My Kid Could Paint That

While I was watching you go through your years of schooling, you have always have been a role model for me. You have shown me the value of a strong work ethic and of dedication. Conversely, you have shown me the importance of being well rounded, that academic success is not everything. I wanted to thank you for your encouraging comments regarding my school work and my pursuit to follow my passions.

Upon first glance at this piece, one is overwhelmed by the deep blue hues in background. I view this as a metaphor for your future endeavors -- that the sky's the limit for you. The open hands over the book are symbols that with knowledge anything can be attained, another value you were instrumental in teaching me.

Thank you again for everything you have done for me during the past several years. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Your loving sister,

Missy

Editor's Note: Students were asked to give a painting to someone they cared for. These are their moving responses.

Renoir highlights the comfort of human relationships. Renoir's girls resemble our sisterly relationship. The elaborate floral hats remind me of the hats mom made us wear many years ago. The rosy cheeks displays innocent yet vulnerable emotion. The girls in the painting appreciate nature. You resemble Renoir's girls by always finding new ways to explore and absorb the beauty of nature. In Greek mythology, Sophie means wisdom. Your knowledge and love for animals and nature always amazes me.

The peacefulness of the girls display reminds me of our relationship. We never fight, and I always view you as the peace keeper in our family. The girls display youthful innocence. As a 13-year-old, you still need growth and development. Even I lack growth and maturity. I advise you to keep your innocence and optimistic view of the world. I urge you to picture this world with fields full of flowers ready to be picked.

Love you lots,

Zoe

Editor's Note: Students were asked to give a painting to someone they cared for. These are their moving responses.

By ELISE FINN

Dear Farmboy,

I gift you Smoke of a .45.

Charles Marion Russell is an artist of the Old American West. He loves cowboys and the country. Needless to say, you two would get along.

When I first thought of what painting to pick, I wanted to choose something different than what I've written about so far. I started searching around and landed on Smoke of a .45. I immediately thought of you and your love of Westerns.

What's going on in the painting? Did one cowboy run his horse into the other, resulting in a gunfire showdown? Was the man outside the Palace sleeping with the cowboy's wife? Maybe the Palace man is innocent and the cowboy is just looking to start some trouble. Who knows? The interpretation is up to you. Frankly, I'd go with the third scenario...it's more exciting.

The painting reminds me of you because you grew up watching this action. You know the cowboys, the accents, and the brawls. You also know every cowboy versus Indian movie there is. I thank you for introducing me to this different world of film. Although I have seen few Westerns, my love of them grows each time we get to watch together. You name the different characters as if they're family friends of yours, and you explain what's going on when I think two characters are the same person. Through these films, I get a peek into your childhood. It's like with each movie, I learn a little more about you.

The piece is chaotic, fun, overwhelming. The point isn't to question the work's brushstrokes or use of lighting. You don't have to look for a meaning. I look at his work and feel an urge to be apart of the excitement, to be that cowboy. In another life, you would be that cowboy.

And so, I gift you this piece. Take it. Enjoy it.

Best,

Elise

By FRANCESCA MAURO

Dear Owen,

I admire your curiosity, especially of art. Every time I begin the process of a new painting, you question the techniques and concepts even once completed. You always offer your help whether it be with ideas, painting, or cleaning. You, a seven year old, make me see my own art and others' differently. 

You will not only like this piece for less mature reasons such as the vibrant colors and abnormal depiction, but also for how it makes you feel. You empathize and have an insatiable desire to help others and to keep everyone happy. When I see this picture with you in mind, I see the subject as myself, feeling anxious and upset. I know that I can depend on you to always give me a hug and ask about my day because you genuinely care about my feelings. You have the ability to change any bad day into a better one and manage to end it on a happy note. I felt that you would appreciate this painting because of all of the techniques and abnormality in order to express movement and emotion. You inspire me. 

BY JENNY ZHU

To Tao

I know it's weird to write a love letter using an example of once great lovers breaking up with each other. I remember looking at her performing art works for the first time with you. I felt something within. I knew at the instance that I would never want that to happen to you and I, but the future is way too long and unpredictable for us to know for sure.

