Personal Geographies: SKETCHING PARIS {May 4-16, 2008}

Found Drawings

2008-05-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

Every time we take the Metro I notice the graffti on the windows. The marks are really interesting because, unlike most of the graffiti in Paris, they are etched into the glass. Since etching isn't as immediate as spray painting, I always wonder how much time was spent making it and why no one stopped them.

Wandering in Bercy

2008-05-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

I was assigned a walk in Bercy -supposedly a derelict neighborhood only recently renovated. By renovation the city must have meant modernization, because the archecture in clean, geometric and innovative -no more engraved marble or narrow alleyways. Personally I find it refreshing, but is it possible to wander through Bercy? Is it capable of wanderlust? The space is so open and neatly partitioned, does that create the same allure or seducement or, most importantly, the mystery of older, interwoven Paris? I feel incapable of being lost in Bercy but quite possible to lose myself in the gardens, to forget about time as I way by the vineyard or muse through shops. And I can people-watch in Bercy like the skateboarders or other people enjoying the gardens or walking their dogs. So I would say indulge in Bercy, wander if it means indulging yourself but don't expect the confusion or fear of mazing through the older streets.

Found Drawings

2008-05-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

Arthur Miller in The Crucible describes the feeling of stripped identity if your name is taken away. Conversely there is a feeling of pride or empowerment when you tie your name to something. I saw great works of art and grand monuments in Paris, but what I found was the importance of the signature on these masterpeices. The metro is a system to be admired and Sophie apparently wanted to add her flourish in the dust on the walls, while Kevin and Matt wanted their marks on ancient and prized constructions like the Arc de Triumph and the Catacombs respectively. Naturally Rodin would want recognition for his sculptural feats and so his signature is neatly curved into the bronze.

Mapping Red

2008-05-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

As soon as we got off the metro it pulled us in every direction possible. It was as if the color red was a gigantic light and we were moths that just couldn't get enough of it. "There!!...No, no, there!"

Once we figured out the general direction of the Sacre Coeur, it was easier to let the red take us on our journey.

Books & Books

2008-05-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

The book making process was an interesting one that stimulated me to create another after we were first showed how to build them. I felt as though the first book was more like an experiment, so I wanted to make another that used the book form more appropriately. The structure of the book is mimicking the many crevaces and interior spaces of the Catacombs. By using some images that cross over multiple pages and some that are individual compositions, I feel the book itself creates a sense of depth of the location depicted.

Metroing

2008-05-16T06:08:00.000-07:00

Without consciousness, without design, without intention
the movement of my body turned into an interesting abstraction
that did best without my control. The art went through my hand,

and I became a part of it, an inside force that acts on me as much

as I act on it.

Catacombs & Bones

2008-05-16T05:43:00.000-07:00

The Catacombs de Paris offered an abundant resource of pattern work. The bones and skulls were arranged in a way that created a visual rhythm that lent to the overall experience of seeing death as art.

Found Drawings-- decay

2008-05-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

Paris itself is a center of history and culture, seperated entirely from the US, and even some European countries. Because of this deep rooted history, I was interested by all of the decay that surrounded it. By decay I mean more of the scratches, breaks, graffiti, paint fragments, or anything that could imply that a structure was aged. On my trip out to Versailles, and even in first arriving in Paris, the city was imerged in this decay that contributes to its beauty.

Rodin Museum

2008-05-16T04:27:00.000-07:00

The most wonderful thing about the Rodin Museum was its approachable size. When walking around and analyzing each sculpture I wasn't overwhelmed by space. I was able to focus on the outer lines that these sculptures created as if seducing each piece one by one. My concentration never left any sculpture I examined (except for the few seconds of squeeky sounds coming from the old wood floor).

Found Drawings

2008-05-16T03:30:00.001-07:00

I was able to find many examples of my themed found drawings throughout the city. My theme was the discontinuity that technology forces upon flooring. There is a need for vents and power sources in the age that we live in and because of this, the flooring medium, mostly tile and wood in Paris, must be altered to make room for their new neighbors. The floor no longer serves as merely a walkway but houses our technological gadgets attempting to improve our way of life. I was impressed by the different ways that Parisians have used this necessary function of flooring to display more of their artistic handiworks. This approach to art has allowed Paris to adopt an air of elegance in their structures and city layout without compromising their ability to function smoothly. The ability to make art out of the mundane is key to life because it transports its viewer, if even temporarily, out of their own lives and into the beautiful world of art.

Collages

2008-05-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

What I thought was most interesting about the collages was the way that they really forced us to readdress the image in a variety of ways. So much of what this class was about was questioning our perceptions and the way that we see things. From the blind drawings and dinner at Dans le Noir to the quick sketches and collages, we were forced to rethink the way that we view the our surroundings.

Beads in the Market.

