Joyas Voladoras Analysis

Take a look at "Joyas Voladoras", by Brian Doyle.  What do you notice about Doyle's writing?  What happens when you reach the final paragraph? In what ways does an essay that at first appeared to be about creatures great and small suddenly turn into an essay about human nature? What has happened to the word heart? Do you thing "Joyas Voladoras" could be considered a personal essay, even and private one? How would you account for all the specific details that the author introduces in the concluding paragraph apparently to support a generalization about the human heart?

Use a quote from the essay to make your point.

Beautiful Loser Analysis

10/9/2013

Blog, Beautiful Losers Analysis

For my Beautiful Losers analysis I chose Thomas Campbell mainly based on his statement in the movie saying he’s “inspired wherever I am”. As minimal as it is, it really spoke to me. To me having that sort of look on life, being completely open to create whenever and wherever you are, is something I really admire in a person and strive for within myself.

Campbell is an artist. He is famous for not only painting, but sculpting, photography, and films about surfing. In his paintings he’ll put phrases, scriptures, etc, and mix it up with the image, creating a contrast of human beings and their ways. If he had it his way he would describe art with art, to draw a picture instead of speak whenever asked to give artist statements. I connect with this, to show rather then to tell.

Art is such a large array of expressions, when you’re ask to chose one you can’t because there is something in all of them which you can relate to. I Think Campbell demonstrates that perfectly; a little bit here in the paint, a little bit with the camera. The world IS such a beautiful place that no matter where we find ourselves we should be able to pause a create a magical piece of art. 

Endia Brown-Bey

Meg

College Writing

9 October 2013

 

                                                          Learning Something New

     I really enjoyed watching the film "Beautiful Losers" in class. It was good to see how todays artists feel about art. I can honestly say I didn't know art had such a big affect on people. For most of the artists in the movie art was their life. They used art for everything , like expressing their feelings and getting a message out to the world. They loved it so much they spent all half of their lives creating artwork. There were times where they didn't have a home. They would all sleep in the gallery, wake up, and start drawing again. It seemed like each artist in the story had a rough childhood. They were disobedient and wild children who didn't care about school, or their families. They were kids that would leave school to go skateboard or tag their names on private property; they didn't care.

    There were a few things I could relate to with some of the artists and a few things I couldn't relate to. I am really good at sketching, but I do not feel the same passion for painting and sketching as I do with dance. Dance is my form of art. In the movie Thomas Campbell stated that he gets inspired by nature. Being in a peaceful place allows him to focus and create pieces of art. I also agree that I am inspired to dance when I am by my self listening to beautiful music. In that moment I am focused and I am able to come up with choreography.

    I also noticed that Chris Johanson struggled to express his ideas with words. He was an extreme visual person.  I also struggle to express myself through my words or even writing sometimes. I find it easier to express my self through my art. I am also a visual person and learner. For example when I am in class I find it very difficult to understand information when I hear it for the first time, but when my teacher takes the time to show me, I then have a better understanding of the material we just learned. By being a visual person I am able to express my self through my drawings and also through dance.

Beautiful Losers

Sabrina Brown

Intro to Writing

October 9, 2013

                                    Beautiful Losers Analysis

My character analysis is on Mike Mills. His culture provokes the creation of art because he puts his art out in a form of sadness. It is creative creation of art because he uses his emotions that he was not aloud to express as a youth in his art. I create outfits at times when I am worried about something in life. When I am in a happy mood, my outfits are expressing just that. I wonder if other people have different times when their creativity is higher or lower because of their mood or feelings? Mike Mills feels more like an outsider within his culture. He specializes in Indi filmmaking, he said “mainstream was like my first girlfriend who dumped me really hard, and I never forgot her”.

Mike Mills feels that going to school for art can be good or bad, depending on the person. I feel the exact same way. I think that some people try to hard to show that this is who they are. They take the fun out of the craft because they are not passionate about it, more like a show. Art schools teach that there is no good or bad art, which leads to the creation of all art in many forms. Collaborating is a great thing. In Mike Mills’s time they collaborated and just came together and hang out and that sparked art. Also being able to collaborate with others brought them up from just some artsy delinquent kids to being adults and moving into working with major named companies like Pepsi and directing music videos.