Marina Abramović, the grandmother of performing art, once said that "an artist should avoid falling in love with another artist," and I think that's what happened to Marina and Ulay, her ex. To complete their breakup, the former couples started from the opposite sides of the Great Wall of China wearing complementary colors, red and blue, in an extend of 90 days, and met in the middle to make the final farewell. I keep wondering what they were thinking about when they were walking alone on those walls. What led them to that position? Why did they breakup? After all, it seemed quite peaceful between the two? Did they just decide they were not the one for each other? During the course of walking, did they ever regret the decision of splitting apart? I keep thinking, but I don't think I can ever get near what they were thinking unless I walk those walls.

And Tao, I think we are on our own walls right now, but we are side by side walking together. I'm a senior, and like most of the high school couples, we are about to face the first biggest step of our lives, college. Things will change. Maybe one day one of us will turn around and walk the opposite directions, Even though we might not be able to walk together much longer, for the time left, I wanna make the best out of it. I have so many things planned out for us to do.

By the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanna thank you for everything you've done, especially the late night phone calls when I'm feeling down. Sometimes we just have a special connection where simple eye contact alone is enough for all I have to say. You get me like no one else does. Nothing can express how grateful I am to have you.

Jenny

Editor's Note: Students were asked to give a painting to someone they cared for. These are their moving responses.

In Diana Leaving Her Bath, Boucher demonstrates his expert manipulation of color, lighting, and form to create an idyllic and erotic portrayal of the innocent goddess, Diana. His subject matter is mythical in nature, but also takes on a sensual connotation. Boucher intentionally contrasts the dark blues and greens around the periphery of the painting with the bright golden tones in the center to emphasis his subject matter. In regards to perspective, the manipulation of color also brings the center of the painting forward, while pushing away elements such as the hunting dogs and forest. The lighting works in conjunction with this structure. The pseudo-natural lighting, possibly a beam of sunlight through the trees, emphasizes Diana and her hand maiden. 

A series of lines run through the painting, creating structure and visual focus. The main linear structure runs from the arms of the assistant, through Diana's legs and up through the infamously reoccurring blue curtain. The painting is very well balanced along this diagonal line and provides an untraditional sense of symmetry. Again, Boucher sticks with his trademark circular composition. In regards to form, the bodies of Diana and her aid are very proportional and anatomically accurate. They are crafted in a delicate and sensual manner that is aided by the texture of the brushstrokes. The soft, feathery, and well blended strokes around the skin add to the ethereal effect of the painting. 

Beyond the formal elements of the painting, Boucher has crafted a very specific narrative. Diana is identified by her signature attributes: the golden crescent settled in her hair and the bow and game lying next to her. However, most prominent here are the traits in fashion under the reign of Louis XV. Her the milky complexion, small full face, and curvaceous figure are emblematic of beauty standards at the time. 

Her virginal state distances her from any ill intent and she reveals her nudity only out of the necessity of her bath. She does so with total frankness and lack of prudery, like a novice to the world of romance. Diana is presented as a ravishingly pretty and demure girl. Many critics describe Diana as having “a voluptuous vacancy on her face” and argue that the lack of animation in her expression increases her charm. Her features reveal nothing of the hard-hearted goddess of the hunt. Though Diana is so desirable, she seems without desires, in a state of innocence that borders on ignorance. She is almost aloof in her routine. 

Boucher is above all interested in the relationship between the body and nature. The intense blue of the drapery is offset by the rosy freshness of skin and the subtle green of the landscape. The treatment of the nude female body is particularly delicate here and the modeling of the body is sensual, yet realistic. Boucher’s depiction of Diana reflects a totally human woman. His idealizing touches are restricted to the refining of the ankles and wrists, the arc of the brows, and the deeper red tinting of the lips. 

The most famous story relating to a bath of Diana is that in which the hunter Actaeon, coming across the bathing goddess, spies on her. Diana in her anger at Actaeon, who once boasted that he was her equal in hunting, causes her to turn the man into a stag. His own hunting hounds devour him. Is this painting a recreation of the pose of a goddess only recently having dealt with an affront to her glory? A goddess who calmly returns to her routine as her servants serve and her subjects reel in terror? 