2008-05-16T02:10:00.000-07:00

I mapped the bead stand in the market. I have always been attached to beads and buying beads. I sort of collect them and make things on occasion. The beads in the market were all plastic, which disappointed me since I expected them to be glass or at least have some weight to them. They were still interesting to look at and recreate on paper. The shapes and colors varied and on some you could see the plastic seam.

Les Portes de Paris

2008-05-15T12:26:00.001-07:00

as i walked through Montparnasse i started to watch people go in and out of their apartments, wondering what their lives were like. la porte...a door..the name seems to fit these things that transport people from their public to their private lives. how many people have come and gone through these doors, i wondered. there seems to be so much wear and tear on these door...each mark telling a different story. these doors have kept the secrets of those that have lived behind them for decades, maybe even longer. do these doors hold some of the best kept secrets in Paris?

Wilderness to a Formal Garden

2008-05-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Is it really such a shame to turn what was once so complex into something so mundane? I guess it depends on who you ask;I for one am amazed by Haussan's difficult task. The garden lives and makes Paris renowned, and now what was lost can now be found.

Where am I?

2008-05-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

I don't really know, I don't really know at all. When I try to pinpoint it, it slips away, like trying to remember a dream and only feeling its remnants. Sometimes when I'm looking so hard I can't make sense of it. I just keep doing something, almost rhythmically, almost theraputically, almost if I do it over and over again I can will an outcome. I'm trying to find where I am, and I just keep trying.

Found Drawings.

2008-05-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

I photographed all over the city and found drawings everywhere. I figured that i could connect them in some way, but when I looked at them the only thing that connected them was the fact that I found them and photographed them. After this I decided to photograph found drawings within Reid Hall, which is sort of home base here in Paris. It is amazing how much one can find here in one building.

Mapping Red.

2008-05-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

Red is a color that is used a to catch people’s attention and is associated with all sorts of past and present movements. When actively looking for red one will most likely find it all over the place. As I walked I began to see all the red cars, doors, shirts, and signs. It all came forward as I looked. I wondered if I had not been looking for the red if it would be so apparent. I began to make tally marks in my sketchbook of how many red doors, cars, and shirts I saw. 7 red doors, 6 red cars, 17 red shirts, although I know there were more.

Reflections on Paris

2008-05-15T04:21:00.001-07:00

I agree with the Paris, or Botanizing on the Asphalt article in that the streets of Paris are decorated as if it were an outdoor museum for its residents and visitors. Paris enraptures me with its beautiful architecture, streets, squares and lovely restaurants and cafes. I also enjoy very much seeing local artists on the streets. Now I understand why there were so many artists that flocked to this amazing city for inspiration. This is a city that definitely draws the visitor. There is so much to see. So much art, culture and history. Paris definitely was the city that historically influenced the cities throughout Europe. It's like a dream come true to me to be able to walk through historical streets, have a taste of the cultural Parisian life, see the famous pieces of art and taste the delicious eats. Also, though Paris is a great cosmopolitan city I appreciate that Parisians take the time to appreciate the nature and outdoorsy life by visiting their beautiful and well-kept parks and gardens to unwind, relax or have a picnic. This city impresses me because it seems to have it all collected and well-balanced. There is everything for everyone and it's such a romantic city. I love Paris! This was a great learning experience and the perfect city to take an art class.

Walking the City

2008-05-15T03:58:00.000-07:00

After reading Paris, or Botanizing on the Asphalt, I was able to further understand my own trip to Paris. In the article, the author, Walter Benjamin explains why it is so important to walk through Paris if you want to truly see it. He goes on to say that the best way to actually become a part of the city is by walking at a turtle’s pace without a hard-pressed destination in mind. There are so many sites that “you have to see” but each forces a path ending with a destination in mind. This movement is completely opposite from Walter Benjamin wants you to see when you want to become a part of the city. It is hard to reconcile these two seemingly different ways to approach the city but both must be used. When coming to Paris, I personally feel that I must see the Louvre and the Notre Dame, even after two other trips doing the same thing. It as if you owe yourself the most amount of time possible at certain sites in the world: if you are nearby, your very soul requires you to go regardless of whether you have been before. But then there is also the need to stroll aimlessly. Walking to find the Eiffel tower or Sacre Coure by merely walking in the right general direction brings you by places and things that would be bypassed when a direct route is planned out. The clear message that the journey is more important than the destination is undeniable as well. I have enjoyed seeing this city of lights through intended routes and random encounters, both have left me with the feeling that I have seen Paris.

I LOVE YOU (in montmartre)

2008-05-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

This lovely little scene is of the I Love You wall in the Parc Jehan Rictus in Montmartre (just off the Place des Abbesses).

The Catacombes...and spiral staircases.

2008-05-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

My initial fear of the Catacombes ceased once I entered the room full of neatly piled bones. I was instantly mesmerized by the unexpected beauty of human bones stacked with such care and drew as many as I could in the dimly lit rooms. As I was drawing I couldn't help but wonder if there were some sort of blueprint followed by the people who stacked them, and how long it must have taken. At times, I forgot what I was looking at and the patterns turned into an ornate wallpaper that lined the quarry walls.

