Blog 6: Far outside the West

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      "Timeless" and "Universal" are the two characteristic that a good artwork can have. The artworks beyond the west possess this two characteristics. And this is a real and great advantage for them.


In Chinese art, during this time, they are crazy about making vessels for sacrifices (used in rituals,ceremonies), wine, food, water, etc. 
      Another term they use for porcelain was "China". And now everybody are using these wares. Another version or a resemblance of it is applied to our new kitchen wares. This are very convenient to use that it made all a blockbuster use all over the world (until today).


In North American art, their artworks are screaming out loud their cultures and behavior. It's like "let me see your art piece and I'll tell you your race." They give importance to very small details and they have beliefs behind those mysterious things.
   
In the Japanese Arts, they just love how ratio and proportions go together. I believe that this is the reason behind their Country's success esp. in technological stuffs. The concept of mathematical computations and nature are there standard and this makes their art very unique among others.


We artists know that no matter how huge our collection of art pieces are,  it is not the matter of "how many?" cause seriously, arts is a matter of usability. Arts beyond the west did gave hints or influences to our future arts and today. They had been a great stepping stone for many artists. Just like the other art era, this is also another factor why we can see more of very detailed and glamorous pieces (which are all handmade) by the very intelligent minds of different human beings. They all serve as an inspiration before and today.

Blog 5: Drama. Drama. Drama.

      If you are looking for an artwork that gives so much importance with the very small details, then you are sure not to leave this page. Today, we will be talking about the artwork that defines drama- the Baroque Art.

      In the late 1500s up to the 1700s a new innovation for arts took place. Baroque played a very important role for the world of art because it set a personal attachment for both the observer and the artwork itself. It's more convincing in view of the fact that it make use of the following characteristics:

Motion. The signature look of the artists during this time took advantage of playing with space and time, to end up with creating a motion. The power of movement also made it as if it had a life.

  One fact that I've learned (as of my research from www.academics.smcvt.edu) is that during this period a general knowledge has been proven. That the scientific researchers knew that the Earth is in motion. And this knowledge contributed a lot in this big leap.

Tension. Although there are acts of somehow stretching or the elongation of a body, still the forces between the two are equally distributed. This is used to show that there is a tension happening.

      

         For me, this is the coolest characteristic of Baroque. Knowing that this is also the most challenging element. You should be a real artist to be able to show tension in an artwork.

Details. It is the very small details that makes up the whole to be perfect. Every details are important in showing what we want the observers to see. 

Drama. In the four corners of a canvas the actors and actresses are in a freeze action. They are ready to play their individual roles. Although in a freeze action the enactment of a particular situation is really convincing. Drama was used to build a theater inside an Art museum.

Grandeur. It is the motion, tension, details, drama and other elements that makes the art Grandeur. This are the ingredients that makes it quality state and impressive.

          And that's Baroque Art.






Source:http://academics.smcvt.edu/awerbel/Survey%20of%20Art%20History%20II/Baroque.htm
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Blog 4: Classical revival

       

   ART is never FINISHED.

            only ABANDONED.

                      -Leonardo da Vinci

     I agree with what Leonardo quoted above. It is very true that new generations may have passed but the passion for arts will never ever fade. Leonardo's times is a great evidence of his quotation. While an artist still lives he can make social contributions to our world but then we all know that time will come that they will leave what they have already started. Only the ARTIST will be gone but their artistic products can last for earth's lifetime. In other words, their work of art will be abandoned by the maker of it as what Leonardo said, right?

      So in the 14th up to the 17th century, a new dimension for arts had occurred (the times of the great Leonardo, Raphael and Rembrandt). From the classical expression of the ancient Greek and Roman world, a higher art era had emerged. This new history for the world of arts had always been defined where the art and literature was in its blooming stage. Yes, its none other than the Renaissance period.

      Back then, the art forms are almost made out of styled stones (either humanistic figures or buildings with extraordinary details). The overtaking of the rebirth times opened a very good technique to great and frustrated artists :))

     It gave emphasis to the light and shadows- or simply the chiaroscuro effect, this is also the same technique nowadays in photography (the use of lighting). As a conclusion, we can say that this period made a great, great contribution to the world of arts. I has been the stepping stone of the two, three, and four dimensional animations that we can see or watch now.

       It made every nice pieces of art to be seen as if its really real. As if its part of the reality. Renaissance made art to be closer to life's reality. I can say that overall it was the major contribution of this era. <3.

Blog 3: Does christian art makes you a TRUE CHRISTIAN?

In Christian art they started to use portraits and icons of Jesus to tell the whole world that they are Christians, but is it really enough? What does it really mean for you to say that you are a Christian?

Some people goes to their huge churches once a week, once a month, once a year and once in a blue moon and call themselves a "Christian".


According to Encyclopedia Britannica "during the first 3 centuries of the Christian Church, . . . there was no Christian art, and the church generally resisted it with all its might. Clement of Alexandria, for example, criticized religious (pagan) art in that it encouraged people to worship that which is created rather than the Creator."

Making an art that depicts Christianity won't make you a TRUE CHRISTIAN at all. How come? Come to think of this Christians are no part of this world as what Jesus said in John 17:16 ("They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.")

