Meg Freund

Art Event #1 Mopa- Staking claim Oct 5th

Staking Claim is a Photo documentary gallery, highlighting photo journalist most striking and compelling photo in their projects.

The pictures were stunning. Most of the photos were very sad to look at, but I think that is what made it so compelling. I think what I could away was that just how all the pictures flowed nicely in the gallery even thought they were not meant to be seen next to each other. I really showed me how much thought needs to be put in galleries.

Well, they were photographs and many of them will affect my word on my own photography, but for computer graphics I think it would be just the lay out of the photos. Most of the time they were very simply. Rule of thirds or grid patterns, but they were stunning. I think it’s good to remember to sometime you just need to keep thing simple.

I honestly think I am going to have a hard time criticize pieces of work, I always have, art is different everywhere we go and I find it difficult to point out flaws, mostly because I could be seeing something as a flaw when in fact it not.

As well the lay was well done and kept you interested going from picture to picture and I t was easy to tell you crossed over to a new artist without it being blatant, so the gallery was set up well.

#2- San Diego Art Museum. Oct 15

The San Diego Art Museum is a series of rooms showing art from around the room. It is one of the museum that don’t change very often, but I still find that it is one of my favorite. The art in the museum is striking. Some are fabulous and stunning while others are not to my taste. There was this one tile work that was between made by unknown artist that struck my attention. First I didn’t recognize it, so either I never noticed it before or it is relatively new. It was beautiful work with ornate detail. It was this ornate detail that pulled me to it. Which is interesting because I find that I either pulled to ornate detailed art works, where there is not one true focal point, or minalist work. To whether I came out with some kind of change to my art, probably not. But I do visit the museums often simply because I love to look at the art. Sometimes you can look at the same painting for days and get nothing from it and then suddenly one day it will because your new muse. What I find the best out of that museum and why it is my favorite is because of structure of the building. As you enter you are in front of a grand staircase and everything is very Victorian and I would be lying if I were to say that that period does not affect my art. It might not be very obvious, but it a time period that and art style that truly like.

Over all the museum is always good. My only complaint if I wish I there would cycle more art pieces through, but I suppose that is what I get for only going on free Tuesdays.

#3- Mingei International Museum. October 15

This museum unlike that Art Museum is always in constant change. I’ve gone this museum quite a few times and have seem many interesting installations. This past one, ALLIED CRAFTSMEN TODAY which will be in till the 5^th of January, I have to say was one of my least favorite. Because of the nature of the Mingei Museum, mingei means ‘art of the people’ mostly you see many art and craft type art. Which can be really cool and breath taking. I have seen before a wall sized picture that a man made using printed art and paint blown through a straw. However this time, I was little disappointed. There many awesome art works, but none that truly called out to me. My favorite was a chandelier by Dale Chihuly, titled Enlightenment. It was blown glass and looked like a sea monster hanging in the sky. I am not sure how this museum would help me with computer graphic work, but I believe that it is important to emerge yourself in all types of art, not just one that align with what you currently do, how knows maybe one day I’ll be a sculptor. Highly unlikely, but I’m not going to rule it out.

I don’t know much about the artist Dale Chihuly, but I loved his glass work, I think he caught my attention because blowing glass is a skill I don’t think I will ever have, but would love too. Just by that alone I have to say I respect him. Working with such a raw and literally breakable medium tell you a lot of the character. He is not afraid to mess up, because I have a feeling you do that a lot with working with glass, a lot of work can be put in and then one mess up us and the whole thing can be ruined, unlike with the computer that is un do or go back, and I respect that. Very much.

#4 Art Institute: The Art of Photography Show. Oct 15

The art of photography show that I attended is it’s ninth year and represent world-class photos.

Now this Event gave me hope. I have told you before that I truly love photography. I love computer graphics but I have a much more powerful pull to photographs. And while the photos here were amazing a many had such skill that I could only dream of, I do believe my photos were on par with some on the photos. And that gives me hope. Something you truly need to be artist. It is a very discouraging trade. You make something pour hours or work into it only to have it thrown back in you face and changed and warped till it not longer feels like yours. I think that is why I like photography so much. It can be changed and warped only so much, it is still your photograph, no matter how many edits it gets.

I’m afraid I went on a bit of rant. That tends to happen, if you haven’t noticed already.

At any rate the photos were amazing and I really feel like I came out of it with a wider eye of what kind of art pieces can be entered into exhibits. Bottom line is they all can, the worst you can get is a no. and that is a good lesson that this Event taught me.

#5 MOPA. September 24

This was my first Event and is my favorite.

The photos were amazing and right up the ally r pictures that I already take. So it didn’t really stretch my horizons much, but it is event so I ma using it.