Red Ladybug

2008-05-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

So many more things are red then most people would note. In the Wanderlust reading, it briefly describes the colors and textures of Paris- and red does not come to mind. Many man-made objects seemed to be red to grab the attention and stand out from the subtle pallet of the city streets and buildings. I enjoyed finding the most subtle of those, such as the red ticket stub contrasted against the green grass and the red spray paint on the black starcase guide. It was inderesting that red is often an indicator for a wide variety of signage.

(I apologize for some of the inverted orientations on these but it was the easiest way for them to all fit.)

reflections of paris: found drawings

2008-05-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

i found that reflections of everyday things can be incredibly interesting... especially different reflective surfaces...they have a way of distorting simple forms and light in creative ways...they make me take a second look and examine the spaces around me ...i found so many beautiful shapes and colors happening on tiny reflective surfaces all around Paris.

Seine River

2008-05-14T03:29:00.000-07:00

The best way to see Paris is by foot. The second best way is by boat. Going on the river tour of Paris today allowed me to see Paris without worrying where the metro stop was or where the nearest water closet would be. Because of this, I would say the water provided a very close “second best way” to see the city. I love the beautiful bridges that this city has built to traverse its bloodline, the Seine River. Sitting directly beneath them allowed me to see the incredible detail of their façade. I also was able to enjoy seeing many of the famous sites that the city has, all in one sitting. It was a great mapping exercise of the city. This single sitting allowed for the greatest continuity I have felt to date about where places are located within the city of Paris.

Quick Sketches.

2008-05-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

I know that quick sketches are meant to be fast, but I think that at times I move too fast for my own good. I put too much down on the paper, too much weight. I enjoyed my sketches a little bit more as I began to slow down and measure a little bit. Fast sketches can still be done slow.

Dans Le Noir.

2008-05-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be comfortable in the dark, and I was for the most part. The worst part was walking in to the table and feeling the pull on my arm thinking I would be separated from the group I tried so hard to keep my hand on Chelsea’s shoulder as we were pulled into the darkness. I ate with my hands, as it was too difficult to find the food using a fork. I tasted smoked salmon. I had no idea what the rest of what I ate was, but it tasted good until I tried the dessert. I do not like grapefruit. I found out the “steak” we had was actually bison, and I realized that had I known that before I would have never eaten it. So perhaps it took this experience to broaden my senses and help me look, and taste things differently and without fear.

Hodgepodge and other mixes

2008-05-13T08:57:00.001-07:00

Do, just do, just do and feel and see if anything comes out.
Just wait and see if anything does.
While making collages I cut and pasted (which I rarely do by hand) papers I had found, but I found the whole process a little monotonous. However, by the end I was paying little attention to designing and glued until things looked right, felt right, if it did feel right.
In the end, they turned out perhaps as well as if I had planned them.

Don't Think, Just Sketch

2008-05-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

"Don't Think, Just Sketch" that was the motto for Monday's class. Six or ten minute sketches without really thinking about what you were putting on your page. Liberating you from the constraints of details and proportions. A woman sitting beneath a tree is no longer just a woman under a tree on the page, she becomes one with the tree, as you sketch them rapidly together. You really begin to discover how many parts there are to a tree when you have to break down it's shapes into value. You notice that even the sky; although it looks clear blue, is actually many shades of blues. I was surprised at how much I noticed through quick sketches.

2008-05-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

Center of the World

2008-05-13T07:49:00.001-07:00

I did not realize the information that maps could provide beyond direction until going to the Bibliotheque Nationalle de France Map Department. There, I was able to learn so much more about France and her relationship with the rest of the world. Paris was drawn out in great detail in a variety of maps while the countryside was barely understood. Louis XVI finally commissioned hunting maps of the areas around Versailles and the surrounding land was elevated to “map status.” This disregard for detail can also be seen in older maps of America. Louisiana would the focus but would not be drawn out in true likeness; non-existent geographical locations were drawn in. This center of the world approach showcases that France was an empire for a long time and was the center of life for its subjects. This understanding served me well while exploring her grand museums, palaces, and gardens.

Sight

2008-05-13T07:48:00.003-07:00

I thought that I would need to keep my eyes open for this class but have realized that in order to do that I would first need to shut them. I have noticed that a theme throughout this class has been to see things with your eyes closed. Through the blindfold drawings, I learned to draw through words and that the outcome would be a result of two people's perceptions. Another art form, eating would also need to be done without my sight. Eating at Dans Le Noir was a dining experience unique in its darkness; everything is done in the black of night. There, I learned that I really enjoy knowing what i am eating before doing so and that along with taste and smell, sight was a big part of my dining experience. I am glad that I could learn all of these lessons through my temporary loss of vision.