For us to be a TRUE CHRISTIAN we have to be like squatters who are temporarily living in this system of things which is ruled by no other than Gods enemy-Satan. We should be unique, we should not follow the footsteps of the pagan traditions and beliefs of most people. We should live our life based on God's word and imitate Jesus' traits.

TRUE CHRISTIANS are permanent residents of Paradise the Messianic Kingdom wherein there will be no People's Government but God's Government. (Daniel 2:44)

-----If you are a man of wisdom you will not just read my blog but research on your own, and maybe you can invite Jehovah's Witnesses into your very own house to answer your questions base on what the bible really teaches us. :)

SOURCES:

Bible text: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

Blog 2: If I am to make a piece of art.. I WILL SURELY NOT IDOLIZE IT.

If I am to make a piece of art, 

I'll surely give the best of what i can.

If I am to make a piece of art, 

I would dedicate this to my inspirations.

If I am to make a piece of art, 

I'll display it into my room.

If I am to make a piece of art,

It'll have great combination of colors.

If I am to make a piece of art,

I WILL SURELY NOT GIVE MY STRONG ATTACHED DEVOTION AND THEN WORSHIP IT.

We artists are capable of doing great things like the artworks that we have seen in our history. 

And just so you know, we people are more than a piece of art.

(WE ARE MORE THAN THAT!)

We, people can think, laugh, cry, act, and many more (I hope you know that you can do these things. :)

Unlike art pieces, though it can stand for a very long period of time, we all know that they are not capable of doing what we can, except for making us realize that we are truly blessed with our precious talents. :))

When i was reading some bible texts i would just like to share this to all of you (professors, classmates and readers):

This is when Apostle Paul and Barnabas was in Lystra (from Wikipedia:

Lystra is a city that is now a modern Turkey)

GAWA 14:11-13:"At ang mga pulutong, sa pagkakita sa ginawa ni Pablo, ay naglakas ng kanilang mga tinig, na sinasabi sa wikang Licaonia: “Ang mga diyos ay naging tulad ng mga tao at bumaba sa atin!”. At tinawag nilang Zeus si Bernabe, ngunit Hermes naman si Pablo, yamang siya ang nangunguna sa pagsasalita. At ang saserdote ni Zeus, na ang templo ay nasa harap ng lunsod, ay nagdala ng mga toro at mga putong sa mga pintuang-daan at nagnanais na maghandog ng mga hain kasama ng mga pulutong."

After reading, this made me realize how the people before were so brainwashed, and even their priest.

KEEP IN MIND:

ART can lead us in different directions.

First, is to be like those people who did not even try to know the truth and the people who ended up choosing to stay and have faith in their beliefs and traditions they had while they grew up. Well, a man of wisdom don't just believe with THIS and THAT, a man who has wisdom searches for the truth for himself.

Second, is to be like the early Christians who always give thanks to our INTELLIGENT CREATOR for being blessed. We can really say that they are not only full of knowledge and skills but also the WISDOM. Though they possess their abilities they did not take it as an advantage of manipulating the truth (like making their own God). They use their talents to serve the true God. And we believe that this is what makes a person truly so fit to be called an ARTIST.

P.S.
I'm not against the world of art or something, I'm just against on some of them. It's because of the purposes, motives, origins and the people behind it. 

Sources:
Bible text: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
Lystra info: Wikipedia

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Blog 1: Art-- A Challenge to Artists

As I analyze the some of the art works in Ancient Art my faith in God strengthen more and I pity those people who did not knew the true God at all. I learned how men during that time lack knowledge and faith about our (true) God because of the manipulators of the truth. When I was little, I have always known that God hated people who worship other Gods than him.

"I am Jehovah your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of slaves. You must not have any other gods against my face. "You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is down the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me" (Exodus 20:2-6)

For example:

The Sumerian Gods

Anu- God of the sky

Nannu- God of the moon

Abu- God of Vegetation

Akhenaton is a worshipper of a fake God-Aton (God of sun).

Egyptians deceived by False Doctrine “Immortality”

When a pharaoh or a priest dies they mummify the body and place it in their tomb- the pyramid. Gold, jewelries, wine and other luxuries are buried with them. Also take note that their slaves are murdered and placed right next to the side of their masters. So that they will be able to serve their masters in afterlife.

What does the Bible says about this?

In reality, it has a big contrast in Ecclesiastes 9:5 "For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten."

Psalms 146:4 "His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; In that day his thoughts perish." Yes the dead don't know anything they lose their five senses.

I can say that Art is good. Actually it is a gift from God. Not everyone can make a work of art but we must see to it that whenever we create artworks we should remember that this should not be against the Divine law or against the moral standards of our intelligent creator. We should not take the footsteps of the pagan world if we are true believers of God and Christ.

As an artist it is really a big challenge to us to be wise enough to pin point what is pleasing to God and what is not. But it will do give way for us to honor the loving-kindness of Jehovah.

Moses is so angry that he throws down the two flat stones 

with the laws on them, and they break into 

many, many pieces.

Sources:

Bible verses: www.watchtower.org

Picture       : My Book of Bible Stories published by Jehovah's Witnesses