The Guggenheim in Newyork.

I went to the Guggenheim thinking that there was more to see than the Kandinsky exhibition, but there was'nt only KANDINSKY, KANDINSKY......KANDINSKY! I was amazed of the actual layout of the building. I loved the fact that you walk round and round in a spiral to view the work.

Jasper Johns, White Flag 1955.

Encaustic, oil, newsprint, and charcoal on canvas.

I was amazed that i saw this piece i love Jasper Johns work and i was in total excitement when i saw it.

My practical work is based on war, specifically the Iraq, US and UK war that is happening at the moment seeing this flag gave me the insight to maybe use it for research for my practical work.

Damien Hirst. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991.

Glass, steel, formaldehyde solution, shark.

DAMIEN HIRST'S SHARK!!!!! Oh My Gosh!

I could not believe my eyes when i walked into the room and saw this! Seeing this piece in real life is a thousand times better than seeing it on the web and in books. I looked into the sharks gaping mouth and was in utter excitement. The shark was pierced hundreds of times before it was placed in the tank, this was done so the sharks fat could be released. Before i found out this fact i first thought that the fat that floated on the top of the tank was in fact the shark going mouldy.

Martin Kline. Nest 2000. Encaustic on plywood panel with wooden frame.

I do not have a clue what this piece is about but for me it's meaning is not important it is it's appearance. What looks to be wax has been thrown or poured onto the plywood.

I want to rub my hands over this piece because of it's texture. It looks almost like an illusion, there is more of the wax in the centre of the piece this draws the viewers eye to the centre of the work.

When i have worked messy myself i would throw the medium down just like this has been done. Although the piece is quite basic i can't help but be happy that it's up for the world to see it deserves to be seen.

Robert Ryman. Versions iv 1991-92. Oil and graphite on Lumasite with wax paper.

This piece should not be in a gallery it looks like a child has done it. It looks like an experiment with materials not an experiment with meaning.

Paint looks like it has been splatted on the paper and then the paper has been folded in half to give a mirrored effect.

Chuck Close. Mark. 1978-79. Acrylic on canvas.

This painting is absolutely amazing, it is the most realistic painting i have ever seen.

This piece must have took the artist time and dedication to complete. Everything seems so real about it. The hairs look like hairs, and the skin looks fleshy like skin.

This piece is extremely large it towers above surrounding artworks. This scale and realistic quality to it amazes me.

Joal Shapiro, Untitled 2000-2001. Oil paint on cast aluminum.

This piece looks really simple and fun. It is really tall and it does'nt look stable at all as it balances on one foot.

The shadow that the sculpture projects are really interesting.

This piece looks like a figure balancing on one foot. But it could be interpreted as anything that the viewer wants to. It does look like a simplified figure but i think it could also be a collection of block shapes stuck together.

Claes Oldenburg. Symbolic self: Portrait with ''Equals'' 1971

I was amazed when i saw this piece i could not believe it was Oldenburg's. His work is mainly sculpture. This piece is a self portrait of the artist looking in a joking manner. Included among many objects is a ice bag on the artists head. An icebag was an everyday object that Oldenburg used as a soft merchandized sculpture in an oversize scale, the same year which sends delicate drips of water down the artists face.

Behind the main drawing are small skethces which look mathematical and architectural.

NEWYORK NEWYORK!! 10th Nov- 16th Nov 2009

The start of my amazing art journey :)

This is the Whitney gallery.....i never went to the exhibition that was on, which was Georgio O'Keefe. I'm not inspired or interested in O'Keefe and this is why i never went to see her work. I went inside the gallery and had a look in the gift shop.....there was amazing things to buy like artists collectible items...but they were far too expensive. For some reason i expected the Whitney building and it's art work to be old and tradition. The building is very modern and contemporary.

Here is me and my friend sitting on an amazing Alice in wonderland sculpture in Central park.

This is me adoring Egyptian art including these mummies. I love Egyptian art and i was extremely happy to see more than enough of it at the Metropolitan.

Here i took a picture of how there is comfort to admire artwork. Lots of galleries such as the Tate do not have seats to sit and relax. I think you should be in a relaxed state when viewing art as your mind can wander more.

Arthur Dove. Portrait of Ralph Dusenberry 1924.

Oil, folden wooden ruler, wood and pasted printed paper on canvas.

I don't like this piece as it's far too strange and basic. I don't see how this is a portrait of Ralph Dusenberry as i would have expected a painting of his face. Maybe this is a representation of his life or his profession. His job could have been an architect or something to do with maths (because of the rulers.)