Artists create for themselves and people around them that have similar circumstance.  Mike mills create his work from his emotions and things he has seen or can relate to. A lot of people have the same ways of thinking so people will gravitate to art or anything that they can relate to and that they can get an emotion out of it. In my case I create for other people. The outfits I put together are apart of me because they are what “I” think looks good. If I did not put my touch into them they would not be my art. If people gravitate to my style that I see fit for them then I will become successful. In my head everything I imagine and create makes perfect sense, so if I inspire others that will be another for of success.

Gioncarlo Faczek
ICW Meg Riley
10/8/13

Beautiful Losers: Stephen Powers 

          The movie Beautiful Losers presents to the world, different meanings in art. It displayed many different artists and their style of art. Seeing this movie while going to an artsy school changed the way I look at art now. It also changed the way I view some of my fellow artist here at Columbia College. Everyone here has their own creative talent and displays it in a way not everyone would understand. Watching the movie, some of the ways these artists lived was shocking. They would have art shows and they would live in the gallery, because they did not have anywhere else to sleep at. But throughout the movie there was an artist I could relate to.
         
          May 25, 1968 a New York City graffiti artist was born. His name is Stephen J. Powers. In the movie all of his artwork grabbed my attention. But the one thing he did I felt like I was in his shoes. He offered his painting service to a well-known amusement park in Coney Island, New York called Astroland. Stephen hand painted all of the concessions signs and even painted an important rollercoaster called Cyclone. Your probably wondering how I can relate to this, knowing that I cannot draw/paint to save my life. Being an artist does not only mean painting or drawing, but I am an artist when it comes to music. I have DJed countless of fundraisers for families in the need of help. I was asked if I could play for a little boy who Osteosarcoma. The family wanted to pay me but I did not want that at all. I wanted to make this little boy’s fundraiser a day he would never forget. I wanted to give back to my community and show everyone that chivalry is not dead.

          Being an artist knowing that my music can make a little boys day better means the world to me. That’s how you know your doing the thing with your artwork. I really enjoyed Beautiful Losers and I feel like every school in America should watch this movie. High School and middle schools are trying to take out the arts. In my opinion if they did so, the world would be a different place. Lets keep the arts in the schools. Keep rocking on with your artwork and or music talents. Make time for your art (it’s important).

Beautiful Losers -- Alix Bloom

           The film, Beautiful Losers, focuses on a group of artists and filmmakers collaborative group and their rise to success. The two artists that I was most interested in were Mike Mills and Harmony Korine, the two filmmakers of the group. They interested me because Mike Mills incorporates his own art in his films and Harmony Korine just makes films with images that he wants to see, not really what the audience wants to see.

           Harmony Korine is famous for his risqué films and directing, he says "I knew there was a poetry in cinema that I had never seen before that was so powerful." which inspired him to write unsettling stories and direct abnormal scenes. His most recent and popular film is "Spring Breakers", and in my opinion his worst film. Korine's first film was KIDS, he was 19 when he wrote this film and with that, he created other films such as Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy, Mister Lonely and Spring Breakers. His images are shocking and typically controversial, but has been able to win awards at the Venice Film Festival and earned the respect for noted filmmakers such as Gus Van Sant, among others.

           On the other hand, Mike Mills is famous for his truthful story telling and beautiful artwork that he incorporates in his films. His first feature film Thumbsucker , got great reviews and led him on the path to make more feature films, such as Beginners. This is a quote from Mike on writing Beginners, "…in a lot of ways this film actually feels a bit like a historical document, because it follows my own journey through that landscape of change."Beginners, his best film so far, has a fantastic cast that got Christopher Plummer an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. In this film, Mike uses a lot of his own art work and images from his life, creating a very visual understanding of what he's trying to convey.

           These two artists may be different in their styles of directing but they still tell interesting and truthful stories. Harmony approaches his films in a more risk-taking way, where Mike focuses on the characters and their struggles within the film. Coming from the same artistic community, they were able to reach success, through film and art.