Monet gardens

2008-05-13T07:26:00.001-07:00

At the Musee D'Orsay I was really inspired by some of the graphic work exhibited in the museum. In particular, the work of Toulouse Lautrec's drawings helped me to observe the working of the foreground and background simultaneously, and exercise defining the subject of the work. I did one garden 'memory' or a piece I produced from memory of what some of the flowers looked like.

(Posted for a reference of what I was interested in.)

metro motion drawings

2008-05-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

*•.,, standing in a jumpy metro train ,.•***•.,,.•*

**•.,,. no support ,•***•.,,.•*

•***•.,,.• trying hard to balance ,,.•*

__at stops_quickly searching for bits to sketch__.•**

Garden Reflection.

2008-05-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

When I was younger my uncle Peter used to have small plant nursery in our back yard. It was just out the window of my brother’s room. The grapefruit tree, which is now gone was surrounded by different palm trees and plants of all sorts. My brother and I used to help Peter on the weekends or whenever he was around and we would pull weeds from the potted plants. There used to be a bridge in my back yard. I vaguely remember this; I think the hurricanes took it away at some point.

Flag Book {Dans Le Noir}

2008-05-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

Nothing displays my experience at Dans Le Noir better than this flag book.

Different.
Unclear.
Anxiety.

My flag book is better understood if you close your eyes, and flip through it.

collage & following stages

2008-05-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

The bits and pieces of aspects of the trip assembled into one.

I am interested in the texture the typography in some of the collages creates.

Monet Garden

2008-05-13T05:50:00.000-07:00

This day was absolutely gorgeous. Not one cloud in the sky, and the breeze can only be described as delicious. The colors of every single flower in Monet's garden were impossible to overlook. The garden's beauty helped my sketches to become free-flowing. It was as if the pollen filled air was lifting my paintbrush and making every mark for me.

Walking and Sketching Through Paris

2008-05-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

'En plein air' sketching, the practice of artists painting outdoors occurred throughout the day. The length of time of the sketches, about 5-10 minutes made me focus on filling the page with a composition and slowly developing the details.

This really reminded me of Monet's garden and the Impressionists because of the fact that this is exactly as they worked. It made the places we sketched more real, and I feel more confident in my interpretations of them rather then a photo to depict them.

Dans Le Noir

2008-05-13T05:22:00.001-07:00

I was actually quite terrified of eating in the dark. My biggest fear was on the interior of the space. I kept imagining a dungeon like space with rusty tables and uncomfortable chairs. I was the first to be plunged into the dark, but with our trusty waiter leading the way, my fears slowly faded away. The first thing I noticed was that I was placed next to a wall. Then, with the wall as a support, I sank into my chair. The comfortable chair and clean table helped take away the dungeon image. As we ate, I noticed that I could use the wall as a reference point. I was able to place my drinks next to the wall or bottles of water or wine so that I could always find them. The food had a lot of flavor. I don't know if my senses were heightened or if they may have purposely added a lot of flavor. Just as though you can't taste very well when you can't smell, perhaps you can't taste well when you are used to seeing food and preconceiving what you will taste and consequently they gave us very flavorful food.

Oh, Collages!

2008-05-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

Collecting pieces of Paris.
My found paper treasures.
Where I've been, and what I've seen.

Tearing pieces of Paris.
My experience combined.
Maybe it's destroyed, but still a memory.

Dans Le Noir

2008-05-13T05:14:00.000-07:00

This was definitely a unique dinner experience with blind waiters that would guide us to our tables/seats in complete darkness. I was able to enhance my senses in order to have a feel of how people that are blind go about their daily lifes and learn how they function in their "dark" world. It gave me a taste of what my world would be like if I didn't have my eye sight. This experience forces you to rely on your other senses.

2008-05-13T05:11:00.000-07:00

One of the first exhibitions I wanted to see was the graphic arts collection. After trying for so long, I gave up but accidentally stumbled upon this one tucked away in a closed off room. The artist was Gabriel de Saint - Aubin. This exhibition showed many of his sketches and drawings. His work was very small but very detailed. The sketch above was approximately 1.5 in x .5in. I was amazed by the small scale and the sktechy but complete work. It has inspired me to create miniature sketches of my own.

Blind sketching

2008-05-13T05:03:00.000-07:00

My first assignment at the Luxembourg was odd and challenging because I had to draw blind foldedly by just the mere description of the object that my partner chose to describe to me. Nevertheless, I also found it to be fun because of the unknown and because of the people that were watching me at the park. It was an interesting assignment and I sure did laugh at myself.

Monet Watercolors

2008-05-13T04:59:00.000-07:00

Painting from life at the Monet Gardens allowed me to explore some methods I saw other artists use. After having studied how artists used lines and values at the Musee D'Orsay, I tried to incorporate some of the techniques I saw into these watercolor paintings. For a few, I started with the watercolors, then used the marker to define the shape. With others, I began with the marker and added color.