Paul Klee. One Who Understands. 1934. Oil and gypsum on unprimed canvas.

The squared circle of the abstract head in Klee's painting is made of the same lines that divide the picture like a cracked windowpane.

This drawing in this piece only consists of lines. I don't know whether to call this a drawing or a painting. I think it could be more of a painting as it has been created with oil paint and it is framed. This painting looks like a 5 year old has made it...i know a great majority of Klee's work consists of lines but the lines in this piece make the work look childish.

Alberto Giacometti. Annette the Artists Wife 1961 oil on canvas.

This painting of the artists wife looks like something out of a hooror film. She sits propped with her hands crossed resting on her lap. Her face is the darkest part of the painting this makes it hard to examine her facial features. The painting is quick and messy, and i love this i like working like this myself. The colours are rather dull too. The sketched effect with the surrounding washes highten the features of his wife.

Paul Klee. Small Portrait of a Girl in Yellow 1925 Gypsum and oil on canvas .

This is the only painting i have ever seen that is exhibited in a plastic frame. The reason for this could be it is far too expensive and special for it to get damged or touched. This plastic frame around the piece give the painting a certain quality to it. Because its restricted it makes the viewer drawn in to look at the piece.

This piece is rather different to most of Klee's other works. This consists of no linear lines.

Constantin Brancusi, Sleeping muse 1910 Bronze.

This piece is of a bronze head that looks to be in the heaviness of sleeping. It is one head which i have taken photos of on different angles. I did this because i found not only her sleeping facial expressions interesting but also her her and the hole in her neck. This bronze head rests on a plynth. Just like women centries ago and still sometimes now they are seen as a muse, an object for motherhood, mens fantasies and housewives etc. The goldness to this piece gives the impression that women are special, they are 'golden'.

Arthur Segal. Strasse auf Helgoland ll. 1924. Oil on board with painted frame.

This piece looks like it has references to Cubism. It also reminds me of Picasso in the way he has painted shapes and colours like this in some of his own work.

I was attracted to this painting not only for it's blending colours and abstract shapes but also because the frame is painted in the same way the imagery is. This makes the frame more involved with the painting. It also gives the impression that the piece plays with the viewers eye and it's purpose is to give the impression of it being an illusion.

Not many frames that surround the painting or any artwork are painted just like the piece is. The frame and the piece it surrounds are usually two seperate things.

Charles Ray. Untitled 1973, printed 1989. Gelatin silver print.

This print disturbs me because of it's imagery. A male figure is wrapped up by rope or the branches. Is he dead? Alive? Getting tortured? The piece gives the impression to some sick joke, a joke that i find too shocking to like the piece.

Although i don't like the subject matter i do like the quality to the work and the photograph.

Joan Miro. Painting 1927, Tempera and oil on canvas.

I can't help but be disapointed by this painting, the fact that it is titled painting disapoints me even more. The two boats on the bottom of the piece are the only things that get the chance to interest me. Everything else is splash of paint, squiggle here and a line and shape there...it is too basic and it should not have the oppurtuntity to be up in any gallery. It probably only is because it is Joan Miro and most people know the artists work.

Diego Rivera. Table on a cafe Terrace 1915. Oil on canvas.

In Rivera's distinct brand of Cubism, Pointillism was introduced to amplify contrasts in texture and pattern.

I was extreamly lucky to see a piece of work by Diego...although i expected his work to be much bigger because he is known for his murals. I have just completed an essay were i talked about his wife's work Frida Kahlo.

When i viewed this painted i wanted to took it, it's dotted pattern gave texture that was raised. Objects such as a bottle of absinthe, shiny metal spoon and a cigar box sit on the table. The objects may refer to Diego's personality and heritage.

Zaha Hadid. Gyre Lounge Chair 2006.

Polyester resin, polyurethane lacquer.

I fell in love with this chair when i saw it. It's vibrant green colour, it's sharp retro shape and the fact that it glistens made me want to touch it and relex on it...although its hard shape does'nt look like comfort is it purpose, it's style is it's purpose.

School of Saatchi television series on at the moment.

CHARLES SAATCHI IS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT TRACEY EMIN OR DAMIEN HIRST!!

I have been watching this programme and i have loved it. I don't think any good artists got through to the competition, the most silliest with the most ridiculous ideas for art have been entered and have got through the next stage. The programme is good inspiration for my own art work at uni as it is contemporary and i like my work to be contemporary. This programme was a competition before hand, it circulated the uni by email when i heard about it. I was going to enter it but i was under pressure with uni work............i wish i would have now as i think my ideas work have been better than the ones shown. I suppose their silly ideas = 'THE SHOCK VALUE' that Saatchi and the contemporary art world crave.