William Hogarth's satirical artwork criticizing the 18th century's societal and political flaws became a precursor to today's political cartoons. Magazines like The New Yorker take the same stance of wry humor that Hogarth used to critique social practices and events in his time.

Among Hogarth's most famous works is his six-painting series entitled Marriage à-la-mode. The chronological series follows a marriage based on economic gain rather than love. Hogarth illustrates the scandal and tragedy that can result from this skewed concept of matrimony.

A tête à tête is a private conversation or occurence between two people. However, this scene hardly seems private. The couple sits exposed, with a glowing light illuminating their debauchery in all its glory. Two figures detract from the privacy of this moment as well. On the left, the couple's accountant stands, bills in hand, behind a toppled chair with a face that portrays equal parts shock, disgust, and resignation. A startled butler stands further back, jaw-dropped.

The  saints and cupids hanging on the walls seem to look down judgmentally at the couple, and with good reason. The young woman, reclined on a chair with her bodice noticeably loosened, boasts a smug expression. She holds a mirror in her outstretched hand, perhaps signaling at her lover. Though this lover does not appear in the painting, his implied existence detracts from the intimacy of this "husband-wife" scene. The husband, meanwhile, also boasts several signs of infidelity. A large black syphilis patch on his neck contrasts with his pale skin. The young man also displays a slightly more insidious sign of debauchery dangling from his pocket. A small dog sniffs the woman's bonnet that the husband seems to have hastily stowed in his pocket to hide any evidence of his extramarital activities.

Hogarth's work is filled with snarky and subtle commentary on "modern marriage." He suggests that a marriage based on financial gain cannot lead to a pure, happy life. Alongside several portraits of saints, a mostly covered canvas displays a single nude foot. This suggestion of a distasteful nude portrait, added to the array of tacky figurines on the mantle, imply that the marriage as a whole may be in bad taste and doomed. Additionally, a broken sword in the bottom right corner suggests impotence. Hogarth's inclusion of hidden symbols and details helps his series of moral paintings to convey their purpose.

The Love Letter, by Jean-Honore Fragonard, was painted in 1770, is oil on canvas, it's 2 feet x 1 foot, and is on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

This piece is very aesthetically pleasing in that the use of all of the different shades of gold and brown helps to bring the focus on the woman in the center. In addition, the flowers, ribbon, and dress also help to bring the piece together. The blue dress she wears is one of the main components of the painting because all of the ruffles, highlights, and shadows make it as realistic as possible. There are several aspects of this painting that help bring it together. This includes line(s), lighting, and subject matter.

With respect to the lines and hidden shapes in the painting, there are several curves, diagonals, triangles, and squares. At first glance, it is hard to see. However, if you take the time to really study and admire the work you'll be able to see the curvature with the drapes, windows, and desk. The harsh straight lines are on the chair, the top of the desk, and the bottom half of the chair.  Within the woman alone there are triangles, diagonal lines, and a circle. All of this gives you a different way to view this rather than just seeing a painting.

The lighting in this is another key component. As you can see, the upper half is significantly darker than the lower half. This is for two reasons. One, to help keep the focus and importance on the woman, by illuminating her face, the letter, and the flowers. Two, because of the position and placement of the window.

Next, the subject matter. The woman in the painting is noticeably wealthy, literate, and classy. We can see her wealth through the dress and bonnet, and her literacy through the letter and desk. It seems as though she has just received a letter from a letter and is preparing to write back. In addition, note the smirk on her face as if the letter has something inappropriate written in it or she is writing something inappropriate back.

In The Progress of Love series, Fragonard painted this piece The Lover Crowned. In this piece, the light comes from the left bottom corner and directly illuminates the lovers, who are the main focus in this painting. The woman is crowning the young man with a garland. However, the woman is looking away when crowning, which makes the viewers think she was not willing to do so. Take a closer look and viewers can find she is smiling. The woman's left hand is holding the man's hand. Their hands are either facing up or down which symbolize receiving and giving in relationship. The man shows his love as he is looking at the woman instead of looking up at the garland. It is also shown as he was sitting on the floor begging the woman while the woman is sitting on the bench tricking him.