However it did have an artist that I fell in love with, something that the other events can not claim.

Bruce Davidson is an American photographer born in 1933. In 1958 he joined Magnum Photo agency. He is most well known for his city shots and capturing all angles of city life, most notably New York City and Harlem. Though he does shots in other cities and non-cities as well.

The photo that I got most in spired by in the exhibit MOPA, is ‘Two women on Platform, Subway’ and photo taken in 1980. I love the low color and the angle of the city in the background. I think that taking a up close city shot from somewhere high is not done very often, you normally get the low shots to make the city look dirtier or taller, so it was cool seeing a new angle.

Look at the rest of his photo I quickly realized that I love his type of photography, he shots lot of portraits mixed with landscapes to tell a story, a style that I have noticed in my own work. As well he does a lot of black and white photography, and I personally am always drawn to those. In all I was very inspired by Bruce and he does a beautiful job in all his pictures.

#6 -Secretes concert at Soma. Nov. 18th

I am hoping that this counts as an art event. I went to the this concert because one I like the post hard core music that was playing that night, and I am friends with the band Secretes. Despite knowing them, watching them on stage is always something to behold. Maybe it is because I know them that I can see the hours of practice that they have done and the changes that they have made. Seriously in the two years I have known them they have so many 180 flips that they are in a different dimension from where they were. Did that even make sense? At any rate, it is not there music that I am talking about, though that is amazing too, I have a very high respect for all musical artist of any kind. It a grate talent and wish I had it. But back on point. Everything in the play set was aligned. From when the whole bad jumps and moves like one to the flashing of the lights. It amazing to watch, mostly from artist view point because I can see the hard work put in and I know how even just being a little off, would change everything, and yet they stay together and without looking like they are reciting lines. It’s truly a gift.

As far as respecting the players, of course I do. The band has changed members slightly sense the time that I knew them best, but the player are amazing genuine people. Very down to earth and fun, something that you can’t do anything but respect especially as their fame grows.

Event #7 Locally grown Dance Performance.

This was an improvisational dance recital and to my eyes I looked liked it was choreographed, with is the opposite of Improv. So they either are very good, which is my bet, or there was slight chorography.

Honestly what I came away with was a desire to dance, something that I Know I have no skill set to do. Trust me I trip just walking.

The part that really was brought to my attention was just how in tune the dancer were on stage with each other. Honestly they flowed very nicely together and none of them looked like they were making any choices of where to go or what to do next. Everything flowed together and looked like it was planned, which I know it wasn’t.

I get inspired to use dance in some photos, where that be pictures or dancers or just whimsical designs, but I am defiantly inspired by the dancers. I honestly didn’t learn anything from the performance, just that I really wish I could dance.

As far as respecting the artists, I have complete respect for all the performers, I always do with live performances, I understand art that is done in a studio and presented as finished, but performance art something that I have the highest respect for.

Event #8 Improv. Dance Performance

This was another improvisational dance set that I attendant because I liked the first one so much, and let me tell you this was one much better; whish is saying something because the first one was so good.

I think that this was better to me because it had looser themes, it was almost abstract and you had to really think about the art to get a meaning from it, and there were a few that I just could not figure out. But I liked that. I thought the dancers were wonderful and I enjoyed that through there movements they achieved the something that abstract painters and graphic artists achieved in static pictures. I can just imagine how much harder it is in performance art.

I honestly could not find anything to critique, only because I do not know dance very well. But I do know it a bit better than I did last time, but if anything it has just made me more impressed, not able to criticize.

My friend is a dancer and I was get small lesson from her and I am now in awe of every dancer I see. Seriously, that stuff is hard.

Event #9 Nutcracker Dec 5

It has come to my attention that is should have asked if dance recitals count, but I guess it’s too late now, since I am using three of them for my events. Hopefully you will take it. But honestly I don’t even think I can express how much it has influenced me. not so much in the graphic world, but in the photography, I reached out through some connections and now have some pretty solid dancer photos that I have taken. I loved doing it. The girls were very nice, and the picture turned out beautiful.

The dancers that I took pictures of then turned around and invited me and my family to their nutcracker performance, and when I went it was beautifully done.

The Nutcracker is a ballet that I go to once a year with my sister, and while before it has fascinated me, knowing more about it and knowing the dancer some, made the performance even better.

This cast was a young cast and they all did a amazing job. The Nutcracker by trade is designed to have young parts for the toddlers, middle parts for younger kids, and adolescent parts, and prima ballerina parts. So to be doing the performance a primarily younger cast still hold the difficultly level up, was amazing to watch, they are truly talented dancers.

I also know that what inspiration these dance recitals have started me on, I am not finished yet.