She likes the challenge; it brings her excitement to the whole creation. She also appears in person to sculpt cheese at variety of venues: food and wine festivals, supermarkets, trading shows, sporting events, etc. Sarah has an incredible imagination.

         

          Sarah has an incredible imagination. She lets her mind run loose and you can tell by the things she has carved on the blocks and wheels of cheese. It takes a person with a huge imagination to be able to do giant sculptures like the ones that she has done. Sculptures can be made of anything and still be considered a work of art. In this case Sarah Kaufmann has chosen cheese. Most people expect someone to sculpt cheese but that is what makes it an amazing work of art. A person that loves what they do will show a lot of effort, excitement, and emotion in their work. The importance of this is to show that with letting your imagination run loose you can create a great piece of art out of anything.

Life Though the Power of Color

Frida Kahlo

Kim Norlien

Natalie M. Ko

          Many artists express their feelings and emotions on their drawings and others draw things that they really like or something that really inspired them.  For example Natalie M. Ko says “I draw for the peaceful and lovely moments in life.”Kim Norlien paints and draws mostly about the wildlife. Frida Kahlo on the other hand  painted and sketched related events based on her life, both physical and emotional pain. She had a very hard life as shown in her drawings. Many people might not understand the point of creating art, not knowing the reasons behind each sketch, drawing, or painting.

          Frida Kahlo is a good example of an artist expressing themselves through their art. Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907. She was born into a family with a Hungarian-Jewish father and a Mexican mother with Indian descent. Kahlo was a survivor of polio. Frida wasn’t planning on becoming an artist, but all changed when she was in a bus accident at the age of 18. Frida spent over a year in bed trying to recover. During her convalescence she began to draw. She created over 200 paintings, drawings, and sketches related to her experiences in life, physical and emotional pain were expressed in her art. Many of her art were self-portraits. When asked why she drew so many self –portraits she answered “Because I am often alone …. Because I am the best subject I know best.”  Also a local critic wrote “It is impossible to separate the life and work of this extraordinary person. Her paintings are her biography.”

          Natalie M. Ko on the other hand does her art based on peaceful events in life. She has done many painting of smiling people, a painting of a woman’s back representing the beauty of it, and many more. Kim Norlien does his art based on the beauty of whildlife. He didn’t become a full time wildlife artist till yrs after he started  painting. Kim id known as the painter of peace and tranquility. Frida Kahlo,  Nataile M. Ko, and Kim Norlien are good examples of artist that express their feelings, thoughts, and emotions in their drawings. I think it is very interesting how many artist can express with so much details, texture, and color on a canvas.

        

The Disagreement

          If there was a moment you could tell an artist that you dislike or like their art, how would you do it? Many art critics have their own personal way of sharing their personal opinions; some of them might not have the best way of expressing their person thoughts. An art critic by the name of Mark Leung says to express his opinions from the bottom of his heart. In his personal opinion of the painting of the “Mona Lisa”, by Leonardo da Vinci, he pointed out some things of the painting that maybe many people might not have thought of criticizing. Mark Leung is a senior visual art student from Babson College.

 I disagree with the thoughts and opinions of Mark Leung. In the “Mona Lisa” painting mark pointed out that Da Vinci painted the sky green instead of blue. Also he mentioned and described Mona Lisa as an attractive fat woman.

          This critic criticized Leonardo da Vinci for painting the sky green instead of blue. First of all we all know that the sky is blue and not green, we don’t know exactly why da Vinci would paint the sky green or what was going on at the moment this portrait was being done. Leonardo was one of the greatest painters in his era; he had his own reasons why he chose to paint the sky green.

          A person should have the right to paint or draw any type of person weather they are fat, skinny, short, etc. I strongly disagree with Leung on this opinion of his because a person shouldn’t be judged by their physical appearance. I believe that Mark Leung has unfair opinions of Leonardo’s painting of the Mona Lisa; I don’t think he has the right to judge or even criticize of the greatest painters to have existed even if Leung is an artist himself. He should know that an artist expresses their emotions and thoughts on their art and let their imagination run wild.

         

Leonardo da Vinci

           Are there a lot of things you like but feel like you won’t be able to do it? Well you can. Leonardo da Vinci was a very famous person. He wasn’t only a painter but he had become successful in many different things. He was known to be a polymath.  Even if you feel like you can’t make it to be what you want to be in life you can if you just try, Leonardo da Vinci is a good example of this. Da Vici had a quite interesting life. He is a great example of a person that can become what they want as long as they so great interest and passion for what they want to become.                                                                                   

           Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinchi best known as Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452. Da Vinci lived to be 67 years old. He was born from a present mother in the region of Florence, his father was wealthy man and his name was Messer Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci. He spent a few years with his mother and then moved with his father. In Leonardo’s childhood he was given some education in Latin, geometry, and mathematics, he showed no signs of aptitude. In 1478 when he was26, he was no longer living in his father’s house. Leonardo was known as a polymath because he was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer.  He loved doing all these things but his passion was painting.

        Da Vinchi died on May 2, 1519 in Rome. Upon Leonardo's death, Francesco Melzi inherited the artistic and scientific works, manuscripts, and collections of Leonardo, and would henceforth faithfully administer the estate.  Melzi worked and accompanied Leonardo. He joined da Vinchis family in 1502. After the death of his beloved friend Meliz sent letter to Leonardo’s brothers notifying them of his death. Leonardo da Vinci was a one of the greatest and most talented person known to live. He lived a long interesting life doing the things he loved most.  

Intro to Art

     I chose to talk about Art because I want to bring a better understanding of what Art is all about. Art is important because without art we might have never known what historic people looked like or passed events such as wars, massacres, bombings, etc. I believe I am qualified to write and talk about this topic because I am an artist myself. I can relate to the mind and feelings of an artist. In the eyes and mind of some people they may look at a drawing or painting as just some nice pencil marks or just some paint on a piece of paper, but to those that understand the meaning of art is much more then that.

    Pablo Picasso was an extraordinary artist. Picasso was born on the 25 of October in 1881. This man demonstrated uncanny artistic talent in his early years. He was a Co-finder of the cubist art movement. Pablo was one to redefine the nature of fine art painting to a lower extent. He also heralded an entirely new way of representing reality. His art was known to be done with a lot of techniques.   

    Art began in Korea the Goryeo Dynasty, from 918 CE to 1392. The oldest surviving art forms include small sculptures and paintings on rocks and in caves. Only a few known art examples date earlier then 40,000 years ago. In the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic period people were known to rub small rocks against larger rocks and boulders to draw pictures of everyday life. Prehistoric art objects are rare.