FALAFEL IN THE MARAIS

2008-05-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

Winding Walk

2008-05-13T03:27:00.001-07:00

Today I went to a charming park that was in the middle of working Paris. I say working because I saw not one other tourist with their trusty guidebook in tow. It was almost odd to see the real Paris, the Paris where most days are spent for true Parisians, away from the foreigners trying to soak up their beautiful culture. There were children everywhere, laughing and playing with their caregivers. Through the winding walk, I strolled by a child learning to ride a bike, a French class taking their lessons outside, and a waterfall. Those that would frequent it during the early 20th century aptly called the park the most Surrealist Park in all of Paris. I sketched, stopping at every trashcan, and was exposed to beautiful flowers and a great variety of dogs. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Metro drawings

2008-05-13T03:27:00.000-07:00

My hand holds the pencil/pen, but my hand follows the metro movements as it stops, goes and turns which create a sort of map with different scribbles and dots.

L' Hotel De Ville

2008-05-13T03:26:00.000-07:00

Finding the darkest and lightest point before sketching is very important. As I sketched L' Hotel De Ville, I looked at how all levels related to each other, and how shape size balanced out the entire composition.

Collages

2008-05-13T01:52:00.000-07:00

The collage project is really relaxing and fun. Though we were supposed to do it randomly, I found myself looking for that perfect shape or color. I found that using the same magazine page or image also helped the collage stay cohesive and consistent rather than a pile of mud. I found that making the image purley grayscale is difficult, expecially when colors are different hues but are at the same value/intesity (?).

Rodin Museum

2008-05-13T01:47:00.000-07:00

Drawing only the contours of the statues was challenging. Throughout the exercise I was tempted to create a detailed line drawing that broke into the contours of the object. Some of the contours created mass blobs rather than silhouettes. I could only decipher a few of my own drawings. This exercise helped me start from a whole rather than from a detail.

WANDERING DAY

2008-05-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

luxembourg garden
hotel de ville
brancussi studio
street sketching
sketchbook exhibition at the pompidou centre
park de bercy
boat tour

2nd Stage sketches

2008-05-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

Transposing the original sketch into a second stage was a bit of challenge for me given that I haven't formally taken any sketch/drawing classes. It's enlightening however when I see how different forms and changes from the original sketch make the drawing appear as if it's moving.

Running the World

2008-05-12T03:27:00.000-07:00

Sainte Chapelle showcases why the Catholic Church had the power that it did. I never understood why the Church was able to really inspire people on an individual basis to respond to their demands, until I came to Europe. The sense of awe that I had upon walking up the stairs to the Sainte Chapelle must be the same sense that subjects throughout Europe felt while walking into their own places of worship. The iconography of many cathedrals stays the same but their personalities vary greatly. Stained glass moves me because my grandmother used to take me places to admire it further. Those memories helped create my own personal biases towards stained glass and can be seen by my response to the Sainte Chapelle. Being able to sit through a concert and soaking up the environment gave me a glimmer into what it would have been like when the church ran the world.

"Every Mark Has A History"

2008-05-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Walking the streets of Paris can be a artist's dream for inspiration. Finding the art that pours from its environment can be seen from door to door. My found drawings focused on those doors forged into the skinny side roads of Paris. Where do the doors lead to? Who uses them? Why are they scratched and worn down? All questions can't be reveled, but the door's marks can give us hints to stories of an environment different from our own.

Rodin Museum

2008-05-11T11:08:00.001-07:00

Musee Rodin was a great start to our many museum visits. The intimacy of the museum made navigating easy and the beauty of the landscape complimented the art. I admire the looseness of Rodin's sculpting. The juxtaposition between the human form and the ragged stone made it especially interesting to draw from.

Dans le Noir

2008-05-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

- I all too often take for granted my eyesight

- Throughout the entire dinner I kept straining my eyes for some sort of sight

- Once I came to terms with not seeing, I quickly began imagining what my plate looked like

- I was surprised at how easy it was to pass things across the table through the sounds of voices

Metro Drawings

2008-05-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

These drawings remind me of the drawings made by heart monitors. It's almost as if I'm documenting the heartbeat of the Metro. I wish there were some way for my hand to play even less of a role in the drawing and become more true to the movements of the Metro.

Louvre discovery

2008-05-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a place to rest my feet when I came into tiny room number 33 with guest exhibitionist Antoine Louis Barye. After a moment's recovery I realized I loved his work of jungle cats and antelopes. His sketches were small and his paintings simple, but somehow with great economy he captured the felines' power and grace. It's ironic that a few pencil strokes would win my admiration in a palace full of large scale, time consuming masterpieces, but that goes to show the unpredictability of what will charm or capture you.