In the background, the trees are doing the same pose as the lovers. The big tree in the middle is like the woman crowning the weak tree on the left. Before the trees, there is an angel statue looking down at the lovers, wishing them good luck. On the right bottom corner of the painting, an artist is sketching the lovers on his sketch book. By lining up the lovers, viewers can see the angel statue and the artist are symmetrical. The painter used complementary colors such as green and red to highlight the red in the painting which emphasize the theme love. Also, elements like flowers, music, and angel all symbolize the beauty of love in this painting. The hue in this painting is thick but because of the use of nature and warm light in this painting makes the painting looks comfortable.

Painted in 1785 by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Fountain of Love depicts a young pair of lovers leaning toward a fountain preparing to drink water from it. The water will make the young couple fall in love. The "Fountain of Love" was a popular theme in Rococo era paintings and art. Fragonard's paintings often had sexual undertones and played with the feeling of falling in love. Generally, Fragonard painted portraits of wealthy noble people, but this particuarly painting was right before the French Revolution and political tensions were high.

There are two versions of The Fountain of Love, the one pictured above was the original. Fragonard also painted a second, more refined version later the same year. This version actually has two layers, the first layer has the man looking at the woman. Fragonard changed his mind and repainted the two lovers heads giving an interesting look at his artistic process.

Despite the painting being about love, the colors used are quite dark and dull, which is in contrast since most of Fragonard's paintings are quite colorful. The only light is on the lovers and cupids, which brings the focus to them and also creates a contrast between love and hate. The lover's bodies create strong parallel lines giving them swift movement to the left. A line starting at the cupids in the bottom left and running through the woman's right arm gives the painting visual balance.

When I first absorbed Francois Boucher's Triumph of Venus, I was originally bombarded with chaos. However, Boucher uses overwhelming motions of nymphs, dolphins, and baby cupids to convey the intense praise that Venus receives. Movements of the different subjects overwhelms Venus. After I processed the abundance of naked bodies, I then began to appreciate Boucher’s complexity. 

Boucher's Rinaldo and Armida elevates the classic figures from the 16th century epic poem. Rinaldo and Armida are the two central characters in "Gerusalamme Liberata"( Jerusalem Delivered) written by Torquato Tasso. Gerusalamme Liberata takes place during the first crusade. An army captain, Rinaldo, was spotted by the king's sorceress, Armida, she in turn kidnaps him and takes him into the Garden of Pleasure. In the Garden of Pleasure, Armida places Rinaldo under a spell to fall in love with her. Rinaldo's General and his brother decided to save Renaldo by finding a hermit to break the spell. The hermit gave them a diamond mirror that was percieved to cure Rinaldo's infatuation. The two soldiers found the hidden garden and broke the spell, leaving Armida heartbroken for eternity. 

Boucher places the two subjects in the Garden just as the two soldiers are about the break Armida's spell. The artists places the lower and the cherubs in a circular composition. The red fabric engulfing the two lowers shows their infatuation with one another. The piece is lit by a singular white cloud, while the rest of the background's grays are meant to symbolize the impending doom for Armida. Boucher splits his work by using many diagonals. These diagonals give focus to the two main subjects by creating staging for the piece. 

The realistic fabrics are true characteristics of Boucher's works and the Rococo movement. The Rocco movement showcased the life of the aristocracy. The incredibly wealthy were often well read and this portrait portraying classic literature and architecture are other example of the movement. Boucher's masterful portrayal of "Gerusalamme Liberata"showed the best of Boucher and the Rococo time period.

Francois Boucher was a French painter that worked with the Rococo style of art. Most of his painting have similar structures with a small opening for the sky on the left hand side with the subject normally in the middle. Boucher also chooses to incorporate animals and a blue tarp, which is seen on the left under the woman's straw hat. The painting depicts a dove bringing a woman a message in the woods most likely from a lover of hers. With the title, the action in the painting becomes more clear. It adds an actual substance or meaning to the paper the woman is holding. The way the woman is staring at the dove, it forces the feeling of love upon the viewer.

