There are many avenues used to distribute information. Some are news articles that are strictly factual, reviews of public events, political commentaries, , enlightening writing, prose, poetry and writing that forecasts future directions of the nation. The writer can brings their style to each piece regardless of the framework for the article. Satirical writing stands above all styles in that it reaches the heart of the reader while making the point. The facts are present but they are wrapped up in the blanket of sarcastic wit. This style of writing makes factual articles that are often boring easier to swallow, much like the sugar coating on a pill. Erma Bombeck is a writer best known for her satire about suburban home life in the 1960's. Her books and newspaper commentaries on life were accurate and true but could not be read without a giggle, or full out laughter. Satire is a style that can be used as a tool and incorporated into any writers format. A new writer can practice this method by first simply writing the factual version of an article and then rereading the article and thinking of their personal reactions or thoughts about it that are funny. Those personal reactions can be incorporated into the factual piece and become the emotional bridge for the reader.
Mary Cassatt: Where art moves minds
Mary Cassatt was born in Pittsburg Pennsylvania in 1844. She was born into a wealthy family which allowed her to travel to Europe and study art. Her first encounter with an art exhibition was in Paris in 1855. She returned home from her time in Paris with great aspirations to have a career as an artist. This idea was challenged at two major levels. First, her father did not approve of the career. He felt she would not be able to support herself. Secondly, male artists monopolized the art world and were not keen on allowing women into it. Mary ignored both barriers and began art study at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Pittsburg. However, she soon grew dissatisfied with the restrictions on female students . For instance, only men were allowed to draw from models. Women had to draw from ceramic busts. So she set off for Paris in 1866 to live and study art. The move was bold. She exhibited her first work in the Paris salon in 1868. It was titled "Mandoline Player." She continued to paint and exhibit but was frustrated by the fact that female artists were often rejected to exhibit their work unless recommended by a male artist. She vocalized her contempt at the politics of the Paris salon. "She is entirely too slashing...." wrote Sartain, the salon commentator, " and disdains the names of artists we revere" Her open opinions cost her dearly as both of her paintings were rejected in the 1877 Paris Salon. It was at this point that Edgar Degas invited Mary to show with the Impressionist painters. The impressionists work changed Mary's life. She "saw art as she wanted to see it." Mary took on the cause of the impressionists and journaled "we are taking on a despairing fight". Her work focused on the roles of women in society. One might view her work , with paintings of mother's and children, as a form of adoration for the mother role. However, Mary was known as a feminist, who worked hard to free herself from traditional roles forced on women by society. The artist also refused such roles for herself. She never married or had children. Her paintings were to cause the public to stop and notice how humble the roles for women were at that time One could bathe the children, sew, pick flowers, etc. . Mary was a pioneer. She remained a successful artist in a society where women artists were not welcome. One of the most influential works of Cassatt was the 1891 exposition mural of "Modern Woman" . It was commissioned by a Chicago business woman to depict women in modern roles. The mural was a triptych in which the center image was women picking fruit off of the tree of knowledge. It was show that women should have access to higher education as well as men. The idea of women attending college to obtain a career outside the home was revolutionary at that time. Mary continued to support women's rights in the latter part of her life. She was a part of Women's Suffrage and in 1915 showed 18 works in support of it. Her art work, and her political work highlighted women's roles in society and the need for change.
Can Anyone Throw Paint Around and Call It Art?