LOUVRE

2008-05-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Found

2008-05-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

I found what textures I didn't notice before. Something layered, and with differing degrees of smoothness. Close up, the texture remains with bold lines.

garden memory

2008-05-11T03:44:00.000-07:00

sitting, sketching the flowers, i reminded myself a lot of my grandmother...as a toddler i would sit and watch her paint, often in her garden. i would always be trouble for her when she would take me along to visit her friends...i would run around the flower-beds and uproot fist-fulls of flowers

Tour de France, part Giverny

2008-05-11T03:26:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to go bike riding in France since I started watching Lance Armstrong win the yellow jersey again and again (and again and again and again and again and again). I did not quite feel like Lance while pedaling through Giverny but rather saw the beautiful life that Monet lead and was inspired by. Although he did not live there his whole life, it seems that much of his best work was inspired by his life there. I have never really wanted to love Monet because it was too commercial but after seeing how perfectly he was able to capture the essence of Giverny and his own abode, I can no longer disregard them. I took photographs there but they do the place no justice. Only through Monet’s masterpieces can I truly return to the Garden of Eden that is Giverny.

Found Drawings

2008-05-11T00:39:00.000-07:00

-loved looking at details
-found drawings are like textile patterns
-I took a lot of pictures of enclosure spaces and saw stripes, and interesting textures

Found drawings

2008-05-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

Different shapes and colors

Different forms and textures

Some famous characters in odd places

Colorful graffiti on the metro

Walls that speak with art that expresses itself - no need for translation.

Metro Drawings

2008-05-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

I use the metro as a way of getting from one point to the next...and that is exactly what I let my markers do too. As the motion of the metro designed my book, I smiled at the strangers peeking over their shoulders to look at my marks (whether it was from the crazy lines created or the intense smell of my marker).

Found Drawings

2008-05-10T10:30:00.000-07:00

Posters are everywhere in Paris. After unsuccessful attempts of being ripped down, the poster pieces that are left stuck to its surface transform into something completely different. The layers and marks of the ripped paper create interesting compositions that were created simply by chance.

Mapping Music

2008-05-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

while doing my metro drawing on the way to the saint chapelle, i wondered what the music would sound like. during the concert, as the violinists played, i asked myself what would this look like as a drawing; a painting of sound... little did I know that I had already mapped out the concert I would here in my metro sketchbook. the notes were all there, in every rising and falling of the lines on my blank page. it was as if you could almost here the concert again by looking at the metro drawing. the powerful, strong quick notes were the more jagged, darker lines, the quiet notes were softer lines, moving fluidly along the page.

les gens dans le metro

2008-05-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

i noticed that the metros are relatively quiet most of the time. usually les gens aren't on their cell phones in the metro, unlike the subways of NYC. les gens look around while on the metro, staring at times, not breaking the stare if you catch ils in the act. les gens seem to be all dressed in dark colors and neutral shades. les gens speak in short phrases when talking on the metro.

Discovering Unseen Gardens

2008-05-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

drawing pictures of things i had never seen before was an obstacle. not being able to see the paper you were drawing on was even more of a challenge. discovering this garden i had never seen before with nothing but my sense of smell and hearing produced some interesting blind sketches.

ADDRESS FOR POSTCARD

2008-05-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

Lauren Lake
School of Art + Art History
University of Florida
FAC 101, P.O. Box 115801
Gainesville, FL 32611-5800
USA

CONCERT AT ST. CHAPELLE

2008-05-09T21:52:00.001-07:00

Monet's Land

2008-05-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

What a perfect day. Inspired by Monet's world, I broke out the water colors, loosened up my brush strokes and worked on a few flower scenes. New techniques were introduced, such as: white board marker, color application and paint bleeding. Best results came from quick gestural strokes, with ample amounts of water for the paint to bleed.

A Day in Monet's Gardens

2008-05-09T08:53:00.002-07:00

Mapping My Day From Start to Finish: excited->nervous->petrified->angry->blank->calm->amazed->overwhelmed with wonder->happy->relaxed->determined->relieved->content

sketching in the gardens was so relaxing, just to sit and get to know each flower you sketched.. it was as if each flower had a story to tell, each being unique.. it was my job to capture that story, that unique quality in the essence of that moment.

Evolving Maps

2008-05-09T08:53:00.001-07:00

Take Note: - maps were covered with hatch marks to indicate shading-all lines are clean, solid, stable-in many cases green indicates mountains, blue indicates water-bleeding of color to produce lights and darks -abundance of blank space -use of more light shades to makes darks look richer-maps evolve through time with more details

Vision in the Dark

2008-05-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

...its incredible how your mind works...pulling images out when needed in such great detail..dans le noir il n'y a pas de la lumière ...what is the purpose of our eyes anyway, is it sight? is it our eyes that give us the gift of vision? our eyes are just windows to our minds, which is where we process all that we see. At the restaurant even though my eyes couldn't see anything, it was as if my mind was seeing for me. I could see the person in front of me, the water glass, the utensils, even the mannerisms of everyone around me in complete detail. I forgot for a while that I was even in the dark because my mind produced images from memory so that my eyes could see.