Beautiful Losers - Simmone Johnson

In the movie Beautiful Losers the artist that stood out to me the most was Geoff McFetridge, and his perception of art production. When he first showed up on the screen, instantly he talked about how his supporters saw his artwork. His supporters mentioned his work had a Christian feeling that was righteous. His drawings spread the gospel through vague messages and positivity. Geoff’s culture of drawing is spiritual.

There’s a point in time when Geoff is working on his art piece and he puts himself aside to create art that’s familiar but you don’t know what that art is. You still have a relationship to the piece of art work. There is a since of spirituality, where you lose yourself completely and your changing your view on other things. I can agree with the statement one hundred percent. In theatre I have to forget who I am to create a piece of work that I have never brought to life. I have to step out of my normal to become spiritually connected to my work of art.

Throughout the movie I couldn’t help to notice that there was a group of young artist who wanted to talk about their culture of art growing up and how it has evolved. When they were growing up they didn’t have cell phones, computers, and IPods. There fun was being around people just like them who enjoyed graffiti, skateboarding, making creative drawings and paintings. I feel with my generation we really don’t know how it feels to actually put our hands on a paint brush and actually put our all into it because we think we can develop the same feeling from just looking it up on the computer, only because it’s fulfilling.

Analysis of Beautiful Losers

Pick an artist from the movie to use as a character to analyze. In this post take a close look at her/his perception of art production, and write about it.

Your post should be at least three paragraphs in length. It should deal with only one artist’s perspective, as well as your own.  

Questions to ask yourself while choosing an artists and a moment that stands out in the movie to write about: 

How does her/his and your culture, provoke the creation of art?

·        Does the artist/you feel like an insider or an outsider within a culture? Does this feeling lead to the creation of art?

·        How does collaboration, mimicking, and/or inspiration by other artists lead to the creation of art? Is this a good/bad thing, why?

·        How does the phenomenon of success change or strengthens ones perception of art creation? Does the artist create for her/himself alone? 

BLOG 3 Analysis of beautiful Losers

                            Edward ‘Ed’ Templeton

   I chose Ed because i felt connected with the series of interviews with this artists explaining his reason behind the whole  "do-it-yourself" style of street art. He discuss the growth in popular art of skate culture then explain how becoming admired in the art around the world was something that never occurred to him from different styles in skateboard street culture, or simply making a art for the skate world  themselves. ED was more into the graphics and skating. So he starting doing art graphics for the boards and t-shirts. I feel as if I can connect with this. I feel the same way with art just not with skateboarding as much. I look at it as if it’s me and my music and graphics.

  How I would want like maybe a logo for my name or graphic t-shirts to wear for my whole team and fans. I connected with Ed and the whole thing of art skateboarding and music thing, because I’m a huge fan of Pharrell and Terry Kennedy and their whole music and skating movement.  I feel it’s a good thing for Ed to be interested in the art and skating, it should make the whole skate world more broad than just skating. Look at it more as art-skating or skating with art and style.

  I like how Ed is compared to so many, such as Tony Hawkand the "sporting good stores" instead, He was compared with "teenage misfits" and paint works and art galleries. I feel he strengthens ones perception of art. He can interest more people than just the people who are into just art. Like it can help you find who you are drawing on a skateboard to show who you are. The board doesn’t necessarily mean you’re into art. It could be your paper to sketch on, your microphone to record with, your needle to sew or something like that. Ed has made art more borad than what it seems.

Culture and Identity:

"Unlike kung pao chicken, which nearly every self-respecting Chinese chef can make, a request for General Tso's chicken left many cooks, waitresses, and restaurant owners scratching their heads."

   In chapter 5 Jennifer is on a search to find General Tso chicken. After traveling from New York all the way to Hunan city of Changsha it has been very difficult to find what she is looking for. She also gives the reader a history lesson on the general himself and how the name of this chicken came about. Jennifer travels city to city to find out more about the history behind the chicken.
   I believe this line says a lot about the culture and identity of the Chinese. I found it very interesting that some of the restaurants had no clue about the history or the existence of the General Tso chicken. For example, on page 68-69 Jennifer explained the reactions she would get from the restaurant owners when she asked about the chicken. Many of them were confused, so instead, they would kindly offer her another meal and encourage her to try a different type of chicken. In my opinion I would not be shocked to know that some people don't know much about their culture. I can relate to this line because there is also a lot that I don't know about my culture. Doing research and brushing up on my history would help me improve my identity.