Modern Art has often been mis-understood by the general public. For instance the color theory being explored by Paul Klee with his seemingly elementary style shapes might be perceived as an artist that lacks drawing skills. Frank Stella's work often provokes comments like" those are just squares. How is that art?" Most people would not know he was studying the juxtaposition of color and their effects on each other. Picasso began as an academic artist who painted photo real scenes. He chose to abstract for a purpose. Anyone can appreciate abstract art and modern art as long as there seems to be some reasoning behind it. However, when art, such as Jackson Pollocks action paintings appear, it causes the public to doubt the validity of art all together. Granted the viewer can imagine how hard Pollock threw the paint or whether he was sitting or standing. Does anyone really care? Couldn't the same product be derived from handing a toddler buckets of paint? Is there color theory here? No. Are there design rules at play? No. Is there an argument, revelation or deeper meaning to bestow on the viewer? No. Did it require great skill? No. Is this process taught at university? No. Yet, this artist's work hangs in the gallery with great works from other modern artists, like impressionists and cubists, who all had great art talent and put deep thought into their work. This random canvas of thrown paint provides the public with just the right evidence that they need to scoff at all modern art. It undermines respect for all the research and long hours artists put in to create a beautiful modern work. The situation could be remedied if the artist shared some profound purpose behind his work. Unfortunately, watching a documentary and interview with Pollock will leave the audience non plussed. Even worse, when health reasons restricted him to a wheel chair, he was filmed telling other people to throw paint on a canvas and then called it his own. Really? Then in essence, the artist mind nor hands touched the canvas. One could easily call it a random act of blindness.
Lessons from Leonardo
Leonardo da Vinci was a Renaissance painter and sculptor . He is most renown for his paintings, "Mona Lisa" and "Last Supper". "Donatello" ad "Gattanmelata" are his most famous statues. While many marvel at his talent as an artist, there is other skills that are often overlooked. He was also a writer and designer. His sketchbooks are full of drawings and notes from his ideas and observations. He wrote about life as he knew it or imagined it could be. Many artists can boast of work they have accomplished but their patrons are not able to follow the artist's journey because they failed to record it. Another exceptional characteristic of this artist is that he did not limit his interest and documentationsolely to the visual arts. He realized that art is connected to the whole universe and so expanded his quests into the realm of science and architecture. It appears he wanted to taste, touch and explore everything in the Renaissance world. He was even curious about the human body. He asked a physician friend to let him observe the unclaimed corpses before burial. Then he made detailed sketches of organs and muscles that would be worthy of any medical journal. However, he did not stop there. His sketchbook contains drawings of machines that were futuristic. While laying in the field as a young boy he watched the birds fly. The thought of flight obsessed him and he spent years trying to devise a flying machine. His sketches have early designs for a helicopter and hang glider. One gets the impression that nothing escaped Leonardo's attention. He used his design and art skills to ask questions. "How does this work?" "Is there a better design?" "What does this mean?" "How can I express this?" Questioning of life and sketching ideas are valid practices for every artist. An artist's journey is not only valuable to them but to the future.
BLUE DANCERs by edgar degas
Paris France
Degas Blue Dancers hung in a dimly lit alcove in Musee d Orsay in Paris in 2005. . It was bathed in soft light and hung safely behind glass. To see the pastel in person brought insight that previous photographs of the art work had not. The soft blue pastel rested on the rough toothed paper much like chalk on a sidewalk. At a distance, the viewer might conclude that the brown hue in the shadows of the work was also achieved with pastels. However, taking a closer glance one would notice that the artist had allowed the brown pastel paper to show thru and represent itself as one of the colors in the work. Did the artist see the finished piece before he began? He must have. Otherwise , how would he have known where to strategically place the blue pastel? Each stroke of the varied shades blue also seemed premeditated. The light blue brought the feeling of light on the ballerinas costumes, while the darker blues provided a value for folds in the netting. The neon turqouise seemed to float above the rough textured surface. It moved the viewers eyes back and forth between the soft powder of the pastels and the dark textured surface of the paper, It was much like a blue cloud hovering over a dark barren landscape. The contrast was captivating, Degas use of complementary color was also a visual treat. The red orange hair of the dancers balanced beautifully with the light blue and turqouise in the ballerinas tutu's. The dancers skin tones read as a multi colored palette up close but melded seamlessly into a creamy conclusion at a distance, The ballerinas filled the page, They were stunning. They were a group of performers. But feeling so close to them in this piece, one soon saw they were individual women. Degas was known for his compassion for them and their lot in life. Perhaps that is the deeper message here.