Like a king on his throne Saatchi waits for his new mini Emin's and Hirst's. I don't think he will get this from the artists on the programme as i don't see them anything like Emin or Hirst...they are trying to be someone else....themselves.

This programme has influenced me to search and look out for any other art programmes, I know from this programme that i will enjoy them and it will help me at uni in my artistic practice, by giving me knowledge and inspiration.

Here is a link to view any of the episodes on the bbc iplayer http://bbc.co.uk/i/p4gq5/

Summer workshops 2009 at the Conservation Centre

This is a mosaic piece i made. It took me around 2 hours to make. The process to make a mosaic tile is quite simple. The design is drawn onto the tile and then mosaic tiles are cut and chipped to shapes and sizes needed and then stuck down on the strong glue. Once everything is in place, the piece needs to dry for a day or two and then it is allowed to be filled with grout. Grout comes in many colours here i have used white. I have never created a mosaic piece before this workshop helped me gain the skills to make more in the future.

Here i learnt how to write in calligraphy. I used a pen that had a brush end, this made it easy to write freely. I played around lots of times with different ways of holding the pen and applying pressure to create various outcomes of calligraphy. I found calligraphy hard at the start as i could not get the letters to 'flick' that much i learnt that i could not do this as i was holding the pen to firmly. This piece took me around an hour to write. Calligraphy is a skill that is not that easy, it takes a lot of time, practice and patience.

Here i have learnt how to engrave in glass. I used a small glass and a sharp nibbed, metal pen to scratch into the glass. This was very time consuming as your had to constantly scratch ro achieve your design. Shavings of glass were all over my hand and on the table. The instructor did not tell the group about health and safety precautions, because of this by mistake i got a shaving of glass in my eye. Although this happened i am very happy i learnt how to engrave in glass. Even though it gave my hand cramp and it took FOREVER to complete i was happy with my result. Glass engraving is not as complicated as i first thought it would be.

I chose this module as i wanted to get out to lots of galleries and see lots of art. This module has been good for that but i expected to go to more galleries. I went to Newyork a few weeks ago and i saw more art in them 5 days than this whole module. I have chosen the collaboration module for next semester as i want to make connections with the people i work with such as artists.

Cian Quayle and Pete Flowers Bluecoat Lecture 3rd November 2009 06:30-08:00

My notes from Cian Quayle speech, he talks about one of his works.

The sea is an important metaphor to Lowry. His work shows a run down shack in Doulton. Departure and arrival, looks for recurrent motifs. Loss to a place that was once familiar. The work is autobiographical, it is about the artist and his journey. He lived in London for 10 years.

My notes from Pete Flowers talk

His work is about 'Day of the dead' Iconic imagery from Buddahism, Hinduism etc seeped into his way of working. Fascination of having skeletons and angels. He has dealt with religious iconography. Religion and spirituality works in layers in his paintings, iconic and formalised. Pete Flowers started his career as a printmaker. The artist was going to have a candle placed below one of his paintings so that people would have to kneel down in a praying position to read the inscription on the candle. But this was not allowed for health and safety reasons. Lowry wrote in layers like Pete Flowers does in his paintings.

Exhibition Proposals lecture 3rd November 2009

I had a lecture today with Jagjit about exhibition propasals we have to do. After listening and taking notes at the lecture i come away feeling confused. An example of an exhibition proposal would be more help than guidelines to follow. I think i may email Jagjit and ask if it is possible to see an example.

Black-E Gallery 28th October 2009

The gallery is called the 'Black-E' as over a centuries worth of grime used to cover the building. The colour of the building in the 60's used to be called the black church. A name that came from children in Liverpool. The spiral staircase in the gallery reminds me of the Guggenheims in Newyork. The Black-E's staircase area is going to be refurbished and hopefully used as the entrance. The gallery used to be a church so the place is really old and run down. The gallery is aimed at young people who want to create art, perform, dance, sing, rap etc. Theatre, music events etc are set up within spaces in the gallery. Workshops are available today, this would'nt of happened 20-30 years ago. The gallery gets money from the City Council and arts council. Donations are a major help to the gallery. There are charges for hiring the building, and events etc. There is oppurtunitys to get involved at the gallery such as becoming a volunteer. I have a slight interest to become a volunteer here as i know i would learn many things and it would get me started helping out at a gallery.