First Textual Analysis Response: Culture

Family -- Alix Bloom

Identity-KiAnna McKinley

“Hunan Province is famed for producing fiery leaders and spicy dishes. Hunanese locals brag that their cooking- based on simmering, stewing, and steaming- is one of the eight great regional cuisines of China…Hunan may be poor and inland, but it prides itself on having produced a disproportionately high number of warriors, revolutionaries, and political leaders…Truth be told, there was little else going for this town in China, so its boosters had seized upon the identity of the general as their means to economic salvation…Watch what the workers in American Chinese restaurants eat. In general, it is not what they are serving to the customers. It is, however, more representative of the Chinese diet” (68-74).

            The quotes show the loss of the Chinese culture in the point of view of the native Chinese, and how the Americans have put their personal twist to the Chinese dishes. Also, it reveals the history of how the Hunanese’s lifestyle by explaining having the pride in the many battles, soldiers, and political leaders. All in all, these quotes have a connection that revolves around both the concept culture and identity. In the perspective of the Chinese are not really in truly benefitting from what the Americans are, and they notice that their everyday/years old tractions, customs are being altered in symbolization of their culture.

As I continued to read in chapter 5, I noticed how the Chinese’s reaction and explanation on the Chinese American made dish “General Tso’s chicken” was not existent to them was really interesting. This made me realize a bit of a personal connection to my own family’s cultural identity, and how it became to be. Finding out the history, and background information from my great-grandmother, most of our dishes that were made were not of her Native American roots. The dishes made came from the influence of the south, for an example; my three times great grandmother was a companion and she traveled around the country, trying to provide for my second times great grandmother. One of the places she went was to New Orleans, which she used the technique of creole cooking, along with her knowledge of the way she cooked back in Galveston, Texas.

            Another connection I had made was that realizing that my family does not have any personal ties/affiliation to just one country, or ethnicity, with this there was a huge cultural split that occurred in my family. For an example; with most African-Americans as well as Native Americans like my three times great grandmother, were deprived of the cultural aspects of who they are. Due to the mixing of the different races, there is really in truly no just one culture in our bloodline. This most likely happened because of the European settlers that came to America, changed the way of life for both the Native Americans and the Africans.

            

          What I learned from these lines was pretty much how the author was able to gather information about General Tso himself and get the first hand perspective upon the dish that is so popular in America, which the Chinese never even heard of. It showed how America, takes control over another country’s centuries year old dishes. I found that really interesting to compare that to America’s personal history in the various wars that occurred many years ago, as well as the current event with other countries.

Culture - Simmone' Johnson

"What I discover: in America, General Tso, like colonel Sanders, is known for chicken, not war. In China, he is known for war, not chicken." This quoted line deals with the topic culture, because Jennifer talks about how in America Colonel is known for chicken around the world in America.

     This quoted line from Chapter five is the start of General Tso's chicken. Lee goes on a trip to the General's home town in China, where no one has ever heard of that type of the chicken dish. He didn't even create the recipe.  General Tso is a historical figure in China for his gift as a military leader. He died in 1885, but his name is forever alive because of his chicken.  Lee didn't have the heart to say that no one in America knows him for his military actions but for his chicken dish.

"What I discover: in America, General Tso, like colonel Sanders, is known for chicken, not war. In China, he is known for war, not chicken."  In china, General Tso is known for being a military leader, but we Americans only know him for the chicken. It also explains the differences between Chinese food and Chinese food in America. This is a great quote in being able to tell the difference between cultures and the real meanings of things. If I knew before about the name of general Tso chicken I would've had a different mindset about the entrée. Now that I think about it I can imagine it being a joke saying that the Chinese general was a chicken. Regardless, I will still love the chicken its like an American favorite, and I'm a big fan of Chinese food anyway. This quote actually connects to what I've seen in the gallery. At the gallery I interpret one thing and I hardly ever read the plaque with the real meaning on it. So, this actually ties together because nine times out of ten I'm not going to research the name of the food that I eat.