Metro Jerks

2008-05-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

The constant jerks of the metro help to create an interesting line moment on paper. This is a new concept for me to allow myself to be controlled by an outside source to produce marks. I would be more interested to see more trips then one on each page, for example, the green marks is a trip to a location and back from the same location (one in pencil and one in marker.)

The layering overtime would be a more interesting indicator of where stops are, where the jerkiest parts of the metro are. Another interesting project would be to use these moment and overlay them to scale with a metro map and see if there is any correlation to the movements of the metro and where you are headed to.

Blindfolded Drawings.

2008-05-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Stephanie and I walked through the Garden together. I felt comfortable leading Stephanie and telling her what I saw. It was interesting to have to describe a visually thing out loud and of course I struggled for words. Stephanie had trouble filling the page at first, but it got better as time went on. Stephanie did a pretty good job describing the landscapes; my problem was that I used my memory of what things are supposed to look like rather than listening to her descriptions. I had no trouble filling the page and let my hand go wherever it wanted. I enjoyed this exercise and the gardens in Paris are beautiful.

noticing

2008-05-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

petals falling

toes matching

noticing the simple connections

colors that blend together

Metro blindness

2008-05-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

As explorer John Stilgoe, author of Outside Lies Magic, would realize seemingly innocuous pieces of our surroundings have a history and purpose. On my way back to the hotel, I saw a pair of blind people navigating through the metro. The woman waved a stick over the floor, and the man held onto her shoulder. She had to ask a stranger which way to go: Etoile or Nation, and finding the stairs she nimbly climbed up. I went in the opposite metro direction. My breathing caught when I saw the pair enter on the other side, walking closer and closer to the edge of the track until with certainty they stopped at the bumped stripe that runs along all tracks. From Dans Le Nior I learned the importance of our senses and the importance of being situated in our surroundings, but I never fully absorbed the reliance on certain set ups in Paris. I discovered the meaning of the bumped stripe and its vital importance, something which I never befored considered and wished I had explored.

Dans Le Noir

2008-05-09T07:52:00.001-07:00

I expected my heart to be racing but it was my mind that kicked into high gear. I tried to visualize my surroundings or the compsotion of the restaurant: where are the glasses, how is the food set up on the plate, how are other tables situated, where is everyone around me? The restaurant became alive based on the familiar voices and the conservation. A person's touch instead of feeling foreign felt safe. I'm terrible of identifying food only by taste, but the flavors of the dish were strong to say the least. My other senses took over so that I could relax and accept my surroundings, but the importance of placement became all the more important, which is something to remember for works of art.

Blindfolded Drawings

2008-05-09T07:45:00.000-07:00

It's apparent how much we rely on sight once it is taken away. Composition, description and timme become essential. What's left, right, top or bottom? What am I drawing? What does it look like? What is it doing? And time is of the essence. Sketching has a sense of urgency. Because scenes are constantly shifting, it takes a mental snapshot to incorporate all the elements of what we see into a cohesive and comprehensive image. Without sight, I felt the need the need to draw quickly as though to capture everything the instant my partner noted it. It shows what a powerful capacity we have to absorb and interpret our surroundings through sight and how we must rely on memory if that sight is taken away.

dans le noir

2008-05-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

just as we were walking into the room, i lost grip of alexis' shoulder and was completely helpless trying to lead the rest of the line...walked into some wall and ben had to come get me.
never realized how weak my other senses were without sight...didn't recognize half the food.

Dans Le Noir reflection

2008-05-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

Walking in had to be the most frightening part because your line of sight slowly merged from a faint glow in the background behind you to total darkness. Although your senses are heightened, there is really no way to adjust to the total darkness, eyes will keep searching for the faintest light.

The tastes were really altogether unmanageable to decipher- a person usually correlates taste to an image, or image to taste, (at least when eating) and when that connection is broken, it makes things that are familiar, unfamiliar.

Montparnasse: Noticing and Noting

2008-05-09T07:34:00.000-07:00

Montparnasse is filled with nuances. The past is incorporated into the everyday. What attracted me was the diversity of the doorways. Some were wood. Some were glass. Paint -evergreen, black, cobalt -could be cracked or glossy. Classical engravings or intricate iron compositions outweighed minimal art deco designs. Modern boutiques had simple doors, usually glass, versus the heavy doors of established buildings. Doorways in Montparnasse are used as yet another opportunity to individualize the city.

Blindfolded drawings

2008-05-09T07:18:00.001-07:00

You take for granted the role your eyes play in making a drawing. It was refreshing to take a step back and concentrate on what you hear, and the feeling of pencil on paper. Though the drawings appeared primitive, they felt more sincere than many of the drawings I've made in Paris.

Contour Study

2008-05-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Rodin's rough aesthetic is very appealing to me because I see the process. I can imagine the material being worked into the late hours of night, only to be revisited early in the morning along with a cup of coffee. Marble is rough, and so are parts of Rodin's pieces. When that rawness is juxtaposed against the smooth burnished sections, I become interested. Strong lines with rough texture is what I notices while studying Rodin's treatment of contours.