In the painting, Boucher seems to have intentionally made the background get darker the further you look from the subject. The woman's body is well lit and you are able to see every single one of her features, which is the point. But, as you looks around the edges of the canvas, it gets harder and harder to make out what is around her. The blue tarp is so poorly shown it almost looks like it is just a part of the woods. The balance between the light and dark sides of the canvas make for an easy to look at picture. The balance allows your eyes to easily glide across the different colors and shades from the foreground, all the way to the subject.

Watteau painted this life-size portrait, which he originally titled Gilles, using oil paints. A museum later changed the name to Pierrot, meaning actor or buffoon, to help others relate to the work. Many critics appoint Watteau as the pioneer of Rococo painting,  and his work ischaracterized with faded colors and details, soft lines, and common themes of youth, love, and nature. Despite the cool tones and depressing expression on the subject's face, the painting leaves me feeling content despite the obvious story.

The subject is assumed to be the artist, sad because his lover left him for another man. The natural lighting in the scene directly shines primarily on the subject and then on the other people. The bright white draws the eye to the centered subject surrounded by the circular composition which the subject and some trees intercept. 

The background is lighted much darker than the rest except the sky. The people in the foreground show movement with the wind and their actions. On the left, another clown rides a donkey while the boss, on the right, instructs them. The two lovers watch the secondary clown and the subject appears ignored. I initially looked at the subject's uniform, and then at the secondary people, adding to the concept of people ignoring the subject through his face and expression. Overall, I enjoy this painting because despite its sad story, it remains an aesthetically appealing painting that leaves me feeling carefree as opposed to stressed.

For someone who knows nothing about the French Rococo style might think that A Portrait of Madame Pompadour is another portrait of some rich lady painted long ago. However, the portrait represents more than money and fame. It celebrates the success of an unlikely woman and incorporates the beauty of Boucher's artistic methods. 

The painting Embarkment to Cythera was Watteau's masterpiece, one of the most well-known paintings during the Rococo era. The painting tells a wondrous story about love and the lifestyle of young aristocracies.

Cythera is a beautiful Greek island of love that is believed to be the birth place of Aphrodite. One of the most frequent questions asked about this painting is whether the young couples are heading or returning to the island of Cythera. We see the a vague outline of a city lurking in the very back, which could suggest maybe that is Cythera. But we also see a statue of Aphrodite on the top right corner saying that maybe this is indeed the island of love.

I believe that they are already at Cythera because we see this progression of love throughout the painting. The lighting of the painting makes the couple under the tree the focus point, and then further the to the left the more blurred the couples are. Let's name the couple under the tree couple 1, and then the one next to them couple 2 and then 3, etc.. We see the girl in couple 1 a lot less engaging than let's say couple 6 where the girl is grabbing on the guy's arm. Girl 1 is looking downwards looking even a little irritated, while the guy is clearly lingering on to her. By the end of it, we see pid's hovering above the boat which might be a symbolization of the love finally being complete.

William Eggleston was a well known photographer who took ordinary objects and made them seem a bit creepier than they should. Most of his works include ordinary household objects, children's toys, cars, and the like. Eggleston will then take these objects and take a photo of them from an odd angle or with a certain type of light hitting the object. This method Eggleston uses for his photos makes it easier to identify his works when being compared to other photographer of his time.

Memphis by William Eggleston was possibly one of the most popular photographs to have been taken during the era of colored photography. Recently, he sold this print, along with 35 others, at an auction for $5.9 million. Now, to understand why this photograph is so valuable, the viewer has to look past the fact that this is just a picture of a tricycle in from of a few houses. The questions that come along with the picture are what make it so revolutionary. People wonder "Who's riding the tricycle?" "Where's the kid?" "Why was this picture taken from the ground?" "How has the bike become so rusted?".These question raise suspicion in the mind of the viewer which creates holes that can be filled with imagination. Filling those holes with imagination freely gives you the right to assume or think whatever you want about the picture and that is what makes this photo so sinister.

Dang...just look at those sexy yet innocent eyes.

The vivid colors and sensual positioning of this Russian beauty gives viewers a man who isn't afraid to show a more sensitive side. The unbuttoned shirt of this Chris Evans (Captain America) look-alike gives off a confident look as well.