Assignment #4: Project

In order to portray the idea of travel, I am going to paint a scene with either oils or acrylics on canvas.  The scene will be a personal vision from my recent vacation to Paris, France.  It will not be a cliche picture of La Tour Eiffel or anything of that well known nature.  I haven't quite decided which picture to use for this piece, but it will either be a scene of a garden with little French boys playing in the mud or a sea scape from Normandy. 

Assignment #3: Inspirational Artist

Cyril Croucher is an english artist who paints pictures of scenes and elongates them.  He is increasingly popular in Europe and has exhibitions at multiple contemporary art museums.  I am inspired by his art because he paints what he sees, but it isn't exactly the picture; it isn't verbatim. He puts a twist on it and makes simple sights intriguing.



     

http://www.cyrilcroucher.com/

Assignment #2: Diversity

While travelling, especially internationally, culture is obviously different across the globe. The languages, dialects, foods, customs, and traditions, vary from one country to another. 

Assignment #2: Awestruck

As I mentioned yesterday, if you don't take chances, you will miss out on seeing and experiencing so many world wonders.  When you actually see these wonders, the money you spent to get there becomes less of a concern and your fear of airplanes is suddenly benign.  When you see Mount Everest, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Atlantic, the Crown Jewels, etc, you will be in awe at how close you are to something so very famous, something so historical, and something that you would never experience in the little town of Wilmington, OH. 

  

  

 

Assignment #2: Chance

When travelling, you take chances all the time -- when you step in a car, enter an airport, ride in an airplane, ride in foreign taxi cabs, and carry around your valuables and money.  However, if you let fear set in that something might go wrong, you wouldn't get to see and experience the sights and scenery of an unfamiliar place.  Think of all the places you would go and all the things in life you would miss if you were too afraid to take the chance....

 

 

 

Assignment #2: Ingesticulation

Ingesticulation: a false term used to describe traveller's methods to point and mime to order food when you don’t know the local language.

 

Assignment #2: Excursionist

Excursionist

This is simply a synonym for 'traveler'.  I'd say it is used to describe the adventurous traveler; not just the cross-country family vacationer.

Here are some of the most entertaining and well-known excursionists:


Rick Steves (GPB Television)


Anthony Bourdain (A.V. Club)


Kynt & Vyxsin from the Amazing Race
(RealityWanted.net)

Assignment #1: Big Idea

Big Idea: Travel

Possible Topics:
- Culture
- Diversity
- Personal Vacations
- Travel for Work
- Language
- World Wonders
- Travel Gone Wrong
- Short Trips
- Long Trips
-Weekend Travel
- Extended Travel

Questions About My Big Idea:
- What is the significance of travelling?
- What are the pros of travelling?
- What are the cons of travelling?
- What is cultural diversity?
- How are family vacations different than vacations alone? Vacations with friends?
- Do the different genders interpret travelling in different ways?
- Is it worth the money to travel?
- Is seeing a scene in a movie or documentary different than seeing it in "real life"?
- What are the risks of travelling?
- Why shouldn't one travel?

Definitions of Travel:
- Travel is how one keeps his/her sanity.
- Travel is about building an appreciation for the world we live in.
- Travel is love.
- Travel is life.
- Travel is experiencing the history we learn about in school.
- Travel is about adventure.
- Travel is about taking risks and overcoming fear.
- Travel builds character.
- Travel creates bonds between culture and within family.

The Snow!! -- It's Gone.....

Alas, I missed the snow due to my busy weekend schedule, but here is my sparse, snow-free backyard....

Art That Inspires Me

The Wedding at Cana



This piece inspires me because of the immense size; being the largest painting in the Louvre in Paris, France.  It is made up of smaller canvases of various sizes.  Besides its size I have a rather divine story to tell about it.  In July, I was at the Louvre and I proceed to take a picture of this painting, being famous for its size.  I was off to the side, so Jesus was not by any means in the center of the photo.  However, among any of the hundred people my camera could have focused on, it focused on Jesus, the little green brackets outlining his face.  It struck me as odd because in my viewfinder Jesus was in the corner and the camera would never focus on a being in the corner.... It could have been a coincidence, but it was so weird I noticed it.