Montparnasse:Noticing.

2008-05-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Four of us walked to the cemetery.

Signs:

Directional arrows are blue and white( at home they are yellow and black)

Gravestones have a lot of crosses, some are Jewish and are denoted by the 10 commandment tablets.

One tomb had rocks on it; this is a tradition in Judaism.

Cemetery road signs are green with white type.

Walking back to PRC.

Use of the universal handicap sign.

Mostly smaller public signs.

Street signs are mostly blue tiles on the side of buildings, which is hard to see sometimes.

Integration with buildings.

Blue and Green Neon Pharmacy signs.

Neon Lights on during the day.

Big white directional arrows, which don't really point in any real direction.

Tow-away symbol.

Blindfold Drawings

2008-05-09T05:56:00.000-07:00

"Who wants to go first?" was the first question my partner and I asked just by looking at one another. Not knowing what the experience was going to be like... intimidated us a bit. But we let our other senses take over, drew and explained for a bit, and enjoyed the humiliation from our blindfold masks.

barber of seville

2008-05-09T04:36:00.000-07:00

tata tatata ta tata ta taaa...lala la la laaaa...

figaro figaro figfigaro ....fiiiiiigaro fiiigaro.,,.•**

bravo...

...an amazing performance and experience listening to an italian opera with french subtitles in Paris.

surprisingly the story was not too hard to follow...a love story is a love story whatever the language..and even better in italian ;)

Garden Memory

2008-05-09T03:19:00.000-07:00

Like le Noir, if I closed my eyes I could sense the sounds, if I drowned out les voix de gens. When I opened my eyes, everything was more accute. There were colors in flowers I had never seen before. There was so much bequty up close that I could only see from studying it, sitting and looking.

I wish I had more memories of gardens. Once I visit gardens and don't remember more than the overarching details. I wonder why that is.

Dans le Noir

2008-05-09T03:13:00.000-07:00

Everything was dark, but I didn't know how overwhelming dark was. Everything had to be felt, I rested my hands on the people next to ,e every so often to see they were still there. I regressed, feeling like a child discovering for the first time through touch and taste to identify.

Collage It

2008-05-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Collage can be used to layer separate information into a single cohesive composition. My collages use layered information while focusing on color and form -- using found design elements to add interest. By eliminating the need for direct messaging, the small collages force me to make solid design choices on color and shape organization.

GIVERNY monet's house / biking / sketching

2008-05-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

Rodin Museum

2008-05-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

The forms at the museum are very impressive when seen in person. Rodin's sculptures really accentuate the form and shape of the human body. In the contour drawings I concentrated on the line and mass created by the movement of the figures. His sculptures often felt like they were trapping a moment of time.

Blind Drawing Is Dangerous

2008-05-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Trusting your imagination is not always easy to do; especially when you are in a strange place with no previous vision of the area. As my guide lead me around, I paid special attention to the sounds of the environment around me. If one sense is removed, then the others have to be heightened. My results of the blind drawings surprised me. My imagination and hand coordination tried to work together. With some practice, I'm sure we all could draw from our other senses, allowing sight to be a secondary option for art making.

BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE CARTES ET PLANS

2008-05-07T02:11:00.000-07:00

*maps of france comissioned by napoleon

*late 19th century socioeconomic maps

*louis XV maps

BLINDFOLD DRAWINGS IN LUXEMBOURG GARDENS

2008-05-07T01:27:00.000-07:00

french dogs

2008-05-07T01:05:00.000-07:00

french dogs

small dogs

well-behaved

without leash, pee on streets and car tires.

(miss my yorkie Chandler)

Blindfold Drawings

2008-05-07T01:01:00.000-07:00

I did not realize how much there is to process.
Even if I could draw exactly what was in my head, there was still such an incomplete picture.
And to describe the scenery, I forgot how much there is to describe, that I assumed things I didn't remember to say.
The drawings turned into a sketchy mess, all over the place, no real composition.
I wish I could draw more accurately with a sense of feeling. The idea worked better in theory

Seeing nothing makes me really feel the pen in my hand, holding up the sketchbook concentrating as hard to translate someone's words through my hands to image, almost as slow and scattered as translating French.

Montparnasse

2008-05-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

Montparnasse!
small shops
people in cafes sit next to one another looking towards street
beaucoup de fumer
tiny cars, narrow roads, narrow sidewalks, lots of people walking but not in a rush
scooters, motorcycles, Smart cars
There are no benches or sensible places to pull over and take pictures
every so often un jardin ou un arbre, but otherwise no greenery
les cafes; les fleurs; les boulongeries
restaurants-par exemple près quand nous arretons:
Pizza qu Feu de Bois, Amormo, Les Faruetes (cafe et brassier bar), Gastronomie Chinois; Yamito Restaurant Japonais, Restaurant Mexicain